Been a busy little bumblebee these days.

I've been elected to one committee at school- the School Leadership Team- and I've also joined another committee- The United Federation of Teachers Staff Committee(or whatever the damn thing is called). NYC has also implemented an extra 37 1/2 minutes per day  for small group tutoring so I get home later.

On we go...

I was elected to the School Leadership Team a few months ago- by a LANDSLIDE, I might add...

Yup.

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.

On this team, I get to sit around for about 3 extra hours after work and make big decisions about what the common goals for the school for the next year are to be. The only problem is that other members of the team (namely some of the parents) pretty much are only there to pick up the little bit of money allotted to the team.

Seriously.

The other team- the UFT committee- is for teachers to air any issues that they have with administration. I'm there to disseminate info to the other folks on my grade. The only problem is that the administration, represented by the principal, NEVER shows up.

As for the 37 1/2 minutes...well...as a condition of the contract the union had been fighting for, we were told that our day would be extended 37 1/2 more minutes. So the day that usually ended at 3:00 pm now ends at 2:50 pm, but only for the students who are NOT part of the extended day tutoring program. Those kids stay until 3:27 pm...and 1/2...

Following me?

Keep following...

The only problem with this is that since only a certain portion stays and a certain portion leaves, you have to spend a good 5 to 10 minutes dismissing the kids who are leaving. That takes a big bite out of the 37 1/2 minutes so what you're actually left with is...ta DA! Just about 27 1/2 minutes!

Once you get back to your students, you have to get them all settled in (because the fact of the matter is, the kids who need the extra help are the ones who have serious behavioral problems and prety much all have ADHD).  That's another 5 minutes or so.

About how much tutoring do you think I get in?

I'll venture to say that it's just about 22 minutes...and 1/2. 

Bang up idea, that.

You can thank Mayor Bloomberg and his toady, Joel Klein, for that stroke of genius.

Besides all of that stuff, I've been sick with some sort of hellish curse of a cold that won't go away. I've had the bastarding thing for a total of almost 4 weeks- a few days a few weeks ago and also the last 2 weeks.

I'm coughing and barking  like I swallowed somebody's german shepard. Never much fun on a crowded L train but hey, it sure gives me more than a few feet of space when I'm coughing like I just smoked some rock.

Ugh.

In any case, my bumblebee ass has just been OUT OF IT.

I do have much to talk about.

So much has been happening lately that I'm kind of pissed that I haven't been updating this thing. I mean, shit! The world's about to end because of some cartoons, and Dick Cheney shot someone in the face, for the love of Jaysus!

Oh yes. I will return.