Little White Lies are OK

Today marks DAY 1 of the lovely week long "Great Beginnings" training for newly hired FCPS employees.  What a day it was.  Today's meetings started off with a message from the Superintendent - expected - another message from the founder of the Credit Union the district partners with - not surprising - and a final message from the Superintendent of HR - again, fairly standard procedure.  

Then things started to get interesting.  The Pledge of Allegiance included a full-on Presentation of the Colors by 4 High School ROTC members.  Everything is so official in the DC suburbs.  I almost forgot that I was there as a Teacher and not a member of Congress, or something fancy like that.  After an impressive rendition of the National Anthem, performed by a local H.S. student,  I glanced down at my agenda and happily noticed that a performance by a Fairfax High School Dance Troupe was coming up next!  Perfect!

...six dances later, seriously, SIX dances later, I was officially at a dance recital.  After the 5th dance, the 1200+ Teachers started to exit the auditorium for what we thought was our first break - NOPE - one more dance.  The "troupe," which consisted of 5 girls, walked on stage in a Rainbow Brite inspired ensemble.  Picture this...

...but on an adult.  Now, don't get me wrong, I could sit in an auditorium all day long and watch one performance after another, especially if they involve dance, but there were AP Physics and Calculus teachers sitting in the audience.  Let's be real - 1 dance was enough.

Next came the keynote speaker, who was actually pretty good, but that's boring, so on to lunch - after all, it is my favorite subject.  This is where the White Lie title comes into play.  So, I'm waiting patiently in the lunch line for my "complimentary lunch," and I quickly learn that there is only one choice - a turkey caesar wrap.  :/  Now, beggars shouldn't be choosers, but I really don't enjoy lunch meat, and honestly, it looked seriously questionable.  And so, in a moment of desperation, I instantly became a vegetarian.  I know, I know, so high maintenance, but come on, it's 2011 - at least offer tuna fish!  After learning of my predicament, the very polite lunch lady, patiently walked to the back of the kitchen to grab me a vegetarian wrap.

I am a firm believer that sometimes in life, it's OK to tell a white lie.  Lesson learned.  Tomorrow I bring my lunch.

Oh, and yes, I stood in a real lunch line, lunch lady and all.  The life of a teacher is oh so glamorous.  :)