work and play

I know that catching up on sleep isn't really something that happens, but my body could have fooled me today. This entire week I've been tired during the day but have been hard-pressed to fall asleep at a decent hour. I blame daylight savings, but yesterday, I was asleep sometime between 11 and 12:30, I'd say; woke up around 8:30 this morning; ate some breakfast and watched a couple of episodes of Smallville with Jesse and went back to bed...for 2-3 hours. I feel refreshed though now even if it means that most of my day was "wasted."

So today I want to go to Borders to get presents for Isa and Adele as both of their birthday parties are tomorrow. I'll really only be going to Adele's since I have to be there for noon to help set up, but I'd like to drop off something for Isa (stickers, a book, and/or paints). There's a teacher appreciation week event at Borders so I'm going to cash in on that. I get 30% off anything through the end of next week. Maybe I'll get a magazine and/or a book. Drew showed me a couple of good ones this Thursday when Jesse and I got together with her and Jeff. I was particularly taken by Boho published out of NJ, even if it was intensified by the 100% recycled paper on which it was printed and the beautiful decoupage-like laidout pages. The others were Details and The Believer (out of San Fran). So I need to get dressed soon after I finished updating so I can get there soon and while there I'm going to work on my 5-minute lesson plan for my teachNOLA interview next Saturday. Also, yesterday when I was at the fly to meet up with old roomies Amanda and Lauren, one of Will's (Amanda's boyfriend) friends overheard me talking to them about my job and possibly teaching Spanish next year and he told me that St. Martin's Episcopal in Metairie will be looking for a Spanish teacher next year because one of theirs is retiring. So not a minute to lose, last night I composed a cover letter to one of its heads and attached my resume and a list of references including Dr. Henne's information. So fingers crossed that I'll get one of those spots though full-time at Little Gate is looking up. After the final rejection letter, I went to talk to Camile and Mimi with my revised plans on my mind. I had planned to talk to them that lunch anyway, but either way, I stated my feeling for next year and it went well. I didn't say anything about going to grad school since it didn't come up and it's rather moot right now. I just asked about full-time positions in 2s and 3s classrooms. They told me that they'll have a more definite idea a little after Easter so yay!

Jesse and I had [consolatory] lunch at Baru on Wednesday. Our delicious lunch was supposed to be celebratory, but Tuesday right before lunch I went to lunch, I checked my email to find one from the dean/chair saying that I was not accepted into the final program for which I had applied, Latin American Studies at Tulane. Of course, I was disappointed and non-directional, but after much contemplation (and after going to a planned lecture at Tulane that evening about 18th century Mexico), I've decided that I should use this next year to become fluent in Spanish and that I may not be mature enough to begin a graduate program. He and Mia have been particularly supportive. My mom and Drew too, but Mia and Jesse have been the ones with me when I found out. I talked with a lot of people, in particular Dr. Garza, and sitting as the only Loyola student/graduate at the lecture, I looked around thinking that they were so much older and mature than I am right now. So the next year, I believe, will be beneficial to my pursuits. I'm going to retake the GRE, aiming for a 1300. I will find a way to get into a program if it's what I really want. I guess the truth in Dr. Hunt's words kind of stung, but I wasn't completely unprepared for the reality. I'm proud that I didn't cry.