Friday, May 11, 2007

I Got the Job!!

At 4pm yesterday, I was eating an early dinner at Baja Fresh (two fish tacos), getting myself ready for my yoga class. My phone buzzed. It was KW from NWRESD, calling to see if I was still interested in a position with them. She wanted to put in a "Reccommendation for Hire" to HR. I told her I "most definately" was still interested in the position and thanked her many many times. I got so excited that I got off the phone without knowing where I was working, nor how much money I will be making. I didn't care. I had (have) a job. I immediately called Navigator who asked me "How much did they offer?"

"Um. I forgot to ask. I'll find out next week when I get my letter from HR."

Yep, I'm an idiot. I've looked at the salary schedule online, and they should offer me high 30's. I would like low 40's, but who are we kidding? I'll take whatever they offer me. high 30's is double what I made at Head Start, and I'll have many many more vacation days. If I feel the need, I can sub for Head Start on my off days. OR, I can build a sewing room in the closet of our office and a murphy bed in our guest bedroom. And I can paint the rest of the walls in the house. Yeah. I'll take option 2.

Now I have the daunting task of picking out a restaurant for my husband to take me to celebrate.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Interview

Last monday I had a job interview with Northwest Regional Education Service District for the position of Early Childhood Education Specialist. There were five positions posted and fifteen applicants. I learned on Wednesday that three of the positions were currently being held by three of my classmates who are on emergency licensure. They had to apply and interview for the positions they have been doing for the past year... and now they have competition from twelve other people. Great!

I felt that my interview went well...after I checked the dictionary. During the interview, we were discussing teaming and collaboration, and I said the word "Shmuck." I had said that in previous teams where I was the "senior" member (whatever that means), I thought that it was extremely important for the rest of the team to feel comfortable enough in the team to be able to say "Hey Dawn, you're being a shmuck." The interviewers seemed to wake up when I said that. They had been so busy writing down what I said verbatum that when I said the word, I realized that they weren't really listening to me at all.

And then it occurred to me that "shmuck" is Yiddish for "penis." FUCK!

Growing up, I thought that shmuck meant stupid oaf. That's how we always used it. It was never a bad word. It was one of those words that you could call your sibling in front of your parent and get smacked, but no soap in the mouth. It was a safe word.

I went home and looked up the word in the dictionary, positive that I had ruined my chances of working for the ESD. To my surprise, the definition for shmuck is "stupid oaf." Written in parenthesis and italics at the end of the entry is from Yiddish - penis. So I figured, as long as they're not Jewish, I'm fine.

The next day, one of the interviewers told my cooperating teacher that I'm "a delightful young lady." I felt much better after that.

This week, my references are being contacted. That is good news. Nobody bothers to check references unless they're planning on hiring you. I just hope that my three classmates keep their positions.

Friday, May 04, 2007

ADZPCTKO

I spent the past weekend at Lake Morena, CA giving the current year's PCT thru-hikers an F-Troop sendoff. (I'm actually F-Troop-in-law, but they love me like family).

We spent nearly $800 on food for hikers. We cooked veggie burritos for dinner Friday night and French Toast for breakfast Saturday morning.

It was hot, and not just typical California Desert in late April hot. It was miserable. My lips were chapped and cracked by 8am Friday morning, and we rolled into the campground at midnight. Add standing in front of a hot propane stove, stirring beans or flipping toast AND drinking alcohol, and you have a recipe for disaster. Needless to say, I was feeling downright shitty Saturday afternoon. I couldn't drink water fast enough. It didn't help that the campground water tasted like rusty pipes, either.

I took a cold shower (because that's all they had to offer there) and a long nap, and felt a little bit better by the time the sun started to sink behind the horizon. I didn't drink Saturday night, and was called "mom" by some total drunks when I yelled at them for setting off Roman candles in the middle of the cabin parking lot in the dryest year yet.

Fuckers.

The good times outweighed the idiots, and I'm glad it was a success. It was great to see old friends and make new ones. I was amazed at how many '03ers are hiking again this year, and I'm glad I was there to wish Sharon (Double I, who is now being called "Cloudspotter," but I think that's a stupid name and am lobbying for "Nimbuskull") a good hike.

I get to mail her some of her resupply boxes. That's a BIG responsibility for me. I'm really bad at getting anything into the mail on time.

Here are some pictures from the KO.

Agent, Teatree, One & Ladybug with two of our four shopping carts at Costco

The "fixins table" at the Burrito Feed


Apple Pie and Roni from Israel sharing a special moment


Saturday night entertainment at the cabins
(I figured out how to use a low shutter speed on my camera!)

'03 & '05 hikers for Sunday morning breakfast