"The whining schoolboy, with his satchel / And shining morning face, creeping like a snail / Unwillingly to school"

I started off the day today by walking into the gym a few minutes before 6am, and having a great workout. Then I got to school, and the day was, eh, okay. I generally don't believe in giving work over a holiday break - kids have worked hard and they've earned it, for the most part - and stayed true to it this year, giving only some extra credit. Still, kids today balked at doing the work in class. "Dag, why you always giving us work?" one kid asked, with seemingly a straight face despite the two-week break he had just had.

Also, I somehow did not finish all the papers I took home to grade. I tried my best, but Jan. 1 was a loss for me. I made some good money working New Years Eve, but didn't get home and to sleep until after 4am, and that pretty much killed New Years Day for me. I really spent so much of break grading these papers, and I hated facing the class today without them all being done. My mistake was grading by writing folder instead of by assignment. Therefore, I had about 28 of 37 students finished with all four of their essays, and the remaining 9 kids were untouched. It sucks. I really just wanted a fresh start. Each kid probably takes an hour to get through and it was just impossible, I guess.

Kids and teachers were pretty whiny today. I'm still in a little bit of shock that we're back already. I wish I taught in a district that closed schools until Jan. 7, like all the schools in Michigan. 2008 is just beginning too quickly for me.

After I got out of the school at 5pm, I reported to duty at the restaurant at around 5:15. I had three tables all night and made $30. People just don't go out to eat on the day after New Years. It made for a horribly long day: wake up at 5am, work out from 6-7:30, make copies from 7:40-8:00, teach from 8:00-3:10, plan and grade from 3:10-5:00, and wait tables from 5:15-11:00.

I wonder if I'll make it up for the gym in the morning tomorrow...

I'll be crossing my fingers for Barack most of the day though.

Also, it's looking to be a pretty crazy month ahead for Baltimore City Public Schools.