My office.....

Today has become - "I'm Lazy and just posting a picture of my office."

I will gladly say I stole this from Jenny - The Bloggess.

Of course it doesn't look that clean now, except I haven't figured out what I am going to put on the walls around it yet.  This is a corner of my bedroom.  I don't get a full office, Tom does, which is fine by me.  I am next to my bathroom and just 5 steps from my bed and a chair to read in.

I have some pictures I can put on the walls, but I haven't set a bunch of them out to see what really should go where. I do think I need some shelves over my desk to put some books.  Or need them in the opposite corner over the reading chair.  Too many options and only 2 years to live here???  It's been 5 Months here so far???  How crazy is that.

I thought I would add this also, as it's the most work we have done in one room of this house.  That wall was TOOOOO boring.  And the tub looked weird sitting in the corner so alone. We added a couple of shelves that we picked up a long time ago and got the picture.  Now, you can dream that you are on vacation in the tub.  Works for me.

My Weakness

Oh, that just brings up big ideals, doesn't it.

  Sadly, I wasn't going there.  I figured it was time to mention my style of writing.  And if you haven't figured it out, then well - thanks you have more faith in me that I thought.

I am a stream of consciousness writer. I sit down, start writing and sooner or later I get to the end.

One would hazard to say,  "But don't you teach writing?"  "Isn't this what you tell you students NOT to do?"

YUP, exactly! Although, I can make one major distinction. I am pretty sure that I do not completely write this way when I have to do a research paper. It has been about 6 years since I wrote a research paper, and oh the grades were not pretty on those. All my "reflection" papers got A's. Hence, you would be allowed to say that I have broken the laws of writing.

"Why?" You may ask, am I actually looking at this.

Well, I picked up the book they are using to teach English 101 at the Community College I work at; The Longman Reader, tenth edition. Today, I read the first chapter.

Actually, I noticed the difference in my writing compared to others lately, when I read several blogs that interested me. The Bloggess, is one of those blogs that I keep track of.  I caught a few more yesterday when I checked out the Time Magazines list of Blogs of the Year.

Most of those blogs are VERY WELL WRITTEN. A couple were silly with moving pictures of beer labels. ( I spent at least 10 minutes there). Another was of this guy taking pictures of his Coon hound all over the United States. (I spent WAY more time there- Pictures- Dogs- Cool places in US- How could I turn away?)

After checking out at least 5 new blogs and a couple more I have encountered from Facebook, there was a very disturbing trend of people who actually write and edit their work, before they post it on their blog.

I would guess my writing style comes more from what I started using this blog for in the first place. (Oooh, see how I used first there- wasn't even trying.) I started this blog back before Facebook was a real thing. I think myspace may have started, but I didn't have a clue how to make it work. (I did not want to spend the time to learn and it's dead now, so no one cares.) I started this blog to share pictures and my life with friends and family.
People were starting to spend a lot more time online. I had just gotten married in Vegas, and everyone wanted to see the pictures. This is where I put them along with notes about whatever was going on at the time.
So, really my blog is Facebook, before there was Facebook.

I have to admit that when I look at all the silly stuff I have on here, it's quite easy to track the last 9 years.  Or most of the last 9 years, as I moved most of my rambling to Facebook.  Although you have to admit, I get really long winded on here.

This brings me to my Dilemma!!!  Do I really start writing and editing my blog for Grammar and Content, or do I continue the off the top of my head, writing like I talk blogging?
Please weigh in on this topic....
Thanks

The Inevitable.

Has anyone ever told you,  "It will work out - just watch."?

I'm sure I've heard that at least a few times in the last year.

Well, I guess it is working out.

I want to Brag, yes my new job is going so well RIGHT NOW that I want to Brag.

But we all know that is probably a bad idea. Because the minute you love something, well something else messes it up.

So, what Can I say without making it go bad.

I work 4 days a week. Awesome.   I teach 2 classes now and 1 class later this semester.  They have something called bi-terms.  It's an interesting concept.

I picked up a few TA like positions. They call it Tutor, but you are more like a helper in the class during someone else's version of the SAME class that I teach.  So, not only do I get practice with what I am teaching, I also get to see how other people teach the same classes. This will certainly help when I get to the point that I have to grade a bunch of papers.

I have been up and down lately with the amount of money I'll make doing this.  I don't want to seem ungrateful, but WHOA - if you thought teaching in a community college as a PART TIME person was the bee's knees.  I am here to tell you that NOPE- the pay is not all that.

The Tutor positions are going to make it possible for me to not lose sleep over my paycheck.  AND I am thrilled that I am going to get a paycheck!!

So click here to see where I actually work....

NEW JOB

Finally,
A new job, in a new city, in a new setting, with all new expectations.

Officially it has been 1 year and 1 month since I was at work. I have actually been to meetings and the running around one does for a new job for the last 2 weeks. But my first real meeting was Aug 5, so yes it is official 1 year and 1 month.

I am beginning to find an interesting pattern in the ebb and flow of my work life.
It seems that I get a full time job that last a year or a few (thank you last job) and I make a good amount of money.  Just when you start to think that you can dig out of a hole or two- wham. No job.
Then I take jobs that are a way to pass the time before I can find another full time job.  Ritz Camera was a really good example of this.

This new job is an in between version of both parts of my work life.

1. It's not full time.
2. But it's actually teaching.
3. It's in a Community College setting. (way cool)
4. If feels like a lot of pressure right now, but should calm down.
5. The people I have met that are full timers at the college are awesome, and many of the teachers are also rather cool.
6. I'm not getting paid very much. I totally miscalculated what I'm getting and almost made myself sick.  But when you look at the actually hours and work - it's not too bad.

So, it looks like I'm in need of a rather part time job.  I do not want to get wrangled into somewhere that wants to make me a manager or full time.  That will be the problem.

Today is the first day of classes.  I'm off to watch someone else wrangle Freshman and then try to do it myself right afterwards.  Hopefully students can find the building we are in.  There are like 8 or 9 single story buildings mostly in L shapes around each other, so you can't see some buildings hiding behind other buildings.
  Plus, the parking up front in going to be over flowing.  I might have to walk a wee bit to get to my building today.  Another good reason to show up way early.  Tomorrow will be harder as my class starts at 8 am.

Charities and an AWESOME venue.

I want to yell!!!!!!

Why?  Well, this is the silly part.
I want to go to every event possible at the "Lost River Cave" here in Bowling Green Kentucky.

If you saw some pictures, you would know why.
I went to the big event they hold each year for the Cave itself. They created a non-profit in the 90's to clean up the cave and start using it for the better and tourism.

The first time I saw the cave was as a Tourist.  P.L. and I were traveling to see my parents in Tennessee way back when and we had decided to hit as many tourist traps on the way down as possible.  So we went to the west side of Kentucky, through Nashville then on to Chattanooga.  We had a great time.
I need to dig up those pictures.

Anyway, after hitting Mammoth caves and doing a tour, we noticed the signs for Lost River cave and thought, if the trip isn't too long this could be very cool.  P and I went and it was sooo cute.  They had fun stories to tell us and and cave front was so awesome I wanted to return right then for a party.

The best part is that in the 20's-30's they rebuilt the front of the cave to have big bands play there. Full on traveling bands would come play in the cave. The cold air comes out of the cave and acts as a natural air-conditioning for the whole area right there in front of the cave.

Move ahead to now.  In December I dragged my mom down there during our tour of Bowling Green and they have done a bit of work to make the place even nicer. They have stuff going on in the evenings there all summer long. Thursday nights to Saturday nights. (lots of weddings)

AND this is where my problem comes in.  They scheduled 2 Charity things 1 week from each other.
Hence my wanting to yell.  As I totally want to go to any event being held for the Humane Society here in Bowling Green, theirs is tomorrow night.  I've been to two events and one online thing. (And we've only been here since April.)
The other event is for the Boys and Girls Clubs here in town and their event is Next Thursday. ARG.

Tom has told me to pick one. BOOO.
Okay, so that is totally reasonable, but not fair in the least. LOL
I've had plans to go to "Spirits in the Cave" for months now as my neighbor is a part of the companies that sponsor the event. So, yes we are going to that event.

Whine, cry and all that other jazz.

Next summer I'm going to all three.  And I'm counting on YOU out there to make it happen.  People need to schedule to BE HERE to go to ONE of them.  That way, I can go to all three.

The closest thing I can figure is that Night Club in the Caves is going to be around July 20th.  The Saturday night one- with a Big Band.  It was fabulous this year and I know a few people have already said they would like to go.
The Humane Society one and the "Spirits in the Cave" are both in August.  Humane society looks to have a Band with Brass and I'm not sure the style - they are calling it "A garden party in the Cave".  The Boys and Girls club is have a rock band (probably local) playing and calls it "Spirits in the Cave".

All parties have food, drink and run between $40 and $50 a person.
I know that most things in Michigan that are charity events start closer to $50 and go up from there.


So Pull out your Calendar for next summer and make a PLAN - Middle August I need a few people to come visit to hit an event with.  If you want to come for the July fun, we might have to make Condo arrangements, which isn't bad either......  To make room for everyone. LOL

Well, I'm off to another meeting before school starts on Monday.  Later.....