Hoskinwood Family

Welcome everyone to my new, very own space, to rant and rave about whatever the heck I want. Now instead of sending mass e-mails, or CC'ing you on one I wrote to my mom, etc., you can check in here when you have some time and feel like it. I like to think of it as a way to assuage my post-marathon email guilt - and still keep friends and family "in the know." Maybe it makes me feel less self-absorbed. But isn't the concept of blogging somewhat self-absorbed anyway? So be it. At least I'm calling my own bluff. ;)

I will add some pictures when I have some interesting ones to show. For now, the only ones you see are furniture pics of some of my belongings that I'm trying to find a home for, before moving to California. I guess I will start with that - my current life plans, for anyone that doesn't know already.

I have been accepted as a member of the Teach for America corp. www.teachforamerica.org
I will spend the next two years teaching in a low income school district in either Palo Alto, CA, or Gilroy, CA. Palo Alto is northeast of San Jose, and Gilroy is south. San Jose is 50 miles south of San Francisco. It is larger than San Francisco and is considered the safest city over 500,000 pop. or something like that. Housing is of course expensive, but nothing like San Francisco. I'm hoping I can find a little place for me and Lola, but it might very well be that I have to have a roommate. There are over 300 days of sunshine and the climate is pretty temperate, with temperatures usually between 60 and 80 degrees. I will miss those southern thunderstorms. Those are my favorite.

I am spending this summer doing two things - going to Ireland and Scotland for my best friend's wedding in Portree, Scotland, for 2 1/2 weeks, and immediately following that, inducting, training, studying, preparing, and orientating to become a teacher. I am very excited! And somewhat terrified. But that is to be expected. I'm looking forward to being challenged, and meeting new people. Did I mention I will be teaching middle school math and science?! Yeah, well...anyone who knows me well can have a good chuckle at that one. My middle school science teacher Ms. Rakow will definitely chuckle if the news makes it to her ears! (I used to read...openly...during her lectures)

Things have changed so rapidly, drastically, and often during the last...oh, 6 years...that it is hard to take stock of it all sometimes. On a good day, I feel so fortunate and that I have lived a few lifetimes already. On a not so good day, I envy the sense of home and security that others have, that sense of security that you can really only get after living somewhere for a while and get comfortable. But envying that makes about as much sense as envying someone's relationship. The truth is, you never truly know what others have or what is going on, and most likely, they are looking around envying what others have as well. I'm trying to learn to be grateful for what I have, not what I want...or better yet, what I think I want. It is said that suffering comes from our constant desire right?

This Friday I fly to Chicago to take one of the two California state teaching tests that are required. It has 3 sections and takes every minute of 5 hours, apparently. I'm nervous, but trying not to be overly so. Thank goodness I have a good friend in Chi Town too that I will get to visit. Then the following weekend is moving time! Yay!!! :( It's only the...I lost count...83rd time I've had to move in 3 years or more! And again...thank goodness my mom is coming in to save the day. I know she won't take due credit, but she truly will be saving the day. She can get a lot more done than I can. I got Dad's sense of efficiency. ;) Which isn't to say that I can't get things done. It's just saying that I get things done...just while watching a movie in between, or going through photo books and letters in between. I like to think of it as the "more fun" way! But Mom will force me to get busy...which I need.

Thanks for tuning in. I'll be sure to come back to rant and rave about how the test went.