Spent all day surrounded by teachers.  I’m not sure whether I can use the word “other” in that sentence anymore.  It hit me today that I could, if I wanted, use the word sabbatical to describe this year, since at least in theory I plan on returning to the classroom next year, so I think my ten-second “So what do you do?” job description is going to be to continue to describe myself as a middle school math teacher and then admit that I’m on sabbatical if pressed for further detail.

But that’s not the point.  The observation is this: it was rather amazing to me just how exhausted everyone already looks.  Now, granted, for a lot of folks this was their first day back, and we did start awfully early in the morning, but I know the difference between exhausted and tired and I’ve chosen that word on purpose.  It’s not a thing I’ve noticed at pre-school events in previous years.  Just about every adult in that room looked fucking exhausted already and we haven’t even started.

Not a good sign.  And I’ll tell you what else: not for a single second did I regret my decision to not teach this year.  That will come, I think– we’ll see what happens when the kids get back– but it sure as hell ain’t here yet.