Fan-frickin'-tastic

I really did expect this to be a good day; generally I have a good day on Wednesdays.

I got up early this morning at 5:30 to shovel snow and was in the shower about an hour later. I felt as if I was running late and didn't have time to make coffee (Mistake number 1--There's ALWAYS time for coffee!). I got out the door a little before 7:00 and there was someone parking in my driveway!

Seriously? I don't live on a major street. My driveway is attached to my garage, where my car sleeps. I told the guy to move his car and he starts screaming and swearing at me. Calling me a "fucking whore" and that he could park "where ever the fuck [he] wants because it's a public street you stupid ass bitch!" This guy screamed at me for a good 20 minutes before he finally moved his car. It was insane! (Here's where I made my second mistake, because I should have called in to work "sick" and just gone back to bed!!)

So now, I'm late and trying to get to work for cheerleading practice and of course due to snow traffic is slow a honey covered hermit crab. I get to school and the parking lot hadn't been plowed yet and of course my stopping on the street lost my momentum in the car and I slid off the road. Fortunately it's wasn't as bad as last years incident, and my co-workers Sally and Antwan pushed me to the road (thanks guys! You're the best!!!) I drove around and parked in the back of school, which, thankfully, had been plowed. After much sliding and maneuvering I secured a parking spot.

By now, I'm completely tense, on no caffeine, a half hour late with 20 girls who are waiting to try out for cheerleading and still ready to cry from crazy driveway guy yelling at me. I headed to the gym, and of course there's basketball practice (no gym for me). I apologized to Blanca (the secretary who was with the girls waiting for me to get there) for being so ridiculously late and asked her to call the girls to the band room for try-outs.

In the brief window between tryouts and the school day starting, I ran around some more, and as I got to the point where I needed to go downstairs to make some copies for the day and as I was heading down the stairs I slipped (on a snow puddle maybe?) and fell down down the stairs. I tried to stop myself and grabbed the railing, but in doing so, my lower half still had momentum and slammed in to the railing. I seriously just laid there for a minute. I hit HARD. In trying to save myself, I cracked the heel of my boot off my shoe!

As if my day wasn't fantastic enough, I taught my entire first class walking around like Quasi Moto. I finally got the the point where I couldn't take it any more, I went to find Glen, the school's engineer to see if he could break the other heel off my boot. He was out fighting with the snow, so Kelvin, one of the Security guards took my other boot and tried to break the heel. It wasn't coming off so I needed to get back to teaching so I headed up to teach my fourth graders with a heelless boot.

Halfway through class, Kelvin comes up and asks for my other boot! Seriously? Shoeless teachers? Is that even legal? So I there I am in cold stocking feet...heading to mutual prep. On my way back to my class the kids are actually laughing at their shoeless art teacher. There's nothing like a large group of kids pointing and laughing at you to cheer you up. Really, I so enjoyed the junior high flashbacks that came with it too.

Finally, the sun started to poke through the clouds. Half way through my 6th grade class, Kelvin comes in with a bag...he, the other security guard (Julio), Glen and one of the lunch guys (Victor) had chipped in and they bought me a new pair of boots! How nice is that!?! It's probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Totally made me feel like Cinderella...well, there was no ball or Prince Charming--but it's still a shoe story! (and I'd rather be Cinderella than Forrest Gump!)

The rest of the day wasn't too bad. I had a great work out with Hector. He not only kicked my butt, but also took my mind off things. He totally knows how to make me feel better and has the nicest things to say.

Moral of the story: Karma may kick your ass, but it's nice to have good people around to help you back up.