The Show is Over, Folks

Okay, so I didn't win the showdown for the job on Friday. Still, I can take solace in the fact that I was the running competition for someone who had 7 years experience and a masters degree. Apparently I must have gained some interviewing skills somewhere along the line that sometimes decide to show themselves in a beautiful performance. They said they were "very impressed" by me and they are certain that another school will "snatch me up" as soon as they can. No hard feelings with the school that didn't hire me, and I think I'll look in that same district in the future--the neighborhood is beautiful.

Despite the downer of that particular rejection (and another one earlier that day by a school I really didn't give a rat's ass about), I am feeling good about the upcoming school year. Some jobs are still popping up in the search engines, and there are four schools that still need to get back to me about the positions for which I applied and interviewed during the past month. Some schools are excrutiatingly slow at making a decision. My fat dog could probably make a better and faster decision. I've seen him growl at people he doesn't trust, and throw himself upon people he does like so they are helplessly pinned below him and eventually resolve to just pet him. He would be especially productive if he were given food as a reward like some of the interviewers seem to be. Seriously, I've seen spreads of danishes, cheeses, coffee and juices laid out like a miniature buffet to the side of the table where the interviewers enjoy yet another delicacy: grilled candidate.

The Final Showdown

I am "this" close to having a full time job for the fall. Tomorrow morning at 8am, I have a final interview with one of the schools. Why another interview? They called me today saying they were very impressed with me yesterday, and they're having a very difficult time deciding between me and one other candidate. Tomorrow is their deadline for choosing someone for the position, so at 8am sharp I will be meeting with a few more people and they will finish scrutinizing my charm and abilities. It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine.

Earlier today, I had an interview at Jenny's alma mater that went frightfully shitty. On top of that, the school was in such disarray, that I didn't find anyone to help direct me to the committee until I had already stood around for 5 minutes. Combine that with a bad hair day and crappy traffic, and I was not in the most organized mood for an interview, especially one in such a tragic looking room. It had an oversized table, big black chairs, and dim flourescent lighting. The three women interviewers were all at least 30, and had severe looks on their well maintained faces. They barely cracked a smile all through the process, only admitting a slight giggle when I mentioned something about dealing with difficult students or tried throwing in a humorous anecdote about my writing. Everything I said just made me feel less qualified and more like a foolish school girl still trying to find a job. I felt like I was being slowly grilled and fried by their penetrating laser eyes...

"I've got laser eyes! And I know what you're thinking! It comes as no surprise! Christmas lights are blinking! And I'm so curious and I'm so curious and I'm so curious! Cuz I've got laser eyes!" Sifl n Olly...I loved that show.

Crappy interview followed by near job aquisition. I suppose it balances out. Only minor annoyance is that I'll have to pack up for the weekend, dress up for the interview, have the interview, and THEN drive to the "Southeast Corner" to visit peeps in Madtown, Chitown, and Mil-le-wa-kee

Wayne Campbell: So, do you come to Milwaukee often?
Alice Cooper: Well, I'm a regular visitor here, but Milwaukee has certainly had its share of visitors. The French missionaries and explorers began visiting here in the late 16th century. Pete: Hey, isn't "Milwaukee" an Indian name?
Alice Cooper: Yes, Pete, it is. In fact , it's pronounced "mill-e-wah-que" which is Algonquin for "the good land."
Wayne Campbell: I was not aware of that.

It's going to be a busy-ass weekend. But fun.

Because I have to embarrass Lee

A completely untrue but possible conversation from July 14th:

Us: Why are you all dressed up, Lee?
Lee: I'm French! Why do you think I have this outraaaageous acCENT?!"
Us: What are you doing with the food?



Lee: Mind your own business! I'm celebrating Bastille Day with wine, baguettes, brie, croissants, crepes and many many people of various cultural backgrounds. Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person!
Us: Is there someone else we can talk to?
Lee: No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.

Congrats to Erin and Lance! Good food, fun dancing and lots of familiar faces to enjoy at the wedding and reception, as shown by our smiling faces. We may all be cute and coupled, but Tricia's tan with a plan, looking oh so fine as "Best Person."

Who would have guessed?

I should have known it would be so, when my interviewer said "Let's begin this interview with a prayer." As it turns out, I discovered at my interview at a Christian school today that I'm just not Christian enough. I know that must be a shocker to all of you out there, especially to my "spiritual reference." But sadly, it's true. I think I actually felt sorry for the administrator who interviewed me. Otherwise, I might have made comments about being happy for my homosexual friend who just got married, or mentioned how my live-in boyfriend and I had a great-fucking-margarita party the other night. That would have been fun.

But no, he was way too nice. He repeatedly told me that my credentials were fantastic for a beginning teacher, and it was only in the one area of my faith that there would be a challenge. He wouldn't even come right out and say, "Sorry, I don't think this job is for you." He just said it would be a "challenge" and then gave me pointers on other places to apply. I just couldn't resist telling the mostly true version of my position on spirituality. Probably a good thing too. He later went into describing how they teach evolution...as an "untrue theory" so that the students are prepared to argue why and how they believe in creationism. Sounds like a good place for me, eh? Right...

I haven't mentioned it in my blog, mostly because I've been mentioning (i.e. bitching about) it everywhere else, but as most of you know, I've been applying and interviewing for jobs all over the place. I have a lot more interviews this year than last year, but so far nothing at all has popped up. I keep searching as schools begin to get serious about planning their staff for the next year, but despite the many jobs out there, few are for English teachers, and there's a lot of us out there. However, I'm not going to give up on finding a full time job until the school bell rings on the first day. After that point, it will be subbing and grad school time for me...and maybe writing...something.

At last! He has turned to the dark side...mwa ha ha ha!

Knownst to me, but unbeknownst to some, Chris has finally taken my advice (and the goading of Lee) to heart and has created his own blog. I helped him get started, and now the rest is in his random, poetic, post rock inundated fingers. Whatever he ends up doing with his blog ought to be as intriguing as he is. So hats off to the new blogger and may others that visit blogs but have not one of their own follow his example and make one!

I really wish that our blazing hot apartment was as cool and refreshing as it was in this picture. I wonder if it's worth a trip up there just to jump in that waterfall...only problem would be the jagged rocks at the bottom...

Well, we survived

Tricia and I finished the race in relatively one piece, which is good. Her parents were there, and mine actually made the drive up there too. I was rather impressed and touched by my parents wanting to join us, especially since it meant that they had to wake up at 4:30am so that they could be in Egg Harbor just after 7:00am. What can I say? I'm their favorite child ;)

So we had a cheering section waiting for us at the finish line, and you'd be amazed what that will do for someone's initiative. I knew I would do okay, but I wasn't sure how fast I could keep it up. But I think I did myself proud. I ran less than 10 minute miles the whole way, which meant I finished the 3.1 mile race in 30 minutes 10 seconds. Sure, I was #324, but that's better than being #700. I'm not sure that many people did the RUN, but there were definitely at least that many people there total for the run/walk. It's amazing how much difference a couple minutes make, because Tricia's uncle beat both of us by coming in at 27 minutes which meant he was a whole hundred people ahead of me.

Still, our main goal was to try and get it done in less than 35 minutes, and we both succeeded! So yay for us! Now we're thinking about adding a race or two to our list. I mean, what motivation is it for the rest of the year if I know I can get back into running shape in just a couple months and the next Hairpin Race is a whole year away? I guess there's a nice wooded one up in Door Co. sometime in October, and there are TONS in the Twin Cities greater area, with a race every weekend SOMEWHERE in Minnesota. Oh, no worries. I won't be going hardcore health nut...I love food, movies, and video games too much. But I WILL try to keep up my running abilities so that if I had to, I could still run a 5K at the drop of a hat. I think that's a worthy enough goal. Although, Tricia and I DID think about trying to reach the next step of a 5 mile run. Hm...this could take a while.

Running, running, as fast as we can. Do you think we'll make it?

Now, "no doubt" we'll make it, but I doubt we'll be feeling like singing a song when we hit the finish line...at least not "We Are the Champions"....more like "I Will Survive"...maybe.

Notice how Tricia and I look like we're about to spring into action and hike a mountain? Well, we didn't quite do that last year at Penninsula State Park, but we did do some hiking up and down some hills and Eagle's Tower.

But that was soooo last year. What are we up to this year? Oh I'd say about a 5K. Monday, July 4th I will be running in my very first "race!" It's a walk/run up in Door County called The Hairpin Run because the first half is all up hill, and then you make a sharp U turn and go back. Tricia ran it last year, and she convinced me to try it this year. I've been doing some training, but I'm certain it will only be enough to JUST make it the approximate 3.1 miles while doing a moderate jog. Perhaps I'll get some burst of speed at the end, but that'll be like 15 minutes after the forerunners hit the finish line, have a bottle of Gatorade, order pizza, and take a cat nap.