Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Day 44

Had a couple weeks of robust health and energy, and then this morning woke with a rasping cough and a scary wheeze when I breathe. I guarantee it's because it's been 105 degrees (I'm NOT exaggerating) in my room for three days, and the RM 317 petri dish is awash in tropical funk. I hope what they say is true: after the first couple years in the classroom, one develops cast-iron immunity to germs.

UGH. Had to break up a girl fight today. I got between them just as the beads hit the floor, which makes footing treacherous. Thank goodness for the Tai Chi classes, which kept me centered and balanced despite rolling detritus from broken Family Dollar bracelets and hair weaves clattering underfoot.

I let the kids in my homeroom store their shit in one of my big cabinets because they can't afford locks for their lockers; if they put their stuff in unlocked lockers it gets jacked up, of course--but my cabinet is starting to reek because these kids have suspicious hygiene. One of my students complained yesterday that I had to clean it out and spray something because it smelled like "Freetos and jizz" up in there. I thought she was exaggerating, until I put my head in there today. Actually it DOES smell like Freetos and jizz--and weed.

So today after school I cleaned out all the dank old hoodies kids have left in there for weeks. I sealed them in a plastic IKEA tub. Maybe I should rummage the pockets?

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