Friday Lunch Break

Well, I am cracking into the (poorly maintained, I must admit!) Roth IRA I have. I am using the principal amount to pay in advance most of four month's worth of utilities/bills while I am student teaching. I figure if there was ever a vaild reason, that's it. It'll really help manage the finances, thank god. What I DO make working part-time will go mainly towards the monthly condominium association bill and my credit card bill (as well as any school-related stuff).

As I drove back into work, I started thinking about how things fall into place. A couple years ago, I was half-way into the program and really struggling emotionally. I didn't know if I could put up with the bureaucratic bullshit at the school; I didn't know if I could afford to not work during student teaching. Was I even meant for this teaching gig? I dated and then got dumped by a peer. Basically, shit sucked and I was having a major "what to do with my life" crisis.

Well, now I'm almost done. I'm still scared of student teaching to an extent, but I'm *ready*. I want to be done. I've farted around enough with the theoretical, let me at those damn kids. If I fuck up, I fuck up, but let's do it. I've managed to get enough merit tuition waivers to soften the blow, financially. I've got most of the bills under control by cracking into the Roth IRA. I have good friends, both peers and advisors, in the program who have kept my bouyed up when I needed it. I've got a decent job (even if it bores me and annoys the shit out of me on occasion) and I'm good enough at it so that my bosses have been willing to work around my schooling and give me the option of working part-time so I CAN afford to student teach. I've discovered yoga. Yoga good. Yoga makes the mind happy.

Basically: life is good. I am thankful. Universe, keep it up. Believe me, it is appreciated.

Also during lunch: I stopped back at the tattoo parlour in L'ville. I've been thinking non-stop about that tattoo I want (8-10" tattoo of the "Strength" card from the Tarot of Prague deck). I went in and talked to Sandy again. I put down a $15 deposit for her to draw it up. She's going to hold it for me until I can get the money together. I'm thinking this will be my graduation/Christmas present to myself this year. Interestingly enough, numerologically speaking, this year is the "Strength" year for me as well. I definitely want to get it before 2008 hits (which I think is a "Hermit" year, also very apropo - Hermit is not being alone, it's about lighting the path for others, i.e., teaching. Go take a look at a Hermit card in a tarot deck and you'll see what I mean.) .

It took me years to decide on my first tattoo (a small black outline of a bull). It's taken me years to decide on the second; but I already have in mind my third, thus proving true the adage about tattoos. Just like Lay's potato chips, you can never have just one. When or if I get a third, I want a Buddha. A nice, serene Buddha meditating (not the fat type of Buddha that you rub the belly for luck).

What do I want?

Well, my continued wishes for a speedy recovery to me mum.

As for what I want for my birthday: egads. It's still a couple months away! But if you're seriously asking, I'll have to think. Something good and British to make me "second-home-sick".

What do I want long term? I would love to get a teaching job.

Let me explain. English teachers are a "dime a dozen", apparently, around here. This makes me worried. I was talking with a classmate and one of her friends got told exactly that by a school she was trying to apply to. Too many English teachers around here, not enough jobs. One of my good friends pretty much got offered a job in Arizona for after she graduates. A recruiter was here at a job fair and she met up with the guy (formerly from Chicago area). Whereas we have too many English teachers here, Arizona doesn't have enough. (That, and the population is increasing there.)

Granted, I will also have accreditation in history and probably political science/government, but I'm worried.

I've often thought about doing a teacher-exchange once I get certified and have taught a couple years here. I know there are programs to do that. It's just becoming more and more of a "I really want to do this". I should do some research. A, do you know of any programs that do teacher exchanges, by any chance?