Apologies To The First Bruce...

(Seen a man on the ro-oad...and a dead dog in the sun...)

Not a very auspicious beginning is it? And I know I'm going to mangle the rest of the lyrics--I can sing them just fine when my ipod's on, but when it's just me and my own twisted brain, I combine like four different lines of it...but we'll get to the song eventually--trust me, I actually have a destination in mind today.

Anyway, for the last twenty years, I have had a not so secret crush on the three Bruces... Wayne, Willis, and Springsteen. I just saw that Netter (of whom I am wildly jealous, btw) got to see Springsteen in concert this Monday, and, well, my main funky squeeze was on my mind today.

(Seems like if he poked it long e--nough, that dog, well he'd get up and run.)

So after putting out my angst into the universe, and feeling bad about it because you all are so good at putting me back on my feet and helping me count my blessings, I had two amazing things happen to me today...

The first one was a conversation with a kid I had as a Junior last year--this kid almost got my ass in a can, because while I was out sick, he talked the sub into ignoring my lesson plan so that the class might watch a bootleg copy of The 300 instead--so just a warning, spoiler ahead.. But that's okay--I told him that I finally got to see it, and that, yes, besides the fabulous scenery (1800 stomach muscles, clearly defined...) the movie was also great to watch. He replied, "Yeah--my friends all hated it--they didn't like the ending--they think the bad guy should have died at the end. But I got it--I mean, the bad guy got wounded--that was even better, because, like, that way, he couldn't be a god!" And now, the kicker. "I got that from your class, Miz Lane. You made us look at stuff like that."

(And it struck my kind of fun-ny...)

Holy Batshit, Ratman!!!. I did that? I did that last year, when my judgement and my classroom management and my general effectiveness as a human being was at an all time, south-of-a-demon's-ass nadir? Wow. I mean, I could have ridden off that for days...and then...

(Kind of funny sir indeed...)

And then I checked my e-mail and saw the comments from Darkhearts--and I almost wept. Another English teacher--this one in a more crowded situation than I am...and she likes my books. And she lets her student's read my books. And she reads in the bathroom. And she thinks my prickweenie is a total nazi. And she makes me feel like I'm not alone in my profession, wondering what in the hell the world thinks it's doing with our young people.

(Seems at the end of every hard earned day...)

Thanks, sweetheart. Thanks ALL of you. And Darkhearts? Contact me at amylaneATgmaiDOTcom, and I'll see about donating some books for your kids...and bookmarks. *g That's all of you, btw--I'm pretty sure I still owe some of you bookmarks.g* I've still got tons and tons of bookmarks.

(People find some reason to believe.)

Sing it, Bruce--I'll be belting along with you in the car.