Back to School???

Well, it's officially happened. Stores have started their "back-to-school" advertising campaign, effectively taunting every teacher out there enjoying their summer vacation. Last summer, I felt dread at the thought of going back--I wouldn't have felt so much dread at the end of August, but in the middle of July?!? Next thing you know, they'll start advertising on the first day of summer vacation in June. Come on, people.

I complain about this, YET... I walk into the local Wal-Mart with their big "back to school savings" signs, and their middle aisles full of glue, crayons, pencil cases, etc, and I start to feel an almost uncontrollable urge to buy class sets of everything. I find myself wandering in the office section, wondering how I could justify buying a five hundred pound pack of colored printer paper, or my eye catches a pocket shoe holder and I think about all of the classroom supplies that thing could hold...

And truthfully, knowing that there's a chance I could NOT get hired as a teacher this fall actually makes me long for the first day of school. Life is a paradox.