Definitely a Lot…

Hey. So my immune system has decided to take a vacation this year. I was thinking about it and I’ve been sick every month since November. I’ve been to Urgent Care way too many times (not just for being sick); I guess I’m glad I have that option. I might be there again tonight if this sore throat doesn’t calm the fuck down. I had one of these a little over a year ago…again, not COVID, just the sore throat from hell. Not strep either. Just bad. And they’re like, hey, gargle with salt and use a throat lozenge! Um. You think I haven’t thought of those things? I didn’t sleep last night it was so bad. I’ve barely eaten in two days it’s so bad. Soup and oatmeal. I guess I have yogurt too. Warm liquids don’t help. Cold liquids don’t help. Ibuprofen doesn’t help. And the thought of trying to stay home for a day to continue to get better? I literally had nothing for the 7th graders to do, and the 8th graders would’ve taken some serious time to get prepped for ‘on your own’ instead of ‘directed by teacher’. My fault, I’m sure. Tomorrow, I could skivvy off from 8th grade, but 7th grade still needs to do a lab to get to the next step, and you don’t give an unknown sub a lab with those kids unless you want to see a report on the daily news.

Ugh. On top of how shitty I’m feeling, we lost a staff member over the weekend and are expecting kids (and honestly adults) to have a hard time of it. Empathy for those who knew him is easy. It’s dealing with the other kids…who don’t always know what to say, but need to say something, and it’s not always appropriate. I’m hoping everybody is pretty chill today and those who need the emotional support get it. I didn’t know him well, but he was a few years younger than me and this was fairly sudden. Sad for his family and friends. So counselors will be in advisory classes to announce it, they changed the schedule up today, and instead of a staff meeting, we have a pizza party? Not sure I’m up for that. I may ask for permission to go to Urgent Care instead.

I think this might be the first death we’ve had at this school directly. We’ve had students who came here die after they left (usually car crashes and gang activity, sometimes a health thing). Tough on the kids who had him as a teacher.

I didn’t get much of anything done this weekend besides a hefty amount of sleep, which apparently I needed (might still need). I finished ironing on Friday night…

It took 30 hours and 31 minutes to iron all of those pieces to fabric. Very complicated. Very time-consuming.

I used 204 fabrics…

More than usual. Definitely a lot of color and time.

Saturday night, I slept from about 4 PM to Sunday morning at 10 AM. So no art work. Last night, I managed sitting up for some period of time. I did grade things and then I cut out things for a little under an hour…

Doesn’t look like much. Never does. That’s a bird, though. Lots of color in that bird.

Also picked up some of my art…and took a full picture of the bench for Sion.

I forgot to look for the placard that says who painted it. This is in Liberty Station, in Dance Place. There’s painted benches throughout this building and some of the others, like near Visions and the Watercolor gallery.

OK. I am exhausted. I am going to sit a lot, talk quietly, drink a lot of fluids, take naps as needed (not during class, ideally), and hopefully get tested for strep after school. Ugh. Take care of yourselves, people.