Visiting in the LGB

Got the opportunity to meet up with The Closet Professor yesterday and bring him to some good California Mexican food. We also went to check out a couple bars in Long Beach. It was great since I felt like I knew him from following him on the blog, but also enjoyed talking about teaching, his job, and mine. He has the sweet southern charm, great smile, and sounds like he is adjusting well to life in Vermont.

And after the first bar, The Brit, where some Billy Joel came on, I had this song stuck in my head the rest of the evening, and analyzed the lyrics this morning like he talked about having done before...



Great allusion, again, and will use in my class, like I said. I never realized it was a song mostly just referencing names one after one, or events.

Still here

I have been hoping to blog recently, just to keep everything going, and keep in touch with those I know through here, but it hasn't happened.

My past few months have been insane.

School is good. We have a new principal who is amazing. He is insightful, he cares about his teachers, and his philosophy is that if the teachers are happy, that will resonate with the students, and they will learn. It is refreshing.

We are down 3 teachers at work - 2 are out for hip/knee replacements, and another for another health issue. I am picking up the slack of one of the teachers, the one in charge of the credit recovery program. This has given me tons of extra work, but thankfully I am getting some compensation. It just keeps me busy at work.

I was invited to a conference a few weeks back to preview and write questions for the new state test for Spanish speakers. Was interesting to see what goes into making a test, was cool to write test questions, meet new people. Had a blast and was out until 2AM most nights for a week straight, only to be up again at 7 to be at the training by 8.



Every weekend has been nonstop. The past 2 weekends we have been with friends or family - partner's cousin one weekend to comfort her after her aunt died; saw Dolly Parton with friends at The Hollywood Bowl this past weekend (AMAZING). SO many gays- men's line was longer than women's in the bathroom. Dolly's concert was completely different than the one 2 years ago, she talked more, played older hits, as well as new, but still was endearing, and still played tons of instruments.

Also have been working with an organization doing training for different technology, which has been a cool way to network.

The next 3-4 weekends will be more friends and family.

Hopeful travels

Mentioned this a few posts ago, but didn't go into the optimism I guess outside of my resume...

This summer I made it a point to network, which is part of how I went to Dallas to see my best friend, and also got to visit with DaninOKC. It seems now I have networked with the right individuals, and in a few weeks I will be presenting at several conferences in my area. I am excited to add this to my resume, get to network with fellow teachers, and gain experience/knowledge in this particular field.

My plan/hope is to have excellent reviews presenting at my first conference, which will grant me the opportunity to present at conferences throughout the Golden State. This would make for awesome weekend getaways for my partner and me.

Next summer I hope that I can present throughout the Lonestar State, as well as anywhere my partner and I want to travel. He is the one who usually supplies our weekend getaways, but this would give us inspiration to venture out I hope. Then because he is the one always in charge of trips I hope that we can explore some new places.

I really want to visit all 50 states, so I plan to apply to places in the Dakotas, Iowa, Missouri Montana, and Georgia... different geographic location, but it is on my must visit.

So we need to have a kiki... I realized I have visited 25 states... the list is below... not all, but most.

Cali
Washington
Nevada
Arizona

New Mexico
Oklahoma
Alaska

Hawaii

NY
NJ
FL
MS
TX
LA
OK

TN
IN
IL
CO

AL
VA
WVA
PA
KY

WY, MT, KS, MS, VT, ME, NE, IA, UT (SLC), OH, WI area all on my must visit, so if something comes up, and I can get there cheap, then hey, yay!

Travels...
I so want to go back to Dallas and visit my Flaming Saddles. Had the best time. I really enjoyed the area

I full expect to be in DFW next year around June, then head out for a foreign place that I have been accepted for a summer teaching job. That's the plan.

Life

Oh, so I haven't mentioned that I have been applying for a mortgage preapproval/qualification. I am hoping to find a house to rent out for additional income. 

Does anyone else love a pedicure? I am in desperate need, and just waiting until the 1st. Have some ugly toenails and toe crust to the sides that need taken care of. Damn feet.

I think mi madre is gonna retire this year. Kinda sad. She needs to work forever... LOL. I saw how she was with being off for a year. SHe needed a hobby.

Some other jams as of late. 

And back to travels...

We don't have plans this weekend, but all weekends for the foreseeable future have happenings. I suggested Vegas, PHX, and SLC this weekend. All 3 would be great. Never been to SLC. 

Music obsessions lately

Really bad 90s music. 

And I must see Wynonna in concert I have decided - I have been so into her lately. Doesn't look like it'll happen since I"m not paying $75 for the Cerritos Center.

Anyone remember their reality show on Oprah's network a few weeks back? That was really fascinating to see how interconnected Wynonna and Naomi were. It was intriguing to see how they relied on each other, and their triggers. 

Needing an east coast trip

Thankfully there a couple east coast trips coming up for me in the next few months - unfortunately not to NYC.

I was just talking with someone at work the other day how we love the east coast. We enjoy how people dress up - people wear suits, people have amazing shoes to go with their suits. We enjoy how people know business casual for an after work bar.

I need me some Eyewitness News with Sade and Diana. I like the sounder for WABC... lol... nerdy, I know.



I am thankful in the next few months I will likely get to visit Philly more.

I enjoy always going to NYC and imagining I am a local. I enjoy just walking around, the humidity, the rain. I am always enthralled where people come from, how they live, and what it must be like to live there.  And all of this makes me want to travel around the world more. There were many cities in Germany I visited, which would probably give me that feel.

A new opportunity

This summer I made it a point to network, which is part of how I went to Dallas to see my best friend, and also got to visit with DaninOKC. It seems now I have networked with the right individuals, and in a few weeks I will be presenting at several conferences in my area. I am excited to add this to my resume, get to network with fellow teachers, and gain experience/knowledge in this particular field.

Work

So this leads me to work - my VP is jealous of me and probably considers me a threat, so he's not taking to this new opportunity for me well. That's ok.

And VP is just on the stupid meter to put it mildly. He decided to do an observation on me when I wasn't even there. You read that correctly. I fought back and told him the stupidity in it, and he disagreed, so union got involved. Now he's being a little kid and is not talking to me. Oh well.

We now have a new principal coming in, and we have only heard good things about this guy, so that is hopeful. Everyone is hoping he will reign the VP in.

Personal Life/Travel

Things are great with my partner and me. We have lots of trips planned, and something almost every weekend this coming month where we are staying overnight at places, or going out with friends. We are booked solid through mid-October. Partner is encouraging me again to venture into new fields in my work, such as VP... no, but thanks for the offer. LOL.

Summer of Travel

Back home after a long month of travel.

Went up to Central California, then home for a few days, flew to Munich, then did a river cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. Got to explore German countryside and culture.

Here's a few observations and things of the like:
- I forgot how in every European country it seems you have to pay to use the bathroom (remember to drink less)
- I love how cheap wine, beer, and alcohol is ($3 euro)
- Amsterdam has the best gin and tonics with rosemary. Yes, it was amazing.
- Amsterdam had a great WW2 Museum that was very interactive and done from the perspective of Amsterdam
- After all the German beer everywhere I still don't like it. And I don't care I get looks for not ordering it. I don't want heartburn.
- Met a lot of new friends from the south and my partner's European work counterpart

In the US now in the airport. My flight is delayed, and I am glad, actually. I finally have a few moments to sit, relax, and decompress. I've been reading all of my blogger friend's posts to see what is new in their lives since I had limited internet access.