Thank goodness my 16-day Christmas break has started ... yesterday, I was so exhausted, I could barely stand up, let alone teach! I told my grade 12 class that I felt like "a horse that's been rode hard and put away wet" which caused much tittering and pink faces as they took it to be a sexual innuendo. The embarassing part was that they would think that I would ever say anything inappropriate in class!
In the last stretch of pre-Christmas craziness, I was in our administrators' offices daily discussing incidents such as the student bringing a knife to school, another two vandalizing a keyboard in computer class (my assistant and I didn't notice anything) and another student who was supposed to be working independently in the resource room but had 'escaped' and was causing problems in the hallway.
On another day, I had an interview with a parent at school to discuss Johnny's rotten behaviour, which (we found out later through the grapevine) was secretly recorded without my knowledge and consent. This deeply concerned my principal as the parent involved was known to be a former member of a biker gang and a drug dealer. I was asked to report it to my union for my own protection and the admin team is investigating. A worry!
In the midst of these distractions, I didn't read the final copy of our 45 page divorce agreement. My wife and her lawyer signed it before I noticed a clause of concern which had been inserted by the lawyer. Yesterday, I send a simple e-mail to my wife asking where it had come from.I was blasted with a screaming phone call which ended with her slamming down the phone following by two abusive texts. Not to excuse her behaviour, but she's always been a
But this is what really set her off: "did you know that today is the third anniversary of when i found pictures of naked men with erections on my laptop. merry christmas to me!!" I laughed out loud when I read this. Not a funny laugh but more a rueful laugh. Oh my! She needs to get over it! But I'm not going to be bullied into signing the document until we've cleared up my concerns.
My kids and parents are coming here tonight, so I'm preparing a birthday dinner for my charismatic middle daughter who arrived yesterday from university thousands of miles away. I haven't' seen her in four months! Woo-hoo! I also have some Christmas preparations for this, my first Christmas in my new waterfront home.I will wait until after New Years' to discuss the divorce agreement with my wife after she's cooled down and after she's gotten through Christmas. I'm sure we will reach an agreement in the end ... but it really sucks that I have to worry about her erratic behaviour all over again.
Good on you that you noticed the inserted clause. Your best advocate is yourself. Don't let them try any more tricks.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cubby! But it wasn't some sinister plot to trick me. The clause was inserted by our lawyer-mediator who works for both of us equally... she can have no communication with us individually(e-mails are always to both of us at once) and my wife was unaware of the clause; it related to taxation.
ReplyDeleteIt probably was a generic clause often inserted into these agreements but didn't apply to our situation.
oof! that stings! but think of all the positives that have happened this year; and many many more to cum!
ReplyDeletehappy xmas, buddybear! :)
45 pages is an emerging new novel, not a divorce paper. Heavens!
ReplyDeleteI know that it sometimes feels like. "will this f**king business never END??? but believe me it does. I admire your patience and forbearance.
ReplyDeleteHoliday drama always sucks. Hope things smooth out soon.
ReplyDeleteI do chuckle every time I read "my new waterfront home." I know you love it and enjoy living there (it sounds great!), and please forgive me, but that phrase for some reason makes me think of Hyacinth Bucket (it's boo-kay) from "Keeping Up Appearances" talking about her sister Violet's luxury bungalow, "with a Mercedes, a sauna, and room for a pony." LOL! I hope you can appreciate my warped sense of humor...
I mainly refer to it that way on my blog because I'm still trying very hard not to reveal my location; I never call it that in real life. I don't want to reveal even the type of body of water it is, let alone it's name.
ReplyDeleteBut I am bragging about it in a way. The house itself needs work but the location is one-in-a-million.
I worked in a high school for five years, not as a teacher, but I had to put up with a lot of what you did because I did work directly with students under my supervision. It always amazed me what dedication teachers had (and have) to put up with all they do that simply shouldn't have to be a part of the job - and wouldn't be if more parents did THEIR job! I'm off for the same 16 days and thanking my lucky stars for it.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you have more drama in the divorce department. I'm positive it will be a great relief to have it all finished.
I'm also positive that you're going to have a wonderful time with the kids and parents! I'm in Ohio (380 miles from home) at my youngest brother's house, waiting on my sister and her daughter to get here, as well as my other brother (the middle one) and his family for a Christmas celebration a couple of days early.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Peace <3
Jay
Thanks, Jay. I hope you have a fantastic Christmas.
DeleteYes, my teacher-colleagues do care deeply about their students, especially the troubled ones. And learning about adding fractions (or whatever the subject may be) is the LEAST important thing going on in their lives.
Very often, the teachers and other school staff are the ONLY people in these kids' lives who care about them.
In fact, when we have a snow day and every school in the city is shut down, our principal and a skeleton staff comes into school anyway. Many of our troubled students come to school anyway even with no classes running; it is the only warm, safe place they have in their lives where people care about them.