I hate stupid people

So, I thought I survived my first day of school unscathed. The kids were well behaved (for the most part), a lot of my AP kids were really excited that they had me again and things with my student teacher are better now that I have stuff for her to do.

The day was going well. I looked cute for my first day of school (new outfit) and I was feeling good.

The good vibes continued into trivia. We got third place last night. Sweet.

I got home to find an email from a parent of one of my AP kids. I should have left it till this morning but I didn't. Let me again take just a moment and remind you that yesterday was our very first day of class for the year. The parent stated that they were concerned about what they felt was inappropriate sexual content in Bernard Malamud's novel The Natural. The parent cited specific paragraphs and asked if we might discuss this, stated they felt it was inappropriate for a 16 year old (Catholic) boy to read, and wanted me to offer an alternative novel for him to read.

I wanted to cry, scream, rage and whip off an email telling this parent that I thought he's a complete idiot with his head in the sand and, having taught his child last year, while his kid is nice, funny and smart, he isn't exactly a saint. He knows about nipples. He knows about (gasp!) sex. He knows girls exist and flirts with them in his own 16-year-old-boy way.

It's so disheartening. I mean, I expected this when we get to Catcher in the Rye or Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. I didn't expect it on the first day of school. Why are people so ridiculous about books? Why do they think that if their kid reads the word "breast" that they'll immediately become some slobbering, sexually obsessed nut-job who will run out, have sex with hundreds of people and either become pregnant or contract some horrible disease or both?

Sigh.

It's so depressing. Really. Would these same parents take their car to the shop and tell the mechanic how to fix it? Would they go to a doctor when they feel sick and tell the doctor what the problem is? Would they go to their priest or rabbi or whomever and tell him or her the tenants of their religion?

Wait. You're right. In this day and age, these people probably would do such things. That's why they feel it's ok to tell their kids' teachers how to do their jobs.

Seriously though. If we get rid of all the books that have even the slightest suggestions of sex, violence, magic, alternative religions, alternative sexual orientations, alternative anything, what's left? At that rate, even the Bible is out, there's loads of violence, sex and crime in it.

Another parent already objected to The Invisible Man and said they think the theology department at our school should choose the books that are read in English classes.

Fuck that. Seriously. If it comes to that, I'm quitting. I'm not putting up with that bullshit. Now the English department has to meet with the administration since this is likely to blow up into gigantic proportions.

That was my first day of school. My rage over the email kept me tossing all night and I'm exhausted and disgusted now.

Worst of all? I like the kid. I feel sorry he's got such a moron for a father because the kid is really quite decent. I wonder if he knows his Dad emailed me?

Is it summer yet?

Back to school, back to school...

...to prove to dad that I'm not a fool (name the movie).

Last week was the teachers' week back. It pretty much consisted of me trying to convince my student teacher that I didn't really have anything for her to do yet (just wait...), trying to do curriculum mapping (sucks, hate it), staff picnic, getting my room set up, making copies, finishing my syllabi, going shopping with Wife, going to shows and living my usual double life. Tomorrow the kids come back. I'm sort of excited and sort of dreading it. I'm excited about seeing my AP kids since I had all of them last year. I have them first and third hour so I kind of get eased into the first day. I don't immediately have to learn a bunch of new names and faces which is kind of nice. I know it'll help alleviate some of my nerves which is a good thing.

Wife and I made our usual back-to-school shopping run which was a lot of fun. We hit H & M and hit it hard (or, hit our wallets hard) but walked away with lots of cute clothes. It's a good thing we don't teach at the same school or we'd be very matchy-matchy. I'm excited about the things I got even if most of them I can't really wear until it gets cooler (argyle, I LOVE argyle...) We also went to Express and got one or two things, but after H & M, Express seems so expensive. A little shoe shopping at Macy's (Wife got a great pair of brown heels and I got polka-dot Steve Madden pumps that I adore) and then Wife got her ears double-pierced which was fun. Enough damage was done at that point that we decided to head home, but I had a great time and new back-to-school clothes are so fun:)

We ended up then heading to Dominick's with Husband and Jon. Much (probably too much) sangria was had and hilarity ensued. The only bummer was as I, in my gracefulness, slipped in a HUGE puddle outside the Grad Library, ended up in the splits and soaked to the skin. It didn't hurt too much (though I have a beautiful bruise on my knee now) but my pride was rather injured. It was pretty funny though even if it was quite uncomfortable...A fun night all around though and an excellent way to say adieu to the summer.

So, let me backtrack for a moment to my double life. Tuesday Jon and I went to the Magic Stick in lieu of joining my co-workers at a Tiger's game so we could see Ganon play. I think they played a really good set and I was a little disappointed I didn't bring my camera since the light was a lot better than when we saw them at the Blind Pig. Friday we went to see Rufus Wainwright at the Michigan Theater which was a hoot. Total 180 from the show at the Magic Stick, but a lot of fun. I love Rufus. He's an amazing musician but totally camp at the same time. Great show.

However, my double life didn't end there. After "sneaking" out of school early on Friday I headed over to Name Brand Tattoo for my annual (so far) back to school ink. Yeah, so most people just get new books, paper, pens and clothes for back to school, but I feel this is my own little "fuck you, I might have to be professional and respectable on the outside but you don't get all of me" to the administration and whole profession. I met Jon there at 1pm, showed Mike (the same guy that did my other two tattoos) the design I wanted and he played with that for a little bit. I was SO nervous, as usual. I wasn't ever about to chicken out, but I was scared enough to feel like I had a flock of pterodactyls in my stomach. He started the outlining and it hurt like hell in spots but Jon kept telling me stories which helped a lot to take my mind somewhat off the pain. After over an hour of that Mike got to the shading which didn't hurt nearly as much (at first) and before I knew it, he was finished. I expected it to take closer to three hours but it only took around two, so that was good. I love how it came out even if it still has that scrape-y feeling (remember how it felt when you were a kid and skinned your knee or your elbow or something like that? Now imagine that feeling all up and down your back...) In fact, he had to change my design a little bit to make it "flow" better and I like it even more than the original. It might be my back, but it isn't a tramp stamp. I really love it. I can't quite believe this is my third, and I'm sure I'll get others as time goes on (I already have ideas). So weird. I have three tattoos. Crazy.

Yeah, so, that's been this week. What a time, eh? I haven't been doing a whole lot of cooking although I did make my dad the coconut chicken curry tonight and it came out really great. Jon and I go to Cincinnati next weekend which should be fun. I'm looking forward to a little last vacation before school really begins in earnest.

Geeze. The summer really went way too fast...

Listening to: Rufus Wainwright, Release the Stars

Six days left

I'm getting very anxious about going back to school. I somehow don't think that I'm supposed to be filled with dread at the prospect of heading back, am I? I wish I knew exactly WHY I'm so worked up about the whole thing. I like my students (for the most part) and I don't mind teaching, but there is a good part of me that REALLY doesn't want to go back to school.

I think I feel kind of trapped.

I'll be honest, I don't see myself teaching for the rest of my life and I certainly don't see myself staying at this school for the rest of my life. In fact, the thought of that makes me feel almost claustrophobic. Is that wrong? I feel like teachers are supposed to have this grand ideal of helping the youth and being totally dedicated to that goal. So, what does it say about me when I am almost 100% positive that I don't want to do this forever?

But then I get to the question of, what else could I possibly do? Sure, I can write, but: 1)I'm in a contract for the next year, so it isn't like I could take anything even if the perfect writing job fell in my lap right now; 2)I don't have remotely the kind of experience anyone seems to be looking for; 3)It seems idiotic to even be thinking about something else when it took so long to get this job in the first place.

I don't know. Maybe it's just end of the summer mourning. Who knows. I just don't really want to go back and then feel guilty for not wanting to go back and anxious about all the work I feel like I should have been doing this summer.

I think I need professional help. Am I the only teacher that feels this way??

Simpsonize Me

Yeah, I'm working REALLY hard today.

This was kinda fun, I'm not sure how much it looks like me, but I was amused.Give it a try here.

Is the summer really almost over?

I looked at the calendar today and it really sunk in that I only have two more weeks before school starts again. It made me want to cry a little. Sure, I'll be fine once I get back, but I feel like the summer flew by so fast I hardly HAD one. Jon pointed out that it went fast, but to consider how much I/we'd done...so here's what I did on my summer vacation.

• Went to Dominick's a few times
• Saw "Daywatch"
• Combined dinner for my mom's birthday, Father's day and husband and wife's anniversary
• Went and cooked dinner with Jon for his family on Father's Day
• Went to Trivia at Conor's on Monday nights
• Roger's birthday party
• Ben and Jessica's wedding
• Cooked a big dinner for my mom and dad with Jon
• Greg's birthday party
• Saw Wolfmother and the Hard Lessons at The State Theater
• Went to Italy for two weeks
• Went to the Art Fair
• Hung out with Elana
• Went to the Detroit Zoo
• Went to Warped Tour
• Zagelj's birthday party
• Written lots of reviews and did a number of interviews (including one with Sum 41)
• Went to a four-day AP class at Oakland U
• Kelly and Martin's going away party
• The Forecast/Hard Lessons/Motion City Soundtrack show at St. Andrew's
• Helped throw Jon and Wife a big birthday bash
• Recovered from said birthday bash (yes, it gets a bullet point all its own)

And still to come in the next three weeks?

• Kelly Jean's play tonight in Ferndale
• Jon's official birthday dinner
• Watching Fina this weekend
• Possibly going to visit Jon's grandmother
• Reviews/features
• Trying to get my shit together for the start of school
• Reading as much as possible so I don't look like a fool in the reading contest (Harry Potter is the way to go...easy fun reads and lotsa pages)
• The teachers first week back at school (meetings, meetings and more meetings)
• Projekt Revolution tour
• Silverstein/Comeback Kid show at the State
• Rufus Wainwright at The Michigan
• More Dominick's with Kelly, Peter and Jon

You know, looking at it in print helps me realize how much I did this summer. Guess that's why it went so fast! I still wish it wasn't practically over though...

More on the luau, but not till tomorrow:)