There But For The Grace Of God...

The best part of yesterday was getting two cavities filled. I'll let that sentence sink in a bit before I move on. Yes, I said the best part of my day yesterday was getting two cavities filled. We got a new dental plan at work this year, and so I finally got in to get a check up for the first time in an embarrassingly long time. I had one teensy little cavity, and one area that might become a cavity. So I went in yesterday to get the work done. The appointment was at 11am. I arrived at 10:55. By 11 I was in the chair. The dentist suggested that he could accomplish his work sans Novacaine, but if I felt anything at all he'd give me a shot. At 11:13 I was out of the door with two new fillings, no numb face, and having paid $20. It was the most amazing dental experience of my life. Then I went to work.

At this time in the semester my student workers become scarce as the due dates on the papers they've been putting off grow nigh, and being the Tuesday before Thanksgiving most of my help are busy packing for the trip home. But I did have a couple of kids come in to work, so we got a bit done, then I left early. But not to go home. As some of you may remember I spent one hellish year teaching at a local high school for the performing arts. A couple of weeks ago the Dance teacher contacted me and asked me if I would design the lights for their annual Nutcracker ballet. Out of all the misery and unpleasantness of working at the high school, working with the Dance department was the one of the only high points, so I said yes.

When I got there I met the new Technical Director. Actually this poor guy is the second TD they've had since I left, so it wasn't just me being a whiny bitch. Alas, poor N is being crushed by an even greater work load than I was. When I was there we had a 4 period day, with each period lasting about 90 minutes. N has an 8 period day, and is now teaching Drama 1!! Despite the fact that every single TD that place has had has told the administration that the job is too much for one person, they keep piling on the work. N is only half way through his first year there, and is already burned out. I'll be very surprised if he is still there next year. As for getting the lights set up, they are mostly there now, although I was there about 4 hours longer than I had hoped. I had forgotten how much harder it is to work in that monkey house, since the students are, for the most part, determined to break or abuse every piece of equipment in the place, and many of the lights no longer work properly. But it'll get done, and it'll look good enough. And the best part...I get to walk away at the end.


Sorry, N.