1 Here is an actual headline from AOL: Jennifer Aniston rumored to be pregnant for the millionth time.
2 Pretty telling.
3 I guess it’s good to be back to normal.
4 Sort of normal.
5 I need my sense of humor back.
6 I’m trying to make sense of all that happened in the past couple of days.
7 Obama won. My important school propositions won.
8 I had a great teaching day.
9 And yet here I am into the 4 a.m. and I am a tad depressed.
10 OH!
11 Meetings. Bleh.
12 I abhor meetings.
13 Most of this year our meetings have been pretty grim.
14 Public schools have been on their last legs since I first started teaching.
15 I have always heard doom and gloom, but never saw it as I saw it these past few years.
16 There are insidious things that go on with regards to the education of our children.
17 I have to look at the bright side, because when I see what is happening from the inside, it is terrifying.
18 The public has NO idea.
19 Or maybe some idea.
20 I want to thank everybody who voted, whether they voted for what I believe, or whether they didn’t.
21 Now that all the glitz and glamour are done and the confetti swept up, we seem suddenly to be back to normal.
22 I don’t know.
23 I’m just glad that the entire thing of the election being over suddenly puts us back to reality.
24 If Jennifer Aniston rumored to be pregnant is at the top of today’s news, then the news is good.
25 Moving On, Part the Second: Every Wednesday we have meetings, and every Thursday I am relieved. I have back-to-back meetings, close to four hours of negative vibes.
26 As teachers, most of us just want to get in there and teach. In fact, being in the classroom and teaching is invigorating! We laugh, enjoy students’ goofiness, and engage students in fun activities. When people say, “I don’t see how you can teach; kids are incorribible. I couldn’t do it.” I laugh. The kids are just goofy. It’s a given. Occupational hazard. But they’re real, and most have really good hearts.
27 The part of the job that many people feel is difficult is actually not.
28 The most difficult part of the job is dealing with people in power who control funding, and meetings that deal with that subject.
29 That subject comes up often.
30 The political side of education is monstrous.
31 It is particularly monstrous when I am elected a union representative.
32 That greatness was thrust upon me.
33 For whatever reason, people tend to look to me as a leader.
34 It’s possibly because I have always sort of been one.
35 I was senior class president in high school.
36 I ran because people wanted me to run.
37 I understand political power.
38 I liked leading without the handle of being a president.
39 That has always been a strength of mine.
40 Once elected, however, it becomes an obligation.
41 I don’t think I was a very good senior class president, for example. I was okay, but not astounding by any means.
42 Why?
43 Because once a person gets into a position of power, even if it is something as simple as a high school election, they realize it is a job, and a job that tries to please everyone. Abraham Lincoln saw that as an impossibility.
44 Some people take that power and allow it to alter their perspective of things.
45 I was wise enough to get through my one-year tenure as senior class president and then get out of Dodge. Contrary to popular belief, that isn’t a popularity contest. It is an insanity. And a scary one for someone who is just eighteen.
46 It built character, I’ll tellya that much.
47 And what I learned pushed me into a good direction. I never wanted to run for anything ever again, but I did want to take what I learned and use it in the same way I led people when I didn’t have that title.
48 I also learned how to move politically through the educational system. I knew that many people in power must also have been insecure, and used that to my advantage, and by association, for my students’ advantage.
49 I was cocky, and never in fear of admins. I saw right through their boushit, always did, and still do.
50 That empowered me in my quest for doing what I believe was best for my students: staying rebellious, enjoying life, enjoying intelligence, and liberating students’ thoughts about everything.
51 I still do that.
52 It’s just that I see people in positions of leadership who don’t know how to control that, and who are fearful of their own inadequacies, and who simply take orders from those who have risen higher, and who have eventually to make decisions in fear of whoever is in charge. That’s usually an insecure bully. They generally don’t last too long, but sometimes they last WAY too long.
53 There used to be a name for that. It was The Peter Principle. The Peter Principle was this: You rise to your own level of incompetence.
54 For those of you seeking greatness, it is a pretty important principle. Many people rise above that and become powerful.
55 They can be cut down at the knees; they know it, and many become vicious as a result. They become like Disney villains.
56 I’m in my comfort zone right now.
57 Greatness was indeed thrust upon me, and is about to once again.
58 I know this. It is a pattern.
59 I have risen to my own level of competence.
60 I will not take that next step.
61 I remain a mischievous rebel that way.
62 Jennifer Aniston rumoured to be pregnant for the millionth time.
63 Now THAT’s news.
64 I better go.
65 I’m such a grammarian.
66 ‘Til the next time.
67 Peace.
~H~
www.xanga.com/bharrington
The Daily News1 Here is an actual headline from AOL: Jennifer Aniston rumored to be pregnant for the millionth time.2 Pretty telling.3 I guess it’s good to be back to normal.4 Sort of normal.5 I need my sense of humor back.6 I’m trying to make sense of all that happened in the past couple of days.7 Obama won. My important school propositions won.8 I had a great teaching day.9 And yet here I am into the 4 a.m. and I am a tad depressed.10 OH!11 Meetings. Bleh.12 I abhor meetings.13 Most of this year our meetings have been pretty grim.14 Public schools have been on their last legs since I first started teaching.15 I have always heard doom and gloom, but never saw it as I saw it these past few years.16 There are insidious things that go on with regards to the education of our children.17 I have to look at the bright side, because when I see what is happening from the inside, it is terrifying.18 The public has NO idea.19 Or maybe some idea.20 I want to thank everybody who voted, whether they voted for what I believe, or whether they didn’t.21 Now that all the glitz and glamour are done and the confetti swept up, we seem suddenly to be back to normal.22 I don’t know.23 I’m just glad that the entire thing of the election being over suddenly puts us back to reality.24 If Jennifer Aniston rumored to be pregnant is at the top of today’s news, then the news is good.25 Moving On, Part the Second: Every Wednesday we have meetings, and every Thursday I am relieved. I have back-to-back meetings, close to four hours of negative vibes.26 As teachers, most of us just want to get in there and teach. In fact, being in the classroom and teaching is invigorating! We laugh, enjoy students’ goofiness, and engage students in fun activities. When people say, “I don’t see how you can teach; kids are incorribible. I couldn’t do it.” I laugh. The kids are just goofy. It’s a given. Occupational hazard. But they’re real, and most have really good hearts.27 The part of the job that many people feel is difficult is actually not.28 The most difficult part of the job is dealing with people in power who control funding, and meetings that deal with that subject.29 That subject comes up often.30 The political side of education is monstrous.31 It is particularly monstrous when I am elected a union representative.32 That greatness was thrust upon me.33 For whatever reason, people tend to look to me as a leader.34 It’s possibly because I have always sort of been one.35 I was senior class president in high school.36 I ran because people wanted me to run.37 I understand political power.38 I liked leading without the handle of being a president.39 That has always been a strength of mine.40 Once elected, however, it becomes an obligation.41 I don’t think I was a very good senior class president, for example. I was okay, but not astounding by any means.42 Why?43 Because once a person gets into a position of power, even if it is something as simple as a high school election, they realize it is a job, and a job that tries to please everyone. Abraham Lincoln saw that as an impossibility.44 Some people take that power and allow it to alter their perspective of things.45 I was wise enough to get through my one-year tenure as senior class president and then get out of Dodge. Contrary to popular belief, that isn’t a popularity contest. It is an insanity. And a scary one for someone who is just eighteen.46 It built character, I’ll tellya that much.47 And what I learned pushed me into a good direction. I never wanted to run for anything ever again, but I did want to take what I learned and use it in the same way I led people when I didn’t have that title.48 I also learned how to move politically through the educational system. I knew that many people in power must also have been insecure, and used that to my advantage, and by association, for my students’ advantage.49 I was cocky, and never in fear of admins. I saw right through their boushit, always did, and still do.50 That empowered me in my quest for doing what I believe was best for my students: staying rebellious, enjoying life, enjoying intelligence, and liberating students’ thoughts about everything.51 I still do that.52 It’s just that I see people in positions of leadership who don’t know how to control that, and who are fearful of their own inadequacies, and who simply take orders from those who have risen higher, and who have eventually to make decisions in fear of whoever is in charge. That’s usually an insecure bully. They generally don’t last too long, but sometimes they last WAY too long.53 There used to be a name for that. It was The Peter Principle. The Peter Principle was this: You rise to your own level of incompetence.54 For those of you seeking greatness, it is a pretty important principle. Many people rise above that and become powerful.55 They can be cut down at the knees; they know it, and many become vicious as a result. They become like Disney villains.56 I’m in my comfort zone right now.57 Greatness was indeed thrust upon me, and is about to once again.58 I know this. It is a pattern.59 I have risen to my own level of competence.60 I will not take that next step.61 I remain a mischievous rebel that way.62 Jennifer Aniston rumoured to be pregnant for the millionth time.63 Now THAT’s news.64 I better go.65 I’m such a grammarian.66 ‘Til the next time.67 Peace.~H~
www.xanga.com/bharrington
