Day One, But Who's Counting?

If retired time goes as quickly as the first day of school did, I'll be 75 in no time. It was astounding to me that the first day has come and gone...and I'm still not certain exactly what happened when. First days are great, and I had a blast. Many of my students this year are kids I've never taught before...that means my jokes will all be new and whatever zany stunts I come up with (e.g. the "slides" of my summer vacation) will be as fresh as they were 30 years ago. The Lynn Dickey/Darrell Patterson baseball story hasn't been told for years, but I'm saving that for January when things get stale. That challenge of new students alone is enough to get me to "turn it up a notch" when I walk into the building. I think I hyperventilated a bit at times...fun, fun, fun.
Teaching all eight periods of the day served at least one positive purpose: I did not have to walk around listening to how dissatisfied various people were with the class lists (sure to be changed by tomorrow!); room assignments (how come HE gets that room? He has only two classes in there and I have six!); why the computer system doesn't work (you mean I have to push "save" to send my attendance to the office?) and a host of other crucial issues. I admit to frustration as well but realize that things won't change so I need to adjust, and as long as the office is cleared of paperwork, the administration is happy no matter how many extra kids get stuffed into crowded classrooms. I get paid to do a job...no stipulation about it being uncomplicated.
Whew! The only difficulty is the organization of each class and the timing. Weeks of spring training work great for baseball players but then how many get hurt during the first week of the season? I get no spring training. I did work for eight solid days to prepare for the first day, and now it's time for Day 2. The first day we begin to play for keeps. I wouldn't have it any other way. Plantar fascitis will prove troublesome, I suspect because it hasn't gone away. Raquel will have to come back and do her magical massage on my foot soon.
And, in the middle of all of this, I think of how incomprehensible the whole situation along the Gulf Coast is after Hurricane Katrina. I GET to go to school, drink unpolluted water, have bathrooms that work, have no fear of looters and vandals. My house is still in one piece, and I know exactly where all of my family is. How can I even talk about hardships? I haven't known any in comparison. Gas prices rising will be the extent of my suffering. Lucky me.