No Job

OK, so I did not get the job. I have mixed emotions about it. I am partially relieved because teaching would have been new for me and this was a little scary, but I looked at it as an opportunity to expand my mind and skills. I am sad because I really thought I would have fit in well for the position, but alas, it was not to be.
Most of my disappointment is because I have two degrees and no one will hire me. I feel that the hiring supervisors think I am either under qualified or over qualified or too old.
I got a phone call for an interview for a job I did not even apply for, isn't that funny. It is not something I think I can do, but I will look into it. The job is as an educational assistant.
I cannot see myself being in this position because I like to think for myself and not "do what I am told". Don't get me wrong, I do follow my job description and do what I am expected to do (or told to do), but I just don't think I can do this one because the setting is in education. I used to work in this setting, where I got a lot of professional respect.
So I guess I will take a vacation. I HATE things not going according to plan (I can thank my childhood experiences for that hangup).
Anyone who wants a vacation from working in a career should do these steps:
1. Wait until your about 50 years old.
2. Quit your job and move to a small town that is in the middle of nowhere
3. Go to back to school. Get loans for school. Don't worry about paying for it because you are getting a "college" degree and you will be able to get a job afterwards to pay off the loans.
4. Work hard to get good grades because that will make an impression on people and they will want to hire you because you learn quick.
5. Apply for jobs that pay much less then you made before because you are not "too proud" and you are willing to take less.
6. Apply for jobs that you don't qualify for because you will graduate in a few weeks, surely people will be aware that you have lots of experience and since you will soon graduate, they will want to "snap" you right up before anyone else can.
7. Graduate and apply for jobs. Make sure this time that the jobs ask for your degree because now that you have the degree and so much experience and great references, people would be lucky to have you as an employee. Be sure and include how many years experience you have so they can see how old you are are.
8. Last but not least, realize that you are not anything special and your narcissistic attempts at self-improvement may ultimately gain you nothing.Try to resign yourself to an endless vacation and learn how to pull weeds, do yard work and clean/fix the house.

Onward Bound

Graduation was a success! Woohoo! 

Future plans as of Graduation (May). I had been accepted into the Masters of Occupational Therapy program, scheduled to begin August 2013. 
In June, I received a letter explaining that I was "still accepted" but that the university was revamping the program and it was being postponed for one year. So, I am now accepted to start the program in August 2014.  
This means I will not begin graduate school this fall and so I will need to begin to repay my student loans, which is convenient I suppose because they will begin about the time my braces are paid for LOL. 
So currently I am an unemployed person with an associate degree in OT and a BS in Psychology. 

I applied for two employment possibilities and I have been interviewed for one. 
One is with the public schools as a COTA and one is at the university as an Assistant Professor. I was interviewed for the latter. I also want the latter the most. It would be something I believe I could excel at, but of course I may not be what the search committee desires.

I hate waiting. 
Seriously, at my past job, the administrators already had an idea who they wanted to hire before they even did interviews. In small towns like this one and Carlsbad, I am sure the committees have an idea who they wish to hire. 
When I left my interview, I thought, "I think they loved me! I fit in so well here! I am everything they want! I have excellent references and work history! I just know they are going to call me!"

Today, I am waiting and doubting everything.  Perhaps, they already found someone and I was just part of the process they had to complete prior to hiring who they wanted originally. Perhaps, I did not say or do something they liked or wanted to hear. Perhaps, this job won't happen after all. 

I hate waiting. 
I tried not to get excited about this job, but gosh darn it, it sounded wonderful! It sounded like the kind of job I have wanted for years.  I love teaching adults, I love using my creativity in OT to help people to be good at OT. I would love this job. 

I hate waiting. 
Oh well. 

So, if I am not called for either job, I will immerse myself in working with CASA. There are some wonderful people in this organization. I will be good at this as well. I sound full of myself LOL (I am so good haha). I really am good at working with people who are having difficulties in life. It is my history. 
I will then begin my MOT program a year from now. 

I love planning a future. I hate waiting.

College Graduation

So, I "walk" for graduation this Friday May 10th. Yep, in a few days. I am really excited about my accomplishment. I am actually quite disappointed that most of my family cannot be there, but when we all live states away from each other, that is the way it is.  

My daughter Ashley and her boy friend Gabe and my husband of course will be attending my graduation. My neighbors said they were coming, which surprised me, but I think it is really sweet of them to want to celebrate with me. My sweet daughter in WA will watch via internet and I think my sister, Theresa, will watch via internet as well.
My sweet husband has been there supporting me throughout the 12 years that it has taken me to get this Bachelor of Science degree. 

I have also been informed that I have been accepted into the MOT (Master of Occupational Therapy) program. This program is pretty competitive and they only take 20 students. They only accept COTAs, which is what I am. My expected graduation date is December 2015. Once I graduate, I can take the registry exam and upon passing, I will be a full fledged Occupational Therapist! No longer will I be the assistant. This will be helpful because as an OT I can find employment almost anywhere. 

 
    

A lot of stuff to chat about, not that I've ever had a problem finding topics LOL

Here it is less than one week before Christmas and exactly one week before I get to see my pregnant daughter and her husband. It has just began to snow and I have a fire going in the pellet stove, the Christmas lights are on, I have a bag of gifts to wrap, and a hot cup of coffee next to me, nice!

I just finished up my first full-time college semester since 1995 (I took six classes). I had to take social statistics this semester and I never thought I'd have difficulty, but it ended up being what I would term as a "class from hell". Not because the content was so difficult, but because the instructor did not follow the book and it was very difficult to know what she wanted on her exams. I honestly thought I'd fail the class. I ended up with a B, which was a huge surprise, but from what I gathered most of the class was having difficulty, so that is probably how I ended up with a B.
I think she probably is just a tough teacher. She has informed us about how she graduated from some university in NJ and how she "gave it all up" for her husband (he is a coach at Western University where I attend). I have taken over 150 credits and I had a 4.0 up until I took her classes (3/6). I currently have a 3.63. So, is it me or is she just difficult? I think she is just difficult and I'm grateful I don't have to take any of her classes ever again! (knocking on wood)

Good news is, I will graduate in May 2013 with a BS in Psychology. I will be the first of my parent's children to get a college degree (BA or BS). I plan to continue my education with a Master's degree. I wish to do this for several reasons: 1. Employment, 2. Personal goal achievement, 3. dementia prevention. Hopefully, all three of these reasons will end up working out for me verses the financial cost.  

Amber and Carlos will be here at Christmas, and right after we will have a baby shower for them in Albuquerque, Yea!
We have really enjoyed living around Ashley and Gabe. Ashley is also taking college classes and she is hoping to graduate in a year or so with her BA in radiology.

My mom is trying to sell her house (she is 80). They are not happy living in Artesia. They're doctors won't give them medication, they don't have any social support (no church, friends or family). They won't actively do anything to get support. They just sit at home all day and bitch about how life is. She and her husband have no concept of reality. They are truly in la la land (not a psychological term, but it fits). It is sad to see people make bad decisions over and over again, but this is nothing new. They are not happy with their lives, so they make crazy (again not a politically correct term for a psych major) decisions, like moving every 2/3 years to try to find some purpose or satisfaction and yet they won't find happiness or satisfaction no matter where they go because it isn't where one lives or who one is around that makes one happy, it is the perspective within ones self that makes one happy. Oh well....

This is a terrribly long blog, but I don't care. I don't blog enough to worry about it. Perhaps, now that I'm not in class full-time I will update it more often and with shorter blogs. :)

Almost October

Well, it has been few months since my last post. I'm not sure if I'm on the right blog LOL. Anyway, this is a test for now. If it works, I'll update my blog later. I don't have much time lately.

July Stuff

My last post started with "Wow, summer is almost here" LOL. So you can see, updated my blog hasn't been a huge priority. June, we went to Washington and visited Amber and Carlos. It was very beautiful up there, but my greatest joy was seeing Amber and Carlos. Their apartment was so cute and had many conveniences that their home in NM didn't have. As a mother, anytime your kids are happy with something then your happy as well. There is way too much to see and do up there, but we did go to Pikes Market in Seattle, Whale watching off the San Juan Islands/Orca Island and visited smaller local parks. My favorite was Meadowlake park, at least I think that is the name of it haha. The trees there are very tall and lush. I took lots of pictures of slugs as well LOL. It is so funny that I'm extremely phobic for worms, but slugs absolutely don't bother me at all. Weird how our minds work on a consious and unconsious level. 

Which brings to the July. I'm taking two psychology classes, Psychopathology and Positive Psychology. From my understanding one approaches mental illness from studying what has gone wrong in the mind/body and attempts to fix it. The other approaches mental illness from what has gone right in the mind/body and applies basic psychological principles and the theory of the positive to fix it. I really like Positive psychology. It takes away from self-victimization and helps people to realize what strengths they have that may be used to overcome or compensate the weaknesses. 
So, that is my opinion as of right now. We will see how I feel after the classes have ended :)

Good news! Well sort of LOL. The special education secretary at a school district I'd contacted for a COTA job last Feb called me. One of the COTAs here put in her resignation unexpectedly so, they will be advertising for a COTA position (the secretary thinks) at the school district I wanted to work at. I wish for 1. a position to open up, 2. that they want someone with my years of experience (and minimal supervision for the OTR)instead of a new grad, 3. I get an interview and the job.
I'd prefer to work and finish my schooling part-time. Working with the schools would continue my retirement (same retirement system) and I would get paid for my years of experience (which is great in the school system).   
Of course the district may decide to not replace the COTA and just divide her caseload between the other COTAs, so the position may not open.

This was a HUGE blog. Oh well. I don't update enough to be worried about it :)

Summer is almost here!

So, since my last post, I have applied to a few more jobs, which I didn't get. I have now decided that unless employment opens up for a COTA, I am going to go to college full-time and get my BS in Psychology. Yes, I've switched my major, but I've always liked Psychology. I've read much about human behavior (probably in an attempt to understand my own family) and I've really enjoyed learning about it. Granted, better understanding only leads to better acceptance, not the ability to change a person's behavior. So, that is all that I have to say about my current "job/career" ventures. I'm very excited about seeing Amber and Carlos. We will be visiting them in June and then Amber will visit us in July. I haven't seen them since Christmas and I think this is too long. I have throughly enjoyed living near Ashley. We got pedicures today, it was my gift for Mother's day. Amber gave me a most wonderful bath pillow for my new bathtub and a fun movie "Young Frankenstein". I love comedies and I don't think a person can laugh too much! I will update this blog sooner, since I have no school starting until June, yea!