remodeling the batroom

Robyn and I agreed to go serious when repairing a room. We started with the second bathroom. We had to replace the floor and the shower to make it functional again, so why B.S.? We got the floor we wanted, the shower we wanted, and the vanity we wanted. We also got a ton of headache we didn't want.

We realized the ceiling had to come down this weekend before we could go much further. The walls had to be I was careful to cover vents and drains before I started.

I should have known just from the sheer amount of leaves and twigs that fell there would be an issue, but I trudged on anyway.

The leaves and remnants of shingle gravel didn't bother me, but the bat's nest I found troubled me a bit, especially the one that dropped on my head. It wasn't until much later that evening, I realized my life plays out like a sitcom.

We went with sheet rock on the ceilings. I think the flat painted ceiling will add a level of class that blown acoustic mess and those dated tiles just can't match.

The next thing to tackle is the draftiness, the weak output of the furnace, and the second bathroom.

Home Sweet Home

I've managed to get a working bathroom, heat, lights, washer, dryer, internet, phone, and satellite TV going. Next up is bathroom #2.

We spent the first few weeks hemorrhaging money into the house to make it livable, and so far so good.

The bad news is that it is right in the path of a proposed highway. I hate the thought of putting so much blood, sweat, tears, and love into a house only to have it demolished. The good news is we will profit from it due to the fair price clause in state law.

I'm home

I bought a house. As of this past week, I am a home owner. A lot of things happened that I wish hadn't, but I think that is par for anyone's life.

The house itself needs a good bit of work, and I guess my bank account will hemorrhage into it for the remainder of my time there. It has been both fun and infuriating moving and doing the needed repairs to make it livable. Infuriating when it takes way more time, effort, and cash to make it happen and fun when it comes together and is done.

I have a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house just outside of city limits on 4 acres of land. I never realized how big 1600 sq ft was until I was there.

It's going to be tough for awhile. I've never been 100% on my own and it's a little scary and fun at the same time. There is very little room for error and many things that must be planned wisely for this to be a success.

I guess I feel grown up now. I certainly feel tired.

I have a new goal. I want to pay my house off as quickly as possible. No, I don't know how, but I'll keep my eyes open and my ears sharp.

American dream

I think it is time for me to realize the American dream. More to come.

Sponsorship

I need a sponsor to fund my existence. I figure a big enough deal would cover all my expenses. The problem being, I don't have the recognition/ fame that would make producers of goods with deep pockets want to use me to bring name recognition. By the time that happens, I won't really need the sponsorship. What a conundrum.

Nothing new

Nothing is happening right now. I wonder if this is the quiet before the storm, or the still after. This is the end of a chapter in my life and I have time to contemplate what's next and the implications of everything that's happening. I'm entering a place where I'm not doing what I need to just to survive. I'm doing what I need to do so I can have more of what I want. I am on the verge of achieving larger goals, and that is encouraging.

conclusions

I did an interview for a very close friends' class project. I'm flattered that he (or anyone) would think my life story is interesting. I guess it is a bit different. He asked me if I felt like I was pretty much at the end of my story. Good question. It made me think.

I guess my major tale is over. I have done all that I have really set out to do. All that remains are minor obstacles and not a lot of drama. I think my story is about to wind down to my happily ever after. I guess you get the point where the big story is over and you get the "what happened" frame where the camera freezes on a character and it tells how they end up.

Mike went on to get the job he wanted, marry the love of his life, got the house he wanted, and became the person he always wanted to be. He lived the rest of days very content.

nothing

Nothing new is happening as of late, just plenty of the same old runaround. I've decided I want more for myself out of life. I think a good piece of this is a fresh start. I've spent the last few years reinventing myself and I'm pretty happy with the progress. I'd pretty much say that everything I've made a goal has happened as of recent. The only question is: What's next? We'll see. I have a few things to deal with in the upcoming weeks and I'll figure it all out then.

big changes ahead

Very soon, the most major changes of my life to date will most likely happen. In fact, they should begin this upcoming week. More to come.

flip flops

Some days, I don't really know how I feel. I'm actually looking forward to getting the "dirty work" done for teaching. It's hard right now. I'm being pulled in ten different directions. I'm currently balancing quality of life vs quality of paycheck. I know that I can't keep up the pace at school. I'll go nuts. Last week, I worked almost 85 hours only to get dismal results. I'm getting better, and I'm learning what does and doesn't work. Sadly, there is no one right answer as how to do my job. There are good and bad techniques and better approaches, but it is mostly personal style and ability.

If I can master the skills to become a successful teacher, the money would be better to stay where I am. It 's that "if I can master it" part that is the breaking point. If I can't find an efficient way to do it, I'll be taking the job home more often than not and I won't have the quality of life I feel I need to be content.

I guess I'm at a very fortunate time in my life where I can try out careers. I could go into police work if so I choose and if I like it, I can stay. If it's not for me, I'll have a career I can go back to and be successful.

I am glad that my biggest worry in life right now is what job I want to do. Very few are so lucky.

help with what?

Sometimes, well planned lessons bomb and last mintue ideas are a hit. So far, that is my norm.

lessons for a teacher

Next week, I have to be out for two days. One day I have to drive about 45 miles to a training session and the other is in town, but both will have me out all day so I must plan appropriately. The 8th Grade EC assistant will be there in my place and she is very good. In fact, I'd prefer her get the assignment since she gets paid extra for it.

I think I'm doing ok. I'm not sure I'm doing exactly what they want since they can't explain it to me. I learned this week that they will let me know if I am doing it wrong. Good thing it was nothing major...

I still feel as though I should try for law enforcement. I think my heart is there. I think I would like the work more, and it would improve my overall quality of life. There is a certain level of constant stress that teach gives you. It might level off for me and I might change my mind by the end of this school year, but I don't know yet.

First Year teacher

I have learned a few things since I have started.

1. Many people want to help you succeed, but only a few can. The rest will waste your time endlessly. Find ways to avoid them. The one's that can really help you typically won't approach you.

2. Tune out what you don't get that nobody can explain to you. If it is important, you'll find out soon enough and someone will find you that can explain it.

3. Never put off doing grades! Not even one day if you can help it.

4. Plan a week at a time, maybe two.

5. Over plan your lessons. If you think you have just enough, you don't.

6. Have tomorrow's stuff ready before you leave today. Anything could happen and will.

7. There is no perfect approach. Teaching in a middle school is like trying to herd cats.

8. You will be wrong a lot and the kids will call you on it. Don't let your ego get in the way, they will respect you more if they know you are human.

mission accomplished

My dedicated readers know I started my "five-year plan" approach to life five years ago. My goal was to finish college and become a science teacher. I finished college and I am a science teacher. Now what?

My next five year plan is TBA. I became so much more over the past five years. I am more financially responsible, I think I am overall a better person. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am someone I can be proud of.

Teaching

I got my first week out of the way. So far so good. I look the part to the kids. Too bad I'm still working on actual mechanics. Teaching is a job you take home with you. It the first thing last thing on your mind when you wake up and the last thought before bed.

The part dealing with the kids is simple for me. The grading, lesson plan designing, meetings and parent contacts are what is most difficult and frustrating.

As a first-year teacher, I will work much harder than my more experienced counterparts for less pay. This much more of a learning experience for me than my students.

I give my all, but I don't know that my heart is in it. I started developing a passion for something else...law enforcement. I must weigh the trade offs before I make another jump. I am here now and I will give these kids my best while I am there. I am still at the fork in the road of life, wondering where it will all take me.

Coming clean

Tomorrow is my first day as a teacher, and I'm not remotely nervous. I probably should be. I'm in a good spot with everything. The things I don't know, I will figure out, no need to worry about it anymore.

I changed my name back to my birth name. I never did feel comfortable with it. I was promised when I was seven that changing my name to my step-father's would make us more like a real family. I feel like that deal was not kept up on the other end. Love shouldn't ever be conditional. If you decide to disown someone based on life choices that don't effect you, then somebody really needs to re-evaluate their idea of how a family really works and I'm pretty sure I have the right idea.

Fork in the road

As I stated last post, this past Monday was my return to school/ work. I was a bit depressed, and I felt defeated. Nothing had come of my degree yet and then out of nowhere, I was offered a vacant position teaching science at my school, and I accepted of course. This is the break I've been waiting for.

I'm not deluded into thinking this is a dream. It can quickly become a nightmare. This is the hard part. I also know the only reason I'm tasting this success is because I was their last hope to have a teacher in that position. I guess we all get to see what I'm made of. I am determined to make them realize I should have been their first pick.

I am at a point in my life where I have more comfort and leeway in what happens next. If I hurry, I can still do the BLET in January and possibly be in another dream job come Fall, or I can stay with this for awhile. Mr., or Officer? Which one do I want the most? Either way, thing I want the most is closer to really happening.

180

Today was my first day at work. It felt like the walk of shame you have to take when you just blew up a public toilet. I wanted a better job before August and it didn't happen. So I returned to work to a ton of surprises. First off, they moved my room to a little dumpy ass-smelling room slightly larger than the janitor's break room. I had no prior warning. I didn't know we had an all-day meeting today and I was late for it. I came in and more than a few people were staring at me like I wasn't supposed to be there. Yep, I was feeling pretty damn awkward.

After a few minutes, I pieced it all together and everything made sense. Out of the loop, downgrading my room after three years without so much as a phone call. It is my turn in the barrel this year. I will get "cold-shouldered" out. Oh well, more incentive to make my possible career in law enforcement happen. They can't break me.

Then I was approached by my boss during our break. The very woman who has only spoken to me six times in five years. I figured I was in deep doo-doo. She asked if I graduated, I said yes. She asked if it was a science degree and I said yes, it is a biology degree. She then explained that one more of our teachers quit and we needed a replacement. The person she hired quit over the weekend. If my stuff lined up, she would recommend me for the spot. This would almost double my pay and make many things I want for myself happen much sooner. I had given up on teaching. I figured I'm not the type and frankly, I'm most likely not and never was. I would be stupid not to take it should it come about...more to come.

Cheapskater

I have found I am not happy unless I have an active goal or two. One of them is to prepare for the BLET, so I must workout as though it is my religion. The next one is to improve my financial standing. I'm not even in the ballpark of getting a better job for a year or more, so I must conserve what I have.

Much like dieting, you take note of where your money goes and where you can "trim the fat".

Here are a few things I've discovered, and they are no-brainers for the most part, but sometimes, we just don't think and that is where it all goes to Hell.

1. Are you paying for things you can do yourself?

Americans love luxury and convenience. We will pay somebody to do many thing we could do on our own. If you don't have the time, that's one thing. How many of us say "I don't have time" but spend hours a week online or in front of the TV?

Here's a few examples of what I can do for myself:

Tune up car.
Change motor oil.
Paint House.
Cook
Clean
Mow
Computer repair/ upgrade.
Wash car.
Repair flat tires.

You can easily think of many things you can do in your own spare time to save hundreds a year! Just do it your damn self.

2. How often are you eating out?

Eating out is the bank account scourge and should only be done sparingly. Four people eating fast food can start at 30 and go into the hundreds! Careful shopping and meal planning can not only have you eating cheaper, but healthier too.

Example: Going somewhere early? Pack the kids up and go to the nearest fast food place for breakfast you won't get out under $25 for a family of four. With that $25, you can get (where I live): 2 dozen eggs, 2 gallons of milk, a family sized box of Bisquick, two boxes of instant oatmeal, a loaf of bread and a pack of bacon and eat for a week. Even if you eat out once during that week, there is still over $100 weekly. That's just breakfast.

When it comes to eating, there are almost countless ways to cut the cost. Clip coupons, chase sales, buy in bulk...the list goes on and on.

3. Upkeep! Are you tires inflated properly? Is your car tuned up? Are the seals around the doors and windows of your house in good shape? These things can cause all sorts of problems with efficiency. A poorly maintained car drinks more gas, and a leaky house eats up heating and cooling costs. The upkeep will pay for itself.

4. Start early. Getting a late start causes you to drive harder. This puts more strain on your car and eats at the fuel efficiency. Cars get better than their rated mileage, but you have to drive a certain way.

Speaking of starting early, plan ahead too. Many things are cheaper if done in advance. Airline/ hotel reservations, car rentals. None of them will negotiate the day of the rental, many of them will several months in advance.

5. Are you paying for things you can get for free?
Like to read? There are libraries. Most public libraries have movies and music, you just have to wait in line.

How about a gym membership? You pay cash to drive across town to spend 20 minutes on the treadmill. I'll bet there is a road, park, or sidewalk very close to you that is free to use. Every city I know of has some kind of park with fitness equipment.


Anyway my goal is to be dirt cheap and I have a lot of downtime to figure it out.

agony of da feet update

Yesterday, I practiced my new breathing technique while out jogging. We started so late that I couldn't time our intervals, so we decided to run hard and then walk. I really pushed myself and I feel it today. That means I'm not going hard enough usually. Sore means I burnt those muscles and they are sending a message back to the brain saying we need to build up. I can honestly say running works damn near every part of your body and it is hard as Hell when you do it right. Yesterday was a good run and I want more. When January comes around, I will be ready.