Stop, Drop, and HOLD ON!

I experienced my first earthquake today.  I've supposedly experienced them before while living in Alaska, but I never felt this one.  This one.... Holy. Hell. It scared the crap out of me!  I was downstairs in the media room (still staying at Catherine and Robbie's house) and decided I was going to go upstairs to make a sandwich for lunch.  No sooner than I stood up did I hear a low-rumbling noise.  As I approached the stairs, the noise got louder and louder... I seriously thought either A) someone was breaking into their house and making an awful lot of noise in doing so or B) a plane was crashing somewhere nearby.

As I started going up the stairs, everything started shaking.  Harley shot up the stairs to the main level, and I followed him... I can't honestly say I was thinking straight during this moment.  Everything was shaking.  Pictures were rattling on the wall and becoming all sorts of crooked.  I swear the fan in the living room was going to fall and shred some pillows.   The water in the boys' fish tanks were splishing and splashing all over the counter.  And I could honestly picture the house sliding down the hill.  (Yes, I was dramatic.  I'm a woman, I'm emotional, and I was scared the F out! Let's all accept it and move on with life.)

And just like that, it was over.  Everything was still and somewhat calm.  I, however, was shaking like a bowl full of Jello.  I saw one of the neighbors outside trying to call someone on her cell phone, and she got in her car and left.  I tried calling my parents and Michael, and my calls wouldn't go through.  That's when I sat on the stairs in the foyer and just started crying.  I could not believe that I had just experienced that.  Granted, there are places around the world where they experience it on a much greater and much more devastating scale.  But me... Erica.... Just experienced an earthquake.  By myself.  And I couldn't get in touch with my family.  I had no idea where the center was, so I had no idea how much damage and destruction was out there, or where my family was amongst all this.  Cell phones were obviously out of service for a while, but thank God text messages were still able to be sent out and received.  I found out through texting that Mom, Dad, and Michael were all ok.  I was also able to text Catherine to let her know everything was ok here.

Once I got myself together and fixed the crooked pictures on the walls, I logged on to cnn.com and read up about the earthquake.  Its epicenter was in/near Mineral, Virginia, about 75 miles from Manassas.  I don't know exactly what it measured on the Richter scale, though.... I've read reports that it was a 5.9 when it struck in Mineral, but I've also read reports that it was a 5.9 by the time it got to the DC Metro area.  Surely if it was 5.9 when it initially struck, it wouldn't still be a 5.9 when it got to our area.  But then again.... I'm not an earthquake expert.  I am clearly a newbie when it comes to earthquakes.  It was felt all up and down the East Coast... Georgia to northern New England.  Crazy.

It didn't take long for people to start cutting jokes about the quake and posting their pictures of the damage that the quake caused.  This one is, by far, my favorite:

Aside from the earthquake, things are still pretty boring in my life.  I applied to some more jobs with FCPS and with a few local preschools.  I feel so useless having a teaching degree and no classroom to use it in.  Friends on Facebook have already started school and are posting about things going on in their classrooms, or how exhausted they are after a long day with the kids, which I totally get -- if I was teaching this year, I'd be posting the exact same stuff -- but it's weird knowing that I have the credentials and experience to have my own classroom, and I'm not.  I'm not employed.  I have one more paycheck coming from DCS and that's it.  Then what?  I have bills to pay.  I've filled out application after application after application... And... Nothing.  I thought things were picking up last week when I had four interviews, but still... Nothing. 

Everyone is telling me to stay positive and be strong, and while I truly appreciate that, staying positive and being strong does not put money in my bank account that I can use to pay my bills.  I need a job.  A freaking J-O-B is what will put money in the bank.  I don't know how much higher my stress level can go without me completely falling apart.

A note to the job gods...

Help. Me. Out!

I'm so aggravated!

Where did the last two weeks go?

My last post was 2 weeks ago and I honestly can't tell you where those days have gone.  When I was writing my post last time, it was early Friday morning, and I was expecting the moving truck to come later that day to get my stuff.  They never showed.  So later that day, I called AVL back and they said that they were going to try to get a truck to me Saturday, or worse case scenario, Sunday morning.  I told them that "worst case scenario" was not an option, because I was leaving to fly to New Jersey that day.

Long story short, the moving truck showed up at 8 am on Sunday morning, and I had to pay an extra $100 to cancel my flight to NJ.  I was SO pissed!!!

I ended up staying in Dothan until Tuesday, because I took my time cleaning out the apartment and loading my car up with all my stuff, and I wanted to be able to see people before I left.  I left on Tuesday around dinnertime and got up to Auburn around 7:30.  Heather was out to dinner with her bosses and some co-workers, so I let myself in and tried to get Harley and I settled.  Originally, I was going to stay for a week, but I'm allergic to her precious little dogs, Emmie Lou and Rosie.  I hate that some dogs make me sneeze like no other.  Luckily, though, I found some allergy medicine at WalMart that worked, and I spent my entire time at her house drugged up on the medicine.

While I was there, Mom called me and told me about some possible openings in Stafford County.  So I headed over to Panera (Heather didn't have internet) and I applied to the jobs.  However, I'm on such a "I need a job" kick, I decided I would also email the principals at the schools I applied to just to let them know I was interested in their schools and that I've already applied to the positions they have available.  I figured it would be a long stretch considering I've done this before, and all I got were emails telling me "Thanks for your interest in our school.  If you're chosen for an interview, we'll call you."  This time, however, it worked!  I got an email from one principal and a phone call from another!  Go me!

So, considering the fact that they were interested and calling/emailing for an interview, and the fact that I am allergic to Emmie Lou and Rosie, I decided to leave Auburn early and head to North Carolina to see Chelsea.  I was going to stay with her for three nights and then head up to VA on Wednesday morning.  But after talking to the principals that contacted me, I learned that they were hoping to fill the positions fairly soon since New Teacher Orientation starts next week.  So I changed my plans again.

I left Auburn that Sunday, the 7th, and drove to North Carolina to see Chelsea.  Instead of staying with her for a few nights like I had originally planned, I only visited with her for a few hours.  I did a load of laundry and we went to lunch at an Irish pub in downtown Durham.  I left Durham around 5 or so and headed up to Aquia.  Since I came in earlier than I had planned, Mom and Dad got me a hotel room in Aquia near their RV park.  I got within 60 miles of the exit and it got dark real fast and started pouring.  When I was about 30 miles away from the exit, Harley decides to use his litterbox to go #2.... Only, he missed the box and got it on the floormat.  I was so irritated, but I knew we'd be at the hotel shortly and I'd just clean it up when we got there.  Then when I got 5 miles further down the road, the only thing I could see in front of me were brake lights.  It took me an hour to go 25 miles, and my car stunk SO bad!  We finally got to the hotel, got into our room, and got settled.  I woke up to an email on Monday morning from one principal asking if I could go in at 4:00 that afternoon for an interview.  And then I got a phone call from the other principal and scheduled that interview for 10:30 yesterday morning.  Two interviews in one week.  I was so pumped. :)

The first interview seemed to go pretty well.  The principal said they were hoping to make a decision by the end of the week.  I had my other interview yesterday, and that one went really well.  I really liked that principal/AP team.  They aren't 100% sure they'll even have a position open yet, but they were hoping to know by the end of the week.  While I was in that interview, I got another call from a different school about another interview.  Score!  Yesterday afternoon, I got a phone call from Hayfield ES asking me to come in to interview for a 2nd grade position.  I was so stoked!  I would have loved to teach at Hayfield, considering I graduated from Hayfield Secondary.

I woke up today ready for these two interviews.  The first one was up in Falls Church.  The people on the interview team seemed nice, but I didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling like I did with the two schools in Stafford County.  My interview at Hayfield was this afternoon, and I thought it went pretty well, but while I was at the RV with Mom and Dad for dinner, the AP emailed me and told me they chose someone else.  I really hate that the school my second interview was at doesn't know for sure if they'll have a position.  I feel like if they were to hire me, I'd really enjoy working there.  The trek out to Stafford County every day would get old, but thankfully I love driving and listening to music.  And I'd be going against the traffic each way, so it wouldn't be too awful bad.

I know a lot of people are in the same, or similar, situations as me because of the economy, but part of me feels like a total failure that I can't get a job.  I was told that I was let go because of budget reasons, and that a lot of the teachers let go with DCS were the newer hires.  But I know of two first year teachers that were not pink-slipped.  And one of the other teachers that was let go at my school... Last year was her third year.  It's not fair that we were pink-slipped and other first year teachers were not.  What did they do so different or better than me that enabled them to escape the pink-slip boat?  I know some things in my class last year were rough, but I've spent a lot of time this summer reflecting and coming up with ways to do things differently next time.  I know I need to hand everything to God and let Him work His magic... But it's getting difficult to do that.  I'm struggling.  I want a job.  I want a job so much.  I want to put what I've learned from last year to work so that I can prove to myself that I can do this.

No more Summerwood

As I sit here watching That '70s Show at an un-Godly hour of the night, I realized that it's my last night in this apartment... Given that the movers show up later today like they're supposed to.  It's kind of a bittersweet moment, as is this entire move.  It seems like yesterday I was in Birmingham waiting for the phone call to let me know I got the job.  Before I could hang up with the principal and call my parents, I was pulling things out of my closet and throwing them into bags and bins so that I could drive down to Dothan.  I stayed with Lauren and Darryn for a couple weeks until I moved into this apartment.  It was a crazy start to the school year... Trying to get my classroom in order, my apartment in order, starting grad school, and trying to get my furniture from Birmingham down to Dothan.  Insane.

I finally got everything down to Dothan, and got some real furniture and a washer and dryer, thanks to my parents.  I attempted to decorate and give it more of a homey feel, but with everything on my plate this year, I never really got around to it.  Had I gotten a job down here for this next school year, I would have spent my summer really going through all my stuff and getting rid of things I didn't want and trying to find different DIY projects to decorate my different rooms.

But that never happened and now I'm moving out.  It's an absolute mess in here and it is driving me crazy.  I have so many different piles of things... Things going on the truck to Virginia, things going to a friend's daughter for her apartment, things being picked up by a missions group, things going to the dumpster, things going in my car... It's weird that this place will be empty and clean in a handful of hours.

Moving Drama

I thought this was going to be the easiest move I've ever made since graduating high school, because my parents were paying for a company to come in and move everything for me.  I assumed that meant packing everything up, as well, which I'm used to from growing up in the military.  So I told the guy at the moving company that I wanted them to pack and I wanted to supervise.  He said that wouldn't be a problem and we even talked about how many different boxes I'd need for all my stuff.  I've hardly done any packing other than setting aside things I didn't want the movers to pack: Harley's stuff, clothes for Auburn/New Jersey, important papers and pictures, etc.

Then the moving company called today to go over my order again to make sure everything goes the way it's supposed to.  I tell them I have a couple more pieces of furniture to add, because my cousin was going to take my futon and dresser.  She ended up getting a furnished apartment and didn't need them.  The guy said that wouldn't be a problem, and then said something about coming in and loading up the truck.  I mentioned them packing everything up and he said that's not how it was written on the order.  He said he could add it, but that, plus the extra space on the truck for the extra furniture, would require an additional $700 deposit.

$700?!  Seriously?!  I said, "Whoa! Hold the phone!"  I called Dad, and he said, "Oh hell no."  So I called them back and said to nix the extra furniture and packing and to leave the order as is, and I would take care of packing all my stuff.

Boy, was I hot!  I was so mad!  I went to WalMart and bought some plastic bins so I could start packing everything, and called one of the ministry groups to come get the futon and dresser.  However, their building is being renovated and they have zero storage space.  I'm going to have to call around some different places tomorrow.  Otherwise, the dumpster is going to get a nice futon for lunch one day this week.  I repacked one of my teaching bins into a bigger bin on wheels, but it's still SO heavy!  I was going to put my teaching stuff in my car to take with me just in case I get a teaching job in Virginia, but seeing as how freaking heavy it is, I may just take my chances and put it on the moving truck.  I certainly can't lift the damn thing, even on wheels.

I really don't want to have to pack up my kitchen.  I hate packing kitchen stuff.  There are so many big pieces and little pieces, glass pieces and awkward-shaped pieces... So aggravating.  I think if my parents brought their kitchen stuff over from Alaska, I may just donate most of my kitchen stuff to whatever mission group comes to get my futon and dresser.  Otherwise, the dumpster will be having dinner, as well.

I hate moving.

Actually... I like moving.  It's the packing and unpacking and dealing with heavy boxes that I don't care for... Ugh.