Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Going to Houston
Life has been about as exciting as this blog lately. I applied for a job with Blockbuster and haven't heard back, and I've been waiting around for sub calls, but haven't heard from them either.
Over the past few days everything has changed. I will be taking some stuff and my dog to Houston to stay with my in-laws for an indefinite period of time up to the rest of the school year (good thing I like them). While there I will be subbing at the school where I applied to be a long term sub. I sent the sub application in today and have already heard that I'll be subbing for my mother-in-law on Monday!
The downside to this is that my wife and cat will be staying in the Chicago area until either my wife gets a job in DFW, my wife or I get tired of being apart (we'll be visiting, but still...), or the Houston subbing turns out to be as unfruitful as it has been in Chicago.
Over the past few days everything has changed. I will be taking some stuff and my dog to Houston to stay with my in-laws for an indefinite period of time up to the rest of the school year (good thing I like them). While there I will be subbing at the school where I applied to be a long term sub. I sent the sub application in today and have already heard that I'll be subbing for my mother-in-law on Monday!
The downside to this is that my wife and cat will be staying in the Chicago area until either my wife gets a job in DFW, my wife or I get tired of being apart (we'll be visiting, but still...), or the Houston subbing turns out to be as unfruitful as it has been in Chicago.
Friday, January 20, 2006
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good:
Today I received my official substitute teacher name tag for the district whose list I'm on. Maybe now I can get called for work.
The Bad:
I received an email from Headmaster saying that they've decided to hire someone else. Disappointing, but now it's back to the original plan.
The Ugly:
I called Fidelity today to roll-over my GE 401k to my Fidelity IRA. In an 8 minute call I spoke to 2 representatives (humans!) and, since I didn't have the info I needed, the second volunteered to be on the phone while I called my 401k plan administrators in case I had any questions. I declined, but certainly appreciated it. Next, I call the GE 401k number. I navigate through 9 MINUTES of menus only to be told (by the machine) that they're closed and I should call back next week. Grrr.
Today I received my official substitute teacher name tag for the district whose list I'm on. Maybe now I can get called for work.
The Bad:
I received an email from Headmaster saying that they've decided to hire someone else. Disappointing, but now it's back to the original plan.
The Ugly:
I called Fidelity today to roll-over my GE 401k to my Fidelity IRA. In an 8 minute call I spoke to 2 representatives (humans!) and, since I didn't have the info I needed, the second volunteered to be on the phone while I called my 401k plan administrators in case I had any questions. I declined, but certainly appreciated it. Next, I call the GE 401k number. I navigate through 9 MINUTES of menus only to be told (by the machine) that they're closed and I should call back next week. Grrr.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Progress?
Yesterday I had just gotten home from running errands and my cell phone rang. It was a call from the head of the middle/high school in Houston where my mother-in-law teaches (and I'm applying to for next year). The caller (we'll call him Headmaster) was asking if I would be interested in being considered for a long term sub position (through May) for an 8th grade chem/physics class. Hmm... let me think for a second... Yes! They're looking to fill the position immediately so he asked me to send him some info and we'd talk today.
I spent the evening writing a cover letter and making sure my resume was current. I tried going to Kinko's last night around midnight to fax him the cover letter, resume, and college transcript, but it seems the new fed-ex/kinko's close at 11pm unless I wanted to drive for a half hour. Of course I didn't look up the hours ahead of time; that would have been too easy. Rather, I drove to the two nearest Kinko's and read the hours off the door. I know, I know; why not just wait and send it in the morning? One, I was awake so, why not? Two, maybe I would get some brownie points for having the faxed info there waiting for him in the morning with a time stamp of way-to-late-at-night. Shows that I'm serious about wanting the position, right? Anyway, I had my lovely wife fax it when she got to work.
Headmaster and I had a 10 minute phone interview this morning. He asked me what my classroom management style was. Like I have a clue how to answer that. He understood that I have no experience with classroom management so he gave me some examples from which I was able to come up with something. We talked about my spiritual background (this is a private religious school), when I would be available (I could drive down this weekend if I get the job), and he told me whether I get the job or not to send in my application for next school year. They're interviewing 4-5 people for this position and will be making a decision in the next day or two.
My wife thinks it's a ominous sign that he asked if I check my email in case he wants to send their response that way because, "sometimes it's just easier to send an email." I don't know if it is or not; I'll hope not and let you know the answer soon.
I spent the evening writing a cover letter and making sure my resume was current. I tried going to Kinko's last night around midnight to fax him the cover letter, resume, and college transcript, but it seems the new fed-ex/kinko's close at 11pm unless I wanted to drive for a half hour. Of course I didn't look up the hours ahead of time; that would have been too easy. Rather, I drove to the two nearest Kinko's and read the hours off the door. I know, I know; why not just wait and send it in the morning? One, I was awake so, why not? Two, maybe I would get some brownie points for having the faxed info there waiting for him in the morning with a time stamp of way-to-late-at-night. Shows that I'm serious about wanting the position, right? Anyway, I had my lovely wife fax it when she got to work.
Headmaster and I had a 10 minute phone interview this morning. He asked me what my classroom management style was. Like I have a clue how to answer that. He understood that I have no experience with classroom management so he gave me some examples from which I was able to come up with something. We talked about my spiritual background (this is a private religious school), when I would be available (I could drive down this weekend if I get the job), and he told me whether I get the job or not to send in my application for next school year. They're interviewing 4-5 people for this position and will be making a decision in the next day or two.
My wife thinks it's a ominous sign that he asked if I check my email in case he wants to send their response that way because, "sometimes it's just easier to send an email." I don't know if it is or not; I'll hope not and let you know the answer soon.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
This Run's For You
While there's a lack of news on the teaching front I'll keep you entertained with other stuff.
It was warm in Chicagoland today. No, really, 50 degrees is warm here. Because of that, and with a little prodding from my lovely wife, I went running outside today. The last two days I've been forcing myself to run on the treadmill in my complex. I say forcing because I... hate... treadmills. I managed to force myself through 45 minutes each of the last two evenings on the treadmill only because I'm tired of not running. I know, I know... to many of you that seems a little backwards. "Tired of not running? I don't get it." Just consider me a bit of a nut.
Anyway... enough with the complaining. It felt good to be once again moving while running. I went 6.66 miles (according to my cool new GPS watch) in about an hour. No, I didn't go running around the local pentagram; that's just what the watch said. However, since that's just a hair over a quarter of a marathon I figured I should dedicate my half-half-mari to Kelly since his debut half-mari is this weekend. (See Kelly, I didn't even mention that Lindsay is running twice as far as you.) So, everyone out there in blog land, if you see a news report of a guy going crazy at the race in Houston this weekend you'll know that Kelly got passed by his wife.
Incidentally, I was just using blogger's spell checker, and would you believe it didn't recognize the word "blog"? Go figure....
It was warm in Chicagoland today. No, really, 50 degrees is warm here. Because of that, and with a little prodding from my lovely wife, I went running outside today. The last two days I've been forcing myself to run on the treadmill in my complex. I say forcing because I... hate... treadmills. I managed to force myself through 45 minutes each of the last two evenings on the treadmill only because I'm tired of not running. I know, I know... to many of you that seems a little backwards. "Tired of not running? I don't get it." Just consider me a bit of a nut.
Anyway... enough with the complaining. It felt good to be once again moving while running. I went 6.66 miles (according to my cool new GPS watch) in about an hour. No, I didn't go running around the local pentagram; that's just what the watch said. However, since that's just a hair over a quarter of a marathon I figured I should dedicate my half-half-mari to Kelly since his debut half-mari is this weekend. (See Kelly, I didn't even mention that Lindsay is running twice as far as you.) So, everyone out there in blog land, if you see a news report of a guy going crazy at the race in Houston this weekend you'll know that Kelly got passed by his wife.
Incidentally, I was just using blogger's spell checker, and would you believe it didn't recognize the word "blog"? Go figure....
Monday, January 09, 2006
The American Way
No calls yet. Maybe tomorrow.
A Homer Simpson quote came to mind the other day that perfectly described my attitude towards the end of my last job.
"If you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way."
I'm sure you're aware of this, but the internet is a great tool for looking like you're working (It's research, really.) when you're really not. That, and console based games (Nethack, anyone?) that make it look like you're typing away when you're really just playing.
I think some time in a job away from computers will be good.
A Homer Simpson quote came to mind the other day that perfectly described my attitude towards the end of my last job.
"If you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way."
I'm sure you're aware of this, but the internet is a great tool for looking like you're working (It's research, really.) when you're really not. That, and console based games (Nethack, anyone?) that make it look like you're typing away when you're really just playing.
I think some time in a job away from computers will be good.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Desperate Househusband
It's been a while since I posted and I'm sure you all spent your Christmas vacations checking this blog every day (several times a day, even) waiting breathlessly for word of the sub application process. Ok, back in the real world I probably saw most of my readers over the vacation so you know what's going on.
Yesterday, I turned in the last of my paperwork to become a sub and today I got fingerprinted. I should be put on the list Monday so I may start working next week. That's all that's been going on with the application process.
You may have been wondering how unemployment has been treating me when I'm not filling out paperwork or watching DTV Award winning videos. As the title of this entry implies, I'm ready to get back to work. No, I don't watch Desperate Housewives so I may be satirizing the title erroneously; go with it. At first being at home was cool. I could get stuff done that I didn't have time to get done before. I could go running during the day (nope, still too cold). I could do housework (nope, not any better about it now than I was before). I could run errands (this I actually do). I could play video games (got that covered). So, I'm not as good at being a househusband as I thought I would be. Being a kept man was nice for a while until it turned out to be kind of limiting trying not to spend money.
Next I'm going to have to get used to getting up early again. It's been hard waking up in the morning when there's really no reason for me to be awake. Hopefully, I'll have a reason to get up next week.
Yesterday, I turned in the last of my paperwork to become a sub and today I got fingerprinted. I should be put on the list Monday so I may start working next week. That's all that's been going on with the application process.
You may have been wondering how unemployment has been treating me when I'm not filling out paperwork or watching DTV Award winning videos. As the title of this entry implies, I'm ready to get back to work. No, I don't watch Desperate Housewives so I may be satirizing the title erroneously; go with it. At first being at home was cool. I could get stuff done that I didn't have time to get done before. I could go running during the day (nope, still too cold). I could do housework (nope, not any better about it now than I was before). I could run errands (this I actually do). I could play video games (got that covered). So, I'm not as good at being a househusband as I thought I would be. Being a kept man was nice for a while until it turned out to be kind of limiting trying not to spend money.
Next I'm going to have to get used to getting up early again. It's been hard waking up in the morning when there's really no reason for me to be awake. Hopefully, I'll have a reason to get up next week.
