Nervous Breakdown

First things first: Victory over the Cookies last night!

Day 18: I ate a half a bagel (shoot me).

Moving on quickly...

Last night - in the midst of twelve people crammed into our kitchen, twenty dozen cookies being mixed and baked, Tso peeing on the floor, and a cricket landing in my drink - someone commented about how I always seem so relaxed.

If you know me, you know this is a hilarious concept. I'm really not someone you would typically call laid back. In fact, in high school I had a reputation for recopying entire notebooks when the edges got a little wet, and biting my nails down to the quick simply because they weren't all EXACTLY the same length and shape.

Recently, however, I have, in fact, become pretty relaxed. I've been thinking about this a lot today. Why?

The obvious answer is Jeff. There is no way to be around him and not let his attitude rub off. If it wasn't for Jeff, I'd probably be in a hospital by now. Sometimes it drives people crazy - like when we show up places obscenely late - but mostly it has been very freeing and wonderful.

The other thing I realized today is that my job actually forces me to calm down. If I didn't adapt a little, I'd literally have a nervous breakdown every day. Being a teacher is a WONDERFUL job - who doesn't want to eternally live in high school?!? - BUT, I do deal with a lot of morons. Today, for example, I had to repeat instructions about how to staple a paper together and turn it in in the front of the room at least 300 times (no lie) and a student told me he didn't "give a f***" what I said and stormed out of my room. Just a day in the life... :)

So is it worth it? I think so. We'll see how long until I really do lose my mind.