I suspect the title of this post is going to be longer than the article I’m writing. To cut to the chase: I saw Iron Man last night and was reminded why I’ve always loved Robert Downey Junior soooo much as an actor. The guy is just so freakin’ funny. The impulsive nature of the characters he plays just adds to his charm. He’s another Knight Of Wands (I didn’t write about this card for months and now he’s popping up everywhere!) Dashing to the rescue, mouthing off, getting himself in and out of trouble. Inventive, impulsive, FUN!!!

I don’t even like big action movies and I loved Iron Man. Highly recommended!

So I didn’t get to sleep till 3am last night. Not because I had things to do. Not even because that’s my normal timezone on weekends and holidays. But because I was so darn tootin’ excited about work after just one day back I had to get out of bed at midnight and finish writing some lesson plans, set up a maths website and write a description of my holidays to get my students excited about writing their own on the morrow.

Not normal is it.

But here’s the thing. I love my job. Now don’t get me wrong. Working is definitely not my favourite thing. I’d much rather stay home and write full-time (heck, maybe I’d even finish a novel that way, hmm, then again.) But seeing as how that’s not an option as far as I’m concerned teaching is the next best thing. It’s an honour and a delight to help children blossom mentally and emotionally. A joy.

So there I was typing away on my laptop like a lunatic in the wee hours. Charged up. Raring to go. To get things done. Full of energy, ideas and enthusiasm. Ya gotta bottle that life-force while it’s flowing or else the fire in your blood slips away. I’m sure I won’t be feeling that way come Friday.

Puts me in mind of this card.

The Knight Of Wands: A knight charges off on his steed ready for battle holding a sprouting branch in his hand. The colours of his horse and surrounding desert reflect the fire in his veins. Flames shoot out of his armour.

You may or not remember I’m in a new role at work. Up until now I’ve been an Italian and art teacher but the powers-that-be finally stuck me in a classroom this year. And I was pretty nervous about that. On top of which The Devil is my Tarot-card-of-the-year and even though I should know better you can’t help but worry when that’s the case.

I spent first term sitting there like a stuffed dummy while the teacher I share a room with did the hard yards. Just soaking up the atmosphere. Figuring things out. By the end of last term I began to put the pieces together.

And now you can’t hold me back. There are all these changes I’m dying to put in place to inspire my kids to learn. Like right this minute. Not next week or even tomorrow. (You’re starting to feel sorry for my poor co-worker aren’t you and fair enough too.) I get so excited about teaching. I’m like an over-sized puppy running around with its tongue hanging out saying, “Let me play. Can I play now?”

And today was AWESOME. Instead of being pathetic thanks to lack of sleep I had the kids running around feeling excited about learning too. I had them hunting down adjectives all over the room and presenting their home-made projects to one another over and over again. So many times they forgot their nerves and found their mojo. Stretched and grew. And nothing could make me happier at work.

Do you feel like a Knight Of Wands in your day job? Or maybe the opposite?