Oh boy, am I not excited to be up and about this morning. I worked last night until 8, then instead of the half-hour it usually takes to drive home it took extra-long because the remnants of Hurricane Wilma are hitting us right now and it’s really, really crappy outside (of course not to minimize the actual REALITY of Wilma because Wilma? Worse than Wilma Remnants). Then I got home and I had to leave again, to go over to my sister’s with some food for the leems. When I got there, my nephew asked me to help him with his homework. By the time I finally got into the house last night and got to eat supper it was 10:45 pm. And I found out that I was working today.

I am grateful for the work, I am I am. I’m just cranky this morning is all, so please let me vent:
My mother seems to think she has become my secretary. But at the same time as being my secretary, she has also become the Boss Of My Life. What do I mean? Oh, here, let me tell you:

When it was decided that I would be substituting this year instead of going back to teaching full-time, the decision was made mainly as a means to help preserve my mental health. You know, so I wasn’t spending hours at home each night prepping, so that I wasn’t up half the night worrying about parent-teacher things, so that I wouldn’t have to teach subjects which the kids don’t take seriously, and also, so that if I needed a day off, I could take a day off without having to freak out and find a substitute for myself.

I told this all to my parents (so that they’d understand my decision). “Good for you”, they said. “Good for me,” I said. I also told them that if a school called their number (I gave our cellphone number, but also my parents’ landline, just in case) when I wasn’t around, they should a) get Rob because he would know the deal and if he wasn’t home b) take a message and I would get back to them. “Definitely”, they said. Yeah, not happening. Today? I am working teaching core french (yuck!) to grades 7, 8, and 9 (super yuck! not that I hate those ages just the combination of core french + junior high = volatile) in a school where I did my practice teaching and swore that I’d never walk into again. All because my mother has been answering the phone, then being like “Yes! She’ll teach anywhere! She’ll do anything! For the money! It’s all about the Benjamins!” Oh, wait, this is Canada. “It’s all about the John A. MacDonalds!”

1) MISSING THE POINT OF MY SUBSTITUTING — yes I realize she’s trying to do right by me financially BUT is it worth having money if you’re curled up in a corner crying your face off?

2) WHERE HAS THE ASKING ROB BEEN? I asked Mom this last night. Just, you know, out of curiosity. “Well he was downstairs!” (in our room) “I had to give them an answer right away!” (no you don’t, actually, you have every right to say “She’s not here right now but let me put you on with her fiance)

3) I AM EXHAUSTED AND I AM SICK AND I HAVEN’T BEEN PAID YET SO THERE’S HARDLY ANY GAS IN MY CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON SO I HAVE TO GO OUT AND CHECK THE OIL NOW AT 7:30 IN THE DARK AND IT’S RAINING SIDEWAYS OUT THERE AND THAT MAKES ME CRANKY.

CRANKY!!!!!!!!!

There you go. Thanks for listening.