Hate my job Monday

Wow, so I hate my job. It really sucks. I know in the whole scheme of sucky things, this is only sucky-lite, but I still don't like it. The occasional good teaching moment shines like a light (a very rare light) and serves to highlight how sucky the rest of the time is. I am worried I'll forget I like teaching and start to hate this poor excuse for 'being a teacher'. I'm an assistant, that's it. I command no respect and have no value beyond my accent - which they'd really rather was more American (I say eye-ther instead of eee-ther, which is no good).. Blegh. At least I know some pretty important stuff to look for in my next job. You know, I haven't had a job I didn't like since.... my first job. And I've had a few since then! My first job was at Hallensteins, a men's clothing store in NZ. I hated the work, hated pushing products on people, and hated the policy of having to look busy even when there was nothing to do. Since then I've been a Santa Photographer, assistant caterer, assistant event helper, contract lecturer, kitchen hand, front of house staff, census collector, and an ESL teacher in NZ and I have really liked all those jobs. When I look at them grouped together like that, there's a couple of things I can see they all have in common. Firstly, the people I was working both for and with were awesome, friendly, lovely people. They put their trust in me and let me do my job, help them, and take on responsibility. They also all had, to greater or lesser degrees, a lot of autonomy involved. As in, I was left to do the job my own way as long as it got done well, it was all good (within reason). I could feel effective and like I was making a difference, even if it was just being really friendly when I took people's money and served their cake.

Now, sure the same does apply in the classroom. I do chose how I make my voice sound when I read the sentences for them to repeat after :)

Horrible bloody job. And it's cold today.

I think these Monday blues require a Baskin Robbins type of cure after school. As luck would have it, there's a bus I can catch home that drops me right in front of the shop that B..R is in. I conclude that if there is a God, he wasn't me to eat ice cream. I might not have a new flavour today... I've run out of chocolate/nut/caramel ones to try, and they are the best and exactly what I need. So, today can be a bonus ice cream day.

On that note, I know what I want for Christmas! Baskin Robbins makes a banana spit, and on Christmas, I am going to buy myself the Sim's 3 'Pets' expansion pack and buy an banana split. I may also eat pizza.

Weird thing for the day: A boy was eating a pretzel stick before class and it was sticking out of his mouth. Another boy came aong and started eating the other end and the lady-and-the-traped it until their faces got too close and the freaked out. 'Too close' in this case was less than an inch apart. Something you would never see in NZ!

I used my fancy new steamer to make my breakfast this morning. I was sick out super sugary breakfasts, and I was like 'well, eat lunch/dinner food then'. So I steamed some dumplings, carrot and broccoli and had it for breakfast. It was really yummy and kept me full for ages. Big success!

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Ok, so my after school class was cancelled, so I didn't catch the ice cream bus home. I believe that was God's way of telling me that it was way too freakin' cold for ice cream, and that doughnuts were a much better option.