The Forty Fifth Republic - Can I get a hair appointment before the summer term starts?

[StaffRepFeistyClub]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff only – a sort of room of requirement. Baiters, haters, goaders, and bashers can jog on somewhere else.

If you are NOT staff and just have a general education query please start your own thread.

Do not give the staffroom password to non-staff as it attracts the wrong sort of crowd.

Other requirements for staff room entry include the ability to find the staff room, the ability to find a clean mug in the staff room, knowledge of the photocopier codes, and the ability to sniff out where the booze is stashed - Thirsty Tuesdays, Fizz Fridays now in operation. Do not sit on the chairs and do wear a mask

Gavin will probably threaten schools with aircraft carriers next.

Are we talking about yr inappropriate crush or someone else honey? Cos it depends what context you know them in surely? Esp if you know others who know them?

I’d imagine the relationships Board has 100 threads with possible strategies on (some of which might actually work).

Can’t you just ask about how he found lockdown? That usually leads to a discussion of living arrangements.

I’m not much use with the dating advice.

Maybe try and find out what their plans are for the weekend (in a casual way). If they are partnered up they will probably mention a partner.

I’m crap at that sort of thing.

noble’s advice is the best...

I'm thinking along noble's lines but he's friendly and kind and lovely but not very 'chatty' in the way that us teachers are - not a teacher so don't get the staffroom chatter and only cross paths when I need his help with something or we happen to be in the staffroom kitchen at the same time.

Yes inappropriate crush. Inappropriate because he 'seems' a lot more straight laced than me and quieter and probably not what anyone else would see as attractive. More than likely have nothing in common and I would probably scare the life out of him. Maybe I'm just bored and it's a long time since I've been interested in anyone but I've felt like this actually since I met him.

I tend to think surely if he was interested I'd know but then again the wait and see who pursues you rather than going after who interests you approach has had pretty poor results thus far.

Anyway totally off topic. Back to reality and the fact I've been stalling on taking in these marked books and picking up more that need marking for hours now!

honey As Jan says, depends on context. But usually through just talking to them. Ask about kids/where they live is usually a good shoe in. Holiday plans are a good one at the moment too.

I get the sense he's childless as well and possibly younger than me so my brain says he needs someone young and willing to give him babies - that ship has sailed here or is at least loading up and getting ready to set sail!

Good thinking herc. Holidays another way in.

I was thinking asking about lockdown and if he lived alone etc because you could be asking in terms of what his lockdown experience was like but I still feel like I'd have a neon light on my head flashing 'she's asking if you're single'.

I'm 45 would you believe! Still can't just ask a guy out.

Go for it honey, he could turn out to be overjoyed even if he does see a neon sign (which he probably won’t). I asked a considerably younger man out years ago and it worked.... although the relationship didn’t last very long, so I must admit I’ve always thought, “Did I push it too much?” But am still glad I had those few months.

Plumbing update - have tried fiddling around with the valve and have DEFINITELY sorted it this time

I like Noble's approach too, Honey, asking how he's found lockdown. Or any plans now that things are opening back up again?

Started work today and I'm marking even more slowly than usual. Still have a week before we start and luckily I'm only teaching on Friday next week and only have two lessons, but unfortunately that is making me complacent.

I'm on a thread where someone is considering leaving the teaching profession. Was having a walk with dh yesterday, I was saying that my aim is to continue teaching till youngest ds finishes school (another 8 years), then probably leave classroom teaching as I wouldn't need to be bound by school holidays anymore. Maybe do a bit of tutoring or something. I'll be early 50s and we'll be able to take holidays during term time again!

@WhenSheWasBad

Thanks for the new thread.

Just listening to LBC. There’s a dad on complaining about his teenagers being on their phones late at night and getting up at 4pm.

I blame the schools

I heard this. Was shouting at the radio "do some parenting!!".

Lots of men just like it when someone is nice and talks to them. Lots are really not bothered about age difference either (many women on MN, on the other hand, are obsessed by it and not in a good way). Say hello and start a random chat.

my brain says he needs someone young and willing to give him babies

Honey you're getting a bit ahead of yourself here!

Essays are now 4 sets down and one to go. I would be starting the last one now but I seem to be the only person in the school and the maths block that has my essays is locked. The gate is open so I know I can get out but it's a ghost town suddenly. There were staff around but I think there's a mass exodus at about 3pm.

Crush man was here. Had a chat with him because GO for schools was being funky but, I've noticed, he generally has one of his team with him and they are more chatty than him and tend to take over speaking which doesn't help.

Anyway I'd best get moving before I get locked in at the ghost town school. It's actually lovely here when it's empty lol

Yes but they should think of these things Noble! I know several men who are late 40's and pretty depressed about the fact that don't have kids. But yeah - way ahead of myself given he can't even maintain eye contact for more than a second. Might be a bit on the leftward spectrum. My crushes are always really inappropriate - one was my pot bellied, vertically challenged dentist and another the leader of the gurdwara I used to liase with for work who could barely speak English.

I think my psyche knows how to keep me safe by just being attracted to people with whom it's never gonna happen.

one was my pot bellied, vertically challenged dentist and another the leader of the gurdwara I used to liase with for work who could barely speak English.

This has made me laugh, thanks Honey. I can't imagine that either of those two were used to women staring at them dreamily.

Or your socially awkward IT nerd. What exactly is it that you are attracted to about him?

Thanks for the new thread!

I wonder if we had the same neighbour as mentioned above with all the babies in one tiny flat. Thankfully the council moved her to a bigger place eventually but I think about those kids being ignored so much. The older couple must be in school now and I hope they are getting a lot of positive attention.

honey I think you need to grasp the bull by the horns and talk to him. Asking about how lockdown was for him, asking about what he did in the holidays, asking about plans for the weekend, etc are all really good ways to find out about a potential partner. AND they are questions people legitimately ask colleagues even when they aren't romantically interested in them. So if he does mention a girlfriend then you don't need to be embarrassed because they were just friendly questions. Our socially awkward IT nerd is now loved up with one of our socially awkward science teachers. God knows how they got together. Neither of them can speak to anyone. But they are very happy and making a lovely shrine to start trek home together. It's very sweet.

Good question Noble. I don’t think it’s just that I like a challenge or surely I’d have taken‘the bull by the horns’ by now as suggested. He just feels nice. He’s quiet but I feel like I want to know more.

I do chat to him but he’s very busy and in demand so short of pinning him down I don’t know how to get beyond the brief nice vibe exchanges that we engage in. I am a bit interested in the fact that I never go after the guys I have feel quietly drawn to though and wonder if they would pan out better than the guys who are loudly drawn to me and put in a lot of legwork and chipping away at my general mistrust of men who turn out to be full of shit and self delusion for the most part. Meh. Don’t even have Christmas parties to make an arse of yourself at anymore.

I dated our socially awkward IT nerd. Go for it, honey

Guess you need to go for it but with the mindset of wanting to discover whether you could be friends....

Thanks for thread...

Well pinning him down would be one way of making your intentions known 😉 @TheHoneyBadger

I've now had a nap (I'm so bloody tired this holiday it's ridiculous), planted some pots, made a shepherd's pie with leftover lamb and red wine and now opened the gin.

Literally everything but writing the bloody essay. Maybe I'm not committed enough. Maybe I'm not cut out for teaching. Maybe I just can't see the point of writing down arguments. I read stuff, take which bits I like to use in my practice, try it, if it works yay, if it doesn't I move on. Maybe I need a break!

name I'd say you're just like me when it comes to writing. Love reading teaching related stuff but no desire to ever write about it. Swore after my PGCE I'd never do further study and have kept to it so far! I really don't enjoy writing about anything, happily chat it through with people all day but writing is effort.