So, I’m writing this blog during my break – at work! Yes! I am at work because the Chinese government doesn’t like it when students lose a day of school. So, since we had a five-day week (one was the actual holiday), we were told that last Sunday and this Saturday would be work days. Yeah…my students and I are pissed.
Well, since the first novel of my crimeverse was typed up and put away for a while, I’m now tasked with hiring models the professional and lengthy way. Yes! It will be my first time utilizing a professional website/service. Yes! It will be my first time being the only one who will be picking the models. Yes! I understand that the models have to be sexy and closely resemble the characters in my story. Yes! I’m fully aware that, if I pick wrong, the characters will not pop and my book series will be dead on arrival. Yes! I am clearly in a panic right now, but the book isn’t the only reason.
So, I have two new students in my Grade 9 class and two in my Grade 8 and with it brought a whole new set of challenges. However, it wasn’t as bad as my previous student. She was a total nightmare and all my students hated her. Even Jack-Jack didn’t like her – and he likes everyone. Anyway, I would like to focus on the two that I’m responsible for.
Parent-Teacher meeting and getting the Reading Room set up. These last two weeks have been really something and I almost lost my cool in front of my boss because of the latter. In my defense, I did tell him that I was an advocate for reading and the arts when I was interviewed. In fact, I told him that I value reading and the arts over everything else. But I should start from the beginning…
It’s finally happening. Sunday is the day I start my Master’s Program in English and Creative Writing and I couldn’t be happier. I finally get to go back to school and be a student – not a teacher. Well, I’m still a teacher but…you know…I already gave this song-and-dance. Instead, let me talk about why I have been so tired these last two weeks.
Well…it happened. I finally snapped at a student who was my own. I didn’t think it would happen. I thought I had a handle on my temper, especially since I was dealing with teenagers. Moreover, I was dealing with my usual group of teenagers so I didn’t think that would have been the case. But, alas, here we are.
Since the 3rd of this month, I have been working on the first installment of my LGBTQ+ Crimeverse series. The details of the series I’m still keeping to myself as I’m still ironing out all the logistics around the series. You know, how many series are going to take up this universe, the models, the photographers, ghostwriters (if necessary), among other things. But, right now, I’m grinning ear-to-ear.
As of today, I have completed my first year as a big boy teacher and I am so proud of myself. If you recall, my first job as an educator was at a training center (Owen) and I loved every bit of it. The students were wonderful, my colleagues were supportive sweethearts, and my main boss was cool. The only problem I had with the training center, aside from my immediate supervisor, was that it wasn’t my speed. But Limai, on the other hand…
The Chinese government is a fickled thing. They have laws against discrimination against the LGBTQ community, and, yet, they have laws banning games and media that have feminine men in them. Yeah…talk about hypocritical. They don’t even allow any PRIDE Parade anymore because it was “going against the harmony of China”. Nevertheless, I’m still swelling with PRIDE. Let me tell you why.
There is something about letting a student know that what are doing is out of kindness and love without using words. To show them that you care about them even to only get involved when it’s for their safety is something. But, sometimes, you have to use their words and, though it’s pretty rare for me, go into a monologue of suppressed anger and annoyance.
Let me explain…