I AM A NOW A PARENTHETICAL THOUGHT

Yes, it's true. As of yesterday.

I opened my inbox to find a copy of next fall's teaching schedule. Eager to see what new ways the Wicked Witch of the Midwest could humiliate me, I scrolled down to the bottom of the schedule and saw this:

NTT (my name)

Yup. I have been reduced to parenthesis.

The Wicked Witch has once again, in her passive-aggressive manner, made it clear I will not be back next year.

And to add insult to injury ('cause what else is to be expected?), the schedule makes it IMPOSSIBLE to continue my professional certification in the Alexander Technique. Which is nuts because it was in the position posting when I applied that I be certified or be willing to become certified! It is my guess this was on purpose to make returning less appealing should our School Director override her feelings and offer me another year here (and that's even more unclear especially now that that the cat is out of the bag I'm looking for other work - he asked me outright in a "casual conversation"), and to thwart my artistic growth.

AND, not only do I get no upper level majors classes AGAIN (with the exception of movement), but I am also saddled with four classes AGAIN when the normal teaching load is three. I have only taught a regular load one semester. The Wicked Witch is working hard to help me fail.

SIGH. This place really is a "den of vipers," as the Fight Guy likes to say.

In the meantime, I am still working on job applications. I am struggling to find the time with my current schedule, but hope to crank some out this weekend. I have printed a bunch of new openings this past week and need to focus some attention on doing that.

Of course, a war wages inside of me: do I really want to be a full-time teacher? I am not sure I know that answer. Actually, that's a lie. I know I DON'T want to be a full-time teacher. I WANT to be a full-time ACTOR. Unfortunately, I don't know how to make that happen. I've had enough trouble even being a part-time actor.

So is this the next best thing? I think in some ways it is. Unless every place is as nasty as this one. Who needs this toxicity in their life?

SIGH.

If you have any answers, pass them along . . . parenthetically, of course.