*i would like to acknowledge the fact that i stole the metaphor of middle school students acting like monkeys on crack from jtspencer* when does the first-day-back induced insomnia go away? does it ever? sunday nights are bad enough, but the night after an extended break...that is why i am typing this at a quarter to 2am. i tried staying up until i thought i was tired and then i tried sleeping...i didn't even have any caffeine today!!! and that is huge, cuz i got hooked back into my barista lifestyle of drinking too much coffee and staying up until all hours of the morning over the two week break. my bff barista finished her last shift at sbux last week. 7 years we've slung coffee together...made me realize i don't have a bff at school...i have someone every year who is a quasi-bff, but not a real one. and my school bff has only been the same 2 of the 3 years i've been doing this. now, this might not seem like a big thing to some of y'all, but it is to me. having that one other person at your site that totally gets you AND the job you do just makes life that much easier. don't get me wrong. i have a couple of mentors and colleagues who are more than supportive and lend the ear or shoulder as it is needed, but...i think i would have a really hard time if my bff from college wasn't also a teacher. i am looking forward to the crack-monkeys. i have some solid stuff planned. altho my la monkeys are going to hate me cuz the state writing test is coming in march and we have much, much preparation to do. yay weekly writing assignments!!! more on the writing test later...