Holy shit this is a lot to take in. Like why am I more overwhelmed here than when traveling to a country I’ve never been and don’t know the language?

VEGAS, LFG.

Another file for our WTFlorida presentation, @rebelmusicteach.bsky.social

He insists on sleeping in his too small bed but keeps falling out so I’m now tasked to holding his head with my foot.

I peed on the couch and woke up mom out of a deep snoozle at 540am, so she responded by giving me the smallest bed in the world to nap on.

These past ten days have been some of the craziest of my life. What a rollercoaster and learning curve. Thank GOODNESS the semester is over…

I love it that even MS band kids are like Fuck the Patriarchy and walking out, too. There are so many things to love about this young generation.

I got gas for 3.97 last night in Winter Haven and I think I won the lotto.

This just blew my mind this morning. I’m going to think about this all day, especially as “that” college kid on Napster in the early 2000s and now a professor cursing AI every day.

My coffee tastes extra good today. And the company is even better with my wittle old man.

I’ll miss this office and the lake view so much. But I won’t miss the college ghosting me on my loan app paperwork this week. I really wanted to leave saying good things about this place but the front and back ends of my contract were grounds for employee negligence & contract violations.

Ready for my morning snoozle. Mom says I’m on the struggle bus these days but I still kept her safe from the repair man even if I was baking at the cabinet and not at him.

Coach Jackie puts on her band kid hat for a hot second and rages about the WI decision against playing Omar Thomas’s Mother of a Revolution and the comments are 10/10. My fav suggestion is below. Link to piece bc it slaps: youtu.be/Ih7iHoUk-r4?...

I hope karma comes back to the white racist, narcissistic shits on the Watertown School Board. I want to see all their Spotify playlists because I’m sure there is much worse in actually lyrics in what they listen to. Depriving kids to play an instrumental work is cowardly bullshit. 1/

I just found out one of my best friends is going to be a grandma and I’m frozen. We looked at each other and were like, “we’re still only thirty, right?”

Things I learned already this week: 1) Mortgage lenders have no f’in clue how teacher contracts work. 2) Paying shitty wages in a college HR dept lends itself to Low-IQ people who can’t accurately report salary➕overtime (overload/stipend) pay in a Letter of Employment. Letter doesn’t equal paystub.

I think my dad is more thrilled about me moving to Boca than me. Little does he know we are leaving MAGA Mecca of Polk County and entering one of the few Blue areas left.

I’m curious to know how many students contest grades from male versus female professors because at my college, I have only ever heard female profs be summoned by admin when they actually hold an expectation and a student doesn’t like it.

There was yet another fire in the light fixtures of our building this morning. Literally no one was there but me moving out of my office and one colleague. Safety came in three mins, it took 25 mins for facilities to come disassemble the light and remove the faulty bulb-“this happens often.” WTAF.

That truck driver struck by a United plane should have free first class flights for life and as many snacks as he wants. How the actual hell does that happen?!!

GRADES ARE IN. Chapter closed.

Spin class was canceled so I went for a run/walk around the lake and I immediately regret it and my quads are already cursing me. But I’ll miss this campus and lake when I move.

Morning nap #1.

My heart legit goes out to all the people stranded bc of Spirit shutdown—I got stranded a whole extra month in Brazil when Varig shut down the day after I landed there to do my masters research. Then had to fly Bahia>rain forest airport>Canada>Pittsburg> NYC to get home.

This old man is 16 next month and now I have to put a diaper on him when I leave and he refuses to poop. Somehow he pooped on the floor but yet the diaper was still on him. WTF kind of full moon shenanigans is that?!

For the third year in a row, Florida ranks 50th in teacher pay. No wonder we have so many vacancies and no one wanting to fill them. ALSO—THE BEACHES DO NOT FILL THAT VOID WHEN YOU HAVE TO PAY $25 TO PARK FOR HALF A DAY.

Haribo Gummy Bears, Circus Peanuts, Kind Granola Bars

Timeline cleanse with this tired nugget. Life is tough when you are almost 16.

Why is it that when a student only shows up to 61% of classes they still expect an A in the course? Then argues with profs about it? This is why Gen Z is getting hired and fired left and right.

I should’ve been grading all day but spent 80% of it looking for a blonde bob wig in the desert of Lakeland, Florida for a retirement party at 4pm. I found the wig but only graded 18 assignments. Totally worth it.

Best sleep score since getting the ring and you know why? I gave my last exam for the semester yesterday. It’s about time I crashed and burned. Here’s to the final sprint thru grading.

I am done giving finals. Now for the marathon of grading.

I’m so glad I don’t need a new passport right now.

I have to give an exam from 6-8pm tonight. I’m gonna need a nap and snacks to get thru this. Thank god it’s the last one.

My dog needs a ballroom

My fav conspiracy theory of the day is that he planned this assassination attempt just to get his fucking ballroom.

I miss the Bird Place when it comes to the academic community but I’ll still announce this here anyways: I am thrilled to say that I have accepted a position at Florida Atlantic University as Coordinator of Music Ed and Assistant Professor of Music starting this August. Too many feelings about this…

Sunday snoozles.

If you were horrified watching elected leaders run & scramble because of gun violence, just imagine how my daughter Jaime felt in school running from an active shooter before she was killed. Now, become a part of the solution & only vote for people determined to address gun violence in America.

Friday-end-of-semester feels.

Last day of class. Which means I hyper focused for the first 4.5 hours of today, crashed out hard for 2.5 hours and then just gave up for the week. Too many 10-12 hour days 🤦🏻‍♀️

Wow I’m so happy we had MTT for 81 years. What an amazing career and mentor for young musicians. I’m grateful to have been in Florida to witness his impact at NWS. Rest easy, maestro.

Anyone know how to tell your Oura ring that you just have an 15.90 yo dog with nighttime anxiety laps and to stop fretting?

Des ran Boston like a 26.2 mile victory lap after a 168 mile desert super marathon and still came in 30th place. That’s pure Queen shit right there.

The runners of the Boston Marathon have literally the absolute best weather to run in. I’m so jealous!

Last week of class THANK GOD…

I’m literally making a pot roast all for myself because my body is craving salt and protein. Also to celebrate the last week of class and the longest, craziest year. And I want my house to smell like a warm hug.

If we taxed billionaires, every public school could have the updates and fancy lab space. Those hoarders won't give it willingly, though, because charter schools and vouchers are just another way for them to siphon OUR money into THEIR bank accounts. Enshittification of education for their profit.

Still waiting for these MAGA Christian Nationalists to all realize what an absolute piece of shit this president is when he attacks a religious leader like the Pope. Cheers to the Irish priest who said what many are thinking out loud.

We are paying $4 a gallon yet there’s a fucking air show in Lakeland ALL WEEK LONG.