Every now and again, we (and by that I mean ME) have to make new rules around the house.  I'm sure it's the same at your house.  Last week, Jim took the air conditioners and the fans from the windows and put them away.  It wasn't even September yet, but I could see some sense in taking the air conditioners out. I mean, winter seems to come along the same week as the Walton Fair every year.  But not the fans!  I usually take that stuff out at the end of September but keep the fans on hand.  Sure enough, we (and by that I mean I) had to drag the fans out again last night.  Yikes it was humid!


So here's the new rule:  The fans can be put away when I stop shaving my legs with the straight razor for purposes of wearing shorts.  There.

My new "rule" for the upcoming school year is based on the Staples Back to School supply commercials.  There's an elementary teacher needing glitter and tape that sticks; a music teacher singing about denim needs; and a gym teacher swinging down from the ceiling with a jump drive.  He says he doesn't know what a jump drive is, but those kids are going to be jumping.  He tells us that our kids will be having "a year long tug-of-war with the ceiling".  And therein lies my new daily motto.

I will face each crazy new initiative or state guideline or administrative directive with the resolve it takes to play tug-of-war with the ceiling.  For some of these challenges, I may decide to just bat the rope to the side and move forward.  I may decide to climb that rope (however long it takes) just to touch the ceiling.  Seems like a logical enough motto for my 33rd year of teaching.