4.16.2007

Someone help me.

I'm in as much need of the Rowan 38 magazine as anyone with a too-long project list and not enough time in a day can be in need of anything. Which is not a lot of "need" per sey, but a whole bunch of irrational "want." Which is why I don't want to pay $22 for a backorder copy. I tried to bid on one the other day, and thought I had it in the bag, but I remain unfulfilled. Someone was obviously watching the auction, and I was not, because they beat me by a measly $6.
If anyone out there has an unloved copy (not too unloved, I don't want anything you housetrained your pets on) and might be willing for a pattern, book, or yarn trade, please let me know.
I really need to knit Kaffe Fassett's Brocade. And you know you won't get to it and the other patterns in the book are really ugly anyway, so why would you hold on to it. Release your rowan 38. It needs a good home, really it does!!!!

4.03.2007

Hmmm...

Seems Annie Modesitt is trying out for Project Runway. Wouldn't that be interesting. I can't imagine she'd be able to knit many of the challenges, but I can think of a few challenges where the designs just begged for some fibre. Does Moods even sell yarn?
I wonder if I'd root for her because of the whole knitting thing. I can't really say she's my favorite pattern designer, she's really not. In fact, there are only a few of her designs I would consider knitting. I can't say I've considered any come to think of it.
That said, if you poke around her blog, you'll find some of the things she's bringing to the tryouts and they look fine enough. I hope she doesn't bring the felted mitred jacket *woof*.

Took the Plunge

Well, not really. But I'm considering it.
I've completed an online application to test the teaching waters. The paperwork to get my certification renewed is on my desk. I've contacted an old friend to pitch an idea about High School courses in Statistics and Psychology. And my stomach is in knots.
In case there was any doubt. Teaching is a suck job. I have theories about why teachers don't get respect and those theories mostly sit with the fact that teachers are largely unaccountable for their product. If a doctor fails to cure all of his patients, if a lawyer loses all of his cases, career suicide. But a teacher can fail to bring her students up a grade-level and gets to blame the students, parents, society. Imagine if a doctor said, "well, Joe was already sick when he came to me, of course I couldn't cure him."
But, I digress.
The pay is less than what I make, although not bad with my Ph.D. and experience.
Lesson plans, grading, other people's children, other children's parents, no freedom to eat or use the bathroom when I want. And other teachers like to whine! I hate whiners! They cut up in meetings, complain about paperwork, backstab, you name it. Anything they fuss at students for they are worse. And I know, because I did all that at four different schools, three districts, and even a private school. Plus I had a job in state professional development training teachers.
So if I'm such a hater, why am I considering going back?
Good Question.
I am bored in my current job. I'm BLOGGING now for Chrissake!
The hours and commute suck. People hate me b/c I'm state employed (for real, my mom introduces me to other teachers as the enemy). And most importantly, my babies are starting school. My sister watches them now and all three have stayed with relatives all their lives. I'm feeling super guilt about having them in school all year and summers too. I fell like teaching will allow me to have precious time with them that I don't get now.
Now don't think I'm kidding myself. I know during the summer they'll be watching tv, or at friends', I'm no June Cleaver. I never said the guilt was rational. They might be better off in a camp with structure and activities. I also feel a tug to do it right this time. I know I wasn't that bad, parents have told me they wish I would teach again. But with the shortage, I think I'd make more of a difference with 25 kids than trying to get the adults in charge to change like I'm doing now. Ironically, I left the classroom b/c I wanted to affect change on a larger scale. But guilt is a mo fo and it makes you do wierd things.
Like apply for a teaching job.