Crunch Time

I dread the month of August like some people dread the Christmas rush or a visit to the dentist.

It's the beginning of football season and although there are only THREE players in the house this year, there is already a mountain of stinky, sweaty football clothes, random pads and chin guards among the vehicles and furniture, and the banging shut of food cupboards in the middle of the night.

Bad things happen in August.

One year in August I was involved in a full-speed head-on collision (actually, it was late July but the pain and trauma peeked the following month).

Tempers seem shorter in August.

Temperatures are hotter and water is in shorter supply.

The summer semester ends and the Fall semester begins, bringing professional development days and hours of course design work.

It's crunch time again and August 2014 has already seen it's share of stressful situations. For example, my youngest was involved in a typical boy head-to-teeth collision. The other boy lost two teeth while my son caught 100% of the shame and blame. "The bloody wheel gets the oil," I suppose.

A good friend, my mentor at the college, injured her back and can't teach. The college has asked that I take her upper-level courses because I am the only person 1) qualified to do so and 2) that she trusts.

While I wait for a definitive invitation to the subbing position, the teacher's union has to agree to the arrangement and the college has decide on the compensation package.

They chat while I churn over the logistics of two more preps, course design, etc.

Not to mention leaving my full time job.

I'm trying to see these as opportunities under August's perpetual dark cloud.