What's Your Problem

A student asked me today what my problem was.  The first response that comes into my head is not the most professional one because it automatically is, "YOU!"  You is simple.  You does not require a great deal of thought to pronounce.  You shifts the focus off of me, and back onto the person who asked the question! You ends the conversation, unless the YOU is me. 

When I don't have a migraine, my brain tends to take in information quickly and wishes to process it as quickly.  It's almost like my brain knows that a headache will be back at any time, so my brain has decided to force contemplation (even if it's for the simple question of "What's your problem?").  My brain knows at the next headache it will not be able to contemplate my existence, but it's going to force such contemplation when it does not hurt.  Before changing my major to education, I was a philosophy major (the heavy let's contemplate man's existence in the world type philosophy major). I think my brain is still a little pissed that I got pregnant and changed my major in order to feed a child. In it's younger days, my brain was very altruistic, but as we have aged it's beginning to understand the more practical side of life (even if it doesn't like to be forced there on occasion). Screaming baby needs to eat, and intelligent mother needs to pick a career with health insurance and stable money so said screaming baby can eat!  That folks is how a teacher with a brain like mine is made- NECESSITY! Sorry for not having a better reason on why I was "called" to education, but it does give my brain an adequate source for contemplation.

SO, what is my problem today?  That's a loaded question for my brain and as I was driving home my brain contemplated what my problem was. The rest of me just wanted to listen to the radio and get home to eat the chicken and potatoes I put in the crock pot this morning!  Pratical was not winning out today.  Since I really want my brain to hold off on serious contemplation tonight because there's some trashy television I want to watch, I'm appeasing it by writing what my current problems are, so here goes the list:

1. Atlanta traffic- Do we all really need to be at work at the same time?
2. Driving in the rain in Atlanta traffic- Did everyone forget how to drive because there is wet stuff coming from the sky?
3. Checking and signing in- Couldn't the school work if I was a little late or absent?  Don't we have a program that tells you I'm out and don't I always call when I'm stuck in Atlanta traffic? The answer to all those questions is yes, but the process is still the same and today my brain isn't really feeling the process!
4. Kids and food- Why don't kids pack their own lunches?  Didn't you know that you were coming to school and that your lunch time is three hours away?  Aren't you capable of getting a pop tart? I'm eating my donut that I manged to get on my way to work, so stop begging for me to give you a piece, or part of my lunch!  I'm not the grocery store or a chef!
5. Why the hell can't kids today have paper, pen or a pencil?- Really, if you can bring every electronic device that you own to school, you'd think a student could manage some paper and a writing utensil!
6. Common sense is not common- Why do they call it common sense when it isn't very common?  Why do I have to deal with large quantities of people who lack common sense when I have a lot to do?
7. Planning- Not sure why I plan to do anything during a day because something always gets in the way of completing my to do list. Okay, I usually get in the way of completing my to do list because I can't.... problem number eight
8. Say No, it'll have to wait, I'm busy right now-  Could this inability to utter these words be a direct result of being a mom of five kids?  If it is, I want a refund.  Other people who have mastered these words seem to be getting a lot more done then I do in a day!  Maybe they don't have kids or interactions with the public?
9. My daily Coca-Cola intake- With all my medical issues you really think the most pressing issue is that I drink three to four cokes a day?  What about those cups of coffee you drink (there's more caffeine in them then there is in my coke)? My kidney's haven't shut down yet and I'm much more concerned about the bladder five kids kicked around and it's inability to not see a rest room every two hours.  If I'm going to die from drinking three to four cokes a day, it's going to be a lot better than the stroke, brain aneurysm or heart attack that are statistically more realistic to kill me!
10. I need/want to run, but something always gets in the way- Thanks to the rain, the fatigue, and swelling in my joints have sapped my energy for a run tonight.  The torrential down poor this morning wasn't particularly motivating either! I'm guessing that Josie and Elijah threw up most of the night didn't help my running cause much.  Also, my attempt at training for a marathon says I don't have to start until tomorrow and my practical side says "If you paid for an app to train with then you need to follow the plan!"

So, these were what my problem was today.  Mild irritations considering the real daily problems I deal with.  My contemplating brain wants you to know that there were more serious things I dealt with today and it's not thrilled with my attempt at appeasement.  Major problems today were assisting a 14 year old dealing with being a new father, bolstering the self-esteem of a student with CP in her first chorus concert, and trying to convince a student not to have a brawl.  These were serious problems!  I acknowledge them contemplating brain!  Happy? I'd really like to go back to the television, where my hardest problem is going to be what trashy show I want to watch tonight!