terrakotta

"Times are strange
We got a free upgrade for
snakes on a plane.
Fuck 'em, I don't care.
Pop the cheap champagne,
we're going down in flames, hey.
Oh, I'm ready for it!
Come on, bring it." -Cobra Starship, "Snakes on a Plane"

Incidentally, I have had it with this motherfucking song playing
in my motherfucking head!

Well, I managed to sneak a minute to update my long lost journal. I have returned to work; my first week with the students has been positive so far my classes are huge, and no one has tried to stab or verbally berate me yet (well, with the exception of the night school teacher who tried to hold his class in my room: I told him he would have to find another classroom since I usually stay after school past the time he would be holding the class. He told me he'd talk to my principal about my "disrespect" of him. Today he was moved to another room. Heh!)

Two interesting children I have on my roster are an autistic boy and a very, very "bad girl." During a "getting to you" activity in his English class earlier in the week, I asked autistic boy (no seriously, he really IS autistic: no hyperbole by me this time) what his least favorite word was. He replied, "Everybody loves Raymond!" I said, "Well, that's a phrase. What about a word?" His reply? "Everybody loves Raymond!" He then repeated the phrase about seven more times, which I found ironic since he claimed to hate it so much.

Very very bad girl arrived in my Writing class late. Very very late. And when she waltzed into the room like a lost extra from a gangsta rap video shoot, I knew she would be trouble. Later on, I asked her what English class she was taking.

VVBG: English 9, AGAIN!
Me: Why do you have to take it again?
VVBG: I got kicked out of summer school.
Me: (not surprised) Well, why didn't you pass it last year?
VVBG: I got kicked out of school in March.
Me: Oh?
VVBG: Yeah, a police officer pulled my hair.
(Police officers are stationed at my school fulltime.)
Me: What? Pulled your hair?
VVBG: Yeah, so I bit her.
Me: You bit the police officer?
VVBG: Yeah!
Me: Well that wasn't very smart.
VVBG: Well she shouldn't have pulled my hair!
Me: Alrighty. Well, don't bite me, and I won't touch your hair.
Is that a deal?

Apparently, I am in for a colorful year.

Outside of school, things have been good. I saw Snakes on a Plane and Little Miss Sunshine, both of which were amusing. Jen and I are supposed to see Hollywoodland this weekend; I agreed to see it only with the stipulation that Ben Affleck dies. Ah, good times.

Thank you all for remembering my birthday! My current year goal is to outlive Jesus. If I succeed, it will prove my theory that God, indeed, DOES have a sense of humor.