Monday, August 17, 2009

Deb's Top 10

The Top 10 Reasons It's A Good Thing School Is Starting Again:

10. New TV Shows: Now, we get to see all of the shows about which we will be saying, "Can you believe they tried to make a show out of that?" next year.

9. Returning TV Shows: We get to catch up with our returning favorites, like Project Runway, Lost, Law & Order: SVU, Top Chef...that's all I can think of. How is it I watch so much television but follow so few shows? (Answer: reruns of GOOD television.)

8. The Holidays: You may think it's too early to get into the "Holiday Spirit," but you would be wrong. I had my first anxiety dream about Thanksgiving last night. And, for your information, there are only 130 shopping days until Christmas! My feet are starting to sweat...

7. Awareness: Since school is starting again, I will be watching the news every day. I do not follow the news during the summer, save occasionally watching The Daily Show, the Colbert Report, and The Soup. I'm not completely irresponsible. However, it occurred to Sven and I the other night that we had no idea whether or not the storm we were watching head for our house was dangerous or not, and I knew our time of blissful ignorance was coming to an end.

6. I Can't Sleep Anyway: Fall, along with spring and winter, is my "allergy time." I have "seasonal allergies," which often mutate into "crippling sinus infections" and/or "pneumonia." Summer is the only time of year that is relatively allergy-free for me. My dripping nose and itchy eyes tell me it's time for school...and I'm up at 5:50 writing a blog post.

5. New Friends: Each fall brings in a crop of new teachers, which means new opportunities to make awkward conversation in an attempt to find someone with whom I get along. As a documented introvert, meeting new people is difficult for me. By the end of the year, though, I have almost always made new friends, just in time for them to leave and go to a new school.

4. Old Friends: Fortunately, my "team" is intact this year. (My team consists of music, art, P.E., and computer class.) We aren't getting any new people on our team! And I like everyone we had last year! A lot! Yay, Deb! (And, Art Teacher Lindsey, you need to get better very soon.)

3. Optimism: There is something about the start of the year that makes me forget the cynicism and despair which is my usual oeuvre. I see the kids who were awful last year and think, "They could have a really good year this year!" I have all kinds of ideas for innovative new lessons. I have a new schedule. Things are looking good, baby.

2. Gratuitous use of "baby" in general conversation.

1. Back Into the Social Scene: Dexy and Princess can come into their own as the social butterflies they are becoming. Princess, of course, has Tyler, her mustachioed, burly, cologne-scented toddler boyfriend. Dexy has become the social leader of the Toddler Room, due to his skills in a completely unknown (to me) arena:

That boy can dance.

Every day when I pick him up, he is standing in the center of a circle of his awed classmates, shaking what I gave him. He jumps, he spins, he cocks a sassy eyebrow. He sees me at the window, waves, and keeps dancing until the surrounding circle notices me and crowds around to drool on my feet.

It's going to be a great year.

8 comments:

Barbaloot said...

Yikes-allergies! Have you ever tried Nasonex?

Hooray for introverted conversations. I know very well what you're talking about:)

Kristina P. said...

It's all about the TV for me.

Mr. and Mrs. Nurse Boy said...

Love your top ten list!!1 I miss the beginning of the year stuff from when I was teaching. Loved the fresh new start every year!

Mrs. Nurse Boy

Jill @ Sneaky Momma said...

That's great that your team will stay the same. What a gift!

I've gotta say I miss the days leading up to school starting. Can't say I miss the days in between labor day and Thanksgiving, though. :)

Glenene said...

For the first time since 1982 the first day of school has no meaning for me. Now that the baby is married and on her own, I didn't buy any new notebooks or pencils. Can't decide if I'm happy or sad...

Mummy McTavish said...

Ahhh, the news. One day I will get to see it again!

Laughing my butt off at the image of your little groover surrounded by an admiring crowd!

Debbie said...

Having holiday nightmares already? I cannot imagine.

Boy Mom said...

I've started having work dreams. Work dreams are a definite spot on my top ten fall list. Work dreams are where I really get to know and love the unique qualities of my co-workers.

I think I want to join Dexys' fan club, I'll wear my, You Shook Me All Night Long T-shirt, and drool admiringly on you feet.