Are You Gathering Moss?

Once again, I am a thankful person! I got a new job for the Northern Lakes Special Education Cooperative in the Grand Rapids, MN area. I'll be responsible for the special education programming/management for 5 districts in the communities around Grand Rapids (not GR itself). In the light of all of the cutting going on, I'm very grateful for this opportunity.

My program and my position were cut this year. I had resigned already in February because I felt it was time for me to move on and put some effort into leaving this area where I find exhausting same-ness and cocooned isolation. I believe that if you don't take the first step towards something you want, you'll never get there. Plus, I don't like leaving the security of my job in the hands of something or someone else. I think it's important for me to be in control of both what happens to me and how many options I can have, so that means working my tail off to further my education, making tough choices to concentrate on career, spending time learning to advocate for myself and being assertive for myself, overcoming fear of failure and inadequacy, and striving to be willing to have my ideals and beliefs challenged now and then. The only way a person ever moves forward is by being in motion (see Newton's first law of motion) -so unless a person is making deliberate attempts to maintain a forward motion, there is the danger of becoming stagnant, still, and "mossed-over" (taking from the proverb "a rolling stone gathers no moss"... which I interpret as meaning that if a person keeps moving, they will not be stuck intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, nor mentally. And I don't mean moving literally either). And I'm not talking about not settling down or being always on the run, or living the lyrics of "Desperado" by the Eagles. I'm talking a little bit about transcendentalism. Engaging intuition to continuously evolve to seek freedom, knowledge and truth...and therefore making the world (and yours then) a better place.

So there's your moment of zen, everyone. Always have something in your back pocket and always have your fingers in more than one pot, with your foot knowing exactly where the door is and how to get through it if needed.

Is This a Weekend? Oh, I Didn't Notice...

This weekend is my birthday weekend (Sunday is my birthday). It will snow again. As always. Last year I planned a Pampered Chef-combo-birthday party for myself, friends, and family. It snowed A LOT that day and the weather was really nasty, so I had to cancel the Pampered Chef party and have a small-scale party with my in-town friends. It was still fun...but the weather really put a kabosh on my joy for the day. This year it's supposed to snow again. It won't stick around because it's too warm, but still...wow. Almost every year on my birthday it snows or there is cold, crappy weather. Oh well! This year also, I have to work long shifts at JCPenney. When I got my schedule for April, I was sad that this entire weekend was filled with work. But then I thought, oh well! A birthday at this age is like any other day, so I thought, "So be it.". Sunday's are crazy and are my LEAST favorite day working there, so I really don't anticipate having a good birthday! Maybe luck will be on my side and it will be better. Maybe my boss will take pity on me today and tell me that she got someone else to work for me. HA! Actually, if it's going to be crappy weather, I'd rather be working and making some extra cash to buy myself a birthday present.

So, this weekend will not really be a weekend. In May I have only 2 weekends off and those will be filled with graduations and weddings. I want to go to Grand Rapids next month some weekend, so I'll have to try to fit it in somehow. Maybe a nice Sunday drive will be in order!

Last night I was in Perham at my parent's because one of my uncles that live in Arizona was visiting with his significant other ("girlfriend" sounds so silly for adult committed relationships!!!). It was very fun. I had a lovely time visiting with everyone -that's one of my very favorite things. I love just sitting around a table or around a living room or something just chewing the fat with people I love and even better, like!! I appreciate the good humor my family has and am glad that I can fit into both sides of my family. It did make me sad for a moment because I had wanted to find a job closer to the metro area so I could spend more time with my relatives in that area, but oh well! Maybe some day. I am excited for my move though and am excited to not "start over", but start a new chapter in my life. New job, new digs, new friends...it will be awesome and challenging at the same time. My favorite thing!

Oh-oh, I just took a look at my plant ASEC gave me. It looks horrible!!! Hopefully I haven't killed it already!!! I wonder when the last time I watered it was....hmmmmmm.....dunno! That might be the problem!!!

A Job, A Move, & A Plant

Tonight I am resting easy because I was offered a job this week and today the contract was settled and green-lighted. The job is in Grand Rapids, MN -well, near there anyway. The title of it is "special education coordinator" for the Northern Lakes Special Education Cooperative, which serves 5 small (mostly consolidated) school districts around the city of Grand Rapids. It will be a good entry level job to the educational administration world and I'm quite excited about it.

That means, I get to move!! The job starts this summer (July/August), so I hope to start figuring out where I will live before then so I can move. I'd like to live in Grand Rapids, or as close to it as possible. They have a Target, you know. :-) My criteria for finding a job & relocating was two-fold: I wanted an entry level special education administration job and it had to be in an area that had a city/town with a Target store. I got my wish. A whole lot of hard work went into it and it's nice to see a goal met that was conceived 10 years ago.

Ironically, today was the last ASEC (area special education cooperative...my present employer) staff meeting of the year. That meant I got to experience some closure. I can't thank my supervisors enough for their support, the learning opportunities they gave me, and the subsequent awesome recommendations they were too happy to give during my job search. My coworkers, as well, have become good friends and a part of my life I will miss. For my "going away" present, I received a hibiscus plant. I hope I don't kill it!!! I don't have a good track record for plants!! The last one I killed was 6 years ago and I haven't subjected a plant to my care since then. So let's hope the thing can hang on until at least until my move.

I've got a lot to do before July. I have to finish my field study (which I defend on June 26th) and pack up this mausoleum I've created here. How much stuff does one person need anyway??? And how the heck did i acquire all this stuff!!???

...wow...

Sometimes a really neat story comes along where you're reminded of not only the hidden gems we so often overlook due to circumstance and outward appearance but the quiet confidence these gems carry within themselves, and the absolute goodness & light that flows from them when we give them a chance.

This is a youtube clip of Susan Boyle's performance on Britain's Got Talent a couple days ago. At first you feel sorry for her, like you do sooooo many hopefuls on the American Idol city tryouts who are very delusional, and especially because the audience is not nice at first. But then she starts singing. And singing a PERFECT song too (which happens to be one of my favorites from Les Miserables). Made me a bit weepy! If you have time, check the link out here.

The Potty Dance...WHAT???!!!

So I turned the TV on this morning and this is a commercial I saw. For a minute I thought I was watching Saturday Night Live or something...but it hasn't been this funny lately. It is an actual advertisement for Pull Ups diapers.



Wow. I am speechless!

A Heat Wave

Today it's been in the 50's. Us "northern folk" really get pretty excited when the weather is over 40degrees. Anyone south of here would think we're crazy -and would be wearing one of our -30degrees parkas on a 50 degree day. It's alllllll relative. :-)

I've done NOTHING today. At all. I did go for a drive for a while this afternoon because I got antsy and I've got some laundry to take care of later today, but otherwise, it's been relaxing and numbing out with TV and a book. Just what the doctor ordered.

Busy as a Little Bee

This week has been hella-busy. I've almost literally criss-crossed the state this week for my job search. It's been fun and an awesome experience. I've learned more and more about myself and about the kind of job I want with each interview. It's been great.

I had to push my field study and subsequent graduation back to at least summer, maybe fall if the department can't hear my orals in the summer. I'm ok with that because it's been quite hectic for me and rather than stress myself out to the max (especially in the middle of my job search), I've decided that was the best option.

So this weekend, I have Friday off. I do have to work at JCP 3-9 Friday, but the rest of the weekend is mine. I am not going to do anything but watch tv, read, and sleep. After this week, I really need that. On Sunday I'll run home to Perham to visit the fam. I'd really like to partake in the awesome food spread that will be there, but I've been under physician's care for a weight loss program, Optifast, which has been going great. I don't eat "real" food, just their shakes, soups, bars -and have been for about 11 weeks now. It's incredibly nutritionally balanced, I have to see the doctor or dietician every week (and attend a class as well), and have frequent blood draws. All my "important" levels have been going down. they've never really been high, but with my family's history of diabetes on both sides, I decided this would be a good pre-emptive thing for me to do before I do develop health problems. Today my doctor and I decided that since I've been doing so well, I would do another 4-6 weeks of just the Optifast line and then work on transitioning back into "real" food. I'm very ok with that. I've already had to buy practically a whole new wardrobe and that will continue until summer I'm guessing. I've been very happy with the program though. I've been SOOO busy lately, it's been nice to get my food/sustenance from pre-measured/pre-packaged stuff I know is healthy.

BUT: I'll be able to smell the awesome food Amelia and everyone is making and appreciate it that way. :-)

Oh, btw, I finally named my car: Max. He got new mudflaps on Wednesday and he looks nice. Plus the sunroof got fixed so now hopefully when I go through car washes, it won't leak.

Wednesdays Are Icky.

I don't like Wednesdays. I hate the middle of the week. I like the beginning or the end, except for Sunday, because that means my weekend is over. :-)

The special ed director from Austin schools called me about an hour ago and let me know that I was not chosen for the Level IV Supervisor position, but encouraged me to apply for the ECSE (early childhood special ed) Supervisor position they have still open. I've already applied for that, so that's that. It's kind of a relief to hear either way. I like this district because they are very professional when it comes to hiring. They notified me either way -they even called me and it was the sped director, not the human resources dept, which is very awesome. I expect that kind of professional and courteous treatment from districts I could potentially work for.

I've got to get back on the field study horse and get stuff DONE. I think I have about a week or two to have it done and submitted. Yikes!!! I'd better get started! :-)