Oh, Internets. Working! It's like someone expects me to show up somewhere else on time and pay attention! My students are hilarious in so very many ways, not least that their response to everything including 'You just got an F on this assignment' is 'Yes, ma'am.' Sometimes I can't tell if I'm awful at teaching, or they're awful at lab science; probably mostly option B, but it's hard for me to know in advance in what ways they will spectacularly screw up this week's lab. But some of them are good! On the other hand the density of water is never THREE g/mL! THINK, CHILDREN!!! It's a little like one big Far Side cartoon.
Plus, now I have to drag a kindergartener out the door - on time - every morning. Although I think my spouse is actually doing a fair share of the household work, I still feel put-upon, overburdened, and annoyed at all of it. (The fact that the spouse went to the vet last week probably didn't help much. No, seriously, this is the LAST child. Really. Really, it is.)
I get extremely frustrated with having such small physical limits. If I overdo it, I get exhausted and nauseous. The house is a mess from a combination of moving and three people's semesters starting, but I only have so much energy... so it's not all going to get done. And we still need to have six kinds of tradespeople come fix things (trees, chimney, sump pump, french drain, basement wall, AC!!) which is a pain in the rear. I think I have Arranging Things Fatigue, on top of Not Sleeping Because I'm Pregnant Fatigue and Two Small Children Fatigue.
And while I am a big fan of public schools in general, NO I do not have time to (fill in the blank). Anything. Anything else.
Also, Tatoe is Almost Three and he literally spent seven hours whining so far today. I want to lock myself in the closet with a bottle of bourbon.
I was pregnant with Connor when someone at my church asked if I'd be interested in teaching Sunday School the next semester. The feeling of "NO, definitely NOT," seems like nothing compared to your situation in refusing the schools right now. Whatever you do, Do Not feel guilty about knowing your limits and sticking to them!
ReplyDeleteI hope the fatigue gets better soon, preferably before baby arrives. Also, that the arranging of things will end in the near future.
I'm certain it is not your teaching of the labs that causes havoc, it's just amazing how many ways students can screw things up. I TA'd many labs in undergrad and grad school, and no matter how excellent the teacher or clear the directions, things would go wrong. (Students: sign up for the Thursday labs, profs have usually worked through the bugs by the end of the week.)
Much love and happy thoughts sent your way from Cold State. (36F here tonight. I picked all my green tomatoes and basil. Brrrr.)
Interestingly, Thursdays I have the chem majors, so they have to do everything first, and it's sometimes a disaster. Monday, on the other hand, is a week behind. And there are four instructors.... yeah. It's all a mess! But nobody has caught fire yet!
DeleteThe lack of bourbon does make it yet another bit harder, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteA little! :) He eventually stopped whining.
DeleteI'll keep my comment short, because you clearly don't have time to read any novels (and I don't have time to write them). It sounds like a very full life indeed. And it sounds like you're liking teaching, which is awesome. And I'm glad your students don't whine like Tatoe.
ReplyDeleteThe students are pretty great, and kind of hilarious. I would talk about them more, but the place is so bizarrely one-of-a-kind that... yeah.
DeleteI can hardly second the annoyance with physical limitations. I'm so very annoyed with having to work around them. I have started using the word "No." This, for me, is a major thing and indicative of the level of fatigue.
ReplyDeleteIt's extremely irritating. I hope.... we all get some sleep? I hardly know what to hope for. That the next however-many-weeks-to-term feel like they go by a little faster?
DeleteI've been following along with your adventures (but unable to pop in and say so), and OH, what adventures they are. You've taken on so much. Sounds like it's both helpful and...insane. I wonder how you will remember this period. Probably not at all.
ReplyDeleteAs one giant blur of exhaustion and home repairs, no doubt. Though I have to say, after last year a.k.a. The Worst Year Ever, this one doesn't seem so bad.
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