Realizations

I spent all day at my former high school, running focus groups and doing interviews. Had a bit of a shock in the afternoon when I realized that the kids I'd spent all morning talking to were not yet born when I graduated from that same institution.

Fogeydom, I have arrived. Roll out the red carpet, that I may dodder forth upon it.

Also, it is very strange being pregnant and interacting with a bunch of high school kids, because for high schoolers, pregnancy is just about the uncoolest thing ever. Here I am feeling so young and unsure and oh my god now I have to grow up and be a parent and they are looking at my bump and I might as well be eighty, my reality is so remote to them. Heh. Considering the reality of 9th-graders, I think that's a good thing. I did my time in that hell.

Again in the "wacky realizations" department, I noted this afternoon that I am actually doing two evaluations this year, one for a project run by the principal of my old elementary school, and one for my old high school. Perhaps my old middle school will be next, or my undergraduate institution. Who can say? It's the Year Of The Alma Mater! Except that the advent of the squid will make me miss my 10-year college reunion, which I had been looking forward to. Grar.

I got offered a third evaluation, as well. It wouldn't be too much more work - it's for the same program as one of my existing ones, only at a different high school, so I'd essentially be able to use a lot of the same written material and research for both. And I could sure use the money; I have all kinds of nagging things hanging over my head - home repairs, school fees, a touch of lingering credit card malaise - and this job could make a significant number of them go away.

But dear God, I can barely work my main job right now. I am falling apart. Would this be setting myself up to fail? Or holding myself to high expectations for success? Or both?