A Cruel Break

It seems cruel to give students (and teachers) a three day weekend a week before school gets out. Not only have we suffered through almost two months (since Spring Break) of no three day weekends, we have one right before summer vacation, a single day mocking us, providing just a hint of the sweetness to come in a week and a half. I am already in summer mode, playing Nintendo (by the way, I beat the Fast Staff Ghost for one of the courses! It took me three hours, but I did it!) and being lazy all around. Unfortunately, the end of the year is one of the busiest times for teachers with all of the paperwork and miscellaneous hoops through which we must jump before they let us leave, not to mention grades and all of that stuff.

So, I'm beginning to stress out a little about everything. Just a little.

News Headline States Obvious

This just in, earthquakes are dangerous according to a recent scientific study. I saw this headline on my iGoogle page, and couldn't resist making fun of it for the sheer Duh Factor. "Scientists: Gigantic Earthquake Would Devastate Southern California." Really? What gave them that impression? Could it possibly be the recent natural disaster in China? Thank you, China, for showing us that we too would be screwed if a similar earthquake struck our shores. Now that we know we can do. . . almost nothing about it.

Does anyone else find that a little bit tasteless (says she as she pokes fun)? It belittles the huge amounts of loss they have experienced in China, steals focus from their suffering and places it on the potential danger to Southern California. Please, let them figure out how many people have died before you start forgetting about them.

And while I'm on the topic of the news media, do you ever get the impression that the writers assumer their readers are idiots?

Layers of Shirts and other Randomness

I'm a fan of layering shirts. For one thing, it makes me look a little more teacher-ish, which given my age and maturity is always a good thing. It gives me an excuse to wear t-shirts, and it also covers the fact that, due to some severe laziness, I didn't iron any of my nice shirts this week.

In other news, I'm toying with the possibility of getting Wii Fit in the next few weeks. It will definitely have to be after school is over, because I'm slacking enough as it is without further distractions.

I graduated from high school five years ago Monday (May 20, 2003). Yikes! Where did the time go? Today was the last day for seniors, and it was hard to see them go. I'll miss some of them immensely. Others, not so much. I've been thinking of my own last days in high school and the fun and sadness. The long series of lasts. Last show (Les Mis!), last class, last test, last year book, last drive home, last AP Exam, last IB exam. And then there was that blasted song, "Friends Forever," and the swaying, hugging melody that somehow succeeded in bringing tears to every Senior's face at some point in time whether they want to admit it or not.

Rain and Driving

It hasn't rained here in ages. At least, it feels like ages. See, we're used to daily afternoon rains this time of year, and they haven't come yet. The grass on the practice field is turning brown. The dust is accumulating its second layer on my poor white car. And it's hot. There is no respite from the sun's onslaught. So we Floridians retreat to our air-conditioned houses, and work places, and cars, not daring to spend too much time in the heat, lest we break a sweat and have to shower twice in one day.

I miss the rain, but I love the crystal clear afternoons. Driving home as the warm sun floods through my rear window. I like driving home in the afternoons. I might go so far as to say it's my favorite part of the day.

News and Notes

I've been slacking as far as writing goes, and work has followed suit. Now that I have time on my hands, I don't quite know what to do with it. I have work that I could and should be doing, especially with the end of the year coming up, but I can't motivate myself to do it. Perhaps I subconsciously believe that I don't have to live by the same rules as everyone else because I'm working more hours than anyone else on campus.

For the first time this year, I think I'm getting a taste of what all the other teachers get to do all year. I have to say, it would take some getting used to. I've grown so accustomed to being there all the time that leaving before the sun sets is a strange sensation. Not that I like leaving that late.

Anyway, I guess that's all I have to say. There are, of course, things to talk about, but well, I don't really feel like it.

Possibilities

Now that Arsenic and Old Lace is over, thoughts of next year have begun flooding my mind. The ever-present question of what to do for our fall play, one act and [gulp] the spring musical looms over my head. I have all summer to decide these things, but with students asking almost daily what we're doing next year, throwing out suggestions, and begging to design the set or be technical director, I can't escape it. So, I've begun searching. Well maybe not searching--because that would require effort--but definitely downloading musicals from iTunes to expand my library and hopefully fall enough in love with one of them to do it next year.

I'm currently rocking out to Godspell, which, I have to admit, is pretty groovy. I saw it a when University did it ages ago, but didn't remember much about it, other than who played the lead as well as a freshman who got a long solo, and that it had that one song that DC Talk covered. Anyway, I'm digging it. I'll have to see if I can get my hands on a script. I talked to Mrs. D at State, and Godspell was her first musical, so it can't be too bad of an option. Also, Stephen Schwartz wrote the music for it, and I happen to adore one of his more recent works, Wicked.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum was also suggested by another District V sponsor, but I haven't heard it yet, so I will reserve judgment, although the thought of a musical comedy is quite appealing. It is also written by a famous composer/lyricist, Stephen Sondheim (Sweeney Todd, West Side Story lyrics, Gypsy lyrics, Company, Assassins, Into the Woods).

I've got some options. Why I'm worrying about this instead of the fall play, I'm not sure. But plays are so much harder to find because there so many of them.