Feeling a little invaded...

Here's the scenario... read and then give your opinion please:

I have just returned from a 3 day trip with a bus of 13-14 year olds, before which I didn't get any sleep due to preparations that took until the last minute, so you can imagine the current state of sleep deprivation I currently am experiencing.

Part of the preparations were to prepare instructions for my fill in while I was gone. In those instructions I left a suggestion of something to the effect of "if the main office doesn't have anything pressing that they need done, come back to the classroom and you can tidy the front area" I repeat "tidy the FRONT."

No where in that do I read (or would have read into) go through my desk drawers, through out things you think I don't need, rearrange/tidy my office, take personal items off my bulletin board.. oh.. and let some kids go through my stuff too.

I'm sorry, but that just seems wrong to me. Yes, I know my office wasn't eat off the floor clean and was due for a good overhaul but it's still my office and the plan was to clean it up after the mayhem of the past 2 weeks concluded. Am I out to lunch here? I feel totally violated. I happened to see the dustbin by my desk completely full of paper (which erks me because I recycle like a made woman) so I started pulling things out and found things that students had given me 5 years ago that sure, were only little scraps of paper with weird sayings on them but they had sentimental value to me! And she threw them out! Totally unimpressed...

So am I over reacting to this? I realize that she really did mean well and that she thought it would be a nice gift to me to come back and have things totally cleaned up - which is true, the front of the room is nice and tidy as I had asked - but... the office!? She even left a note saying "This stack of papers is likely garbage but I left if for you... I hope you can find everything..." and then I find things that are clearly (well, clearly to me because they were on the bulletin board up high and purposefully placed there) not intended for the dustbin IN the dustbin!

What would you do? I'm thinking I should call and thank her for her efforts but... blah blah blah...

"Thank Heaven for Little Girls" my @$$!

Alan Lerner was a moron. I mean, what idiot comes up with that phrase and then had the nerve to make it into a song? Why ruin music with such an idiot comment? He obviously didn't teach a group of 12-13 year old girls.

My PE class is killing me... or trying to. Wait, a more accurate statement would be the follow quotation relayed to me by my co-worker, Mr.A.: "Mr.A, just so you know, I'm going to do everything in my power get Ms. M. fired!"

Yup. That's good times I tell ya. See, I have this "silly" idea that in PE class you should... wait for it... wait for it... PARTICIPATE!

*GASP*

I know, I know... the NERVE! But wait.. I'm even MORE unreasonable. I want them to be in proper gym strip so they don't get their regular clothes gross and stinky/muddy and wet.


*GASP GASP*

Told you I was brutal. This gaggle of five girls actively do not participate. Yes, that's what I meant, they try their damnedest to NOT participate because that's what I'm wanting them to do. I tried the whole routine of praising those who were participating, you know, catch them when they're doing something good but that just made them try other things.

The gym strip thing is stupid - I mean seriously... you want to pick a fight with me over something so lame, be my guest. You won't win. The excuse of "I don't have any money" doesn't cut it when the island you live on has a free store! But hang on, I said the wrong island name when I was suggesting it so that entitles you to pick a fight about how you wouldn't go to that store because the Island you live on has it's own and blah blah blah blah blah.

I was so done with them today that I made the ones who were literally, I'm not exaggerating here, literally standing around on the soccer field while 4 of the 9 of them on that field tried to actually play a game... I made the 5 go into the school and wait while I got an administrator to come out and deal with the stupidity. I was so done. However, I think this made it worse because as "little girls" can do, they batted their eyelashes and made me sound like a real ogre and now admin is suggesting that we have a whole class meeting because they're not getting along with me and vice versa.

ARE YOU KIDDING!? That's totally playing into their hands! We're not "getting along" because the darlings don't know how to show respect and/or not lip off and/or be prepared for class.

ARGH! Not impressed and now this is going to be haunting me all weekend. I can't believe that something so great - like the BIG CONCERT last night is being overshadowed by moronic girls. I know that I'm letting it get to me but it's really hard to not let it get to you. Give me my boys class any day - please!

Personal Trainer Session #1

AWESOME NIGHT! It was great! This was the first of 12 sessions. I had the one shot deal and since then have signed up for 12 more and I'm so excited. At first, when I signed up, the girls at the desk were saying "That's so EXCITING!" and I was laughing at them thinking "what is this so exciting?" Now I get it! It is exciting! My trainer is terrific. We're both ultra driven and really focused which is perfect. Who... me competitive? ;)

We really did a lot of isolated weight training tonight which was a change from the first routine she set for me. I'm going to alternate between the two. The first is more core oriented and all over work so that's good. I'm REALLY EXCITED about this! I think it's going to be great. Yes, it's an expense and kinda extravagant but... yes, it's clique.. I'm worth it!

I also found out today that the work scenario has once again changed for next year and I'm thinking more and more seriously about how the 'forced move' (aka permanent lay-off) is going to be a good thing. I think the 5 years of beating my head against the wall should have been a sign but I'm also quite stubborn (again... who me? never!). I'll find out soon enough what the lo-down turns out to be. Until then I'll rip it up at the gym and feel good about something I can control instead of feeling crappy about all the things at work that I can't control.

:D

Pssst! Have you heard.....?

Rumors. BAH! I'm tired of them. Tired I say!

I was at workshop today and all the buzz in the down time was rumors about how things are changing next year and who's going where and blah blah blah blah blah...

I removed myself from that corner of the room and sat at a table, but that table was spinning the same tales so I moved to another table that was also heavily engaged in pointless speculation. grrrrrr...

I thought for sure I'd be safe at the gym. Nope. After the usual cardio routine (which is getting too easy so I think I need to change it up a bit), I tried out an All-Abs-for-30-minutes-Class-of-Torture (really quite good and thoroughly enjoyable.. once it ended) but the discussion before the class was the same! ACK! You'd think that there would be more to talk about and do with your time than gossip. And you'd think that maybe every waking hour is maybe enough even if gossip is your cup of tea.

Well, I'm not part of it. I mean, of course I can't totally remove myself from the situation but I'm not going to be a perpetrator of the gossip. Everyone is already tense 24/7 and this rumor mill is only making it worse. For my own mental health, if no one else's, I'm going to disengage from the conversations. End of story.

Bonding with the Boys

Gotta love how stupid things from years ago come in handy at the strangest times.

The boys were... well, themselves today in class and this one kid was particularly goofy. That's his thing, that's what he does but today was funny because he just started saying "TROGDOR!" under his breath thinking I'd flip and not have a clue what he was saying. I just calmly requested that he talk about Trogdor, Strongbad, and Homestar Runner at some other time since "The Use of Child Labour during the Industrial Revolution" was our present topic, not S shaped dragons.

He was totally shocked but then thought it was super cool when I relayed the story of a friend of mine who had "TROGDOR!" theme music as his cell phone ring tone.

Kid was good for the rest of class.
:)

Check this out!

Staff Room Happenings

Back to work today. We had our usual joyous Monday morning meeting with the news of things to come in the week and general announcements about big picture things. Then there was the list of people who would be away for good portions of the month or the entire month - 2 operations, 1 illness, and 1 with a deceased parent. I suppose there is no 'good' way to announce these things to the staff but it was yet another slap in the face to make you realize that yes indeed, you are back and you are working here. I know a lot of other teachers and our staff has had an extraordinary amount of bad karma this year. Are we all bad people or does it just seem that the forces of nature are against us more than others? Focusing on negatives isn't positive (how's that for a statement!) but since the 'good news' items are so rare at work this year it, it's easier to recall the one of the many not so good ones.

But it's not all disheartening, there were some good things that happened or were discussed in that room today.

The hockey pool is still going and it's trading time! Last year I won $150-200 (can't remember exactly). This year I started at the bottom of the pack and am making my way up to the top - but I doubt that's going to happen. There is apparently a prize for the loser this year so maybe I should go that way. I know nothing about hockey so I'm not sure if I'll make some trades or just keep the same draft as I started with in the beginning. That was my strategy last year; mind you, I was already winning by a considerable lead at this point last year... mmm. Big decision - I know.

I actually got to have lunch in the staff room today and it was good! Usually it's the old boys club which we girls usually infiltrate but today I got to sit with 3 other women and talk about - what else but men! Two married women and two single women discussing the fine and finer points about men in general and men we know. A good and/or therapeutic time was had by all. :D

A colleague suggested that we have a staff "Biggest Loser" contest. LOL! I love it! There are about 8 of us in the game and we each pay $5.00. We weigh in each Friday and the one who looses the most weight by the end of 6 weeks gets the cash. It should be interesting. I think we're doing a weigh in tomorrow to set our starting point *groan*. At least now I'm accountable to someone other than myself in this get fit plan... plus - there's a cash prize! Yee haa! I'll keep you posted on my at work gambling habits.