First, let me preface this blog by saying that I have applied for over 120 teaching jobs here in Portland. I have not received any responses from these applications- except for one. This school called me back after I walked into the school and handed a hard copy of my application to the office manager. I had an interview on Monday for the fourth grade position available at the school.
I felt the interview went well. I spoke well and represented myself accurately. They went with another candidate because I didn't have as much special education experience as the other candidate.
I am disappointed, I'm not going to lie. I had already started quitting my restaurant job and printing out "getting to know you" activities in my brain. I was planning out my first week of school outfits and paying my bills. However, I am still so happy for the opportunity. I was able to speak with REAL PEOPLE. Interview with them, and talk with them- I made connections. And I am happy for that.
Also, my restaurant job is getting a little bit better, making a little more money. I've been subbing a LOT, which is awesome. Now that I am making more money, I don't feel as frantic and horrible about not having a permanent teaching job. I am surviving. I am moving forward. I feel good about that.
Let's tackle the next 120...
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Powell's
Clearly I am not good at writing as frequently as I would like. I'm working on a big post about our living room, and when I went to write it, I realized I wanted to wait until certain things are done- so I put it on a back burner and haven't been back. Anyway, Eric and I took an important trip today and I wanted to document it.
Our first trip to Powell's City of Books since we've been here. What have we been so busy doing that we haven't made it there yet? Oh well- we made it there today. Powell's is an entire city block packed full of books. There are three floors. AND- an entire separate store of technical books housed a few streets away. Incredible. Here is just one aisle:
Powell's has something overly magical about it. I don't know if it's the pure visual spectacle of literally a million books, carefully catalogued and organized, or if it's the smell, but walking into Powell's brings me excitement and peace. Satisfaction. I spent the first few seconds beelining my partner and myself into the Blue Room, which is the literature room. I never let myself down all the aisles, as that would ensure bankruptcy. I allowed myself a couple aisles and some endcaps and felt secure with my two choices: Nick Hornby's "How to Be Good" and Akhil Sharma's "An Obedient Father." I remembered that I still needed Vicki's book, having woefully not ordered it yet. We wandered into the Rose Room, which has educational books and parenting ones, too. I stumbled upon a book called "What We Believe but Cannot Prove" and I couldn't walk away from it. Different scientists and philosophers talk about the wonders of the world and why certain things simply beg for faith. I found "Love You to Pieces," a compilation of creative writers on raising children with special needs. My beloved friend, teacher, and mentor, Vicki, wrote the very first story in this amazing compilation. Vicki recently lost her son, Evan, who had special needs. Reading her story today had a sad depth to it. It made me remember that writing is more than what we can ever expect it to be- it belongs to the writer and the reader, and everyone on the periphery.
We left Powell's to meet a deluge of rain- our first of the year, really- and I looked out into that rain with a bit of nostalgia and longing, and also with a bit of maturity. More than I had the last time I watched rain fall on this city.
Our first trip to Powell's City of Books since we've been here. What have we been so busy doing that we haven't made it there yet? Oh well- we made it there today. Powell's is an entire city block packed full of books. There are three floors. AND- an entire separate store of technical books housed a few streets away. Incredible. Here is just one aisle:
Powell's has something overly magical about it. I don't know if it's the pure visual spectacle of literally a million books, carefully catalogued and organized, or if it's the smell, but walking into Powell's brings me excitement and peace. Satisfaction. I spent the first few seconds beelining my partner and myself into the Blue Room, which is the literature room. I never let myself down all the aisles, as that would ensure bankruptcy. I allowed myself a couple aisles and some endcaps and felt secure with my two choices: Nick Hornby's "How to Be Good" and Akhil Sharma's "An Obedient Father." I remembered that I still needed Vicki's book, having woefully not ordered it yet. We wandered into the Rose Room, which has educational books and parenting ones, too. I stumbled upon a book called "What We Believe but Cannot Prove" and I couldn't walk away from it. Different scientists and philosophers talk about the wonders of the world and why certain things simply beg for faith. I found "Love You to Pieces," a compilation of creative writers on raising children with special needs. My beloved friend, teacher, and mentor, Vicki, wrote the very first story in this amazing compilation. Vicki recently lost her son, Evan, who had special needs. Reading her story today had a sad depth to it. It made me remember that writing is more than what we can ever expect it to be- it belongs to the writer and the reader, and everyone on the periphery.
We left Powell's to meet a deluge of rain- our first of the year, really- and I looked out into that rain with a bit of nostalgia and longing, and also with a bit of maturity. More than I had the last time I watched rain fall on this city.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
If I Created Voice Recognition Software...
for text messaging, so people can text while they drive, I would definitely use certain noises to represent punctuation.
Spaces = smooch noise
Question Mark= "Huh?" (like, a low noise that goes up in pitch)
Period= lip smack
Exclamation Point= "Ay!"
Like that.
Spaces = smooch noise
Question Mark= "Huh?" (like, a low noise that goes up in pitch)
Period= lip smack
Exclamation Point= "Ay!"
Like that.
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