Sunday, April 26, 2009

Where to begin...

I finally had my "moment" last Friday night. I came home at 5:30 PM and told Hank, who was cutting the grass in the front yard that I was "done!" I took a bath, put on my pajamas, got my pillow, turned on the TV and laid down on the sofa. I moved from the sofa to the bed at 10:00 PM and got up on Saturday afternoon at 12:07 PM. Between the pressure of finishing the grant (let me assure you that I am NOT a grant writer and have been nervous, VERY nervous for two solid weeks) and all of the drama at the office, I was completely exhausted.

Not to mention that I never flinched during all of the brouhaha with Mother and Ned. I think I might have been overdue for a "sinking spell."

The difficulties with the economy have hit education hard in the state of South Carolina...it's hit hard in other places also but in most instances, governors are accepting the stimulus money to help offset reductions in force. The governor of SC, who is not a friend of public education, says that he isn't accepting the money, therefore our new superintendent (bless his heart for moving to a new job in a new state and have all of this drop in his lap first thing...) had to go ahead and reorganize. I suppose I'm thankful for the distraction of the grant proposal as I was too busy to worry about my job the first week. This week was a different story.

Every single person I work with was just sick with worry all week. We had no idea what the reorganization would bring for us until Thursday. For those of us who are Southern Belles and Beaus, well...we thought we were entitled to an update every day and we didn't get one. So...what did we do? We started making things up...looking at every possible scenario and the sub-scenarios and the sub-sub-scenarios and so forth. Then came "THE MEETING"... everybody got called in to learn his or her fate. Best Boss in the World (BB) had a rough day...he had to give each person the news. If anybody could do it with kindness, he certainly could (and did). But here's how I envisioned it...(except that I look NOTHING like Carrie Underwood)

BB- OK...Belle...stand up. Principal Smith says that you're really swell and he'd love to have you come to work for him. Principal Jones thinks that you haven't really "found yourself" and could do with a little more professional development in teacher evaluation. Principal Brown, well, Principal Brown thinks that you are are "forgettable." Belle...the school board voted and...YOU.... ARE......

GOING HOME!!!!!!

As God's grace would have it...I was NOT sent home. My position is safe for now and I am relieved and thankful. And I feel extraordinarily guilty for feeling relieved when many other people's jobs did not make it onto the new organizational chart. They will NOT be unemployed, which is a blessing, but will have to take involuntary transfers back into school buildings or choose to look for employment elsewhere. (There is very little employment elsewhere, as we all well know.) Retirees are who currently employed will not receive contracts until displaced district staff are placed. It's a terrible terrible situation. I guess in a way we're all feeling a sense of grief.

The good news is that I feel much better after giving into my "sinking spell" and am ready to start the new week with renewed energy. I can't be FORGETTABLE, now can I???

20 comments:

  1. :) Glad you gave in to your "sinking spell" sometimes they are just what a belle needs! Glad your job is safe . . .

    Smiles!

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  2. Oh, thank goodness your job is safe! That is good news, although it must have been horribly stressful worrying about it.

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  3. Praying for you. UNEMPLOYED STINKS! And you are right, jobs are few and far. Glad you are safe. Now don't worry, deep breath, and focus on being the best you can be, because if it is gonna happen, well Belle it is what it is!

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  4. Oh, I dont think you are alone in feeling like this with the safety of your job!!!

    And I bet you look BETTER then Carrie Underwood! :o)

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  5. You had me worried, I thought you were going to say you got let go. Congratulations on finishing the grant; I guess that's something to add to your resume. Enjoy the week ahead.

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  6. So glad you are UNforgettable. Have a good week. And yes, I think you deserved a "sinking spell". xoxo

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  7. Glad your job is safe! The economy sucks and as a former teacher, I certainly feel for the education system right now. Hope you have a much better week!!

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  8. Wasn't it so nice just to "lose it" for a day? (or so)
    People are afraid of you so they just leave you be!
    Do not feel bad, you deserved it.
    The sleep probably did you well also!
    I thought you were very composed during the trials with Mother and Ned!

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  9. So glad your job is safe. I know you were thrilled. We are waiting on our contracts this week too and our enrollment is down where I teach, so will just have to wait and see what happens. Have a wonderful week. Love & blessings from NC!

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  10. I really can't stand Mark Sanford! Glad your job is safe!

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  11. SO glad you are rested and still have your job.

    The first paragraph of this post made me weep. One day.... Right?

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  12. So glad you're job is safe!

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  13. Good to read that you are still employed. I vote for a weekend away with your hubby. Go somewhere relaxing and romantic. That should offset a bit of your stress.

    Bossy Lisa

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  14. I'm glad you are feeling better now- I share your frustration with our "enlightened" Governor. Can you sense the sarcasm when I refer to him as enlightened?
    He is further grinding into the ground an education system that was already at the bottom.

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  15. That is so wonderful to hear that your job is safe...but I'm so sorry you have had such a stressful time!

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  16. So glad you made it through the re-organization...and no you aren't forgettable!!!!

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  17. You Ma'am are wild! You had me going! I thought you had lost your job!

    This economy is nasty but will rebound at a later date we all just have to keep the faith in God and help others who are struggling, as much as we can!! We must never forget that it can be us in a snap!

    You deserve a glass of wine and some chocolate for the mess you have been through!

    Have a great rest of the week and take care!!!

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  18. Tough times. I am glad that you have your job.

    Actually, really sad times.

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  19. I am glad you didn't make the cut. My niece is down in Florida. They took the money and she still got cut. I personally think he is doing the right thing. We have that lottery thing going so our school system SHOULD be rolling in the money. Yea right. It is getting tough out there.

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  20. Glad to hear that you're job is safe! What a blessing!

    Yep, it's pretty difficult for so many of us during this time.

    Hang in there.....

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