I change. I have changed because of people. As far as I know any concerted effort to change me has failed, but I change. It's why I keep going, because I'm not all of me yet.

Oh, JZ, how frustrating! I'm so sorry, hon. Enjoy snuggling and martinis!

I like the statement, even though it can be hard to live by.

Heh. Yeah, I'm not always awesome at following my own rules either. It's easier to be an asshole! I want you to do what I want, not just somebody! Sure, use me as a cudgel against that other woman! I don't like her either!

Oh, Pete and I still try to change each other. I keep trying to get him to have a wider range of tones of voice, he keeps trying to get me to not react to things in such wildly emotional ways. At some level, both of us know these changes aren't really going to happen. But we keep reminding each other to work at it.

I'm so sorry JZ. They don't know what they're missing.

In meme bummer-work news, I've been informed that my AP Women's Lit. class that I've worked so friggin' hard on and was so excited to teach next year is not going to be offered. And why? Because the pre-registration, which happened BEFORE most of the current junior knew anything about this course, only yielded four students signing up. Never mind that the real registration is this week, and I know of several more student who were planning to register for it. It might have been possible to run the course if they had given it a chance. Apparently, they aren't going to bother.

And remember my dilemma about whether or not to teach a fifth section of English for extra moola? They now want me to teach five sections of 9th grade. Um. No. I love teaching freshmen, but I will spork myself in the eye if I have to teach the same lesson five times in a row every day (not to mention always getting all five classes' essays at the same time all year and dealing with even more of the neediness and multiple drafts that come with 9th grade territory).

Oh, and did I mention that Big Boss told me in an email that the other course wouldn't run and I was slated to teach five 9th classes? And that she hasn't given me a single answer about how much money we're even talking about for a fifth class? Luckily I have a great department head. I went to talk to her and told her my concerns (that they hadn't given my course a fair chance, that I had been "informed" of my new teaching assignment despite never receiving a financial offer, etc.), and she is 100% behind me. She agrees that self-sporking would be inevitable with five 9th grade classes and that it is unfair for Big Boss to assume I am willing to teach the fifth class before giving me a financial offer. She's going to talk to Big Boss about everything today or tomorrow, so make-it-work-out-ma would be greatly appreciated.

I've been informed that my AP Women's Lit. class that I've worked so friggin' hard on and was so excited to teach next year is not going to be offered. And why? Because the pre-registration, which happened BEFORE most of the current junior knew anything about this course, only yielded four students signing up. Never mind that the real registration is this week, and I know of several more student who were planning to register for it. It might have been possible to run the course if they had given it a chance. Apparently, they aren't going to bother.

Awww. It's like you're the Tim Minear of academia.

Awww. It's like you're the Tim Minear of academia.

Unfortunately, I don't get paid regardless of whether or not it gets canceled. I'd be a lot less bitter if they'd pre-paid me for all the work I've done. IJS. (Nothing against Tim--just me feeling frustrated.)

Thanks, Kristin, and I'm sorry about your own crappy work news. It sounds incredibly frustrating, especially after all the work you've already put into it.

Oh, Kristin, I'm glad you're department head is behind you and is going to work on this. I was so disappointed for you. Much work-out~ma coming your way.

Ok. I have armed myself with water, my favorite purple pen, and Popsicles. I'm about to read the last two orphan articles of the semester. Hopefully, I won't spork my eyes out. At least one of them is going to be a bunch of info I've read 100 different ways already, but the other is on a Chicago orphanage, specifically. So, that one should be a little different/interesting, though still depressing.

I will need entertaining during this challenge.

Oh, Kristin, I'm glad you're department head is behind you and is going to work on this.

Thanks (to JZ and DJ as well). Alas, the question of whether or not the class will run is not up for debate. The only thing that my dept. head might be able to do at this point is to find out what financial incentive I have to teach a 5th class and what alternative 5th classes are available. It's pretty much a given that I'm going to get caught teaching four sections of 9th. My ideal scenario at this point would be to be able to teach a creative writing class as the 5th. Not sure if I have a prayer of getting that.

If the choice is 5 sections of 9th with extra money or 4 sections of 9th without, I'm going for the latter. Greed does not outweigh potential self-sporkage.