A Year and 2 Months Later...

I am officially a college professor! It was really shocking to me. I had gotten a call over the holidays from one college that I had applied to. I was very excited, it seemed like it was at last going to happen. On top of that, it was literally 10 minutes from our house so it would be an easy commute. The professor that called me told me to get in touch with the dean and I'd know more then.

I waited a day and emailed her, expressing my excitement. Her response? She'd be reviewing resumes that week and would get back to me. I emailed her to thank her for the response and then...never heard from her again.

I was devastated. 

Fast forward to two weeks ago, after I had a pretty crappy night of feeling uncertain about my life and frustrated over my stalled bathroom wherein I wrote this blog. I went to bed that night pretty much shouting at God about how tired I was of fighting for things and why can't I just ever get something like being the college professor that I always wanted to be without having to constantly burn myself out in the process. It was like a switch went off after I was done shouting at him in my head, and I just felt this overwhelming sense of peace and relief and it was almost like someone was whispering to me, "You're going to get it. Your life is going to be changing."

The next morning, I was sitting at my desk during my prep checking e-mails when another college that I had applied to countless times beginning a month before my actual master's degree was even conferred emailed me asking me if I could come in to interview for a position beginning this month, but that this email wasn't a promise of anything, they just wanted to talk to me. I emailed her right back and by the following morning I had an interview set for after school.

I was incredibly nervous.

It was actually two interviews. One with the person who sets up classes and another with the department chair. At first I felt for sure, it was not going well, but then as she started asking me questions about my wide-range of teaching experiences and we got to talking about them, the conversation changed in a blink and she was showing me my textbooks and introducing me to the dean.

I was probably holding my breath the entire time.

And I still didn't believe this was even reality until last week when all of my HR paperwork and transcripts were in so that I could get my ID and parking permit.

The other strange encounter? Getting the ID. I had to wait in line and a student approached me as I waited and asked me if I knew if we needed out spring schedules to get our spring semester IDs...I laughed on the inside, but before I could even say anything, the ID person told her, "he'd be with her in a minute, he had to help the professor first." It was surreal.

And yes, the ID picture is awful. I look like a warn out man.

But it's mine and my class starts next week. New nervousness.

And also? My bathroom is done. Thanks to plumbing help from my dad and an entire Saturday that I lost to cutting the tiles for it:

The Summer of My 27th Year...

Began with me being in such a depression. I could not get out of it. I cried so much. I was so unhappy and so hurt and just reeling from everything that happened this past year-- the job that was a dud, the "boyfriend" that was a dud, my finances that were better but still a dud, my job search that I thought was a dud...etc.

But then camp started and I got to see all my little beans that are not so little anymore. Not like I expected them to be, it had been three years since I had been their teacher, but they were still there, being them. There's something about hanging with kids and making art that has its healing factors. I was beginning to feel built back up a little.

Then in July, I was offered a teaching position in Oklahoma City. And I was ready to accept it. I thought THIS WAS IT. This was my way out and I would get to teach 5th grade and how amazing is that and off I was into the possibilities of a completely new life half way across the country. Until reality hit that they were offering me, are you ready? A salary that was 15 grand less than what NJ gives young teachers. And yes, you will say well, cost of living is so much cheaper! It's not. A one bedroom apartment in a safe area of the city was still anywhere between 600-800 a month. That's half of your month's take home pay. No wonder OKC is so eager to hire out of state teachers, who would want to work for that sort of money? In a very messy district that is nationally known for its problems they are trying to work through. It was just not the place I wanted to park myself for a year or more.

So I turned it down and waited. I was then interviewed by Colorado and Arizona and Utah before finally getting three different interviews in South Jersey. The third interview was IT though and yes, I am so proud and happy to say that I was offered a language arts position for middle school in South Jersey and I took it.

I have since spent the last two weeks absolutely beaming, buying a whole new wardrobe and throwing out my French classroom for my brand spanking new Language Arts and Literacy classroom. It's been so much fun. I really can't wait to start next week. PUMPED! And my school is super cute too. It's an older school building and it looks like the building from Boy Meets World. Maybe Mr. Feeney will be there! Hah.

My next adventure will be saving money and buying my little condo down the shore that I have always wanted. It'll be awhile, but at least I'm on that path.

And as for boys? Well, I have been dating again since May, but nothing that really stuck into something that could have been more. I think I've also gotten even pickier than I was pre-bandboy which I never thought could happen, but it did. I also made a bet with my friend that for a year, I wouldn't date a musician (or wannabe musician) and would try other types of men and I have! In that experiment I have found how completely turned off I am by musicians now. Probably a good thing.

But, I'm sure the boy will be the next thing to happen too. Well, man I should say. I need a man, not a boy if I'm going to partner up with someone in life.

Here it is, my life and it's pretty awesome. I'm also in love with my new graduate program. I'm in the middle of finishing up my first semester this week. And I've since started working on the next book in the Miss Burton's series. So, I'm honestly just happy and busy and totally enjoying seeing some of my hard work finally pay off.