Hits and Misses (Sept 29-Oct 5)

Much of the week has been an absolute fog, but here are a few of the highs and lows that I can actually recall.

HITS

• It's always great to have the entire family together for lunch on Sunday. Even if I was still a bit groggy from pain medicine, it was great to see everyone.
• When I finally got to see the doctor, it was good to get some more positive reports. He agrees with the ER doctor that all of my problems are related to a neck injury that is pulling the muscles in my shoulder and chest. I was given prescriptions for both anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxers.
• I got back to work this week. Most everything went well although there were a couple of days that I thought would never end. Thankfully the music staff at Union are understanding and allowed me to take it easy on some of the more demanding repertoire.
• If I have to be lying up in bed, at least I had some good television to watch. This week saw the return of my favorite prime time series (Scandal) as well as some great episodes of Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nashville. The only problem was staying awake late enough to see the episodes!

MISSES

• Pain relievers and muscle relaxers make me loopy. I could never be an addict because I hate the feeling of being out of control. I know they are a necessary treatment, but I will certainly be thrilled when my body returns to normal and I don't need their assistance any more.
• The student that attempted to intimidate me a few weeks ago returned to my class this week to ask if he could sit in while waiting for his class. I immediately asked him to leave (thankfully he complied) and then asked his girlfriend for his name.....which I promptly took to the security office. Security has spoken to the man and told him not to enter my classroom again. I'm thrilled that he has been told to stop, but I hate the fact that I work in a situation where students think they are in charge.
• Midterm grades are as troublesome for teachers as they are for students. It's never fun to report that students are earning poor grades. It's always tempting to ask myself what else I could do to improve the situation; the answer is always the same. Until a student is willing to put forth the effort to earn a good grade, no change on my part will make a significant impact. It's just part of the job.