Positive Changes

Wow. So, my life has been changing! My job…which I’d been waiting to be actually hired for had gotten increasingly depressing over the past months, and I found myself missing school a lot, just to have something to do. Too much free time is definitely not healthy for me. I still need deadlines. The job hit a low point some time in March when I was at work until 11pm on a Friday night. Then I finally decided that I hat my job and it was time to get out. So the exciting news, some of which may have been previously relayed to you…Last November, when I was contemplating not applying for my current job and thinking it would be over in January, I applied to Kaplan Test Prep to teach the LSAT. They invited me to audition, and continued updating me with the possibilities for times to do that. I finally replied at the end of March explaining that my stupid hours did not allow for me to attend any audition sessions, and we set up an interview. I passed and began teacher training at the beginning of April to see if I had the potential to become “an excellent Kaplan teacher.” So for the last month I’ve immersed myself in LSAT material and learning to teach it. This is rather out of my comfort zone. And although some of the Kaplan material is corny and overly optimistic, it’s a good challenge for me. Also this job will allow me to feel that I am helping people, rather than acting as a minion to the abhorrent earth-destroying auto industry. Also I still love the LSAT. So I graduated from teacher-training last night, and begin teaching my first class July 8. So that’s my goal for quitting my current job. The other factor allowing this change (since teaching is very part time) is our church! In February Pastor Jim approached Keith asking if he wanted to work with the kids, there being a job opening in July. The next week their youth leader/kids program coordinator fell and broke her femur. So Keith and I started leading youth group almost immediately (assisted by another couple and Jim). We’ll take this job officially in July. Compensation is to live in the youth center- a house across from the church. We share a kitchen and living room with the youth and have our own apartment (sans kitchen) upstairs. The basement is fully equipped with ping-pong, foosball and bumper pool tables. So as of August Keith and I will no longer have to pay rent or utilities!!! The other job opening is a 15hr/wk position coordinating the kids programs. I am somewhat under-qualified for the job not actually having worked with kids before, but I figure all the stuff that baffles me I can throw at Keith. He would probably be the better candidate for the job, but he still has 17 credit hours to accumulate. So, by taking this position, we are (thus far, loosely) committing to another 2 years in Ithaca. Which should work out, as I may take on more responsibilities at Kaplan, and I can still work extra jobs through the temp agency. Keith is still working at CIT, but he got into a lab and he start shadowing people this summer, and hopefully he’ll be able to keep working and get paid ones he graduates in January. So hopefully a year and a half of research will get him into a grad program somewhere, and I’ll try to start law school in 2010. Of course, if he gets into this one program in London…I’ll happily put it off another year.
Keith and I are leaving tonight to go to PA to see his parents. His mom’s birthday is tomorrow. The first week of June, we’re going to Charleston to see my family. July 4 I’ll be in Elkhart for a wedding. Then that weekend we’ll be spending near Peoria with Keith’s family. I’ve been looking at google maps and plotting a pit stop in Chicago on the way out there. So Chicago folks, what’s July 5 late morning-early afternoon look like? Then 2 weeks later I’ll be there for the July 19th festivities, and hope to stay for a couple days after. I shouldn’t need to be back in Ithaca until Thursday.
And that's that.
Peace.