But What's With All the Dead Fish?

As I mentioned previously, WS spent most of last week in San Diego at an education conference. Seriously, he has all the luck -- his principal takes him to warm, sunny, beachy California, while my principal took me and the other department chairs on a retreat in November to cold, dreary, rainy Harper's Ferry. His principal sets him up at a superfine spa where his room overlooks the seal and manatee pools; my principal takes us to Hill House, which is pretty cool, history-wise, but is unfortunately behind the times in many things, like heat. Yes, my room had no television, no phone, no heat. Neither did the conference room where we spent two days hashing out a critical reading plan for the school. When we asked the management to turn on the heat, the vents began to billow smoke, and the place had to be evacuated for ten minutes. Then -- they had to turn off the heat, leas the hotel burn down.

>sigh<

Anyway, WS enjoyed San Diego so much that he called a few times to crow about the gorgeous weather (we've just come off a week of snow, ice, and temperatures below twenty degrees) and texted a few pictures of the view from his room (blue skies and waters) and the beach (waves crashing on the rocks).

On Monday, he texts me a picture of what looks like several fish laying dead on the sand.

I text him back immediately: WS -- what's with all the dead fish?

WS: Not fish. Seals.

Me: But why are they DEAD?

WS: Not dead. LIVE seals.

I open the picture again. Honestly-- it still seems like a bunch of dead fish to me.

Anyway, WS got home safe and sound yesterday -- he took the redeye back and arrived at 6:30 in the morning. Then he went home, slept for two hours, and went into work for half a day. He's so very good. I wish I could be as eager to return to school when I'm out. As it is, the only reason I don't use more of my leave is because I really hate making sub plans.

Oh, and WS's principal? Totally taking WS to Orlando this summer for another conference! Bah!

Returned to Life

Bah! I am horrifically embarassed about how long it has been since I last posted (er, four months, heavens!).

Would it make more sense if I said: my life is nothing noteworthy at this time?

I: go to work (or stay home with Q, curled on the couch watching entire seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, on snow days like... the last three workdays). I: plow through the pile of books now towering on my coffeetable. I: think about work and how my third quarter calendar is now irrevocably off-course. I: receive pictures on my cell from WS, who is enjoying San Diego and gorgeous 75-degree weather at the moment. I: think about work some more.

I: decide that, yes, I am an excellent teacher, but that I really hate being the department chair. And I think: maybe if I weren't chair, I would be happier. Or at least spend less time thinking about work and more time -- not thinking about work.

Oh, so melancholy! Only, I find it hard to put pen to page (fingers to keys?) when I feel emptied of all at the end of the day.

Blog, you have suffered. But no more! I am bound and determined to return to you to the bloglife you enjoyed before I settled in this winter haze.

And I'll start next time, because it's late and I have to be up at five-thirty.