Letter to pizza joint's new owners

Dear new owners of my formerly favorite locally owned pizza place who needs to learn about customer service:

Since you opened your pizzeria- Sally Sicklemeyer's- in my town, I've been a dedicated customer. For the first few months you opened I was there weekly, if not more. My sis-in-law and I loved to bring her babies there, and your former lunch buffet was, by far, the best in town in taste, quality, quantity, and cost. Your food was to die for and your hired help was always great and friendly.

Now you suck.

And you are the new owners so none of this is directed to the people who owned you before because you started sucking when you took over.

One thing I loved was your $4.99 buffet which I was told is now gone. Fine.

You raised you pizza prices. Your food is good but not that good.

But my biggest complaint is a combination of your now crappy customer service and your now new crappier delivery policy.

Here's a little story for you: I work at Alcatraz which is 6 miles out of the city limits. We order from you all the time- well, from your previous owners. We were outside of the regular delivery sphere but because the previous owners were supporters of Alcatraz, they decided to allow their drivers to deliver to us. We house around 110 kids in 10 dorms. We also house about 89 staff and their families in various homes and apartments on our campus. We also have on call staff 27/7 so at any given time we have around 200 people on campus. Staff can, and does, order pizza for our kids. Now I'm sure you know how many pizzas it takes to fee 2 adults and 14 boys between ages 14-17. A LOT, which was around $100, give or take. My point is that while the previous owners allowed delivery outside of the usual delivery area, it was PROFITABLE for the company AND the drivers.

Remember the above.

Imagine my surprise when I called to order for a few of us and the following happened:
1. I was told by a snotty woman- Alecia- that they "no longer delivered to Alcatraz". I said okay and then she put me on hold and came back on to tell me, in her still snotty way, that the new manager said they could deliver this one last time but for a $3 fee. I said okay and ordered our food.

2. I told her I had a coupon for a free order of bread sticks and she put me on hold and came back and said, snottily, that the new managers would go ahead and "honor" the coupon, for now.

3. when I was done with the order she told me I had to get more food because it didn't total $25. I said I didn't know it had to; she said that was the only way they would deliver "that far" and that I better be "ready for lots of new changes coming from the new manager." She also said that the drivers hated to come there. I then raised my voice and told her she was crazy because people who live and work here understand and appreciate the company being willing to accommodate us, and we tip well. I told her I work as the receptionist and money is usually left with me and it's rare that a tip is LESS than $5. I told her to ask the drivers.

She finally gave me a total and then said it would be 80-90 minutes until it would be there, and hung up on me.

I fumed, discussed this situation with my colleagues and we called to cancel our order. And then ordered from the only other locally owned pizza joint- Godmothers- and they said after what happened and to thank us for our business, they would glad breach their delivery area from now on, and bring us food.

I will never be eating at Sally's again. I understand if you no long want to deliver here but the rude and snotty attitude from Alecia was inexcusable, especially her hanging up on me. It was unnecessary to keep changing the order rules: coupon, delivery fee, minimum order. As the new manager, you need to be ready for a change from me: I won't be there any more and I will tell everyone I know about this and maybe your business won't be there anymore either. And remember, I can tell all 200 people who live in work at Alcatraz what happened with a click of one email button. And they'll tell people and so on...

And I will make sure every single person knows that Godmother's saved the day.

I'm not impressed with you, the new owners of Sally. And that's too bad because not only have you lost my dedication, you have lost my business.

Respectfully,
Maggie Mae O'Sullivan

A job is a job is a job...an interview is an interview is an... oh whatever!

Yesterday I interviewed at my school for an opening as an English teacher. I still don't have a license in my state but since I'm supposed to go to school and take those 6 hours to have my teacher certificate by Christmas, I was a perfect candidate.

My principal said he was going to do "due diligence"- he wanted to interview everyone and follow all the proper protocols so he could pitch to our Superintendent that everyone wanted me for the job.

So I interviewed with him as well as the other 3 core teachers with whom I'd be working with daily. I did pretty well in the interview- my principal told me later I did very well and stayed true to what I believed and presented well to the committee.

I was going to know by tomorrow if I got the job.

My principal called me tonight and I didn't get the job. The Super said she will NOT get an emergency certificate for anyone if there is a qualified candidate. She will not me a break. My principal felt like crap but it was the way it was. He said he really wants to see me get a certificate and he and the committee found a way to get a job as soon as I was certified and as soon as one was open.

I dunno.

It's disappointing. even an old principal called the Super on my behalf to no avail. I've worked for this woman for 3 years and can't catch a break. Apparently, she told my principal she would love to see me teach but I need to prove I want it by getting my certificate.

It must be nice for her to sit and make these rules and choices. She makes about $70k a year; she can say that but she must not care nor realize that to go to school I need money but to have enough money I need a job. Catch-22.

Shot down again.

I could bitch and moan but it doesn't matter anymore.

Maggie

The Big Jerk

We have a new English teacher. Well, sorta new. We had a new teacher at the beginning of the year because the former one went on adoptive leave. she's off this entire 2011-2012 school year. The first temp. replacement was here for about 4 months and then she left. She was offered a full time permanent position and who could pass that up? not her. It was also a huge pay increase for her, and teaching special education, which is her passion. We miss her. She was really good with out style of kids.

The principal and I thought that maybe I could get a temp teaching license and take the last 2 classes I need to get certified in this state (to teach). However, he later came to me and said I couldn't be hired because the Superintendent wanted someone with a license now. He thought that sucked and said he was sorry but at least he let me know up front. Amazingly enough, the Superintendent had a friend who needed a job and he happened to be an English teacher. Gee, what a coincidence!

This current guy- let's call him Jerk English Teacher- allegedly had experience with our kids, having worked at a juvenile justice school facility before. He's all cocky and full of himself. He's former military. he's very right wing, conservative, a know it all. He's... a jerk. He has ZERO classroom control or management. More kids during the course of a day either walk out of his classes or get kicked out or get in some sort of trouble. He's belligerent and aggressive with the kids. He doesn't seem to care if they bully each other and he's even made bullying comments to the kids. I do NOT like him at all. Most of the other teachers don't either. And I know that some administrators in our school don't. And I won't tell how I know this fact; I just do.

Because he's an English teacher, he brings his classes to the library once a week, for about 20 minutes each period. These are the most miserable 20 minutes of each period of my entire week. I try and have some structure in the library and get no support and backup. He lets the kids do whatever they want, and sometimes he even changes MY rules. Dude, is in MY library, in MY territory and he undermines me. That really ticks me off. I don't like it. I would never go into his classroom and do that to him.

I have to ask myself, though, is a confrontation with him really worth it. He's only here until the end of June, then the teacher on adoptive leave will be back- and she's amazing! Is he really worth my time or effort? I'm not sure. I'm pretty unpleasant to him at this point and I really don't care how that makes me look. We and I bumped heads the day he made fun a kid; I basically open fired on him in front of his class so they would know bullying was wrong and then I discussed the situation with my Principal who then met with the Jerk English teacher; the bullying seemed to stop, or at least in my presence. But the unruliness of his class is not fun. I thought about telling him that since he can't control the boys, then his classes are not welcome in the library until he he can. I dunno.

I just know that the next time he makes some sexist, conservative, smart arsed comment to me or near me, I might just not be my normal mild-mannered librarian self. I am open to suggestions.

In need of anger management,
Mags

Week from Hell, and it's only Tuesday

1- Some kid lost her library book. I've been patient and have renewed it twice, giving her time to see if she can find it. Today she came in the library and I never said a word about it. Then she confronted me, in a confrontational tone, and asked me what I was going to do about her lost book. I asked her what she meant and she launched into "angry, loud, obnoxious, teenage girl" tone, ranting that SHE wasn't paying for it, SHE was calling her daddy and telling him to not pay a damn dime and on and on. When she seem to run out of steam, I nicely asked her if she would just check in her dorm again and SHE told me to do my job since I was the librarian. Oh yes she did. And oh yes I did give her the maximum allotted punishment for being disrespectful and for swearing.

2- We have a reading program that I've written about before. The company has updated said program and it's now web hosted. We paid the astronomical fees and updated and upgraded. We've encountered one issue after another with it and it's been an ongoing debacle since last February. Yesterday, during the last step of the upgrade process, all of the data was lost. I want to point out that I told our outside computer people who were doing this (not ITSam thankfully) that I hadn't hard copied the data and they told me I didn't need to worry about it since they were just copying. And now, somehow, in the magical world of technology, it's gone. All gone, every single piece of student data- test scores, books lists, point earned, tests taken.... gone gone gone. I finally sent an email to our principal and said I am done with working on this project and I don't care what they do with it. I've not yet heard a response.

3- Our principal resigned. He is the best boss I've ever had and now he has the opportunity to grow another, normal public high school, and his last day with us is on Thursday. I'll miss him.

And it's just Tuesday afternoon...

Maggie

Well, this is a disaster

So, Mac came home yesterday and it's been a disaster from the word go.

I got to the school at the appointed time and location and he wasn't there. I sent a text and waited. And waited. And waited. And then I called a couple times. Ten minutes later he finally called and said he didn't hear his phone and would be down "in a few minutes." I said it would've been nice if he paid attention to the time and could've been watching for me since his room over looks the parking lot. He then hung on me. Brat. So 5 more minutes go by and I call him again and ask what the problem is. Well, he said he was packing his stuff. I was so exasperated because he didn't have it done already since it was his plan to come home for 10 days- it was something that was NOT a last minute plan.

So he's talking to me on his mobile while he's on his way to the car and out the dorm door. He gets to the car and throws all his crap into the backseat and throw his wallet and ID and stuff into the front, then gives this big dramatic sigh and complains that the forms were gone that he was supposed to fill in to sign out for an overnight. I sent him back into find any RA or his RD to take care of it. He bitched about that and stormed off.

When he came back and we're pulling out of the parking space, he suddenly can't find his phone. Now, he had the stupid thing when he finally came down to the car the first time. So we go through the whole car- and I mean the whole car. We move every single thing and I even go through his laundry bag, item by item to see if he dropped it in there. No. We went through every single pocket of his backpack, checked under the car seats, floor mats, between the seats, I mean everywhere but still no phone. I ask if he's sure he didn't carry it back in when he went to fill out the form. He said he didn't think so "gawd, mom- I said I didn't! Jesus, don't you listen?" I told him to go look anyway. He did, muttering at me the whole way.

I checked the ground around the car, under the car, under the neighboring cars, and then I traced his path from the outside dorm door to the car. He was on the phone when he came out the dorm door and it was about 100 feet from the door to the car. It just was not there. He came out and said it wasn't anywhere inside. All he could figure was that he left it on the table where he filled out the form and now it was gone. He said someone either stole it or found it and will give it to him when he returns. He said some kid had $150 stolen from his dorm so it wouldn't surprise either us if it was stolen. Then he said "oh well, those things are cheap since it's a pay as you go phone. It was only $10 bucks."

That brought me up short because it was NOT just $10- it was a $60 phone and I paid for it. He said "oh well, I don't care." We never did find it.

Then on the drive home he proceed to tell me how much he hates the school. He LOVES this classes, his learning, the intellect, the classroom atmosphere- he loves the challenge and the learning. But he hates EVERYTHING else- it's too conservative, it's too Christian, it's too goody-goody, like everyone drank the Kool-Aid. He said everyone is bonding with each other but him- he said he's left out all the time and he thought college would be where he would meet people like him. He said he was just the weird kid there too, just like high school, because he said he's a liberal in a sea of conservatives and the kids judge him for it, right to his face. He said his roommate is the one who stole the money, he thinks, because he started buying new stuff the day after the money turned up missing. He said girls are superficial and think he's ugly. He said there he's the "fat kid" again, even though he's lost 60 pounds since January. He said I keep bitching at him to get a job but he said he's in class and chapel everyday until 1pm and then he said he has about 4 hours of studying each day and don't I understand that he has an intense class load and he needs to keep a 3.7 GPA and he can't work and study and I need to get off his back about it. The litany and list of venom just spewed on and on, one mile after another.

We get home and he chats amiably with his grandfather. Then he has to go to the doc for a physical and I suggest he tell the doc all the stuff he told me and he said he would. Meanwhile, the doc doesn't have a copy of his immunization records- it was never sent over from his pediatrician's office. So I had to call that office, speak to records, and then get Mac to sign a release form at the current doc. They then faxed it to the old doc and the old doc faxed the records. Which were incomplete- and no one knows why. So we had to call his high school and get a copy from them (in my state you have to prove current immunization upon entering HS). But the school can't release it over the phone- we were told we would have to go to the school and sign something. Which we couldn't do since it was 4pm on a Friday of a holiday weekend. Mac is obviously pissed and this is somehow my fault. Also, Mac had to give a urine sample but the lab was closed so they made him an appointment to come back and do it this coming Thursday. But he has classes so he thought I would just take the afternoon off work, drive 1 hour to get him, drive the hour back to doc to give the sample, drive him the hour back and then I could go home. And then come back and get him on Friday, the very next day, so he could come home for the weekend. That's not happening because I don't have the money to put in the gas tank for all that. Yeah, with the huge snit he was in, that went over "really" well--- not!

He was fine at dinner, just chatting, telling stories about school, and complaining.

After dinner he tried to reach friends on Facebook, since he didn't have his phone, and finally reached someone and he wanted some money- of his- that I had for him, but I didn't have it with me at that moment. So he threw a huge freaking fit about it, and said he wanted to go back to school at that moment. I said fine and started packing his crap in the car.

Then he said he was going out anyway and would leave tomorrow. I tried to talk to him reasonably and he was being a turd- I'll spare you the nasty details. Then he "sort of" calmed down and we talked until we could be "sort of" civil to each other.

He's going home today, in about an hour.

This sucked. I was so looking forward to him being here and I got foods he likes and rented movies he wanted to see. He and I had talked about it all week and then "bam" yesterday he became the King of Mean and here we are.

I'm so pissed and sad that at this point, I just don't care.

I thought it would be easier once he was at school. Boy, was I an idiot.

Maggie

Well, this certainly sounds like it's over, don't you agree?

The last few weeks, after the huge blow up with ITSam I've been trying to work things out with him. We've been going on dates and just talking. It's like we were starting over again, the best two people can who've dated for almost a year.

I thought it had been going along well. I thought we were having fun. I thought it was going okay. We talked some serious talks but not lots, but just enough to try and sort some things out, to see if things were savable.

Well, apparently things were not going along well for him. He finally, officially, broke up with me tonight. And it was out of the clear blue.

He said he didn't think my heart was in this. He didn't think I was ever going to forgive him. He said he was emotionally invested but didn't feel I was, and he said he thought this would never work. He said I didn't treat him like he was special, that I treated him just like I do everyone else. He also said I never "make" plans with him but I make plans with everyone else so apparently, according to him, I just see him when no one else is available.

He said I don't love him anymore because I don't say it.

I guess I got out of the car when he dropped me off after work tonight and I didn't kiss him good-bye; I just got out of the car. It didn't matter that mac was pissed off, the phone was ringing inside and I could hear it but no one was answering, that it seemed like no one was home because cars were gone but the house was standing wide open, he and I had a fight at lunch about Mac so I was still seething over that, the fact I was distracted and didn't kiss him so I don't care about him and am just trying to be friends. Because I don't treat him special.

He buys me stuff to show me that he thinks I'm special and I just never reciprocate. He pointed out how much money he spent on me in the last two weeks- money I didn't ask for, I would like to point out. (I wrote him a fucking check for $100 for some clothes he got me. It was to make a point. Don't tell me I shouldn't have. If you were there, you would've done the same thing, trust me). He claimed I only want people to know he and I are together when in public not in private, and he just went on and on and on. Somewhere in there he told me he loved me more than I love him AND that he wants to spend all his free time with me and he doesn't want to do things without me because he wants me by his side, making his life better and I make things more fun-- he said. He also said I don't need him nor do I make him feel special since I want to hang out with my family and friends as much as I want to see him. He said he would NEVER leave me at home on a Friday night like I did with him (I took Mac to a movie and dinner, just mom and son time last Friday; so that's bad????).

When we had our huge fight a few weeks ago I suggested he get therapy or at least go back on his anti-depressant. He said he would. Tonight he told me the only reason he needed it was because of his ex-wife being crazy and he's fine now so he doesn't need it and he never told me I need an anti-depressant and some how he compared it to my breasts being saggy and not telling me I need plastic surgery. Yeah. Rat bastard.

And then he dumped me. HE dumped ME after all that because he wants someone who isn't so independent and he knows I "can never be a damn wife like any other woman" (<--- that my dear friends, is a direct quote!) and who will love him like he loves her and wants to be by his side and make plans to do things together and not be treated like an afterthought.

What a lovely Monday evening.

Maggie

Mac and the temper tantrum

I get really embarrassed when people throw hissy fits in public places. I'm embarrassed for total strangers when it happens and when I'm with someone who's doing it, I want to appease at any cost because I'm so ashamed. I want to preface this post with this confession.

ITSam, Mac and I went to get Mac a new phone earlier this week and due to some weird Sprint rules, we can't add Mac to Sam's phone plan for another 30 days. Ummmm, we didn't know this before we went to Best Buy and tried to get said phone. And Mac had already had his "new phone experience" pushed back an extra 30 days because of the car repairs I had to pay for.

This did not bode well with Mac. He was really pi**ed off. I explained a few options to him:
a) I get him a "throw away" phone to use for 30 days which will have text and call on it
b) I get a phone plan for him that day but he gets a job and makes the payments

Obviously "A" was practical. (And sounds cool. "Throw away" phone sounds so conspiracy/ criminal/ gangster/ Jason Bourne, doesn't it?)

The problem with "B" was that I promised Mac that I would get him a phone and I would pay for it as long as he was working on his Bachelor's degree and not failing any classes or quit/ dropped out of college/ kicked out of college. My other stipulation was that he got what I could afford and if he wanted something bigger and better as time went on, then the phone would be his responsibility. I didn't want him to have to take on this financial responsibility. Furthermore, if we went this route, he's still a minor so the phone would be in my name and if he bailed on the payments, I get stuck!

He then proceeded to have a hissy fit over the whole thing.

He's 5'11" and weighs about 270 pounds. When he threw a fit as a little kid I could scoop him up and take him out of the store. Unless I got a hand cart and a tazer, that wasn't going to happen. And short of him throwing himself on the floor and kicking and screaming, he had a big old fit.

So what did I do? I had no balls and was embarrassed to death and wanted him to shut up so I said, "Fine. What do you want? My phone?" and he said yes.

So for the next 30 days he has my phone and I have a throw away.

Yes, I realize all the things I did wrong here. I realize he was a complete and total ass.

I am ready for him to leave for college. Right now.

Please.

Maggie

I. hate. mechanics.

Last Friday my car wouldn't start. All my amateur mechanic friends worked on it to no avail so it went to the shop on Monday. I got a ride from Daddy-O on Friday and Saturday to my second job. A friend at work dropped me at home. Sunday I used his car to grocery shop. Mac used it for church. I hitched a ride to and from work with a relative of ITSam. Same Tuesday morning and afternoon.

Tuesday night around 5:30pm it was ready for pick up.

Wednesday morning it wouldn't start. Daddy-O let me take his car to work. ITSam got it started and thought he figured the problem. Wednesday night Princess and I were running around and it wouldn't start. I jiggled and wiggled stuff until it started.

Thursday morning it wouldn't start. It went back to the shop.

The owner of the shop called me today at work and told me the "new" problem. He also said, and I quote, "We'll have it done tonight if I have to stay here until 10 o'clock tonight and work on it myself."

At 5:45pm ITSam talked to them and they were still working on it. The guy on the phone said he would park it outside with the keys in it when they were done.

At 7pm it was not parked outside with the keys in it and there was not one single soul at that garage.

Because I was hoping they were on dinner break or went to get a part, I went back there about 10 minutes ago. It is STILL not parked outside.

It's been 8 days. Eight damn days, people!!!!!!! God created Earth in 7 and these asshats can't fix a flippin' ignition switch on a 10 year old Chevy in 8??????

Lying bastards.

I'm done being nice.

Tomorrow is Carmageddon.
Maggie

The wheels on the bus go round and round, and the driver of the bus goes "grrrrr grrrrr"!

Princess and I rode the bus the other evening since Mac had the car. She had never ridden any sort of public transportation before and we ended up with a very mean bus driver. It was not our best riding experience. Actually most of the time when I use public transportation, I have crummy experiences. I don't know if it's the luck of the draw, or what. Sometimes I have no other alternative than to ride with them; I hate that rock and hard place feeling.

I know other people who take it all the time and never had any issues and that's great for them. I also know this is better than nothing when you need a ride. I just hate the fact I get some grumpy drivers who always blame me for their issues. Or are mad at their dispatcher and then are in crappy humor with me the entire ride. I usually try and schedule my rides 24 hours (or more) in advance. And I never call and say "can you come get me in 10 minutes?" If I need a same day ride, I call in the early morning for a late afternoon or evening ride. If I do call for a same day ride, I am always prepared for snafus. Ugh!

Our transportation isn't like a regular bus. There isn't a regular route it runs and you walk to a stop and get on. No, instead, you schedule a pick up and they come get you as close to the appointed time you ask for. The policy says, I think, the bus has a 20 minute grace period either way of your assigned time. Yes, they could be 20 minutes early or 20 minutes late. As a rider, you are allotted 5 minutes to get your butt out the door and into the bus from the moment they arrive, even if they are 20 minutes early. Because of this stupid 20 minutes policy, I rarely use them when I am on a time crunch. I make sure I can be flexible.

The other night Princess and I were at the downtown coffee shop waiting for our 6:05pm pick up. We were sitting where we could see the street and we also were laughing at how many open parking spaces there were for the bus to pull in. I had to pee and thought I could wait but nature called. Now, this may be more than you want to or need to know, but it must be said. I can pee REALLY quickly. I've worked in education for the past 11 years and am used to only having a 3 minute passing period to get to a bathroom, do my business, wash my hands, and get back to my room before a bell. So I'm a quick pee-er. I ran to the bathroom and did my thing. From the moment I left my seat until I got back was less than 3 minutes, tops. And the bus came during the time. Princess waited for me and we boarded. That bus driver had waited, according to us anyway, for maybe 2 minutes. We were allowed five.

And the bus driver was some little, old, gray haired, ANGRY lady. She said she has been waiting forever for us. Princess and I looked at each other. The driver went on to say she even called dispatch to see where we were. I asked her where she had been waiting and she said "right here" which was smack in the front of the plate glass window where we had been sitting. So she was completely lying. She slammed the bus doors and told us to sit down and she drove away while I was still walking to my seat, muttering at me. I was pissed.

I actually called the person who schedules the rides the next day to see what the problem was and to explain our side of it. She blamed the other scheduler and said our driver was supposed to be off work at 6pm. Well, whoopee shit. Like that was MY fault?

Daddy-O used to drive for this company and he used to be a dispatcher as well, for years and years. He quit when he retired. I know the other side of this gig so whenever I schedule a ride, I certainly try and always be timely, flexible and friendly. I know what the drivers go through. I wish the drivers would offer that same service in return.

Other bad experiences: I waited my allotted 20 minutes late and then called to see where my ride was. No one could figure out why I wasn't picked up so after some phone calls to some drivers, they figured out my name never was put on any drivers' lists. New computer software was blamed and it was 40 minutes after my scheduled time that anyone finally got me. And when the driver finally did get me, she complained she was supposed to be off work 30 minutes ago and there were other drivers doing nothing so she didn't know why she was stuck getting me.

Another time I needed pick up at school. We have an office building on one side of the street and the school is on the other. When I called for that ride, I stressed that I was IN the school. So at my pick up time I see the bus just drive right on by the school and pull in the office building entrance and head to the parking lot, which is behind the building. I call to the office and ask if they could send the bus to the school. They do. The driver immediately starts chewing my butt, telling me I need to let the dispatcher know where I'll be. I calmly BUT firmly told that driver, "Look I told them the school. I stressed that I was a teacher and would be at the school. Furthermore, my dad worked for this place and I know the procedure so back off. I suggest you call and see if [dispatcher name] wrote it down or not." Then she proceeded to complain about her job all the way home.

It's better than nothing when I need a ride, I realize that. It beats being stranded. And right now, I have free ride passes which are valid until March 31 so I don't have to pay for any of these rides- they're all free. I guess, in this case, I'm getting what I pay for. But these drivers need to learn some customer service finesse.

And Princess thinks public transportation is now mean and scary. She's kinda right about that...

Maggie

Day 8- who made my life hell

For day 8 of the 30 days of truth, I'm supposed to write about someone who made my life hell. Again, this is an easy one and it's also a cop out: my ex- husband, the Sperm Donor.

He's an asshole and I could use a whole stream of expletives to describe him.

But here's a little story, instead, to demonstrate his complete and utter lack of character:

Two weeks before Christmas 2009 SD kicked Mac out of his house because he didn't like that Mac argued with him and his wife. I talked to Mac AND the ex about it and that's what it came down to. He didn't like how Mac talked to him. While the rest of the teenagers in the country are smart-mouths to their parents, my ex kicks his son out because he can. Furthermore, since then, they tried to mend fences. When I called SD, that is. When I convinced Mac to call, that is. Then I would orchestrate meetings because I could see how much the estrangement was hurting Mac.

It didn't work. So they barely spoke. SD didn't go to Mac's school play last year when he was Alice in Wonderland, he didn't go to his choir concert when he solo-ed, he didn't even show up for his awards program. He wouldn't take his phone calls.

Then in June, Mac tried to use his iTunes account and lo and behold it was cancelled. Mac called SD to see why and they fought. Mac was in tears and screaming and practically hysterical. Since that day in June, not one word has been spoke to SD from this house or his.

SD is a childish brat and he will not realize he is the parent and Mac is the child. He will not offer the olive branch. He will not see he was wrong, and he was. He will not try to make amends. He is a person who is always right while all the rest of us are wrong. He doesn't bend. He isn't kind nor considerate and he could care less how Mac feels. He doesn't call Mac. Mac is hurt, mad and angry. Mac is a senior and having a school year of wonderful successes but his father is being a jerk and having no contact. He will not speak to me, either, which is maybe a good thing.

Mac is hurt and mad. SD is a horror or a human being, a worthless bag of air taking up valuable space on this planet, and taking away resources from those of us who are productive.

He's hurting MY son. So when I talk about a person who makes my life hell, I quickly point a finger to my ex because while he isn't directly bothering me (I enjoy the silence; I pretend like he's dead) he hurts Mac so that hurts me. Mac hurts, and I bleed.

Sperm Donor is evil.

Maggie

Classroom stuff

My first period class is the class from hell. They are evil. They are the spawns of Satan. They don't care. They won't have any sort of "buy in" to what I'm doing. They have no sense of humor. They're angry, mean and going through withdrawal. They hate me, themselves, everyone else, school and well... you know. EVERYTHING. This is a purely miserable way to start the day. I'm stressed and tired before I even see a student. They suck suck suck. I have 1 kid in that room I can tolerate and then otherwise, they could all just go to prison because this group is headed there, or the cemetery in the end anyway. Let's just expedite that process, why don't we?

Yeah, well. I just don't like this class.

I kicked a kid out of there last Friday. I typically like to maintain my own classroom management; meaning, my last resort is kicking a kid out of my room. Oh well, no, not with this CLASS!!!

So, last Friday I kick out a kid. Let's call him Asshole, shall we? All of the following happened until I just couldn't take it:

• he swore
  
• he repeatedly said "I don't care. This is stupid."
• ripped the cover off his journal
• refusing to journal
• throwing a pencil
  
• faking like he was going to swear some more
• faking like he was going to hit another student
• faking like he was going to hit me...

That last one is the one that did me in. Bastard. Did I mention this all happened before the bell and about 4 minutes into class?

So Monday, the boys are coming to class. I turn my back to chat with another kid for about 30 seconds and when I walk in the room with the girls (gender separated passing periods) the word FUCK is written on my board. In HUGE letters, right in the center.

My first reaction is to make this a grammar lesson and teach them the part of speech called the interjection. Then I figured that would give them carte blanche to say it and write it all the time.

I asked nicely who did it. No one said a word but the laughter was strong. I then asked again who did it and said I just wanted to know and if the person confessed there would be no punishment. Still more laughter and no confession. So I said, "I'm cutting all the points for every boy int he room and writing additional demerits on each of you unless someone confesses or narcs." One kid said, "Dude I'm not a narc but I don't want my points taken, man. Confess."

The laughter stops but no one said a word. So I call my assistant principal. He comes to the room and I re-cap for him. He chats quietly with the kids, a knot of them in the front of the room when one suddenly bursts out screaming, "FUCK you, man. Fuck you asshole. Fuck you [insert Principal's last name here]!" Principal looks at me and says, "Ms. O' Sullivan, I think we have a winner."

He tries to extract the kid from my room and he won't go. Principal calls for back up and the discipline team shows up. I take the rest of the class to an empty room and they do their work. The author of FUCK is removed from school for 2 days.

Now Tuesday, the class was fairly calm. We do our thing and then we go to the library. Tuesday is library day. Everything, I think, went without incident, for once. Until half way through second period when I get an email from the school librarian. One of my first period kids stole magazines from the library.

She had to search lockers and find 'em and the kid had to be punished for theft. All because of my class.

Wednesday... Asshole was... well, his moniker is appropriate. He threw a pencil and refused to journal. And then he settled and started working. He lulled me into a false sense of security because 15 minutes before class ends, he starts yelling at the kid next to him, throwing crap around the room, swearing and I tossed his Asshole-ness out again.

I hate hate hate first period.

I love love love my job. I believe in Alcatraz. I just hate hate hate first period.

Author Boy should've added an "ers" to his writing on Monday- would've been accurate.

Mags

Damned if you do, damned if... well, if you do

I went to the The Dollar Tree and I love their education corner! And I found some really great bulletin board stuff. Since I'm just a worthless aide now and don't have my own room, I still like to look and I find reasons to buy!

I found some totally fabulous science words and I bought a package for the science teacher whose room I'm in. She thought they were totally AWESOME, and jumped up and down and promptly did a new bulletin board using them. How cool, right?

So on Thursday night I was in there and found some super cool boarder that was all US History stuff. Well, the 8th grade social studies curriculum is all US History! So I bought some boarder and gave it to the social studies teacher. He's a coach- did I mention that? And he never speaks to me when I'm in his room, unless I ask him a direct question. He isn't what you would call "Mr. Personality". So I gave him the boarder and he looked it and said, "Is this a hint that I should decorate my bulletin boards?" *Screeching halt*!!!!!!!

Shit. Well hell, that's not what I meant at ALL! Why would his first instinct be that I was being mean? I stuttered around and said no but I just thought it was cool. Then when I was in his classroom, I noticed, for the first time in months of sitting in his room, he really didn't decorate his bulletin boards real elaborately.

But I seriously just thought it was cool since it had Lincoln, the St. Louis Arch, Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, and the like on it........ I thought he would just think it was neat.

Jerk.

I should go in his classroom when he's not there, steal it and keep it.

See if I ever do anything nice again....
Maggie