You Should All Move To Arlington

Saturday, February 15, 2008

Where we get 70 degree weather in February.
Where school is delayed for two hours for a heavy rainstorm.
Where we can walk to the grocery store.
Where we can walk to the Dr. and the Dentist.
And the Mall.
And lots of great restaurants.
And two Mercedes Benz dealerships.
(Too bad rent and tuition are so expensive and we either can't afford these last two items very often - or not at all as the case may be).
Where there is so many things to do and see, many of them that are free (so we can afford them) and Metro (subway) accessible (so we don't have to walk absolutely everywhere).
Where the roads are narrow and have no turning lanes so you have to be very careful not to rear-end people.
Where the firetrucks drive by multiple times a day with their sirens wailing and horns blaring.
Where you have to put all sorts of registration stickers on the windshield of your car.
And where the eighth graders come with two extra doses of attitude.

I missed a total of 6 days before and after Christmas break. The woman who was my substitute is back this week for our science teacher. I was talking to her today (the sub) and she said that her husband didn't want her to come back to this school because she was so exhausted when she came home every day. Fortunately I do not feel like my school is a dangerous place. (Unless you happen to be a toilet in the boys bathroom. Then you might get ripped off the wall in between classes, but other than that most people aren't in any danger) But it is difficult dealing with kids who don't have much parental support at home.

On a brighter note (sort of) I just went to the doctor (yep I walked there :) because I have been having stomach aches lately. She did a blood test on me and it turns out that I do not have stomach cancer, West Nile Virus, Ulcers, or Apendicitis and I am not pregnant. It is merely a minor digestive issue that is triggered by by stress (which for me right now is equivalent with kids that are named things like Sophiane, Sharyhr and Cero.) So once I figure out how to keep some of the most insolent kids in the world under control I should be fine.

There. I have satisfied my recent urge to write something. Maybe I should change careers and be a writer. Then maybe no one would tell me things like "you need to wear more makeup," "It's your fault I'm failing," "Did you know that you're really unfair?" "You must be racist." "I'm not coming to lunch detention, why would I waste my time on you?" Little darlings.

School is going pretty well for Drew. His grades for first semester were in the top quarter of his class which we were very excited about. He likes his classes this semester better than last and I think he'll decide to stick with it after all instead of dropping out to go to work which he keeps saying he wants to do. Life really is good for us and we are very happy in spite of all my complaining.