Enduring One Aeon Creates Grumpy-gilled Humanoid

It's only Wednesday. The last three days have felt aeonic. Seriously. It's been so slow that I've watched an entire evolution happen. All of a sudden people have grown gills that operate as pollution regulators, and they no longer walk but glide.. or something.

I'm tired.

The first week of school does that to teachers. It doesn't help that my classes are mammoth (as in 32-35 kids per English IV class, except for my Literary Magazine class that kids are dropping in what feels like an effort to actually make more work for the rest of us. I started with 10 kids (a cozy sized staff) and am down to 6. 6 kids to fundraise three thousand dollars; 6 kids to campaign for submissions, judge them, and edit them for publication; 6 kids to design and create a publication worthy of selling. 6 kids to do all of that and more. It's a tall order.)

On top of the extra work loads, today I had students comparing walking through perpetual minefields and explosions to get to school (like Sunshine in Mosul) with being upset because taking today's notes made their hands cramp.

"It's similar. I mean, both are inconveniences. Besides, a bomb could fall on us at any second, so I can totally relate," one said. "This sucks."

"What?" I gasped. "Are you serious? You can't compare the two or possibly understand what it is like to live in a war torn country!"

"Yes I can," he said. "I mean, you never know what could happen, so it's totally the same. You could be walking down the street and get blown up. Besides, it's my opinion and I'm entitled to it."

"Sure, you're entitled to your opinion," I said, "but you're absolutely wrong, and how disrespectful to those who actually have to live through the falling bombs!"

He held his hand up to stop me from talking and then waved it around and said, "Whatever. I'm right and there's nothing you can do to change my mind."

This is the second full day of school.

Frighteningly, this year is already head and shoulders above last year. Despite my grumpiness tonight (sick baby in tow), I have some wonderful kids, too. I'll try to focus on them.. after my pity party.