Wait… there are things happening in MY life?
Lately there’s been a lot happening in my life, I’ve just not been able to write about it. So-while I’m supposed to be getting dressed and watching General Hospital, I’m going to try to compose… and this will wind up being a two-parter.
I got a phone call from Parkview asking me to call the secretary back to set up an appointment to sign my contract.
-This would sound wonderful… right? Yeah, in many ways it’s FANTASTIC: a job… teaching… actually getting a triple digit pay check once a month-with benefits and retirement. Yeah, that’s brilliant. So, why am I not bouncing off the walls? Why didn’t I come racing into the house right after I heard the message on my phone and tell Doug the wait is over; I’ll be a financial contributor to the family.
- This is the moment of truth for me. This when I find out if I’m going to be able to go see David Tennant in October. I’m going to try EVERY possible avenue. It’s professional development; we’re going to see two Shakespearian plays preformed by a professional Shakespearian company in Stratford. We’re planning to go to a Shakespeare conference while we’re there as well as several museums. I’m also going to try and set up interviews with a few of the universities while I’m there, so I can arrange to start my PhD studies (that they’re writing a grant to help fund). If that is not professional development, I don’t know what would be.
- The Personnel Board Interview- Before I sign this contract, I’ve got one more interview to give, probably the hardest one ever. There will be no questions about my teaching methods, decorum in the classroom, organizational methods or the depth and breadth of my knowledge-which would be absolutely no problem. Not to sound cocky… because I know I’m not the best teacher or the most knowledgeable- but I’m a pretty good teacher, and, although I do know what the heck I’m talking about, if I don’t know the answer to the question (which does happen because grammar and spelling weren’t my strongest skills. I had to struggle with this because I believe that teaching others to communicate is one of the noblest and worthwhile services I could do for humanity) I’m humble enough to admit it and try to find the answer.
No, this interview will be on nothing but my personal faith. …Faith… Wow. That’s the one thing I usually can’t talk about with others without pissing them off. I am Roman Catholic… and I’m not… I don’t accept things on the sole basis that I was told it by so called authority. I think. I reason. I absorb ideas from different philosophies and religions to get a sense of what I believe. I even hate to use the word, “believe.” It’s so over-used and misused. “I don’t believe in abortion.” That’s ignorant… it exists whether or not you choose to acknowledge it. You may not “agree” with it, but to say you don’t “believe” in it only shows you as either pig-headed or… well, ignorant. I’ve also been known to point out the Old Testament’s condoning of polygamy and lesbianism to overzealous Biblical literalists But the thing that really gets to most of the religious people who ask me to talk about my faith is that I treat Christianity as a philosophy, not a religion.
Wait… let me explain. Let’s say, bright and early tomorrow morning-Saturday, June 28, 2008- undeniable, irrefutable proof comes down from on high- Jesus wasn’t God. Jesus didn’t resurrect (some elaborate hoax by Peter or some other zealots to subvert the Roman government… I dunno). Would it change everything/anything that you do? Would you still live the same way, hold the same virtues? Does that change the beauty or –forgive the loaded word-“truth” of his teachings? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we followed the two deceptively simple commandments: love everyone and love God. Most people I’ve asked that to have said, yes. It would change everything. I posit that obeying someone out of fear or performing good deeds to be rewarded is not being a good Christian, but doing something solely because it’s the right thing to do is.
Well, it is WAY past time I stopped writing on my blog. General Hospital is over, and I should have already been dressed and out the door. Heck, I should probably be at work… good thing I’m not on a “you must be at work at blahblahblah time” kind of schedule.
Expect another post soon.
