My Real Job: A Highlight Report

I think blogger protocol dictates that one avoid talking about their "real job" as much as possible. We're supposed to act as if we: A. Receive thousands of dollars per annum to write silly things in blogs, hence needing no "real job"; B. Hover electronically over the city observing all and dispassionately reporting on some as if we are somehow above having to work, take the trash out, or wait through four traffic lights on Rio Bravo like everyone else.

Plus, most of the time jobs/writing about jobs are super boring.

But yeah, I have a job. A job I refer too far too much to meet strict blogger protocol, and here I am talking about it, again. One week per year our classes head down to UNM School of Law (SOL, which I think is an unfortunate, if pertinent, acronym) and participate in a series of mock trials. It's a program of which I can claim absolutely no authorship, as it was in place when I took the job three years ago. In fact, it's been in place for over two decades. Two decades of middle schoolers walking down to the Law School and arguing like nobody's business.

It's pretty cool, I must say.

Very cool, and a bit time-consuming from the preparation standpoint. So, I haven't had time this morning to survey newspapers for stupid things going on around NM and the world. Similarly, I was too post-mock trial numb to consider a deep examination of stupid things last night. With seven trials going over four days, you gotta pace yourself. At least I do.

I bring up these mock trials for the following reasons: 1. It replaces the blog entry I would usually write about stupid things going on, if I wasn't too lazy to find out what those stupid things are; 2. It's a field trip, these mock trials, and in a time of Aquarium Scratches '07 and such, I just want you to know that all school field trips aren't disasters (knock on very large tree); 3. In a profession filled with soul-crushing meetings, idiotic rules and ceaseless standardized testing, I merely want to proclaim that it's not all meetings, rules and testing. There are things going on in our schools that reflect what most of us think education should be.

In my opinion, mock trials are one of those things. And I'm lucky proud to have survived the mind-numbing meetings, etc. enough this year to be walking back and forth to UNM SOL to watch kids arguing while wearing suits and power skirts. If you're feeling down about education, maybe you'd like to join us. It kinda can't help but make you feel a bit better about the oft-described beleaguered state of K-12 public education round these parts.