I again tackled apartment hunting today. I thought (well still mostly think) I'd hit the jackpot on the third complex. My "demands" were met...ground floor, price range, dishwasher, etc. The apartment was clean and everything seemed to be well maintained. Of course knowing the importance of not taking the first thing that comes along, I went ahead and kept looking.
I should stop here and give a huge shout out to my cousin who came with me. Thanks Amanda! Your insight was helpful!
Okay, so we looked at about four more. I still thought the best place for me was Apartment Three. I went back and filled out the application and left a deposit. I was still feeling comfortable with where I'd chosen. It is on the "good" side of town. My good friend lives across the street. Everything felt right.
Well, on my way home, my mom calls and tells me to look online. She had stumbled across some stuff that didn't sound so...right. Now, I know that not everyone is a satisfied renter, but the handful of ratings that were listed about this property weren't good. So, now I'm sort of worried. I mean I know looks can be deceiving, but that deceiving?
I called my friend that lives across the street and she was a little surprised to hear about the problems. I called the police department in an effort to find out about the safety and crime associated with the apartment complex. Unfortunately, I have to wait until Monday to talk to records. Also, Monday I'm supposed to hear back from the complex about the application status. I'll be sure to be asking about the laundry list of complaints.
So, while I'm not ready to say stop the presses, I am in need of a little bit more information. Seems I'm doing a lot of waiting lately. In case you can't tell...I hate waiting. Yeah yeah...I know all about a virtue called patience...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
On The Hunt
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Maybe Job-y (Post Script)
Yesterday afternoon I sent in another round of faxes and today I got a nibble. I have an interview scheduled for Friday. It is in the area where I want to be and I like what I see from the school website. Plus, I have a friend that has worked there and said it was a good school. The principal sounded very friendly. So...now I go and interview.
This is the tricky part. I want to be excited and hopeful, but I don't want to get too excited just in case it doesn't pan out. I still find job rejection hard to handle. Y'all wish me luck. I'm sure I'll post details.
**Post Script...
Thank you for all the thoughts! The interview went well...at least I think it went well. I met with the principal only. We spoke for an hour and a half! Everyone has said that has to mean good things as you don't talk to someone for that long who you aren't interested in. We seemed to line up on most issues. She is looking for someone to be ESL certified (I'm not currently) but she did say that I could take the test over the summer and be fine. I tried to let her know that I was willing to do that and also that while not ESL certified I did have experience with those kids. I'm still trying to remain hopefully optimistic. She said that she had one more interview on Monday but that she wanted to make this decision fairly quickly. Hopefully I'll know something by next week. I really want this job. I've done all I can...now I just wait. And say a few prayers!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
What A Bust
I think I've made a decision. No matter what happens job wise (I still haven't heard anything from anywhere...no one wants me...whaaa!) I will be moving. Several things have prompted this...mostly that I'm not happy in Huntsville. Also, this trailer is falling down around my ears and I'm not up to duck taping it together. So...I'm moving.
Where you might ask...I don't know.
When you might ask...another great question.
I have a time frame, but things seldom line up in my time frame. If you know me, you'd know that I just love (read H.A.T.E.) this kind of a plan.
Always trying to stay on top of things and keep in control what I can, I went house hunting in Conroe. Well, let me amend that. I started out house hunting and came to the realization that if I truly am not wanted anywhere else I'll have to be living on my current budget which means I can only afford to apartment hunt.
I should stop and say (or whine about) that I hate living in apartments. I like quiet. I usually like a yard (though seriously the creepy crawlies that go with grass...), and I'm picky in that I don't want to trek up stairs to get to my front door. Also, I'd like to have lots of room. Apartments aren't my first choice, but I'm discovering that they might be my only choice.
Okay, back to my house...err...apartment hunting this weekend. The places I could afford are the places where I'd be afraid for my life. And the places that were the nicest were for the drug dealing baby factories that are considered low income. (No offense to any drug dealing baby factories that are reading...) I learned quickly that I was what these apartments call "over qualified" and I need to look at "conventional" apartments.
So, this is my life at the moment. Packing up one residence to get ready to move to a still unknown residence. Also, there are only 7 days of school left so things are pretty crazy right now. This year has gone by so fast, but I think my little darlings are ready to move on from second grade. We all done good this year!
I hope you guys enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend! I've got laundry to finish (don't I always though...) and I think I might even scrap a little tonight or tomorrow, but other than that I'm just going to enjoy and rest for the rest of the long weekend. I hope you get to do that too!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Friendly Dinner Mishap
One of my favorite things about going to Conroe (about 30 miles away...you know...the "big city") is that my friend Nina and I (usually) get to go out to dinner! Where I live there are only a handful of restaurants...Chili's, a BBQ joint, and a dozen or so Mexican places. It gets pretty boring for the taste buds.
Well, several nights ago I got suckered into craving Olive Garden thanks to a new commercial advertising the stuffed rigatoni and sausage (by the way...yummy!). For that kind of indulgence I have to make a trip down Nina's way. Just my luck...Nina didn't mind eating out. The last time we went to Olive Garden it was a great experience. This time...not so much.
It was one mishap after another. For all the nitty gritty details go here...Nina's Life and check out her version (you might have to scroll...). It is pretty much mishap by mishap what happened! Plus, I'm all about pimpin' a friend's blog. Y'all go show her all the blog love y'all show me...and you'll get to read a funny story in the process.
What are you still doing here....go!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
A Mama Is...
All week I've wondered what project to have the kids do for Mother's Day. Some classes are making vases out of plastic water bottles covered in tissue paper squares dipped in clue. Some are sticking their pictures on a flower that says, "I love you Mom!". And we're writing a poem.
Yep, I can really let it flow here...always (well not so much these days but 360 posts prove I'm somewhat) wordy. Today when I gathered my kids around for writer's workshop to demonstrate how to write this poem I had trouble. It wasn't that I didn't have anything to say, but I found that I had so much to say.
My mom is so much more than my mom. I didn't realize that until I was an adult living life out on my own. She's my mama. She's my best friend. She's always there. She keeps me grounded. She taught me to see that there is a bigger picture. She's shared her faith. She's my mama...my kids don't understand that. But I hope they will one day.
So, here is my poem.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Such Language
As a teacher, there are just some things that I've grown accustomed to when it comes to parents. And then there are things that just blow me away.
Today, on our way to lunch, one of my little potty mouths turned around and let the person behind her have it...to the tune of you mother $@*&^! I was shocked and frankly a little amazed that an eight year old not only knew that phrase, but knew how to use it properly. Well I suppose properly is up for debate, but you know what I mean.
Anyway, this isn't normal behavior for this child so instead of taking her to the office, I decided to handle this in-classroom so to speak. I made her move a clip and took away her recess time. I also let her know that we'd be calling her mom too. Our afternoon was rather busy so I didn't have time to make the call until close to the end of the day.
I called her mom and explained that something had happened today and the child responded in a very inappropriate way. I also said that her daughter would be telling her what exactly she had said. Said child gets on the phone and says the above statement to her mom. Her mom talked to her for a minute and then she handed the phone back to me. At which point my jaw dropped when her mother said, "You called me just because she said..." Well you know what she said but the mom said the actual phrase to me!
I tell you...I would have been mortified...no...terrified to have repeated that to my mom on the phone. And I can guarantee that my mom would have been so embarrassed to have to speak to the teacher after hearing her child said such a thing. Parents just aren't the same today as mine were when I was growing up.
So, that whole little thing made my Monday a little more interesting.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Going Wild!
Tomorrow is the second grade field trip to the Houston Zoo! The kids are excited and even the teachers are excited. I'm excited because I have nine parents going! Yep...nine parents. That is more than half my parents. Y'all pray (or wish for us!) good weather. This is the second attempt at this field trip (last one "rained" out) so we really want that chance of rain to stay at 20%.
Oh, and I'll update tomorrow...heck who am I trying to fool...whenever I get to it with pictures of our positively wild time and my positively new red hair!
