Month: January 2002

Looks like it happens in Law Schools, as well as high schools, middle schools and elementary schools. I just don’t understand. Why is it that I want to be in the teaching profession again?

The principal of the school called today to tell me that one candidate dropped out, and he’d like to have be come earlier tonight, at 7:30 instead of 9:00. Luckilly it wasn’t a problem, but I’m starting to get pretty nervous about this. This is an important step for me. I hope I can handle it.

As if that weren’t enough to make me nervous, this happened today. Not even the metal detectors prevented the kid from bringing the gun to school.

… Especially when you are the President of the United States of America. It’s a good thing nobod is really concentrating on the President’s actions these days. You would think that there hasn’t been anything newsworthy lately for the Associated Press to decide to release this story.

(Make that four posts in one day. I’m on a roll.) My previous employer, who would always harp on the fact that a person makes his or her own decisions, posted an article on the organization’s website today. The article claims he was forced into making a decision that could be seen as detrimental to the students involved, due to outside circumstances.

I wish I had read this before I went to college. Although I was pretty involved, I didn’t make the most of it. Maybe next time around.

Three entries in one day? What is wrong with me?

A collaboration between differnent performing arts groups in Wisconsin to stage Leonard Bernstein’s MASS was cancelled.

The main concern was the time and coordination needed to pull off a show with a pit orchestra, a Broadway-sized cast and ballet company, three choirs, a marching band and a rock band.

MASS has been performed only five times since its 1971 premiere, which was a performance to open the John F. Kenndy Center For The Performing Arts in Washington, DC. I’ve seen it on video, and it must be amazing to see it live.

My interview, despite my getting lost on the way there, went really well today. They told me to reserve Tuesday night for an evening session with the music parents and some students, as well as the other “finalists,” but they’d call to let me know if I should come. It’s pretty exciting…

In other news, I went to pick up the last of my belongings from The Old Apartment last night. It turns out the people who moved in are moving back out at the end of the month. They had paid their security deposit in December, and gave it to the roommate who I lived with, but somehow it didn’t make it to the landlord. In addition, she forged their checks she did give to the landlord. Very interesting. For a second I almost thought that I was crazy thinking she screwed me over, and it must have been me who did something wrong. At least now I know I’m not delusional. For the most part.

I now have the perfect opportunity to make a decision. I have to find an answer to the question, “What do I really want to do with my life?” On the one hand, there is teaching music. This could be something I truly love. Wouldn’t it be great to go to work knowing you love what you’re doing? But what about my personal future? There isn’t a whole lot of money in teaching when compared to other professional vocations. I want to have a family some day, and teaching almost guarantees that I’d have to find a wife with a professional job as well. Is there room for advancement in teaching? Maybe, if I consider moving from school district to richer school district, or eventually moving up in the district to an administrative-type job.

On the other hand, there’s the technical aspect of what I do. I’m excellent with computers. I could probably find a job with enough advancement to keep myself and my future family financially secure. The job might even leave me with enough time to pursue musical activities on the side. Would I be happy every day going into work? Maybe. If I’m not, is that okay, since I would have an avocation to keep me happy?

These are the problems I’m dealing with lately. I suppose the only situation is to Jump Right In. I have an interview for a teaching position tomorrow morning. We’ll see how it goes.

I knew that guy. He was Sikes (Bang!) in Oliver in high school. And there he was, on national cable TV. He made it to the last round of the show, having beaten out two other contestants. In the final five minutes of the program, he went head to head with Mr. Ben Stein himself, and gloriously lost.

Speaking of lost… no apartment, no car, no driver’s license. Car is back. Working on the other stuff. I may have the (freakin’) DMV in a technicality. More details later.

Oh, and I almost forgot. First New Jersey snow, so I changed my color.

I came home yesterday and found that new people had moved into the apartment. I exchanged several words with my roommate, who allowed people to move in although I had made it clear I wasn’t planning on moving out until the end of January. We tried to sort things out with the landlord, but he was pretty ambivalent to the whole situation.

So, If you need me, I’ll be at my father’s house.

Some good news — I finally heard back from another high school I’ve been looking at. I’ll be calling them first thing on Monday to set up an interview.

Well, there’s a plus to staying at my father’s while I look for teaching jobs and an apartment in whatever area I end up teaching: the cable modem makes using the internet fast again.