It really is raining here, in August, after weeks of beautiful sunshine & warmth. I'm actually a little excited about it since I love the fall - I can dress for chilliness and a little sprinkling now & then, plus I love the colors (of leaves and clothes), and the sound of rain on a rooftop makes me smile.
However, I'm being metaphoric with my title, also. Every summer for the past five years or so I have applied for teaching jobs with sad desperation ("Please love me! Please give me a classroom of my own! I'm really really great!"). In Spring of 2006, I actually went through a series of interviews at one middle school, but was not hired (and the most interesting part of that entire episode - besides my very ill-timed & poorly worded comment about it not being my job to keep students from getting bored - was finding out I didn't get the position by seeing its listing disappear from the website; the school called to officially let me know about a week later. That felt good).
This summer was no different, except that I also tried for a position as Copy Manager/Project Assistant at a local advertising agency. It's a small company run with the most remarkable eco-friendly and progressive attitude one could imagine in such an industry. I fell in love with the idea of working with them and, since I had not a single bite on any of the teaching jobs I'd applied for, thought it might be time for a change. I tweaked my resume & cover letter to reflect more of the writer-me than teacher-me and e-mailed it all in. Weeks passed. Big sighs. I began to doubt the intelligence of my passionate substitute renewal form shredding.
But then. Last week, the principal at the alternative high school where I had taught last spring asked if I would teach part time with them - anything I wanted, they were opening a position just for me, no one else would be considered. Um, yes please. Thank you thank you thank you. That alone is wonderful for me, all I need. Yet then came the call from Middle School (clearly I've somehow risen above the "not my job" comment from last year). And then the advertising agency. The former seemed a little aggravated that I didn't want their job anymore, but the latter was so gracious - "Oh, that is fantastic! Really wonderful for you! If anything changes, don't hesitate to let us know, but that is just great." I love those people! After the call, I found myself (ridiculously) thinking of how I might manage their writing job plus my teaching. And PTA president. Oh, and being a mom & wife & friend. Who is not insane.
I'll stick with this little bit of rain and sidestep the downpour; it's better for everyone this way.
