Oy, with the poodles, already!

As a jumping off point for today, here's my horoscope:

You may feel as if you are in a rut and could be rather disillusioned about the prospects for change. A recent disappointment only added to your current malaise. But don't make despondency a habit, for everything is about to change. You are better off being hopeful about the future than you are being saddened by the past.

I think that about sums up the teaching job situation for now: disappointment, malaise, and despondency. (HA!) No, not really. That dern "hiring freeze" is most assuredly the bane of my existence right now, though. I have had 2 interviews in the last 2 weeks and haven't heard back from either one. This means that the jobs most likely haven't been filled, as I was told by both that contact would be made "no matter what." The words from both as I left, laughing and shaking hands were, "Sarah, you will DEFINITELY be hearing from us soon." That would lead one to believe that the phone would actually ring at some point, correct? Well, not so far. In their defense (whether warranted or not), I discovered that the principals aren't allowed to discuss the positions they are trying to fill after the interviews have been completed until papers (contract and other legal bullhonky) are signed by someone (myself or whomever else).

So, on the downside, I'm uber-frustrated by interviewing and getting no response about anything in return. On the upside, however, I am actually getting calls for interviews. This shows interest. Interest is good. The problem is getting through the district's main office and having them fully approve the hire. No word yet on if that will ever happen. In the meantime, I do have subbing all set up and kickin' to begin again. In the end, if all else fails, I do have that as a backup plan. This is always good.

I'm really just trying to keep my chin up as much as possible. It's not always the easiest task, but getting down on myself about it is "counterproductive" (Alex's assertion). I believe it must be true. I am doing everything I can do, and I'm just trying not to take it too personally. I'm qualified, I'm enthusiastic, and I'm not a total idiot. Whatever is supposed to happen will happen. Right? Right.

By way of an actual, legitimate update, I think that is all I have for now. As I mentioned earlier today, I had a slightly different, possibly more rambly post typed up and ready to post. Right when I hit "Publish," though, our finicky Internet connection went all wonky. The last bit of the post, which would have simply continued on for a while below this, was eaten. I would try to recreate what was said, but I'm sure it wasn't of urgent importance. What is of urgent importance is that it is Friday and I am ready to start the weekend!

As always, I'll tell more about the job stuff as I know the final word. In the meantime, I'll just be excited that school supplies are crazy-cheap right now and my addiction to such purchases hasn't sent me into bankruptcy quite yet. :)

**Boo/Hiss**

Booooooooooo ... I just wrote the LONGEST update on this thing and my Internet connection flaked right in the middle of posting. The entire thing wasn't totally lost, but I don't have time to fix it right now, as I have a lunch engagement soon-ish. I'll update the update this afternoon and post, post, post! (I fear I've had too much caffeine this morning. Starbucks will be the death of us all, I'm certain! Ha ... I kid, I kid ... or do I?)

Anyway, update in the next few hours. In the meantime, Happy Freakin' Friday! :)

'Rockin' in the free world ...'

Okay, friends and readers, I need some help! You know how I mentioned in my profile that I can't seem to find any "new" music that I like/enjoy too much? (Maybe you didn't read that part, but it's what I said.)

Well ... it is the sad, sad truth. I have certainly been in a musical rut for a while now and need some major assistance. Suggestions, please?! Respond anonymously if you feel shy, and don't be nervous about the advice being a flop. As long as it doesn't suck, I can appreciate any kind of music. ;)

The reason for urgency is that I've been doing a lot of cleaning/rearranging/organizing in my apartment/room (efficiency is key) and music is my only savior during those times of locking myself away. Basically, I've grown tired of being tired of what I listen to over and over and over, ad nauseam.

Now I beg ... please give me suggestions! I'm sure I'm out of the loop somewhere. Educate me!

That's all for right this second. I'll have more on the goings-on (interviews, outcomes, new developments, and so on) either later today, in the middle of the night, or tomorrow morning. For now, it's the top o' the closet. Hoo-ah!

Blotch

Today I was forced to attend a seminar. Actually, 'forced' is a strong word. I 'had' to go, against my base desires and will to remain coherent throughout the middle of the day. It was the final mandatory day for my certification: Assessments 1 & 2. It's not that the presenter was bad; he was really good, in fact. It also wasn't that the information was poor; it was very insightful. It's more that I simply did not want to sit in a room full of over-opinionated people for 8 hours.

The highlight was when I was called on to come to the front of the conference room and discuss a topic the presenter thought I knew a lot about (fooled him!), only to realize 3 hours later (after the seminar was over) that I had black ink all over the tip of my nose. The tricky thing about it is that I love, and I do mean L-O-V-E these certain ballpoint pens ... but they ooze. And by 'ooze,' I mean EXPLODE (slight exaggeration) all over my hands when I write anything more than a single check with them. So, the pen sprung a leak on my hand, and I'm sure I rubbed my nose (frequently with allergies here in the summer), which then implanted said ink on said nose. Lovely.

This brings up something that has always perplexed me: the phenomenon that no one tells you when something is on your face. The same applies to whales in the sea (hangers in the nostril region) and junk in the grill (food in the teeth). I mean, what's so bad about just telling someone? Do they think it would be more embarrassing to bring it to your attention than to let you sit in front of them like a total fool, basking in your unruliness? I digress ...

Ah, Hurricane Edwardo (right?) was supposed to hit the Austin area this afternoon, but never did. I am a little saddened by this. It's not that I wanted a monsoon or anything, but some rain might have been nice. It did open up a little and give us a taste on my drive home around 4. That was nice and the smell was delicious ... like clean, fresh, wet dirt. I think that is what I've decided rain smells like. Maybe the reason I am so enamored by it flashes back to my days of being a very little girl and frolicking about in my grandparents' yard, digging for roly-polies to put in one of my grandmother's Mason Jars (holes poked in the top and grass in the bottom, of course).

The only other morsel of information I have to share today is that I pre-ordered J.K. Rowling's new book, which comes out in early December, on Amazon the other day. I have absolutely NO CLUE what it is about, but I have to say ... I'll gladly purchase anything that woman puts out. Nothing will EVER be like HP, but that's okay. I'm *still* holding out for the promised encyclopedia, only because I'm a total loser/nerd like that. What can you do?

'It's a wild hope ..."

I just got back from an interview with a magnet school here. Basically, this school is the best of the best when it comes to academics in the area. The kids are (literally) geniuses.

Other than that, I don't want to say too much else about it because I really have no clue which way the pendulum will swing. All I am at liberty to say for now (because my nerves are too crazy for more) is that I will know one way or the other by Friday morning. They told me the decision will be a quick one as new teacher orientation starts on Monday, August 11th.

With that in mind, everyone (please!) send some good thoughts my way, and I'll give an update by Friday evening. In the meantime, I am going to do my best to harness my chi, relax, not dwell, and say my affirma ... well, no ... I'll just do my best to stay calm.

Fingers AND toes, friends! Thank you, kindly.

The Heat Is On

The heat here is unbearable. You say you are going to do so many cool, neat, fun things in the summer ... but it's all a lie. You don't realize it at the time of speaking, but a lie, it most certainly is. All you can do is sit around in your (poorly-cooled, air-conditioner-overtime-working) apartment, and hope you don't roast between the hours of 10am and 8pm.

It doesn't cool off here at night like it does where I am from. It's amazing what you take for granted, like a nice night in the summer when sitting on the back porch doesn't entail two changes of shirts and a long, cold shower before bed.

What I'm trying to get at is that it is absolutely miserable outside. The humidity isn't even that bad ... there's been no rain. It's triple-digits day after day after day with no foreseeable reprieve in sight. So, the discussions of jetskis and river floats and museum-going-Saturdays and even drinks on the patio are shot.

It's all you can do to avoid the lovely "rolling blackouts" the news warns of, and keep enough sunscreen lathered when running errands to not get burned. (No exaggeration necessary.) I don't care what anybody says, I'm living in the tropics.

And I'm not a tropical girl. For now, I can make it through. I can drink my ice-cold water and wear shorts boasting my lily-white legs. I can even put on my two-piece and take a dip in the well-kept pool, ever-reminded that the UV here is different than anything I've ever experienced. Everything is harsher, everything is boiling.

At least we live in a time where electricity runs freely and we can rape the world of all natural resources in our attempts to be as pampered as possible. (Please note the extreme sarcasm.)

One thing is certain: my body was not made to brave these stifling days and nights of hot-hot-heat. I was made for all four seasons, not one, long season spanning without end. And at least if one is going to be this petulant, let it be winter, when the cold can be broken by layers and the snow makes me feel like a little girl.

Pen it down.

I don't know where I'll end up living when it's all said and done, but I know it will have to be somewhere with all four seasons ... somewhere that snows.