RED SKIES AT ANY HOUR OF THE DAY

There is an old saying:

Red skies at night, sailors delight;

Red skies at morning, sailors take warning.

The other morning I am madly trying to get to school because I've had to change my lesson plans on the fly, and I need to make copies before everyone and their uncles and cousins descend upon the sole working copy machine. 

Of course, if I leave my house between 6:45 and 7:20, I am essentially screwed. There is a bus stop at the end of my single-access street (the one that allows me to actually get into traffic and get to my job). The first bus arrives at 6:50, then three more buses make their appearances: 7:00, 7:10, and 7:20. If I get caught in any of the bus traffic, it creates a back-up that keeps me stuck in the queue for an inordinate amount of time.

Also, I'm not sleeping well at all lately. Okay, I rarely sleep well, so I suppose this isn't a new phenomenon. But I find myself awake for no bloody-decent reason around 5:00 a.m. I play a few games on my phone, read a little bit, and generally convince myself that I should probably just get my arse up and get to school to use the copy machine. I can access the school after 6:30 a.m.. This is the impetus that gets me out of the house around 6:35 a.m. 

This is also what causes me to see the spectacular sunrise burning its way through the trees outside of my porch. I figure that I will beat the buses this morning, possibly get to use the copier, and also view a decent burst of nature's colors along the way. Win-win, right?

But then I remember. Yup. I remember that old adage about red skies in the morning. 

I also remember that every dang day is like that, sunrise or not, and I make up my own little ditty that properly conveys a more modern take:

Red skies (or any hue) at night especially if it's Friday, teachers delight;

Red skies (or any hue) in the morning any weekday, teachers take warning.

Night (regardless of sky color) is the time for the teachers to heal-eth;

Daytime (regardless of sky color) has all of the bullshit to deal with.

Not that it's any consolation, but we have had quite a bit of dreary, rainy, snowy weather this past week. This must prove the original adage to be true. It does seem, though, that lately my academic life is combusting like one giant fireball in Hell, so I appreciate nature's reminder that I'm not the only one bobbing around in the restless waves of this implosive fiery day. Somewhere out there is a sailor repeating the adage to himself, and hastily adding, "I see the safe shore, and I sure hope I reach 'er. Thank gawd the almighty that I'm not a teacher!"