Just Another Bump In the Road....

I know it probably feels like I've dropped off the face of the earth, but I really haven't--I've been working. "Working? I thought it was summer"? you ask. Yes, it is summer break, but the break part is really a misnomer. Anyone who is a teacher knows that we work more during the summer than we do during the school year--especially since we aren't getting paid during the summer months. I've been working at pH-Farms--putting in part of the irrigation system for two new zones of trees. Working outside with "the guys" is hard enough, but during summer--it's excruciating. Let's just say that even with 50 SPF I have a great farmer's tan started. I usually leave my house around 6:15 am -6:30 am and get home around 8 pm-9pm. Talk about long hours! By the time I've scrubbed the grime off of me and washed my work clothes for the next day, it's about 10:30pm and I'm back in bed to try and get a few hours of sleep before I do it all again the next day.

I know--your next question is WHY? That part is a little more complicated...maybe, not really...BILLS. I was addicted to my credit card and now I need to pay it off. I get paid well for working outside, and I don't have to worry about some one's parents calling me, or making sure I have the correct qualifications (degree) for the job. I work hard, and I get paid. It's as simple as that. No, the outdoors and I are NOT friends--I'm pretty much allergic to everything outside (THANK YOU LORD for drugs!), but I enjoy working and seeing the fruits of my labor. I know that all of this hard work will produce trees for developers to use in their projects--to beautify their designs. While that may not happen for another 5 years--I know that it will happen; whereas, with students, I never really know how they turn out. Yes, there's a few that come to visit a few years later, but usually I never find out what happens to them unless they become famous or infamous, as the case may be. This weekend I have a reprieve because the boss is giving a seminar at Innisbrook. (Yes, that's where Tiger Woods and the other great golfers play. Hopefully I'll meet some single, rich, Christian guy my age there. Hey! A girl can dream can't she?!)


I also have an interview on Monday with a college to possibly become an adjunct English teacher!!! (Kind of scary isn't it?) They were looking for some people to teach part-time in the fall and I decided to jump and see where I land. I actually have a friend that works at the college, so I asked her to get some information for me. As it turns out, if I have the qualifications for the job, I might possibly be hired to teach at least 4 classes! Here's the dilemma: I work full-time for one of the school systems in Florida and they're not going to let me miss work to teach at this college. I've also checked into a job-share, or part-time work, I was told that I should probably quit if this is what I plan to do. I make more money working for the school system, have job security and insurance, and I know that I enjoy working in the library. I had hoped to teach a class at this college to see if I like teaching college--after all, I haven't been in a classroom for over 3 years, and it was a middle-school classroom at that. If i liked teaching there, and they were interested in keeping me, and possibly making me full-time, I would leave my school system at the end of the school year. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to have this chance, so I need to make a HUGE decision...do I stay, or do I go? I've been praying for God's will rather than my own in this situation, because I tend to jump without looking. (I know that's called faith, but I'm getting older and can't afford (literally) to "start-over" if I leave this particular school-system.) AAAAARRRGGGHHHHH! Pray hard--my knees are getting weary.