It was dark when the alarm went off

In fact, the sun still isn't up, and I have shoes and a tie (and the other requisite clothing) on, and I am about to head out the door.

Day One oughta be interesting. I love the first day, but it's always so darned hectic. There's a lot to get done, and the teachers are just as twitchy as the kids.

I hope to be more reflective about my teaching this year, and some of that may show up here. I have been doing this for 15 years now, and I still have this great desire to get better at it.

More to come . . . .

In other news, ladyalethea and I spent the weekend in Maine. We had a great time shoping in the OId Port in Portland, in Portsmuth, N.H., on the way home, and in Cambridge yesterday. I did more browsing than shopping, but that's OK. Had a wonderful breakfast with friends at svava's house Saturday morning, too.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Liam

Day One, Redux

Wow, does the first day ever fly past?

Lots of little glitches . . . bells going off when they shouldn't have and not going off when they should have . . . teachers giving out misinformation and not realizing it was misinformation . . . guidance not knowing kids were long gone . . . schedules with gaping holes . . .

A kid cut my class!!!! Bad start, bucko.

None of the kids wanted a new nickname like Spanky, Sparky or Skippy. I do have one kid who wants to be called "Juice." Sorry, Julio.

Other than that a good day, although I did have to go bug the guy in Culinary to make coffee. Our deans provided good food for breakfast.

Good to see a lot of the kids, but some of them have not changed at all.

My National Honor Society kids are all pumped up. Meeting tomorrow.

I simply am who I am. I am the "warm,fuzzy" teacher. They are gonna get the other kinds of teachers in other classrooms. I think they were taken aback when I told them, "You are now one of 'my kids' and I will go to bat for you.

Basically just got through the "Yo. This is who I am and this is how I teach" presentation. Tomorrow they fill out info sheets and we read something, then write about it.

This whole week is gonna be all about adds and drops.

More tomorrow.


In other news:

1. Doctor's appointment right after school, and my blood pressure was pretty good. Who would think of that? I am, apparently, fairly healthy. Weight's not good, but I am working on that. I appreantly have taken seven or so pounds off permanently.

2. I just cannot get excited about professional golf. I mean Tiger Woods won his fifth straight tournament here in Massachusetts and I just wanted the damned thing to be over.

3. Andre Agassi is a class act.

"The scoreboard said I lost today. But what the scoreboard doesn't say is what it is I have found. Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty. You have pulled for me on the court and also in life.

"I found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments, and I've found generosity. You have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could never have reached without you. Over the last 21 years, I have found you, and I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life."

4. Anyone watch Katie Couric? How was she?

5. Oh, and Folo Watkins has Vintage SCA photos here