a reminder for myself

I need to learn or figure out to embed or clip images and videos to my entries. I shall ask Drew next time.

I no longer (hopefully permanently so) need to click the food/bev/hospitality link on craigslist

Well, perhaps I'm on my way to what my friend Neill calls "a big person." I got my first--what I believe to be--"degree-requiring" job. I got hired at a prestigious school Uptown. I'm working in their preschool/daycare, and though it's not my dream job, I am happy there. It's nurturing and gives its infants, toddlers, 2s and 3-year-olds a well-rounded, encouraging and dually cooperative and independent environment to learn in. I will know more about it next week because I only work 3 days this week (two shadowing a little girl that I will be shadowing for 3 days a week and one subbing in a 3-year-old class). Nevertheless, the word salary is in the picture, and I'm looking forward to being a part of the family that is this school.
This week I also helped register ESL students at our field site on the Westbank. I was nervous at first because I've been out of practice since I returned from Guate, but one guy actually asked me if I had been learning Spanish since I was a child, which flattered me and stroked my ego. The other Catholic Charities volunteers as well as the register students seem so friendly and interesting. Unfortunately, I've been slacking so all of my lesson plans will be prepared this weekend! I guess it isn't so unfortunate as I learned my class will be more of a "pre-beginner" level as opposed to the level 1 class I was assigned originally. This is the case because one of the teacher backed out. So, my students will have had little to no English experience (though they do live here so that counts for something, right?), and the program is total immersion. I will be able to do this, I think, but it will be hard. Wish me luck!

Hmm, so that'll be 2 days a week. I had a meeting at the Magazine location of SLICE (I was hired about a month ago, but the opening has been delayed because it's been under construction), but the place looking good! I went to the meeting because I don't want to let them down and though I accepted the job at the McGehee, I have yet to hear the exact figure. But, when sitting down to tell Jason my adjusted schedule, he said that we'd have to talk because this changes things. (I hope Neill can get my space since it looks like I'm going to have to quit to be fair to both of us; this is probably better for me anyway. I'd be spreading myself thin with 3 regular commitments. This way, I'll just make a little money on the side via babysitting or tutoring Spanish. Today at my new school though, we had Spanish, and surprisingly I learned at least one word from Señora Michelle. I had never learned the word for rainbow. It's arcaides (sp?), but it's just not something I ever learned. Today was a little bit embarrassing and I started off on a bad foot. I woke up at 8:18 when I'm supposed to be there at 8:30. Let's just leave it at that. I was so desgruntled with myself because I didn't want to make a bad impression. But, in the end, it was okay. I was 10-11 minutes late, but I called my superiors and they're incredibly helpful and understanding. Plus, the kids are a delight (and yet still effective birth control even their cutisms make me want one every now and again). So, I'm happy! I used "so" a lot. :\

I'll just close with saying Jes and I hosted a Mediterranean dinner at our apartment this Wednesday. A lot of laughs and stories were shared among Mahsa, Lydia, Neill, Mia, Jesse and me. I cooked couscous and homemade falafel and prepared hummus and a yoghurt tahini dip. Lydia brought a delicious Indian-tasting chicken (her version of shwarma), red velvet petit fours from Robert's and a tomato and onion medley. Mia and Neill contributed with ingredients, which I am grateful for as for some reason my card declined at Walmart. Neill also picked me up off Magazine after I got off of work and I didn't have streetcar money (sad, I know, but I'd forget to ask Jesse...maybe even sadder that I'd have to ask instead of having the cash myself). In any case, I drove today. Jesse drove me the first two days because Mia had her car. While I enjoy riding with Jesse, it's easier for us to drive separately to work, especially when I have to start coming in earlier. But, overall, it's a burden for him to bring me because it's not really on the way. He definitely acquiesed the past two days though, and when we both woke up late this morning, he would have still brought me if I hadn't had the car. I realize that this isn't what makes him so, but I have a wonderful boyfriend. I hope he knows that.

Jes and I had a really good dinner of leftovers. I had marinated 3 steaks on Tuesday night, but I didn't want one so I saved it for another day. But because we had had so much food and going the last few days, we decided to eat it today. I made a salad from the lettuce Mia had bought for the Mediterranean dinner and created my own dressing (it was decent though not amazing like the hour-long pomagranate one). We watched this show that Jesse was introduced to in his Evidence class. It's Murder One, and it's from the 90s. I actually really like it. Yay 90s crime dramas!

I was thinking today. I don't know where I'll be in a year, but depending on whether or not I go to grad school next fall or how content and fulfilled I am with McGehee, I may apply for Teach NOLA (teachnola.org) or Teach for America (teachforamerica.org) Hmm, I guess I'll be going to bed shorty. I would have liked to have done it this year, but I graduated and didn't apply in time.


Mañana
- ejercicio (exercise)
- planear mis lecciones (lesson plans)
- pasar el tiempo con mi novio (spend time with Jesse)
- investigar Sensory Integration Disorder

What do you think of my new layout? Baker Girl did it for me!

I'm awake pretty early because Jesse woke me up, and now he's playing a video game, and I'm taking this opportunity to post an entry.

I've been pretty annoyed by LSU lately because I was supposed to get my first paycheck from them over three weeks ago. So my part-time, temporary employment with LSU (through the NIH-funded Early Reading First Project Recovery) ended this past Friday, and while most of my colleagues have already been paid the first pay period's and the second pay period's paychecks, I have neither. Finally, my boss was able to get a response after emailing a couple of times and visiting LSU; they said that I should have my check this Monday, which she believes to mean more likely Tuesday or Wednesday. This is ridiculous. Apparently, it was a paperwork error in accounting, but it's really upsetting. I've had no money for about 5 days now! Luckily, I checked my Sallie Mae account yesterday, and they deferred my payments until early next year (because I sent in my lack of employment form), but I had believed that I'd be paying this month. And, I had wanted to start paying because it'll be the beginning of decreasing that $19,000+ that I, myself, owe. Not to mention what my mom's been paying on another; I need to pick those payments up eventually. Anyhow, I'll just wait until I have a steady enough income to pay the loan in addition to rent. I'm giving Jesse a portion this month, but I can't wait for the day that I can pay fully; he's been doing so for so long because of my lack of employment. But, things look like they're getting better. For instance, the job at Louise S. McGehee's Little Gate (www.littlegate.com) that I interviewed for Monday looks to be a good direction for my life. They asked me to come in today to shadow another girl and try out the position. I hope I enjoy it as much as I did shadowing another girl during my interview. It's a really good school (really a daycare, preschool), but I don't want to get too attached until I know I have the position indefinitely. So I'll write more about that after I've worked a day or two. :)

Yesterday, Drew came into town again. We ended up going to the Uptown Farmers' Market (Tuesdays at Tulane Broadway Square). It was nice, as usual, though I've only been there a couple of times before. It was her first time at this one, and we liked a lot of what we saw. We also ran into a couple of my friends; Natalie works for the nonprofit that puts on the market so that was cool for me to realize what she does and now fun her job mst be. Drew got purple hull peas and tomatoes. I got a tomato plant, a bak choy plant and a basil plant (all for only $4). Let's hope I don't kill them. But, there were so many yummy things that I would have liked to have bought (including the 7 varieties of basil), but we were on a mission (to cook our Thai Red Curry, butternut squash, lime, ginger, tofu, coconut cream soup--I forget the real name). Since the farmers' market is all local produce, we didn't find most of the ingredients we needed, but we just ended up going to Langenstein's and Curry Corner after to pick up the others. Gosh, our soup was good, though the process of making it was amusing. Imagine me and Drew in the kitchen. I'm trying to cut a butternut squash and it's falling right under me,  making a scattered mess (after I had swept that morning). Anyhow, I made Mia and Jesse (and was planning on making myself) steaks for dinner, but I just had another bowl of soup because it was such a filling lunch (soup and naan parata-sp?) and I couldn't go for heavy meat (and I like to think in spite of the coconut cream and peanut oil, it's a relatively healthy soup). Mia tried it and she liked it, which was good because she's still a little sick. But, she made herbed mashed potatoes, and I cooked the asparagus and mixed a small salad for Jesse.

Drew, Jes, and I want to go to the Hollygrove Market one Saturday though because you get an entire bag of fruits and veggies for only $25! One of Mahsa's friends was biking past us on Saturday morning so we met her and she informed us of this niceity! Anyhow, Neill wants to go to the farmers' market next week so hopefully I'll be able to (while still maintaining a job). I'm supposed to meet with SLICE managers and employees on Friday because, now, the Magazine location is supposed be early next week. If I have the Little Gate job though, and it's more-or-less full-time, I'm quitting SLICE. I really do like SLICE, and I don't mind waiting tables (as I've said several times before), but I'm ready to move on to my next non-restaurant-working party of my life. But, then again, the money is so good! I begin teaching ESL on the Westbank next week (and I still need to finish (or begin :/) my lesson plans--today or tomorrow!) Monday, I went to the site to register some of our adult students, and I got to use Spanish! But, at first, I was really nervous because I was rusty. That'll subside with time, I guess. (The class is supposed to be conducted 90-plus percent in English anyway since it's an immersion program.)

Drew's supposed to be back on Friday so I'm going to bake bread and we'll probably make something new! (Her blog is so much better at describing our experiences) But, next time, maybe I'll write more of an ethnography of whatever it is we cook. It'll be like a writing exercise...I'm such  a nerd.

Tonight, I'm making couscous, falafel and hummus! Lydia's bringing over her version of chicken shwarma, and Neill's bringing pita and juice. Jesse has his second class tonight so he'll be getting in later, and Mia will come over after practice.

Things to do today:

-grocery shopping (with Neill after I get off of work)

-run a load of laundry, do dishes

-tea time with Jesse Maxwell

-run (didn't go running yesterday)

-no time for GRE prepwork today, I guess

-doubt I'll have time to write lesson plans

(last two will be for tomorrow)

So it's 6:04 now. Do I have time to sleep a little before I take a shower and get ready for work. We'll see...

Word of the Day?

I'm sitting at Rue on Oak with Neill and Mia because I realized sometime this late afternoon that I needed to get out of the house to study. It just wasn't happening. So still, although all I finished here was the introductory chapters of the Barron's books I have (courtesy of Jess), I feel like I'm on my way to studying and subsequently taking the GRE. I am now working on a list of words from books that I've read and jotted down in a little notebook/diary that Mia gave me for Christmas. These are words that maybe I have encountered in my secondary and higher education, but for some reason or another, I cannot recall their denotations. I think that not only will studying them help me a little on the GRE Verbal section, but I will be a more articulate person from doing this. I have maybe a couple dozen pages full so that should keep me busy. But, I just wanted to note to myself [again], while I'm looking up all these words, what my goals are.

- finish looking up, copying and learning these words' definitions

- read more! I love to read, but I have not been motivated enough to make time to do so since I've returned from Guate, or really throughout college more-or-less. I've read one book since I returned from Guate. Kind of inexcusable considering I've been jobless for much of that time, but things always came up. And, I'm always getting recommendations! Julia Child's autobiography, two books of Junot Diaz's.

I hope that Jesse and I end up coming here tomorrow. There's also something going on at the Deutsche (sp) Haus, a music festival or something? So maybe we'll go there. Depends, I suppose, on what's going on with Mia since she's sick. She was at our apartment just about all day until Rue around 5:30 or 6. Oh, and I'm supposed to go to Marshall's with Lydia tomorrow afternoon. Yay good deals!

Well, back to my vocabulary lessons.

Goals. Maybe one should be updating on a regular basis, with shorter posts...

I haven't updated in a while, and I'm feeling somewhat lackadaisical about this blog. This week Drew came New Orleans and we kind of did some errands around New Orleans and hung out. It was nice and relaxing. She suggest that perhaps I make a new blog since the inception of this one was the result of my going to Guatemala. I may do just that, but for now, I'm going to keep on updating this one because I don't want to have to manage multiple accounts (I also have a livejournal). Also, she said she'll help me with the layout soon. Neill reformatted my livejournal; I'm so clueless when it comes to html code, among other computer functions. I also need to come up with a fitting blogger username should I decided to start a new blog.

Anyhow, I just want to jot down a quick list of things to do tomorrow or within the next few days. I'll probably be going to a coffee shop and since Jesse will be at the library with Lydia, filling out applications for the BAR exam, I'll probably want some company; I think I'm going to ask Mia. Oak Street sounds good for tomorrow. Z'otz or Rue...hmm. But, I have to complete the following this week

- make my lesson plans for teaching ESL at the West Bank field site. I accepted a volunteer position with Catholic Charities about a month and a half ago and since the orientation, I haven't opened the text books and handouts they provided us. I begin teaching not this week, but the following, but I want to have a tentative syllabus for the entire semester. I'm excited about this, and though the class is supposed to be conducted in 90+% English (total immersion as I'll be teaching the second to lowest level - 1, after pre-beginner), I'm still excited that I may get to practice my Spanish...

- which brings me to another thing I should start doing--reviewing my Spanish. Since Guate, I've scarcely picked up my notebook or any Spanish books. Sure, I write and text in Spanish when I have someone to do so with, but that's not going to help. I talked to Veronica this week (she's coming in for Halloween!!), and she finally went to an Italian language group meet-up (like at a cafe or something) to practice hers (only this one is in Dallas, and not La Divina). But, she said, her Italian is considerably rusty after 9 months (since her semester in Italy). I don't want that to happen to me. I also want to work on my French (or begin again if you consider my 10 year hiatus). There's a lot that I want to accomplish, but I just am not as motivated as a should be.

- I want to read more. I'll get to that in another post. 

- I will be studying for the GRE sometime soon (i.e., this weekend) because I want to take the GRE next month. Hopefully, I'll have the money to do so. Also, upon Drew's suggestion, I think I'm going to get the Kaplan book when I get my next paycheck. That is, if LSU will get its shit together and pay me. I called their HR about 2 weeks after I should have gotten paid, and they said they had yet to receive my paperwork.

- I worked out at Reily with Neill today, but I had wanted to go running sometime after (Jesse and I went to Best Buy), but my mom got lost in Lafayette and I stayed on the phone with her until it was approaching sundown. She was going there to see Mia's meet, but never made it because she ended up surrounded by sugar cane fields. Don't worry, she's fine now. Point of this bullet is, I need to make exercising a regular thing; it had been three days since I went, but excuses kept coming up. I go strong for a few days, and then for numerous reasons, I just slack off. Neill and Jesse both had something critical (in a good way) to say about my photos on that modeling contest site. I am asking Aziz to do a tfp shoot, and I'm going to be looking to work on my portfolio. But, I can't do that if I'm not in shape!

- Lydia and Mia are coming over for dinner on Wednesday. We're having my homemade hummus, and I'm trying a falafel recipe from one my cookbooks. I'll also be making some Isreali couscous. Drew introduced me to it when we were at the Kosher store in Metairie this past Wednesday (she also bought it for me). I'm looking forward to tasting it. Lydia's making chicken, maybe something like chicken shwarma. I'd like to get my hands on a bottle of Moscato,  a Kosher wine, but if not, we have that bottle of Riesling. 

Well, this is all I'm going to post for now on goals.

On a different note, I'll be babysitting a 17-month old, the daughter of a former-colleague of mine (see below). I don't know how often, but Holli asked me to do so and she lives near Whole Foods so it's not so out of the way. I went to her house on Monday to meet her daughter, and then we went to Mikimoto's on Carollton. So good, though not as good as Kyoto. 

I have another interview on Monday, this one for a position with Louise S. McGehee Little Gate. It's to be an Early Childhood Assistant position, and today, someone I worked with LSU Early Reading First told me that she's personal friends with the head of Little Gate and she'd give me a recommendation. Today was my last day (for this semester) with LSU because our testing has come to an end; post-testing will occurs in April, but hopefully, by then, I'll have a nice, full-time job with benefits (as well as preparing for my fall semester of grad school?). About half the group met up after and went to Dong Phuong in New Orleans East. It was a nice lunch with all these people that I'm become accustomed to after 3.5 weeks. The bubble tea was made with real fruit! I got jackfruit; the portions were huge and delicious, and the best part--a Vietnamese bakery was attached. Oh the fragrance of buns! Anyhow, that's all I'll say for now. Hopefully, in my next post, I'll be able to tell you of some accomplishment for my list that I've made.

I'll also try to recap some of what else has been going on in my life in future post(s).

today, in world news...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/09/11/alan.turing.petition.apology/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/09/11/athletics.semenya.gender.iaaf/index.htmlhttp://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2009/09/10/2009-09-10_caster_semenya_.html

Must make time for an entry or two this weekend. I'm tired right now and I'm about to go to bed. This weekend, I'll be between Luling, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. I'll make time for a post or two though!

Good night. Actually, first some Highlander. Oh, and Jes and I were able to watch Obama's health care speech this evening on the New York Times website :)

http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/invite/WeCantWait

I don't know how to embed files :(

Someone replied to my facebook status, and this was my reply to her

I'm not saying that some government-funded programs don't get abused. However, we have a problem when we're wanting to discontinue ALL of them or greeting any proposed programs as being Socialist and/or Nazi. Should all those who really need the healthcare suffer for the portion who abuse it?

And, what about the other factors which contribute to those people "on their porches" waiting for a check? Where are their quality school systems; where are the programs that encourage socio-economic betterment, that help "at-risk" and lower socio-economic children actually learn (as opposed to meeting quotas and barely passing)? How are they to go to college? I have an issue with there not being enough grocery stores in poorer areas. A little off subject and dependent on free enterprise store CEOs, but how can people in these areas eat healthily without access to fresh fruit and vegetables? Many of these people only eat convenience store and fast food because that's what's around.

There's a disadvantage for these people, whether we chose to acknowledge it or not. We're fortunate to have grown up in suburbia. For so many others--which I see in New Orleans on a daily basis these days (I work for LSU testing preschoolers for early literacy)--their daily environment is quite different. And, it's not that their parents don't want to provide them a good education and a good upbringing (though arguably some don't care as much), but it's a lot harder when generation after generation, these families have lived without, have had to struggle to make ends meet, without sufficient education and resources that are civic necessities afforded to other living on the right side of the railroad tracks or the good part of town.

I believe that everyone should have healthcare. I believe that it's a human right. Maybe it's idealistic to have this belief in the US (though I know several European countries and Costa Rica definitely have it; whatever, those are those countries, and this is the US). Government is for the law and governance of all people, by our elected officials, yes. But, it's also for the well-being of all people. We pay taxes to share among all constituents in our jurisdiction, parish, city, state, or federal. Sorry that my reply was so long, but I feel pretty strongly about this.

I'm in a classic movies-watching mood--thanks, Jess.

Well, I am due for an update, but for now, I'll just post this link for AFI's top 100 female and male acting personalities. I am going to run with Mahsa in about an hour and a half and then study for the GRE a bit. Around one, we're going to Lydia's new apartment. Yay Labor Day...
I'll try to update later because a lot's been going on and I just had a great weekend (with my mom, Mia and Jesse's parents--and Jesse, of course).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years..._100_Stars