Did I mention I hate my job?

I haven't felt much like blogging this week. I didn't get much rest at the weekend, what with the kids swimming lessons, birthday party, and the usual jobs that having four kids entails (e.g. 7 loads of washing minimum). I also managed to somehow fit in 8 hours of marking in an attempt to keep up with the ridiculous marking policy that my school insists upon.

So, come Monday, I was already somewhat frayed. I'm counting the teaching days until the half term holiday (17 to go!). There's always a meeting Monday after school. It goes on for hours. I was one of the first to arrive, but as everyone was not yet settled I left my cup of tea to mark my seat, and nipped back to my classroom to turn my computer off. The meeting had just started when I arrived, so technically I was a couple of minutes late. Not to worry, a further 5 people came in over the course of the next 20 minutes, so I was by no means the last.

The colleague chairing the meeting will remain nameless (yes, the same Nameless Wonder that ticks books without reading them). The meeting droned on. It was one of those pointless meetings about how we can provide evidence that we are doing something, so that if we are inspected by Ofsted (Government Inspectors) we can show them we are doing it, even if we are not. A bit like the 'marking books without reading them' scenario. All about the illusion of teaching.

I kept my mouth shut. No-one wants to hear the truth about such time-wasting meetings.

Anyway, at last week's meeting we had been asked if we minded staying an extra 15 minutes on the promise that we would be given that time back this week. Actually we had stayed 20 minutes, but that's OK, I don't mind, so long as there is good will.

I wanted to get to the bank, and to the post office to post a letter for Donny before they shut, so I was keen to leave on time. (In fact, I managed to do neither job until today.) So around the end of the meeting, just as Nameless Wonder looked like he was about to launch into another half hour spiel on some new time consuming initiative, I said: I have to go in a minute.

Not a particularly inflammatory statement, I thought, but hell, did the sh*t hit the fan! He jumped down my throat and pretty much told me off, like I was a 14 year old! How dare I tell him when to finish his meeting 3 minutes before the scheduled time, when I was late for it in the first place? he ranted. I pointed out that I wasn't telling him when to finish his meeting. I didn't point out that the colleague next to me had already stood up and put her coat on. By comparison I was being very laid back about being kept 20 minutes late, again.

I was so p*ssed off with him. Honestly, I haven't spoken to him for two days, not that he has noticed. To be fair, this is not the first time he has spoken to me like that, but it had better be the last or I may just stick his whiteboard marker where the sun doesn't shine!

So, this is why I haven't blogged for a day or two. I have been trying to get control of my anger so that I can write something light and fluffy that people might enjoy reading. Let's face it - it ain't going to happen. I need to expunge this rage, and then I can go back to the candyfloss blogging.

Yours, hopping mad,
R xx