Back at the Gym

"The Devil"

Well, I got the news... there will not be a new job or me any time soon.  I expected it after the interview, but I was still hoping for some changes. 
Other than that, the only news I have to share is about my recent return to the gym.  My typical workout is about an hour.  Thirty minutes on the treadmill, thirty minutes on the elliptical, and then if I am feeling like I am up to it, I do a whopping five minutes on the stair climber (commonly referred to as "The Devil")  This machine gets my heart pumping like no other.  It is like the five minutes I spend on that stair climber is more difficult than the entire hour I spend on the other machines.  I don't even set it at anything really difficult.  I think it is at level six at best, but when I get off of it, I am a sweaty mess!  Well, I have gone on a rant about this machine, but that isn't even the story I wanted to share.  Anyway, back to the point.  I did my regular workout (including some time with the Devil) and then I thought, I really need to start working my arms.  So I picked three machines that looked like they operated similarly to ones I used at Curves.  Although these machines use your body weight and weights.  I chose a low weight (although it was too heavy on the first machine I used) and did three sets of ten reps.  I figured this was a good place to start.  I worked my biceps, triceps, and front of my shoulders.  The first machine I put the weight at level 4, first two sets went fine, third set... could only do five!  Next machine, I couldn't even move it!  My arms were already fatigued and shaking.  I put the weight at ONE, and managed to do all three sets.  The third machine, I put the weight at 3 (it was an easier machine... Kind of like tricep dips) and I finished all three sets.  The drive home was a little strange.  I've had what I call spaghetti legs from running or swimming, but I had spaghetti arms and I was a bit uncomfortable driving.  After I was home for a while they felt more normal, but I could still tell I'd had a good workout.  Fast forward to this morning... Oh My God!  I felt like I had been beaten up!  Like someone took a bag of oranges and repeatedly hit me... arms, back, shoulders, chest.  I had trouble brushing my teeth, holding the blow dryer to fix my hair... oh, and lifting a cup of coffee to drink it.  And, just lifting my arm to put my hair behind my ear!!!  I've had the sore legs where it is hard to sit without pain, but I have never had my arms this sore, even when I was doing the push up challenge.  Obviously, I am seriously lacking muscle in my arms.  You can bet these machines will become my close companions over the next month or so... just not today!

A New Start??

I got the email today.  The one that said I passed the test and they would like me to come in for an interview.  Passing the test doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment.  One only had to get 70%.  The last time I took a test for the district, I scored 97%.  And, wow, it was really hard.  This time, I thought the test was much easier, but I only scored 86%.  I'm really disappointed in myself.  How can I expect my children to get A's in their classes and I only got a B!  I'm hoping I was one of the top scores, but who knows.  I guess I need to just accept it and be happy that I was selected for the first round of interviews.  I will really need to wow the panel.  I've been thinking about what I should wear to an interview for an athletic equipment manager.  I think I am just going to go with the professional outfit.  I will only get this chance to make a good impression.  I'm worried about not having the knowledge base needed for the job, but I am a quick learner.  Hopefully that will do.

It will be a big change if I get this job.  I understand it starts this school year so I will have to leave my assignment in the kindergarten autism classroom before the end of the year.  Plus it is a full time job, so I will be putting in many more hours than I do now.  Not sure if I will like that, but the paycheck increase will certainly be nice.  Plus, we will save quite a bit on gas.  I will be traveling approximately the same distance to work, but it is the same direction as my son's school, so instead of extra trips or big round loops to drop off or pick up, I will be right there.  He would actually be able to walk to me when he gets out of school.  I can add all sorts of other bonuses, like not having a kid spit in your face, but I still feel a bit uneasy about it all.  Does this mean I am shutting the door on actually going back in the classroom to teach?  If you would have asked me a couple of years ago if that was something I was contemplating, I might have laughed in your face.  I think I do miss running my own classroom.  I just have all these questions.  I don't want to pass up any opportunity.  Hopfully I will have answers to some of these questions after the end of next week.

First Day of Spring Break and I'm Sick, Is There a Pin for That?

So here we are, it is the first day of spring break, or what we used to call Easter Vacation and I am sick.  Last night when I went to bed I thought my allergies were just acting up, but I guess not.  I feel for my kids.  They are ready to take on the vacation and live every day to the fullest, but not me.  I have spent over half of the day in my pajamas either sleeping in my chair while trying to watch TV or in my bed doing some real sleeping.  I sure hope I get over this quickly.  I need to be able to get up tomorrow and cook Easter dinner!
Along with sleeping I have been logging a lot of hours online.  My IPad has windows open for Facebook and Pinterest.  I am ashamed to say I am mildly obsessed with both sites.  On the negative side, I think they both take up huge amounts of time that can be better spent doing, well, almost anything else.  But, I still like them.  I actually feel quite happy with Pinterest lately.  I especially like that I can find new recipes that others have tried (and like).  It gives me more confidence to give it a go, when I know someone else has been successful making it.  And, I haven't been all talk about it, or should I say just pinning?  I have made several of the dishes.  Every single one of them has turned out great.  I'm not always that lucky with recipes from magazines.  After I have made a recipe, I go back into the pin and comment on it if it turned out well, and so far everything has gotten a positive comment.  Either that says something about my pinning, or that people only post really good stuff.  Maybe it is a little of both.  I wonder who came up with Pinterest, and since I don't see ads on the side bar, like Facebook, I wonder if/how they are making money.  It has already changed a bit since I have joined, and like Facebook, it always makes it a bit difficult to navigate the site until you get used to it.  But even though I enjoy it, I still wonder if they are going to eventually charge us to store all this information we have placed in files on their site.  That would stink, since I have been a pinning fool!  I have files not only for recipes, but files for books I've read and books I want to read, crafts, fitness, inspiration, and just things I think are funny.  Why I need to save (pin) them, I have no idea.  Hopefully someday I will use it all.  Oh yeah, I also have a file titled 'someday.'  Maybe everything should be a sub-folder of that one!
Wow, this has been a somewhat rambling post... I would like to blame the cold medicine if that is alright with you.

It's Been a While...

It has been a while, well that is an understatement!  My last post was sometime around the beginning of this school year.  I fully intended to continue writing during the past year, but somehow life just got in the way.  The good news is, I have gotten over my guilt of not writing!  Yay for me!  Now I just have a desire to put some things down in writing, just so I can quit carrying them around with me.
From now on I am not going to post any links from facebook.  That really added to the pressure for me.  So, who needs added pressure?  Not me, that is for sure.  Anyway, if you have found me, welcome!  I hope I don't bore you with my meandering thoughts.
I guess we will start today with my job.  I have plenty to say about that!  I am still working in an autism specific kindergarten classroom.  I feel like I make a real difference in these childrens' lives.  Typically it is a very rewarding job.  However, after the difficult last year and this year being somewhat difficult as well, I feel very burnt out.  I am even considering going back into teaching regular education.  Who would have thought I would even consider it again, what with NCLB, state standards that don't take into account language barriers or development delays, and all the extra hours outside the classroom, not to mention dealing with parents who think their children are perfect.  See what I'm doing there?  I'm already trying to talk myself out of it.  Anyway, back to autism.  Did you know that when I started in this job four short years ago, the diagnosed were 1 in 500?  Now it is 1 in 88, and a much higher percentage if you only count boys.  Why are there so many?  Are they over-diagnosing?  Are we giving our children something we shouldn't?  Is it a natural evolution of our brains?  Who knows?  All I know is class sizes are getting larger and the children seem more severe.  I have been well trained to work with autistic children, so why am I feeling burnt out after 4 short years?  I think it is because of the students who are in the class and autism isn't their main issue.  It is hard to work on behaviors all day long and have it all undone by the parents once the child goes home.  Shall I give a small example?  No names will be given to protect the innocent guilty.  I spent the better part my shift restraining a child who before he/she was restrained, was hitting and kicking another teacher (because the child didn't want to do what he/she was told).  While being restrained by me, the child spit on me several times and when he/she managed to get an arm or leg free attempted to (sometimes successfully) hit or kick me.  He/she repeatedly hit the back of their head into my arms, shoulders, and chest all the while screaming and crying at a volume that vibrated my ear drums.  Now, I would like to say that this is a rare occurrence, but between last year's class and this year, it is becoming more frequent.  Anyway, I digress.  The point of this is, why am I burnt out?  Well, this particular child went home after this incredibly exhausting day and the next morning the parents wrote a note to the teacher saying that since the child was good at home, they didn't give him/her any consequences.  Wait, what???!!!  We have a word for the kids in our class who act this way... we say they have "bratism."  Children, ALL CHILDREN, need to be parented!  They have no idea that they are creating a monster, one that is only going to get bigger and stronger.
Along with my desire to get out of this environment, as I mentioned earlier, I am considering going back into teaching.  My credential expires in 2013, so I need to make up my mind soon.  In the meantime, I have applied for a full time position at the high school as an athletic equipment manager.  I took the exam today and feel I did pretty well.  I should know by the end of next week if I will be selected for an interview.  Here's to keeping my fingers crossed!