Cold War

Things have decidedly turned for the better. Palpatine has allowed the counseling department to re-work the numbers so that the horde of incoming 7th graders is managable. She's also promised to allow students who do not wish to be in music to transfer.

It's definitely an improvement, but you know leopards and spots. Palpatine has learned never to say the "MB" word around me, but she's sure using it in the community. I even had a PE teacher approach me about his concern that a marching band would take students out of PE. (he'd heard rumors).

I heard another one: Palpatine apparently told someone she's planning on staying another 2-3 years. I was hoping for one... But it makes no difference, I've made my decision. I'm dug in.

But change is coming for sure. My entire life, I've always operated under the premise that things should be rosy between me and my supervisors (kind of like Haydn and his patron, Prince Eszterhausy... quite the mutual admiration society they had). But I've resigned myself that for the entirety of my stay in the Imperial reign, we're going to have a classic US/Soviet stand-off (or a game of chess, if you will). I don't like it this way, but unfortunately I have little choice. I've held back on having parents and students contact her with concerns. But perhaps it's good if she has continual reminders that some people think that I've actually been doing a pretty good job, low enrollment aside.

I also found out the other day that one of the counselors stood up to her in a meeting regarding the music dept., and basically got yelled at for it (by her account, anyway). It felt a little wierd hearing that... I certainly didn't want anyone getting in trouble on my behalf. But it seems that she wasn't doing it for me so much as she was speaking out against something she thought was just flat out wrong.

I know this is still a dangerous place to be... even more so since I've started to play some of my cards. From what I understand, I'm nowhere near the top of the Imperial "hit list"... and I have no desire to get there. But the days of open honesty, trust and freely given loyalty are gone.