Who Says You Can't Go Back, Been All Around the World and As a Matter of Fact There's Only One Place Left I Want To Go, Who Says You Can't Go Home

Friday, Mom and I spent the day hitting the shops on Market St. in San Francisco. I got a new shirt at Old Navy and a really cute beanie for $7 at H&M, it's one of those beret beanies that sit on the back of your head and I've been wanting one for about 3 years now. We also hit some expensive market and got supplies so that I could make the "Nicole Richie Chicken" for my parents. They both thought it was really good, too.

Saturday morning we got up and cleaned the apartment before making our way down south in to Santa Cruz. My Dad drives the 17 (a really winding highway that goes up over a mountain from San Jose in to Santa Cruz) like a maniac now that he has his fancy TT. We met up with Nae at Costco and ate a quick and ridiculously cheap lunch there. Nae then dragged me all over downtown Santa Cruz looking for pieces for her Old Greg Halloween costume. They had closed off the street and all these little kids were out trick-or-treating at the shops and there were some super cute costumes, like this one little boy who could barely walk who was dressed as a little chick and he toddled around and had the perfect body proportions so that he really did look like a 2 foot tall chick walking down the street!

If you haven't seen Old Greg and have no idea what I'm talking about, here is the video. It is a little rude and quite bizarre!

After we had all the pieces, we went back to her place where her roommate, the Camp Counselor, was out back drinking her favorite beverage of all time, Coors Light, and who gave me a big welcome back hug. I'm still trying to get her to come out and meet and marry Boyfriend's brother Bob because I think they are made for each other. We then headed out to Mom and Dad's house. It was as beautiful as I had remembered it and there were some new additions to the place that made it even nicer. The parents and Nae all had Halloween plans so I stayed in and had a mellow night of watching the World Series Game and Tool Academy 2.

Yesterday, Mom woke me up way too early and we went down to the beach with Dad and I made them do some bootcamp workout moves on the park benches. Mom wanted us to go down because she had seen a sick sealion on the shore and wanted to see if the rescue service she had called had come down to pick it up yet. As we walked up to it, there were these two tourist ladies circling it and taking its picture and nearly touching it. The poor thing was really agitated so Mom yelled at them to back off and finally they did. (Mom and Dad just got back from another walk down to the beach and said that the sea lion was gone so it either swam away or was picked up by the service, which is good because lots of times they just come up on shore and aren't rescued and die there.) After that, Mom was nice enough to take me to Target, where we got lots of bathroom/beauty supplies for me and some tacky Christmas earrings and brooches from the $1 section for all my friends back home for our Christmas in July party next year. Then we went to Trader Joe's and did the grocery shopping for the week. I was in heaven, but I tried not to go too overboard and kept in mind that I'm still on a diet until Boyfriend gets here. When we got home, Dad was gearing up to paint one of their patios and as it was gorgeous weather, I offered to help him.

Today I spent my morning applying to jobs in the area and figuring out how I get on to substitute teaching lists. I was told by one office that the list of subs is pretty long right now and it's near impossible to get work unless you know teachers who can recommend you. When I phoned another school district's offices they told me I might be able to get some work, but first I'd need to go get a TB test so I spent part of my afternoon down at the County Health Office getting the test done and I have to go back on Wednesday so they can look at it and tell me whether or not I am in the clear.

Tomorrow is supposed to be another gorgeous day around here- sunny and temps of about 80 so I think I will do my online job applications out by the pool and help Dad put another coat of paint on the patio. Life is good!

So I'm Sitting in the Classroom, I'm looking like a Zombie

This morning I slept in and I was just waking up when my phone rang at 9:30. I didn't recognize the number and I wasn't expecting any calls, but I picked it up anyway. On the other end was a lady from a service called "Casual Direct". It is a service you sign up for when you graduate saying what schools in your area you'd be willing to do substitute teaching days at. Now, they've had my info since last November and I've never gotten a call from them once before today so I was shocked. She asked if I could make it out to a school that morning. They had already been in session for nearly 30 minutes at that time and it'd take me at least another 30-45 to get dressed and get over there. At first I said, "No, I don't think I can," but then I changed my mind (and thought about how me and Boyfriend could use the $200-250 for 5 hours worth of work. Sidenote: are you U.S. subs and teachers totally mad that we make that much here? Last time I looked, in Santa Cruz you only make $85-$100 a day!) and decided "What the heck, let's do this!" So I scrambled to throw together clothes and make sure everything was ready in my substitute teaching kit I've had all year, but had no use for, and Boyfriend and I were out the door.

The kids were overwhelming and on their worse behavior. I had fun activities and bribes and prizes and it just did not matter. They were in 5/6th grade and too cool or something. It was a hard day, made even harder when for the last hour I was given a whole new group of 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders to do an art project with. The project was one they had already started and basically consisted of turning bits of foil in to a sculpture. The foil instead ended in balls being flung across the classroom! I got them to stop the project because they weren't doing anything anyway and wanted them to clean up and we were just going to do another activity I had up my sleeve, but getting them to clean up and be quiet was the mission from Hell. I have never yelled so much in my life. I was definitely glad when the day was over and all I could think about was, "Woohoo, money!" I was exhausted and dejected. I thought, "I can't do this again." I went up to the office to return the classroom key and sign out for the day when they asked me if I could do a half day on Monday. I said, "Sure!" At least I know what I'm in for this time. Next week's assignment consists of one hour on the other 5/6th grade mixed class and two hours on Kindergarten. Wish me luck and say a few prayers for me!