My classroom is set up with conference tables instead of desks. I usually leave my papers/books/pen/drink up front, even though I spend the class walking (and/or jumping around, depending on the topic du jour). Sometimes my stuff gets mixed up with the kids' stuff, and more often, my pens go missing, especially since I have a strict "bring your own damn writing utensils!" policy - they know well enough not to ask to borrow one, lest I go on some tirade about being prepared for the REAL world, because in the real world no one is going to give you a pen and how can you expect to succeed if you can't remember to bring a pen?

Should I be concerned that my ethics students are stealing my pens because I won't lend them one?

Anyhoo.

Today I had one of those Vita waters - a yummy green tea one supposedly infused with all sorts of things to keep the inner me balanced and the outer me from getting sick. I was wandering around the class, engaging students in conversation about the Heinz dilemma when I walked back up front, grabbed my drink, chugged the remaining as I walked away - and then realized - hey, I didn't have an orange drink... and my bottle had a lot more in it...

The look on my student's face when I walked back was priceless - perplexed and amused all in one.

"R, did I just...?"
"Miss - you just totally took my drink!"

Apparently, I had absentmindedly put mine on my desk and he had set his next to where he was seated - right next to my folders. The other kids cracked up while I turned ten shades of red and apologized profusely. I'm trying not to think about the sore throat that's creeping in, and I'm especially trying not to think about the germs I just accidentally shared with a student.

Still, it was pretty funny.