Summer Update

Dear Andrew,

You're right. I apologize for being a hobo-blogger. I have no excuses. Please forgive me.


Here is a Brief Bulleted Bulletin of the happenings of summer thus far in reverse chronological order:

Today: I packed my bags to go on a nice long vacation with my mom. Mystery Man is joining us for a week at the island, my brother is joining us for the second week, then we're on our own to visit family in Wisconsin and Chicago. I'll be gone for about a month. Internet access will be sporadic if anthing, but I'll try. :) There is also still a small person attacking my throat with a million sharp knives.

Yesterday: I finished up my Brain-Compatible Learning Strategies class with a bang. We poked at a brain, talked about pregnancy, and our teacher made us swear an oath to learn how to juggle. She said, "Juggling and music are like Disneyland for the brain!" Still feeling very ill, and now able to SEE the spots on my own tonsils, I talked to Dr. Mystery Man's Dad and got a super-prescription.

Some time last week: Went to two meetings at my new district office, got a tour of the new school building, signed my contract. I get My Own classroom. That is Unheard Of for first years. I don't have to share. I'm right next to the other modern language teachers and the staff bathroom. I have windows. I have a SMART BOARD!

4th of July: Watched the ever-talented Mystery Man play drums at the local Eagles facility. This sign was at the bar:

A couple weekends ago: Mystery Man and I went to Jess's wedding! It was a little strange - there were about 20 people and half a dozen teachers from my high school class (of 48 total). It was like a high school dance all over again. Luckily, I really enjoyed high school dances and had a marvelous time. And my Jessie is married now! Weird! Dropping like flies. We also had lunch with my aunt near the waterfront and explored the super-low tide. We found starfish, sea anenomes (see picture, sorry if spelling is wrong) , an eel, crabs, and bright green fish.

And otherwise I'm sleeping off my illness, reading, and spending time with people I like.

Hurray!

I am now officially a Spanish teacher. I received a phone call this morning from the principal of my new school, which for anonymity's sake will have to remain private. It's a smaller school (about 800) on the westerly side of the valley. Freed from the chains fo unemployment, I even get benefits. And a paycheck. Wonder of wonders!

Hip Hip Hurray!

Hip Hip Hurray!

Hip Hip Hurray!

Recovery

This is the second morning I have not had to get up to do anything. Anything at all. I am still, at 10:33 a.m., in my pj's sipping coffee. I read about half a murder mystery this morning (thanks, Ellyn!). I may or may not do some work for my final "professional discussion" on Friday. I do have a To Do list, though. I haven't quite been able to escape from those. Here it is:

To Do:

Go for a run.
Prepare for interview tomorrow.
Dinner with friends.

In the meantime, I've been able to ponder such mysteries as: Why do I love it when green beans squeak when I chew them, but I can't stand the squishiness of tomatoes or the foamy flesh of mushrooms? Should I make a pair of earrings with green beads or black beads? What kind of bug is that? If no one writes about or posts pictures of the Andrew and Bianca wedding soon, who shall I yell at first?

You know. Deep things.

First Interview

"Clothes and courage have much to do with each other." - Sara Jeannette Duncan (writer, feminist, political activist)

I'll hear tonight. I'm guessing no - rumor has it they know who they're hiring (and it's not me), but it was good practice, I guess.

UPDATE: Well, I did not get the job, and they did hire the teacher who has a bunch of experience. They had very positive feedback afterward though, and said I needed to apply if there was another opening. That's nice. Overall, it was a positive experience and I'm glad I did it.

TWS Checklist of Doom

TWS is our Teacher Work Sample (the college name for our Master's Thesis). It consists of 11 documents, and a running appendix, glossary, and reference page. My "final sign off" (ha ha) is at 2:30. It's 12:27.

TWS 1 - done
TWS 2 - done
TWS 3 - done, 1:45
TWS 4 - done
TWS 5 - done
TWS 6 - done, 1:45
TWS 7 - done, 1:45
TWS 8 - done
TWS 9 - done
TWS 10 - done
TWS 11 - done

Appendix - done, 1:45
Works cited - done, 1:45
Definition of terms

Dividers

Cover sheet

Formatting