I think it has been a good long while since my last post. Probably not a year, but at least 6 months I think. Much has happened, and though I have had time to blog on a number of occasions, I’ve just been too darn lazy. There you have it: its off my conscious and in your hands now. In the meantime, I have (of course) had some pretty crazy experiences.
First of all, I quit my crappy job at the bank. I am no longer on the wrong end of cranky customer’s long-winded, oft misplaced, diatribes about how the bank screwed up their finances. Score one for Sarah!
I also finished the first half of my student teaching experience less than a week ago. It was a really incredible placement, learning experience and time. I had a great cooperating teacher that shared a lot of my educational views and really allowed me to grow as an educator. I got to talk about photography for at least an hour and a half a day, sometimes for five and half hours, which I absolutely loved. And I got to teach a graphic design class that made me scramble for the entire eight weeks I was in charge of it. I ended up advancing my own skills quite a bit (as I tried to stay one step ahead of the kids) and really liked the kids in the class. Now sure, it all sounds rosy here, because its over and I miss the students and everyday routine. Rest assured that I suffered a good many days too, the kids often made me absolutely nuts, and it was completely stressful and exhausting. But also rewarding, and that is the part I am choosing to remember.
In a few moments I will leave to meet my next cooperating teacher and learn about the elementary school I will be working at for the next seven weeks. I have to admit I am a little hesitant about the next placement. It was disadvantaged from the start, since my real love lies with teaching photography and I am probably not going to do that with elementary kids. But it also has a lot to live up to considering how much a I liked my first placement. I really like high schoolers (I know, I’ve heard that makes me weird). I just find the whole age/developmental stage they are at wonderful. There is all this social stuff going on that they’re really just figuring out and they think they know everything. It’s just a total kick in the pants. On the other hand, I have never been a huge fan of the elementary crowd (again, I know, this makes me weird). Half of them have only been going to the bathroom on their own for a few years…and I’m just can’t get psyched about that. So why spend half my student teaching experience at an elementary school, you ask? Because the state mandates it for a K-12 Art Education license, and the jerks don’t offer a 6-12 teacher’s license. In any case, I will enter into this second placement with an open mind and really try to have a solid learning experience. That is the most I can promise.
In other news, I am having, or maybe trying to have, minor health setbacks. The truth of the matter is that I feel pretty good on the whole. I was having some anxiety issues related to the stress of teaching that was aggravating my chronic condition, etc. but solved those with a very small dose of a mild sedative (and when I say small, I really do mean small. We’re talking 3 mg a day here.) However, my last scope didn’t produce the results my doctor had hoped for and I am being advised to take medications that I don’t really want to. Some of my more important questions have been left unanswered (I made sure to tell the people who would not be on a lot of drugs after the procedure what my concerns were so that they could ask on my behalf). I also feel largely concerned that my doctor is just NOT listening to me…which makes me pretty angry. I realize that he is the expert on medications, treatments, disease, etc. But I feel that I am kind of the expert on my body. I know what I felt like 2.5 years ago, how I felt on Asacol and Colozal. I was the person inside my own skin, and I’d like a little credit for living through the disasters those drugs unleashed. However, my opinions aren’t carrying any weight and I am more than slightly frustrated. Unfortunately, I am not able to meet with my doctor until the 19th, so I will have to wait to express my concerns. It made for a crappy start to my Spring Break and I am trying hard to sort out my feelings about the future of my treatments, disease, and all that jazz. I know that nothing will be changing until this summer, because I am in a tight spot professionally right now. I can’t go running off from my student teaching all the time for new treatments, especially because what I have been doing allows me to feel good and function well. That should be a fun conversation to have with my doctor.
For now, I have some exciting stuff happening on the home front, as Dylan and I have some pretty major renovation projects planned. I am expecting a lot of adventure and work, but I think that it will be worth it in the long run. I have to find my way to Pierce now, but I will make a better effort to keep posting.