How did I accidentally become a workaholic?
I just calculated the number of hours I work in a typical week at this boarding school. It’s about 60 hours. That includes the school day, two weeknights of duty (about 10 hours) and a minimum of about 10 hours outside of the classroom grading papers and preparing lessons. 60 hours a week. Many teachers spend upwards of 20 hours a week grading and preparing lessons. On a week with weekend duty, that jumps up to about 72 hours.
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever want to work 60 hours a week. I used to have fantasies about being a a no-nonsense lawyer in a small Southern town, but those fantasies were based mostly on John Grisham novels I read between 1992 and 1994, and involved me looking suntanned, cool and unwrinkled in Katherine Hepburn-esque trousers. In my fantasies I was somehow always married to someone who bore an uncanny resemblance to Matthew McConaughey in “A Time to Kill,” and I drank a lot of iced tea. I figured those lawyer types would burn the midnight oil a lot, but they would be fighting the Klan or something…
I like the idea of being a workaholic. When I saw “All the President’s Men,” the idea of throwing my personal life away, drinking coffee hunched over a typewriter, conducting interviews with a battered notepad and a chewed up pen, and chain-smoking seemed like heaven.
Being forced to be a rolemodel, however, is exhausting. At least journalists and lawyers are allowed to swear. Hell, everyone expects them to be sleep-deprived and short-tempered. And the only people who drink more than lawyers and journalists are doctors. (Try not to think about that too much.)
Out here in Southern boardingschoolland everyone must be on her best behavior at all times. Pearl necklaces are mandatory, as are weekly manicures and pedicures. The fact that we get paid chickenfeed doesn’t seem to be an acceptable excuse for cheap or worn out clothes.
The fact that we work at least 60 hours a week and are still expected to look and act like Miss Virginia seems downright insane.
Things I will never attempt to create.
All of the photos posted today represent only a small number of the things I will never attempt to create.
I suppose I’m feeling slightly inferior because one of my co-workers makes jewelry and knits and sews
I just want to make it perfectly clear to all interested parties that I will not be creating many things in the near future. I’m too busy molding tomorrow’s leaders.
And teaching them why they have to use quotation marks when they write research papers. (Hint: So you don’t get an F.)
The point is that I’m too busy to make anything right now.
Stop making your handmade jewelry and your custom quilts, dammit! I can’t take the pressure! Stop judging me!
