Crazy Times

Good things today -

Paycheck with (finally) our contracted increase. But the retroactive pay (going back to July) will have to wait. With a system in financial dire straits, they hold the money as long as they possibly can.

My "vacation" leave for next month was put into the system without me having to do anything. The substitute, who is almost a permanent faculty member, she subs so much at our school, got it all arranged once I told her the dates.

Weather was really nice this afternoon. Of course, I was driving instead of biking. The past two days were super cold (for Memphis) pre-dawn, but it made me realize that a bunch of my doubts about commuting were non-issues. Some of the hills are not even obstacles any more. Riding before the sun rises has been handled, and now I know the best way to dress for anything down to about 30 degrees. I still don't dare brave the rains, though.


Not so great -

The kids are getting VERY restless and disobedient. A few obvious notes being passed, as if they want them to be seen, expressing very negative attitudes peppered with curse words. Yesterday we had a meeting to educate us on gang activities, and I had a less than pleasant dream along those lines and it has put me on a bit of a hair trigger. Meanwhile I have kids who, when a parent is called, disrespects their parent on the phone in the process of trying to explain how and why they couldn't have had an attitude with me. Other parents who basically say "yes, he/she does the same thing at home, I just don't know what to do" and leaves it to us to manage.

Well, one more day, then one week, and I will be having a bit of a break. Then Thanksgiving lands and before you know it, the year is over.