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I’m a Teacher!

I couldn’t have asked for better profs on my last day of school! I had my Math class first thing (which has the best teacher ever!!!)! To finish off the class we made a teacher survival kit with the bandaid, marble, elastic band (to be flexible), etc. and it was just nice. We had a good bye assembly at lunch (singing the Oil Thigh). After lunch I had to present my portfolio! (which went fine by the way). The prof for this class only teaches this class and supervises us on our practicums. He had a dinner at his house last night, and then today in class brought more snacks (he brings home made goods every class). He also brought champagne to celebrate us finishing! What a great guy! Well, I’m a teacher now! Woohooo!

One Decision

Many thanks to those who gave prayers for the upcoming decision and wished us well with the outcome of our life-changing decision. It’s so nice to have friends who are truly excited for me and happy with my successes, even though it may mean opportunities for me which they may wish they had as well, and rough times for them in the short-term at work. Though new friends will be made, I will miss them and the fun times we’ve had working together, joking with each other, and supporting each other. Work relationships are really so much more than just professional.

So we’ll be moving - me within the month, and Jenn shortly thereafter. It’s exciting but nerve-wracking - the extreme of emotions of which memories are made. In roughly 3 weeks my current life and the past 10 years will be permanently archived, and a new era begun.

Countdown for a New Man

6 jobs applied, 5 interviews with 4 organizations, 3 job offers, 2 serious opportunities, 1 decision to make by Friday. Basically it comes down to moving to become part of a great organization with great leadership and vision, vs. not moving for an opportunity to be a team leader with high level administrative duties and responsibilities. What would you do?

I’m also a new man! A kid came to the door to fundraise for an MS walkathon, and I was polite in declining (the key being “polite” - I’m usually rude, but this kid was cute. If it was my policy to donate in this manner, I’d definitely choose this kid). Then I came upstairs and volunteered for an earth day clean-up day. I’ve so not been the type to become involved - rather to simply moan that I’d like to but no good opportunities arise. And people said I look really sexy today in my new pants and sexy shirt. And I confirmed my resignation from KGH - I’ve got one more week (2 shifts) and then I’m free.

Boing Boing: Sumo Tube

I don’t think I have to say anything about this:

Yearbooks

I signed a yearbook today…. I haven’t signed on in about 12 years! How scary is that? Eeks! There is one photo in the book of me… not too bad. It involves me with food… how appropriate. Another teacher candidate had submitted a not so flattering Halloween photo of me without my permission so was happy to see it wasn’t in there. It seems that what people write after 14 weeks together is a lot different than what people wrote in high school….

Spelling

Did you know there is a Canadian spelling for the past tense of focus? American is focused, and Canadian is focussed. I have never seen focussed. Someone was writing me a letter of reference and I told her it was a typo…. so we looked into it. Weird.

Math

Okay, here is the latest Math problem. To solve the problem you have to use the number four, four times in each equation. You can use any equations you want ie. divide, brackets, multiply, etc. but you must only use the number four and always use it four times.

The answers are from 0-20 and you must come up with the equation to match those answers.

Example:

0= 4+4-4-4

I haven’t been able to solve it all yet…

Libraries

I love it when a trip to the library is like going shopping! Today I was able to pick up the new Douglas Coupland book “Terry”. It’s all about Terry Fox! And I’m the first one to sign it out! How lucky am I??? I also snagged a few teacher books that are fairly new… some of the old books are great but there is nothing like brand new books that you don’t even have to pay for!

Another Sign

There is another sign to remind me that I’m getting old. The Blizzard at Dairy Queen is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary….. I remember when it came out. Sad. I remember actually standing at the counter and I didn’t realize there were all those choices for Blizzards. I thought there were only two…. candy or fruit. It used to have two categories and you picked one flavour from one of the categories… I was so nervous because I didn’t know which one I wanted as both choices had things I didn’t like… but I really wanted one. Luckily it was the super nice older owner (who always gave us extra) and he explained it to me all. Thus the start of my love for blizzards.

I Miss Doug!

Doug has gone away for a few days and I have been alone since Thursday. And I’m STARVING!!! My morning coffee cake wasn’t ready this Saturday morning… no pies…. rice… rhubarb cake…. Where is Doug? I had um… a frozen dinner last night. I think I’ll venture to Taco Bell today since he hates it there. I need to have some food! It doesn’t help that we don’t have groceries… and I HATE grocery shopping.

Oh, and I miss Doug for more than just his great cooking!! See you soon!

Jobs Jobs Jobs

I was just realizing how many of my blogging readers are on a job hunt right now… and most of us have been at the same jobs for quite a while and now we are looking for something new. Weird. Brock, Luke, Suzie… Kate is changing her position…. It’s just funny that we’re all doing it at the same time after we were all in the same jobs for a while. Must be the phase of the moon or something.

No news on my job hunt. I don’t think I blogged that I didn’t get an interview for my number one board. But I did learn today about some of the hires out of people who were interviewed and I was happy with that. You know sometimes you hear of people who get hired over you and it makes you mad… well, the ONE person that did get hired I like. On another note, the thing with that board that being “hired” doesn’t really mean anything. You could be on the “to be hired” list and only end up supplying which is exactly where I will be and then we’ll be competing for the same mat. leave jobs etc. and I didn’t have the stress of the inital hiring during my placement! Hee hee… I’m still holding out for the Catholic Board even though I’m not Catholic so I’ll wait and see. Most of the other boards don’t start interviews until May and June after they know all of the internal transfers.

Brock

Our friend Brock will be happy…. the forecast shows that there are to be six straight days of rain!!! I guess I won’t be parking in the free parking lot next week… I’ll be drenched by the time I have walked to the school! Save your loonies for me Doug!

Fun with Highpowered Projectors

This is some of the fun you can have with projectors - hey Brock, can you imagine projecting any of your games onto a surface like this? Who needs a monitor or even a living room?

Note: “Zuruck” will scroll you back, and “Weiter” ahead through the slideshow.

Update: Speaking of which,… Brock

Poop for Peace

The Poop Report:

And so April 15 is Poop For Peace Day.

Poop is the one experience all human beings have in common. We may have varying ideas of God and politics, but the power of an impending poop is a higher calling to which every human must answer. Side by side in a public bathroom, any two human beings are stripped of their differences and reduced to their most basic essence: a pair of feet sticking out below the stall, and a pair of butt trumpets performing a greasy symphony to lament humanity’s non-negotiable deference to the call of the vile.

Under the influence of Taco Bell, there is no Christian or Muslim or Jew. There are only human bodies, reacting to the complications of digestion in the same predictable and malodorous ways. Poop wields supreme power over our bodies — when poop calls, you answer, or you face the consequences. Poop is our cruel tyrant, our fickle deity, our omnipotent oppressor — it is a force to which every human being has no choice but to submit.

And recognizing this is the first step toward world peace.

This reminds me of a T-shirt we saw this past weekend, simply “Everybody Poops” with a logo of a man on a toilet.

My Ear

It turns out I’m not as bad at tuning a guitar as I thought! I finally finished all of my exchanges, etc. and picked up my new case. While I was there I got them to tune it… he didn’t do much to it so I asked how in tune it had been. It had been pretty much in tune so yeah! I might actually be getting better! Woohoo!

Now with the correct guitar, the right case, I’m ready to sit back, relax, and play some tunes!

Spring is Here!

We took the canoe out today for it’s first voyage of 2005! It was perfect canoeing weather! Long sleeves and pants… not too hot… a warm breeze but not too windy…. and the water was so calm. We dipped our fingers in and we think the water was a few degrees from being ice, but other than that, it was perfect!

High School Reunions

High school doesn’t rank very high on my list of “great times in life” but once in a while its nice to bump into a few people that I went to school with. The funny thing is, I NEVER see anyone from high school when I go back to Brampton BUT here, I seem to have run into quite a people from high school…. today was another one of those times. I was at a meeting and this person said I looked familiar…. then wondered if I was from Brampton etc…. she was a year behind me in high school. So weird. Also, my first massage therapist here was from my high school as well. Strange. I can think of at least five people I have run into here… yet none in Brampton. Actually, the last time I was in Brampton I did….but it’s taken 7 years for that to happen.

I Can’t Believe How Good It Tastes

On Thursday night I was craving a dessert since our Fro Yo disappeared somehow, so I made this Hot Milk Cake with Caramel Coconut topping - it’s this deliciously moist, springy, moderately heavy white cake. I think I ate 1/2 that night, and 1/2 the next day. So Saturday morning I needed some breakfast, so I baked up this Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Crumb Pie - it had yogurt in it, so it was kinda like a Dutch Apple Pie, but with spring fruits instead. I had it for breakfast, lunch and supper’s dessert. It took will power to not finish it up so I can enjoy it for breakfast tomorrow.

Jenn get’s 1/8th of each of these, and then I pig out on the rest. Is that selfish? I rationalize it that I make the temptation disappear for her - I sacrifice my own opportunity to develop self control so she is not tempted.

Joy into Frustration!

So, as a surprise, Doug bought me a guitar yesterday! WOohoo!! Great joy! I have to return my other one this week so this allows me to continue on in my new hobby. Well, I had picked the 3/4 guitar but after trying it out and comparing it, it was just too tinny… so we exchanged it today. Anyway, when Doug bought it yesterday, the guy tuned it, gave him one out of a bag, etc. Today, I got some weekend worker, gave me a dusty one (my fault for not asking for a different one) and he didn’t tune it. Now I am totally frustrated trying to tune a very out of tune guitar. I can tune one when it’s close but not when it’s way off… so perhaps I will stop by on Monday when real people work and get them to tune it for me. Argh! At least I have the other one right now….

Naive Idealism and Success

Here’s my latest theory:
If you hope for the best, imagining that the ultimate scenario will occur, think that you’ll get everything you look for, you feel really good. You get excited, your adrenaline starts rushing, and emotionally you run a high. But on a regular intermittent basis, you step back and realize in the realistic/logical part of your brain that this will not occur and that you are likely to be disappointed. This very thought process ensures that the final disappointment is less than the difference between reality and the high you are experiencing. It doesn’t matter when you find out that you didn’t get it, because you subconsciously expected this result, but consciously got the benefits of expecting success. The net result is positive. Furthermore, when you are feeling good, you will do better, be more successful, and destine yourself for better outcomes.

Naive idealists are happier than pessimists.
Happiness is more likely to lead to success.
Therefore success comes to naive idealists.