Oops, it's been a while.

I've been really yelling at people about blogging more often because I really like reading them.  Oopst.  (Good job keeping me interested, Nicole.  You are a very good blogger!)  Also I wrote this a week ago and just forgot to put it up. 

So there are a few things that have been going on.  I'm not dropping the ball on goals, I promise.  Oh!  Here's a new song that is amazing called "Drop the Ball" (I seriously didn't intentionally do that.  In case you can't tell my writing is stream of consciousness...)  You may notice some Beib in there?  You're welcome. 

(I think that link doesn't work?  Sorry.  Look it up)

My friend Stephanie at work has a family tradition where, at Easter, her family will create a "Job Egg" for anyone who is looking for a job and they have to go find it.  Then it is assured that they'll get a job.  Sounds pretty foolproof, yes?  This year she made me a job egg.  Here it is in all it's splendor:

It says ABC and 123 so that I will specifically get a Kindergarten teaching job.  She even hid it in the office so I had to work for it.  After a small hint from an unsuspecting intern I found it in a crystal bowl in the office library.    So here I am world, let's live up to the promise!  In all seriousness, though, I had a good, if not revealingly depressing, talk with my parents last weekend about looking for a job.  I think sometimes I don't hear what my dad is saying until after our conversations because at the time I'm too busy arguing.  But when I was driving home after our talk I realized he was right about a few things:

-People my age (read Me, he said people my age to be nice) act a little bit entitled to jobs these days.  We tend not to understand that sometimes getting a good job will take a lot of effort. 

-I am selling myself short when I keep hedging my bets to other people when they ask how the job hunt is coming.  It starts to get a little sad to say over and over that I still don't have a teaching job.  And sometimes I feel insecure and think that people assume that I'm just not good enough for a job.  So I go on and on about how hard it is to get a teaching job right now and about how I probably won't (I think so that if I don't I can act like I'm not disappointed).  I need to let people know that I want a job, that I would love their help, and that while it will be hard, I'm willing to make the effort.  And if I don't get one I think it will be alright that I'm disappointed.

More inspiration for a better attitude came from:

My small group:  upon hearing the story of my post-college life they pointed out that, while it didn't seem like awesome timing that I wanted to start teaching at the very time that the economy was in the tank and schools were cutting teachers like crazy, having to work hard for a job would help me realize that A. it would be God's provision when i got one, and B. I would appreciate it more knowing what it's like to work at a job for which I'm not well suited. 

My friend Fin:  who's advice was that I could "choose to be hopeful" which I like, and hadn't really thought about before.  Also anytime I claim that God hasn't shown up for me he asks me what it would look like in my life if he did.  Obviously it would look almost exactly like my life looks now just with the addition of something I swear I need (that he has provided in a different way).

A friend of a friend named Carly:  who is currently teaching in Texas, but is dying to move to Colorado and when I told her about my job and that I was leaving, she sent me her resume and told the hiring manager here that she would fly out for an interview and is willing to miss a free trip to Italy and Spain this summer to be able to start work here.  It was a good reminder that though I complain about my job, I'm really fortunate that I have it.  And I shouldn't act like this isn't what it looks like for God to provide for me.  This is exactly what provision looks like- it's just not what I expected. 

 My friend Ashley's facebook status:  A person who isn't happy with what he has won't be happy with what he wants.  (She said herm.  Potato potato)

So thanks to all for the encouragement and for the swift kicks in the rear. 

On a happier note I just received this pan in the mail! (at work clearly)

It's my first cast iron pan!  I needed it for a recipe I wanted to make this summer, AND i ended up getting it for about $7 (I'm quite proud of myself- I searched online for a coupon code for 15% off and then I used some giftcards I had received in a promotional bag that I got for volunteering at an event in New York)  Sounds like I have some work to do (seasoning?) before I can use this puppy!  My cousin Eric who is an incredible profesh chef told me that I needed one, though, and if it gets me anywhere near making food that tastes like his, I'm in.  One of his recipes is on the list (#90 Make Eric's Mussels recipe) so maybe this will be ready in time!  If you have any recipes that you like that utilizes a cast iron pan please send them my way-I'm a newb. 

I am having some people over for brunch this weekend (to make eggs benedict and knock hollandaise sauce off the list- #1 Make something using each of the French mother sauces) so maybe I'll make something in my new pan to add to brunch?  If I can figure out seasoning it by then...