today was a good day

I was awakened this morning by a phone call from my old french teacher, Mrs. Kamei, around 5am. She was calling to see if I could sub for her today as she's suffering from vertigo. Somehow I was able to carry on a conversation with her and remember that it was real in time to get out of bed and get ready for work. I tell ya, fighting through the sleep funk in your brain to intelligently converse with someone can be rough. The cool thing was that I'd already been in this classroom twice before, once in March and then just this past Monday.

So, the classes were happy to see me, which was good. Just about everyone in 3rd period cheered when they saw me, that always makes me feel good. I felt like I connected with some students today too, in an odd way. During 3rd period a group of five girls was sitting at a table making some sort of list. I was sitting nearby so they started talking to me too. I ended up sitting down with them at their table for most of the period and talking to them. The object of our conversation was somewhat amusing, though, and I'm pretty sure high school is the only place you're going to see someting like this.

The list these girls were making was a list of the boys they'd made out with. Two of the girls had made out with 15+ boys each, but still called the other two who had made out with "and them some" with 25-27 boys various names alluding to their looseness of character. One girl had only made out with two boys, and when she discovered 'making out' involved...hmm, no nice way to say this...tongue, she had to disqualify herself and say she hadn't made out with anyone. They asked me to add my names to the list of girls I'd made out with in high school. Initially they didn't believe me when I said zero but I offered to show them my senior picture to help explain the low nature of the number. But seriously - I mean - 27 boys?! And they messed around with some of them? That was so sad to me. I was almost shocked - not like "oh my how inappropriate" shocked but "yikes that's a lotta guys." Physical intimacy or contact is becoming/has become cheaper to a lot of people. I just worry so much about these kids playing with fire and they don't know it. They're looking for fun or validation or something, I don't know every kid's heart - but they're playing with these things that can get them really hurt or who knows what else.

That being said, I'm glad they included me in their little conversation/competition. I got to share a little bit about what I thought and though it was an odd way of doing so I kinda bonded with 'em. Relationship building yo. I had to sub my prep period in another teacher's class and one of the girls was there. She ended up sitting with me all period talking about school and college and her parents, so that was good. Before our list-making conversation she probably wouldn't have done that. So anyway like I've said before I love my job. I almost hope Mrs. Kamei decides to take the day off tomorrow to be fully recovered so I can sub the class again.

In other news, the A's have lost another game. Hopefully this won't begin their usual "It's April So We Suck" month. Those guys have dug themselves such holes the past two seasons during this month that they've had to go on amazing runs in the second half to make the playoffs. They do it too - so that's good. But for once I'd just like to see them dominant throughout the entire season. They certainly have the potential to do it.

"Let's burn down the observatory so this never happens again!"