Wow, I really need to get back to writing more often. After reviewing my last post - I realized just how behind my blog is. So much has happened in my life in just a short period of time. I am having a hard time coping with everything but I'm thrilled with the path my life is taking. Just take it one day at a time, right? Wouldn't hurt to have friends to talk to about it :)
Well - first things first, I didn't take that ASL job offer. First I thought I might take it, then decided "absolutely not." Then a few days later, I woke up feeling anxious about my bills and thought that money would be the way to go. More money = bills paid = happy life, huh? Probably not. I've searched within myself and asked different types of friends for their advice. Funny thing is - I don't even know why I asked for their advice because I already knew what type of responses I'd get from each of them....
J - sure enough, he told me to go for what would make me happy and not for the money. Probably because he went for the money and is miserable.
R and C - Both told me to go for the money. Obviously because they'd like to have better opportunities and their bills paid.
Everyone else - "That's something you have to decide for yourself." Gee - big help from them.
As you can see, after talking to a select few friends - I was getting nowhere.
So.... one morning, I woke up and decided - I better talk to my boss about the possibility of leaving. I talked to her and after a long and productive chat, she convinced me to stay. I have to say - I'm extremely happy with my decision right now.
Now - about the house... yes, I can't resist. 4 MORE DAYS!!! I cannot WAIT to finally move into a house where there's room for my children and dog to run around in. The backyard is super and extremely roomy. I see the possibility of having get-togethers at the house... yay!
I'll say this now... L & P - you guys would be the first people I'd invite. You guys mean lots to me!
Everyday whether I'm packing, watching TV, working or driving - my mind wanders over to the house and the tons of opportunities I'd have. I thought I'd record them here so that I don't forget my ambitions!
1. I'd love to get some canvases and just splash and flick on it to make abstract paintings. Wouldn't that be so cool!?
2. I would really like to get into the garage (or backyard) and try my hand at spray-can painting again. I adore the painting I made over 10 years ago and would like to make more.
3. I really need to have a space where I can do scrapbooking and finally finish the 5 quilts I've started. My bedroom is HUGE so I can set up a nice desk with organizing drawers next to it in the corner of my room for all my craft supplies. One reason why I don't do puzzles or scrapbooking is because my kids will get into them or my cats will sit on them and scatter everything around. With tons of space in my bedroom, I'm hoping I'll be motivated to finish my projects. I can lock my kids, dog and J out of my room and FOCUS! Looks like a trip to "The Container Store" is in the near future! Or probably Hobby Lobby would be good enough.
4. I've always wanted to try my hand at decorating. It takes money and I never felt the need to go all out at an apartment. But I'm hoping that this time around, I'll roll my sleeves up and put some nice looking stuff (and not too expensive) in the house and make it feel like a home.
5. I'd LOVE to get a big flat-screen TV. I'll have the space for it now. Yay!
6. My neighborhood has a walking trail by a creek (or a bayou, whatever it is) and sidewalks all over the place. I'm going to start rollerblading again and allow my kids to ride their bikes on the sidewalks so that we could all get some exercise. Who knows if I'll keep up with it.
7. I can finally get back to working out with my Jillian DVD! I bought it last summer and it requires jumping jacks and stuff like that. There's people below me that doesn't appreciate my working-out, so once I move into the house - I'll have the go-ahead to jump all I want. When I started on the DVD, I worked out 6 days straight and was seeing the difference by day 3. I've LOVE to start feeling that way again!
8. More to come.... :)
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Major Decisions Suck
I hate what luck I've been having. As many of you know, I've been looking for a job for a long time. I've worked different odd jobs, taking whatever income I could get. I landed a full-time job that I hated for little money - but it was better than no job at all. Then I got laid off. Fun, huh?
I've had to learn to make ends meet with just my part-time data entry job (from which I was laid off in May), my volunteer teaching position and whatever savings I had left. In the spring, I applied to any school district I could think of and that I was willing to work at. When summer rolled around, I was as positive as possible - thinking that I would land a teaching job by fall. As the days went by, my positive thinking became diminished. Halfway through summer, I was contacted about a job out of state. At first, my initial thought was "no way" but then I reconsidered and decided that it might be fun. Once I convinced a friend to move with me, I went ahead and applied for the position. Weeks went by and I heard nothing. I was feeling pretty discouraged.
August came and by then, I've had 3 job interviews but no offers. By luck, I got a job through networking. A girl I went to high school with contacted me and asked if I wanted to work at her mother's company. She knew I was looking for a job, but she wasn't sure if I'd want this job. After a week of being in contact with my friend's mother, an interview was set up. I went to the interview and was hired on the spot - but only as a temporary assistant to help them through the busy season (which would last through October). This position may or may not become permanent. I was in desperate need of money so I took it.
Within days of starting at AFT (A Finishing Touch), I was contacted by the state school in PA and offered a job. This was two weeks before their classes would start. My friend had already started classes and made the decision to stay another year. It wasn't realistic for me to pack up and move everything within two weeks and then start teaching. I had to turn them down. Two days later, they contacted me and asked if I'd please reconsider and that they will have a sub to take my place until I was ready to move. Nice, huh? I felt it wasn't the right timing and since I had a full-time good paying job already in Houston, why move? So I turned them down again, but expressed that I would love to move up there next year.
Now - a day after THAT, I was contacted by HISD and was asked to be a long-term sub for 6 weeks. I would be subbing for a teacher who needed to be out for surgery. While I really wanted the job, it was only temporary. At the time, my position at AFT was temporary, but had the potential to become permanent. So I said no to HISD.
A week after HISD, Cy-Fair contacted me and asked if I wanted to come on as a long-term sub for a new girl that would be transferring into the district. She needed full one-on-one attention. However, this position would only last until they had a meeting to decide where to place this girl. If she stayed in the Deaf Ed department, the position would become permanent for the current school year. If she was moved to an adaptive behavior classroom setting, the position would end. Again - I was thrilled at the offer but had to turn it down. I couldn't leave something that was potentially permanent for something that was probably only temporary.
After 2 weeks (just one week after turning down Cy-Fair) of working at AFT and proving my skills, my boss gave me a raise and asked me to stay on as a permanent employee. She wanted me to take on more responsibility and take over for a girl who would be quitting in February when her baby was born. Turning down HISD and CFISD seemed to be good moves. Everything worked out....
I was contacted again by CFISD asking to be a regular sub and I was promised I'd be called in everyday and kept busy. They desperately need sub teachers that are qualified and know ASL (so if any of you are looking for jobs, contact CFISD). I decided to stay with AFT because of the income and other reasons. Now - with a flurry of job offers coming my way - that had to be the end of it, right? Wrong.
A few days ago, I was contacted by Fort Bend ISD to join them as an ASL teacher. This was one of the positions I interviewed for during the summer. They didn't want me and decided to go with someone else. That person decided not to take the job and the other candidates turned down the position as well. Basically, I was their last choice and they need me now. My first initial response was to say "No, too bad." If I'm so bad that they considered me as the last choice, then I wouldn't want to work with/for them.
All day long, I felt queasy. I was put in a position that I didn't want to be in. Yes, I know I shouldn't complain. Getting all these job offers has been nice but the timing on all of them sucks. It seems to me that the school districts are scrambling to fill in their empty holes and they want me to fill it. How does that make me feel as a person? I understand that as a new teacher, they may be apprehensive about hiring me and once I proved myself, they'd be happy with me and ask me to stay another year... but still, it makes me feel lousy.
I've gone back and forth in my head millions of times about what to do. No brainer - right? It's a teaching job, pays well, has good benefits and not to mention all the vacation time. But that's where the positives stop. Here are all the negatives: I just got a house and I'd be moving away from Fort Bend (and closer to AFT). It would be a 45 minute drive to work - which is what I'm driving now. I guess it shouldn't make a difference but I moved partly so that I could be closer to work. Ironic, huh? Another thing is that I'm not looking forward to dealing with high school students. I don't like them - simple as that. The third thing I don't like about this job is that it's an ASL position. I never wanted to teach ASL (I don't even use it). Fourth - I'd have to make new child care arrangements. Right now, I'm able to get my kids off to school then go straight to work. I only have to worry about child care for after school for about two hours until I got home. Now I need someone to get them off to school in the mornings and watch Logan until I get home around 3:30. Anyone interested in a paid part-time child care position? :) Fifth, the hours aren't flexible. At AFT, my boss says to just come in whenever I can in the mornings and work 7.5 hours from there (we get paid for lunch). It has been nice being able to do that. And 6th (yes, the list goes on and on), I'd have to (ew) dress up. At AFT, I come in wearing jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. How nice. At Travis HS, I'd have to wear nice clothes. Gross.
I really like being at AFT... although some of the rules are a little strict (no Internet and no phones), I can get by. The co-workers are nice and I work with two deaf people. I actually like my job - I'm busy, have my own desk, responsibilities, etc. I see a potential of getting raises and stuff if I stay there. I get to play with the websites that we have. I'm learning codes. I upload photos, add products, organize the website, do the invoices, sales orders, manage the customer contact list, get the email newsletters out to them, etc, etc.. Lots of things to do so it's not just one mindless boring thing.
BUT... the money just keeps getting back to me. I'd be able to pay off my debt in just two months. I'd have plenty of money left over for fun and the best thing about all this is that I will finally have good benefits.
Yesterday - I had decided. I wasn't going to take the job. But today is another story. I think I'll take it.
Sometimes good luck can be a curse.
I've had to learn to make ends meet with just my part-time data entry job (from which I was laid off in May), my volunteer teaching position and whatever savings I had left. In the spring, I applied to any school district I could think of and that I was willing to work at. When summer rolled around, I was as positive as possible - thinking that I would land a teaching job by fall. As the days went by, my positive thinking became diminished. Halfway through summer, I was contacted about a job out of state. At first, my initial thought was "no way" but then I reconsidered and decided that it might be fun. Once I convinced a friend to move with me, I went ahead and applied for the position. Weeks went by and I heard nothing. I was feeling pretty discouraged.
August came and by then, I've had 3 job interviews but no offers. By luck, I got a job through networking. A girl I went to high school with contacted me and asked if I wanted to work at her mother's company. She knew I was looking for a job, but she wasn't sure if I'd want this job. After a week of being in contact with my friend's mother, an interview was set up. I went to the interview and was hired on the spot - but only as a temporary assistant to help them through the busy season (which would last through October). This position may or may not become permanent. I was in desperate need of money so I took it.
Within days of starting at AFT (A Finishing Touch), I was contacted by the state school in PA and offered a job. This was two weeks before their classes would start. My friend had already started classes and made the decision to stay another year. It wasn't realistic for me to pack up and move everything within two weeks and then start teaching. I had to turn them down. Two days later, they contacted me and asked if I'd please reconsider and that they will have a sub to take my place until I was ready to move. Nice, huh? I felt it wasn't the right timing and since I had a full-time good paying job already in Houston, why move? So I turned them down again, but expressed that I would love to move up there next year.
Now - a day after THAT, I was contacted by HISD and was asked to be a long-term sub for 6 weeks. I would be subbing for a teacher who needed to be out for surgery. While I really wanted the job, it was only temporary. At the time, my position at AFT was temporary, but had the potential to become permanent. So I said no to HISD.
A week after HISD, Cy-Fair contacted me and asked if I wanted to come on as a long-term sub for a new girl that would be transferring into the district. She needed full one-on-one attention. However, this position would only last until they had a meeting to decide where to place this girl. If she stayed in the Deaf Ed department, the position would become permanent for the current school year. If she was moved to an adaptive behavior classroom setting, the position would end. Again - I was thrilled at the offer but had to turn it down. I couldn't leave something that was potentially permanent for something that was probably only temporary.
After 2 weeks (just one week after turning down Cy-Fair) of working at AFT and proving my skills, my boss gave me a raise and asked me to stay on as a permanent employee. She wanted me to take on more responsibility and take over for a girl who would be quitting in February when her baby was born. Turning down HISD and CFISD seemed to be good moves. Everything worked out....
I was contacted again by CFISD asking to be a regular sub and I was promised I'd be called in everyday and kept busy. They desperately need sub teachers that are qualified and know ASL (so if any of you are looking for jobs, contact CFISD). I decided to stay with AFT because of the income and other reasons. Now - with a flurry of job offers coming my way - that had to be the end of it, right? Wrong.
A few days ago, I was contacted by Fort Bend ISD to join them as an ASL teacher. This was one of the positions I interviewed for during the summer. They didn't want me and decided to go with someone else. That person decided not to take the job and the other candidates turned down the position as well. Basically, I was their last choice and they need me now. My first initial response was to say "No, too bad." If I'm so bad that they considered me as the last choice, then I wouldn't want to work with/for them.
All day long, I felt queasy. I was put in a position that I didn't want to be in. Yes, I know I shouldn't complain. Getting all these job offers has been nice but the timing on all of them sucks. It seems to me that the school districts are scrambling to fill in their empty holes and they want me to fill it. How does that make me feel as a person? I understand that as a new teacher, they may be apprehensive about hiring me and once I proved myself, they'd be happy with me and ask me to stay another year... but still, it makes me feel lousy.
I've gone back and forth in my head millions of times about what to do. No brainer - right? It's a teaching job, pays well, has good benefits and not to mention all the vacation time. But that's where the positives stop. Here are all the negatives: I just got a house and I'd be moving away from Fort Bend (and closer to AFT). It would be a 45 minute drive to work - which is what I'm driving now. I guess it shouldn't make a difference but I moved partly so that I could be closer to work. Ironic, huh? Another thing is that I'm not looking forward to dealing with high school students. I don't like them - simple as that. The third thing I don't like about this job is that it's an ASL position. I never wanted to teach ASL (I don't even use it). Fourth - I'd have to make new child care arrangements. Right now, I'm able to get my kids off to school then go straight to work. I only have to worry about child care for after school for about two hours until I got home. Now I need someone to get them off to school in the mornings and watch Logan until I get home around 3:30. Anyone interested in a paid part-time child care position? :) Fifth, the hours aren't flexible. At AFT, my boss says to just come in whenever I can in the mornings and work 7.5 hours from there (we get paid for lunch). It has been nice being able to do that. And 6th (yes, the list goes on and on), I'd have to (ew) dress up. At AFT, I come in wearing jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. How nice. At Travis HS, I'd have to wear nice clothes. Gross.
I really like being at AFT... although some of the rules are a little strict (no Internet and no phones), I can get by. The co-workers are nice and I work with two deaf people. I actually like my job - I'm busy, have my own desk, responsibilities, etc. I see a potential of getting raises and stuff if I stay there. I get to play with the websites that we have. I'm learning codes. I upload photos, add products, organize the website, do the invoices, sales orders, manage the customer contact list, get the email newsletters out to them, etc, etc.. Lots of things to do so it's not just one mindless boring thing.
BUT... the money just keeps getting back to me. I'd be able to pay off my debt in just two months. I'd have plenty of money left over for fun and the best thing about all this is that I will finally have good benefits.
Yesterday - I had decided. I wasn't going to take the job. But today is another story. I think I'll take it.
Sometimes good luck can be a curse.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Movin' On Up!
Well, it's been a while since I've been back. I don't think I'll be able to write as much as I could before. That's a bummer. Having a full-time job really takes a lot out of a person..
A lot has happened in the last month. Since getting a job (which was supposed to be temporary), I've been promoted to a full-time position that is permanent. I was also given a raise. Two raises, actually - but that's not important....
With my new permanent job and income, I decided it was time to start looking for a new place to live. Almost 4 years here at the apartment on the 3rd floor is enough for me. In order to afford all the deposits, the moving expenses, start up fees, etc - I needed a roommate.. and a roommate I got!
I signed the lease papers on the house on Thursday and I am so thrilled. I am eagerly anticipating moving into a roomy house with a backyard for my children and dog to play in. This house is a little over 2,000 sq feet, has 3 bedrooms and a game room upstairs. We plan on converting the game room into a bedroom for one of the kids. With my roommate helping out with a little bit of the rent, I'm going to be paying LESS than what I am paying now for my apartment. How good is that!?
The kitchen is huge and will be a nice upgrade from the small one I have in my apartment. I no longer have to worry about my children or dog being too loud and bothering the people underneath us...
I took some pictures of the house on my phone when we went to do out final walk-through to make sure we still like the house... and like it, we did!
This.. is the pantry. Huge, huh?
Living Room - view from the kitchen. That door is the front door.
Standing in the same place in the kitchen... to the left of the living room is this breakfast room. The living room and breakfast room is divided by a 1/2 wall.
This is the kitchen - view from standing in the breakfast room. Don't worry - that wall isn't pink. It's just bad lighting! If it IS pink (and I think I would have noticed), that wall will be the first I will paint... if I ever do paint.
A lot has happened in the last month. Since getting a job (which was supposed to be temporary), I've been promoted to a full-time position that is permanent. I was also given a raise. Two raises, actually - but that's not important....
With my new permanent job and income, I decided it was time to start looking for a new place to live. Almost 4 years here at the apartment on the 3rd floor is enough for me. In order to afford all the deposits, the moving expenses, start up fees, etc - I needed a roommate.. and a roommate I got!
I signed the lease papers on the house on Thursday and I am so thrilled. I am eagerly anticipating moving into a roomy house with a backyard for my children and dog to play in. This house is a little over 2,000 sq feet, has 3 bedrooms and a game room upstairs. We plan on converting the game room into a bedroom for one of the kids. With my roommate helping out with a little bit of the rent, I'm going to be paying LESS than what I am paying now for my apartment. How good is that!?
The kitchen is huge and will be a nice upgrade from the small one I have in my apartment. I no longer have to worry about my children or dog being too loud and bothering the people underneath us...
I took some pictures of the house on my phone when we went to do out final walk-through to make sure we still like the house... and like it, we did!
This.. is the pantry. Huge, huh?
Backyard
Living Room - view from the kitchen. That door is the front door.
Standing in the same place in the kitchen... to the left of the living room is this breakfast room. The living room and breakfast room is divided by a 1/2 wall.
This is the kitchen - view from standing in the breakfast room. Don't worry - that wall isn't pink. It's just bad lighting! If it IS pink (and I think I would have noticed), that wall will be the first I will paint... if I ever do paint.
Nice house, huh? :) I didn't take pics of the upstairs because it's just too much to take pictures of... Ya'll come and visit once I get settled in... ya'hear?!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Not enough time in the day
It's amazing how much 8 hours a day can change your life.
I have been so busy that I haven't had time to write, but that doesn't mean I forgot. Writing, or rather blogging, has always in the back of my mind. Sometimes I'd think of something that I would want to write about and that it would be a really good topic - I've had to push it out of my head and tell myself I'd have to get to it later. Lately, I've been coming up with ideas at the most inopportune times... right when I'm about to fall asleep (how I wish there was a dream recording device or an electronic filing software in your brain), when I'm at work, in a meeting, in church.. basically anywhere that would be inappropriate to whip out the phone and start taking notes. Once, I had the urge to write right before I fell asleep and actually got out of bed to take notes. I started writing and writing - and when I was done, I couldn't sleep. Couldn't sleep for an hour, and I had an early morning the next day. That wasn't fun. I write best when I get the urge to - but as I've learned (and probably all other writers), you don't always get to write at that moment. I guess it's handy to have a word processing software on the computer (at home and where I work) or my phone nearby to take notes with - but it's just not the same as actually sitting down and writing.
Anyway, what's new with me now? Not a whole lot but it certainly feels like my life has changed. First of all, I got a full-time job and I enjoy it (for now). I hate getting up in the morning - that hasn't changed and it never will - but I do look forward to going to work. Yes, you heard me right. It's not because I LOVE my job so much (although I do like it - the hours are good, income is enough, and the people are really nice), but it's because I'm DOING something. I want to feel worthwhile - I want to feel like I'm contributing to something rather than just taking up space and air. While this job isn't my dream job, it's enough to make me happy. I'd love to teach, but I can't say that teaching would be my dream job ... I think I haven't discovered that yet about myself. What do I do? I work for a school apparel company. It's a small company started up by a friend's mother. The company makes t-shirts, handbags, accessories and hairbows (especially hairbows) for girls involved in cheerleading, sports, dance, etc. I really like how my boss values my time and my help there. I have been so busy doing my job and helping several co-workers around the office. It's really nice to feel appreciated.
Enough about my job... let's talk about something fun and exciting. Because I have a job now that pays well and is stable/long-term, I've started looking for another place to live. I've been meaning to move out eventually but never had a good reason to. Why move out and run the risk of having to pay a higher price when income isn't really stable? I started to really think about moving out when I got word that PA might want me to teach there. Back in June, I was contacted about the opportunity to move and teach at a school for the deaf in Scranton, PA. Initially, my response was "no way!" I slowly warmed up to the idea. I discussed it with a close friend and finally came around to telling my parents. Of course, they had their concerns about me moving so far away, but I have family in the northeast so it wouldn't be that bad. After thinking for a while, my decision was made. If I was offered the job, I would move. A month and a half came and went and I heard nothing from PA. My dreams of moving right next door to NYC were dashed.
Over the last two weeks, I was contacted by three different school districts and I was offered a job. Two were long-term substitute positions that would be temporary. One of them MIGHT become permanent but I couldn't take a gamble on that - especially not that I've landed a full-time job. Finally, PA contacts me and tries their hardest to convince me to move up there. They were offering me a substitute to come take over for me until I decided I was ready to move up there and take over. Ultimately, after considering everything, I had to say no. Maybe next year. Hopefully.
With PA spurring my thoughts on moving to a new place (instead of apartments, I had planned to rent a house up there.. cost of living is cheap in that town), I decided that I wanted to move out of this apartment and into something better. When this job came up and I was offered a permanent position, I immediately jumped on the idea of renting a house instead of apartment.
Sooo... for the last week and a half, I've been looking and looking online for houses to rent. I visited four houses over the weekend and fell in love with one of them. The location's great, the price is really good (only $100 more than my apartment), there's a yard for my kids and dog to play in, a nice sized living room and kitchen, includes all the appliances... what's not to like? I had initially wanted a 4-bedroom house and this one was a 3-bedroom. While I have a yard, it's not quite large enough. Sooo, I'm on the hunt again this week for 4-bedroom houses and hopefully will be checking them out soon.
Well, I think I've managed to write an actual chapter on just two little topics - new full-time job and house-hunting. Maybe I have the traits to become a successful (but boring and drawn-out) writer, haha.
As I mentioned above, not much has really changed in my life, but it's enough to make me happy. With a small change such as a full-time job, I feel like it's the starting point to help me become happy in other areas. While money isn't everything, it's obviously very important. I'm being kept busy (maybe too busy, because I still have my obligations as a GED teacher on Tuesday nights, manager of the LBDCC at church, leading the women's retreat, acting as treasurer again for the women's ministry, and filling in for people who tend to flake out on stuff. Let's not forget being a maid, friend, mother, sister and daughter), and I'm rarely alone anymore. I'm always around people now, so I'm grateful for that.
Anyway, it's time to close up shop here and get to bed. My kids are starting their first day of school tomorrow. It'll be my son's very very first day of school and he's super excited! I'll be back tomorrow (or later this week) to write on his blog, armed with photos and maybe a story or two about my son's exciting adventure of starting school!
I have been so busy that I haven't had time to write, but that doesn't mean I forgot. Writing, or rather blogging, has always in the back of my mind. Sometimes I'd think of something that I would want to write about and that it would be a really good topic - I've had to push it out of my head and tell myself I'd have to get to it later. Lately, I've been coming up with ideas at the most inopportune times... right when I'm about to fall asleep (how I wish there was a dream recording device or an electronic filing software in your brain), when I'm at work, in a meeting, in church.. basically anywhere that would be inappropriate to whip out the phone and start taking notes. Once, I had the urge to write right before I fell asleep and actually got out of bed to take notes. I started writing and writing - and when I was done, I couldn't sleep. Couldn't sleep for an hour, and I had an early morning the next day. That wasn't fun. I write best when I get the urge to - but as I've learned (and probably all other writers), you don't always get to write at that moment. I guess it's handy to have a word processing software on the computer (at home and where I work) or my phone nearby to take notes with - but it's just not the same as actually sitting down and writing.
Anyway, what's new with me now? Not a whole lot but it certainly feels like my life has changed. First of all, I got a full-time job and I enjoy it (for now). I hate getting up in the morning - that hasn't changed and it never will - but I do look forward to going to work. Yes, you heard me right. It's not because I LOVE my job so much (although I do like it - the hours are good, income is enough, and the people are really nice), but it's because I'm DOING something. I want to feel worthwhile - I want to feel like I'm contributing to something rather than just taking up space and air. While this job isn't my dream job, it's enough to make me happy. I'd love to teach, but I can't say that teaching would be my dream job ... I think I haven't discovered that yet about myself. What do I do? I work for a school apparel company. It's a small company started up by a friend's mother. The company makes t-shirts, handbags, accessories and hairbows (especially hairbows) for girls involved in cheerleading, sports, dance, etc. I really like how my boss values my time and my help there. I have been so busy doing my job and helping several co-workers around the office. It's really nice to feel appreciated.
Enough about my job... let's talk about something fun and exciting. Because I have a job now that pays well and is stable/long-term, I've started looking for another place to live. I've been meaning to move out eventually but never had a good reason to. Why move out and run the risk of having to pay a higher price when income isn't really stable? I started to really think about moving out when I got word that PA might want me to teach there. Back in June, I was contacted about the opportunity to move and teach at a school for the deaf in Scranton, PA. Initially, my response was "no way!" I slowly warmed up to the idea. I discussed it with a close friend and finally came around to telling my parents. Of course, they had their concerns about me moving so far away, but I have family in the northeast so it wouldn't be that bad. After thinking for a while, my decision was made. If I was offered the job, I would move. A month and a half came and went and I heard nothing from PA. My dreams of moving right next door to NYC were dashed.
Over the last two weeks, I was contacted by three different school districts and I was offered a job. Two were long-term substitute positions that would be temporary. One of them MIGHT become permanent but I couldn't take a gamble on that - especially not that I've landed a full-time job. Finally, PA contacts me and tries their hardest to convince me to move up there. They were offering me a substitute to come take over for me until I decided I was ready to move up there and take over. Ultimately, after considering everything, I had to say no. Maybe next year. Hopefully.
With PA spurring my thoughts on moving to a new place (instead of apartments, I had planned to rent a house up there.. cost of living is cheap in that town), I decided that I wanted to move out of this apartment and into something better. When this job came up and I was offered a permanent position, I immediately jumped on the idea of renting a house instead of apartment.
Sooo... for the last week and a half, I've been looking and looking online for houses to rent. I visited four houses over the weekend and fell in love with one of them. The location's great, the price is really good (only $100 more than my apartment), there's a yard for my kids and dog to play in, a nice sized living room and kitchen, includes all the appliances... what's not to like? I had initially wanted a 4-bedroom house and this one was a 3-bedroom. While I have a yard, it's not quite large enough. Sooo, I'm on the hunt again this week for 4-bedroom houses and hopefully will be checking them out soon.
Well, I think I've managed to write an actual chapter on just two little topics - new full-time job and house-hunting. Maybe I have the traits to become a successful (but boring and drawn-out) writer, haha.
As I mentioned above, not much has really changed in my life, but it's enough to make me happy. With a small change such as a full-time job, I feel like it's the starting point to help me become happy in other areas. While money isn't everything, it's obviously very important. I'm being kept busy (maybe too busy, because I still have my obligations as a GED teacher on Tuesday nights, manager of the LBDCC at church, leading the women's retreat, acting as treasurer again for the women's ministry, and filling in for people who tend to flake out on stuff. Let's not forget being a maid, friend, mother, sister and daughter), and I'm rarely alone anymore. I'm always around people now, so I'm grateful for that.
Anyway, it's time to close up shop here and get to bed. My kids are starting their first day of school tomorrow. It'll be my son's very very first day of school and he's super excited! I'll be back tomorrow (or later this week) to write on his blog, armed with photos and maybe a story or two about my son's exciting adventure of starting school!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Unknown
"You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."
I had this quote in one of my posts a while back. I found it fitting to post it again. Sometimes we all have to remind ourselves that in order to experience new things, we have to let go of what we are familiar with. It's scary to step into the unknown but sometimes that's what we have to do. It's even better if you have a friend or someone to do it with instead of being all on your own. I know I'd rather have someone with me - admittedly, I don't have the guts to do much on my own. That's probably my greatest downfall.
I got offered a job yesterday. Today was my first day. It's an alright job that pays me enough so I can pay my bills. It's a temporary part time job that may or may not last until October. They may keep me on until January. Or maybe not. It may last longer than January. Or maybe not.
I got another job offer today from Houston ISD. I am being offered a long-term sub position if I want it. It's only for 6 weeks.
What I'm mad about is that the jobs are temporary. What I need is a permanent stable job that gives me an income for the next school year. Is that too much to ask!?
A while ago, I was playing around with the idea of moving to another state for a job if I was offered the job. The more I thought about it, the more I knew that I wanted to move. I still want to move for many reasons. The weather being one of them. NYC being the other.
Now - I'm thinking that even though I was offered these two temporary jobs (and I can only have one, not both), it wouldn't last. So now I am thinking that maybe I still want to move anyway. A part of me thinks that it's a stupid and rash decision. The other side of me thinks that this is what I may need to do. Maybe I'll find a job there that isn't teaching-related.
One thing is for certain - I HATE JOB HUNTING!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Deciding What's Important
I actually started this post two days ago... having the kids around after being gone for 5 weeks is hectic. I spend all day trying to entertain them. When I'm not entertaining them, they are kind enough to inform me by sticking by my side everywhere I go. They have even formed a habit of following me into the bathroom. How annoying is that!? By the time they are in bed, I am at the point of where I just want to sit on the couch and do nothing. I spend most of my evenings watching TV and movies now - because there's no way I can do that during the day. Thank God for DVR.
The kids are gone for the evening. I have an early morning and didn't want to make it any earlier than it is so I decided to drop them off at the baby sitter's tonight. Even though my hands are aching (I messed them up a few years ago by typing TONS of papers for my BA degree, and when I spend a tad bit too much on the computer nowadays, my hands let me know), I'm going to use this downtime to finally write.
I've been thinking about the last 7 years of my life lately... pretty much since my daughter was born. I became a mother fresh out of high school, but that never stopped me from going to school. I was determined to prove everyone wrong when they said I wouldn't make it. I vowed to never become a statistic. The last 7 years of my life was pretty much being a student and a full-time mom/wife. I have worked a total of 6 jobs in my entire life. Only one of them was full-time and that only lasted for 2 months before I was laid off. All other jobs were either short-term or only required me to do data entry a few hours a month. That's hardly a job.
Now that schooling is over, there is no job at the moment and I've downgraded from full-time mom/wife to just a full-time mom (working overtime) - I've thought about what I should be considering. Job hunting has taken a toll on me. I submitted TONS of applications when I completed my BA degree and received my TX certificate. There's only about 1,000 paralegals in the state of Texas that hold a certificate - and I'm one of them. That oughta land me a job, right? Soon enough, I found out that having a BA and a certificate means nothing if you don't have experience. But - that's a whole 'nother story. I allowed myself to feel down for a while, picked myself back up and went back to school to get a teaching degree. Surely, I'll have an easier time finding a job then, right?
I've looked for various part-time jobs over the last few years, but never seriously pursued anything for lack of interest and motivation. I had a means to pay my bills so why drain myself? So... school's over so it's time to get a job.
When I look at the last 7 years of my life, I spent a lot of it just playing around. I was at home all the time, played lots of computer games and watched TV (in between running errands, taking care of kids, and cleaning house). I suppose I could continue this way of life - but frankly, I've had enough. It's time for me to work and to contribute to society.
I've sent in applications to at least 5 school districts around Houston. I've had two job interviews. I didn't get the first job and a decision hasn't been made yet at the 2nd district.... I've started to wonder now - maybe I should look elsewhere.
Moving to another city/state is scary. Many times, I have told myself and many others that I would never leave Houston. It's my home - always has been and always will be. If things didn't work out here, I'd just be moving in with some other people and living a different (that means poor) life. Anything just to stay in Houston.
However, I've recently started to think.... I need my sanity and I need to feel that I'm worth something. That means I need to work. Does that mean I will have to move? Only time will tell.....
The kids are gone for the evening. I have an early morning and didn't want to make it any earlier than it is so I decided to drop them off at the baby sitter's tonight. Even though my hands are aching (I messed them up a few years ago by typing TONS of papers for my BA degree, and when I spend a tad bit too much on the computer nowadays, my hands let me know), I'm going to use this downtime to finally write.
I've been thinking about the last 7 years of my life lately... pretty much since my daughter was born. I became a mother fresh out of high school, but that never stopped me from going to school. I was determined to prove everyone wrong when they said I wouldn't make it. I vowed to never become a statistic. The last 7 years of my life was pretty much being a student and a full-time mom/wife. I have worked a total of 6 jobs in my entire life. Only one of them was full-time and that only lasted for 2 months before I was laid off. All other jobs were either short-term or only required me to do data entry a few hours a month. That's hardly a job.
Now that schooling is over, there is no job at the moment and I've downgraded from full-time mom/wife to just a full-time mom (working overtime) - I've thought about what I should be considering. Job hunting has taken a toll on me. I submitted TONS of applications when I completed my BA degree and received my TX certificate. There's only about 1,000 paralegals in the state of Texas that hold a certificate - and I'm one of them. That oughta land me a job, right? Soon enough, I found out that having a BA and a certificate means nothing if you don't have experience. But - that's a whole 'nother story. I allowed myself to feel down for a while, picked myself back up and went back to school to get a teaching degree. Surely, I'll have an easier time finding a job then, right?
I've looked for various part-time jobs over the last few years, but never seriously pursued anything for lack of interest and motivation. I had a means to pay my bills so why drain myself? So... school's over so it's time to get a job.
When I look at the last 7 years of my life, I spent a lot of it just playing around. I was at home all the time, played lots of computer games and watched TV (in between running errands, taking care of kids, and cleaning house). I suppose I could continue this way of life - but frankly, I've had enough. It's time for me to work and to contribute to society.
I've sent in applications to at least 5 school districts around Houston. I've had two job interviews. I didn't get the first job and a decision hasn't been made yet at the 2nd district.... I've started to wonder now - maybe I should look elsewhere.
Moving to another city/state is scary. Many times, I have told myself and many others that I would never leave Houston. It's my home - always has been and always will be. If things didn't work out here, I'd just be moving in with some other people and living a different (that means poor) life. Anything just to stay in Houston.
However, I've recently started to think.... I need my sanity and I need to feel that I'm worth something. That means I need to work. Does that mean I will have to move? Only time will tell.....
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
What the Bleep?
So.. most of you know that I'm going for my masters in Deaf Ed. 23 months down with 1 month to go and that month couldn't come and go any faster than I'd like it to. I'm down to my last two requirements for the worthless degree I'm about to get (and by the way, I have already received my certification, yippee!!!). A huge Comp project and of course, the Comp Exam, which is due in about two weeks. If I haven't told you yet about the Comp project, you'll find out about it now.
Basically, the Comp project is a super-long paper (I'm up to 15 pages so far and I'm NOT even halfway done) detailing what I will do during certain points of my first year as a teacher. Prior to the start of school, first week of school, end of the first 6 weeks, end of the semester, beginning of the 2ND semester, early spring (ARD preparations) and end of the year. I have to painstakingly explain what I will do in which situation at these points of the year and why. Fine, I get the point of the project - but as I struggle to complete it each day, I get more and more frustrated. Why? Get ready because I'm about to give an eyeful.
In every aspect of the paper, I'm required to recite how I plan to incorporate speech, language and audition skills in my lessons along with the other normal stuff like seating, IEP goals for individual students, blah blah blah. I have to talk about how I plan to evaluate the students, determine whether they're improving and how I plan to incorporate new ideas into new lessons based on the students' success. Language I can understand but speech and audition!?
I had an interview last week with a school district that I'm not too crazy about. I had an interview with them back in November as a long-term teacher... needless to say, I didn't get the job. However, this time around, I was much more prepared for the interview because I had a very good idea of what type of questions they would be asking me. Regardless of my teaching philosophy and my personal experience, I answered the questions according to what I knew they wanted to hear. Never mind my beliefs - I was willing to say whatever BS possible to get the job. I'll find out Friday whether I got it or not. I highly doubt it, though.
Now, as I'm completing the Comp project, I'm looking back at the interview and thinking about what they asked me. The more I work on the project and the more I think about the interview, the more I get agitated and angry over their philosophies. It just seems to me that Deaf Education programs are being overrun by hearing people who know crap about Deaf people. In two years of my education and my interviews, I've seen that these people are more concerned about the Deaf kids that has the potential of speaking and hearing. Never mind those who are mute and profoundly deaf with no possibility of hearing a sound. Who needs them, right?
I may be profoundly deaf now but I'm certainly not mute. I may not have grown up profoundly deaf but these "insignificant" profoundly deaf and mute people are my parents and friends. It really bothers me that people put more of a focus on deaf children who may be able to achieve much more than those who cannot hear or speak. What the hell? Who are they to decide early in the children's life who and who may not be successful based on how much skill they have in hearing and speaking?
In every lesson, I'm required to think and talk about how I can accommodate those who can speak and hear. I have to talk about how I plan to improve these skills and incorporate them in everything I do. What about the others? What about using your time to think about what visual aids you can use to provide better education for those who cannot hear and speak?
Ultimately, I know that if and when I become a teacher, what I do in my classroom is up to me. However, I do have to follow laws and abide by the IEP goals, district rules and of course, the program rules. I've told myself that I could always put up with stupid people for a while until I found a position at a district that I could appreciate. However, the more I think about it, the more I wonder... am I willing to compromise my beliefs and the children's education because the program coordinators think they know what they're doing? Don't get me wrong - I have no formal experience under my belt so I am not in any position to say I'm better than they are... but I AM a deaf person, I DO have deaf parents and I ALSO have a deaf child.
I teach GED to deaf adults that are struggling really bad (and I mean, bad) in English and Reading. The funny thing is - 3 of the 5 adults grew up in oral schools. My heart goes out to them - and I just keep thinking.... if people cared about them in the beginning and provided them education in their natural language along with visual aids (frankly, ANYTHING that could take advantage of their eyes rather than their ears), would they be at the same place they are today?
Basically, the Comp project is a super-long paper (I'm up to 15 pages so far and I'm NOT even halfway done) detailing what I will do during certain points of my first year as a teacher. Prior to the start of school, first week of school, end of the first 6 weeks, end of the semester, beginning of the 2ND semester, early spring (ARD preparations) and end of the year. I have to painstakingly explain what I will do in which situation at these points of the year and why. Fine, I get the point of the project - but as I struggle to complete it each day, I get more and more frustrated. Why? Get ready because I'm about to give an eyeful.
In every aspect of the paper, I'm required to recite how I plan to incorporate speech, language and audition skills in my lessons along with the other normal stuff like seating, IEP goals for individual students, blah blah blah. I have to talk about how I plan to evaluate the students, determine whether they're improving and how I plan to incorporate new ideas into new lessons based on the students' success. Language I can understand but speech and audition!?
I had an interview last week with a school district that I'm not too crazy about. I had an interview with them back in November as a long-term teacher... needless to say, I didn't get the job. However, this time around, I was much more prepared for the interview because I had a very good idea of what type of questions they would be asking me. Regardless of my teaching philosophy and my personal experience, I answered the questions according to what I knew they wanted to hear. Never mind my beliefs - I was willing to say whatever BS possible to get the job. I'll find out Friday whether I got it or not. I highly doubt it, though.
Now, as I'm completing the Comp project, I'm looking back at the interview and thinking about what they asked me. The more I work on the project and the more I think about the interview, the more I get agitated and angry over their philosophies. It just seems to me that Deaf Education programs are being overrun by hearing people who know crap about Deaf people. In two years of my education and my interviews, I've seen that these people are more concerned about the Deaf kids that has the potential of speaking and hearing. Never mind those who are mute and profoundly deaf with no possibility of hearing a sound. Who needs them, right?
I may be profoundly deaf now but I'm certainly not mute. I may not have grown up profoundly deaf but these "insignificant" profoundly deaf and mute people are my parents and friends. It really bothers me that people put more of a focus on deaf children who may be able to achieve much more than those who cannot hear or speak. What the hell? Who are they to decide early in the children's life who and who may not be successful based on how much skill they have in hearing and speaking?
In every lesson, I'm required to think and talk about how I can accommodate those who can speak and hear. I have to talk about how I plan to improve these skills and incorporate them in everything I do. What about the others? What about using your time to think about what visual aids you can use to provide better education for those who cannot hear and speak?
Ultimately, I know that if and when I become a teacher, what I do in my classroom is up to me. However, I do have to follow laws and abide by the IEP goals, district rules and of course, the program rules. I've told myself that I could always put up with stupid people for a while until I found a position at a district that I could appreciate. However, the more I think about it, the more I wonder... am I willing to compromise my beliefs and the children's education because the program coordinators think they know what they're doing? Don't get me wrong - I have no formal experience under my belt so I am not in any position to say I'm better than they are... but I AM a deaf person, I DO have deaf parents and I ALSO have a deaf child.
I teach GED to deaf adults that are struggling really bad (and I mean, bad) in English and Reading. The funny thing is - 3 of the 5 adults grew up in oral schools. My heart goes out to them - and I just keep thinking.... if people cared about them in the beginning and provided them education in their natural language along with visual aids (frankly, ANYTHING that could take advantage of their eyes rather than their ears), would they be at the same place they are today?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Living a Whole Lifetime in 7 weeks
After 14 weeks of student teaching, I am back to my old life. Going to bed late, sleeping in, being a kid at heart almost all day (and it's exhausting!), cleaning up and doing things around the apartment. This is only my 3rd full day back at home, and I already feel like I have too much time on my hands. While it's exceptionally nice to be back at home, I feel happier when I'm working. Contributing to society, supporting myself and my kids, and most importantly - keeping myself busy.
Don't get me wrong. It's really nice to be back at home again full-time. I can get things done and go grocery shopping during the day. How I missed grocery shopping in the daytime during the week. I've gotten used to enduring long lines in the evenings and on the weekends along with the working people. Now I share the lines with stay-at-home moms, the recently unemployed and lazy bums.
In just 7 short weeks, I've learned more than I ever could in my entire life what NOT to do as a teacher. Teaching high school was a mess! In my personal opinion, some of the teachers created much more drama than the students did. They actually leeched off the drama between the students and recreated them. They call it "professionally discussing their concerns for the students" but they are really feeding off the energy and amplifying the situation. Some of the students acted more mature than a few of the teachers. How sad is that?
During my evaluation (which I passed with flying colors - but that doesn't mean anything to me coming from an ineligible sponsor), my supervising teacher gave me some advice - two, actually. First, he said I needed to be more social with the students and the teachers. Yeah - because I didn't want to hang out with him during my free time, that means I'm not social enough. Right. Second, he said I needed to dress more professionally. There he was - telling me that when he himself was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Maybe he meant I should wear skirts or pretty myself up. If that's true - he deserves a fist in the face. Here are some "Don'ts" I've observed and told myself to NEVER EVER do when I'm a teacher. It's also my advice to the supervising teacher I had:
Overall, you can see my experience wasn't a very good one. I did enjoy some of my time there. I met some teachers that I've become friendly with and hung out with during my breaks. There are some decent people there and the students can be super nice.
If you or anyone you know is planning to intern at HISD, please PLEASE talk to me first. I'll tell you who's good and who's not - so you can be sure you're not placed with the same teacher I was stuck with.
Don't get me wrong. It's really nice to be back at home again full-time. I can get things done and go grocery shopping during the day. How I missed grocery shopping in the daytime during the week. I've gotten used to enduring long lines in the evenings and on the weekends along with the working people. Now I share the lines with stay-at-home moms, the recently unemployed and lazy bums.
In just 7 short weeks, I've learned more than I ever could in my entire life what NOT to do as a teacher. Teaching high school was a mess! In my personal opinion, some of the teachers created much more drama than the students did. They actually leeched off the drama between the students and recreated them. They call it "professionally discussing their concerns for the students" but they are really feeding off the energy and amplifying the situation. Some of the students acted more mature than a few of the teachers. How sad is that?
During my evaluation (which I passed with flying colors - but that doesn't mean anything to me coming from an ineligible sponsor), my supervising teacher gave me some advice - two, actually. First, he said I needed to be more social with the students and the teachers. Yeah - because I didn't want to hang out with him during my free time, that means I'm not social enough. Right. Second, he said I needed to dress more professionally. There he was - telling me that when he himself was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Maybe he meant I should wear skirts or pretty myself up. If that's true - he deserves a fist in the face. Here are some "Don'ts" I've observed and told myself to NEVER EVER do when I'm a teacher. It's also my advice to the supervising teacher I had:
1. When a student needs help on an assignment, never tell him/her to hold
on so you can finish talking about another student and his/her problems (in the
presence of a class).
2. Don't leave your student teacher alone for 30-45 minutes at a time
(almost daily) to wander the halls, talk to other teachers and come back with an
excuse saying "I had to deal with a problem."
3. When you make rules, never break them. If YOU break them, your students will.
4. Never make up grades based on how you feel about the students. If he earned it, good. If not, do NOT give him a passing grade! That only sets them up for failure in the future.
5. Do NOT back stab or gossip about your co-workers. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but someday it'll come back and bite you in the ass. Hard.
6. Don't teach the same lesson every...single...day. It's BORING! No wonder your students hate you.
7. If you're lazy - you're NOT meant to be a teacher.
8. When you often dump your class on another teacher because of a "situation", do NOT call that teacher lazy when he wants you to return the favor once in a blue moon.
9. Do NOT meddle in your students' lives. There's a fine line between caring and getting involved.
10. If you give assignments and tell them it's for a grade, do NOT just throw them in the trash when you've decided you don't want to be bothered with the gradebook. It's a waste of the students' time (especially when the assignment is 2nd grade material...like, really!? You'd give seniors a 2nd grade assignment!?).
11. When the student teacher teaches for a week, creates an assignment/test, and administers it to the students, do NOT disregard that as "practice" for the student teacher and simply place the papers aside. At least when the student teacher teaches, the students are actually LEARNING. Look that up in the dictionary - I'm sure it's a very unfamiliar term to you.
12. Again - if you're lazy - do NOT become a teacher.
Overall, you can see my experience wasn't a very good one. I did enjoy some of my time there. I met some teachers that I've become friendly with and hung out with during my breaks. There are some decent people there and the students can be super nice.
If you or anyone you know is planning to intern at HISD, please PLEASE talk to me first. I'll tell you who's good and who's not - so you can be sure you're not placed with the same teacher I was stuck with.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Major Venting Ahead
Bitch Mode: On
I am SO pissed! It's my last week of student teaching and I've had enough. It's taking almost all the strength I have to not walk out of the school and never come back. I can deal with the issues here, but this is enough.
Today is the final day of TAKS testing. The seniors were herded into the cafeteria for a long morning of meetings, getting ready for graduation and hearing college reps speak about how wonderful their college is and why the students should go there. Because my teaching supervisor is a Senior Sponsor this year, I got stuck with watching the seniors in the cafeteria.
Normally, these kids are OK with me. They generally listen with an occasional moment of rebellion. They quickly get over it and we get along fine. But today was another story.
The school has a very strict rule - no cellphones, PDAs, etc during school hours. While the college reps were speaking, the Deaf group just sat at their tables and chatted away - completely ignoring the interpreters. They also played with their phones. Instead of taking them away, I gave them a warning. Put it away... and I won't take it if I don't see it again. I guess these kids were really bored (so was I), so they kept playing with their phones. After several times of telling individual students (one warning each) to put away their phones, I got fed up. I told them all.. if I see ONE more phone, I'm taking all of yours.
Of course, they all played with their phones again. They refused to give their phones to me, telling me that I wasn't their mother and their teacher, and I had no right to take their phones. Keep in mind - during this time in the cafeteria, I was alone with 20 students. My teaching supervisor had left me alone with them for at least 45 minutes - AGAIN. He has a nasty habit of leaving me alone with the students so he can roam the halls for people to annoy.
After struggling for a while, I walked out of the cafeteria. I found my supervisor and with a stern expression, I told him that he needed to go back to his students and handle them because I'm fed up. He just said "OK, go back over there. I'll be there soon." He shows up 15-20 minutes later and HE DID NOTHING! The students had their phones out. He just looked at them. He didn't say anything to them and he didn't do anything.
I realize that as a future teacher I need to get a handle on my discipline abilities. In elementary, I quickly got my students under control, I even won over the girl with emotional issues. I got along well with my high school students. I taught and they listened. However, they've been spoiled by their real teacher. He's all talk and no action. Whenever I tried to discipline them (or just teach), he would frequently step in and interrupt me.. when he's around. I feel that he undermines my status here at the school and presents a huge problem here.
Anyway, the students sat there and boldly started talking bad about me - in front of me and my supervising teacher. "She can't do nothing, she's not a teacher," is one example. You don't want to know what else they said. And my supervising teacher did - you guessed it - NOTHING.
In fact, he turned around and started flirting with a young interpreter. They chatted about Gallaudet and they both took turns talking about themselves, promoting themselves as an excellent teacher and excellent interpreter ("I learned all ASL all by myself! I never took ITP courses, I became very skilled because I have excellent deaf friends." mock giggle). GAG!
I was fuming inside. I pulled the assistant principal aside and told her about my situation with the kids, their disrespecting me and using the phones. She told me to go to her office later and to write them all up. I'm going to do exactly that. You can be damn well sure of it.
On top of all this - my supervising teacher told me this morning that I wouldn't be able to teach my lessons. On Friday, I approached him and told him I came up with an idea on how to present reading materials to the student and that I wanted to do that this week. He said "Oh, sure!" Today, he said "Well, we need let them go to the computer lab and do online activities. It's been crazy with the TAKS testing so this week will just be easy, OK?" I'm thinking - the past FIVE WEEKS has been easy on his students! The seniors did absolutely nothing all week last week except watch movies. And we need to take it easy because of TAKS?
I had started to become excited about potentially teaching a new idea I came up with. I wanted to test it out on my students and see if it really improved their understanding of their vocabulary words. Guess it won't happen.
4 more days. Will I make it?
Bitch Mode: Off
I am SO pissed! It's my last week of student teaching and I've had enough. It's taking almost all the strength I have to not walk out of the school and never come back. I can deal with the issues here, but this is enough.
Today is the final day of TAKS testing. The seniors were herded into the cafeteria for a long morning of meetings, getting ready for graduation and hearing college reps speak about how wonderful their college is and why the students should go there. Because my teaching supervisor is a Senior Sponsor this year, I got stuck with watching the seniors in the cafeteria.
Normally, these kids are OK with me. They generally listen with an occasional moment of rebellion. They quickly get over it and we get along fine. But today was another story.
The school has a very strict rule - no cellphones, PDAs, etc during school hours. While the college reps were speaking, the Deaf group just sat at their tables and chatted away - completely ignoring the interpreters. They also played with their phones. Instead of taking them away, I gave them a warning. Put it away... and I won't take it if I don't see it again. I guess these kids were really bored (so was I), so they kept playing with their phones. After several times of telling individual students (one warning each) to put away their phones, I got fed up. I told them all.. if I see ONE more phone, I'm taking all of yours.
Of course, they all played with their phones again. They refused to give their phones to me, telling me that I wasn't their mother and their teacher, and I had no right to take their phones. Keep in mind - during this time in the cafeteria, I was alone with 20 students. My teaching supervisor had left me alone with them for at least 45 minutes - AGAIN. He has a nasty habit of leaving me alone with the students so he can roam the halls for people to annoy.
After struggling for a while, I walked out of the cafeteria. I found my supervisor and with a stern expression, I told him that he needed to go back to his students and handle them because I'm fed up. He just said "OK, go back over there. I'll be there soon." He shows up 15-20 minutes later and HE DID NOTHING! The students had their phones out. He just looked at them. He didn't say anything to them and he didn't do anything.
I realize that as a future teacher I need to get a handle on my discipline abilities. In elementary, I quickly got my students under control, I even won over the girl with emotional issues. I got along well with my high school students. I taught and they listened. However, they've been spoiled by their real teacher. He's all talk and no action. Whenever I tried to discipline them (or just teach), he would frequently step in and interrupt me.. when he's around. I feel that he undermines my status here at the school and presents a huge problem here.
Anyway, the students sat there and boldly started talking bad about me - in front of me and my supervising teacher. "She can't do nothing, she's not a teacher," is one example. You don't want to know what else they said. And my supervising teacher did - you guessed it - NOTHING.
In fact, he turned around and started flirting with a young interpreter. They chatted about Gallaudet and they both took turns talking about themselves, promoting themselves as an excellent teacher and excellent interpreter ("I learned all ASL all by myself! I never took ITP courses, I became very skilled because I have excellent deaf friends." mock giggle). GAG!
I was fuming inside. I pulled the assistant principal aside and told her about my situation with the kids, their disrespecting me and using the phones. She told me to go to her office later and to write them all up. I'm going to do exactly that. You can be damn well sure of it.
On top of all this - my supervising teacher told me this morning that I wouldn't be able to teach my lessons. On Friday, I approached him and told him I came up with an idea on how to present reading materials to the student and that I wanted to do that this week. He said "Oh, sure!" Today, he said "Well, we need let them go to the computer lab and do online activities. It's been crazy with the TAKS testing so this week will just be easy, OK?" I'm thinking - the past FIVE WEEKS has been easy on his students! The seniors did absolutely nothing all week last week except watch movies. And we need to take it easy because of TAKS?
I had started to become excited about potentially teaching a new idea I came up with. I wanted to test it out on my students and see if it really improved their understanding of their vocabulary words. Guess it won't happen.
4 more days. Will I make it?
Bitch Mode: Off
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Abusing Sick Days
Let's review our vocabulary for a minute here. Don't worry, nothing too difficult.... Define the word, "sick." Done? OK, now define "sick days." The answer's pretty obvious, right? It's your basic kindergarten vocabulary. Sick means: "stay the hell away from me when you're coughing, wheezing, sniffling, blowing your nose, running a fever or sweating cold sweats - OR all of the above."
I have an issue with people abusing their sick days. Everyone does it, I know I have in the past... but excessively calling in sick and using up your sick days for when you are actually well is just plain stupid. And I'll tell you why.
There are two people that I know (who will remain nameless for obvious reasons) who have used up all their sick days for the year already - and they used it all up a long time ago. One used it to take an extended vacation for spring break - taking 3 days off right before Spring Break. I'm not going to list all the reasons why they used up all their sick days. Some were valid and some were simply "because I didn't feel like working." They were given 10 paid sick days. With all the school holidays, spring break and summer break - is there really a need to take an additional 10 days off - some of which because you didn't feel like working?
Because they have used up all their sick days, they have go to work when they're sick. When they work while they're sick, they expose their germs to other people - forcing them to take their sick days off work if they ever caught the germs. Here's a tip from Social Decorum 101: It's RUDE!
One of them came down with a very minor strain of "Influenza" (his words) which is just a fancy name for the flu. Is a very "minor" flu any better than THE flu? I think not. He was pretty sick. I did my very best to distance myself from him. His co-worker (who also used all her sick days) got sick, maybe from him, and continued to pass on the germs. Needless to say, I avoided her like the plague.
What's even worse - using up all your sick days will cause some people to act immorally (for lack of better word). Because her sick days were all gone, someone snuck out of work for 3 hours (during lunch and her free period) without signing in or out (because she couldn't afford to) to go to a doctor's appointment. For lunch - you're allowed to leave campus but during your free periods, you're required to stay on campus. Just her luck, the principal came around looking for her. This forced the other teachers to lie and cover up for her - telling the principal that she was in the bathroom, in the library, etc, etc. The principal was pretty pissed off - but I didn't hear anything about the teacher getting in trouble. I guess maybe because the principal couldn't really prove that the teacher stepped off campus.
My point is simple and my point is this: If you're sick - PLEASE take the day off and stay away from me. If you're NOT sick and it's NOT a life/death situation - drag your ass to work. IF and only IF you have lots of sick days left towards the end of the year and there's a VERY good chance you will not be sick (hey, you never know), then do whatever you please. If your job doesn't carry your sick days onto the next year then go ahead - use it all up and take an extra vacation. But for your sake AND mine, don't be stupid and spend it all on frivolous frolics at the beach. Comprende?
I have an issue with people abusing their sick days. Everyone does it, I know I have in the past... but excessively calling in sick and using up your sick days for when you are actually well is just plain stupid. And I'll tell you why.
There are two people that I know (who will remain nameless for obvious reasons) who have used up all their sick days for the year already - and they used it all up a long time ago. One used it to take an extended vacation for spring break - taking 3 days off right before Spring Break. I'm not going to list all the reasons why they used up all their sick days. Some were valid and some were simply "because I didn't feel like working." They were given 10 paid sick days. With all the school holidays, spring break and summer break - is there really a need to take an additional 10 days off - some of which because you didn't feel like working?
Because they have used up all their sick days, they have go to work when they're sick. When they work while they're sick, they expose their germs to other people - forcing them to take their sick days off work if they ever caught the germs. Here's a tip from Social Decorum 101: It's RUDE!
One of them came down with a very minor strain of "Influenza" (his words) which is just a fancy name for the flu. Is a very "minor" flu any better than THE flu? I think not. He was pretty sick. I did my very best to distance myself from him. His co-worker (who also used all her sick days) got sick, maybe from him, and continued to pass on the germs. Needless to say, I avoided her like the plague.
What's even worse - using up all your sick days will cause some people to act immorally (for lack of better word). Because her sick days were all gone, someone snuck out of work for 3 hours (during lunch and her free period) without signing in or out (because she couldn't afford to) to go to a doctor's appointment. For lunch - you're allowed to leave campus but during your free periods, you're required to stay on campus. Just her luck, the principal came around looking for her. This forced the other teachers to lie and cover up for her - telling the principal that she was in the bathroom, in the library, etc, etc. The principal was pretty pissed off - but I didn't hear anything about the teacher getting in trouble. I guess maybe because the principal couldn't really prove that the teacher stepped off campus.
My point is simple and my point is this: If you're sick - PLEASE take the day off and stay away from me. If you're NOT sick and it's NOT a life/death situation - drag your ass to work. IF and only IF you have lots of sick days left towards the end of the year and there's a VERY good chance you will not be sick (hey, you never know), then do whatever you please. If your job doesn't carry your sick days onto the next year then go ahead - use it all up and take an extra vacation. But for your sake AND mine, don't be stupid and spend it all on frivolous frolics at the beach. Comprende?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Counting down the days
I have two weeks left. After today, 9 days to be exact. 9 more days before I'm done with my internship. Finally.
I'm getting major "senoritis." It's a disease that seniors get. God knows I had that my senior year of high school. After so many years of school, we are finally at the end and the end is the worst. Time just drags on and on. This is when we get restless and lazy - big time. Time started to slow down for me two weeks ago. It was a slow "4 weeks left" and a slower "3 weeks left." Just two more weeks left, I keep telling myself, but I'm wondering just how slow it'll go.
I finished my independent study. The only thing standing in my way from certification is my Comp Exam. I'm due to take that in June. The first half is a couple of assignments and discussion board participation. I guess it's a way to prepare us for the test. I'm a bit annoyed by that but thankful, I guess. Everyone I know didn't have to take a "course", they just signed up for it and took the exam. Lucky for me, my Comp Exam grade isn't based solely on the test. So, if I don't do well, I have my assignments and discussion board participation to fall back on. I have a proctor for my exam (supposedly), so I'm all set. Let's go - I'm ready.
I've applied to 4 districts. Success comes in numbers, doesn't it? 4 districts with three schools each (if there's elementary, middle and high schools), my odds are good, I think. HISD just opened up a brand new position a few days ago for middle school. I applied. Fingers are crossed.
Today is the first day in 4 days that my butt isn't sore. Being more active - working out and doing cardio almost daily (so far), and rollerblading at least once a week makes me feel better about myself. I feel energized and I feel like I can keep on doing more things. Being sore is terrible - but it means I'm working the muscles. However, I'm not expecting any results anytime soon - I've been cheating. I've been having an affair with food. I just hope my body doesn't find out - but it probably will soon enough. Because of my birthday (and among other reasons), I've been eating out a lot lately - which means I've been taking in lots of calories. Oh well - nobody said guilty pleasures was good for your figure.
Not to mention - I do pretty much nothing 3/4 of my time here during my internship. For instance - I have 10:22 to 12:00 off today.... which means I'm playing around on the computer. I didn't have to teach this morning either - I had seniors for 1st period and they had meetings to go to.
Well, time for me to go and be bored. I bet you'd kill to be my position right now, J. Wanna trade?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Day One of Unemployment
Today's the first day of the rest of my life. I often wonder what that really means to people when they say that. Obviously, it means starting over and today's the day of new beginnings. Tomorrow's a new day and so is the day after that. Theoretically, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life also - and the day after that, and the day after that and so on. All in all, that sounds really nice - being able to start a new day everyday (and starting over) but many of us don't even realize the chance we're given to begin a new day. Granted, sometimes I'm just tired of living. Tired of having to wake up, tired of having to start another day, tired of having to go through the same routine day in and day out. But at the same time, I enjoy life - I can't even bear the thought of dying young.
Anyway, in light of recent events, I'm trying hard to stay positive. I was laid off yesterday (boo-hoo). Work had considerably slowed down and I was going home early everyday. I won't lie, I really enjoyed going home early even though I needed the money. What was I to do? Even though I had known work was pretty bad, I wasn't prepared to hear that my boss was letting go of a lot of people. He had to let off the entire 2nd and 3rd shifts in all departments, 4 from my department and 15 from another department. That's bad. Obviously, I was shocked by the news and pretty upset about it. To be suddenly cut off from my main mean of income, I started to wonder how in the world am I going to pay my bills? My boss apologized over and over and said he expects to have work in about a month. If and when he gets work, he'll definitely call me to go back. I'm not holding my breath though. What if there isn't work to do?
Staying positive does have a unique effect on people when they choose to exercise that attitude. Even though I was miserable and worried all day long, I forced myself to believe that it's not the end of the world. I have another job - a part-time job. So I'm not totally broke. After speaking to tons of contacts and letting them all know I was looking for another job - I applied to 4 places yesterday. Off to a good start....
Even though I still worry, I am liking my new routine. Imagine this: T-minus 10 seconds of commute time...as opposed to an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon. I slept in until 9am (after getting my kid off to school, of course), took a couple steps to get some coffee, then another few steps and I was in my "office." I have enough work right now to last me a while so I think I'm safe for now. But it would be nice to have a roommate...
It's nice being back at home again. In the middle of working, I stopped and played with my son for a long while. I watched tv, did laundry and cleaned a little bit while working as well. By the time my daughter came home from school, I was done working and completed most of my chores. I got a little bit of spring cleaning done too.
A friend came over to borrow some books. I had realized that some of my most prized books weren't on any of my bookshelves so I decided to take a look around. I found a box packed full of books that I had read when I was a young girl - from about 3rd grade through middle school. That box held my favorite books. As I was sorting through these books to refresh my memory of what I had, I felt a tug at my heart as I reminisced over the memories of these books. Some of these books still had that fresh book smell and others smelled musty and worn. I love these smells. Right then, I decided I would like to read them all again. As I was looking through my books, my daughter approached me and took an interest in the books. I had an idea and asked her to choose one. Since these books were just a little bit too advanced for her, I told her we'd read these books together.
So I sat down with her and started reading the first book she chose - Sideway Stories from Wayside School. As I was reading with her, I was reminded of yet another positive aspect. While my kids can drive me insane on many days, I get to relieve my childhood through them. How awesome is that?
Anyway, in light of recent events, I'm trying hard to stay positive. I was laid off yesterday (boo-hoo). Work had considerably slowed down and I was going home early everyday. I won't lie, I really enjoyed going home early even though I needed the money. What was I to do? Even though I had known work was pretty bad, I wasn't prepared to hear that my boss was letting go of a lot of people. He had to let off the entire 2nd and 3rd shifts in all departments, 4 from my department and 15 from another department. That's bad. Obviously, I was shocked by the news and pretty upset about it. To be suddenly cut off from my main mean of income, I started to wonder how in the world am I going to pay my bills? My boss apologized over and over and said he expects to have work in about a month. If and when he gets work, he'll definitely call me to go back. I'm not holding my breath though. What if there isn't work to do?
Staying positive does have a unique effect on people when they choose to exercise that attitude. Even though I was miserable and worried all day long, I forced myself to believe that it's not the end of the world. I have another job - a part-time job. So I'm not totally broke. After speaking to tons of contacts and letting them all know I was looking for another job - I applied to 4 places yesterday. Off to a good start....
Even though I still worry, I am liking my new routine. Imagine this: T-minus 10 seconds of commute time...as opposed to an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon. I slept in until 9am (after getting my kid off to school, of course), took a couple steps to get some coffee, then another few steps and I was in my "office." I have enough work right now to last me a while so I think I'm safe for now. But it would be nice to have a roommate...
It's nice being back at home again. In the middle of working, I stopped and played with my son for a long while. I watched tv, did laundry and cleaned a little bit while working as well. By the time my daughter came home from school, I was done working and completed most of my chores. I got a little bit of spring cleaning done too.
A friend came over to borrow some books. I had realized that some of my most prized books weren't on any of my bookshelves so I decided to take a look around. I found a box packed full of books that I had read when I was a young girl - from about 3rd grade through middle school. That box held my favorite books. As I was sorting through these books to refresh my memory of what I had, I felt a tug at my heart as I reminisced over the memories of these books. Some of these books still had that fresh book smell and others smelled musty and worn. I love these smells. Right then, I decided I would like to read them all again. As I was looking through my books, my daughter approached me and took an interest in the books. I had an idea and asked her to choose one. Since these books were just a little bit too advanced for her, I told her we'd read these books together.
So I sat down with her and started reading the first book she chose - Sideway Stories from Wayside School. As I was reading with her, I was reminded of yet another positive aspect. While my kids can drive me insane on many days, I get to relieve my childhood through them. How awesome is that?
Monday, October 20, 2008
Free At Last
For the past couple of weeks, I have been super busy during the week trying to do this and that while feeling very overwhelmed. I save my weekends for myself and fun with friends, which causes my weeks to become crazy... I'm happy to say that finally, today, I got caught up on everything I needed to do. My To-Do List is never-ending... but at least for now, I can breathe, sit back and relax knowing that other things can wait a day or two now with a peaceful mind.
I have so many things to gripe about. Today, traffic was horrible so I was 15 minutes late to work. Thankfully, my boss is ultra understanding and super nice. When I move to another job, I kinda wanna take him with me. I was almost hit 3 times on the freeway (yes, 3! and NOT my fault), in less than a minute. I was minding my own business traveling down my lane when three separate cars tried to move out in front of me from their lane (cuz their lane was super slow). Geez! And there's someone at work that EVERYONE in my department doesn't like... she gives us problems (does a crappy job), we get upset (because we have to fix her mistakes) and she gets mad cuz we're upset. This has been going on for several weeks. I'm just really surprised she hasn't been fired yet. OH - and she goes to the bathroom at least 2-3 times an hour and stays there 5-10 mins at a time. You can imagine just how much work she does during the day. Today, she tried insulting me and my friend - saying our "hand gestures" bother her so please stop talking. Very interesting because where she sits, she can't see us at all - we're talking behind her back (literally). I wanted SO much to say... "Well, your face bothers me." Yes - I know that's mean. Of course, I didn't say anything. So unfprofessional, right? But I feel much better now that I've made it public here :)
I have much more to complain about BUT it's such a nice day and have been really nice lately, so I'm going to stay in a happy mood and enjoy the weather. It rained a lot last week.. some thunderstorms and some sprinkles. It was mostly overcast all week and I actually enjoyed that. It was calming and soothing to me for some reason. We were welcomed with cool winds and sunny days after the rain went away so that was nice too.
This weekend, I'm going to the Texas Renaissance Festival with a friend. SO looking forward to it. We're going to try and dress up this weekend for the festival. I've never dressed up for that before so it'll be fun and interesting. Maybe do a little bit of role-playing... I suck at acting, so we'll see.
Maybe I'll chicken out and just go as myself.. and try to keep my friend from tipping over too much. I think he plans to go as a drunk jester. THAT will be interesting to see.
I have so many things to gripe about. Today, traffic was horrible so I was 15 minutes late to work. Thankfully, my boss is ultra understanding and super nice. When I move to another job, I kinda wanna take him with me. I was almost hit 3 times on the freeway (yes, 3! and NOT my fault), in less than a minute. I was minding my own business traveling down my lane when three separate cars tried to move out in front of me from their lane (cuz their lane was super slow). Geez! And there's someone at work that EVERYONE in my department doesn't like... she gives us problems (does a crappy job), we get upset (because we have to fix her mistakes) and she gets mad cuz we're upset. This has been going on for several weeks. I'm just really surprised she hasn't been fired yet. OH - and she goes to the bathroom at least 2-3 times an hour and stays there 5-10 mins at a time. You can imagine just how much work she does during the day. Today, she tried insulting me and my friend - saying our "hand gestures" bother her so please stop talking. Very interesting because where she sits, she can't see us at all - we're talking behind her back (literally). I wanted SO much to say... "Well, your face bothers me." Yes - I know that's mean. Of course, I didn't say anything. So unfprofessional, right? But I feel much better now that I've made it public here :)
I have much more to complain about BUT it's such a nice day and have been really nice lately, so I'm going to stay in a happy mood and enjoy the weather. It rained a lot last week.. some thunderstorms and some sprinkles. It was mostly overcast all week and I actually enjoyed that. It was calming and soothing to me for some reason. We were welcomed with cool winds and sunny days after the rain went away so that was nice too.
This weekend, I'm going to the Texas Renaissance Festival with a friend. SO looking forward to it. We're going to try and dress up this weekend for the festival. I've never dressed up for that before so it'll be fun and interesting. Maybe do a little bit of role-playing... I suck at acting, so we'll see.
Maybe I'll chicken out and just go as myself.. and try to keep my friend from tipping over too much. I think he plans to go as a drunk jester. THAT will be interesting to see.
Monday, September 8, 2008
EEEwwww!!!!
My son has the right idea. Lately, he likes to scrunch up his face, wrinkle his nose and say "eeww!!!" Usually, it's with a Q-tip in his ear or a finger up his nose. And that happens... a lot. There are plenty of things to say "ew" about. Work, school, stress, life in general. But not today - at least for me.
I'm feeling positive today. I wish I could say I took a happy pill or something special happened to me but nope. I just happened to wake up in a good mood. I had a good weekend - I was kept busy, which was good because I didn't work last week and was starting to get restless.
I went back to work today. Yeah - I'm crazy but I was looking forward to it. I can't imagine staying home all week, all day anymore. I need to be kept busy and soon, I'll certainly be busy all the time. Knowing myself, I'll probably be complaining about how busy I am within a week of starting.
Today was a little bit slow at work but we got a lot done. That's an ideal workplace for me: getting many things accomplished and not feel so rushed about it. During one of my downtimes at work, I made a long list of things to do. I was determined to get half of it done today. When I got home, I got to work and crossed most of them off. I deserve a pat on the back.
Right now, it seems like I have a lot going on - but I have a problem. I finish things too quickly. I work fast at everything I do and I work to get it DONE. Then I'm left with nothing to do or really, nothing I WANT to do. The fact that I work so quickly doesn't help me understand how some of my friends stay at work ALL day long - all WEEK long doing something that I could be done with in a few days and not even have to do it ALL day.
I'm excited. In about 3 weeks, I'm going to be teaching night classes at the Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center. I'm going to be teaching GED courses to help Deaf people prepare for their GED exam. Of course, it's volunteer for now - but once we get funding (I'm also on the committee), we'll be hiring for full-time positions in different areas of the center.
Sometimes I feel cynical. I don't think it'll take off. Who wants to take a bunch of life management courses when it's not required? Who wants to take general education courses when it's not required? Although I know there are tons of people out there who don't have a high school diploma or a GED, who will come? I figure my courses could also help them prepare for college if they ever want to go back to school - since it'll be like a college preparation thing too with all the courses we'll be teaching along with a course on how to study.
But, I have to stay positive. The first of the life management courses are starting tomorrow. I'm anxious to hear the results.
Here's another thing I'm excited about. The new Fall TV lineup. I'm excited that my shows are coming back and there's new episodes to see. I was getting sick of seeing the reruns and all the reality shows.
Sorry this blog isn't an insightful one. I'm SO not in the mood for that. Maybe another day sometime soon....
I'm feeling positive today. I wish I could say I took a happy pill or something special happened to me but nope. I just happened to wake up in a good mood. I had a good weekend - I was kept busy, which was good because I didn't work last week and was starting to get restless.
I went back to work today. Yeah - I'm crazy but I was looking forward to it. I can't imagine staying home all week, all day anymore. I need to be kept busy and soon, I'll certainly be busy all the time. Knowing myself, I'll probably be complaining about how busy I am within a week of starting.
Today was a little bit slow at work but we got a lot done. That's an ideal workplace for me: getting many things accomplished and not feel so rushed about it. During one of my downtimes at work, I made a long list of things to do. I was determined to get half of it done today. When I got home, I got to work and crossed most of them off. I deserve a pat on the back.
Right now, it seems like I have a lot going on - but I have a problem. I finish things too quickly. I work fast at everything I do and I work to get it DONE. Then I'm left with nothing to do or really, nothing I WANT to do. The fact that I work so quickly doesn't help me understand how some of my friends stay at work ALL day long - all WEEK long doing something that I could be done with in a few days and not even have to do it ALL day.
I'm excited. In about 3 weeks, I'm going to be teaching night classes at the Lillian Beard Deaf Connection Center. I'm going to be teaching GED courses to help Deaf people prepare for their GED exam. Of course, it's volunteer for now - but once we get funding (I'm also on the committee), we'll be hiring for full-time positions in different areas of the center.
Sometimes I feel cynical. I don't think it'll take off. Who wants to take a bunch of life management courses when it's not required? Who wants to take general education courses when it's not required? Although I know there are tons of people out there who don't have a high school diploma or a GED, who will come? I figure my courses could also help them prepare for college if they ever want to go back to school - since it'll be like a college preparation thing too with all the courses we'll be teaching along with a course on how to study.
But, I have to stay positive. The first of the life management courses are starting tomorrow. I'm anxious to hear the results.
Here's another thing I'm excited about. The new Fall TV lineup. I'm excited that my shows are coming back and there's new episodes to see. I was getting sick of seeing the reruns and all the reality shows.
Sorry this blog isn't an insightful one. I'm SO not in the mood for that. Maybe another day sometime soon....
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Bits and Pieces
Plenty has been going on lately, both in my personal life and out there in the world, especially in politics. Normally, I don't care much for politics but this year, I took a special interest in the running mates and actively voted in the party nominations. Now that McCain is up for President, I lost interest....
No, this isn't going to be a long political blog. That's boring. My mind is racing with a lot of little comments about a wide variety of subjects. While presidency is important (like, really?), it's at the bottom of my list right now.
Today, I'm off from work. Work has been slow this week (Thank God for that, after a horrible week last week), so my boss gave us the option to work in another department or stay home. Naturally, I decided to stay home because I have things I need to do.
I realized this morning that I was growing up. My first thought was "I can sleep in!" I have to laugh...nowadays, sleeping in means sleeping until 9am after a week of waking up at 5am. I miss those days where I wake up at noon, but at the same time, I feel it's time to grow up and wake up earlier. I get a lot more things done during the day now. Being productive is a good feeling. Also, I tried sleeping close to 12 hours the other day and I woke up with nothing but a headache and feeling horrible. Not doing that again!
Here's a little bit of news. I received my paralegal certification in the mail yesterday. Yipee! I am now "Maryellen Sarles, CLA". That has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Since receiving my certification, this only means one thing - another round of job hunting. I sent out 7 resumes yesterday so let's see if I hear anything. I don't want to hear an excuse from the employers, "You have no experience." Yeah, maybe I have no experience but I have certification so I know my shit. Excuse my language.
I'm going apartment hunting today among many other errands I need to do. So good luck to me finding an apartment I'll be satisfied with (safety, neighborhood and price). I absolutely love where I'm at. I don't want to move for numerous reasons, number one being that I can keep my 3 pets. Now, if I can just find a better paying job, I'd be able to stay (and paralegal jobs pay goooood moolah). If not, I'd have to move. I have two weeks to figure everything out. Like that's going to happen.
Change of subject: I have to commend McCain. He's trying hard to stay in the spotlight after Obama's been getting all the attention. Poor guy, Obama's getting all the rave because he might be the first black president. Then the RNC experienced a set-back for a couple of days because all the attention was on Hurricane Gustav (wanna bet he's black?). Recently, McCain grabbed all that attention back. He's named a woman for his running mate. And her 17-year old daughter is pregnant (AND people are joking John Edwards is the father). I don't blame her daughter. What else is there to do in Alaska but to stay warm by having sex? Jokes aside, this is turning out to be an interesting election. No matter where the votes go, this election will have a first-something. First black president or first female vice president. AND, I'm willing to bet that McCain is going to croak in the next 4 years, thus making Palin the first female president (Ha! Take that Clinton!). I'd LOVE to see that happen. Kill three birds with one stone: 1. Republicans take over the US again, 2. McCain isn't the president, and 3. Clinton gets to sit back and watch another woman bask in her glory.
Well, I better get going. I have to be an adult now and go do my duties. Now, if I can just get this fat cat off my lap....
No, this isn't going to be a long political blog. That's boring. My mind is racing with a lot of little comments about a wide variety of subjects. While presidency is important (like, really?), it's at the bottom of my list right now.
Today, I'm off from work. Work has been slow this week (Thank God for that, after a horrible week last week), so my boss gave us the option to work in another department or stay home. Naturally, I decided to stay home because I have things I need to do.
I realized this morning that I was growing up. My first thought was "I can sleep in!" I have to laugh...nowadays, sleeping in means sleeping until 9am after a week of waking up at 5am. I miss those days where I wake up at noon, but at the same time, I feel it's time to grow up and wake up earlier. I get a lot more things done during the day now. Being productive is a good feeling. Also, I tried sleeping close to 12 hours the other day and I woke up with nothing but a headache and feeling horrible. Not doing that again!
Here's a little bit of news. I received my paralegal certification in the mail yesterday. Yipee! I am now "Maryellen Sarles, CLA". That has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Since receiving my certification, this only means one thing - another round of job hunting. I sent out 7 resumes yesterday so let's see if I hear anything. I don't want to hear an excuse from the employers, "You have no experience." Yeah, maybe I have no experience but I have certification so I know my shit. Excuse my language.
I'm going apartment hunting today among many other errands I need to do. So good luck to me finding an apartment I'll be satisfied with (safety, neighborhood and price). I absolutely love where I'm at. I don't want to move for numerous reasons, number one being that I can keep my 3 pets. Now, if I can just find a better paying job, I'd be able to stay (and paralegal jobs pay goooood moolah). If not, I'd have to move. I have two weeks to figure everything out. Like that's going to happen.
Change of subject: I have to commend McCain. He's trying hard to stay in the spotlight after Obama's been getting all the attention. Poor guy, Obama's getting all the rave because he might be the first black president. Then the RNC experienced a set-back for a couple of days because all the attention was on Hurricane Gustav (wanna bet he's black?). Recently, McCain grabbed all that attention back. He's named a woman for his running mate. And her 17-year old daughter is pregnant (AND people are joking John Edwards is the father). I don't blame her daughter. What else is there to do in Alaska but to stay warm by having sex? Jokes aside, this is turning out to be an interesting election. No matter where the votes go, this election will have a first-something. First black president or first female vice president. AND, I'm willing to bet that McCain is going to croak in the next 4 years, thus making Palin the first female president (Ha! Take that Clinton!). I'd LOVE to see that happen. Kill three birds with one stone: 1. Republicans take over the US again, 2. McCain isn't the president, and 3. Clinton gets to sit back and watch another woman bask in her glory.
Well, I better get going. I have to be an adult now and go do my duties. Now, if I can just get this fat cat off my lap....
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Things we have no control over...
We're finally seeing a small decrease in the price of gas, but I'm afraid it's only temporary and before long, the price is going to be driven up again. By this time next year, I suppose we might be facing prices close to $5 a gallon (and I'm talking about Texas, here).
Personally, I am feeling the impact of the rising prices... not with just gas but with everything else. Amazingly, just because the price of crude oil/gas has gone up, everything else has gone up as well. Here's what I determined... It all begins with gas resources.
Gas companies raise prices which results in an increase in shipping cost. Therefore, all stores and namely, grocery stores have to increase THEIR prices to meet the shipping cost and still make a profit. So, as consumers, we're experiencing the brunt of it. We're at the bottom of the food chain. You'd think with all the rising prices, we'd all get a little bit of extra income to balance it all out. Inflation... you've heard of it, right?
Gas companies raise their prices because they want a profit - simple as that. I don't want to hear the gas companies blaming other countries for raising their prices. Exxon Mobil alone posted a PROFIT of $11.7 BILLION in the fourth quarter ALONE of 2007. I repeat... $11.7 BILLION profit! That's the largest profit ever recorded by ANY company in history. Sadly, after doing some research, I discovered that Exxon Mobil is based in my very own lovely state, Texas - up in the Dallas area (Irving, to be exact). None of that foreign company or foreign oil/gas resources excuse - they don't apply! If Exxon is doing so well, it would be safe to assume the other companies are flourishing as well. Pathetic.
People are all in a frenzy worrying about gas prices. They're trading in their trucks and SUVS for sensible vehicles that have good mileage. As a result, dealerships are facing horrible losses, especially those that don't really manufacture vehicles with good gas mileage, namely Ford. US-based airlines are on the brink of bankruptcy too, if they haven't filed yet. Only Southwestern Airline is booming - but that's because they took a risk years ago of buying bulk fuel ahead and locking in their prices. They're paying what fuel cost years ago, not what it cost now. Smart.
I've gotten tons of emails urging people to buy gas from specific companies or on specific days. With enough people coming together and acting all union-like, gas prices are sure to drop!!! *Gasp!* Let's go! Yeah right, like that's going to work. People, it isn't going to work and the gas companies know it. We need gas. In Economics 101, it's simple. We have a need and they supply it. So therefore, they're in control and we have no choice but to buy at their prices. Where else are we going to get fuel for our cars? We might be able to find other ways to energize our homes but as long as we got a country full of cars running on gas, we don't have a choice.
I suppose we're faced with the age-old question... should fuel be regulated by the US government, or even the state governments? There are lots of pros and cons to this. When it comes to this, I remain undecided. It might be good to have the government regulate the cost, keeping the gas companies (especially Exxon) on a leash so they don't go out of control on raising their prices. However, if gas prices dipped way down below, we might not benefit from it because the government might want to make a profit off of THAT.
Profit, schmofit. The world's a crazy place. Must we add the headache of rising fuel cost and of course, the rising cost of EVERYTHING else in the US? Give us a break.
Personally, I am feeling the impact of the rising prices... not with just gas but with everything else. Amazingly, just because the price of crude oil/gas has gone up, everything else has gone up as well. Here's what I determined... It all begins with gas resources.
Gas companies raise prices which results in an increase in shipping cost. Therefore, all stores and namely, grocery stores have to increase THEIR prices to meet the shipping cost and still make a profit. So, as consumers, we're experiencing the brunt of it. We're at the bottom of the food chain. You'd think with all the rising prices, we'd all get a little bit of extra income to balance it all out. Inflation... you've heard of it, right?
Gas companies raise their prices because they want a profit - simple as that. I don't want to hear the gas companies blaming other countries for raising their prices. Exxon Mobil alone posted a PROFIT of $11.7 BILLION in the fourth quarter ALONE of 2007. I repeat... $11.7 BILLION profit! That's the largest profit ever recorded by ANY company in history. Sadly, after doing some research, I discovered that Exxon Mobil is based in my very own lovely state, Texas - up in the Dallas area (Irving, to be exact). None of that foreign company or foreign oil/gas resources excuse - they don't apply! If Exxon is doing so well, it would be safe to assume the other companies are flourishing as well. Pathetic.
People are all in a frenzy worrying about gas prices. They're trading in their trucks and SUVS for sensible vehicles that have good mileage. As a result, dealerships are facing horrible losses, especially those that don't really manufacture vehicles with good gas mileage, namely Ford. US-based airlines are on the brink of bankruptcy too, if they haven't filed yet. Only Southwestern Airline is booming - but that's because they took a risk years ago of buying bulk fuel ahead and locking in their prices. They're paying what fuel cost years ago, not what it cost now. Smart.
I've gotten tons of emails urging people to buy gas from specific companies or on specific days. With enough people coming together and acting all union-like, gas prices are sure to drop!!! *Gasp!* Let's go! Yeah right, like that's going to work. People, it isn't going to work and the gas companies know it. We need gas. In Economics 101, it's simple. We have a need and they supply it. So therefore, they're in control and we have no choice but to buy at their prices. Where else are we going to get fuel for our cars? We might be able to find other ways to energize our homes but as long as we got a country full of cars running on gas, we don't have a choice.
I suppose we're faced with the age-old question... should fuel be regulated by the US government, or even the state governments? There are lots of pros and cons to this. When it comes to this, I remain undecided. It might be good to have the government regulate the cost, keeping the gas companies (especially Exxon) on a leash so they don't go out of control on raising their prices. However, if gas prices dipped way down below, we might not benefit from it because the government might want to make a profit off of THAT.
Profit, schmofit. The world's a crazy place. Must we add the headache of rising fuel cost and of course, the rising cost of EVERYTHING else in the US? Give us a break.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Bits & Pieces
Well, I guess it's about time I wrote another blog. It's been almost a month. It seems that as the months go by, the less and less I write. I hope this isn't a permanent fixture in my blog future. I hope to keep writing for as long as possible, and certainly more than just a couple times a month.
I guess I could attribute the lack of blogs to my being busy. The funny thing is, I wasn't really up to much but it feels like I was busy. I spent the last couple weeks just hanging out, watching movies and sleeping in. Of course, I did a couple of errands here and there and went out of town once or twice. My kids were home recently for a couple of weeks so they kept me busy.
My son turned 2 two weeks ago. We celebrated by taking him to Chuck E Cheese for a couple of hours. Then there was a small party a couple days later.
I've had a tough couple of days recently. It seemed like my world was about to crash down around me; mostly due to my stupid mistakes and others due to circumstances I couldn't control. Starting around mid-June, my streak of bad luck started. I lost my purse. Then 4 weeks later, after buying a new purse, new wallet and getting new cards, I lose my purse again. This time, with my Sidekick in it. So, I had to get another one. Let's just say that from that point on, I just kept suffering from mishaps. The biggest stress of all was school. My entire life, I had never received an F on any of my assignments until now. I received my very first F on a research paper. From there, I kept getting F's after F's on each section of the research paper. I was furious, upset, angry and stressed. After a couple of weeks, lots of emails to the dumb professor (who I sincerely believe is biased), and lots of editing, I'm happy to say my final draft received a B. I ended up passing the course. Hooray!
Last week, I got a job interview... finally! It's all thanks to P. She found the job, got the job and her boss needed more people. Thank God P thought of me. What a nice friend. Because of her, I was able to get a full-time job. And you know what? I hate to admit it but at 26, this is my first full-time job. All other jobs I've had were all part-time.
Having a full-time job is satisfying. I actually feel a little better about myself now. Maybe now I'm worth something. Let me tell you, I hate my job, but I'm proud of the fact that I HAVE a job. I've only been working a couple of days so I'm still trying to get into a routine. Getting up at 6am after a full summer of waking up at Noon or past, it really sucks.
Maybe my getting a job (finally) means something. Hopefully, more good things will come in the near future. I'm hoping it's my state paralegal certification. This means a better job, more money and doing something I like. I took the test approximately 4 weeks ago so I should be getting my results any day now...fingers crossed!
I guess I oughta focus on improving my blog a little bit. Lately, it's just been like a sporadic diary, giving details of my life. I have thoughts and opinions so I guess I should make good use of them and put them into blogs. So keep a look out, more's coming soon.... I just don't know when.
I guess I could attribute the lack of blogs to my being busy. The funny thing is, I wasn't really up to much but it feels like I was busy. I spent the last couple weeks just hanging out, watching movies and sleeping in. Of course, I did a couple of errands here and there and went out of town once or twice. My kids were home recently for a couple of weeks so they kept me busy.
My son turned 2 two weeks ago. We celebrated by taking him to Chuck E Cheese for a couple of hours. Then there was a small party a couple days later.
I've had a tough couple of days recently. It seemed like my world was about to crash down around me; mostly due to my stupid mistakes and others due to circumstances I couldn't control. Starting around mid-June, my streak of bad luck started. I lost my purse. Then 4 weeks later, after buying a new purse, new wallet and getting new cards, I lose my purse again. This time, with my Sidekick in it. So, I had to get another one. Let's just say that from that point on, I just kept suffering from mishaps. The biggest stress of all was school. My entire life, I had never received an F on any of my assignments until now. I received my very first F on a research paper. From there, I kept getting F's after F's on each section of the research paper. I was furious, upset, angry and stressed. After a couple of weeks, lots of emails to the dumb professor (who I sincerely believe is biased), and lots of editing, I'm happy to say my final draft received a B. I ended up passing the course. Hooray!
Last week, I got a job interview... finally! It's all thanks to P. She found the job, got the job and her boss needed more people. Thank God P thought of me. What a nice friend. Because of her, I was able to get a full-time job. And you know what? I hate to admit it but at 26, this is my first full-time job. All other jobs I've had were all part-time.
Having a full-time job is satisfying. I actually feel a little better about myself now. Maybe now I'm worth something. Let me tell you, I hate my job, but I'm proud of the fact that I HAVE a job. I've only been working a couple of days so I'm still trying to get into a routine. Getting up at 6am after a full summer of waking up at Noon or past, it really sucks.
Maybe my getting a job (finally) means something. Hopefully, more good things will come in the near future. I'm hoping it's my state paralegal certification. This means a better job, more money and doing something I like. I took the test approximately 4 weeks ago so I should be getting my results any day now...fingers crossed!
I guess I oughta focus on improving my blog a little bit. Lately, it's just been like a sporadic diary, giving details of my life. I have thoughts and opinions so I guess I should make good use of them and put them into blogs. So keep a look out, more's coming soon.... I just don't know when.
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