In the Captain's Seat

Life truly is stranger than fiction.

After oversleeping, losing my ID card, having the gas pump not accept my debit card, and spilling coffee on myself, I travelled with due haste to school. Living fifty or so miles from work makes for a long commute in the morning. The added addition of having the majority of the commute consist of highway miles gives the mind a chance to wander freely. When the mind wanders freely, of course, anxiety starts to kick in.

In this case, it was not only the first day of school. It was also my first day as a full-fledged teacher. New students and new responsibilities really don't allow a bagel with cream cheese to settle well in one's stomach. I remember arriving at the school, parking in my designated spot, and sitting for a few minutes to reflect on the morning and my life. If my life were a roller coaster, it would out perform sales on all major amusement parks in North America. I suppose it can be a good and bad thing. I, myself, don't really like roller coasters. Bumper cars are more my thing... fried dough as well.

The apex of this romantic comedy of a day came at the sounding of the bell which lets students know that they can enter the building. It was common knowledge at the end of the last school year that my position had been eliminated and that I was not returning in the Fall. Most students were unaware that I had been rehired. Surprise!!! Yes, it was quite an emotional reunion.

Right before the credits rolled, I was presented with a token of appreciation by two of my former students. A hot pink necktie.

Simply awesome.

The truth is, it's the little things that make all the difference. I often thought that possessing the qualities of a charismatic adult would help touch not only students' minds but also have an impact in the way they see and feel about themselves.

I realized today that this idea works both ways as it was they who had the impact on me.

It is good to be home!!!

Looking the part

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the new school year for many schools across the United States. The school in which I am employed is no exception to this. First days, or first impressions for that matter, are paramount in any given situation. For the students, first days can be both exciting and intimidating. I, myself, can remember many first days of school during my middle and high school journey. The thought of, "Where will I sit at lunch?" in particular always troubled me. Of course, as always, the first day jitters subside and eventually fade unleashing the humdrum days of learning in full force.

Even as a teacher, I still get these first day jitters in excess. Of course now I know full well where I will be sitting at lunch. No... my jitters often involve my wardrobe. Be that as it may, I believe the key to setting a positive and professional tone for the school year lies with first day apparel.

Being my third year working in a school, I have developed a certain strategy for attaining the perfect outfit to set the aforementioned tone. I do not want to appear too casual. Nor do I want to appear too professional. Either of these in excess would give off an inaccurate representation of who I am. A happy medium must be reached that expresses both professionalism and fun.

This is the sort of outfit that requires careful and painstaking planning. Allow me, if you will, to break this down.

Socks

The idea of socks may seem rather mundane to some. Especially since no one really sees them during the day. However, socks that border the line between simple and quirky have often made a good conversation starter. 

Socks that I wore to "New Teacher Orientation"

These socks, for example, may seem to be too flashy. In my case, however, they just happen to match the school's colors. This is a win.... all-around.

Ties

This is pretty self-explanatory. Neck ties of any sort of awesome. Bow ties, in particular, give an almost post-modern look that is clearly too detailed to go into. (At least in this post)

Some of my ties...

So which one do I choose... That is the question for the ages.

I could go on for hours.... and hours.

In summation, I suppose the real cusp of this matter is the notion of confidence. If I feel confident, then theoretically, others should feel confident via osmosis. Either way, on the first day of school tomorrow, I will unequivocally "look the part."



For those interested in looking the part, here are some starting points.

1. The Best Socks on the Planet!
   
2. Excellent Ties

A new beginning...

For many a year, I was known to many as "The Wandering Youth." It was an internet alias, a nickname, and also my passion.

A great deal of my childhood was spent in the giant yard in the house where I still currently reside. At the time, I found myself ever curious of the world around me. This trend continues today into my adulthood.

As a teacher of English, I save the world... one student at a time. As a freelance magician, I amaze and dazzle (most of the time). As an employee at my local supermarket, I provide excellent customer service, jokes, and reach containers of milk on the top shelf for the elderly.

I digress.

We are now in Season 25 in the television sitcom that is my life. A celebration is in order. This is, after all, a significant milestone.

This blog, among other things, will be a record of my musings, wacky adventures, and my overall opinions on this planet in which we live. I shall try to spice things up once in a while with things such as bow ties, colorful socks, and reviews on books and things of the like.

I shall try as often as possible to update this blog. In my youth, I was known to start projects and forget about them after a few weeks to start something else. An unending cycle it t'was. I'd like to think that I have the constitution now to maintain this record of my existence. For the moment, I will welcome comments to my stories. This life is a wonderful journey that is meant to be shared and discussed like a fine south-asian novella.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.