Irresistible

I was chatting with my mom on the phone last night and talking about my first day at the new job--a New Teacher Orientation on the 25th. The letter I received told us to come a bit early to meet the other new teachers in the district. I told Mom, "I'll do that, and maybe I'll make a friend or two. I just know that I have to look at this situation like I looked at my first few days in England. I have to be outgoing and friendly, or people won't talk to me." Mom replied, "I know you can do it, Megs. You're irresistible!"

Yes, there is some unwritten law that states Moms are supposed to find their kids irresistible, but I think that law expires when the kid hits puberty. So I thought it was a lovely compliment and a small boost to my confidence as I rush, head first, into yet another new job.

I certainly have plenty to talk about. Here's just a few things on my mind of late.

Talk About My Worst Nightmare

They really ought to stop airing previews of the movie "Snakes on a Plane." Just the title of the movie is enough to make me stand on my chair and shriek like a little girl. Good God! It's bad enough that this movie is yet another of the "who-cares-about-quality-let's-just-make-some-money" Hollywood films that will bring people to the theatres, but really, there are a lot of people who will get the heebie-jeebies just knowing about this movie.

It's not like I'm going to get on a plane one of these days and start hyperventilating over the possibility that we have crazy cobras and pissed-off pythons on board, because I really do know better, but...blech. That's the only word that comes to mind.

Speaking of the Quality/Quantity Issue

I'm not a big TV watcher, but I have been watching a lot of my DVDs of late. I find that after a busy day, sitting down with soup and a salad and a good movie is a nice way to end my day. I've been on a decidedly British movie kick--simply because I don't think I've ever seen a British movie that wasn't very, very well done.

British (and Irish) actors are truly some of the best out there. Think about it: Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy, Julie Walters, Maggie Smith, Fiona Shaw, John Cleese, Gary Oldman, Jason Isaacs, Keneth Branagh, Shirley Henderson, Sir Ian McKellan, Miranda Richardson, Ralph Fiennes, Joseph Fiennes, Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy, Gemma Jones, Liam Neeson...the list goes on and on! Even most of their younger actors--Jamie Bell, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Thomas Sangster, to name a few--are marvelous! Don't know who some of these people are? Check out the Internet Movie Database.

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that the Brits really do know how to make a good movie. I'm going to have to do a blog about it soon.

Gah! Double Gah!!

I have to take more freakin' classes this year. Turns out that in California, you get a preliminary credential at first, and you must "clear" it before it expires, in order to keep teaching.

So off I go to National University again, to take some online courses (fortunately, I only need three) so that by the time my credential expires next July, I will have cleared it so that it can be re-issued.

You know, doctors and lawyers go through a lot of schooling, then they go out and make boatloads of money. Teachers go through 5-6 years of university, often a master's degree, and then have to take various courses and tedious trainings for the rest of their lives. I've been teaching for four years now--hardly just starting out, here--and I'll be making a whopping $39,328 dollars a year. And that's before Uncle Sam gets his greedy hands on it. If I'm going to be paying so much tax money to California and the U.S. of A., can't they at least see fit to re-pave highway 12 so that when I drive between my place and Mom and Dad's place I don't rattle my teeth out of my head?

Drowing in Paper

Excellent news! Aside from a couple of papers we are waiting for from my former employers, I am finished with just about everything that the personnel department needs! Woohoo! Even my LiveScan (fingerprinting) cleared in a very timely manner. Yesterday, the lady in charge of getting all of my stuff put together stuck a sticky-note on my file that says, "Good!" This means that I'm good to go--they can let me in the classroom. ; )

Comin' Together

A couple days ago, I actually saw the surface of my dining room table! It was a big moment, and, unfortunately, a short-lived one. I'm still finding homes for random things, but this place is more and more organized by the day. I'm very pleased with it. I've finally unpacked and sorted all of my CDs, and found more places to hang pictures and whatnot. I have a lot of windows, so it makes it hard to find room to hang many of my pictures.

Millie Joyful

Millie's doing well, but I fear that she's a bit bored. Her toys don't seem to interest her; instead, she likes to get into things, like my purse, which she seems to know will bring Mommy running. It's like having a toddler--she's screaming for my attention. If I sit on the sofa or my bed for any length of time, she's there, desperately butting her head against me and meowing. It's sweet, but it can get a bit annoying if I'm tyring to, say, balance a tray of food on my lap.

There's no way around it, folks. I think Millie needs a playmate. Of course, we'll have to wait a few months, but I can really see myself getting another kitty.

Notes on a Funny Author

I re-read "Notes From a Small Island" by Bill Bryson this week, and laughed so hard I decided to also re-read "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" (a series of essay he did for a British newspaper about his return to the U.S. after over 20 years of living in England).

I just have to take a moment to encourage all of you to read one of his books. "A Walk in the Woods" (think fat, out-of-shape, middle-aged guy hiking the Appalachian Trail) is definitely a good one to start with. You might also enjoy "In a Sun-Burned Country" (in Britain known as "Down Under") about his adventures in Australia. I'm thinking of going to the book store today and grabbing "Neither Here Nor There," which chronicles Europe from Norway to Istanbul.



Right, it's noon and I haven't showered. I have some stuff to take care of and then it's a lazy afternoon/evening for Meg. Happy Friday, everyone!

Cheers,

Meg (the Irresistible).