News from Mr Grady
Hello Everyone,
I was almost inclined to start this newsletter with something humourous along the lines of: “I’m writing this from my Yacht in the Algarve, having started my Easter Holiday early…I hope everyone back in England is well,” only to end the entire piece with “April Fool!” But I wasn’t sure, when we’re all so tired at the end of a long term that it might simply provoke people to rage, and before they’d read the admittedly poor punchline, would be provoked to dash off a letter of disapproval, that would then provoke my apology and so-on.
Everyone is very tired. When we’re tired, we sometimes don’t have the energy or perspective to see something for what it really is, so a minor irritation, such as a head teacher “thinking he’s funny” can actually cause real annoyance. The comment from a friend or colleague that normally wouldn’t cause a single second’s introspection can cause a blazing row, and incidents that might cause a flash of concern but ordinarily you’d be able to rationalise, can give you sleepless nights and cause a level of irritability you would not normally display.
On Sunday afternoon, I was trying to fit together the electric saw that I mentioned last week. The instruction manual was written in the tiniest type that I think I’ve ever seen, just one font size above the text used in a spy’s microdot, and it was full of grainy black white pictures labelled “fig1 to fig22a/b#4.” It had arrows on poorly drawn pictures that I think were suggesting that I inserted part A (as shown in fig34c) into part B, but frankly due to the image it was very difficult to tell. I am not an incompetent person with a screwdriver, but these incomprehensible instructions left me unable to assemble the device. There was one of those links where you take a picture on your phone and it takes you to a video, so I used this, and it took me to a video, with stirring accompanying music of the machine in action, but not actually being assembled. At this point I may, just may, have thrown the screwdriver back into the toolbox from across the room, startling the cat, and chipping skirting board.
It was at this point I realised that perhaps my tiredness at the end of term was a factor in my all-consuming rage, and that it might (I only say might) be slightly misplaced. I am going to take the view that at this moment, I should perhaps take a pause, not try to do something that might be a challenge while feeling so tired, get a rest first, refocus and refresh and then try again. This is not to say that we might not have genuine worries or irritations, but for the next few days, before I allow my emotions to take over, I’m going to pause, mutter quietly to myself “we’re all very tired” and come back to the irritation a few days into the holiday when I’ve had chance for a break. The added bonus here is that I don’t try and assemble a machine that has the capacity to lop a finger off in a second while cross, irritable and tired, and will mean that I can look forward to typing the newsletter in the first week of the Summer Term with all 10 fingers intact.
Our entire community has worked incredibly hard for the last term, we deserve the chance to rest and recharge – I wish you all a wonderful holiday, and look forward to seeing everyone safe and well on the 19th April.
With very best wishes,
Mr Grady
