Back to School?

You know the scene in You've Got Mail when Meg Ryan's character waxes poetical about how great September is because you can smell sharpened pencils in the air and blah blah blah because it means kids are going back to school? You know, that scene. The scene when pretty much she sounds insane. Because I don't know about you, but I'm not smelling anything in the air right now except the subtle undertones of panic and sadness. No matter how it smells, it's the end of summer.

The end of summer brings about a lot of feelings for me. Obviously, as a teacher, it brings about mostly distress. As a mom, I am also happy to send my cherub off to school and keep him occupied for the day. Mostly though, much like the kids, I am looking forward to seeing my friends and wearing new clothes. And much like kids, I am dreading the work and the day in/day out drudgery. My favorite period of the day is still lunch.

So do I smell sharpened pencils and scotch tape? No, I still think Meg Ryan's character is insane. Not quirky or charming or any of those other words we use to cover up serious personality disorders. But maybe it is hard to smell things when I am too busy weeping into my pillow.