Mister

Today, I put on my bravery pants and made the long trek to my future place of employment. I know that 13 miles is not too far, but from the point of view of someone who has walked or biked to work for the past 7 years, it's far. Of course, I could run the distance and that way I would have done a marathon every day.

I wore my bravery pants, because I decided that I would walk into the high school office, introduce myself, and hope to be shown around or at least be given some information. Well, the pants did the trick, because that's just what I did. I met my principal and a guidance counselor, who showed me my room. I was also told what classes I would be teaching. Geometry and Trigonometry/Algebra II.

Suddenly my career change has taken a big turn towards reality. I can visualize my classroom, and I need to decorate it in a way to make it mine. I can think about lesson plans and how I want the year to shape. I can make lesson plans for the first week.

The strangest part of today was being called by my last name. Everyone called me "Mister Last Name." And that's how they introduced themselves and addressed each other too. I wonder if I will ever learn the first names of the other staff.

Fanatic

Christie and I are driving to Madison tonight to see the Ditty Bops. I'm not a big fan of concerts, but I always enjoy the Ditty Bops live. I hope there's dancing. And balloons. And washboards. And pirate songs. I love a good pirate song.

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

I finally received my placement in Milwaukee Public Schools. Unfortunately, though I still don't know my grade or subject matter. So, I continue to look for general lesson plans and general thoughts about teaching math. I'm currently reading an interesting book about how to teach problem solving.

I suppose I should also be working on items that I know I'll have to do at one point or another. For example, my certification class requires that I write out my Philosophy of Education and a Letter to the Parents.

However, the unemployed life has been fun. I have been "bumming" around the house, cleaning and fixing things. I still spin and swim in the mornings. I have been shopping and lounging in coffee shops. I have been able to volunteer some time at the church and help Katie set up her classroom. Who needs a job?

Neighbors

I moved into my new house yesterday. I've begun to meet my neighbors. The guy to the south has already offered to "keep an eye on [our] house and shoot anyone breaking into it". To the north, our punk neighbors told us that they like to have "shows" about once a month. I asked them to please warn us ahead of time. Christie wonders if we'll be invited. I think we may be too square.

I lied about my employment status during yesterday's closing. So, I keep imagining the bank coming to my house and forcing me to move out. The word "default" is terrifing.

Things I Have Found While Packing

• Bills due last week
• My Social Security Card
• Frozen Date Bread
• Motivation to post on the Blog
• "Made in Korea" written on my plates. Notice only one Korea.
  

Unemployment

Well, yesterday was my last day as an actuarial analyst. And currently I don't have a job lined up in the school district. They say that I will be placed somewhere, but until I see the contract, I won't feel 100% secure. I am sad to leave the friends that I made at the firm, but I have no regret about leaving the work behind. What feels good is how many of my coworkers told me that I was making the right move. Even the management (and partners in the firm!) said that I would be much happier.

My (ex-) peers have been supportive. Last night we went drinking at the local Dueling Piano Bar. I had a great time. I sang and yelled enough that my throat is sore today. My voice is much deeper today, which has me singing all types of things. "Old Man River" for one.

Next week I am buying a house with Christie. I don't know if I'm excited about the house or not. I'm very scared, but it feels so much better going at this with a friend. At least we can bounce ideas off of each other. And we are able to share the multiple tasks that this process takes.

All of this stress is having an effect on me. I'm not sleeping well, which is very unlike me. My skin is dry in patches, like around my eyes. And I've been irritable on occasion. For example, Christie and I went washer/dryer shopping today. It was a bad experience and, to skip the details, ended with my frustrated request to the front end manager to "explain the amortization schedule they were using for the 'interest-free' payments." The manager gave me a look that said, "I don't get paid enough to deal with wackos like you." And I think Christie almost kicked me.

Bite me.

This is my last week as an actuarial analyst. Friday will be my last day working on pension valuation and administration. I will leave behind the world of the PBGC Form 5500, service cost roll forwards, and Qualified Domestic Relations Order calculations. I will instead enter a world of lesson plans, prom committees, and children who bite their teachers.

Today I skipped work (at the job who still provides my medical benefits) so that I could go to training for Crisis Prevention for Milwaukee Public Schools. It's a two day course, so I'll be skipping work tomorrow too (at the job that actually pays me). Part of the training feels silly. For example, we have to memorize these four stages of crisis, verbatim. Don't say that stage one is "stress" because the correct answer is "anxiety".

Anyway, the bookwork is pretty dumb, however I think that the practical part of the lesson will be useful. We do a good deal of role playing. We pretend that we're students refusing to do homework, or who punch teachers, or who threaten the teachers' cats. It's good to be able to practice responses to things that we had never considered possible. The student-teacher verbal interactions took place during the morning. But the real fun was the afternoon.

After lunch we practiced techniques to escape various holds that students may try on us. We'll do more tomorrow, but today we covered Wrist Grabs, Hair Pulling, Choking, and Biting. That's right - biting! Are students really going to bite me? I didn't sign up for biting students. I just want to teach them to solve systems of equations. With two variables. I want their teeth nowhere near my skin. Not just because teeth hurt, but because some of them have awful dental hygiene. And some of them don't have all of their teeth. They have a "grill". That's has to cause more damage than normal incisors. And if it's gold, couldn't I end up with gold poisoning in my blood? I hope my medical coverage will handle gold . This medical coverage doesn't begin until November. I have two months during which I can't let any students bite me.