Whew

Better day today.

Not nearly as crabby.

Monday

A clean slate, a week full of promise...

Ah, who am I fooling? I look at Mondays and just see one thing... Five Days Until the Weekend.

And all the new teachers are kinda wearing on me. I mean, they're nice and all, but it's tiring to deal with a constant stream of questions and things they're amazed/aghast/shocked/dismayed at. Is it really such a big deal that our water drains out under our houses? I mean, yeah, it's not great, and it's kind of a surprise when you first realize it, but I don't remember it warranting a five-minute discussion/bitch session when *I* was a new teacher. Maybe I'm too laid-back and generally accepting of life "as-is," but I don't remember stuff bothering me nearly this much.

*bitch mode off*

Honestly

How can I be sick ALREADY? School just started on Monday. This school is like a petri dish, I swear. An environment specifically designed to make it easy for germies to grow. More so than other elementary schools, I swear.

One of the native aides here at school (a friend) SWEARS there's a local plant that will make me feel better if boiled to make tea. I think, however, that it's this. You know, like... a hallucinogen. It does say, though, that it's a useful tonic in small doses. And it's a plant that grows naturally around here. It can't be illegal, can it? Can a plant's existence, in and of itself, be illegal? What if it just grows in my yard? Do they arrest me or the plant?

Disclaimer: Drugs are bad, 'mkay?

First Day of School

Excuse me while I vomit.

I'm MUCH more nervous this year than I was last. Last year, I was so shell-shocked, I don't think I was capable of being nervous. I was just numb from culture shock, I had had only one set-up day in my classroom, and to be honest, I was too dumb to be nervous. This year, however, I know what's in store. I know what I need to get done. I know 90% of my students (all but the new kindergarteners and any transfer students) are students I had last year... so no hiding behind "getting to know you" activities or "I don't know all your names yet." I know we have a lot of first-year teachers who will need help. And most importantly, I know I can do a better job than I did last year. Can't we always?

They're right, whoever "they" are. Ignorance is bliss. Last year was stressful, but I was too dumb to notice. ;)

And I may or may not have had a little too much coffee.

You know...

It's amazing how long one silver salmon can feed one person. Especially if you make it into soup.

AND... some of the new teachers are going caribou hunting, and they said that if they got one, it'll be for all to share. Sure, it's gamey, but it's meat for a little extra labor and some money for gas and shells. I'm not near the point where I could go out and shoot my own dinner... I'd probably endanger my life or the lives of others. But heck, if the guys get a kick out of it, I'm more than willing to accept some meat.

Not to say I COULDN'T afford meat; I totally could. But when you can legally get your own fish and game, why the heck not?

I'd wager a bet it's healthier meat than you'd find at a grocery store, too. Just a hunch.

Fried Brains, Anyone?

My mind is so scattered right now. I have a decent-sized list of stuff to accomplish by the time school starts at 8:30 Monday morning, and I'm doing a good job making progress, but I can't seem to focus on one individual task at a time.

I just have too many things to do, and all of the tasks are fairly attractive (fresh school year, fresh start, fresh ideas, fresh ambition). I'll start out doing one thing, then in the middle of that task some item will remind me of something else, so I start that without even thinking about it. As a result, nothing on my list is "finished," nothing is "not started," and EVERYTHING is "in progress."

And as for why I have been a bad, bad blogger... well, I just haven't had the time or mental focusing capability.

Off to a staff meeting!

Still Here, Don't Fret...

I just haven't been posting because I have to walk up to school to get internet access. I'm going to call on Monday (PAYDAY!) about setting up internet.

New Roomie (the Woman Formerly Known as Roomie moved to a different village) and I decided to try life without TV, but we were in unanimous agreement that home internet access was necessary.

Living without TV will be interesting. I haven't really missed it over the past week. OK, I've missed Jon Stewart, but other than that...

Oy

I have some serious focusing issues. Cleaning is hard work, and I've found new ways to distract myself. Sure, I don't have internet or TV yet, but I can sure pop a DVD into my computer! How about a nice book? Oh, one I've read three times already? SURE!

I'm leaving my computer here at school. As for the books, there's not much I can do.

Editing note: I just noticed that I misspelled "read." I assure you that this was a typographical error, and that I DO know the difference between "read" and "red."

Back in the Village!

No internet at home yet, so I have to walk into school to get online... and since I'm (a) lazy and (b) cleaning and re-arranging my home, that probably won't be too often.

But it's good to be back. I'm doing a serious clean-out of my house since I have a new roommate coming. It's actually kinda fun. It's easier to focus on cleaning when I don't have TV or internet to distract me.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Back to Work I Go...

I'll be heading back to the village in a few hours, weather permitting. Rumor has it the internet at the school is down, and I don't have internet at my house yet, so I might be incomunicado for a bit. Don't worry, I haven't been taken hostage or kidnapped or anything.

Pooooooop

Why do I always end up talking about poop?

Anyway, my friend has a 14 month-old kid named Danny. They're Irish. While sitting around the living room watching him get his diaper changed, I penned (well, OK, I didn't write it down, so technically there was no pen involved) this little ditty to the tune of "Danny Boy," and it has been requested that I publish it...

Oh Danny boy, your butt, your butt is pooping
From nine to five
And five to nine again.
The food is gone,
And yet you are still pooping.
It's you, it's you, must poop
And I must clean.

I apologize for making you read that.