Officially Employed!

You are looking at the newest 4th grade language arts teacher for The Rusk School!  I had two interviews today with principals and their staff, and after about 30 minutes or so of interviewing with the second school, the principal made me a job offer!  I am so excited, relieved, and thrilled to know where I will be working come June, and it is just one less thing to worry about when it comes to making the big move to Texas!  The Rusk School is a science and technology magnet school with students from early elementary through 8th grade.  I am so excited to be working for a school that places so much focus on teaching students effectively through the use of up-and-coming technology.  Our society relies so heavily on technology today and will only continue to become more reliant on it, so I am excited to be able to integrate that into my teaching.  It looks like my Electronic Media major will come into good use, and I seriously feel like I could not have found a better fit for my placement school!  I definitely need to keep practicing my Spanish after the principal asked me a question in Spanish during my interview today...the guys at work have been teaching me new words and I have been talking in Spanish with them more often, so I'll have to keep practicing to get ready for Houston!

So excited to be a Rusk Eagle!

Family First

I've been in Maryland since Thursday visiting my family, and after a few days of fun and relaxation I am heading back to Virginia and work tomorrow afternoon.  Yesterday was my cousin Heather's birthday, which was filled with good food, friends and family, and of course, an endless supply of strawberry daiquiris.

Today my grandma and I had a girls day and went out to lunch and did some shopping.  I made the wonderful purchase of this chiffon blazer by Lauren Conrad.  It looks much better on and this picture barely does it justice, but as usual, Lauren Conrad always does fashion right.

My grandma was also sweet enough to buy me this necklace, which I have been wanting for a while.

 

I also got to give my cousin Jessie her thirteenth birthday gift two days early, and boy was she happy when she unwrapped her present to find a singing Justin Bieber doll.  I think it will fit in perfectly with her Justin Bieber posters, jewelry, purses, and even the Bieber pillow I had the pleasure of sleeping with last night.  I'm so glad she liked it, and I think I was more excited about taking it out of the box than she was.

It's crazy to think that the next time I will be in Maryland will probably be the last time I see my family out here for a while.  My move to Texas is slowly creeping up on me, and it will be hard to say goodbye to my friends and family on the east coast when the time does come to move down south. 

Retail Therapy

You know those days when you go a little over your budget to buy something you've been desperately wanting, even though you know you can't afford it, knowing you will most likely regret it a few days later?

I had one of those days this past Saturday, and I can safely say I don't regret either of my two purchases.

I've been using the cheapest of cheap shampoo and conditioner for the past six months after running out of both money and my favorite Redken Blonde Glam products.  Well let me tell you, with hair products,  you really get what you pay for...within a month of using the cheap drugstore shampoo, I could already tell my hair was weaker, drier, and less shiny.  Nothing like how Garnier Fructis advertises my hair will look by using their products...

Well lucky for me, Nordstrom Rack had my favorite Redken products on sale and I couldn't resist...sure, it was a lot to spend on shampoo and conditioner, but it was a great price and my hair already feels healthier after one wash, if that's even possible.

I've also been beyond bored with my wardrobe lately, and decided I could afford one inexpensive and practical shirt.  My mom always tells me I have too many shirts and that I have an obsession with them, which might be true...I could go months without even thinking about buying a new pair of jeans or heels, but I never feel like I have enough shirts in my closet.  So I went to Francesca's, found a cute sheer coral blouse, and swiped my credit card.  I wore it today for the first time and couldn't have been happier with my purchase.

Just Another Manic...Sunday

Today started off as a great day...I woke up feeling super rested, made a delicious lunch of chicken, quinoa, and green beans, and since work was slow I got to spend two hours reading the second book of "The Hunger Games" trilogy before we opened. Long story short, we ended up being extremely busy, customers were difficult, and one of the servers really rubbed me the wrong way. It really made me realize how thankful I am that I will be starting a new career in June, and that my new job will be in a much more professional setting. Not trying to hate on the restaurant industry at all, but I've been in it since I was 16 and am ready to retire from it for good.

I normally enjoy work, but today was just one of those days where minutes feel like hours, and all you want to do is curl up on your couch with a bottle of wine and cry at a good Nicholas Sparks' book turned movie.

But instead, I'll wait for the metro to come take me home to my Chipotle dinner and my "Catching Fire" book.

Interview #1

Today is my first interview for Teach for America!  I am interviewing with a Houston Independent School District recruiter over Skype, and while I am not interviewing for a specific school or position, it could end up leading to a job down the line if I make a good impression!

As for most people, interviews make me incredibly nervous.  I am a pretty confident person and feel as though I am prepared for almost anything they would ask me, but the hard part is getting my answers out in a professional and confident manner.

The best part of this interview besides it potentially leading to a job is that I can wear a suit jacket on top, and sweatpants on the bottom...

Because you can't tell on Skype, right?

Wish me luck!