2nd semester, missed deadlines and country music

Second semester began today. It's a hectic time of year, but I like it. I keep most of the same students, but I do get one whole new class of new sophomores. Sophomores are interesting. I hated them in my first year teaching them, but I have learned how to deal with them. They think they're cool because they aren't freshmen anymore. Juniors don't have this reaction to the 3rd year; they are too busy being frantic about what they think is the "most important year" of their lives. Seniors are fine until about March, which is when they offically close shop. Anyway, I just let the sophomores go on thinking they're cool. I don't let on that I'm not any more impressed with the coolness sophomore than I am a freshman's.

My editors kept me late after school today which meant I could not go to the gym. I'm not complaining about this; I hate the gym. I'd much rather be locked in the lab with my editors trying to meet their deadline (they didn't) than be sweating at the gym with a bunch of skinny bitches who don't even really need to be there anyway. My Mon/Thurs step aerobics instructor has purchased a new CD, which includes the world's most annoying song EVER. I'm not sure what it's called, but judging by the refrain I'd guess it's called "Save a Horse; Ride a Cowboy." My skin starts crawling every time I hear this song, which does not, incidentally, stop it from being lodged in my brain all night. It's the combo of my two least favorite genres of music- country and dance. I suppose it's only country insofar as it includes the word "cowboy" and a few other choice country-type words, but that's enough for me. My editors' inability to meet their deadline saved me from that anyway. They missed their deadline because they are trying to run a controversial story this month about a kid that came out of the closet to his family. It's a feature story for a series we call "Triumphant Teens," and we think coming out of the closet as a sophomore in high school is pretty triumphant. I had to share it with my principal this morning (he has the legal right to prior review), and he wants us to hold it until we (my editors, him, me) have the opportunity to meet with the school's attorney's to discuss how we can cover our ass should this kid get harassed for being gay (which, considering this school is in the heart of DuPage County, he will). It sounds like he supports it, but he doesn't want legal trouble for the school or to put the kid in harm's way. As much as I want my kids to be able to exercise their freedom of speech, I don't want to see this little sophomore get gay bashed.

Time to gear up for 24. I get so worked up when I watch this show (on so many levels). I have a hard time going to sleep when it's over.