Went downstairs after first block class this morning to do a variety of errands: return some videos to the library, request that something be laminated, check my mailbox, and (the most important of the errands) get a cup of coffee.

On A days during second block I have my planning period. Another teacher uses my classroom, so I have to leave the room and go to the Social Studies workroom. It's no small feat getting me out of that classroom with everything I'm going to need for my planning period.

(yes, I have a point here)

I gathered everything I thought I might possibly need for the planning period, although I might have saved myself the trouble of carrying the binder, folder, three workbooks, purse, videos, coffee mug and bookbag to the workroom, since I've decided I'm going to only plan ahead, and I really only need my plan book and the textbook.

I organized myself in the workroom, and then went downstairs to do my errands. I purposely did NOT bring my keys with me, having said to myself, "Self, you don't need your keys for any of these things, leave them here."

The first three errands are carried off without a hitch. I am now seriously in need of a good cup of coffee (and I will not get that in the end, it's only a mediocre cup of coffee, but it's only the Faculty Lounge and not Starbucks). And of course, I need my damn keys to get into the Faculty Lounge. So I have to come all the way back upstairs, get my keys and go back downstairs to get my cup of coffee.

Now, I say "All the way", but it's really only a flight of stairs in each direction. Doesn't change the fact that I could have saved myself the trip!!!

This key thing is an interesting issue, though. We recently had the whole building "rekeyed". They tell us at the end of every year "Be sure to turn in your keys, we're going to rekey the building, you won't be able to use them next year" and we promptly get back the same set of keys in September. Now, granted, I've only been at this school for three and a half years, so in all honesty, I can't really say they say that every year. But every year in my experience here, they have said that.

But, they finally did it last year. So now we need keys for things we've never needed them for in the past. Now, I understand needing to have a lock on the copy room door. We don't kids in there messing with those highly expensive (and highly sensitive!) copy machines. Nooo, far better to have faculty members who don't know how to use copiers in there mucking around in the works, slamming important pieces of equipment to shreds and leaving jams for the next person.

Not that I'm bitter.

But I digress. I was discussing the key situation.

Since last year, we have had some additional rooms locked from the prying of students. The Faculty Lounge. The men's faculty bathroom on the second floor. Not the women's (we voted not to have a lock on it), just the men's. This has become quite a serious bone of contention in our school. It's comical, but the players are very serious in their stances.

At some point I should write an entry about the members of my department, because they are some of the most amazing, fascinating, intelligent and STRANGE people I know. They are wonderful to work with.

One player in what I have come to call "The Great Key Saga" is a man in my department. We'll call him Dean. Now, Dean drinks a lot of water during the day - he recycles 64 ounce gatorade bottles and fills them up several times during the day. This is not a man who wants to be fumbling with a key to get into the men's bathroom. In fact, he and just about every other man in my department voted against having a lock put in.

I'm so glad they listen when they ask for our opinions.

Apparently the administrator, we'll call him Bojangles, got a deal from a friend on locks and installation.

Whenever Dean and Bojangles meet in the hallway, it's like a shootout at the OK corral. They face each other from across the hallway, their fingers itching closer to a holster. One thing you have to understand about Dean: He is a very, very funny guy. He is an incredible teacher, but he's very funny, and it's hard to know when to take him seriously. I've learned this year that when it comes to his students, his teaching, and bathrooms, you MUST take him seriously. Bojangles seems to think that Dean is kidding about his objections to the bathroom locks.

He's not.

There was for a while an underground movement (well, ok, they're mostly above ground) to foil the lock in the men's bathroom. Someone put paper towels in the part where the bolt is supposed to slip in, so it can't. When those were taken away, someone tried using duct tape. That was also taken away. There have been threats to come in in the middle of the night with a drill.

Yes, this is what we talk about during lunch.