Into the Great Wide Open

I've got only a couple of more hours left as my profession as a teacher, or as a coach, will come to an end.

I'm basically sitting here with nothing to do (besides watching The Three Stooges on DVD). All of my computers are gone from the room (getting cleaned), the newspaper clippings are off the walls, my desk is completely cleaned out.

The knot in my gut is starting to tighten. I really don't know how to handle it. Room 1150 has been my classroom, my office, for the past 3 years. The interactions with my students and my fellow teachers will cease, forever.

At around 1:00 p.m. today, I will be turning in my keys, probably never setting foot again in this school.

It all hit last night, when I was continuing to write my "Words of Wisdom" to a few seniors, I received a phone call last night from a student. She had just graduated and was one of the few who received a letter from me. She actually thanked me for taking the time to support her whenever she needed it and she also wished me the best of luck in my own future.

I really hope things go well for her: she doesn't have the best home life, she doesn't have plans for college, but she's extremely talented. I had written to her that with her talents, as far as computer visual graphics are concerned, that she should pursue something in that field. I can only advise her so far, but ultimately, it's her decision.

After the phone conversation, I just hung up and thought. This was the main reason why I became a teacher. Although I probably will never see some of my students again, I felt like it ended on a "high note." Someone actually gave a damn about what I was trying to do while I was here.

With that, there's nothing much left to say. I'm going to take some time off with my family this upcoming weekend, and while that is going on, I'm going to prepare for my phone interview on Monday with a corporation in South Dakota.

One step leads to the next and I'm excited.