Thursday, July 28, 2005

Good bye Athens

Oh yeah - this is my last posting from Athens, OH. The other night at the Bizarro homestead we saw one of those new episodes of "In Search Of" with Mitch Pillegi from X-Files. They did a bit on "America's haunted campus - Ohio University". Naturally they talked about the Ridges and the woman whose outline is on the floor. And there was some grad student who's giving tours of the campus for the haunted spots. I wonder who that guy is? Supposedly the campus is built over Indian burial grounds and is also nestled in the crux of five cemetaries (forming-gasp!-a pentagram), with one of the administration buildings at the exact center. They showed some girl who was terrorized by a ghost in WIlson Hall, too.

So I've decided if I ever come back to Athens and O.U., I'm going to find that grad student and try to do the "haunted tour". THat's all O.U.s worth to me, at this point.

WIll I miss Athens? No. But I will miss certain little things - until they're replaced by much cooler things in Ithaca! Seriously, I will miss my T'ai Chi class and my Bellydancing class, and even the Bando exercise class. I'll miss the springtime coming early. I might miss what a short drive everything is (but then, there's not a lot of stores I really wanted to shop in anyway). Most of all, I think I'll miss the memories I made there - especially the first apartment that Bizarro and I shared together in these two first years of our lives together. Although I hate the heat/cold small refridgerator tiny ass one closet - ness of the apartment, it was our first home together.

So, with mixed emotions, but mostly a large feeling of "eat my fumes" as I drive out of Athens tomorrow afternoon... I bid farewell to Athens, OH (the only county in the entire state of Ohio that voted for gay marriage).
At Landru's

These are my last few moments in "Landru's" otherwise known as "The D-Hole". We needed to get out of the apartment and vacuum the car, and to have a few airconditioned moments of rest. I've gotten sick from all the physical and emotional exhaustion. Nothing major, just dragging me down and making me feel shitty. How the f*ck am I going to hit the ground running on Monday morning? arrrrrrg.

Anyway, tomorrow is the big moving day Part I, and I anticipate the in-laws will annoy the living f*ck out of us tomorrow night. I'm just going to hide in the bedroom. I am prepared for them to ask me 20 times if I can really drive that truck, and as Bizarro suggested, they prolly went back in to the basement and pulled out all this shit they feel we should take and added it to the pile ready for us to pack. And they'll nag and nag until we either take it or have to resort to being rude (NO! We dont' want it. If we'd wanted it, we would have pulled it out on Tuesday! NO!).

WAAAAAAAAHHHHHaaaaaaaHHHHHHHHhhhhhaaaaahhhh!!

Okay, stop bitching. It'll be over soon. I HATE MOVING! But I love where we're moving to and why we're moving there! :D

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Parting Gift

I forgot to mention O.U.'s parting gift to me last Friday afternoon - a freaking $20 ticket for parking in a lot without a permit. Well you know what? I ain't a student there and I ain't a faculty person. They can take that ticket and shove it up their money-grubbing, miserly asses!
Two days and counting!

It being Wednesday morning, we have two days to go for our move. It's been an exhausting week -- more so than I expected. Time at the Bizarro family was more stressful than I anticipated (just due to the fact that they were being Filipinos). But it's all good.

We are hanging out at our friends' in Columbus, their kids crawling all over us. It's okay because, sadly, we won't be around to see them grow up. I've been a part of Keegan's life since he was a baby (he's 5) and Kaeli was born just about the time I went to Korea. She's three now. I went through this when I left NY 6 years ago - my friends' kids were little and I missed their growing into teenagers (one of them is a teenager, the youngest is 10).

I'm dreading the moment of saying bye to Melissa. Waaaahhh. I hate saying good bye.

I'm really feeling annoyed at having to go to training on Monday. I am going to be SOOOO wiped. Oh well. Quit biching, E. It's time to suck it up and you can fall apart a week from now.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Last Day: Year of the City 2005

That reference, in case you all don't know, is from one of my favorite movies of all time: Logan's Run. It's appropriate because today was my last day EVER - EVER - at Ohio University. I actually had to return to the G-Hole to return my keys earlier tonight but now that that's done - I'm freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Last night was the farewell dinner for the students from Chubu University who have been studying at O.U. since the middle of March. After 15 weeks, we've bonded pretty well, so there were tears and lots of promises to write and keep in touch. A couple of my girls were sobbing - gawd it was like leaving Wuhan University last summer all over again (only there were 450+ instead of only 11 like last night). Anyway, it was gratifying to know that I made such an impact on them. This is why I am a teacher - I feel like I can affect people's lives and even if I never see or speak with them again, they will hopefully take something from a class I've taught that will help them in the future.

It's a warm evening but it will cool down tonight, finally, so that Bizarro and I can stay up late packing. Tomorrow I have a butt-load of laundry to do and will pack the kitchen. Yipes.

I'm relieved to be done with O.U. and to be done saying my good-byes there. I have a couple more people to say good-bye to and that will be next week after we get back from Cleveland. It's nice to be done with one thing so I can focus on what's coming.

Well I gotta split. Bizarro is breathing down my neck to get off the 'puter. Heavy sighs emitted from the couch.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Are we there, yet?


Yesterday I received the official offer from the Ivy League on the Hill, and of course I officially accepted the offer. My Boss at the Ivy League (I need to find a good moniker for her) called up and offered me a slightly higher salary than originally discussed, plus a mini-stipend for the 3-day OPI training (they're already footing the $600 bill for the training), AND a $1500 sign-on bonus. Unbelievable! I've never received a bonus just for saying "yes, I'll come to work for you." I keep reminding myself that this IS, after all, and Ivy League school.

So this week I'm trying to slog through my classes, finish them up with their final exams and such. I'm exhausted - last week's pace has caught up with me. On top of that is the extreme heat and humidity in our unairconditioned apartment, the packing, the cleaning, and the goody-byes that I find so emotionally draining. Last night went to my last T'ai Chi class here. That class really helped get me through grad school and my teachers were excellent, as well as being cool people. I will miss them very much.

Oops, time to teach. I really want to be finished with this week so we can visit Bizarro's rents in Cleveland and then come back for the final clean and move.

Friday, July 15, 2005

Ivy League Grrl

It's unofficially official! I am going to work up on the Ivy League Hill in Ithaca, NY!!!!! The last two days have been very grueling - the interview, driving around NY, and apartment hunting, not to mention the problems I had with U.S. Air. I found us a suh-weet deal on an apartment, thanks to my new director, who lives part time at this apartment complex which is north of campus.

The apartments are "garden style" - very similar to the place I lived in Quincy, MA lo those many years ago. The buildings are separated by gardens, paths and huge pine trees (my favorite tree). The $800 rent includes basic cable, wireless internet access, a pool, laundry facilties on premises, 24-hour maintenance, and the convenience of the buses that run between there, campus and downtown. Our place is actually a modified 2 BR which has hard wood french doors to the patio, a working fireplace, and is just next to the parking lot. The days of living as a poor grad student are over FOREVER my friends!

The job itself is a dream job, as I've mentioned before. I was so impressed with everyone I met on Wednesday. The focus, the energy, the positive attitude, the group dynamic are all exactly what I want to be around. I will really enjoy my work and feel like I'm doing something really positive and impactful. I will also be able to take Korean, for free!! Woo hoo!

So - now starts the real work: preparing to move and moving out of state. Boxes are my friends!

Must get going and start some of the balls rolling, the plates spinning and other assorted metaphors.

YAY ME!!!

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Is this my life?

I'm still reeling from the shock that this Ivy league place wants me. They are flying me out there next week to do an inperson interview and they've agreed to have me stay an extra day so that I can look for apartments. The Director says that apts. go for $800 - a bit pricey. I'll check it out myself of course, but it's still cheap compared to what I paid in Boston! The hard part will be putting down a deposit and first month's rent all at once - $1600 is gonna wipe me out completely. We'll figure it out, I'm sure. I'm just happy that I don't have to make another flight out there to look at apartments. What a relief!

I started stressing out yesterday after the immediate shock wore off. Typical OCD -- everything we're going to have to do in the next 3 weeks to move out there started flooding my brain like a tidal wave. I started making lists.

So now I'm just trying to focus on one thing at a time - go do the interview, if it goes well, find an apartment. Those are the two hardest things and I'll take care of those first thing. Packing and changing address and dealing with bills can be done over the subsequent two weeks. Money is a concern, as always, but usually we find help when we need it.

What's a drag for me is the wait between now and the time I get on the plane next Tuesday. I guess I could start packing some stuff (cleaning out the closet perhaps?). I've also put the call out for people to take my two classes next Tues and Wed. Oh, and today I spoke with the Assoc Dir of OPIE who is so nice and supportive. He mentioned about whether I'd be around for 2nd Session and I said I wasn't sure. He was like, "okay, well just let me know." Very cool about it. And he was supportive of me having an interview, giving me a lil' pep talk. Too bad his boss is an ass.

So, full steam ahead I suppose. I better lay off the coffee; my nerves are already getting frayed!

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Ohmigodohmigodohmigodohmigod...

Just picked up an email from the Ivy school on the hill in Ithaca: they've reviewed my portfolio and want to do a 2nd interview today!!!!!!! She's gonna contact me a bit later to talk more. Oh my goddess! This is it - the final frontier. If they offer me the job I'm flying to Ithaca this weekend to get an apartment set up. If they turn me down, I don't know what I'll do but it will probably involve frozen alchoholic beverages. Stay tuned for developments later today...

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Nerves

So today being Tuesday, the 5th of July, the folks up on the hill at the Ivy league in Ithaca should be looking at my stuff in the next day or two. I'm a bit nervous, but in a good way. I think. Hopefully within a week I'll know something from them.

I was so busy writing about the OPIE payday f*ck up last Friday and saying goodbye to Mr and Mrs Club, that I totally forgot to talk about my first belly dancing class last Friday. It was a total blast and I'm really looking forward to it every Friday. Now I have my workout schedule complete: T'ai Chi on Monday, the women's Bando exercise Tues and Thurs, and Bellydancing on Friday.

The funny thing is that she started our warm up using hoola-hoops. Funny how I could do that shit when I was 12 years old with no hips, and now I can't keep the thing going. Practice makes perfect, though, so I'm off to the evil empire WalMart to buy a hoola hoop. I keep thinking about that part of the Chimpmonk Christmas Song "meeeeee I want a hoooooola hoooop!"

On that note...

Monday, July 04, 2005

Sgt. Pepper

The album currently playing at Landru's is Sgt. Pepper. Bizarro snuck out of the Diamond Mines around 3:30 and we came to the air conditioned haven of Landru's until they close early for the 4th of July. Oh yeah, happy Independence Day.

Today was the OPIE picnic. F*ckrs. Like I'd go to their picnic after Friday's fiasco! Anyway, I have a bit of a stomach bug and didn't feel like sitting in 91 degree heat.

Yesterday I made a significant decision, or rather, a realization. No matter whether I get this cushy job at the school on the hill in Ithaca, we ARE going to Ithaca at the end of the summer. We've made a commitment to ourselves, and once I really accepted that this job is not the end-all be-all of my existence and happiness, why suddenly it was much easier to be in a good mood. I love Ithaca, Bizarro loves Ithaca, and we can make a happy life there even if we are doing other kinds of work besides teaching. I'm sure once we get there, it'll be much easier to get jobs and find a way to make ends meet. I feel good that we are going there, and it makes this summer more bearable, knowing that there's a good end to the story!

This student in Linguistics, an undergrad I think just sat down and is bugging the shit out of me with questions. Grr. No peace for the wicked!

Friday, July 01, 2005

No Turning Back

Last night we said farewell to our dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Club. I cried the whole drive back to town and had to clean myself up so I could walk into WalMart to pick up a few things. It's so funny how attached we become to other people. Hm. Well I'm sort of a sentimental softie anyway. Kitten and Club, I wish you the best of everything and I expect you to keep in touch often! Maybe over Winter break if one of us has a job, Bizarro and I can hop a plane out to Missouri. Can't look back, only forward, right? I will treasure our Athens memories always!

Speaking of jobs, I just finished the gigantic task of putting together a kick-ass teaching portfolio for the job in Ithaca. I'm pretty happy with it and anyway, it's finished and sealed up so there's no going back now. I had to re-do this and that page every time I found a small mistake. I really tried to get this as perfect as possible. The DVD looks good, too, I think (although I can tell it was done on iMovie rather than a real editing program).

Okay, I have to tell this OPIE story. The reader's digest version: I couldn't get my boss to tell me exactly how much I'm getting paid this summer, and finally I was able to get someone to at least tell me WHEN we get paid. I was told July 1 and August 1. Today is July 1. There was no deposit to my account. I called in to the temporary office manager (a student, poor thing) and was told they got the contracts in late so we weren't being paid until July 8! No one bothered to tell us instructors of this development - and most of us live paycheck to paycheck so it was quite a shocker.

Well, I was enraged (as you might imagine) and didn't teach class today (anyway one of my two students couldn't come today). Went to the bank and used our emergency cash fund and most of my savings account so we could make rent. Got to the G-Hole, called HR and made sure someone knew of the latest administrative f*ck up at OPIE. Turns out that The Big Boss at OPIE decided (apparently after my irate phone call earlier this morning) that they would cut paper checks to us all. Know how I found that out? One of the other teachers (who didn't know about not getting paid on the 8th) saw a sign downstairs saying that we could pick up checks between 3-3:30. Again -- no email, no communication to let us know what's going on. Stupid f*cking ASSHOLES!!! If I get this job in Ithaca, I will really enjoy screwing OPIE by leaving before summer is over. Heh.

Well anyway, that's the story for today. Good and bad. Going to my first belly dancing class later this afternoon. Gotta keep on keepin' on.