As Ever, Wild and Absolutely True

Really, did you think I would give you anything less?

I got a job!!

Yes, indeed, my friends, I am employed once again. This is, of course, a huge relief, and a boost to my flagging confidence after two years of teaching hell in Antioch.

Oh, you want details? Sure...the job is for Stockton Unified School District. My job title is VAPA teacher (that's Visual and Performing Arts), but basically, I'll be teaching music, with maybe a little bit of art thrown in. At this point, it looks like I'll be teaching at one K-8 school site, which is right up my alley. I even have a classroom! Some music/art teachers get shopping carts.

The title of this post does not refer to my getting a job, but actually how it is all transpiring. Here's the timeline:

Tuesday, July 8 I drove to Stockton in my rented Toyota Camry to interview. I was told it would probably be early the next week that I'd hear something.

Monday, July 14 I had a message on my (new! Cute, sassy red) cell phone from a lady in HR, asking me to call back. By the time I got the message, it was too late to call her back, so I called her first thing in the morning on

Tuesday, July 15 at which point she offered me a position. I accepted. Then she said, "We start school on the 29th...of July."

Eeek!! That's two weeks!!!

Wednesday, July 16 I drove to Stockton and did the following:

1. 10:00-10:30 Signed a contract

2. 10:30-11:00 Got lost looking for the office where my supervisor, the director of VAPA, resides.

3. 11:00-11:45 Got the tour of the VAPA office, where there is a good collection of sheet music, instruments and other resources. Also found out which school I'd be working at.

4. 11:45-12:00 Got lost trying to find my school.

5. 12:00-12:45 Met my principal and got a tour of the campus. She told me, "It's a big school--about 880 kids." I smiled serenely and replied, "I just taught at D*** V***** High School for 2 years." She had heard of DV, but I still followed this up with, "We had 3,300 kids."

6. 12:45-1:00 Got kinda/sorta lost finding the school district's police office (I was learning my away around by now).

7. 1:00-1:10 Filled out a long ole form, then got fingerprinted by a very nice lady.

8. 1:00 Set off towards I-5 (that's Interstate 5, a major freeway, for those who don't know) to look for an apartment in a better part of town. Stockton sorta has a reputaion, but I was assured by my new principal that the parts she'd given me directions to were nicer. And indeed they are.

9. 1:00-1:30 Drove around.

10. 1:30-2:00 Lunch at Applebee's and a much-needed visit to the loo.

11. Shortly after lunch, I drove to the next exit off of 5, and immediately found an apartment complex that is within easy walking distance of 24 Hour Fitness, my gym. I drove in, got a tour, and decided I wanted the apartment, all within 30 minutes.

By 4:00, I'd filled out a rental application, and written a $500 deposit check. Then I set off for Mom and Dad's, feeling...

Exhausted

Overwhelmed

...and maybe just a little bit topsy-turvy.

In the space of 48 hours, I went from unemployed and living with Mom and Dad to employed with a place to live. This is good, yes, but it all happened so fast, is it any wonder I was feeling a little stressed?

But it's all falling into place. I was approved for the apartment, so today I signed the lease and took a carload of stuff down. A local mover had time to move me, even with such a last-minute request, so tomorrow we'll be getting all of my stuff moved in.

So I'll have a week to get somewhat settled before school starts. In this week I have a two-and-a-half day inservice for VAPA teachers, where I'll get some lesson plan ideas.

I've been busy buying stuff for my new place. Yesterday I made a trip to IKEA for a TV stand, and today I bought some cute bar stools at Target, and a storage unit for the bathroom.

My apartment (click here to see a 3-D floorplan...very cool!) is smaller in square footage than my last one, but it has two bedrooms, which means I have an office/craft room. My rent is $300 cheaper, which means...you guessed it...

I'm soooooo going to England within the next year!!!

That's where that extra money is going. It's been three years since I left, and I don't want to reach four without getting a visit in.

So yes, this week has been Wild and Absolutely True. A whirlwind. I'm excited, relieved, and scared witless, all at the same time. I find that mentally decorating my new apartment helps. So does the prospect of having a designated scrapbook table that I never have to put away (as I did in the last apartment), and having that extra money to save towards returning to my beloved, always-missed England. I've been researching prices, and if I go during my Spring Break next year, I could go for as low as $895. It's not a direct flight, but hey, I don't mind!

Stay tuned, my friends. I have a good feeling about all of this.