One down, 179 to go!

At last, my new job started today. True, I've been doing stuff with my new colleagues for the past week or so, and setting up the room and such, but this was the first official day of the school year, and the first day with students. Yikes! It actually went pretty well, the kids are great to work with (so far), and I seem to have been warmly welcomed. Of course, most of what I taught was just about the new discipline system to my Advisory section — and due to a mix-up, that turned out to be only six freshmen.

I also got to be part of the junior class meeting, as I somehow took it upon myself to be one of the class advisers. I thought it was a way of becoming part of my new community, but of course after I signed up was when I learned that the juniors were responsible for the prom. Eek! Still, once I got back to our old house, I was able to sincerely ask Laura, "Dear, will you go with me to the prom?" I think she's now amused by the idea that I'm taking her to the prom well after we were both in high school. (For the record, we didn't meet until we were both in college. Also, this will be a big improvement over my original prom, as my then-girlfriend dumped me two days after the prom, and I suspect she kept it going long enough just to go.) While I was at it, I also asked her to the Homecoming football game, too, which is coming up in only a month now.

On the new house front, we may FINALLY be there this week! I'm signing some papers after work tomorrow. Laura is coming out Thursday morning to sign them (while I'm at work), and if all goes well, we may get cleared on Friday and we can start moving in over the long weekend — but without hot water (the gas can't be hooked up until after the weekend and someone is there) or the bulk of our furniture (moving day is now officially September 13!). And there's also all of the new appliances we need to figure out how to buy. If all doesn't go well, we can probably move in first thing next week. If all goes badly...no, best not to think along those lines.

But this is a teaching blog, yes? Today, with no true home to go to and a lot still to do, I ended up staying over three hours later, but I accomplished a lot and, while I'm not quite there yet, I'm pretty much ready for the first day of full classes tomorrow. Three sections of geometry, and one of first year algebra. That last one worries me, because as it stands right now, I think I have thirty-nine students in a classroom big enough for only about thirty, and seating right now for only twenty-four! But my principal assures me that we will get it worked out. So I get to trek in early tomorrow, gather a few more supplies and get a few more things done, and then...Well, I don't know, actually. Tune in next time to find out!