Night Ramblings
Sooo...here I am, it's 3:30 in the freaking morning, and it is beyond cold in the hotel lobby, even with the blanket I have wrapped around me. Overall though being a night auditor might work--The girl who's training me confessed that some nights, she goes into the manager's office (which are conveniently camera-free) and takes a little nap. For today, she's trying to set a good example, but damn after she leaves and it's just me, helllllo nap. Oh and the security guard takes a little siesta between one and two thirty. Ahhh, don't you admire the work ethic of those on the graveyard shift? But in our defense, pretty much, the night auditing is done within the first two hours of an eight hour shift. My trainer confessed that the only reason it took that long was because of training me--some nights she gets done in less than an hour. They really should divide this shift into two: 11-3 and 3-7. *whine, whine*
So anyway, Hotlanta. The trip up was really good. I left a little before eight, traffic was pretty light the whole way through, and I found out that the Waffle House is now taking credit cards. Wheeee! I stopped there because I needed to be in Atlanta by 4 at the absolute latest to avoid the horrendous traffic but I wanted something more than McDonalds. I finally made it through Alabama, State of Vast Nothingness. Seriously--there's nothing, and I mean NOTHING for about a 45 mile stretch between Montgomery and Opelika. Noting I tell you, nothing. Except for Ruby Tuesdays. That state is VERY fond of Ruby Tuesdays.
So, I get to Atlanta and from the outskirts to my exit it takes a little over 40 minutes, and the traffic was just start to pick up as I rolled into town. Found my hotel with a minimum of fuss. I was hot and tired and looking forward to checking in, visiting the pool, taking a nice long shower, and then being totally decadent by getting in my PJs and ordering room service while watching So You Think You Can Dance, and then starting the new Janet Evanovich. The pool faced the parking lot, and as I was going in, I noticed it was completely empty. So, I checked in, put up my bags, got in my swimsuit, and made a bee line for the pool. Unfortunately, two other girls had invaded while I was getting ready.
But even though it was a smallish pool, only one of the girls was in the pool, so it was still nice. They were talking, and at first ignored me, which was just fine. Who talks to total strangers in a pool anyway? Or so I thought. I must have a sign on my head that says "Hi, I'm The Most Approachable Person in the World," cause all of a sudden the older of the two kinda sidles up to me as I'm happily floating and says, so what are you here for? So I said briefly "teacher job fair." And that was it. Now, sometimes, I might be perfectly up for chit chat, but I was sorta looking forward to a relaxing evening of me, sans chatty pool people. Well, anyway, Ms. I'm-a-Yankee-and-can't-take-a-polite-hint starts talking about how they've been there for a while and haven't really done anything--they're there for a conference on data entry. They ask me if I flew in, and I stupidly answered no, I drove. Well, they start making noises about how if they had a car, they'd go out and see some of Atlanta. I could hear the hint *driveusdriveusdriveus* but I ignored them and got out of the pool to start the new Evanovich. I sat there and read until they left, and then Michelle called.
But a funny thing happened when Michelle called--the more talkative one came back down, fully dressed. She kept staring at me and it was a bit disconcerting, so I really don't know what Michelle and I were talking about. After I got off the phone, the girl (Rebekkah, I found out) came up to me and said basically that she was stuck there and if I didn't mind maybe later on we could do something as I seemed nice and normal. At that point, it wasn't MY sanity in question. I tried to get around what I knew was coming but then she started in on how her host for the week kinda ditched them and the only thing they got to do was spend a day at the mall.
So stupid me feels guilty for not wanting to do something with a potential psychopath begging for rides, and I agree after she flat out says let's do something. Now, the correct thing to do would be to just run away, but it turned out our hotel rooms were just a few doors apart. So much for my quiet evening alone.
We ended up going to Stone Mountain, and I did have fun...sort of. Like I said, there were many times when I probably would have enjoyed it and even though it's beyond stupid, there's a part of me that feels bad for not enjoying myself more. But the conversation was awkward, as we didn't really know each other. It flowed for the most part, because if need be, I can talk to a dead goat mounted inside a brick wall, but there were some pauses, one of which got the insight of "they really let you around small children?" (her to me. I forget what I said to earn that remark). And this is really dumb, but it bothers me that when we had to pay to park, she didn't offer to pay my share. Yes, it was $8 so my share was only 4, and if she offered, I would have said no, but I wanted the offer damnit. I was basically squiring her around when I really yearned to veg out.
So we get to the park, and we go on this thing called Ride the Duck which was 10.75 for one of the crappiest tours I've ever been on. It was awful, and the guy was this bitter retiree who was borderline crazy. I mean, not for the sake of the tour crazy but men in white coats crazy. He played the most bizarre music that had nothing to do with anything and instead of telling us about the park history, he went off on some crazy tangent about wolves and sneaking up there as a teenager and how no one ever got into trouble back then. The music, you may ask? Some country song, Swan Lake, Who Let The Dogs Out, I Feel Good, and the We Go Together song from Grease. Bizarre. When we got back, we walked around Stone Mountain Village and went into some cutsie shops, and that was kinda fun. I bought my dad some fudge, myself a really nice coffee mug, and my mom a candle that looked exactly like a can of Hershey's Chocolate. We got some dinner, which was pretty good, and we took it to Stone Mountain to watch the laser show.
I had seen it once before when I was around 10 or 12, and it's changed a lot. The technology seems to have gotten worse, and it very much had a pro-war, patriotic slant. When I went before, they did nifty things with the lasers and then did a laser-history show in how Stone Mountain came to be. None of that, but it had every patriotic country song ever written. It wouldn't have been so bad except I was with someone and I didn't know where they stood politically, so I just kind of watched it uncomfortably. She then mentioned that she had a cousin in Iraq and how much she liked the music selections. Gah! And she's from Washington State, I didn't think that was allowed. Let me clear--I'm not looking down on her for it, but it did cement in my mind that this whole evening was kind of a mistake, and I mentally kicked myself for giving in. She wanted to talk about the show, and I kind of shut her down, as anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about certain things, and I just *knew* if we started discussing the laser show, I'd probably say something that would have offended her. We made it back without incident, and called it a night. She gave me her e-mail address (I sort of "forgot" to give her mine), but I don't think we'll be conversing again.
The next day was the job fair, which went really well. I got one on-the-spot interview, and two more to schedule for August, if the teacher in those schools actually retire (it's still a bit of a question mark). It was a bit disorganized, as you were supposed to pre-register, but most of the teachers there didn't bother, so they grossly underestimated the need for parking and space of the facility. The organizers just decided to let EVERYONE in, even though it was only supposed to be for certified teachers who had been invited and registered. Like moi. But oh well. I did fairly well overall. Despite Crazy Pool Girl, I really do like Atlanta. There's just something about that city that appeals to me. In the meantime though I have an actual job interview in New Orleans on Tuesday for Lafayette Academy, a new charter school, whose teaching philosophy matches mine.
Anyway, that's all for now! BTW, the new Janet Evanovich rocks. The new Anne Bishop...I'm reserving judgment as of yet. It has the potential to be good, depending on where the story line goes, but there was just something missing. I don't think the main characters are as fleshed out as they could be. I have such double standards for authors--if it was David Eddings, or even Mercedes Lackey, I'd probably be fine with the hero as he is now, but I expect more from Anne Bishop.
So anyway, Hotlanta. The trip up was really good. I left a little before eight, traffic was pretty light the whole way through, and I found out that the Waffle House is now taking credit cards. Wheeee! I stopped there because I needed to be in Atlanta by 4 at the absolute latest to avoid the horrendous traffic but I wanted something more than McDonalds. I finally made it through Alabama, State of Vast Nothingness. Seriously--there's nothing, and I mean NOTHING for about a 45 mile stretch between Montgomery and Opelika. Noting I tell you, nothing. Except for Ruby Tuesdays. That state is VERY fond of Ruby Tuesdays.
So, I get to Atlanta and from the outskirts to my exit it takes a little over 40 minutes, and the traffic was just start to pick up as I rolled into town. Found my hotel with a minimum of fuss. I was hot and tired and looking forward to checking in, visiting the pool, taking a nice long shower, and then being totally decadent by getting in my PJs and ordering room service while watching So You Think You Can Dance, and then starting the new Janet Evanovich. The pool faced the parking lot, and as I was going in, I noticed it was completely empty. So, I checked in, put up my bags, got in my swimsuit, and made a bee line for the pool. Unfortunately, two other girls had invaded while I was getting ready.
But even though it was a smallish pool, only one of the girls was in the pool, so it was still nice. They were talking, and at first ignored me, which was just fine. Who talks to total strangers in a pool anyway? Or so I thought. I must have a sign on my head that says "Hi, I'm The Most Approachable Person in the World," cause all of a sudden the older of the two kinda sidles up to me as I'm happily floating and says, so what are you here for? So I said briefly "teacher job fair." And that was it. Now, sometimes, I might be perfectly up for chit chat, but I was sorta looking forward to a relaxing evening of me, sans chatty pool people. Well, anyway, Ms. I'm-a-Yankee-and-can't-take-a-polite-hint starts talking about how they've been there for a while and haven't really done anything--they're there for a conference on data entry. They ask me if I flew in, and I stupidly answered no, I drove. Well, they start making noises about how if they had a car, they'd go out and see some of Atlanta. I could hear the hint *driveusdriveusdriveus* but I ignored them and got out of the pool to start the new Evanovich. I sat there and read until they left, and then Michelle called.
But a funny thing happened when Michelle called--the more talkative one came back down, fully dressed. She kept staring at me and it was a bit disconcerting, so I really don't know what Michelle and I were talking about. After I got off the phone, the girl (Rebekkah, I found out) came up to me and said basically that she was stuck there and if I didn't mind maybe later on we could do something as I seemed nice and normal. At that point, it wasn't MY sanity in question. I tried to get around what I knew was coming but then she started in on how her host for the week kinda ditched them and the only thing they got to do was spend a day at the mall.
So stupid me feels guilty for not wanting to do something with a potential psychopath begging for rides, and I agree after she flat out says let's do something. Now, the correct thing to do would be to just run away, but it turned out our hotel rooms were just a few doors apart. So much for my quiet evening alone.
We ended up going to Stone Mountain, and I did have fun...sort of. Like I said, there were many times when I probably would have enjoyed it and even though it's beyond stupid, there's a part of me that feels bad for not enjoying myself more. But the conversation was awkward, as we didn't really know each other. It flowed for the most part, because if need be, I can talk to a dead goat mounted inside a brick wall, but there were some pauses, one of which got the insight of "they really let you around small children?" (her to me. I forget what I said to earn that remark). And this is really dumb, but it bothers me that when we had to pay to park, she didn't offer to pay my share. Yes, it was $8 so my share was only 4, and if she offered, I would have said no, but I wanted the offer damnit. I was basically squiring her around when I really yearned to veg out.
So we get to the park, and we go on this thing called Ride the Duck which was 10.75 for one of the crappiest tours I've ever been on. It was awful, and the guy was this bitter retiree who was borderline crazy. I mean, not for the sake of the tour crazy but men in white coats crazy. He played the most bizarre music that had nothing to do with anything and instead of telling us about the park history, he went off on some crazy tangent about wolves and sneaking up there as a teenager and how no one ever got into trouble back then. The music, you may ask? Some country song, Swan Lake, Who Let The Dogs Out, I Feel Good, and the We Go Together song from Grease. Bizarre. When we got back, we walked around Stone Mountain Village and went into some cutsie shops, and that was kinda fun. I bought my dad some fudge, myself a really nice coffee mug, and my mom a candle that looked exactly like a can of Hershey's Chocolate. We got some dinner, which was pretty good, and we took it to Stone Mountain to watch the laser show.
I had seen it once before when I was around 10 or 12, and it's changed a lot. The technology seems to have gotten worse, and it very much had a pro-war, patriotic slant. When I went before, they did nifty things with the lasers and then did a laser-history show in how Stone Mountain came to be. None of that, but it had every patriotic country song ever written. It wouldn't have been so bad except I was with someone and I didn't know where they stood politically, so I just kind of watched it uncomfortably. She then mentioned that she had a cousin in Iraq and how much she liked the music selections. Gah! And she's from Washington State, I didn't think that was allowed. Let me clear--I'm not looking down on her for it, but it did cement in my mind that this whole evening was kind of a mistake, and I mentally kicked myself for giving in. She wanted to talk about the show, and I kind of shut her down, as anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about certain things, and I just *knew* if we started discussing the laser show, I'd probably say something that would have offended her. We made it back without incident, and called it a night. She gave me her e-mail address (I sort of "forgot" to give her mine), but I don't think we'll be conversing again.
The next day was the job fair, which went really well. I got one on-the-spot interview, and two more to schedule for August, if the teacher in those schools actually retire (it's still a bit of a question mark). It was a bit disorganized, as you were supposed to pre-register, but most of the teachers there didn't bother, so they grossly underestimated the need for parking and space of the facility. The organizers just decided to let EVERYONE in, even though it was only supposed to be for certified teachers who had been invited and registered. Like moi. But oh well. I did fairly well overall. Despite Crazy Pool Girl, I really do like Atlanta. There's just something about that city that appeals to me. In the meantime though I have an actual job interview in New Orleans on Tuesday for Lafayette Academy, a new charter school, whose teaching philosophy matches mine.
Anyway, that's all for now! BTW, the new Janet Evanovich rocks. The new Anne Bishop...I'm reserving judgment as of yet. It has the potential to be good, depending on where the story line goes, but there was just something missing. I don't think the main characters are as fleshed out as they could be. I have such double standards for authors--if it was David Eddings, or even Mercedes Lackey, I'd probably be fine with the hero as he is now, but I expect more from Anne Bishop.