I did, however, start a new job. I'd like to think that it's the new job that has led to my lack of posting. Truth be told, it may actually have to do something with time management.
I don't think it would be right after having started a new job (which, I remind you, is the real reason why I have not blogged recently) to begin blogging without a thorough description of the jobs my hubby and I have had over the past five years that we have been married.
Me:
During the time that my husband was my fiance, I was working as a key holder at American Eagle.
Retail was my worst enemy.
After nearly quitting a year earlier, I had hung on as stockroom manager until the position opened up for me to become key holder. As much as I loathed retail, (let's be real, specifically the customer) I took the position because of my love for fashion and my hope to eventually be able to use the experience to my benefit.
P.S. I was 20 at the time.
Sometime during the weekend before my wedding weekend I was called about a position with Fossil, Inc. as a merchandiser. After a brief phone interview, I was asked to come to NYC the following week for a personal interview.
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| I'm just gonna say it, I love New York. |
Yes, the following week being the week of my wedding.
In a fit of desperation to be rid of my looming retail management job I willingly jumped for the interview. My first time in the big city all by myself and I interviewed, bought my husband's wedding shoes by chance as I passed by them while window shopping, and hopped on the train as quickly as I could in order to make it back to American Eagle for a 2:00 shift.
A week later, while on our honeymoon, I was offered the job and willingly jumped for the opportunity.
There were perks. Yes, there certainly were perks; including, but not limited to: a healthy discount, working alone without a boss overseeing me every second of the day, and the ability to high tail it on home once the job was done. The perks made my family jealous. It made them wonder and shriek at me in amazement when after only a few weeks in I hated my job.
I can't truly say why I hated it. The perks certainly should have been enough to love it. But, I was still connected to the retail world and I think that wore me down. My day entailed going into department stores and fixing their Fossil displays per our guidelines. A fun job in a perfect world, but let's face it, this is earth. And it is very imperfect.
I got freebies. Spent a night in NYC. Had decent holidays off and a nice paycheck for a girl just out of college. Yet, my inability to love my job made me hate everything about it. So I searched for options. At this point, my two favorite things in the world, writing and music, were not even a consideration. I tried to think of what I could possibly do that would free up time for me to find myself and my true passion.
Teaching.
A career that I had always instantly put up a barrier to. A career that I had started in college and then decided I wouldn't be able to possibly live happily doing. A career that I now decided was something I could handle while I figured myself out.
After holding out a year at Fossil, I began applying for teacher's assistant jobs. I soon found one with the Educational Services Unit of Burlington County (ESU). ESU was connected with Special Services School District, where my brother attended school. The position ESU was offering was an aide to a child with autism. I was hired on the spot, and again, willingly jumped at the opportunity.
I was so ready to leave Fossil, I didn't even give my hubby a chance to disagree with this position. I wonder where I'd be today if I had. (Perhaps I shouldn't wonder such things...).
I began my job and after a few months of subbing for other aides, I was given a student of my very own. My student was as easy as they come. This led to many a day of sitting behind him in the classroom bored out of my mind.
This position wasn't the end of the education road for me. My plan soon became to take the alternate route to education so that I could become a certified teacher, make a little more dough, as I still tried to find myself.
After a year with ESU, I had my provisional teacher's certificate for K-5. In order to become a truly absolutely certified teacher I needed to have my own classroom.
Thus began the mad rush to apply to every single school possible.
By August, not one school had called me. I'd like to say I was crushed and disappointed, but I wasn't. I wanted something desperately. But at the same time I had begun to work on writing a book and had found that to be a more positive focus for my time and my thoughts.
Two weeks into August, my alma mater called me offering an interview for the third grade teacher position.
*Let's just retrace my steps a little bit here:
First year of marriage: Worked my last two weeks at American Eagle then started a position as a merchandiser.
Second year of marriage: Ended my career as a merchandiser in September and started a job as an aide to a student with autism.
Third year of marriage: Ended the school year as the same student's aide, began the new school year as a third grade teacher.
A bit questionable, crazy, and unbelievable if you ask me.
My first year of teaching was amazing. I had the most wonderful class and found myself actually enjoying my new career choice. Yet there was still a tugging deep inside me for the things I was truly most passionate about.
The third grade teacher position is the longest big girl job I have held. This year I left to become an instructional aide at a charter school my mother teaches at. The decision was extremely difficult. But I have found myself surrounded by a world of incredible things that no one could possibly say no to. First of all, I love my job. I am busy without being overwhelmed. The staff and students are amazing. And for the first time in five years, I have a real break all to myself. (It really is the little things in life, right?).
Probably most important, I now find myself making the same amount of money, yet with a smaller work load, that allows me to come home and pursue the things that make me truly happy. Sometime in the future that might change should a teaching position open up or should my writing take wings an fly. I'm already considering pursuing my music education certification and publishing a book through Amazon's self publish.
Yet until anything else changes, I'm completely content.
Hubby:
A few months before graduating college he went on one interview. He was called back for a second interview and offered a job as a staff accountant. Five years and three promotions later, he's still there.
When I grow up, I want to be just like him.
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| The Nasdaq building, in NYC, my hubby's company is on the bright white sign. |
