Cheeseballs (and the search for titles)

Day 1 at our new location for Paradise Intermediate School is done. We have landed at a site formerly known as Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH). It’s been two months to the day after the fire, and we are finally together with some of our students again. Seeing them smiling, happy to see their friends and return to some kind of “school” was the best part. To sum up this first week teaching at OSH. I am left searching for the perfect title. (Thank you to my co-workers for the inspiration!) What a ride it has been. . .

• Attention shoppers: English class on aisle 14!
• Staff planning today. D-day tomorrow.
• This is not normal! Oh wait, this is OUR normal
• English Class Airlines: 2 co-pilots and a dream
• No parachutes? No problem!
• We don’t need thoughts and prayers, we need walls and ear plugs!
• It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. . . .who are we kidding?
• I will survive. . .  or may be buried under the metal shelves trying.
• A Target gift card will make it all better.
• “Could you have used a crew to get this place ready?” (asked a school official on opening day)
• Excuse me? I seem to have lost my sanity in the Aisle 5. Could you help me?
• Just checked with customer service. . .  no snacks today.
• Lunch is at Register #5
• “The best plan. . . is no plan.”- Beowulf.   “Why did I come up with a plan . . Revise!” Erica
• “What? Can’t hear you!” Cue the confused expression.
• I Didn’t Know I was a Hoarder. . . until I taught at OSH
• “What do you think we should do?” asked for the 20th time today.
• I’m wishing for wifi. . .  a printer. . .  or maybe just a plug
• Five days in and can’t find the light switch, but that’s ok
• Don’t worry, it’s coming. We ordered it and it should be here. . . soon. . . .
• Find Me an Empty Box and I Can Make Anything!
• “When we get our double-wide. . . .” and other Paradise Intermediate teacher dreams
• Give ’em Cheeseballs! (A middle school teacher’s nightmare)
• Making Desks out of Hardware Store Shelves since 2019
• Pretzels, Pork Rinds, and Pub Mix, Oh My! (aka Staff Nutrition Break)
• Duct Tape. . . Let’s Rebuild Paradise Intermediate!
• STORE CLOSED: Watch for Middle Schoolers Ahead (for the nice lady who was shopping in the aisles yesterday and didn’t realize a school had moved in)
• OSHausted. . . .OSHwhelming. . . Oh my B’gOSH!
• And finally. . . . “The Best Teaching Team in the World Comes from Paradise!”

Living the dream with me? Please share other potential titles. So many stories, so little time to actually do our jobs. . . we could probably fill a book!