Return to Innocence

Return to Innocence is a ridiculous song because the performers take it so seriously. I love it.

Okay, so I’m back after an unannounced and totally unplanned two-week break. The router had gone on the fritz at home for awhile, so I wasn’t able to access the Internet for a week. It took me some time to figure out that the router was the problem, but when I plugged it in and saw all of the lights flashing except for POWER, it helped to narrow the issues down.

So, I’m at Happy Donut on a Saturday night, I admit. Everyone must be doing other things because I got prime real estate in the corner far from the register that everyone walks by. It’s just the owner in here on his laptop, one college student and a group of Palo Alto high schoolers. Tonight I was supposed to meet my sister’s boyfriend when the three of us went to someone’s roller skating party. I would like to meet the guy, but the party was being thrown by this woman who looks…what word works best? Adorable. Plus, it’s freaking roller skating and she could be going out with the greatest man on Earth and it wouldn’t be as interesting to me as lacing ‘em up and twirling around trying not to fall while listening to ABBA. This would be a first for me; my sister has hardly spoken about her relationships to me, let alone presented them in living color. And she is 34. Clearly, we share this reluctance to talk about our love lives although, in my case, it’s largely due to inactivity. Damn, I should have called one of those women tonight. I never follow up; it’s like this fear that things won’t be casual.

In other news, it’s official, my new school is full of bitter, old teachers whose negativity is like some infectious cloud to be avoided at all costs. Those who exhibit any sort of trust in the school district or who express confidence in the students are labeled young or naive or idealists and, therefore, their opinions dismissed. It’s as if so many teachers have so much contempt for everyone else: the principal is just padding her resume and the AP couldn’t wait to get out of the classroom. During the staff meeting a teacher “whispered” a little too loudly that he couldn’t believe the counselors’ pay grid was higher than his own. I volunteered to supervise the end-of-year graduation and drew snickers. They said I would spend the afternoon fighting with Hispanic families trying to get past the three-ticket rule. And I’m just thinking, “keep that shit to yourself. I’ve been here for only two weeks and I’ve already lost faith in eighty percent of you. Have some optimism and what the fuck kind of example could you be setting for your students??” I also wonder why the teachers complain at all because the biggest problem aside from a staff full of Debbie Downers has been a coupla students who raise their hands too much. I’m serious. That’s been my major issue so far. I’m loving this school and I’m loving junior high! Everyone else needs to chill the fuck out.

The kids are also doing great on the test I’m now correcting. Just saying.

WhatUpThen, update more! Three this week, for sure!