Get Me Out of Here

This is where I'm headed. We leave for the airport in just half an hour.

No phone, no computer for ten days. We've rented a beach house. I have a new book. We've packed two kites; big binoculars for whale watching; the whale caller, of course. At some point, we will probably go out for breakfast, and I will order huevos rancheros.

My hands are shaking with fatigue while I write this, physical and emotional. It has been a very difficult couple of weeks. My dear colleague of many years is retiring next month, and two other experienced teachers have given notice. I thought the new teachers I had hired were all set, but one of them told me yesterday afternoon that she "needs to think". She's expecting other offers. I pointed out that, after she formally accepted the job, I contacted the other candidates and told them that we would not be needing them. No matter how hard I try to square everything away so I can relax on vacation...

At the same time we were having this conversation, I discovered that the State Office of Education had made a huge error in the data I had been sending them, and were saying that there was nothing they could do to fix it. "Our analysis of this error shows that the test scores are no longer valid, because you dropped the students from your rolls on 6/30/08 at 10:39 PM, then entered their test scored at midnight on 6/30/08." I DID WHAT??? Why would I do that?? I sent an absolutely livid e-mail to them last night, telling them (among a lot of other things) that I was at home cleaning out closets at 10:39 PM on 6/30. I had entered that data well before that date. By this time it was way after midnight. I just cried. There's nothing I can do to fix anything at this point. I need to go away and get some rest. See? I've been ranting. It's a sure sign on impending madness.

The kids are calling. Time to go! Back in 10 days.