I don’t usually make New Year’s Resolutions. I’ve always considered New Year’s Day sort of a lame, artificial holiday. My brother and I call New Year’s Eve amateur night, and I rarely venture out.
But this year, I actually made two (sorta) resolutions. One: my family has encouraged me to try to “be nicer.” Hrrmmm.
We’ll see how this one works out. In fact, yesterday one kid interrupted me for the umpteenth time with,
“Guess what my New Year’s Resolution is?”
“If you don’t stop interrupting me, you’re going to make me break mine.”
My other “resolution” is to post here more often. I already sort of broke that one too by not posting this yesterday, but…
I actually kind of enjoy the first day back from vacation.
“MISTER COWWWAAAAAARD! I missed you. I got braces.”
“MISTER COWWWAAAAAARD! You know you missed us! You did, didn’t you? You know you did.”
“MISTER COWWWAAAAAARD! I thought you were going to get a haircut over the break! But I’m glad you didn’t. But I got one. I also got an ipod. MISTER COWWWAAAAAARD!”
“MISTER COWWWAAAAAARD! Did we have any homework over the break? I hope not, because I didn’t do it if we did ’cause I didn’t think we did, but I didn’t know. I checked the website, and there wasn’t anything, but I…”
“MISTER COWWWAAAAAARD! I saw you. And your son. And your wife.”
“MISTER COWWWAAAAAARD!”
I’m terrible about thinking of New Year’s resolutions in advance, and even worse about keeping them.
I just subbed seventh and eighth-graders yesterday, and I find them an amusing, nutty bunch. Instead of having a New Year’s resolution to be nicer, have one to keep your sense of humor.
Subbing in junior high is sometimes even more difficult than teaching there regularly, because you don’t have the cumulative respect built up. It takes a lot of “rolling with the punches” and thinking on your feet, and kicking *ss and taking names. Thanks for the kind words.