Day 2, Year 5

Floating from classroom to classroom is very tiring, as I don't sit down all day except for lunch. When I had my own classroom, I sat down every now and then - to take attendance at the computer, for example - and not doing so is making me feel it in the legs.

It's also god awful hot in the school. It feels like a rainforest, like the upper level of Baltimore's National Aquarium. I become caked in sweat every few minutes, and my shirt is soaked by the end of the day. I thought today would be better because of the lack of sun, but it's so humid that I was pretty miserable. This is compounded by the fact that there was no water anywhere nearby. We have to drink water out of water bottles because of lead in the running water, and they're always empty, including today. I heard a rumor that the school is out of water. I also heard that the kids were told by someone of importance that water is not allowed in the classrooms, and that, if they're thirsty, they should swallow their spit. Woah. I'm going to confront that person.

And, after five straight very nice, even meek, classes, my 5/6 class today seems like they'll be a challenge. It's the first day of class for them in my class, yet girl over on the side decides it's okay to compliment my tie while I'm giving instructions, and boy in the back decides it's okay to put his head down twice in the same period and random kid who I don't know decides it's okay to hum (which I have to ignore because I don't know who it is and then it stops).

To top it all off, a colleague made this comment to me today: "You know, Epiph, you look really old today. No one's going to mistake you for a student this year, that's for sure."

Thanks, bud.

But I don't mean to be whiny. Tomorrow's lesson will be a good one, and today was just fine overall. The new dh made lasagna for us for lunch. I got a solid three hours of planning in after my last class. Another great workout this morning, and I think I'm heading back tonight to lift weights.