Okay this morning, first real day of school, after like six cups of coffee, laminating everything I could get my hands on, and the nervous morning poo, and pacing around the desks and wondering if I had correctly aligned the posters, endless piles of paperwork etc., etc., etc., (from the Latin word meaning “and so on.” I’m gonna start doing it all the time. I’m a Latin Teacher. Get excited.) turns out I can totally teach a class! It was just like doing stand-up. The best part? I have a totally captive audience! They are dependent upon listening to the words that come out of my mouth! I can use these powers for good or evil, but I choose good. Good solid learning fun times Charlie. I’m serious. I’m going to make these kids love Latin.

I personally find languages fascinating. Maybe its the traveling, maybe its my Spanish background, maybe its the fact that I’m getting paid to sell that concept to the overinvolved and overconcerned (but in an adorable way) parents of private school children, but I think it is awesome that there are so many words for things I love, like “cookie” and “puppies” and “sleep.” Its no coincidence that the first word I learned in Latin was “crustulum, crustulae,” which means “cookie.” And therefore no coincidence that one of the students I had in my back-to-school Latin boot camp brought me a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies this morning as a present and made me want to cry in the hallways before school had even started. (during this boot camp I used “cookie” in all my examples, ie “Miss Weight carries cookies” “Miss Weight loves cookies”) Anyway I’m stoked to be teaching what I’m teaching, and my biggest hope is that I can convey that enthusiasm to the students, most likely through the use of song and edible bribes.

So it took a long time to pick out the “first day of school” outfit. Remember what a big deal “back to school” clothes shopping was? We would go with mom, then with dad, then with at least one grandma. It was awesome. And no one knew what the other had bought you, so you could get away with anything. Not to mention school supply shopping. Nothing makes me happier. And then the importance of getting awesome food for your brown bag lunch?? Like I had to have oreos or Jello pudding or I just don’t know. The good food lasted about two weeks and then it was leftovers and combing through the couch for change so I could buy a cookie and Cheetos for lunch every day in elementary school. Some things always stay with you. We sat at tables 9 and 10 in the cafeteria. I remember the benches were always cold. Anyway.

So for the outfit I settled on a black jumper. Not kidding. At some point I know I have to realize that this is a real grown up job and get over these urges to dress in what I call “teacher costumes” because I want to wear panty hose and shoulder pads and flowing, floral print tops with elastic waist pants. For some reason this is the lingering image I have of my middle school teachers. That and horrendous, everpresent coffee slash rotting mold breath, that you could smell from like the third row. I hereby swear to never be that teacher. But I did end up in an ironic jumper, which I pinned some huge fake flowers on, so I could have fun. My mom packed me a lunch, I wish I was kidding, but I was running really late, and she made me a morning snack and breakfast. It was adorable. I almost asked her to write a fun note inside, but thought that would be too much. The only grown up part about it was the double shot espresso can packed inside. I knew I would need a hit of caffeine at about 1pm.

okay i have so much to share about the funness and the cuteness and the crazy things kids said today, but I’ll have to finish tomorrow. I’ll just leave you with this fun quote from a kid with wild red hair and freckles who sits on the very edge of his seat and taps his feet ten million times a second…when I asked “What can I do to make this a great year for you in Latin class?” He answered
“give us Swedish Fish and Steve Miller Band concert tickets.”

how hilarious is that.
i love life i love life i love life.