Today I began my job search. It turns out my extra planning was not necessary. I started the day with hot oatmeal and green tea. I signed my cover letters, and stuffed them in envelopes. I did not bother with any fancy paper types. I made 8 copies of my resume (with cover letter and a copy of the NYS page showing that I was due a certificate -- eventually) to 8 former schools I subbed at.

The first school I decided to try was the school mentioned several times in this blog. Why? Of the 7 or 8 schools I subbed in, this school had the best vibe (relatively speaking). The principal was the one that seemed most specific in asking me to join. Specifically, she told me that if I made a decision over the summer to contact her. The other schools only gave vague interest that they would love to have me full time at their schools. It turns out that the first school gave me a 3rd grade position as soon as I walked through the door. If I thought it was going to be that easy, I would have thought a bit more carefully. What was the response? The minute I told them I was looking for a full time position, the secretaries stopped what they were doing to call the principal on the loud speaker. When the principal walked in they told the principal that they had their 3rd grade teacher. The secretaries said happily that they would vouch for me. The principal said that since she already knew my work, she did not need to interview me. She went to the secretaries computer to log onto the State (or city’s) website to see if she could offer me a position.

It turned out that when I quit about 6 years ago, I was in the system as resigning. I would have to go to the regional office to rescind my resignation. The trip to the ROC (Regional Office Center) was easier than I thought. I was in such a good mood that I went to the NYC board of education in Brooklyn to change my status from substitute teacher to full time teacher (different pay rates). At the HQ, I was told that I did not need to change my ID since it was a smartcard (microchip contained inside the ID). I was also told that it was too early to change my payroll status.

I was still in a good mood. It was late (about 4pm), but I decided to go to MacDonald for a late lunch or an early dinner. Unfortunately, MacDonald was very crowded. Next, KFC was also too crowded. I settled on Subways. I had a BBQ sandwich, apple pie, and bottled water. For an extra dollar, I could have gotten the combo meal (a bag of potato chips and a soda), but I decided to pay extra pretending to be making a healthier choice. I told myself that if I did eat at a fast food restaurant, then I would walk it off. I was about to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, but I remember the Manhattan Bridge. I did not realized the two bridges were so close. I can’t count how many times I’ve walked across (and back over) the Brooklyn Bridge without thinking about the Manhattan Bridge. So, how was the Manhattan Bridge? Very Noisy. And it was not as nice. The D train runs across the Manhattan Bridge. I think the Manhattan Bridge was a slightly long walking time (maybe 30 minutes). I forgot to time myself. Next time, I will walk across the Brooklyn Bridge then return on the Manhattan Bridge.

On the Manhattan side, I walked through China Town to the Grand Street station. I rode the D train back to my shoebox. I changed clothes to shop for some supplies for my classroom. On an impulse, I went to cheap shop that sells irregular items, for example, clothing with loose stitching. I decided to buy a pair of jeans. Recently, I’ve lost some weight, before I invest in an more expensive pair of jeans, I decided to buy a cheap pair. The jeans I bought were a size 34 waist. Wow, I have not had a pair of 34 waist jeans since high school. Strange part, I now have a 34 waist, but I still have a beer belly (even though I don’t drink beer).
I ate leftovers for dinner. I was not really in the mood to exercise. I only did about 40 minutes on my rowing machine. I watched the first half of TEAM AMERICA – Baka!!!!!

I attached a couple of photos from my walk. The first is near Board of Ed HQ in Brooklyn. The other photo was taken on the Manhattan Bridge.

Post Date - Saturday, September 2, 2006 11:05pm