Today is beautiful! It's so nice to have the sun shining, the wind at a minimum, and me sitting in Café Diem reading, blogging, and drinking coffee. To life!
I'm trying to be semi-productive lately, so I've been looking for jobs in areas we'd like to move. I found a definite potential, so I started writing a cover letter and editing my resumé. Don't know if it'll work out, but it would be sweet. They're a laptop school (each student gets issued a laptop), so it would pretty much be awesome as I could fulfill my dreams of using technology quite a bit in the classroom. Ack! How sweet would it be? Very. We'll see what happens...
Yesterday we had a couple of presenters from IPTV in class. They asked who watched different programs on IPTV Kids. Who was the only one who raised her hand?
You know it. Me.
I LOVE the IPTV Kids shows! They're awesome! Not to mention educational AND informational. haha. Probably the best is Electric Company. Apparently this was on in the 70s, and they brought it back, but updated it with an urban/hip-hop flair. So sweet. It's on at 4:00 on Fridays. I really encourage you to watch it. Anyway...during lab then I raved about IPTV Kids and told my students they should watch it for ideas for their class. I also told them I know Dan Wardell (this announcer-guy for IPTV Kids), and they thought I was crazy for calling him a "celeb." To me, and to kids all over Iowa, he is.
Don't knock it.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
the creative me
Chaz had a lot of work to do tonight (it's teaching portfolio time for him), and I (surprisingly) had nothing. I decided that I was in a create mood, so I made a laptop cover for myself out of scraps of fabric I had in our craft drawer. Now, I've been needing a laptop cover for awhile, and I really just wanted to buy one for myself to save me the anxiety of making one (you know how most of the time you just see the flaws in the things you make?). However, I decided to just make one already instead of slowly letting my laptop get scratched as I tried to find the perfect cover. I was pretty pleased with the final product, but once again, I see the flaws. Ah, well, at least I kept myself occupied for an evening!
Look, mommy! I made a pretty thing!
(not the best image, but you get the general idea)
Look, mommy! I made a pretty thing!
(not the best image, but you get the general idea)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Good Mornings
I am so thankful for everyone who commented on my last post offering support, encouragement, and advice. Chaz and I are still mulling over possibilities, but I'll be sure to let everyone know what we're doing when we decide (which may be awhile from now...ah, well).
I just wanted to say today that I am so thankful for my husband. I get so focused on myself and my schedule and my life that I forget about everyone and everything else. Last night I was in a funk and took it out on Chaz. This morning, I awoke to a loving note (not spite), wishes for a good day, and a reminder about where my focus should be. I am so thankful to have someone who loves me and reminds me of what love looks like.
To all of you, I wish a good day upon you and a reminder that you are loved by someone (least of all, me).
I just wanted to say today that I am so thankful for my husband. I get so focused on myself and my schedule and my life that I forget about everyone and everything else. Last night I was in a funk and took it out on Chaz. This morning, I awoke to a loving note (not spite), wishes for a good day, and a reminder about where my focus should be. I am so thankful to have someone who loves me and reminds me of what love looks like.
To all of you, I wish a good day upon you and a reminder that you are loved by someone (least of all, me).
Thursday, April 09, 2009
No work
I waited awhile to post this because I haven't wanted to deal with the implications.
There is no dream teaching job.
Yes, that's right friends, I have no job for next year. Most of you know that I was really hoping for a job in the area because:
A) There was a woman retiring
B) The teachers there wanted me (since I student taught there and had experience and fit in well)
C) They have the best English Department in the world
D) It's my dream job
But the all-important E has trumped all and prevented me from attaining my dream job.
E) Budget cuts in education all across Iowa
Ugh. Are we really going to put a price on education? These budget cuts have cost this English Department 1.2 positions (not to mention positions all over Iowa). This means their curriculum must change because they don't have the amount of teachers to continue implementing their current curriculum (which is great, I must add). Yes, change is good, but I can't help but think this is not a change for the good. They will most likely have to sacrifice some of the great work they do at the school in the English Department. I mean, seriously, I taught juniors and they were learning things I didn't even hear about until my junior year in college. Consider how much more prepared they are for college than students from other schools. And believe me, I can see how much more well-prepared they are just in the college freshman I have this semester.
Anyway, I digress...
Here are the implications of this development: Chaz and I are jobless. We are free. We have no ties. We have no prospects. So what will we do? Here are options:
A) Go overseas—While this is something we've always talked about doing, I can't help but feel that it would be really difficult on our marriage. We've not even been married a year, and we're still learning about each other and about our marriage (as we will be for the rest of our lives, of course). But, I'm afraid if we only had each other and went somewhere without another couple (or at least someone else we know), we'd kill each other. I know it would be so tough if I only had Chaz to be around and didn't have other people to socialize with. I know that we'd meet people and we'd be able to fellowship with friends after we make them, but I would just feel a whole lot better if we went with someone we already knew and had that community already in place. However, this is a good time to do this option seeing as we have no ties currently and it would be wonderful experience.
B) Move—We have a couple of options with this one, however, no jobs. We know that we'd want to move somewhere with people we know (Colorado...Minneapolis...), but we have no job options. There is always the option of subbing, but I would prefer to have a job instead of just subbing for a year. I mean, we could always just sub around the Central Iowa area, after all. Plus, my parents are none to excited about this, but I can't let that stop me, can I? It would be a way to gain a new experience and experience some more of the world (which is what we should do now since we have no ties really....except for the nieces...darn those adorable nieces).
C) Stay and find another job—I love living in Ames, and I know that I'm so comfortable here that it scares me to go elsewhere. However, should I stay in comfort when I have the option of exploration? Probably not, but I'm a bit afraid of leaving my comfort zone. Anywho, we do have the option of staying here and just trying to find other jobs. Chaz could work for a coffee shop....I could find, well, SOMETHING. Or we could always sub.
D) Stay and go to grad school—While it's a little late to apply to grad school, my friend tells me I could probably get in just because I've been around the program for so long (and I'm working for the program right now). I could also have the opportunity of getting an assistantship, meaning I would get paid nearly as much as I would with a teaching job. However, I'm of the feeling that if someone should go to grad school, Chaz should get the opportunity first. Plus, if this is a time where we can just go and explore the world, should I sacrifice that to stay and continue my education (which I'll want to do later, most likely)?
We are leaning no way right now. We have no idea what we're going to do. What are your votes?
There is no dream teaching job.
Yes, that's right friends, I have no job for next year. Most of you know that I was really hoping for a job in the area because:
A) There was a woman retiring
B) The teachers there wanted me (since I student taught there and had experience and fit in well)
C) They have the best English Department in the world
D) It's my dream job
But the all-important E has trumped all and prevented me from attaining my dream job.
E) Budget cuts in education all across Iowa
Ugh. Are we really going to put a price on education? These budget cuts have cost this English Department 1.2 positions (not to mention positions all over Iowa). This means their curriculum must change because they don't have the amount of teachers to continue implementing their current curriculum (which is great, I must add). Yes, change is good, but I can't help but think this is not a change for the good. They will most likely have to sacrifice some of the great work they do at the school in the English Department. I mean, seriously, I taught juniors and they were learning things I didn't even hear about until my junior year in college. Consider how much more prepared they are for college than students from other schools. And believe me, I can see how much more well-prepared they are just in the college freshman I have this semester.
Anyway, I digress...
Here are the implications of this development: Chaz and I are jobless. We are free. We have no ties. We have no prospects. So what will we do? Here are options:
A) Go overseas—While this is something we've always talked about doing, I can't help but feel that it would be really difficult on our marriage. We've not even been married a year, and we're still learning about each other and about our marriage (as we will be for the rest of our lives, of course). But, I'm afraid if we only had each other and went somewhere without another couple (or at least someone else we know), we'd kill each other. I know it would be so tough if I only had Chaz to be around and didn't have other people to socialize with. I know that we'd meet people and we'd be able to fellowship with friends after we make them, but I would just feel a whole lot better if we went with someone we already knew and had that community already in place. However, this is a good time to do this option seeing as we have no ties currently and it would be wonderful experience.
B) Move—We have a couple of options with this one, however, no jobs. We know that we'd want to move somewhere with people we know (Colorado...Minneapolis...), but we have no job options. There is always the option of subbing, but I would prefer to have a job instead of just subbing for a year. I mean, we could always just sub around the Central Iowa area, after all. Plus, my parents are none to excited about this, but I can't let that stop me, can I? It would be a way to gain a new experience and experience some more of the world (which is what we should do now since we have no ties really....except for the nieces...darn those adorable nieces).
C) Stay and find another job—I love living in Ames, and I know that I'm so comfortable here that it scares me to go elsewhere. However, should I stay in comfort when I have the option of exploration? Probably not, but I'm a bit afraid of leaving my comfort zone. Anywho, we do have the option of staying here and just trying to find other jobs. Chaz could work for a coffee shop....I could find, well, SOMETHING. Or we could always sub.
D) Stay and go to grad school—While it's a little late to apply to grad school, my friend tells me I could probably get in just because I've been around the program for so long (and I'm working for the program right now). I could also have the opportunity of getting an assistantship, meaning I would get paid nearly as much as I would with a teaching job. However, I'm of the feeling that if someone should go to grad school, Chaz should get the opportunity first. Plus, if this is a time where we can just go and explore the world, should I sacrifice that to stay and continue my education (which I'll want to do later, most likely)?
We are leaning no way right now. We have no idea what we're going to do. What are your votes?
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