Progress

So...I have furniture now. I bought 2 chairs for $300. They both rock and swivel--which is the most important thing to me. One is used and other a floor model, so thats how I got them on the cheap. They are comfy.

I also contacted Cox cable yesterday, and I'll have TV by Tuesday. Its nice knowing that I don't NEED TV. It wasn't a priority. I went like 6 months w/o TV a couple of years ago, and it was no biggie. I enjoy testing to see if I'm overly reliant on things that I do a lot. Like just doing without it for a time, to see if I'm able. So far, I've been pretty successful with such experiments.

The teacher next door, who I've spent the most time with, is kind of bipolar. She prides herself on being smart, and has pointed out numerous times that I'm smart. She's on depression medicine, and gets upset easily. Not outwardly upset, but takes things the wrong way all the time, and takes them to heart for some reason. Yesterday, we're having our back-and-forth, usually about deep stuff, often about religion, and I said we should keep things light (to prevent any deep-seeded things from bursting out and someone feeling bad). Just this suggestion of keeping things light made her feel bad and upset. I was like "huh?" Its just weird.

Maybe I'm weird, for always being on such an even keel. She had this 5-minute sadness thing, and then she was fine. Can't we do without the little blips like that and just remain okay? I guess its harder for some than others. But I can't just attribute this to a predisposition. It may have something to do with it, but don't we decide how to be and cultivate ourselves in the way we'd like to interact and deal with the world around us?

Anyway, it sounds like the school I was at last year is falling to pieces. They don't have the numbers, and one of the K teachers had to move to pre-K disabled, which must be tough. It sounds like it was a good idea to get out of Dodge, rather than do all I could to stay. Even last year, the atmosphere wasn't what a school should feel like. I feel bad for the teachers still there, its nice to know I am missed, though.

I still haven't gone out and done much. I'm still trying to get comfortable financially. In October, we get paid 3 times, so that'll probably get me to where I don't have to be careful with money anymore. Its just that there's so much to buy when you move with only a few of your belongings. I still need to buy a bedframe and box springs. I'd also like to buy some ingredients for food, instead of ready-made food like I have been getting. After that, I think everything will be in place. It'll be what I'm used to--a home.

I've been officially observed twice now, and they've gone well both times. One was announced and one wasn't. Due to the fact that we're just supposed to follow the curriculum, and that my normal teaching style is similar to what they're specifically looking for, its been no problem. The principal and AP seem to be very impressed with me and have had nothing but nice things to say. Last year, it wasn't until December that I found out (wasn't even told straight up) that I should be doing centers (random, that I was to create) for a longer period of time than the curriculum itself. Just no communication. Perhaps that's why things aren't going well there, and at my current school, which has more poverty and language barriers to deal with, is doing well.