Time for a New JOB

Well, I guess it is time to update my header! I'm a teacher...again.

A couple of months ago, I went through a little bit of financial stress, which in turn became panic. I told Josh that I wasn't making enough money at my 2 waitressing jobs (working a total of 5 days at the time) and that we would be poor forever and that life sucked. After feeling sorry for myself (ourselves), we came to the conclusion that I needed a little break, so Josh got a job.

Josh got a fairly good paying job as a security officer. He hated the job, and he was working horrible shifts. It didn't allow for me to quit work-it just allowed for us to both be tired from working all the time--he'd work work the midnight shift; come home; then I'd go to work; then I'd come home; then he'd work second shift etc. We didn't want to put the kids in daycare, but we weren't making it well watching them ourselves either.

It was at this point that I decided I should look for something more stable than waiting tables, something a little more...um, stable. Since I have a teaching degree, and it is summer, typically when teachers get hired, I filled out some applications and sent out some resumes. At first, it was a means to an end--not have to be a slave to those old hags who would just leave me a dollar tip after running my ass off for them, no I'm not bitter. The more I answered why I am a good teacher and why I enjoy teaching, the more adamant I became about getting a job. I discovered that I really miss teaching.

Well, I interviewed at a nearby middle school for a Math position. I love Math, so this would be perfect. I have to tell ya'll that I rocked that interview. The principal told me that she would be deciding by the end of the week. Whoo hoo! Then, she didn't call. And didn't call. In fact, she never called. She didn't even tell me that I didn't have the job! I left several messages, I just wanted closure.

When the principal never called, I decided that it wasn't meant to be this year. By this time, we had decided that both Josh and I working was NOT working, so I picked up more waitressing shifts and told Josh to quit his awful job. It was less stressful for both of us if I was working 7 days a week with him watching the kids full time than if we tried sharing both kid-duty and work-duty.

Then, I got a call from an AWESOME private school offering me an interview for a part-time position teaching Science. Well, Science is not my favorite, and part-time isn't ideal, but it would work-I'd still get to teach. I would be able to supplement my income with waiting tables, so the part-time position would get my foot in the door, and I could hope for full-time next year. So, I went to the interview; however, I had NO time to prepare myself. I had to go straight after work one day, and I didn't have time to get into "teacher mode."

I pretty much bombed this interview. I didn't even bother following up with a phone call for that one--I spent the whole drive home wondering why I answered some of the questions the way I did. I didn't lie in my interview or anything, but think I came across as a dolt.

I went back to waitressing, and I changed my attitude around. Tips have improved as of late, and by working 7 days a week, our income has gone up steadily. I truly believe that attitude is everything, because I was happily going to work 7 days a week whereas a few months before I could hardly survive my 5 days.

This brings us to this previous Monday. At the end of my shift, I checked my voicemail, and the second principal (awesome private school) called and asked if I would be interested in interviewing for a full-time Math position. WOULD I? I love Math! I love full-time! So, I called her on my way home, and she OFFERED ME THE POSITION RIGHT OVER THE PHONE!

Whoa! Talk about whirlwind! I drove home, and told my family that I had a new job--even though I had stopped trying to get one, and it was for a perfect school for the perfect position! (Yes, I realize I am insane because I love teaching middle schoolers!) After work on Tuesday, I stopped by the school and SIGNED MY CONTRACT. The principal asked me to start the next day because they were doing a technology-training inservice. Well, considering I hadn't quit my 7 day a week job yet, I couldn't. She said I could start this next Monday instead, and there you have it. I'm a teacher again.

My awesome private school is based on Howard Garner's Multiple Intelligences, which is amazing, but overwhelming because I have a lot of familiarizing to do before those kids show up next week! So if you need me, I'll be reading and lesson planning and studying. I am not giving up my weekend gig, either, so stop by the "other" restaurant and say howdy!