Stressed

I'm reading through the Shopaholic series again. I do this twice a year, usually once about this time of year when I start to get really stressed, and it only takes me about 3 weeks. The only exception that I can remember is two or three years ago, I flew through The Nanny Diaries in May as names of graduates danced through my head. The premise is the same: simple, escapist fluff to drown out my roaring waterfall of a life.

The writing SOL test is in two weeks. I have no idea how to prepare my kids, to teach them writing skills they should have been learning since the eighth grade. I've been doing this stuff with them all year, and yesterday, they couldn't tell me that a sentence was wrong because it was a comma splice. That's something I have been specifically focusing on all year, and they still don't remember that a comma isn't strong enough to hold two complete sentences together. It needs a FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to help it. McCoy says they'll perform for me in the end, but I am doubtful. They still need to be able to find the right answer.

Miss Byrdie practices have been delayed because of snow, and the pageant itself is getting off the ground slowly like always. Katie and I are both concentrating on other things anyway. Senior-Faculty Games needs to be organized (and scheduled, for that matter) and the Honors Banquet is a perpetual project until the first week of May. I'm teaching a new prep all year, so I can't just put myself on auto-pilot like I have the last couple years I was Senior Class Sponsor.

I should not be stressed on a Saturday. I should be calm and relaxed, but I'm not. I'm just waiting for something else to drop.

My favorite quote when I'm stressed is this:

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep.

How fitting that I'm teaching poetry to my tenth graders.