I have been working most of the summer so far. Trying to make some extra money to help us pay off a few bills we have. We have both been working on raising our credit scores in order to put us in a better position to buy another house once we move. Something we are thinking about doing in the next year.
Why move? I wish I could say something frivalous like: we have the itch to move. We want the experience for our children. We want to be closer to family. Something like that. However, reality is we love our house. We are the only family to ever live in it. We built the house we wanted. We love the nice plot of land that it sits on. What we don't like it the attitude of the area we live in. As a couple we are nonexistent here. K can only get health insurance through the university she is a student at right now because I am not allowed to put her on mine, even though we are married. We want to go somewhere where we are more acceptable as a couple.
So I am working a little in the summer to make some extra cash to pay a few things off. We picked up a few low limit credit cards to improve our scores, joined a credit monitoring system, and a credit forum to learn how to battle the scores. Its starting to work.
My vacation starts after the 18th. that is the last day of summer work for me. Well paid work LOL. I know after that I will be doing a few things around the house and yard.
Teachers return to work on the 14th of August. I have the option of returning a couple of days early to make some more money and get some extra training. Going back to work early makes me look good and gives us some extra money - but it is cutting my free days by about 3.
Yesterday was my birthday. It was nice. I got to spend it with the family here at home. They got me some nice presents and K made an awesome dinner and cake. She surprised me at work with some presents she picked up from the education store here. She brought them to me at lunch. It was cool. I never get to be surprised at work for my birthday because of it being in the middle of summer, so this was new.
I have been taking the extra time I have at work to prep for the fall. There are definite down times when my tutoring students don't show that I am putting to good use. I have prepared almost the few 9 weeks of bell ringers for the fall. They are short assignments the students will do the first 8 minutes they are in class. Gets them into a routine, settles them down, and gives me a chance to take roll without students not doing anything. Students not engaged in learning will engage themselves in misbehavior. Problems I do not want to deal with.
I am trying to get myself organized for the year. If all works well I will only have 2 different subjects this year. That is downsizing some from last year's three. It gives me a chance to prepare. Hell know where I am going to be and what I am teaching gives me a chance to prepare.
We are heading to SA to drop off the older two at their Dad's house. They have to finish their summer incarceration - I mean visit. This is the last year he will have all three of them. The oldest is up their now, being paid to do little to nothing more that gofer. Go-fer this and go-fer that. Does some of their grocery shopping even. Dad throws money at him. We won't do it.
K and I have one issue - and its the oldest. i wish we could figure out a way to work it out. I thought it had been better and I guess I was wrong. I had been trying to keep my mouth shut, stay out of the way and conversations when he is around. Just let her handle it. Its what she wants. However, I guess I am still too vocal. Not sure what the hell I am suppose to do.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Life continues....
A couple months have passed since I last wrote, which surprises me. I had thought I would have time to write more, but things got busy around the house and at work as the school year came to a close.
Let me hit some highlights.
1) Built a deck, boardwalk, and set a pool in the backyard. The pool is using a salt water filter. Very cool, no chemicals and really clean.
2) Mother-in-law came for a visit and no one died. (LOL)
3) We now have 2 high school graduates in the house. Well the technically live there but neither are there very often.
4) I finished my first year of teaching 9th graders without casualties.
5) I also received my continuing contract. This means I am no longer on probationary status at all and am harder to fire. LOL
6) I sold my motorcycle. I loved having it, but I felt it was in the best interest of everyone if I sold it.
7) I no longer have my truck, we have a brand new mini-van.
8) Our middle child broke his arm.
Ok details. The truck and motorcycle were like my butch toys. I enjoyed having them both. However, the truck decided to begin to die. Turns out an extremely important computer piece which turns out to VERY expensive began to die. $2000 part expensive, not including labor. So on the advice of my mechanic, who is very good and trustworthy, we made plans to get rid of the truck. In the process of this I knew we were going to need a down payment. The only funds we can easily get ahold of is proceeds from the sale of my motorcycle. I knew this. I didn't say anything to K until after I posted the ad for the bike.
I sold it with 24 hours and 24 hours later we had the mini-van. I feel good about what I did. Do I miss it? Yes. I won't even try to lie. But I did it for the right reasons.
Currently I am teaching summer school. We are determined to get rid of some debt while raising are credit scores. Teaching summer school is one way for me to make decent summer money. We are fortunate that I work in a district that pays year round, so I am getting a paycheck during the summer months. The extra money will help us get things started in the right direction. We have preliminary plans to move next year, after our now senior graduates and K is finished with her degree. We really want to go someplace where we aren't feeling as if we are held down because of who we are.
Where we are now we aren't able to be us. I can't get her health insurance, we have a hard time co-owning anything. We are far from equal. I can be fired for who I am if it would come to that. I have already suffered repercussions from it. I have bounced back, but the emotional and career scars are still there.
We have many changes in front of us. the cast has been removed from N's arm, but now there is concern that N has developed juvenile diabetes. Our eldest is getting ready to head off to college - 5 hours away. We are ready for it, but at the same time there are challenges we will need to meet because he will be gone. Will L be able to deal with the responsibility of being the eldest in the house? OMG - she is learning to drive! She almost killed a twice yesterday. First - not yielding to a semi-truck that was exiting the highway until I yelled brake NOW and second when she tried to swing left to turn right and almost swung into a very large RV. I did let her drive 40 minutes though. I took the "we are alive she needs to learn from this" road. I hope I can continue to do so and that my vehicles survive. I need them.
K and I are doing great. We have been married almost a full year now. It is hard to believ it has been a year. I feel like we just returned from the trip most days. I don't feel like the year went by slow enough. Like we missed days or something. I want this year back in many ways. I look forward to what lies ahead.
Let me hit some highlights.
1) Built a deck, boardwalk, and set a pool in the backyard. The pool is using a salt water filter. Very cool, no chemicals and really clean.
2) Mother-in-law came for a visit and no one died. (LOL)
3) We now have 2 high school graduates in the house. Well the technically live there but neither are there very often.
4) I finished my first year of teaching 9th graders without casualties.
5) I also received my continuing contract. This means I am no longer on probationary status at all and am harder to fire. LOL
6) I sold my motorcycle. I loved having it, but I felt it was in the best interest of everyone if I sold it.
7) I no longer have my truck, we have a brand new mini-van.
8) Our middle child broke his arm.
Ok details. The truck and motorcycle were like my butch toys. I enjoyed having them both. However, the truck decided to begin to die. Turns out an extremely important computer piece which turns out to VERY expensive began to die. $2000 part expensive, not including labor. So on the advice of my mechanic, who is very good and trustworthy, we made plans to get rid of the truck. In the process of this I knew we were going to need a down payment. The only funds we can easily get ahold of is proceeds from the sale of my motorcycle. I knew this. I didn't say anything to K until after I posted the ad for the bike.
I sold it with 24 hours and 24 hours later we had the mini-van. I feel good about what I did. Do I miss it? Yes. I won't even try to lie. But I did it for the right reasons.
Currently I am teaching summer school. We are determined to get rid of some debt while raising are credit scores. Teaching summer school is one way for me to make decent summer money. We are fortunate that I work in a district that pays year round, so I am getting a paycheck during the summer months. The extra money will help us get things started in the right direction. We have preliminary plans to move next year, after our now senior graduates and K is finished with her degree. We really want to go someplace where we aren't feeling as if we are held down because of who we are.
Where we are now we aren't able to be us. I can't get her health insurance, we have a hard time co-owning anything. We are far from equal. I can be fired for who I am if it would come to that. I have already suffered repercussions from it. I have bounced back, but the emotional and career scars are still there.
We have many changes in front of us. the cast has been removed from N's arm, but now there is concern that N has developed juvenile diabetes. Our eldest is getting ready to head off to college - 5 hours away. We are ready for it, but at the same time there are challenges we will need to meet because he will be gone. Will L be able to deal with the responsibility of being the eldest in the house? OMG - she is learning to drive! She almost killed a twice yesterday. First - not yielding to a semi-truck that was exiting the highway until I yelled brake NOW and second when she tried to swing left to turn right and almost swung into a very large RV. I did let her drive 40 minutes though. I took the "we are alive she needs to learn from this" road. I hope I can continue to do so and that my vehicles survive. I need them.
K and I are doing great. We have been married almost a full year now. It is hard to believ it has been a year. I feel like we just returned from the trip most days. I don't feel like the year went by slow enough. Like we missed days or something. I want this year back in many ways. I look forward to what lies ahead.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
It's been a while
I hadn't realized its been just about three months since I posted last.... time flies, sometimes.
Second semester is now in its last nine weeks, thankfully. Vacation is a mere 38 work days away. Teaching freshmen has not gotten easier with the passing of the school year. Those of you out there who told me it would LIED! It does not.
My observation/evaluation is fast approaching. For those of you who do not go through this, it is an hour of show and tell. Show them I can teach and then they tell me if I get to keep my job. Fun huh?
Work, is well work. I have good days, no, make that good classes. I can't really pinpoint a full good day. At least not recently. Wait - the weekends. ;) My classes go up and down. Each class has its own emotional make-up and I have to change what I am doing, saying, and the way I interact with them as the classes change. Like bungy PMS.
With the end of the year approaching I am again in the position in which I must decide if I want to really try to get a position in administration. Again there are pros and cons. There are also pros and cons about staying in the classroom. I already have a clue about what I will be teaching next year. Drum roll....... FRESHMEN!! More freshmen. I am not happy teaching them this year, what the hell makes anyone think I will be happy teaching them next year. Oh yeah, I get more time to plan - something I haven't had time to do in the past 2 years. For the past two years I have been told all of 2 days prior to beginning to teach, what I will be teaching. That, btw, is not enough time. Those of you who think teaching is like cutting cookies you are wrong. We aren't just handed curriculum or given premade awesome lectures and activities and sent to our wonderfully put together classrooms. We, the teachers, work our asses off to make it look as it as it looks. However, do not be fooled, it IS NOT easy!!
Second semester is now in its last nine weeks, thankfully. Vacation is a mere 38 work days away. Teaching freshmen has not gotten easier with the passing of the school year. Those of you out there who told me it would LIED! It does not.
My observation/evaluation is fast approaching. For those of you who do not go through this, it is an hour of show and tell. Show them I can teach and then they tell me if I get to keep my job. Fun huh?
Work, is well work. I have good days, no, make that good classes. I can't really pinpoint a full good day. At least not recently. Wait - the weekends. ;) My classes go up and down. Each class has its own emotional make-up and I have to change what I am doing, saying, and the way I interact with them as the classes change. Like bungy PMS.
With the end of the year approaching I am again in the position in which I must decide if I want to really try to get a position in administration. Again there are pros and cons. There are also pros and cons about staying in the classroom. I already have a clue about what I will be teaching next year. Drum roll....... FRESHMEN!! More freshmen. I am not happy teaching them this year, what the hell makes anyone think I will be happy teaching them next year. Oh yeah, I get more time to plan - something I haven't had time to do in the past 2 years. For the past two years I have been told all of 2 days prior to beginning to teach, what I will be teaching. That, btw, is not enough time. Those of you who think teaching is like cutting cookies you are wrong. We aren't just handed curriculum or given premade awesome lectures and activities and sent to our wonderfully put together classrooms. We, the teachers, work our asses off to make it look as it as it looks. However, do not be fooled, it IS NOT easy!!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Education..... why am I trying again?
Ok I finished my Master's degree this summer. YEAH! However, I realized that it limited me in what direction I can go. With my current Master's degree I can go into education administration. Not a bad move monetarily, but it can be stressful, and it can be difficult to get your foot in the door. So I decided I should go back and get a few more classes towards my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction.
I have no plans to specifically use this degree mind you. The idea is that during the course of obtaining this degree I will achieve completion of the 18 graduate credit hours in history needed to allow me to teach at the college level. I have my master's, but it isn't what the colleges want in order for me to move in that direction to teach. So..... get the 6 classes under my belt. Seems easy right?
Not.
I am stuck in limbo. Turns out the money to pay for my classes is there, but because the degree plan I had previously signed is what they considered outdated, my money is not being credited to my account. This bites.
To make matters worse classes begin this week and I working, therefore it is tough for me to make it out to the University to straighten anything out.
I have a glimmer of hope. The department chair has begun emailing me to try to get a degree plan worked out so that this situation is fixed tomorrow. I sure hope so!
I must be nuts. Trying to take college courses right now.
I have no plans to specifically use this degree mind you. The idea is that during the course of obtaining this degree I will achieve completion of the 18 graduate credit hours in history needed to allow me to teach at the college level. I have my master's, but it isn't what the colleges want in order for me to move in that direction to teach. So..... get the 6 classes under my belt. Seems easy right?
Not.
I am stuck in limbo. Turns out the money to pay for my classes is there, but because the degree plan I had previously signed is what they considered outdated, my money is not being credited to my account. This bites.
To make matters worse classes begin this week and I working, therefore it is tough for me to make it out to the University to straighten anything out.
I have a glimmer of hope. The department chair has begun emailing me to try to get a degree plan worked out so that this situation is fixed tomorrow. I sure hope so!
I must be nuts. Trying to take college courses right now.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
2008? Already?
I can't believe its 2008?
It has been forever since I posted, but I thought - whose really reading anyhow?
Well I am back to being the only teacher in the classroom. Which at first actually scared me a bit, it had been a while. Once I got on my feet I was good to go. I sill have some speed bumps to get over, but it is getting better. I have to sit and plan out some long term lessons though. Finding the time I need to do that is tough. I have three different subjects to plan and each of them will take a good chunk of time to plan. I don't think I am doing enough. In fact I was commenting earlier today that I would want the type of teacher I am right now to be teaching my kids. I was told I am being hard on myself. Maybe I am, but I expect more and I am not doing so hot.
The Christmas break has come and gone. Rumor has it that the freshmen get easier to deal with after christmas..... ummm when? How long after Christmas before this mysterious change? I am still waiting. Maybe they are too. I have not fully found myself in this classroom. Does that make sense to anyone? How can it when it isn't crystal clear for myself? Its foggy for me.
Foggy in the sense that I am not me in the classroom. Not a comfortable me. I am not comfortable in the new high school, in this new classroom. I have not been able to make the room mine. It doesn't feel like my classroom.
It isn't for lack of trying. I mean I have begun to paint the walls, to give it a fresh look. I have decorated the door. I have arranged some of the furniture, but I do not feel comfortable in the room. I do not know what I am missing. Vern? Frank? Trading Spaces or maybe while you were out can help me. Then I think - if I can't help me what makes me think they can help. I do not know how to get my feet solidly back on the classroom floor.
It is 2008 and I still do not know which direction I am headed. I hope to find that direction in 2008. I want to be a better teacher, better mother, better wife, better lover, better friend, be a better me. (Losing some weight along the way would be nice to.)
I am thankful for the family I have. We have weathered through some tough times. My immediate family is strong, even with the tugs and pulls we have had; my extended family - a few cousins here and there have really begun to come together too. It has been realy nice to reach out and talk to them. I have a great group of friends. Everywhere from LA. to NE and down to TX. Thanks everyone!
My wife - she's awesome. 6 months today. WOW! We didn't think we would get a ceremony and now look at us. Love ya!
2008 - its underway - can we get time to slow down so we can enjoy it more?
It has been forever since I posted, but I thought - whose really reading anyhow?
Well I am back to being the only teacher in the classroom. Which at first actually scared me a bit, it had been a while. Once I got on my feet I was good to go. I sill have some speed bumps to get over, but it is getting better. I have to sit and plan out some long term lessons though. Finding the time I need to do that is tough. I have three different subjects to plan and each of them will take a good chunk of time to plan. I don't think I am doing enough. In fact I was commenting earlier today that I would want the type of teacher I am right now to be teaching my kids. I was told I am being hard on myself. Maybe I am, but I expect more and I am not doing so hot.
The Christmas break has come and gone. Rumor has it that the freshmen get easier to deal with after christmas..... ummm when? How long after Christmas before this mysterious change? I am still waiting. Maybe they are too. I have not fully found myself in this classroom. Does that make sense to anyone? How can it when it isn't crystal clear for myself? Its foggy for me.
Foggy in the sense that I am not me in the classroom. Not a comfortable me. I am not comfortable in the new high school, in this new classroom. I have not been able to make the room mine. It doesn't feel like my classroom.
It isn't for lack of trying. I mean I have begun to paint the walls, to give it a fresh look. I have decorated the door. I have arranged some of the furniture, but I do not feel comfortable in the room. I do not know what I am missing. Vern? Frank? Trading Spaces or maybe while you were out can help me. Then I think - if I can't help me what makes me think they can help. I do not know how to get my feet solidly back on the classroom floor.
It is 2008 and I still do not know which direction I am headed. I hope to find that direction in 2008. I want to be a better teacher, better mother, better wife, better lover, better friend, be a better me. (Losing some weight along the way would be nice to.)
I am thankful for the family I have. We have weathered through some tough times. My immediate family is strong, even with the tugs and pulls we have had; my extended family - a few cousins here and there have really begun to come together too. It has been realy nice to reach out and talk to them. I have a great group of friends. Everywhere from LA. to NE and down to TX. Thanks everyone!
My wife - she's awesome. 6 months today. WOW! We didn't think we would get a ceremony and now look at us. Love ya!
2008 - its underway - can we get time to slow down so we can enjoy it more?
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