My last day at the bookstore was today.
LAST!!!! Hear my scream!!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Overlap
an update on a brief time period of transition, excitement, change, and some anxiety...
The overlap consists of finishing up school as I have known it, my time at the bookstore, and a new part-time job at JC Penney.
Mix in enjoying the seasonal cheer with Molly and Trista and Mr. T and I have been hopping.
First, a little breaking news from KC - my brother is now a father as of this past Saturday, Ellia, a beautiful little girl.
OK, for fun and to offer a little in the form of a recap - the week before Thanksgiving I began a job at JC Penney. As I approach the end of my Bookstore days, while Trista is still working towards her career situation, while student teaching takes off in Jan., and in these uncertain economic times - Trista and I thought it in our best interest that I take on some kind of part time job. Ugh!
Looking for a job was about the last thing I wanted to be doing. One night of searching and it dawned on me. I happen to know the store manager at the local JC Penney. I explained my situation and boom - job search over. The store manager has been more than accommodating, paying me a slightly higher hourly rate, and extreme flexibility. Part of the overlap has to do with the retail season (as unfortunate and ugly as a phrase as it is) and my timing. I knew I would have a better chance getting on prior to the holidays, - the consequence, of course: THE OVERLAP. Prior to Thanksgiving I had three consecutive nights of surprisingly intensive training. I became "certified." I work in the men's or young men's department. I worked Black Friday from 3:45 am until 1:00 PM. It sucked, but it is over. I have tried to be at the top of my game so as to stay on post holiday - that's my plan. It's an easy job and 12 hours a week, for the most part, should be a breeze. Some very cool people and some complete doorknobs - more on JCP specifics later.
Back to the overlap. Classes. Yikes - that pushed it for a while as I wrapped up classes and finals with a busy bookstore schedule and the start at JCP. Fortunately - with an amazing stroke of luck - my independent study professor allowed me to wrap up that class prior to Thanksgiving. So...last week, Wednesday to be precise....I took my last final as an undergrad. Boom! Done! And in additional good news, I received a rating in my education class that will exempt me from having to complete a tedious and long report covering my student teaching experience. That is a bullet I have been working to dodge this entire semester.
With school complete, the "trifold" nature of my overlap has been suddenly reduced to a "bifold" overlap. Two jobs. My last day at the bookstore will be December 27th and it cannot come any sooner. An example of one of the craziest overlap moments: Friday, Dec. 5th, the students threw a party for me (complete with a cake with a picture of me on it!)- I was up until 4:00 am, jello shots, rum-soaked cherries, gin and tonics, beer, coffee and home-made Kahlua in coffees. The next day, that same day (Sat. now), I had to do a resource fair for the bookstore at 8:00 am - that sucked. Later that day I had to work at JCP. Weird mix of fun and work and fatigue.
That was the big party, what is left is a smattering of lunches here and there and an after work gathering on my very last day. Monday, the 22nd, I am going to Greencastle for the last time to help the store manager there (whom I like) move some shelves and hang out - I am not counting this as one of my last days -because it will be mostly goofing off.
I have the 24th, 25th, and 26th completely off. I also have the week of the 29th off (we are going to try and slip in a trip to KC to see the new arrival). Then student teaching.
The anxiety concerns the change in income, but that in itself is also a good thing. Student teaching, at least for the first eight weeks is going to be fairly easy. I am familiar with the teacher (she is awesome), having worked with her in the past (she ended up requesting me) and I know what she is planning to do - she teaches literature. I am also in the unique position of not having to make up any snow days - so bring on the snow!!
Molly and Trista are well. Molly and I have started a fictional collection entitled: "A Catalogue of Caterpillars," in which we just draw made up caterpillars. We also just returned from her second Christmas program of the year. One more this Thursday.
Trista has an interview this Wednesday morning, for three hours. The staff psychologist position. Please send a good thought, prayer, or vibe our way. We'd definitely appreciate it.
In the meantime, I have been playing guitar again, which I have not done, I am sad to say, in a very long time. Look for "Old Freud" comments.
I have also read "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," started reading "Twelfth Night," and plan to read "Twilight" after that.
Cold here today -
The overlap consists of finishing up school as I have known it, my time at the bookstore, and a new part-time job at JC Penney.
Mix in enjoying the seasonal cheer with Molly and Trista and Mr. T and I have been hopping.
First, a little breaking news from KC - my brother is now a father as of this past Saturday, Ellia, a beautiful little girl.
OK, for fun and to offer a little in the form of a recap - the week before Thanksgiving I began a job at JC Penney. As I approach the end of my Bookstore days, while Trista is still working towards her career situation, while student teaching takes off in Jan., and in these uncertain economic times - Trista and I thought it in our best interest that I take on some kind of part time job. Ugh!
Looking for a job was about the last thing I wanted to be doing. One night of searching and it dawned on me. I happen to know the store manager at the local JC Penney. I explained my situation and boom - job search over. The store manager has been more than accommodating, paying me a slightly higher hourly rate, and extreme flexibility. Part of the overlap has to do with the retail season (as unfortunate and ugly as a phrase as it is) and my timing. I knew I would have a better chance getting on prior to the holidays, - the consequence, of course: THE OVERLAP. Prior to Thanksgiving I had three consecutive nights of surprisingly intensive training. I became "certified." I work in the men's or young men's department. I worked Black Friday from 3:45 am until 1:00 PM. It sucked, but it is over. I have tried to be at the top of my game so as to stay on post holiday - that's my plan. It's an easy job and 12 hours a week, for the most part, should be a breeze. Some very cool people and some complete doorknobs - more on JCP specifics later.
Back to the overlap. Classes. Yikes - that pushed it for a while as I wrapped up classes and finals with a busy bookstore schedule and the start at JCP. Fortunately - with an amazing stroke of luck - my independent study professor allowed me to wrap up that class prior to Thanksgiving. So...last week, Wednesday to be precise....I took my last final as an undergrad. Boom! Done! And in additional good news, I received a rating in my education class that will exempt me from having to complete a tedious and long report covering my student teaching experience. That is a bullet I have been working to dodge this entire semester.
With school complete, the "trifold" nature of my overlap has been suddenly reduced to a "bifold" overlap. Two jobs. My last day at the bookstore will be December 27th and it cannot come any sooner. An example of one of the craziest overlap moments: Friday, Dec. 5th, the students threw a party for me (complete with a cake with a picture of me on it!)- I was up until 4:00 am, jello shots, rum-soaked cherries, gin and tonics, beer, coffee and home-made Kahlua in coffees. The next day, that same day (Sat. now), I had to do a resource fair for the bookstore at 8:00 am - that sucked. Later that day I had to work at JCP. Weird mix of fun and work and fatigue.
That was the big party, what is left is a smattering of lunches here and there and an after work gathering on my very last day. Monday, the 22nd, I am going to Greencastle for the last time to help the store manager there (whom I like) move some shelves and hang out - I am not counting this as one of my last days -because it will be mostly goofing off.
I have the 24th, 25th, and 26th completely off. I also have the week of the 29th off (we are going to try and slip in a trip to KC to see the new arrival). Then student teaching.
The anxiety concerns the change in income, but that in itself is also a good thing. Student teaching, at least for the first eight weeks is going to be fairly easy. I am familiar with the teacher (she is awesome), having worked with her in the past (she ended up requesting me) and I know what she is planning to do - she teaches literature. I am also in the unique position of not having to make up any snow days - so bring on the snow!!
Molly and Trista are well. Molly and I have started a fictional collection entitled: "A Catalogue of Caterpillars," in which we just draw made up caterpillars. We also just returned from her second Christmas program of the year. One more this Thursday.
Trista has an interview this Wednesday morning, for three hours. The staff psychologist position. Please send a good thought, prayer, or vibe our way. We'd definitely appreciate it.
In the meantime, I have been playing guitar again, which I have not done, I am sad to say, in a very long time. Look for "Old Freud" comments.
I have also read "The Tales of Beedle the Bard," started reading "Twelfth Night," and plan to read "Twilight" after that.
Cold here today -
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