April 13: External Heat and Cold, Friday the 13th, 5th Grade Poetry

External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge.  No warmth could warm, nor wintry weather chill him.  No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty.  Foul weather didn't know where to have him.  The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect.  They often "came down" handsomely, and Scrooge never did.

This description of Scrooge is one of the first in the novel.  It sets up his character fairly well.  It also sums up my mood this morning, which is just a continuation of last night's rain of crap.  Since my post from last night received no hits, I'm assuming its title was a little off-putting.  Perhaps nobody wants to read something that's called "Shitty Day."  Perhaps I should have titled it "Feng Shui for Beginners" or "Chocolate Chip Cookies, Zero Calories."  Then I probably would have received about a million page views.  I really have to be more careful about titles, I guess.

I've been trying to shake my shitty mood  of yesterday, but I haven't had much success.  It seems I'm sort of like Scrooge at the moment.  Nothing's going to alter my attitude.  Not rain.  Not snow.  Not fog.  Not sleet.  It sort of stems from some of the things I wrote about last night.  It sort of stems from something else that happened.  I'd rather not get into details.  I will make just one comment about it:  I don't like being told "everyone" in a group has decided to do (or not do) something that effects me.  Especially when I'm supposed to be a part of "everyone."  However, since "everyone" has decided, I have to agree to "everyone's" choice, not matter how much I think it sucks.

I guess that explanation is non-specific enough to confuse all my readers.  Let's just leave it alone.  I'm in a bad mood.  I'm in a mood that would give Scrooge a run for his money on Christmas Eve.  That bad.

I do need to somehow have a change of heart before 10 a.m.  I'm supposed to go to my daughter's school and teach poetry to two fifth grade classes.  The idea of teaching these fifth graders makes me a little nervous.  I've already got the lesson planned out, but I'm not sure how it's going to work.  I've never taught kids this old before.

So that's how I'm doing this morning.  I'm cranky, a little tired, and nervous.  Plus it's Friday the 13th.  When my daughter heard I was coming to teach her class poetry on Friday the 13th, she looked at me seriously and said, "Jeez, Daddy, couldn't you have chosen a better day?"

Saint Marty's hoping for a little luck (and happiness) today.

Even this guy's in a better mood than me!