After semester report cards came out I got more phone calls from parents than ever before. Most of them just used me as a liaison between them and their child’s teachers and I made connections for them. One of them, after seeing straight F’s on the report card that their child earned, wanted to know what to do to help his son.

What would you suggest? Because, really, this new math they’re doing is stupid. I can’t even do it. You guys are teaching new stuff to the kids all the time and I don’t even KNOW this stuff.

New stuff? I asked. Like what?

Like algebra! Jesus Christ! I can’t do that shit!

Algebra? You didn’t have algebra in school? You didn’t take that particular math class? What’s wrong, do you think maybe it’s too abstract a concept?

Listen to you! Talking abstract and algebra! What the hell are you teaching kids today???

That was one of the better phone calls.

*Edited* Hats off to Joe who caught the spelling error. It was a test. It has now been fixed because it’s bothered me all day.

That splatting sound you hear is the proverbial shit hitting the proverbial fan. Restructuring efforts at my district were reported out to our schools yesterday and the effects are varied and widespread. Every high school principal was moved to our central office, several central office people were moved out into schools, and the shifting and changing that went on caused quite a stir. It’s nothing I will choose to busy myself with nor will I read the newspaper or it’s blog comments because after seeing, “i loved my principle. she was the best principle. la la de dahhh principle.” I can’t even condone the people who push the submit button on those things. Because, really, shouldn’t there be an edit button before they let children and adults without opposable thumbs weigh in on the education system in an online forum?

(Sure, I just said that out loud as I typed it. On my blog. With a comment section.)

(If you currently are missing your thumbs, I’m truly sorry. I hope I didn’t offend.)

(I CAN’T STAND IT ANYMORE. I want to shout at my computer It’s PRINCIPAL, people. But I won’t. Instead we should just all have a spelling bee and then a chocolate shake with sprinkles so that I can feel better about this. I was going to let it go but what with all the parenthetical statements it was just too much for me. Someone give me a hug.)

So you’ll pardon me for a few days while I clean up the splattered shit and allow me not to have to write that special Saturday Post yet. Because I can’t. Day Four will have to wait.

In the meantime, since I do have a comment section, would you please leave me a nice comment as I am completely pandering to your sense of decency for a woman who is frantically biting her nails and chewing on them until she spits them out in other people’s hair?

You don’t even have to spell check. Just leave out the word principle/principal and use the word “administrator” instead.

I’m not meaning to be cryptic nor do I want to lead anyone to think the worst so I should stop all rumors right now: I. am. not. pregnant. Nope. NO WAY. As if I wanted my body re-stretched out and wonder if my liver is now taking residence up somewhere in the vicinity of my kneecap. I’m happy with the way things have landed after that last ten pounder, thankssomuch.

When districts that fall under the No Child Left Behind act don’t meet their AYP after five consecutive years, the school district has the option to restructure the district. That means that administrators can be displaced, moved, and, though I have never seen it happen, fired.

We’re in year 5.

I just got my first administrative job in the fall.

Day Two doesn’t look good. I’m thinking I’m not the only one with a new ulcer.

At least it’s not a baby.

Do you want the good news or the bad news or the other bad news first, huh? Perhaps that’s not a fair question to ask of you. Let me begin again…

Recently my mind has been dreaming of how I can continue my own education and go on for that doctoral degree. It’s difficult to mention to anyone because it seems as if it’s still in the ‘dream‘ stage where I would consider it something I’d put on my Mondo Beyondo list. A list of things that are wild and inspiring. Things that you’re afraid to tell people much less write down to promise yourself to experience. I say experience and not try because the word try implies that if it doesn’t work out then you can just shuck it. Throw out that baby and that bathwater and resignedly utter, “Well. I tried.”

For example, I would write that novel tickling the corners of my brain and have the faith that I could actually write.

I would travel to places that only other people tell me about going to and I would capture it all on film to display.

I have such a dream to learn more and more about photography and eventually present a gallery showing.

Playing piano badly has been my specialty so I want to play it beautifully and perhaps even learn violin or cello.

Now that I think about it there is really no such thing as bad news. It’s all an opportunity to take things as they come and still turn them into something you want. It’s a chance to take what is thrown your way and determine if you will be hit in the face with it, allow it to smash you right in the gut, or if you’re going to try to catch it and capture it and mold it into something that you plan on throwing right back.

So the good news is that I’ve thought about it and found a program that I could do. I’ve researched the degree and found something that could be workable. But I haven’t thrown it back yet. I haven’t chewed on it enough to say what the flavor really is. That’s part of the good news.

Except something else has just been thrown my way and I have some serious decisions to make.

Things have been happening quickly this month. Four days this month have seen me with a serious look on my face, brow furrowed, deep in thought.

More to chew. More to come. I promise I’ll write about it soon. Maybe even with a Special Saturday Post.

It’s cold. I hate cold. Why do I live here again? It’s sunny, though. That’s redeeming. It’s dry and my throat has a dry cough. The weather is also windy. There is debris flying around from toppled garbage bins. But there is tea and there is honey and there is relief. This is my current favorite, a Peppermint from Twinings that is fresh and zingy without the dullness of some mint teas. There are things to win and sample on that site. Clickity click. They say things like “lovely” because they’re British. It’s cold there, too, but saying ‘lovely’ warms me up.