school days

my 9th grade school photo. please disregard the unkempt hair, brows, and oversized men's polo i am wearing. we had uniforms, mmkay? well, i guess i didn't have to wear the shirts 7824 sizes too big.

here are some random, fragmented thoughts from my "first day." really, it's not that big of a deal. it's once a week for a few hours each class, and it seems like as long as i show up, take notes, and read the text, it'll all be gravy, baby.

lots of smokers. i got to class super early fearing parking would be impossible, but it wasn't. so i sat outside. in the cold. it seemed everyone except me was lighting up while waiting for the classroom to be opened.

he took attendance. like, called all 42 names. one. by. one. i forgot with my new last name i'm in a totally different part of the roll call than i used to be, so i was surprised when he called my name.

my parking permit costs more than the class. i am guaranteed a spot in class. i am not guaranteed a spot in the parking lots.

i learned my tolerance for other people has gone way, way down. i'm spoiled by my limited, usually intelligent interactions with people at work.

crazy girl ruined it for everyone.
crazy girl encounter #1: i was sitting on one end of a bench right across from the classroom door. a nicer, older woman was sitting on the other end. we made some small talk and gave each other a good amount of personal space. about 5 minutes before class was supposed to start, crazy girl RUUUUNS toward us and skids to a stop in front of "our" bench, and plops down. problem is, with her big jacket, her bag, and her derriere, she didn't fit on the bench part between us. so each of us scooted over a bit to accommodate. oh yeah, and no "excuse me" or "do you mind if i sit here?" or other some such courteous inquiry before she crashed down on us. she proceeded to rock back and forth to keep herself warm, giggle to herself, drink her coke loudly complete with lipsmacking and really loud gulping noises, then light a cigarette and blow her smoke pretty much in my face. i don't mind if people smoke, but i know from my smoker friends, who are courteous, that most will ask if you mind if you're in such close proximity (or find somewhere further away), then make sure the direction of the breeze while doing it. maybe i'm just spoiled by california's smoking laws. whatever, lady.

crazy girl encounter #2. when the classroom door opened, she darted in and grabbed a seat in back. phew. i grabbed one somewhere in the middle. at the end of class, the prof gave us a choice of either taking a 20-minute break halfway into class, or taking no break and leaving 25-30 minutes early. considering this is a 3-hour night class that goes rather late, EVERYONE voted for option 2. oh wait, except one person. i bet you can guess who. she let out a puppy-like squeal and said, "i HAVE to have that break!" since it's law or something that any class over 2.5 hours long has to have a 20-minute break, and if just one person needs that break for any reason, apparently the prof's gotta honor it. everyone turned around and shot her death stares, stink eyes, evil eyes...you name it. including myself. the bear will tell you i can burn holes through lead with my "look."

i know, i know, i'm mean. she may have some serious issues as i suspected while sitting on the bench next to her, but that encounter #2 iced my heart over into cold witch state.

i actually didn't feel too old.