I’m weary.

Yes, I’m a teacher, and this is that time of year where it’s all we can do to keep our own sanity and that of our students. I’m trying to cut Diet Coke out of my diet as well, which is a pretty good sized downer (as I’m sitting here, majorly jonesing for a diet ANYTHING).

But it goes deeper than just the students are being squirrely.

My dad’s meds made him extremely disorientated and groggy. He’d called and talked to a nurse in the surgeon’s office, and couldn’t process through that she wanted a phone number for him. She didn’t tell a higher up or call anyone else. This led to my brother having to make a mad dash at 9:30 PM on a Sunday night because my dad couldn’t get up the stairs to bed, because of his meds.

#weary

A couple of Saturdays ago, our cat got outside. This wasn’t a big deal because he typically would get bored/cold/whatever it is cats do, and come the front door. The problem was it was dusk when this happened, but it wasn’t a big deal. Except it was. He wandered down the road, and got hit by a vehicle in the middle of a night and died. Now, normally I’d be “awww” and move forward, but he was hit close enough an intersection that this wasn’t an accident (in my mind). Cars would be slowing down for the stop sign or just turning  I buried him that Sunday.

#weary

I’m not a big fan of pandering. This year’s “Teacher Appreciation Week” just felt yucky, social media pandering to teachers, because the other 51 weeks of the year, I don’t feel all the love. My wife got some absolutely adorable gifts, which made me feel slightly better, but not much. If you want to appreciate teachers, give us what we need: respect for the profession, time to do our job IN school, and the ability to make the changes we see fit. Otherwise, empty platitudes do not one any good.

#weary

My daughter spent the last month of college couch surfing, staying with family, and stressing way too much over relationships because the university wouldn’t do anything. She was verbally assaulted (screamed at to the point others on the dorm floor heard through the walls) and the resident assistant did nothing. Her roommate was there and did nothing for her, and in fact, went behind her back and ruined other relationships. Now, I’ll be the first to admit, my daughter brings a special kind of drama where ever she goes, but this is time before finals. I don’t know both sides of the story, and don’t want to either. I’m glad she’s home, but she needs to decide what’s important in her life: the social aspect of college or the academics. Yes, a balance can be made, but it has to be hers to make. And right now, I’m not sure where she’d go. My wife and I spent WAY too much time worrying.

#weary

Yes, I’m a teacher, and this is that time of year where it’s all we can do to keep our own sanity and that of our students.

But it runs deeper.

As a friend of mine said: I need summer and I needed it yesterday.

But as another teacher friend of mine says at the end of each of his videos: We’re all in this together, man!

🙂