Lucky Ducky Presents: The Poor Person's Guide to Hurricanes for Fun and Profit

Ruben Bolling's done it again! Here is another in a seemingly neverending series of astute, timely Tom the Dancing Bug comics.

The Hits Just Keep Coming

It's been ten days now since I quit my job at Johnsburg High, yet every day I seem to get more and more emails and Myspace friend requests. And it's making it hard to let go, particularly as I begin to think that maybe, just maybe, I made a terrific mistake, that I got in the way of my own success once again. See, I have gifts. I know I do. And these gifts get me into situations where I can, you know, make the most of said gifts. But my self esteem, or, in fact, lack thereof, simply won't allow it. So I bail. Again. Only this time I'm really getting an earful from those children I left behind, specifically my former students.

One of them wrote me the following today:

Date: Sep 15, 2005 7:03 PM
Subject: Hey now that you know who i am
your an awsome english teacher, no i scratch you were the best teacher iv ever had. now we got this new stupid guy that doesnt know what hes talking about and likes to mumble stuff like " ill drop kick you!" its pretty wierd. but ill keep in touch .

Why did I leave again? Well, I was reminded just minutes later, when I got an email from my 9th hour, the class over which I quit.

Date: Sep 15, 2005 8:01 PM
Subject: woahhh
[this] is [name deleted] from your old 9th hour english class... damnit mr price you bailed on us, you were alot cooler than the teacher we have now, oh well, if you left cuz of the kids in the class I dont blame you.. ttyl andy

This kid still haunts me, because I could tell, every day, that he was just dying for me to get it together so he could produce some cool work. But I never did. I failed him. Yes, I am now quite firmly in the beating myself up phase of this whole affair. But, fuck, I deserve it. I had a good thing going there. The students in my English 1 classes loved me, as did their parents. The adminstration was seemingly impressed. It was hard. It was a lot of work. But I could've gotten my English 3B classes on track and plowed forward, leaving a few troublemakers behind. It wasn't impossible. And then I would've had an awesome year. Instead I will spend the next year scrambling for sub work, living off white rice, and missing "my" kids.

I think I hear Aimee Mann again.

"It's not going to stop, 'til you wise up."

Yeah, when is that going to happen again?

Back to School at 52

As a teacher (and, yes, we teachers call ourselves teachers even when we are unemployed), I found this article fascinating.

A Letter to All Who Voted for George W. Bush from Michael Moore

On the 4th anniversary of 9/11/01, Michael Moore asks the tough questions of those who voted for Bush. Read it here.