Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Boiling Over Like a Pressure Cooker


Today was a bit of a trying day for me.

I had a LOT on my mind, and when I walked into my classroom, I discovered that it was inconveniently a sweltering 100 degrees.

I kid you not. The thermometer on my classroom wall only goes up to 100 degrees, and indeed the red mercury was right at the tippy, tippy TOP. This was the hottest I have felt all summer!

It could have been over 100 degrees for all I knew, but the gauge wouldn't be able to tell me, of course; and perhaps it was over its limit because--when I called for the custodian--he arrived, played with the gray box on the wall, and suddenly a lot of highly-pressurized air came gushing forth from the thermostat.

No doubt -- we were inside a pressure-cooker!

But despite the hot temps of my room (which sadly the custodian couldn't completely fix), I had to keep my classroom door CLOSED as often as possible today. I was forced to trap myself into the stove in an effort to discourage visitors from entering so that I could get some work done.

You see, for some reason our administration finds it permissible to allow free-roaming new and former students (as well as their parents) into the building. This, of course, is shocking when you bring your head out from a filing cabinet drawer, only to discover several people in your room, looking around, ready for their private and personal enthusiastic greeting from you (which really could have been saved for tomorrow, since that is, after all, supposed to be the first student day).

I was sweating profusely from the heat, feeling on-edge because of some issues I am having with friends, and looking extremely unprofessional in my bare feet, shorts, and t-shirt that I had worn specifically because I knew I'd be working hard.

Now indeed I simply LOVE seeing former students...and I do LOVE the opportunity to meet my new students as well as their parents...and I LOVE my colleagues because God has blessed me with so many good ones to which I feel very close...so please don't think for a second that I did not find pleasure in these interruptions. I did!

But I seriously must have been interrupted from my work 300 times today, either by former students, new students and their parents, chatty colleagues, urgent text messages, or phone calls that I just couldn't answer.

And when I did try to call a friend several times today, of course I could not find service ANYWHERE in my building. I even went outside into the parking lot to hopefully find service, which of course I did not. And when I returned into the building a few seconds later, there of course happened to stand all of our high-level district administration members (right there by my classroom!), who probably thought that I was coming back late from lunch. *sigh*

I even tried to place a call out from the phone in our faculty lounge, but of course for some reason an outside call could not be placed. It was if God was telling me to just forget about placing that phone call!

I am home now finally, here at 10 PM. I think I worked a 14-hour day, and I feel exhausted and starving hungry. I am looking forward to the first day with the students tomorrow because I know I am all prepared and ready to go, but I am also sad that here begins another lifestyle of mine which is so completely opposite of the life I live during the summer. Long days and lots of work are headed my way...

Tomorrow my aunt goes in for breast surgery at precisely the same early time that I must report to work. Please keep her in your prayers! And please pray that I may be an adequate teacher and always an understanding friend!