yeah, fine, whatever

I know it's Friday, but I lost a few days with my absences so I still feel like I have to get up to go to school in the morning. It'll be nice when I wake up at 5:30 (my body does that automatically) and still be able to sleep in.

Update on my sick days. I missed yesterday and was pretty freaking miserable at home. I slept on and off most of the day, but then Ben brought me pizza and that magically made me feel better. After watching Survivor, I started feeling horrible again, the whole achey crap, and decided to call in for a sub for today. I slowly made my way back to the school last night to write up some lesson plans for today and make copies of the vocab. test. I had the sub do a noun exercise with my students yesterday since I couldn't think of anything else (and it took the least amount of energy to prepare)
When I got there last night, I had quite the nasty note from the sub, which went something like this, "I had good interactions with some students but not so good interactions with most. There were major problems in all periods. There sure must be something better and more exciting for students to do than NOUN practice." Well. Actualy. No. No. No, there really wasn't anything else more exciting for students to do yesterday. I'm sorry my job isn't as exciting as you'd like it to be. If you'd rather do something else to try to entertain them, more power to you. It's not like English is where your supposed to learn nouns! It's not like half of my students can't tell me a noun on cue, let alone what a noun is! It's not like I had oodles of time to prepare for you to come to class! It's not like I didn't say "Thanks for being here today" and "Sorry it's nothing too exciting!"

The nerve of some substitutes!

So, anywho, I straightened my room (which looked a little like a gigantic disaster with pens, paper, candy wrappers, etc., strewn about the floor), finished lesson plans, replied to a few e-mails, and sanitized the desks (is it really doing any good to do that?). I came back home, fell painfully into a steaming hot bath, soaked until my skin could get no redder, and went to bed, happy in knowing that I could sleep in today and watch more TV.

In actuallity, this is how my day turned out:
5:30am-- Wake up. Can't breath. Take some cold pills and guzzle some Gateorade. Go back to bed, afterall, I don't have to get up for anything today.
6:30am--Wake up. Can't stop coughing. Wake Ben up. Yes, dear, I'm ok, promise. Fall back to sleep.
7:30-- Wake up. Hungry, but throat hurts so I can't swallow the yummy, sugary cereal. Whince in pain. Drink more Gateorade. Go back to bed, toss and turn until finally I fall asleep at 7:55.
8:00am--Ring, Ring, Ring. Wake up. Should I answer the phone? Ring, Ring, Ring. I guess I'll answer it. Hello (only it's all broken up and sounds quite nasty since my voice is gone). Hi. It's West Lake Secretary. Your sub never showed. Oh yeah? Not good. Are you well enough to come in today? Cough, cough, wince, wince. Um. I. I. I sure don't want to, but suppose I could if I don't have to do anything but babysit 130 teenagers. Ok. That'd be great. We appreciate it. You don't even have to stay for faculty meetings. I'll be in by 8:30.
8:03--Hobble to the bathroom. Look at oily hair, crusty eyes. Nah, I won't shower. It gives off the I'm really sick don't act up look. Brush teeth. Take of sweats that I've been wearing for 3 days. Finally put on a bra. Get dressed in the first decent, clean thing on the floor. Whisper to Ben, I'm going to work.
8:06--Walk outside. Too cold. Start my car (hood's still there!). Wait for car to warm up. Think to myself, self, why did you say yes? Bleah.
8:10--Drive to school...the longest way possible. Listen to the movie guy on the radio give a review of 007.
8:20--Walk into school, slowly because each step hurts and I can feel the blood go through my brain.
8:22--Walk into office to check in, grab mail (finally had some!). Hullo West Lake Secretary. Thanks again for coming in. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. If I get student sick, don't blame me.
8:25--Walk down the hall. Look for my students in random classes. Half in one, half in another. Come to class, now, children.
8:27--Say, I don't feel well. I just woke up. Don't be brats. Sit down. Work. We'll take the test on Monday.
8:30--Wave goodbye to 1st period, hello to 2nd. And so on. And so forth until 12:40, when the bell rings and students leave.
12:45--Contemplate, should I stay for meetings? Should I stay to put the newspaper together? Should I stay to get things ready for next week.
1:00--Find myself in a meeting, being elected to be the note-taker. Yay.
1:30--Find myself still in the same meeting, wishing I'd gone home.
2:00--Find myself in another meeting but this time no notes.
2:45--Tell everyone I must go. Walk to my room. Grab my stuff. Leave.

Yup. It's been a great day.