It's finally spring!

Out of all the seasons, I think I enjoy spring the most.  Not only is it wonderful watching everything come back to life, it is great to sit out in the rain and to read outside.  Spring is a time of renewal... instead of making resolutions at New Years, we really should try making them in the springtime.  With this in mind, here are some spring resolutions I have made. 

*  I will finish my Masters degree in History by the end of this fall season.  Even if I have to take my thesis at the same time I am taking my education classes and two other history classes including a survey course.  I am tired of waiting, I want to finish something. 

*  I will be an elementary teacher, not this coming fall, but the next fall.  I should have my teaching license by next summer. 

*  I will get used to my new hair.  Yes my friends, the long locks are gone.  My hair is now officially shoulder length and curly.  Really curly.  I will accept the new hairstyle and understand that I do not need to hide behind my hair anymore; I have an awesome personality and I shouldn't let anything as crazy as hair help to hide it. 

*  I will get in touch with at least one friend I haven't heard from in a while... or I will talk to someone out of the blue that I haven't spoken to in a long time.  While I don't tend to dwell in the past, I do miss a lot of the friends I had when I lived closer to them.  I would love to hear from anybody really. 

*  I will spend less time stressing and more time relaxing.  Due to the first, second, and third resolutions this may be difficult; however, I will succeed. 

Well, that's about it for now!  Everyone have a happy spring season! 

<3 Melissa

Hey everyone!  I figured it was just about time for an update. 

Well, since we decided to stay in Roanoke, we've been settling down into the schoolyear.  Joseph is working at a high school in Botetourt county and he's liking it so far.  I took a job with the city schools as a secretary for a pre-school special education program.  So I've been going to an elementary school every morning.  It's an interesting job... it's kinda reminiscent of my days in ye olde SSS office.    I'll keep ya'll updated though.  But so far so good.

It would be even better when it is paycheck time!!!    Virginia doesn't pay their teachers until the end of September so it's a big nervewracking having gone through the whole summer without a paycheck.  But all will be well soon enough. 

I've definitely been keeping myself busy here.  I also took a job with tutor.com... I've been tutoring students in Social Studies.  It's completely online so I can sit at home in my jeans or pajamas and do it after work or during the weekends, etc.  It's kind of nice... but it's annoying when you've had a rough day at the school and you come home and have to go online to do your tutoring hours you scheduled.  But it's easy enough so I suppose I can't complain.  With all these changes going on, I've been kind of slacking off in my Masters classes.  I don't mean to, it's just the way it happened.  I'm planning on catching up this week though.  Ya'll probably won't hear much from me online this week because of that.  They're really kicking my butt. 

Well, that's about it for now.  I hope everyone is well!!! 

Lots of love,

Melissa

Well... I suppose I lied.

Hey people!  Well, I suppose the biggest update I have right now is that me and Joseph aren't moving back to West Virginia.  At least not within the next couple of years.  You would think that I would be sad and heartbroken over this, but the truth is... I'm really not.  Don't get me wrong, I would like more than anything to move back to West Virginia.  It's just after realizing how hard it is to maintain a house that is up on the market while simultaneously taking classes and working is just too much craziness for this girl. 

So, we're staying in Roanoke.  All things considered, it could be worse.  Joseph accepted a job with Botetourt County (one of the counties bordering Roanoke) and all should be well as soon as the paychecks start rolling in or as soon as I find another job. 

Other than watching every penny... I find that I'm really starting to like these classes I'm taking.  I've been taking classes through American Public University Systems and they're going towards a Masters in History.  They're online classes so I don't have to drive anywhere nutty and I don't have to succomb to taking classes at Virginia Tech.    Just to clarify, I love their library, but I'm not so crazy about their academics.  So I've been doing these distance learning classes.  For my first semester I signed up for three classes and they just finished up this past week.  One of the classes was historiography, another was the American Revolution, and the other one, bless its heart, was Women's History.  Despite the fact that there were some difficult weeks, it appears that I did good in them, which surprisingly really excites me.  So I signed up for three more... maybe I'll actually be able to get my Masters degree ya'll!    That makes me very happy, not only because it was something I've always wanted to do, but also because it makes me feel like less of a loser. 

See, the thing is, I married this guy who has always known he wanted to be a teacher.  So Mr. Hot Shot goes to college, doesn't change his major at all, adds a math major, and comes out certified to teach and with a major in math.  So he's all smart and stuff.  Then there's me.  I started off college in a secondary education major, changed it to Broadcasting/journalism, then changed it to English, then changed it back to secondary education, then I changed it to History, then I added a sociology minor, then I added a political science minor.  So I came out of college with a major in History and two minors, having only changed my major four to six times.  Mr. Math major automatically gets a job teaching while I have to accept a position at Target.  Now don't get me wrong, I was only at Target like... three weeks, but still.  You see where I'm going with this.  I don't really consider myself smart... I just consider myself passionate about history.  Unfortunately the job opportunities for someone passionate about history are few and far between. 

Anyway, I guess where I'm going with all of this is that these classes have been really important to me.  More important than getting another dead-end job that will make me miserable.  It's been six years since I left high school and I still don't know what I want. 

Well, Hope everyone's doing wonderfully!!!

Lissa

Take This [job, city, house, subpoena] And Shove It!

Hey everyone!  Well as you can see from my title for this entry, my life has been quite a whirlwind since my slacker butt last updated sometime this past winter.  Since I last updated: we put our house on the market, Joseph signed a contract in WV, we got a new cat, I quit my job, and I received a speeding ticket.  Now I know this is quite a lot so I will take this one subject at a time.

House on the Market:

Yes everyone, the time has come.  We have made the decision to put our house up for sale, cut our losses, and leave the city.  *cue in Green Acres theme song* We've decided that the city life just isn't for us and that we both really miss West Virginia.  Personally I can't think of a better place to raise a family (you can tell what's on my mind) than in West Virginia.  I admit it.  I was stupid for leaving.  I have repented.  And I'm ready to move back.  Now the only issue is how to sell your house when it's definitely a buyer's market.  As to this issue... I still have no answers.  Can anyone say double mortgage?

Joseph Signs Contract:

Yup.  Joseph decided to get out of Roanoke City Schools, especially Ruffner, and sign a contract with Mineral County Schools in WV.  If ya'll don't know where Mineral County is, don't feel bad.  We didn't at first either.  Basically go to Cumberland MD, go one mile south, and you're there.  We're both pretty excited about it; at least we'll be back in the state.  However... I think he may still be harboring feelings for going back to his home county of Boone.  Hmm.  So even though he's already under contract... I'm afraid to say anything for certain until we actually move up there.  If you know my husband you'll understand why. 

New Cat:

Yup, we got a new kitty cat.  I wanted to name him Plato, but Joseph didn't like that name, so we settled on Napoleon instead.  I mean... after you already have a cat named Socrates you can't exactly adopt a kitten and name it something like Mittens.  So... we have Napoleon.  He's tiny, gray, and never shuts up.  If anyone's interested in him I could possibly be talked into a deal.... just kidding.  I think.

I Quit:

That's right.  I quit my job at Bank of America.  It was a glorious day.... I mean, when I look back on it, it really wasn't that bad of a job.  But when you throw in a new manager, two new tellers, a new Teller boss person, and a quitting sales person it just kind of loses its luster.  Especially when you find you and someone else have to work your butts off to pick up all the slack.  Yes'm, you could not pay me for that kind of work.  So I quit.  I literally went into work, planning on working all day and the next day and the day after that, etc, and I walked out... free.    The sordid details are kind of interesting, but lets put it this way.  I do not regret it and I can safely say I will never be working for Bank of America again.  Really!  Big surprise:  When you walk out you're ineligible for rehire.  *tear*  I'm over it.

Please Pull Your Vehicle Over!:

*sheepish look*  In all my years of driving I have never been pulled over or received a ticket.  This all changed this past Thursday; however, as I was driving (very lost) in the outskirts of Charlottesville VA.  Really... it's all Joseph's fault.  It was his fault I was even there to begin with and it was his fault that I was speeding.  Okay... truthfully... I was supposed to be back at UVA to pick him up at noon.  So I had from 9:00-12:00 to occupy myself.  Well, having already seen Monticello the day before, my historical radar led me to Montpelier, which is James Madison's residence.  After a lovely, but shortened tour (because I did not want to be late), I left Montpelier bound for Charlottesville.  Well... silly me decided to follow the actual roadsigns instead of going back the way I came.  Needless to say, I ended up on a never ending "scenic byway" road.  The clock was ticking.  My heart was racing.  (A little dramatic, I know.) As I saw the clock his 11:38 and I realized I was nowhere near where I was supposed to be, my foot got a bit heavy on the gas pedal.  When I saw the sign saying 45 MPH, i looked down at my speedometer and saw I was going at a healthy 55.  Then I saw the cop.  And the lights.  And the expletives that flew out of my mouth as I searched for a place to pull over.  Well... never having been pulled over before, I was not sure where he wanted me to stop.  So I turned right and looked for a shoulder.  There wasn't one.  So i just slowly kind of kept driving and stopping and driving, then I heard a voice that could have easily boomed from the heavens, "Stop your car and put it in park right now!" Then I knew what to do.  I stopped my car and waited for the inevitable.  As I was in Joseph's car, it took me forever to find the registration.  Yes.  I cried.  Not like all out bawling crying, but I was so frustrated and the cop was making me nervous and I just lost it and blathered, "This is myhusband'scarandi can'tfindtheregistration andi'mlostanddon'tknowwherei'mgoing!!!"    Yup.  I got a ticket.  Yup, I got directions (which sucked by the way).  And yes, I'm now in the class of people who have received a speeding ticket.  Joseph's response:  Why'd you have to be in my car?  *sigh*

Well, I hope ya'll enjoyed my adventures and I will try to keep in contact with you guys.  I know I suck at it, but what can you do.  Have a great day and I really do miss ya'll!!!

<3 Lissa

SNOW!