Teacher tid-bits

It's been a while since I've shared any student stories. I always seem to have several when I get home for the day, but they don't seem to make it here. And now that I'm taking the time to blog, I can't remember anything particularly humorous. But here are a few:

1. Today several girls had written on themselves in bright green paint/pen. I didn't look too closely because students are often covered in ink. They draw on themselves with they get bored. However, I was sitting next to a student and got a better look at what they had written. One had "F*** You" written on her neck in one inch letters. Both of them had STFU (Shut the f**** up) on their knuckles. The class was quite astonished that I knew what STFU meant. Of course, I made the girls wash it off.

2. Several weeks ago a student was suspended for a day for calling me a slut. Upon his return, this student has been cranky, surly and rude...when he deigns us with his presence. One day two weeks ago, he was being discussed in the faculty room at lunch. I was asked about his behavior in class today. I replied, he's absent today. The other teachers said he had been in their class. I made a little visit to his next class and wouldn't you know it? He was actually there and decided to go to lunch twice. After a nice little "chat" in front of his buddies and with two of his teachers I went back to my class. He hasn't sluffed once since and has had a personality transplant.

3. Two of my 8th graders were particularly squirrely and would not sit still. So, I made them do wall sits for a couple of minutes. The PE teacher happened to be walking by and made sure they were doing them correctly. Then the school resource officer came in and showed them how to do it. They didn't last two minutes...

4. We're 48 days until the end of the year, 10 weeks....not that any of us are counting, right?

Signs...

Signs that you may or may not have given up on the dating scene for the foreseeable future:

1. You become irrationally angry at the radio for playing such sappy love songs as "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Taylor Swift,  "When I was Your Man" by Bruno Mars, "Good Stuff" by Kenny Chesney (who I really don't like on a good day!).

2. You have to suppress the urge to chuck your hymn book at the lovely couple two rows in front of you at church.

3. As Lisa would say, "You are going to a play tonight where you could potentially see the guy you've been flirting with, and you're wearing five different shades of green." I've sort of given up on trying to impress.

4. Roll my eyes at coworkers discuss their upcoming wedding.

5. Would rather spend the night in with my grading and netflix than go be social.


It's been a rough six months or so for me. I've been on a lot of first dates with good men and they haven't progressed beyond that. I've told myself it's because we weren't right for each other and that's true. But it's often easier to tell myself that there's something wrong with me. No one ever tells you what a toll dating can take on your self-esteem. Even if you're not being horrifically rejected, going on a constant stream of first dates gets old. It's exhausting and after a while you start to wonder what's wrong with you.

So, in an attempt to prevent the bitterness from taking up permanent residence in my head and heart, I have hereby declaring a hiatus from dating. I have no idea for how long, but I just need to take a step back and remember a time where it was just fun to spend time with new and interesting people.