Lauren C Falconer

Wow, how cool is this? I can blog from my iPod! Expect short posts though it takes forever to type on this thing!

Welcome to January! Traditionally the most depressing and boring month of the year. Unless you have the misfortune (well, at this time anyway) to be a teacher. The next 4-5 months are the busiest and most stressful of the teaching calendar. But then, the body calendar of a teacher has a different setting from 'normal' people. Having gone from school - University - school again, I have never had a 'normal' January - December view of the world. It would seem perfectly rational to me to count down to a binge of food, alcohol, metaphorical presents and glorious time off in June rather than December, and become incresingly depressed at the onslaught of the new year in August - spending August/September in a suicidal state at the thought of having no money or no life for the forseeable future. Whilst people spent far too much money at Christmas, teachers have the added bonus of also spending at least double their salary throughout July and August. The 7 weeks off means that suddenly, you are free to roam during the day - visiting coffee shops, department stores, supermarkets etc. Lunch time is no longer the mad capped dash of stuffing a homemade sandwich down your neck, whilst trying to photocopy and deal with the endless delivery of late homeworks, 'dog ate it' letters from parents and various other degrees of admin that never gets done in the morning. Suddenly, you have as long as you want for lunch. You can go out, you can go as far a field as you desire and connect with friends that have been cruising the obituaries through term time 'just in case'. So, January for teachers, is the equivalent of June for normal people. We are half way through the year, desperately trying to meet our end of year targets and counting down the days 'til 'Teacher's Christmas'. So, save the Samaritans leaflet for now, thanks. We will be counting on your moral support in the depressing month of August.