Uh, hi.
Oh hey livejournal I haven't posted to since April. Long time no see.
So, let's see, things that have changed since I posted last......
Got into Texas State. Woot. Majoring in special education. Double woot. Should have only a year and a half left of school if all goes according to plan. It feels like a long time, but I look back on it, and I've been working for TSBVI for about a year and a half, and it doesn't seem that long since I started there. Work is still awesome, btw. In pretty much all my previous jobs, once I reached the "I've been working in this craphole a year" mark, I'd pretty much have already started thinking "Man, I hate this job, I need a new one." I would pretty much hate going to work, and the entire time I was there, I'd be watching the clock till it was time to go home. At TSBVI, I don't get that. I look forward to going to work most days (though I still get some days where I'm tired, or really into something at home, and less than enthusiastic about work, but that's pretty normal, I think), and every day is a little different, and it's usually pretty fun. I don't notice the time going by, I don't watch the clock, I just spend time with a lot of cool kids, doing stuff that feels worthwhile and important. I never felt important at my old jobs. Serving people coffee doesn't matter in the long run, and if I didn't go to work, someone identical to me (in the eyes of the customers anyway) would be there to serve coffee instead. But my kids care if I miss work. I was out for a day with bronchitis about 2 weeks ago (it was a Thursday, so I was actually sick for several days, but only missed one day of work) and when I came back on Sunday my box in the office was filled with pictures and letters, either in huge shaky handwriting or braille, saying "GET WELL SOON MISS CARLY WE MISS YOU!" That felt really good. I'm doing important work, teaching these kids how to take care of themselves and be independent people, and they care if I'm not there, even for only a day. When they grow up, hopefully they'll look back on the time they spent at TSBVI and think of me positively, as someone who helped them become who they are. That's my main goal in becoming a teacher, I think. To have future adults think back and go "Man, Miss Branam (or Mrs. Boone, or whatever) was great, she taught me a lot, I'm glad she was my teacher." I've had teachers like that in my life, and I want to be that in the lives of other people. Now that I'm at Texas State, with a real, declared major and a clear path to my bachelors, I feel like I'm on my way to making this my career. I'm pretty damn lucky, when you think about it. I stumbled into my dream job at an age when a lot of people still have no idea what they want to do with their lives and are still working part time, menial jobs. So though I'm graduating later than a lot of my friends, I still feel pretty good about where I am. :)
Been playing a lot of video games. Have gotten really into the Halos. I'm even reading the novel, The Fall of Reach. It's pretty good, actually. Halo has a compelling storyline, and if they get the same person who writes for the games to do the screen play, it would make a good movie. I heard that Peter Jackson was on board to do it for a while, but there was lots of weird legal hangups and he bowed out so he could do District 9, which I don't fault him for. I hope the possibility of a Halo movie isn't completely dead, though, I saw some of the props Weta Workshop made, and those compelling live action trailers they did for Halo 3 and ODST, and they are amazing.
Still playing Lord of the Rings Online. A new expansion, Siege of Mirkwood, is coming out in December and I'm pretty stoked. You can guess by the title what the new zone will be. ;) One of my favorites from the books, I can't wait. There's gonna be a lot of other new stuff too, a level raise to 65, skirmishes and improved legendary weapons and an updated mount system (we can finally name our horses and ponies, and own more than one without taking up bag space, and talk to NPCs without dismounting), so it should be pretty awesome. Of course, the whiners on the forums are finding a million and one things wrong with the new stuff, but some people are never satisfied.
Well, that's all I can think to update for now. Hopefully I won't wait another 6 months to update again.
So, let's see, things that have changed since I posted last......
Got into Texas State. Woot. Majoring in special education. Double woot. Should have only a year and a half left of school if all goes according to plan. It feels like a long time, but I look back on it, and I've been working for TSBVI for about a year and a half, and it doesn't seem that long since I started there. Work is still awesome, btw. In pretty much all my previous jobs, once I reached the "I've been working in this craphole a year" mark, I'd pretty much have already started thinking "Man, I hate this job, I need a new one." I would pretty much hate going to work, and the entire time I was there, I'd be watching the clock till it was time to go home. At TSBVI, I don't get that. I look forward to going to work most days (though I still get some days where I'm tired, or really into something at home, and less than enthusiastic about work, but that's pretty normal, I think), and every day is a little different, and it's usually pretty fun. I don't notice the time going by, I don't watch the clock, I just spend time with a lot of cool kids, doing stuff that feels worthwhile and important. I never felt important at my old jobs. Serving people coffee doesn't matter in the long run, and if I didn't go to work, someone identical to me (in the eyes of the customers anyway) would be there to serve coffee instead. But my kids care if I miss work. I was out for a day with bronchitis about 2 weeks ago (it was a Thursday, so I was actually sick for several days, but only missed one day of work) and when I came back on Sunday my box in the office was filled with pictures and letters, either in huge shaky handwriting or braille, saying "GET WELL SOON MISS CARLY WE MISS YOU!" That felt really good. I'm doing important work, teaching these kids how to take care of themselves and be independent people, and they care if I'm not there, even for only a day. When they grow up, hopefully they'll look back on the time they spent at TSBVI and think of me positively, as someone who helped them become who they are. That's my main goal in becoming a teacher, I think. To have future adults think back and go "Man, Miss Branam (or Mrs. Boone, or whatever) was great, she taught me a lot, I'm glad she was my teacher." I've had teachers like that in my life, and I want to be that in the lives of other people. Now that I'm at Texas State, with a real, declared major and a clear path to my bachelors, I feel like I'm on my way to making this my career. I'm pretty damn lucky, when you think about it. I stumbled into my dream job at an age when a lot of people still have no idea what they want to do with their lives and are still working part time, menial jobs. So though I'm graduating later than a lot of my friends, I still feel pretty good about where I am. :)
Been playing a lot of video games. Have gotten really into the Halos. I'm even reading the novel, The Fall of Reach. It's pretty good, actually. Halo has a compelling storyline, and if they get the same person who writes for the games to do the screen play, it would make a good movie. I heard that Peter Jackson was on board to do it for a while, but there was lots of weird legal hangups and he bowed out so he could do District 9, which I don't fault him for. I hope the possibility of a Halo movie isn't completely dead, though, I saw some of the props Weta Workshop made, and those compelling live action trailers they did for Halo 3 and ODST, and they are amazing.
Still playing Lord of the Rings Online. A new expansion, Siege of Mirkwood, is coming out in December and I'm pretty stoked. You can guess by the title what the new zone will be. ;) One of my favorites from the books, I can't wait. There's gonna be a lot of other new stuff too, a level raise to 65, skirmishes and improved legendary weapons and an updated mount system (we can finally name our horses and ponies, and own more than one without taking up bag space, and talk to NPCs without dismounting), so it should be pretty awesome. Of course, the whiners on the forums are finding a million and one things wrong with the new stuff, but some people are never satisfied.
Well, that's all I can think to update for now. Hopefully I won't wait another 6 months to update again.