Things That Pissed Me Off Today

It seems that I use this blog more to bitch than anything else. Some people may argue that bitching is one thing I have perfected. However, I try not to consider myself a negative person. That being said, here's my bitching for the day.

• This afternoon one of my students approached me in the hall to ask me his score on a test they had taken first thing this morning. I have a good rapport with this kid, even though he can be kind of a pain sometimes. When I said I hadn't yet had a chance to look them over, he told me that I was lazy and should have them done. Albeit in a joking tone (I think) the comment pissed me off for two, or more, reasons. Firstly, I always try, and usually do, to get tests and assignments returned the next day. Nothing pissed me off more when I was in school than teachers that sat on tests and projects for months before grading. Second, and most importantly, I can not believe a teenager has the gall to speak to a teacher like that. I may sound old here, but I NEVER would have said something like that to one of my teachers, even in jest and I knew they could take a joke. I just blew the comment off today, since I know the kid's personality and his humor is quite a bit like mine; dry and sarcastic, but I still am a bit shocked.
• I picked up my car from the garage this afternoon, which is an entire day later than the day it was supposed to be ready. Today is the first I've had my car since Monday evening. I never realized how dependent I am on my vehicle. Bumming rides to work from colleagues was getting pretty old. As if being without a car for the week wasn't bad enough, my little trip to the garage cost me a little over $1500. Not something I had in my budget.
• The kid I tutor informed me he had the flu all week and felt like shit, but his mom was making him do tutoring tonight. Ok, thanks. After about 45 minutes of trying to get this kid into his work in vain, I gave up and called it an early night. I wanted to get out of there not totally because he was sick, but mostly because someone in his house was BLARING a CD of various renditions of "Oh Danny Boy". On the bright side it did get me into the St. Patty's mood a little early.
  
• I dropped and broke my favorite ash tray for about the 4th time tonight. This thing has been through a lot, and I've had it for years. I've broken it and super glued it so many times, but I refuse to throw it away. It's a white ceramic ashtray with a drawing of Jesus smoking a joint wearing aviator sunglasses and a T-shirt that reads "My Dad Created the Universe and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt". A timeless heirloom.