I think I'll put the bed over there, next to the chalkboard

I may be exaggerating things, but I'm beginning to think I'd be just as well if I moved into my classroom. All of my school stuff is already there, yes, but why not just put my bed and favorite reading chair there too?

As it is, I've been spending more time there than at home (WITH SLEEPING!). I just can't seem to get ahead at any point. Whether someone sticks something in my mailbox that I have to handout, discuss, or fill out; whether my students make life difficult for me by making me have to plan different activities for different classes to account for SPED and new incoming students; whether my computer decides that it must fuck up my MS Word documents by implementing a mandatory 2.87 in. bottom margin on everything I print off; or whether I am completely stumped as to what I can do with my Basic Reading Skills students when there are 30 kids cramped in a small room and my only goal is to "stall" for the next couple days while their data is being entered into the computers.

I learn at least 5 new things every day. 5 new responsibilites. 5 new students. 5 new ways not to teach a lesson. 5 new ways for a student to piss me off. 5 new reasons not to wear a wrap skirt. 5 new reasons why chalkboards should be eliminated. 5 new objects in the room that the custodian needs to fix for me.

Oh, there's plus sides to be sure. Some of the students are total sweethearts and make me smile when they say hi to me in the hall or in the lunchroom. The staff has been nothing but helpful and they're a cool bunch to hang out with too (especially with a margarita on the side). I love having my own classroom, own desk, and basically being my own boss with the primary duty of bossing around young ones ;) And there's the compliments like this one, "I have to do the most work in your class." ::sigh:: Like music to my ears.