Monday, May 17, 2010

FREAKING MONDAYS


Freaking Mondays are about to drive me mad.  I wake up and find myself still in Dumb Potter's Hell and that's enough to make any day go sour.  I am more than ready to be gone from here.


I admit that I was in a snit most of the day.  Not a good day to hassle me on any issue.  Worse, I am one of those people who smile no matter how crappy I feel and give no warning that I will not be usual pleasant me. 


I think there is a lot of emotional stuff at work in my head right now.  Trying to detach from my long term job and still be professional is difficult.  When I met with my prior coworker last week, she said it best.  "Aren't you sick of all the politics and personality flaws?"


Why yes... yes indeed I am.


One of the things I do is one on one in special education.  This time of year all the paper work has to be wrapped up and there is a lot of testing going on to measure the growth of the students.  You may think that this makes perfect sense and it does, but the groups that I have make it a real challenge of my patience.  All my groups have to be tested right now.  


My first group of the day were my 1st graders... seven of them.  Out of those 7, two are very obnoxious attention seekers and two others are constant chatters and arguers... otherwise known as "best friends forever".
So as I am trying to test them one at a time, I am supposed to have the others read out loud and keep track of their mistakes.  It is an exercise in frustration.  What a way to begin a day at 8:00 A.M.  Top that with an absurd lack of coffee because the pot was already drained...
Shudder!
One group after another.


That was what the first half of my day was like.  The rest was worse.  At the start of every year, I let the teachers pick their story times.  They pick them.  Suddenly, today everyone is unhappy with their story times and want to switch around.



Naturally, they choose times that I am committed or my lunch.  So I give up my lunch for the sake of getting it done and eat when I can manage to slip in a few moments to eat soup.  Then the middle school classes show up unannounced and of course need help finding things because despite years of careful training how to use the computerized library catalog, they cannot type in keywords that get them where they want to go.
Example: "armageddon" was entered as "the end of the world" and panic ensued in the heart of that young man.
My soup got cold.  I ate it anyway... eventually.


Then the classes that invaded my lunch arrived late.  One was still finishing when the next arrived... and teachers are really weird about "This is our time!"  It also left the students in the stacks unattended... so the shelves were trashed. The time issues snow-balled and made me late for my last group... which made that group's teacher mad.  I got the lecture about how special education time is guaranteed and my responsibility as a professional... blah, blah blah.


I truly wanted to say "Bite me!" but said 
"Sorry... unavoidable today but you can complain to D if you want".
D is the principal.  What are they going to do... fire me in the 11th hour?
I think not.  No one else has bothered to learn the library computer program.  Inventory is not yet completed.


Enter the next problem... inventory begins with a list of ALL books out.  The list was given to the secretary, as usual.  She's new and took one look at it... it lists all the books, their cost, etc.  She panicked and showed the boss how many dollars worth of books were "over-due."
She was wrong.  Only about a 5th of the books on the list are actually over-due by a few weeks.  A few over-dues are long term and in multiples... because of a split between family where one is afraid to get the books from the other.  These we will have to eat.  That is all part of the usual deal.  


In comes the boss with the list and wants to know why I have let so many books become "over due".  Fortunately, he is a calm and sane man.  He listened and understood that it is not an over due list, but a list of books that we need to get back.  I still have kids checking out books until this coming Friday.  The list will grow and shrink as books come back,go and come back again... and super shrink as parents freak out over the cost of replacing books that are out.  A miracle happens and books are found under beds, in toy boxes, etc.  They will even filter in on the very last day that I work... two days after we start holding report cards for ransom.  All normal.  All expected without panic, thank you very much!


I know that it will get better soon.  Tomorrow is another day.  I've got my eye on Friday and getting the heck out of here.  Nothing new there either.
Well the man is online and my blood pressure is finally dropping.  I think I will go and have a happy evening now.
I hope you all do the same.
But you know, it's a good thing they pay me.


By the way... Ronnie James Dio passed away yesterday.  He had stomach cancer.  Hard to believe he was 67.

28 comments:

  1. You monkeys and you’re reasoning and how you go about doing things is fascinating to study.

    Yeah, I'm sure that there is something wrong with my logic. But I've seen you and you're not worth screwing so bite back all you like. :-)

    By the way, is there actually any screwing going on there? Cuz that is what everyone would really be interested in hearing about over some stupid yard work. :-)

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  2. Billy B.-- You have a right to your opinion. But I'd rather not be insulted. I've done nothing to merit your negativity. I do get tired of it. You make too many statements about things you don't know much about and then pass judgment. I have been silent in the spirit of friendship and for what you have done for me with my car... but I have my limits of what I will take off of anyone.

    Five minutes in my home does not make you an expert on my housekeeping or yard. Nor does the few hours we spent visiting at the park make you an expert on what I am like as a person. I have allowed you to say what you wanted up until now. This was not a good day to be offensive with me.

    You don't have to read my stuff if you don't want to. Feel free to ignore it.

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  3. I know you will be glad to walk away at the end of the school year. Soon!

    Home with the kiddos today but I think yesterday is going to carry me through to Friday. You and I are looking forward to much the same, I think.

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  4. Yes. I think so too. Hurry summer!

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  5. Billy B.-- I am sorry that I hurt your feelings, but you have not been at all concerned with mine.

    I know what you do when a woman offends you... and I do not care if you trash me on your blog. Go for it.

    I don't know what the women in your life did to make you so angry. That is a shame. People need people. Living so alone is not good for most people. You seem like a very unhappy man and I tried for a long time to be understanding and a friend.

    I have worked very hard to better myself and I am proud of what I have done. I have over come things you cannot imagine and come out happy and healthy.

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  6. Billy B.-- I am sorry that I hurt your feelings, but you have not been at all concerned with mine.

    You amuse me when you say you are sorry you hurt my feelings, you didn't even touch them. You're just a big fake and an airhead and I did more for you than you'll ever do for me.

    But have I got a deal for you, I will stop visiting your blog and leaving comments because you hate the truth anyway.

    Happy paths......

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  7. Billy B.-- If you want it that way, fine with me. But I will repeat, you only think you know the truth. There is so much you do not know. At least I tried to be a good friend in return. I have done all that I can. I won't take abuse.

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  8. Wow. Sorry about the negativity. I think you're awesome and I'm sorry you had such a rough day. I hope everything is better tomorrow.

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  9. Churlita-- Thank you! Tomorrow will be a wonderful day. That's just how it goes sometimes. I am unwilling to let it get to me.

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  10. Ah another attack from the irritable Billy B. Does the name mean Billy Be full of shit? I don't know about the other readers, but I for one do not care to know if there is any screwing going on. I love that you are moving on and things are going in a great direction for you, its about time! Don't worry about the shit talkers, remember, " Nobody likes a turd, thats why we flush 'em." So flush him mom! Loves.

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  12. Typo. Grr.

    You know I'm out here quietly cheering you on. You sound happy and good things are happening for you, and I'm just thrilled. (And getting good loving is a sweet, sweet bonus!)

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  13. dabear-- Hahahaha...

    Thank you bear. Randy wanted me to tell you that he will keep me safe. Oh and that he is keeping his word on the minutes.

    You need to pick a date for the BBQ. How about 6-18 or 6-19? That will make the move easier if I know you guys will be there soon after. It's getting closer! And I want you to meet his kids.

    As for turds... what else can you do with them? Sheesh!

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  14. secret agent woman-- Yes, I know that you are there and have been from the beginning... much appreciated!

    It is sooooo good!

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  15. All-- I'm sorry you had to read this drivel on this post and on the last post. I seriously thought about deleting it all, but no. Unpleasant things are a part of life. A lesson learned.

    I am still quite happy. Have a wonderful day today and as always... thanks for stopping in.

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  16. Saw Dio in concert just a couple of years ago, opening for Deep Purple. He still had a swell voice. Sorry to hear about his passing.

    Keep a stiff upper lip, kid. It'll all be over soon :-)

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  17. Suldog-- I know you are right. But it feels like time is trapped in amber. A month from now I'll wonder why I thought it took forever.

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  18. I am having what started out to be a good day at work go downhill fast...but like you I know things get better :-) You are so close to being out of there and living the life you want to live!!!

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  19. laura b.-- Its funny. My days at work have taken a real dive. I'm sorry yours did too. Not much fun is it?

    At least this one was better than yesterday and tomorrow will be smashing! It is Hump Day after all.

    How can anyone be down on Hump Day?

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  20. Wow.
    That's what I get for tuning in late in the day!
    Have fun. You most certainly deserve it.

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  21. Oh my... I turn my back and what happens? Yikes.

    I had another scramble for breakfast yesterday. Thanks, or not, depending on how you see the whole cholesterol thing. I'll take the eggs over pissed-in cheerios, though ;-) Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side...

    I tried to grill also. Marinated a bunch of chicken in mojo, preheated the grill, then went outside to find a huge grease fire. Oops.

    Time to clean the grill. Real well.

    In my erstwhile home-town, June was library amnesty month: no fines, just please return our stuff. Anyway, I was doing some housecleaning, perhaps I was 23? I looked in an old gymbag, and found a book I had taken out in 1974! Oops, again. I just had to return it... The look on the librarian's face was totally worth it.

    Yes, I hammed up my apologies a bit. I couldn't resist. You just don't get the chance too often.

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  22. Cricket-- Ha! I bet that librarian's look was worth it. No doubt you have her something to talk about for a while.

    Fire... oh no! I hope it didn't mess up your chicken. Sounds delicious.

    That scramble is hard to beat. But you are right about the health aspect. Could be iffy.

    My usual breakfast is apple slices to dip in yogurt. Its an oddly satisfying meal. The bonus is that I get to toss the "dish" when I'm done.

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  23. No, the chicken was fine. I was only preheating. I like to roast bone-in chicken indirectly. You get the grill crankin' hot, then shut off one burner, put the chicken on that side, and leave the other burner on. Close the lid and roast.

    It takes as long as oven roasting but works great. Tender , juicy chicken with crispy skin. Yum.

    It was quite the blaze, though. Yikes. There was nothing for it but to move the grill a little further from the house, kill the gas, close the lid and let it burn out. So the chicken got oven-roasted after all.

    On the other hand, it may be a bit easier to clean now. We'll see. I think I need to add clean lava rocks, too.

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  24. Crap, I've always hated Mondays, but yours sounds bad to the bone. Hang in there. You're almost there.

    BTW Billy B's behavior went from simply grouchy and irascible to downright nasty a long while back. I admire your restraint.

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  25. chCricket-- Now that is similar to the way I BBQ...the fire, not the actual talented kind. Ha. Flame broiled.

    I glad the chicken was okay. I do like roasted chicken very much.

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  26. Cube-- Thanks. I don't normally have days like that but when I do, I do it up.

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  27. Cube-- Appreciate the support too.
    :-)

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