"...Here is my handle. Here is..."

Forget it Freddie. I've been a registered Democrat since I was born, yet I couldn't muster any enthusiasm for last week's primary. And I'm not going to vote for you. Also, the kind of NYC folks who might have been persuaded to vote for you in November, will not be impressed by the pictured endorsement. She, unfortunately, is poison to the groups you're trying to corral in your corner.
I'm voting for "Richie" Bloomberg. Yes, a Republican. I'd vote for him on the merits of 311 alone – the single best government technological advancement I can think of in my lifetime (and much more effective than 911).
In addition, the fact that he would even attempt to reorganize the NYC school system is to his credit. The shortcomings of said reorganization are many, of course, but the dismantling of 110 Livingston St. (The Board of Ed) was brilliant.

(I mainly wrote this post because I wanted to use the picture. I bet my very clever fellow-bloggers can think of far-funnier captions than mine).

Rock and Roll

I ordered new chairs for the computer lab this year. They go up and down and spin and roll.
First lesson of the year:
Assign the seats then let everyone roll and spin for the rest of the period.

Only one kid had to go to the nurse.

Do you think they worked it out of their systems?

And They're Off!

A new year begins.

The first day of school is almost always perfect. The kids are excited and happy. The teachers are full of good intentions and good humor. The school looks its best all shiny and clean. The brand new divisional director is off to a happy start and enjoying the honeymoon our parents afford a new person at the helm. (How long will it last? I hope really long. I can't take another tear down.)
Now we wait for the other shoe to drop. When will that happen and what will cause the drop? Hard to tell right now. Everything seems just right. Will a new onerous or controversial policy be announced? (That broadsided us last year.) Will the parents band together to change curriculum, methods, schedules, events? (It's not like that hasn't happened before.) Will someone get "laid-off" leaving the rest of us awash in a sea of unease?
Though I worked most of the summer, today it seemed worth it, because most things technological went smoothly. But I should have known some people would not be happy. You see, everyone at Burpie Cow-Wow School was not the recipient of a new computer. And you can believe I've heard from each and every one of them with their emergency sob stories.
My colleague, at the other building, starts every task I ask of him with a "can do" attitude, but then has a hard time following through to the finish so I find I am tying up an inordinate number of loose ends.
My e-mail box is full of the most maddening helpdesk questions ( didn't I show her this last week, last month, last year and the year before!!!) I still patiently answer these questions with detailed answers and pictures because these people really need the pictures.)
I, of course, never complain about helping the newbies or my good friends and I suppose that is really unkind and unfair of me to pick on the handful of entrenched Luddites.
And there's always this: I still can't seem to get out of this building until they're mopping the floor around my feet. After all these years you'd think I would have developed a system - a sense of balance. Ah...well.
A new year (already) begins (to fray around the edges.)