a funny thing happened on my way to the twilight zone today...

1. hearing the phrase "buff brothers" used by our principal (as he described why the missionaries travelling to africa wanted to clothe the natives)
2. being told for the third time that my driver's license was not available to pick up (after paying my ticket and stopping by two additional times on the off chance that the 'nola PD had somehow magically become a well-oiled machine over the weekend)
3. finding out that our neighbor across the street, apparently representing the entire street, turned my roommate & i in for not having our lawn mowed (WHAT? DON'T YOU PEOPLE HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO? IF IT BOTHERS YOU SO MUCH, MOW THE DAMN YARD YOURSELF!!!!)
4. listening to our principal defend the fact that he destroys any sense of safety for the students and teachers when he tells the staff that they basically suck in front of the entire student body - and then listening to him, again, as he tells us that we should not talk about school at walmart because it's catty - WHAT?
5. learning that one of my mom's students (bipolar, third grade, blond, cute smile) that i played with over spring break lost his father over the weekend. his dad (also bipolar, off medication) hung himself in their garage for the family to find him. sweet, eh? happy easter, kids.

i've been in quite the mood today... i did manage to hold my temper during the principal's tirade this morning - a true accomplishment, all things considered. i even held my tongue (mostly) as the police told me that, despite what the chief of police's secretary swore to me, my license would not be available until tomorrow - again. and then i found out about the freakin neighbor. argh. i think i did something like walk down the street, muttering loudly to myself about hoping that our crab grass polinated her flowerbeds and maybe something about wild grass being an expression of free speech. i was a bit twitchy by that point. RIDICULOUS. i could live with the school, i would adore working with my kids, but i don't think i could tolerate this town long-term. one of my parents told me today that she was glad i was staying next year, because she wants her twins to have me. i didn't have the heart to tell her that i probably wouldn't be here when they get to eleventh grade. who knows? maybe i'll move to the black side of town (you know, across the tracks - literally) and be that uppity white woman from the north. towanda!