Turns out that Bill Gates lost 7 billion dollars last year. That’s billion with a B. I gotta say, he’s a better man than I cause if I had lost even a mere 7 million last year — that’s million with an M — I’d certainly be doing some very vocal complaining to whomever would listen right now.

Funny thing is though that I don’t really get a sense that this loss affected his life all that much. I mean did he suddenly start carefully selecting where it makes fiscal sense to eat based on the prices in the restaurant? As a teacher, I do this all the time. I mean I’d love to eat sushi WAY more often than I do, but I don’t simply because well, hey, it’s kinda expensive. And does Bill Gates now have to think differently about the type of car he drives, the cost of gas per gallon, or the price tag of a new shirt?

Probably not. So here it is that this guy loses 7 billion and it doesn’t impact him all that much (it’s probably a quaint little joke; Ha-ha, lost 7 billion this year… only 50 billion left, time for coupon clipping!) and yet my school district gives us a 3% pay cut and raises our insurance premium and I suddenly have to go through my entire lifestyle to see where edges can be trimmed.

And I am a salaried professional with a Masters degree and 2 full time jobs (teaching and writing — 3 if you count speaking). Makes me kinda wonder how folks making an hourly wage with no health insurance are actually making it in this world.

Actually, they are not. Nickel and Dimed is a a great read for those who want to explore more on this but let’s face it, when it comes to getting by in America these days, the older generation has left us in a less advantageous position than the generation prior to theirs left them.

And we have got to turn this puppy around because it’s bad for all of us when the children of our nation have “less” than what we ourselves had.

Of course, where does it all start? In my opinion — D’uh — education. Gotta love those school budget cuts, right? Good for today, great for tomorrow.

Is it okay to have limitations?

Is it okay not to be the most cutting edge, 21rst century tool wielding teacher on the planet without having aspersions cast on my professionalism?

Is it okay to not be the most phenomenal teacher of persuasive writing, expository writing, autobiographical writing, compare and contrast writing and creative writing ever to hold a dry erase marker?

Is it okay to feel hurt when my kids feel hurt by the budget cuts, impacted classrooms and the sense of facelessness which my kids all-too-often feel in the halls of state’s schools?

Is it okay to feel sad when the fights break out?

Is it okay to feel triumphant when Jesus shows up for class three days in a row… and even has his homework for a change?

Is it okay to feel regret about the dismissal of the Year 2 teacher that got laid off just when it seemed she was starting to really get a handle on this whole “teaching” thing even though there are educators in our midst who should have hung up their spurs long ago to make way for a new crowd of eager, excited and talented young guns?

Is it okay to feel “stung” by the inanity of weight being placed on bubble tests?

Is it okay to want to close my door and just spend some time working with my kids serving their own best interests as I best interpret them based on all my years of experience and study without having to answer to a VP who doesn’t seem as if he could teach my class nearly as effectively as I teach my class should he ever be charged with the task of doing so?

Is it okay to simply recognize that wearing the hat of parent, friend, mentor, coach, teacher, social worker, and task-master — all at different times, without much rhyme nor reason to the order upon which these demands will be thrust onto me — is kinda hard without sounding like a whiner? (And kinda sets me up to not always be “incredibly great” 24/7?)

Is it okay to do the best I can… even when the best I can doesn’t feel like it’s good enough to solve all the problems I hope to solve?

Is it okay to even give voice to these fears — or am I to pretend that “I always have it all under control”?

Is it okay to show concern for the fact that California has just sliced its education funding in a historically unprecedented manner?

Is it okay if I still want to remain optimistic about what I do for a living despite the tenor of this blog because I know that without hope, faith and belief in the future, I am all too aware that I should hang up my own spurs, if for no other reason than the good of the kids?