Telephone Alarm Clock

My wife is an elementary school teacher and when the weather is bad enough the school district declares a "snowday" and closes the schools. However our particular school district has this obsession with spending as much money as possible and so has invested in an automated system to inform all employees of such a situation. Gone are the days when you simply turned on the television when you awoke to read the list of cancellations. This was just too practical. Instead what happens now is the phone rings an hour before the alarm clock is even set to go off and an automated voice explains whether there is a delay in the school day start time or an outright snowday. What the....?

I'm sure the powers that be had the best of intentions, but they wake you up extra early to then tell you to sleep in a bit more or to even stay home from work. Who can get back to sleep after being startled by the ring of the bedside telephone, heart pounding from the unusual early morning call normally reserved for emergencies? Now there is an adrenaline surge, and knowing you have a whole day at your disposal makes sleep near impossible for the wife and so near impossible for me as well. Thanks school district! Just when I thought you coudn't screw up anything else, you find a way to ruin another part of my life. How much will my taxes go up this time for such a convenience? Now there is a wake up call.