Impatience for Time

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

~ Calvin Coolidge

My last post only told of my subbing tales until Wednesday. After the excitement of the conference and the two guest posts, life returned to my version of normal. I’ve noticed that since the regular gatekeeper is out, my sub calls come later and later. (Do the sub gatekeepers like to sleep in?) On Thursday morning, I had already showered and (hopefully) put on casual clothes. Then. The. Phone. Rang. For P.E. Might as well keep on those casual clothes and add sneakers.

The job was at the school with the big pep rally from several weeks ago, where I spend a lot of time in the middle school. Turns out his pep rally paid off because the boys and girls’ teams won championships. There was an article written in the “Cambridge Chronicle”, which got the attention of someone from Dunkin’ Donuts. So Saturday and tonight the teacher and his teams get to attend the Celtics and the Boston Garden. Soooo jealous.

After the 2^nd/3^rd-grade class did stations, I watched two fourth and fifth-grade classes play prison dodge ball. Then I left for the other school. When I entered the gym, a few three-year-old Montessori students ran over to embrace my waist. Too cute.

It turned out the gym teachers had a meeting that afternoon, so I’d be working with the building sub. She’d been there since March, so I figured she’d take over. I WAS WRONG. She was intimidated by gym, so I ran the three afternoon 1^st/2^nd-grade classes. Heck, it was my third time subbing gym that week, so I’ve become an expert.

Friday morning, I received another late call to sub (drum roll please) GYM! This time, it was at the high school. I’d only subbed P.E. there once before and it was for swimming, so I just had to make sure students didn’t sneak out (or drown) while the swim coaches ran the classes.

When I reached the office, I was told the teacher had a light day with just two classes. There were no plans left for the secretary or in the mailbox. I was told to show up for homeroom second period to find out where my “Avid” class was located and what I’d be doing. ????? Until then, I got coffee, went to the teacher’s resource center, and applied for newly popped up jobs in a thirty-minute driving vicinity.

I hung out at homeroom, and then waited for the other teacher. It was the same classroom I’d helped out in a week or two ago as a Special Ed. teacher for Math. Luckily, the other teacher actually ran the classes (meaning, knew how to solve math equations). When the Math teacher arrived, she said the gym teacher was on a field trip with her Avid class, so I had the period off. This meant I had no class until fourth period. Back to the teacher’s room I went to write a post.

At some point, I went into the teacher’s dining area to eat lunch. There, I saw another sub I’ve seen from time to time. I made some polite conversation:

“Have you been getting slammed with a lot of jobs too?”

“No, I’ve only worked once or twice last week and this week.”

“Really? Are you down to teach a lot of different classes?”

“Yes, I’m down for everything.”

“Even gym? I’ve been teaching a lot of gym.”

“Yes, I’m down for gym.”

“How long have you been subbing?”

“Ten years.”

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(If anyone has a theory why this is the case, feel free to insert it in the comments section below.)

All I want is to sleep in, and after everyone has left the house, WRITE. I have a million-and-one ideas crowding my head, begging to be written down. There are three or four posts ideas waiting. Aubrie sent me the final The Disappearances edits, and I want to get them done and find another beta reader for more feedback. My new manuscript Naked Eye isn’t happy I’m waiting until I return from the trip to write in earnest. I keep ignoring the words that pop in my head to propel the story.

Then there are the agents and editors I can submit to after the conference. I have some work to do on my Aura and The Disappearances queries. At this point, I’m afraid that will have to wait until the return as well.

Something is different. The winds have change have blown in my direction, and I feel if I had time I could take advantage of this momentum. I’ve heard other writers who finally get published say they’ve known something was different when they submitted manuscript x, and then they got offers. Not to be dramatic, but not only has my writing improved, but my understanding of the whole manuscript is at another level. I hope my persistence will pay off.

All I want to do is press on. But I’m stalled for the time being.

The end of the year can’t come soon enough.