Right? Left? Straight Ahead?

Still no news on the job front. I decided I can't take the yucky job but I have no guarantees on the other one and school begins in about a month. Yikes! So I realized I need to be more proactive. So, last night I stayed up til 3 am and applied for several other positions on line. I even broke down and applied somewhere I swore I wouldn't return. It's a great district, but get this.. since I left them (I taught there for 2 years a while back) I get penalized. Had I stayed there, all my years of teaching would be recognized and reflected in my pay; but since I left they won't. It doesn't matter that I've taught consecutively since. Oh no, they don't care about!! Experience in the education world sure doesn't mean much and it's actually more of a hindrance. And let me tell you, they are really killing me with the punishment. What kind of penalty are we talking about you may ask? $22,000! Yes, if I get rehired to this district, they will cut $22,000 off my salary.



Yup, you read that correctly. I have to accept that had I stayed, I'd be making $22,00o more; that my colleague in the next classroom with the exact same years of experience and education will be making $22,000 more, even tough both of us have been working consecutively in education. Hmm..that could pay for a lot of things (cough, cough). Makes me want to cry.




I hear ya, Cookie Monster, but then I feel bad for complaining. Sure, I haven't worked in five months, but I am not starving nor homeless, not destitute nor alone. I have options. And I have a great family and a nice house and I'm healthy so quit whining already!

And then I think maybe this is a divine plan to get me to focus on other things!? I mean, teaching is OK- I actually like it despite all the complaining I have been doing lately- and the vacations will be great when the little one is here, but that doesn't mean I don't love the idea of working in international adoption full time or doing humanitarian work or being able to do something with my art. Maybe this is a sign to really explore that other side of me-the creative, entrepreneurial side; to seriously get started on it so I will have even more options next year and in the years to come...