My Alter Ego Needs Help

Once upon a time I happened upon an unfortunate situation.  The unfortunate situation involved me asking a procedural question to an unfavorable co-worker who proceeded to give me unsolicited advice about how I should be doing my job.  It UNfortunately started with “If only…”  I can’t begin to emphasize how UNHAPPY this situation made me.

So, as I proceeded to painstakingly respond professionally to the accusation that I basically don’t do anything, I appeased my anger by imagining what my alter ego might do.  You know what I mean – the little bubble forms in the back of your mind and you do the unthinkable…which for me consisted of grabbing my co-worker by the hair and giving her face a taste (or two or three) of my knee.

Now I would NEVER, EVER do a crazy, violent thing like that.  But it made me feel a little better, and then I shared my “bubble ego” story with a few of my friends and we all had a good laugh.  And then I had a crazy idea:  what if I make my alter ego as a cartoon and find a simple animation ap and see what happens.

And here we are.  Let me introduce you my alter ego.  She needs your help – she needs a cool, alter-ego name!  But before you meet her you should keep in mind that:

1.  I am NOT an artist.  I’m a doodler, maybe…but NO artist.

2.  I am NOT an animator, and I clearly never will be.

Ok, world…here goes!

Hello Moon

(written in jest with apologies to Margaret Wise Brown and my inspiration: “Goodnight Moon”)

In the great big world

there are children

And lots of adults

And a picture of…

The sky and a big full moon

and there were a few punks, stinking like skunks

and some school personnel going through hell

and a little smile once in a while

and a wish and a plan and a middle school clan

and a crazy counselor wishing for “He-Man”

Hello world

Hello Moon

Hello punks, you stink like skunks

Hello school personnel

Hello hell

Hello smile

Hello once in a while

Hello wish

Hello middle school and hello clan

Hello nobody,  hello plan

and hello to the counselor wishing for “He-Man”

Hello hope, hello care

Hello educators everywhere.

Rude Awakening

Our 2012-2013 school year started three weeks ago and it’s been a different vibe. I’m used to feeling energized and excited, light and happy. However, more of a heavy vibe has settled in. I thought at first that it was due mostly to the personal losses our school has suffered. Now I see it’s much more.

Today I saw a dear friend in the late afternoon. His son is an 8th grader – a really great young man. My friend told me that he asked his son about me…and that his son said he sees me, but doesn’t say hello because I always look mad, and he doesn’t want to bother me.

Ouch.

I told my friend to tell his son to please say hello anyway – to help remind me of why I became a counselor to begin with. I hope he does. Mostly because he’s right: I have been mad. Mad at a small group of kids who are out of control and have been since last year. The legal system has been slow, and the result is four kids who believe they are invinsible. But I’m also mad at a couple of adults who aren’t able to be professional / think rationally / function with an ounce of common sense. Fingers are pointing and rumors are spreading, and it just pisses me off.

But I can’t control it all, and I need to remember my audience. All the good kids and good grown ups…they are watching, too. And I need them to see me being me, mostly happy and slightly crazy me. And I will try harder…after this much needed three day weekend.

Thank you for the message, Kale. I obviously needed it.