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19813. TheWizardOfWhimsy - 7/25/2006 3:06:39 PM Sounds dire, ark–so sorry to hear of your plight. I'll do an industrial-strength rain dance, in my dreams, for you tonight. 19814. Ms. No - 7/25/2006 3:51:01 PM Paging Juditha --- I was in the shower when you called and nobody told me and then I had the wrong number when I tried to call you back.
I just sent you an email but didn't know if you might see this first. Are you free for a musical tonight? We've got an extra ticket to the Dallas music hall -- they're putting on something called Brooklyn which I know nothing about. 19815. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 4:13:53 PM Thanks Wiz! Luckily for us, even in the dryest weather our well has water. The well will fill back up today and Bob will have to re-prime the pump, then we'll have to run some water through to clean it up. It's a pain, but fortunately it's a fixable problem.
We definitely need the rain dance, though. My azalea bushes are dead. Not almost dead--completely dead. I guess I'll just plant some more this spring.
And I promise we'll have plenty of water all weekend, Judith and MsNo!! 19816. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 4:26:25 PM And the good news today is that court was cancelled. This was supposed to be my first day of jury duty. 19817. Jenerator - 7/25/2006 4:53:11 PM Ms.No,
I hope you and your folks are safe from the fire in Flower Mound! 19818. Ms. No - 7/25/2006 5:29:07 PM There's a fire? Wow, we didn't even know. Thanks! 19819. Jenerator - 7/25/2006 5:40:31 PM Ha!
It was all over the news last night about a brush fire in Flower Mound that was very close to a development. Thankfully, the winds were pushing it *away* from the houses!
A good friend of mine lives on Vista St. which is virtually in Flower Mound. 19820. Jenerator - 7/25/2006 5:41:12 PM Arky,
Hope your bash goes well. That is aggrivating about the well. 19821. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 5:45:53 PM Thanks Jen! We always enjoy it, and it's a good "last hoorah" before school every summer.
The aggravating thing about the well is that it would be just fine if the water isn't left on all night.
Not that I'm bitter or anything. 19822. Ms. No - 7/25/2006 5:52:22 PM We took my aunt out for dinner and a movie in Dallas last night for her birthday so we didn't see the news and haven't had the TV on yet today at all. We're so out of the loop. 19823. Jenerator - 7/25/2006 5:55:25 PM Arky,
This summer has flowb by, hasn't it? I ha all of these major plans for travel and rest and education for my kids.
Yah, right. I'm still not there!
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Ms.No,
Where'd you go to eat? I am dying to go to Bice in the Crescent Court. My husband says that we'll start having a once a month date night. 19824. Jenerator - 7/25/2006 5:56:07 PM Okay, and I must tell youall that the s, d, f and a keys are missing from this computer. Sorry for the typos! 19825. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 6:29:59 PM We went to CO for over 2 weeks, but I carved that in stone to follow that 12 day seminar I had for grad school in June. I've gotten very possessive about having at least a few weeks of summer downtime, for my own sanity. Not that it's working. I also still work on stuff when I'm gone.
It usually seems like summer gets past me, but after I get through this school year things will be a lot less booked up. I've found over 25 years and having Mose that it gets worse every summer until your kids are driving age, then it gets better. If your salary is affected by grad school, I'd get started on it now. That was a big mistake on my part, and if I had my degree already I'd be in much better shape instead of looking at a year ahead that's FAR too busy. I've also had to become very good at using that two-letter word NO.
I'm going to try to take nine hours a semester this year so I won't have to go to school next summer. Mose is getting married in March. This all means that this school year will be insane, but next summer will be MINE, ALL MINE!!
Now that my rural ed work is in the long-term stage I'm maintaining a slow and steady pace with it, and after November elections and January's legislative session our fate should be determined once and for all.
Whatever happens, I only have 3 more years I HAVE to teach if something happens to my school, and if I stay happy--there or somewhere else--I'll drop to part time after four years or so and teach until I don't enjoy it or I drop dead--whichever comes first. So that means that my summers will be all mine from here on out. Or at least until I get grandkids. 19826. Jenerator - 7/25/2006 6:38:49 PM That's awesome Arky!! I am so glad you're in school so that you can eventually do what you really want to do.
Here, I have to either get my Ph.D in education in order to be a principal or move into administration, OR, find a new career.
I'm not really sure what I want to do. I love having summers off (education is great for time with your family), but the pay is mediocre and I want to do something else, something more.
I do not have the time for classes right now, so I am stuck in a rut.
PLUS, my husband's job is so chaotic and demanding that we can barely make plans one week at a time.
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I applied for two coveted jobs that I was more than qualified for and came recommended by the big kahunas and I didn't so much as get an acknowledgment of my resume! I am feeling a bit stuck and directionless.
I don't want to be a principal. The thought of having to deal with behavioral issues even more than now is crazy. 19827. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 6:46:35 PM I'm doing exactly what I want to do now, Jen, but in AR your salary is thousands of dollars higher if you have a masters, and your retirement is based on your three highest years of income.
If my school closes, with my masters I'll be working exclusively with ELL students part time. If it stays open, I'll be there as long as it's there, doing what I do now. 19828. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 6:49:34 PM You sum up why a lot of people get out of teaching, and instead of addressing that, most state administrations focus on things that don't affect the quality of the job at all, but actually make it worse on teachers who choose to teach in poor and urban districts.
I wouldn't be a principal for a mint, much less a superintendent. I took the "wrong" ed law class in the spring--for administrators, not teachers--and they tried to get me to swtich to the admin program. That's one place the word "no" came in VERY handy. 19829. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 6:51:23 PM Plus, I'm forgetting, but you have your masters already, don't you? I wouldn't go past that unless I really wanted to get into another career. I thought for a while I would like to do ed law, but I'm getting fed up trying to deal with the political end of it. I'll keep advocating for rural/poor schools, but people's hateful attitudes and lack of understanding of education issues gets very tiresome. 19830. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 6:54:40 PM One possibility with your educational background to keep similar hours, or at least a better schedule, would be on the marketing end of education. Supplying schools is big business, not just with books and materials, but with software, inservice programs, etc. I would suck at that, but I know a number of former teachers who are doing very well providing goods and services to schools. 19831. arkymalarky - 7/25/2006 7:20:18 PM My husband says that we'll start having a once a month date night.
That's a very good idea, especially for two busy people with two small children. Bob and I need to do something like that this school year. We talked about every Saturday night--not necessarily going anywhere, but making that "our" time--but I don't know if we can manage it.
19832. Jenerator - 7/25/2006 7:39:38 PM Thanks for listening Arky.
The only place for me to move "up" is to either go into school administration (Principal or main Admin.) I need a Ph.D to be competitive.
I get a whopping $500 more a year for my MA.
Tell me more about supply positions.
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