Today was the last day of my summer job. I had 3 rooms that I just HAD to finish before school started, and I managed to get them done today – woohoo! OK, so one room has a computer missing because its power supply was dead (not a new PC, just new for that room). The teacher computer works, however, and that’s the main issue.

Tomorrow, we have our first staff inservice at the Joint Vocational School’s Applied Technology building. We have to provide our own technology, however, because to use theres would cost us the price of a full-day for one of their techs to be present. (I wonder if I can convince my superintendent that we should have the same service whenever people want to use our technology after hours… I wouldn’t mind extra pay. Heh.) Friday, we have the staff meetings – dad and I even have an hour to talk tech. I still dunno what I’m going to say – hopefully will figure it out before 10:45am Friday!

Monday of next week is teacher work day. My one day to get my lab cleaned up and ready! Gah! OK, so maybe I’ll go in some this weekend. I managed to survive the summer, I should be able to survive the beginning of school. I hope! The classes should be good. 2 chemistry, 1 physics – nicely divided up and all. That’s actually 5 periods instead of three. We have such short periods (42 minutes) that we don’t have enough lab contact hours for the lab classes. So I get a period every other day to use with my kids. The two chemistry classes share second period and physics has me for lab then study hall then lab etc all week. (Well, OK, Mondays and Wednesdays they have lab, though back when dad was teaching, he even alternated Fridays!) The really interesting thing about this school year is that I’ll be working a 9 period day. Instead of being done at 3:15 like the other teachers, I’ll go on until 4pm. (I was lucky, last year, to get out by 4pm, so this way I’m at least getting paid for the work!)

The school website is still not done. I kept hoping to get on it, but I never did. Ah well! One of these days! I’m hoping with more tech time next year, I’ll be able to get the site up and keep it updated. Also, I need to get my new PDA to be able to update our tech inventory. It’s not going to be much use to me with its cute little barcode reader if I can’t update the database. (*fwaps Microsoft for not finishing Pocket Access*)

Tonight I helped my Aunt Becky with her computer – she had a game that wasn’t registering properly, even though she’d paid for it. After beating on the PC for awhile, I finally convinced it to let her play it. Yay! And as a thank you, she’s going to take me out for Chinese Buffet this Sunday. Woot! I’ll never turn down a Chinese meal!

I could write about day 7 of my Italy trip, but I think I’ll leave it for another night. You’ll get to see some shots of Pisa when I finally do write about it. (Yup, that tower leans!)

Oh, and you might notice my new userpic. I kept hoping for a decent photo of Sylv in Mortar Board to show up online (or Time and Yer Auntie to get out on DVD) to make a teacher icon. Decided to go ahead and make an “inspirational” one, however, with my favorite TV teacher, Elizabeth from the Tomorrow People. The quote is from Christa McAuliffe, and a good one at that. Certainly something that Liz would believe. (Me too, actually.)