Lessons from the week

This Friday morning--did you realize that I do my daily blogging, now that school has started, around 4:45 am?--I wanted to share a few "lessons" that I've learned this week.  They don't really have much to do with knitting, I'm afraid, just with the knitter. (And I apologize for breaking about 9,000 copyright laws by including this cartoon.)

#1.  There is a Maxine cartoon to fit every moment of my life.  I love Maxine.  I don't look like Maxine, though--let's just get that straight from the start.

#2 Principals, no matter how much of a god they are in their own heads, would be more effective if they didn't practice the following mantra "do what I say, not what I do".

#3  Photoshop cannot be learned, even over a string of days, when one works a 10 hour day, has three kids who need help with homework, a husband who likes to be fed when he walks in the door, and knitting projects calling your name.

#4  Coffee is truly necessary to my existence, especially between the hours of 4:45 am and 9 am, when my brain still thinks it should be in bed asleep and continues to act like it is still in bed, asleep.

#5  I'm more motivated to finish a project if I don't have a swatch to tear out first.  I hate to watch all that work unravel.  I made that braided cable swatch, but it's so pretty that I just can't bring myself to tear it down to make corrections.

#6  Getting yarn in the mail, even when it is because you ordered it, is great fun; even when the postman is too lazy to get out of his truck and leave it at your doorstep and tries to make you pick it up at the post office, located 25 miles away.

#7  I often feel a pang of envy when I see other people's stashes.

#8  Iphones should come with a better battery life.

#9  I truly enjoy having an online business related to my favorite hobby. (HINT:  You should stop by for a visit!)

#10  I get really irked when I think I have created something fantastic, have worked really long hours on bringing it to fruition, and then weeks later discover that someone else has already published my idea.

#11  Sometimes you have to just play the game, smile, and let people figure out for themselves how grievous of a mistake it was for them to share their thoughts with you in the first place.  What does that cryptic statement mean?  My principal's secretary has been telling all the veteran teachers who are worth a *%#@ this week, some of the best of the best in our county--that would include me--that there are "... 42 other people standing in line for your job and your contribution isn't all that valuable; so you can be replaced, you know, and the principal will be happy to do it." Hmmm.  I was recently identified as the #1 high school English teacher in my school system in terms of state test scores for TWO grade levels.  I am the only teacher with that distinction for TWO grade levels in any subject, and my students' scores set county records last year.  And I am appointed by the principal to be on EVERY dang leadership committee and school steering committee there is.  Hmmm.  I think that secretary made a serious mistake when she told me that my work is not valuable at our didn't-make-AYP-last-year school.  Hmmm.