first day blahs

So today was the first day....It was interesting. Let's start with the fact that the listening skills on these kids are nil. Story? no. Poem? maybe. simple sentences are difficult right now. Then the crying. Lots more crying this year than usual, including one who wouldn't stop for about an hour. Finally i pulled him on my lap and gave him a big hug and told him that his mom was not coming back until the end of school and wouldn't it be better to play than cry? He actually stopped--it was a minor miracle. Because if he hadn't I would have called his mom and told her to come get him. But the crying doesn't stop there, oh no, many other children cried; one of the fifth grade teachers has a child in my class, and he was MR. WHINY. I can't do it, I can't eat it, I don't want to. Ugh, I just wanted to be like, chill out already! I think the only saving grace is realizing the struggle is the journey--a popular phrase from this summer. I vaguely remember feeling this way last year, and that class was wonderful...Is it too much to wish for two wonderful classes? I'll tell you one thing, there are no geniuses in this bunch :P

oh, and what kind of a name is "essence". In the litany of "invented" names, that one takes the cake. I also have a "ZyDerryo." Which actually quite pleasantly rolls off the tongue.