Still Waiting...

I am not a patient person.  I know this about myself.  I try to be patient; or I guess I try to pretend that I am patient.  I hate being in a holding pattern.  I still feel like moving back to Southern California was the right decision, but there have been some pitfalls that don't really give me a positive outlook on life.

I have applied for jobs in several of the school districts in Southern California.  I am trying to stay within an hour of home.  My other requirements are that they pay enough for me to live on my own, and that the area is safe.  Other than that, I don't feel like I am being too picky.  I have heard back from several districts already, including my dream district, and have been placed in eligibility pools.  I have interviewed with a few districts, but others just put me in the pool based on my qualifications.

My dream district was one of those that just put me in pool.  However, I need to have a screening interview with the district before I am allowed to interview with principals.  I think that they rank the applicants and then principals can choose the ones they want to talk to in the future.  A friend of mine is in a long-term position and had her screening interview a while ago.  She has site interview really soon.  I have heard nothing.

There are a few teachers at my mom's school that have been really supportive and encouraging.  They said that the first round of interviews were for long-term positions only.  Okay, that sort of makes sense; but only for a few of those positions.  Some of those positions are just luck of the draw.  I could have received a long-term position as well, had there been an opening.  They just go to substitutes.  No extra qualifications or experience required.  When there is an opening, either the school requests someone or the district goes down a list and asks who is interested.  Not really fair.  This isn't what happened to my friend.  She actually runs a program within the district.

I am trying not to be jealous, but it is frustrating and difficult.  She already has another interview set up and I have heard nothing.  I am having a hard time staying positive.  Even in the other districts that I have had screening interviews with, I have heard nothing.  My interviews have gone well, they said they were impressed.  Now I am just supposed to wait.  I get that there is a process.  Teachers who want to transfer get first priority.  I assume there is a final deadline where no more transfers are allowed, and they have to actually start hiring; but it is taking forever!  Every few days another list of open transfer positions is sent to the schools.  I can't apply directly for any of them.

Then when I hear that a few people are getting site interviews already, it makes me very nervous.  I would feel a lot better if I could get the initial interview.  I emailed the head of HR to find out where they are in the process.  I hope that he has a clear, and positive, answer for me.  The last few times I have spoken with him, he has been very vague about everything.  I just want to know my chances!

I needed to vent and remember this moment of frustration.  Hopefully I look back in a months, once I have a full-time job, and laugh about how nervous I was.  I hope!  I just don't know if I can sub for another year, both emotionally and financially.  I think about looking for another job, but then I would lose my place in the district.  Usually they hire current employees, including subs, for upcoming positions.

I guess I just need your prayers.  Prayers that I will find a job and that it will be the right fit for me.  Maybe the perfect job is just around the corner and it will all work out.  I just get tired of praying for the same things night after night and never having them answered.  I will keep praying and trying, but I am feeling very discouraged right now....

Reflections...

So, I have been trying to decide what to write for awhile now.  It is difficult because my life has been at a bit of a stand still since I have been back in Southern California.  I still feel like it was the right decision, and I am a lot happier; but I don't now exactly why it was the right decision.  Maybe that confirmation is still in the future.  I hope that it gets here soon though!

I have been substitute teaching since October.  I did it for a year and a half before I moved to Utah, but it was still scary to jump back into it.  I have made a lot of contacts at my Mom's school; I sub there most of the time.  I work at a few other schools when I really need the work, but I am not known anywhere else.  The biggest thing that subbing has done for is that it has allowed me to considered a current employee of the district in which I would really love to teach.  So, when there was a posting on Edjoin for current employees only I was able to apply.

Unfortunately it was for an eligibility pool.  Which means they anticipate having to hire next year, but they have no idea when they will start or how many jobs there will be.  I am pretty nervous about the whole situation.  As the school year winds down, after spring break, there will be fewer and fewer opportunities to substitute teach.  Most of the district is on a traditional track, so the summer will be really tight financially.  All of my prayers are about having enough money to pay my bills and getting a job lined up by summer.

That is my life right now...waiting to hear about job possibilities.  I am in a single's ward.  I haven't made any friends there. They are all very young and I am sort of waiting to age out.  I turn 31 in June and will have to make a decision to either try this ward in Riverside that is a mix of a family ward with a singles class, or I will be going to church with my family.  My Mom asks why I am waiting to try out the other ward.  I guess it is because I don't have to yet.  In June, I will be forced to make the decision; but right now I don't have any real motivation to do it.  I don't enjoy going into new, unknown situations; and meeting a ton of new people at once isn't exactly my favorite thing either.  Ah, the life of an introvert!

As I reflect upon my first year in my thirties, I have discovered a few things.  The first being that life is boring when you are stuck in limbo.  I have also learned that once you turn thirty losing weight is way more difficult, so is dieting when you are living with other people.  I lost a good deal of the progress that I made over the last two years.  Even when I think that I am doing really good, I don't end up losing anything.  Jack, my beagle, and I have started walking everyday.  We have been walking for over a month.  We go anywhere from 4-5 miles per day.  It is good for Jack because he has much better behavior on the days that we go for walks.  I just hope that I start to see the benefits!

New Crock Pot Recipe...

Cheesy sour cream crock pot chicken

One bag frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts 3 lbs)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
One container fat free sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese
3 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups crushed cornflakes
4 tablespoons melted butter

Combine frozen chicken, onion, and cream of chicken soup in crock pot.

Cook on high for four hours, or low for eight hours.

Remove chicken.  Shred and set aside.

Strain onions and leftover chicken from crock pot.

Put sour cream and shredded cheese into soup in the crock pot.  Add paprika, salt, and pepper.

In small bowl, mix cornstarch and cold water.  Add to crock pot.  Sir until thickened.

Add chicken to mixture in crock pot.

In small bowl, combine cornflakes and melted butter.  Sprinkle evenly on top of mixture in crock pot.

Cook for another half an hour, while you make rice.

Serve chicken over rice.

Calories:  46/ounce