O!
In all of the complaining, I forgot to tell you about my weekend. It was a productive one on several fronts, including laundry and marking, and it was also nicely social. On Saturday the Boy & I met Dirk for supper, and then went out to the annual CureFest at the Reverb. Both were a rocking good time, although only CureFest had projected videos and a coverband. The band opened their set with "Killing An Arab," a beautiful choice in the charged atmosphere of current events. I really enjoyed seeing some of the hardcore fans, who were a welcome change from the same dimly-remembered faces I see at Savage, at fetish, at Darkrave, ad nauseum. I didn't dance as much as I wanted, but since I was talking a mile a minute and smoking the last of my Dutch Camels, I hardly noticed the lack of boogie.
As to those I was talking to, we met Little Spider, Spike & Loup there, and somehow or other, the Boy joined the boys' band. The Boy visited LS & Spike while I was in the Netherlands, and had impressed the both of them with his impromptu synth solos. Following this night, LS started agitating on the Boy's behalf to Spike, and, well, everything just fell into place from there. (Note on the Boy: in terms of intuition he's just superb. He's not afraid of any instrument or combination - I have very fond memories of being hung over at Q & Pixie's and hearing him play "Higher Ground" on the bass & kazoo.) Loup's focus is mainly an aesthetic one, and I immediately began teasing the Boy: "do you think his vision revolves around Old Navy jeans with iron-on patches and Toronto sports t-shirts?" The Boy, happy to be praised for his considerable talent, just laughed.
(I also saw Scherezade's highschool buddy Destiny in the coat check line, but as she was very drunk and busy making out with some guy, I hardly count this as an interacting in anything but the loosest possible definition of the word.)
On Sunday I got up too early, worked really hard on my marking, took the wrong pill for a headache, and dragged my ass to Kalendar with the last of my strength. Sister Silver, Dirk & the Boy were all waiting for me there. Spent a great hour catching up with SS, and then collapsed into bed. All-in-all, a relaxing, releasing weekend. I was well pleased on Monday.
Today I went to another all-day PD session on effective instructional strategies. I always do this the same way - I spent the first half-hour convinced that I'm the World's Worst Teacher and plan my letter of resignation...then I open up and start to see the possibilities. I was able to make quick and easy points with my principal for actually doing the homework from the last session and bringing data sets to share with the facilitator (as another staff member said about me, I'm "silent but effective." "Also deadly," I added helpfully.)
It's just so hard to triumph over your own inertia! The least effective route is usually the safest - who wants to fail at something 20 times before it starts to gel? I dunno. I'm the J. Alfred Prufrock of the teaching world...I am not Barrie Bennet, nor was meant to be, but a minor English teacher, fit to give a test or mark a late slip...I grow boring...do I dare to really teach? I shall shun all talk of concept maps and lecture, stun, & leech.
Anyway. As you can see by my run-away scanning, I rather enjoyed being let out 45 minutes early.
