After the most grueling semester of my career, I desperately needed the break.  However, because of that crazy illness and then the week with my sons, I ended up only getting a couple of days to relax and rest.  We start back to work tomorrow, and I’m about as far from ready as I can be.  I’ve got until Thursday before I’ll be in class, so maybe I can get a jump on my prep and be somewhat prepared going in.

I’m so ready for a change.  I really can’t see myself doing this for much longer.  The toll is too great and the return is too little.  Yes, I chose this as my career, so I’m as much to blame for my situation as anyone, but I think most teachers would agree with me that we are called to this profession by a deeply rooted need to give back to our communities.  I didn’t expect to spend 13 years doing this.  I thought maybe 5-7, but here I am, exhausted and overwhelmed from the relentless wave of grading poorly written essays by apathetic students who would rather be surfing YouTube than listening to class notes.

I don’t mean to be negative, and I’m sorry for complaining, but I feel so defeated by this job.  I have to get the farm moving forward.  The illness and the weather kept me from making any progress over break, so I have get some momentum back soon.  My health and my sanity need to make this change happen, and the sooner the better.