Well, I finally did it.

Three years ago I decided I was fed up with the "same old, same old" center-part hairstyle that I'd had since my high school days. I had mucked with it here and there over the years, but it had still been the same, basic story: parted right down the middle. Well, three years ago I took the plunge and had my hair parted on the left.

After making that fateful choice, I received quite a few compliments. However, as it turns out, I received even more complaints.

Part of the problem is that my hair has a mind of its own, and it keeps changing it. I'd chosen a left-part because it had been tending that way naturally. Well, after officially parting it that way, it stopped cooperating after about a year and started trying to curl the wrong way. I tangled with it, fussed with it, put various chemicals in it, and tried to whip it into submission. Sometimes I succeeded. Other times I just looked and felt ridiculous. Meanwhile, the comments of, "You looked better before you changed your hair," just kept rolling in, particularly from my wife.

Well, I finally gave up and gave in. I left work an hour early yesterday so I could get my hair cut (finally...it had been months, and I was starting to look like John Lennon with left-parted hair) in time for today's senior high graduation ceremony. I had the stylist put it back in a center part. I came home last night eagerly anticipating my wife's words of joy when she saw it.

The verdict? She said, "No, that's not quite right." *sigh*

So today, sporting my new hairstyle, I went to ye olde academy for the senior high graduation ceremony. Only one person said anything at all. Oh, well. I had work to do. The graduation ceremony is one of the few times in a year that I actually wear a suit. First, as usual, I worked the reception desk at the main entrance during the first half. Then I went up and directed the orchestra for the second half, which included conducting "Auld Lang Syne" over and over and over again as the graduates marched out. (In American schools they use Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance". In Japan it's a Scottish New Year carol...go figure.)

We were lucky this year. Somehow we managed to time it just right so that I was able to signal the switch to the coda (which is rather long) and hit that last fermata just as the last graduate left the hall. Bull's eye! That's twice in three years that I've managed that!

Time to go back to the music office, have some lunch, and peel off this &%$# suit. The damned thing smelled like moth repellent when I first put it on. Now it smells like moth repellent and B.O.. It's not pretty, believe me. But at least it's BLUE!

Actually, the tradition is to wear black suits at graduation. I'm such a boat-rocker! (Sorry, Unker...don't take that literally!)

Incidentally, we found out our grade assignments for the new school year that starts next month. As expected, I was stuck in Grade 9 again. (This is me yet again in Grade 9, baby! This is me yet again in Grade 9!) That means I get to go on the school trip and do the work training thing again. At least those are fun. I also noticed that Mr. O is in Grade 9 again, too.

The principal knows that I haven't been too happy about having had to work with Mr. O in Grade 9 English communication for the past three f****** years (understatement of the year), and he was prepared to intervene. However, Mr. O went directly to the new Grade 9 chief teacher and begged and pleaded. The grade chief formally requested that Mr. O be put on his staff, and the principal can't easily justify denying that. Apparently Mr. O did all that from the goodness of his heart because he knows that I'll be upset and at a loss if he can't teach Grade 9 O.C. with me (his words...DEFINITELY NOT MINE). I swear...that guy is so totally disconnected from reality. I have expressed my frustration and dissatisfaction repeatedly in no uncertain terms, and he STILL believes I actually prefer working with him! He takes the term "vacuous idealist" to a whole new level.

The English department chief and the chief English teacher of the new grade say that they're going to try to intervene on my behalf, but there are two problems. One is that the rest of the English department (as well as most of the faculty of the school) considers it a given that Grade 9 O.C. will be taught by the (in)famous Moody/Mr. O "team". The other is that Mr. O is, to put it frankly, an arrogant and horribly self-righteous, would-be activist who takes pleasure in bullying people into accepting his "righteous" point of view. He has also shown that he won't hesitate either to involve the Teachers' Union (which he heads), go to the school's owners and give them one heck of a sob story, try to rally the parents to his cause, or threaten legal action if the school tries to impede him in any way without very firm backing. (Yes, he has repeatedly threatened if not actually done all of those things in the past.) I think the odds of my being rescued from another year of ulcers and gray hairs complements of His O-ness are very low...unless I simply refuse to do it, and that could hurt my continued employment at the school.

At this rate, I'll be lucky if I have any brown hair left on my head by this time next year, but at least it'll be parted down the middle. (Then again, it seems to be trying to part itself to the right now...*sigh*)