Monday, April 20, 2009

Thwack!

This morning was a terrible morning. It was a no-good, awful, horrible start to my day. What was so tortuous, you may ask? Well, I'd be GLAD to tell you.

Set the scene. It's 1:00am. I'm sound asleep, dreaming, when I awaken to the sound of cats fighting. We have a cat that lives outside, and this happens from time to time, so I ignored it. The awful noise sounded a few more times followed by a long, groaning moan. Concerned, I rush downstairs and turn on the porch light to see two strange cats having some sort of showdown on the patio. They run off when I bang on the door so I go outside to check on Suzie the outside cat, who has survived unscathed. I stick around for a few minutes to make sure those rapscallions don't return, then retreat indoors to down some nyquil and go back to bed.

6:30am. Alarm, snooze. 6:45am. Alarm, snooze. 7:18. CRAP. Yes, I woke up at 7:18. And I normally leave for work at 7:15. I rush to get dressed, go to get a Diet Dr. Pepper to drink on my way to work (healthy, I know!) and I had forgotten to put them in the fridge the night before. Mmm, warm soda. This morning keeps getting better.

I hop in my car with my makeup in my bag, to be applied at my desk, and race to get to work before 7:40. See, we are supposed to be at work at 7:40. I'm normally there on time. I'm normally EARLY, but not today. Here's the kicker: I'm "teacher of the month" this month, so I have a fancy schmancy parking spot at the front of the school. In front of the office. Where my boss resides. So when I'm late, I get to walk by the front office on my way in. Not exactly "teacher of the month" behavior.

I ended up getting there at 7:42 so my walk of shame was only a tiny bit shameful, but I was still frazzled from my late start. I was grouchy at our third grade team meeting and crabby with my kids when they first came in. Grouch grouch. Whine whine. Crab crab. I did NOT want to be at school today.

About a half an hour into class, one of my friends that teaches first grade sent a student to "think it out" in my room. Apparently she had been throwing a fit in her classroom so she got to come reflect on that in my room. I let her sit there for a while, but before I let her go back to her class, I wanted to talk her through her thoughts. I asked her why it was that she needed to come think it out in my room:

"I just didn't want to be at school today."

Hmm, sound familiar? We talked about how much attitude affects our day and the days of those around us. Also about how sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do. I gave her permission to go back to her class and she went on her way. I was left thinking about what I had learned from our conversation. I adjusted my attitude and had a better day.

Thank you universe for a big figurative thwack in the back of the head courtesy of a pouting little six year old girl.

2 comments:

  1. yeah...i get that way too. more sleep usually helps me, but when i can't get it i get cranky. glad you were able to pull out of it!

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