Hoarse Voice
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Today all day I had an extremely hoarse voice. It happened to be on a day when I had a huge observation scheduled and I had to work a 10 hour day doing my after school work that I do throughout the week.
My voice is wispy and whispery. I have to push it really hard to get sound out. Since my job requires almost constant talking at a high volume, it was like being in a straight jacket. I got through it though. Amazingly my voice came back between the time I was observed by my boss and the literacy coach while I was teaching my lesson. The subject of the lesson was language arts/identifying sequential text. I had made a fun Power Point and I just started using playing cards to call on kids (which is probably the coolest new teaching thing I’ve...) . . . and some other innovative new items. All this together and the miraculous return of my voice from 10:30-11:15am made for an amazing lesson (if I may humbly say so). I got excellent feedback and went on with my day . . . abruptly after the lesson having become once again . . . a mute. And while a mute, I still had hours left to teach my gang of 9 year olds with unending energy and fidgetiness. They were really sweet though. Some made me notes with pictures of me drinking tea and a towel on my head. They said “Get better Mr. Riley, you are the best!” etc and stuff like that. When I get those it reminds me how lucky I am to be in this profession.
At 6pm on the way home I drove through Carl’s Jr. to get dinner for everybody at the Riley house: Aside advice to idiots dummer than me (if they exist) Do NOT under any circumstances attempt to order in a drive thru for 4 people when you have a hoarse voice. What I got in my bag was drastically different from what I ordered. -SO-
I had them remake the mistakes and eventually I got home with the food and four cokes . . . with only ONE STRAW. One might say correctly that it was indeed the LAST for me today!
Is this day Murphy’s Law or what? Oh well, it could always be worse (I tell myself).
I have my biggest observations to become a certif... I’m PRAYING my voice will be back tomorrow. The first biggie is Wednesday so I would settle for anytime before then. As I have said before in a post, the good side of being sick is appreciating being .... When I wake up tomorrow refreshed and able to speak again, you better bet I’m gonna say a little prayer thanking the good Lord for bringing me back again! How many “get well” experiences will we have before we breathe our last breath? Kind of thoughtful topic don’t you think?
I'm Damien Riley, author and teacher. Here you'll find "think outside the box" posts on psychology and inspiration. 
Hope you're feeling better!! You know, I can't manage to get an order right at a fast food place even with an operational speaking voice!One time I had just had it and I took all the food right back to Burger King and asked for the manager. The order taker had taken it correctly according to the receipt but what was in the bag was nothing like what we ordered. The manager told me "not everyone knows all the words". What?
So I restated his answer saying "So, if I order a plain double cheeseburger but the guy doesn't know the word "plain," I will just get a double cheeseburger?" The answer was yes.
Give me a break. I really don't think it's asking all that much to learn a couple of hamburger related words, and if it is, we're in a lot of trouble….
Jessica
“How many “get well” experiences will we have before we breathe our last breath? Kind of thoughtful topic don’t you think?”
I seem to recall…our life is but a vapor. I would say it’s much more than a thoughtful topic. Dontcha think.