I could not resist the temptation of the Germ thing!

I found I could not resist the tempation to stick my fingers into the "Germ thing" this week. I was talking to the Libarian while waiting for my lables to print and Oops! I looked down and I had my fingers in the "Germ thing"! I quickly got the purell. As you can see my fingers fit in the holes perfectly. I had lots of questions about it again this week. It makes me smile.

My 2nd to Last Bulletin board

Here are two photo's of my Dr. Seuss bulletin board. The kids really loved looking at all the different book covers. The books could not be kept on the shelves all last month. My Favorite Dr. Seuss book is Green eggs and ham. I think it's because I'm a picky eater and I can understand saying "I do not like that food". I don't like to try new things. But after a week of listening to the story I did get a little tired of it. I also got to listen to Fox in Sox's and I have to say I never realized how tongue tied one could get reading it. One of the teachers asked me if I regretted taking over making the bulletin boards. I can say honesty no! I have loved making the bulletin boards. I will miss doing this!

I think when my children were young that we read many of these books. I don't think you can ever be to old to read Dr. Seuss. One thing I know I will do when my job has ended is keep reading children's book. It's nice to read at a level where the world for the most part is still innocent and fun. My last bulletin board is in progress right now. I'm doing Cinderella stories. I've always felt connected to Cinderella. We both had rough starts in life, we both have very small feet, and we both found our "prince charmings". Last year I learned that there are lots of different Cinderella stories, the past few days I've been reading them. Most people only know the Disney story or the french story, but there are so many others and they are all great!

WHAT IS THIS?

Every day at work I'm asked "What is this?" Between the young children that come into the library to even teachers I have at least one person daily that asks "what is this?" Typically I say, "If my computer was on this side of my desk the wires would go in that spot." I'm not sure what this is actually called. I do know this spot in the library has the most germs (is germyest a word?). Because not only do people ask what this is, they have to touch it. All the children and some adults feel a unstoppable desire to stick their fingers in this. In fact two young boys told me just the other day that every time they come in the library they have to touch this. I will miss being asked "What is this?" It has caused me to smile much lately!

A Happiness Project

I'm reading the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I kept seeing this book advertised in magazines and I could not resist taking a look at it. I'm always looking for ways to become happier. What I found was although I have not researched as much as she has, I have been on my on Happiness journey. This blog is actually a part of it. I am blogging about how I'm determined to stay happy despite the fact that I'm losing my job. But I have found that I'm also doing other things to cause happiness. I'm exercising daily. She notes that the repetitive motion of walking is good for you. My daily exercise is walking with weights. I am also trying to clear my house of clutter. Another Happiness booster. And I'm a big organizer. She says organizing causes calmness. I can say I believe that. I now feel I want to make a list of all my projects and start crossing them off as I finish them. As I read more of this book I will continue to make my own happiness project. It is a great idea!

Here is a tip for anyone looking to find a new job. Go to an employment center. I actually think that they are free through your state unemployment office. They will help you build a resume, practice for interviews. They will help you look at your skills and what jobs you may fit into that you might not have thought of and they also work with Job placement services. I've learned this information from Jobs.aol.com an article titled Employment Center Math: Resume Tips + Mock interviews=job leads. By Christine Rochelle. Any thing is worth a try in this economy.

Going to the Mattresses

The budget cuts to the school district that I work for are huge, and many people are losing their jobs. The parents are beginning to wake up and realize that over the years the administrators have been taking huge pay increases. Now with the loss of state aid, our school district has to make cuts, and the superintendent wants to cut lots of teacher jobs, custodians and still take a 2% pay increase he was supposed to get a 4% increase. The parents are banding together and fighting for teachers, assistants and custodians and asking that supervisors, superintendents and administrators not take pay increases. They also would like to see teachers take a pay freeze before the programs are cut. I wish that these request would be listened to but I think that what will happen is that the people at the top will take their raises and they will increase our taxes and our children will be the ultimate victims!

Why do I call it going to the mattresses? Well because in "You've Got Mail" Kathleen Kelly also goes to war with the big bad Fox Books store. In her case she loses. I hope that we win and some teachers job's will be saved, and that children will not be the victim, but I feel in my heart that this will not be the case.

It is hard to go to work when everyone is upset, people are losing their jobs, people are crying in the office, parents are in the halls complaining. I had wanted to finish out my few months of work left being happy, enjoying the job I loved. Instead my eyes have been opened to how political schools are, how it still ends with who at the top is greedy and takes money for themselves instead putting money towards programs that would benefit the future generation.
I have realized I'm to fault as much as all others. Over the years I went to budget meetings and looked at what would be cut and voted for a budget without looking at what was being given to top administrators. Now I feel many things that they threatened to cut, really didn't need to be cut if they were willing to not take huge pay increases. Yet I along with others fell into their scare tactics and now we have administrators being paid huge amounts of money and teachers and janitors and assistants losing their jobs. And even now the teachers ask the parents please pass this budget so they won't fire more of us. But in doing that don't we give them their raises? It is unfair that our taxes go up, and they get raises and our children are being put last.

Be Still, My Soul

In all trials I have had, I have always found a song to help me through my trial. My song that I listen to everyday is "Be Still, My Soul" As I listen I try hard to keep in mind that the Lord is there with me, and to rely on him. Here is part of the song: " Be Still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear Patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heavenly Friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. In the midst of losing my job I have hope there will be some better job to come.
I have found that I was the first of many to lose their job. There is a very disheartening feeling going through our schools right now. Teachers who love to teach are being let go, janitors who have served for years are being let go, assistants who have worked for years are losing their jobs. Those who have not been taken into the principals office fear they will be next. Our children are seeing teachers crying in their class rooms.
Here is a job search tip, always have your interview between 9am and 11am. The person interviewing you will be more attentive with you than if you had an interview in the afternoon.
I watched You've Got Mail last week. I knew all the children's books shown. I was amazed back then they didn't have cell phone's and no face book or twitter. I wonder what the movie would be like if made now? Would she be constantly checking her face book profile? I found another way I'm like her. Her boyfriend in the beginning does not like technology. My husband is just like that. But instead of listening to a typewriter he likes the roar of an old Chevy car.
I also have learned that a job is not a job anymore, it is a "gig" and you need to constantly be looking for the next "gig". So this "gig" was my transition "gig" where I learned I could work and my kids would not die without me. Now I can look for a new "gig" that will hopefully pay more and maybe have health benefits.