Day two was nothing but an enormous waste of time. We sat in a packed auditorium to endure endless introductions and self-congratulatory remarks by the various principals of the four "small" high schools that are now the Bushwick "campus". We weren't let into our rooms to begin setting them up until about 2:00. Infuriating.

Day Three brought the children. Quiet at first, unsure of what they would receive or what school would be like. It's one of my favorite days because I put on an invisible mask and carry a pretend broom. I become the wicked witch of the west. I make sure they leave the class trembling.They did. The faces this year, look much like the faces last year, only younger.

Day Four included the library incident as follows; I went to the library to reserve it for my students to do their research paper. However, upon arrival, I learned that the librarian from last year was no longer with us. Instead, there sat an old man, of an age in which he likely remembered colored water fountains, who mumbled something about being a temporary librarian but that all he could do was sit there. So, I went to the Principal who at said self-congratulatory meeting annouced that he was the facilities manager for the building. Except that apparently the library is not included in said facilities, oh no, for that I needed to go to the 3rd floor, find that floor's principal's secretary and fill out a reserve request. They needed two weeks notice even though the students had only arrived yesterday. Oh yeah and the form needed a prinicpal's signature. Sigh.

Day Five was uneventful except that it brought on the first two "hallway talks" with two children who will prove to test my patience to my last, weakened, raw nerve. That and already I feel underslept and uninspired.