I�m only a man in a silly red sheet

I got my performance review today with my principal, in case you are wondering I am a fantastic teacher. I am in my second year at this school and when my experience in public school they consider and coach me like someone who lacks that experience in a public setting. Last year I was �Rookie of the Year� for my district � by virtue of being the only first year teacher but it was great to be told that despite my status as the only neophyte that I am doing a bang up job. The other nice thing about my review is that my personnel file will include the notes sent it about me by parents and guardians of my students. The best review I can receive is the opinion of the people who pay the big bucks to send their kids to our school. Everyone, except the Music �teacher,� loves me.

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I have to pick an honor graduate out of my fifth graders, of which I have five. The process of selecting one to set aside as, �the best� is daunting. Since I have them as fourth and fifth graders I have a long time to get to know them. This week we have had a stupidity epidemic in fifth grade. The two with the highest grades got into fights this week with fourth graders. I not only have a lack of tolerance for fighting but I also lack tolerance for fighting smaller children. At least the fourth graders won the fights, adding humiliation to whatever punishment I handed down. This has narrowed my choices down to three of the five of them. This makes things easier and the girl in fifth may win by virtue of the boys disqualifying themselves. There is money involved too, so I told the remaining fifth graders, �At this point, the cash is yours to lose.�

I do not like giving out cash prizes for children doing what I expect them to do. I think there should be converse awards where parents and students pay teachers for their enduring phenomenally stupid behavior.

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I agree with Golf Widow, I prefer West Wing to the State of the Union. I have the internet and know how the Union is doing. I would prefer President Bartlett to President Bush on my Wednesday evening, thank you very much. It is one of three shows I watch and I am loath to miss it. I care more about the Bartlett Administration on Wednesdays and would vote Democratic if they were going to be tough and good looking like those kids on NBC.

However, despite disagreeing with huge tracts of the speech and loving others I will say that it was his best-delivered speech. Despite my ardent support, his speaking makes me cringe.

I know I am President of Diary Land but I am not giving a State of the Union, I would hate to preempt worthwhile reading or television.