Survivors

Angela and I have been back in California a month now, back from a glorious four week vacation in Michigan. Back from not thinking about jobs and money and worries and life. Back from bonfires and central air conditioning and fireflies and cuddly babies and family and love. But we're back. In Los Angeles.

School started two weeks ago for me, I'm teaching again, online, and it's going well. I've got a new system for organizing my classes. I'm corresponding with students via email and phone and text message. It's keeping me busy. I've also had a job interview, applied for hundreds others, and have started writing. A little. Not as much as I should because it's hot. And that's not an excuse but a reality. It's hot. FREAKING HOT. Outside. In my house. In my office. It's so hot my phone almost quit the other day. It's so hot Angela's brand new birthday Tervis tumblers together and had to be returned. It's so hot that I got sick on Friday. It's so hot my brain barely works. So we've seen a lot of movies, walked through all of Los Angeles's mall and hate to get out of our cars. Did I mention it's hot? I won't again. I promise. (Unless my brain breaks again and I need another excuse.)

School started one week ago for Angela. She's working as a long-term sub for the 4th year in a row. If she's lucky, she gets to work at the same school in the same room for a semester. If she's not, she'll likely not work at all. Welcome to a new solution to the budget crisis by the school district. Welcome to teaching sixth graders their multiplication tables. But the thing? She's a FREAKING ROCKSTAR. A complete and utter trooper. She does her job like the National Board Certified Teacher she is. She does the job better than most people I've ever seen in a classroom or out. She does it and she does it so well.

This weekend we celebrated her birthday with a BBQ with some great friends (a real blessing because it's been a very long month) and then walking around Santa Monica taking in the ocean breezes. This weekend we struggled. This weekend we laughed and we cried and we did our jobs (yep, both of us worked both days this weekend) and we watched TV and saw movies and ate cake. We survive. Because, really, is there any other option? Survivors survive. And that's what we'll do. Even if it's HOT in here. Come on September, bring up some relief....