Open/closed.

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.

Actually I went to bed on the wrong side too. I went out at 11 last night when I should have gone to bed. I didn't go to bed until 12:30, hence the wrong side.

Today I'm on the wrong side because I'm just plain tired. When I get really tired, I get depressed. The whole deal. Sinking pit in the stomach, hole in the heart. It's only temporary, but it sucks nonetheless.

I've got a great job lead for once I graduate. It starts in January--perfect timing--and it's at the SLTrib. Now all I have to do is apply and snag the position! Piece of cake, I hope.

I've always loved being around kids, but I think I've got the best group ever as my students. First there's adorable young Thomas, with his penetrating blue eyes and tender smile. "Thomas," I said to him the other day, "thank you for being so good today." He replied, "Just doin' my job."

Then there's Dante, the autistic genius. He's drawing a comic and he drew me into it. My character is Rock 'N' Roll Woman. I wear red shoes and have light purple skin. I shoot lasers out of my eyes, and I control robots and make them good guys. He made a Monopoly board game based on a book we just read. It is better than the Milton Bradley version.

One of Dante's classmates, Miranda, sets up a shop on her desk. Yes, like a store. She sells paper and metal things that she makes, and the kids buy them from her with money they make out of paper. The other day, she set up shop during class. Mrs. Parker, her teacher, got upset with her and told her, "Class time is not the time to sell things." Sulking, mouth turned impossibly downward, Miranda gently turned her sign from "Open" to "Closed" and put her wares away.

Anyway, I'm going to nap now.