I think my interview went okay yesterday, but we'll see.
So for a while today the marzipan changed into a lovely sort of spring green. This was after several hours of trying to figure out how that tiny man got inside my nose with a pin. Have you ever had that sensation? you spend the day with your nose stinging and your eyes watering. Then the everything dried up for an hour or two, and then it all turned clear again.
Two nights ago I bought some Nyquil. This stuff Kicks. Ass. It's like, 20 proof, and provides a lovely 7 hour cough-free coma.
To add to the delight of my exploding sinuses was the revelation yesterday that I accidentally left one of the state standardized tests overnight in my room.
--> Now, before you read this I want to let you know that I have a spotless record. So what you're about to read is what happens with a teacher with no history of problems does such a thing.<--
You see, we were supposed to return all of them immediately after testing each day. As requested, I sorted the test books by serial number and the answer booklets alphabetically and the booklets of the kids that hadn't finished had to be in a separate stack and so one of the booklets was set aside while I was sorting, and I overlooked it and didn't put it back in the box.
Soooo, I found it under an inbasket on my worktable the next day, where it had been locked in my room all night. When I discovered it, I returned it to the testing people. Now, here's what happens if one does such a thing in a "No Child Left Behind" America.
- I was requested to write a letter of explanation about what happened.
- My boss and the head guideance counselor at my school were questioned as to the nature of training in testing procedures and test security I had received.
- My boss, the school principal, called me at home last night to let me know that a District Office Representative would "visiting with me" today to as part of his investigation into the matter.
- The DO rep pulled me out of a class that I was teaching and a substitute was assigned to my room for about 20 minutes while I was questioned about the incident.
- They then sent a sub into the classroom of my helpful (and
unlucky) colleague whose misfortune it was to have offered to carry my box of tests upstairs for me so that they could question him.
Now, I'm pretty sure that the matter is now finished, but who knows? Maybe they'll convene a grand jury. Perhaps you'll see my picture in the paper, covering my face with my hands, muttering "no comment" as I scuttle quickly from my car to my home...
Tomorrow Pirate and I are going for a 30-mile easy ride, and I'm hoping to clear some gunk out of my head. Now that I've canceled the Stealth, my next target is the Alpine triathlon on March 25th.
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