I’ve been ready for Friday for three days now. There were entirely too many meetings this week. I think (knock on wood) that today is the only day without one. Glory be. Yesterday’s meeting for school was pointless. Love those. The rest have had meaning, maybe too much of it. And I haven’t been to pilates all week, due to camping and not being able to get into a class. I think I will be in one tomorrow though, and I already have a class Sunday. My body needs it. Not that I don’t get exercise at school…between building roller coasters and testing kids on said coasters, all I do is walk walk walk stand stand walk.

So they have to be taken apart every day, which is fun.

We had four days of exploring and building, and that was my max. You didn’t finish in four days? Oh my. Well it sucks to be you. You were absent? We recorded ALL of them and posted them for you to watch. Sigh. It’s hard work but it’s totally worth it. They really get into it and maybe understand it. I mean, the high-level kids do, and even the kids who are struggling with English and Science and School in General, this is something they get…how to make it get through the loop, how energy works to do that. That’s the pro to teaching physics…so much of it is real-life experience…they just need to learn how to explain it.

We have one day left of assessment on it, and then I am only two academic assignments behind and two packets behind. Yes, I might lose my mind soon. It’s fine. I know that I will spend huge chunks of the next three weekends grading. Especially if I have meeting after meeting after meeting before and after school.

In other news, my ceramic piece, the upper torso, made it out of the kiln without exploding. I’m hoping to go see it today, to start the glazing process…iron oxide wash and some other stuff. It’ll take a while, but it’s a real relief to have a piece I worked on for nine months finally get to a stage of survival. It’s a fucking miracle actually. Yes, it still has to survive the glaze fire. Knock on wood.

I’ve been inking the drawing, expanding the original. This is very similar to the one I did while camping, except 2.5 times or so larger.

Bowie is very curious about what’s happening here.

Totally not helpful. And last night, I added the second bathtub, with a body bag in it.

There are more details to come, obviously. And a third bathtub. Not sure what’s happening with that one yet. Gotta think on it.

The boychild is back and brought Simba a present.

Legit title for his barky self.

Cute pup.

And this. Why can’t I be like a billionaire and not pay taxes?

If all you use my money for is terrorizing people, I’m not OK with that. And blaming circumcision for autism? That’s fucking insane. My goodness, if only a brain worm weren’t running the Department of Health and Human Services.

Anyway. I have to get to school earlyish (not for a meeting! Oh wait, it kind of is a meeting. But there’s treats!) and then try to get all these kids through the rest of the test today and then go to ceramics and come home and collapse and cook dinner and grade shit and draw. Then sleep like the dead and spend most of tomorrow grading and maybe doing some art stuff (need to enter a show or two) and shit, I need to ship a piece, do I need a box? I’ll check before I leave and maybe go buy a box too in there somewhere. Aaugh. Things have NOT slowed down, they have NOT calmed down, I do NOT feel in control of the day job…or the night job…or the afternoon job. Although there is some relief that the ceramic torso is finally fired. Whoo. OK, I got this. Whatever this is.