Random Reflections On: Working in Education

-When people ask me if I watch "The Walking Dead", my response to them is always the same. Absolutely. It's what those of us who work in education call by its alternate title, "Monday Morning".

-I would like to thank our third grade teachers for their stroke of genius in planning a field trip on Halloween (which I get to go on with one of my students) that concludes right when the Halloween parties start. If you have never tried to get through a day with kiddos leading up to a holiday event, imagine trying to keep a squirrel in a box for six hours, and you've pretty much got it. Halloween on the 4th Saturday in October as a federal law, y'all. Parents and teachers, feel free to write my name in on the presidential ballot.

-Due to my stupor over the Chiefs now being in 1st place in the AFC West and staying up way past my bedtime to watch this occur, I *almost* left the bathroom without putting on any make up this morning. Now before you maybe say something sweet like, I don't need any make up or whatevs, let's take a hard look at the numbers. I am (well) over 40, I work in a 62 year old building with only fluorescent lighting, and it contains 65 kindergartners, who have not yet grown a filter. This would have ended poorly.

-Walkie going off all day asking for assists in classrooms, revolving door in the office, at one point I'm trying to coax a student down the hallway back to class while a different one blows by me in one direction in a huff and another pulling a "Home Alone" style Kevin freak out runs by in another. Welcome to school life a week before Christmas. And we in the SMSD get to do it all again for 2.5 days next week. 😁 If you have yet to purchase your kid's teacher a holiday gift, please do so. And be generous, y'all. Goodness knows they've earned the love. xo

-As someone who works closely with teachers, I already have mad levels of respect for them. As someone who had to cover kindergarten car duty at dismissal today, it has grown even deeper. You think the school car line sucks from a parent perspective? Try bringing out thirty 5 & 6 year olds and getting them matched to their respective vehicles at breakneck speed to keep the line moving. I would liken it to taking a bunch of drunk monkeys to catch the "L". Teachers rock.

-I have subbed probably ten times in the past few days to cover classroom teachers for SpEd meetings, and it seeks to reminds me every time of a few things:
1. Teachers and senators need to swap salaries.
2. Children are no longer taught to write cursive in school, yet still somehow manage form a line in it.
3. When a sub enters a room, 22 bladders simultaneously reach capacity.
4. Paras and aides are amazing at a variety of things, including not laughing aloud when teachers say the IEP meeting "should take less than an hour". (We love them for their optimism though. And for a whole lot of other reasons.😘)
5. Working in education is absolutely the best job on the planet. Yes, we are tired, grossly underpaid (especially those aforementioned aides and paras) and underfunded, but we go home every day with a full heart and knowing that what we do every day changes lives for the better. I am blessed.

-Students always seem confused as to why we refrain from sharing much personal info with them. Given the fact that they LOOOOVE to chat with us about things like: "Mommy got a speeding ticket from the D.A.R.E. officer yesterday", "Daddy said the F word when he was playing X Box", "Mommy's boyfriend had a sleepover at our house last night!" and "Daddy has androids, and it hurts when he poops", you as parents can undoubtedly understand our reluctance.

-You might work in an elementary school if, without even thinking, you yell "Walking feet, please!" at two random kids running down the hallway at the community center. Oops.

-Did not sleep at all well last night and am headed out on a field trip today with about 50 sixth graders. To Power Play. A coffee delivery by anyone the area would be fab. Also, did you know that an entire bottle of wine fits perfectly in a Starbucks trenta cup? I'm not suggesting anything here. Just an interesting fact and stuff. Happy Friday, y'all!

-Working with a small group today, and one student asked what today is. Another said, "It's Taco Tuesday, right, Mrs. Rushing?". My work for the school year is complete. Peace out.

-Summer break brings to educators more joys than I can enumerate. Two of the biggest are peeing and eating whenever we want. If you're not sure what it's like trying to consume ANYTHING in front of students, eat a steak in front of a dog, and you've nailed it. Clearly summer is about really reconnecting with your food. So far today I've had early breakfast, late breakfast, a pre-lunch snack, and it's currently only 10:30. On top of my game over here, y'all. Believe.

My Thoughts On: Swimsuit Shopping Over 40

It sucks.

The End

Okay, I won't leave it at that because it's just stating the obvious.  I'll also be honest and say that, until my mid-40s, swimsuit shopping had never been a challenge.  In my teens and twenties, I had a stick thin figure through no fault or effort of my own.  Then the bebas came in my thirties, which means I had to start making a concerted effort to exercise a few times a week and hit the sweets a few times less than that.  Sure, okay, I got this.  Then the big 4-0.

Now don't get me wrong, I looooove the changes this decade has brought to my mind and my spirit.  My body?  Girl, bye.  But dang, I'm fighting it.  Six days a week at the gym, hitting the pavement and working the yoga mat.  Not to mention being mindful of everything I put in my mouth.  The result is a chick who's stronger and healthier than she's ever been, and I'm super proud of her.  But then there's this bitch I can't get around named Gravity.

Gravity wants to hang out with everybody, honey.  Your boobs, your butt, your stomach, even your KNEES, for cryin' out loud.  Doesn't matter to her that no one wants her around.  She's like that friend that's always inviting you to her hostess parties (now there's a blog post for another time), and no matter how many times you decline, she keeps popping up in your Facebook events like a chin hair.  Gah!  So it's no surprise that Gravity is right there with you when it's time to look for a swimsuit.  She's a pushy personal shopper, your mother and every body issue you've had since thirteen all rolled into one.

Now I'm going to stop bashing Gravity for a second and turn my wrath to another entity for a moment.  The swimsuit manufacturers.  People. Please.  Consider the fact that you currently have a grand total of TWO lines on the market.  The first is called "I'm Nineteen", and the second is called "I've Given Up".  Neither applies here.  We. Need. More. Options.  And of course Ima gonna give some advice on those on behalf of my sistas who got Gravity tagging along, but still otherwise got it goin' on.  First let's talk about The Girls.

The Girls have been residing in the middle of our chest for about thirty years or so, and they tired, chile.  They've fed babies, they've entertained a gentleman caller or two, and they've been horribly mistreated by people with surgical gloves and cold metal plates. (Important stuff though. Get your boobies checked.)  Since The Girls can't pack up and move, they'd just like to explore other territory, preferably one they can hide out in.  The navel looks good, as do the armpits.  The bottom line is that The Girls are all over the dang place in this phase of life.  They need support and room to rest.  But they are, at their bosom (see what I did there?), vain creatures and would like a behind-the-scenes infrastructure to allow them to stand at attention and relive their glory days.

Now on to the Baby Keeper.  She has been even more abused than The Girls.  All the core work in the world can't keep Gravity from going after her, the poor thing, and she is ready to become a nun and take the veil.  In the form of fringe, draping, mesh or netting in a variety of colors and patterns, please.

The rest of the advice for the industry is just a series of "nos".  Strapless?  No.  White?  No. Hook closures?  No.  Shelf bras?  No.  Thong or Rio bottoms?  Stand real still while I shove my spanx over your head.  Swimsuits over $50?  Uhh, I'm a public school employee whose monthly salary is on par with the car allowance of the superintendent.  Y'all got layaway?

The bottom line is that Gravity ain't going anywhere.  And she's ultimately going to win.  But maybe swimsuit manufacturers can throw a lot more options to the retailers so that the over 40 she-warriors can at least better arm ourselves for the fight.  It may be a losing battle, but it doesn't mean we can't bring our A game and look our best along the way.  Well within our rights, and most fitting for the fabulous women that we have earned our way into being.

Sparkly Kisses,

D