Heeeeeere's Johnny!...

Err...well, actually it's just me. Jeanne. Mild-mannered, happy-go-lucky, not-at-all-psychotic Jeanne (and, just for the record I'm not a crazed ax-murdering fiend either).

So, I'm here. I haven't found made time to write about the minutiae of daily life of late. Just haven't had it in me, I guess.

And right now the only really "big" news to report is that I will most likely be heading back to work part-time as soon as next month. Remember my embarrassing story about asking my old boss for a copy of my resume when I couldn't find one on my computer? Well, she sent me that email letting me know that I was welcome to come back to work for them 'whenever' I'm ready. That was a few weeks ago. Fast forward to last week, which was school vacation week (and a good time to find me in an ideal 'escapist' mood in which I daydream about leaving the kids in the competent care of others and drive off to a real job that comes with a decent paycheck), and my old boss called me up asking if I could come back sooner rather than later. As it turns out, the reason for the phone call and the job offer was because she had very bad news to share - a coworker (and fellow SLP) was just diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. I previously worked with this SLP and have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for her as a colleague - and I just really like her as a person. I was so sad to hear the news and I would ask anyone who prays to say a few words of prayer for her as she fights this horrible disease. In any event, I feel compelled by this news to try to find some way to juggle my schedule so that I can help - sooner rather than later. Thus, my thoughts lately have been consumed by scheduling conflicts (and how to most effectively resolve them) and trying to bone up on the latest and greatest in research and implementation of a variety of assistive and augmentative communication (AAC) technologies. I'm working my way through a 500-page textbook on communicative competence in AAC users and trying to find colleagues who will allow me to shadow them at work so I can reacquaint myself with a variety of AAC systems and try to clear the assorted cobwebs and dust bunnies from dark corners of my atrophied brain! Not an easy task - and one made harder by finding myself on the fast-track to gainful employment when I had thought I'd be waiting until at least September.

But, as much as I'm nervous about the thought of re-entering the work force and trying to force my brain to remember all that "professional stuff" that I squirreled away somewhere (I hope!), there is an equal part of me that is excited by the challenge and the chance to get back out there and do what I was trained to do! And, I would be lying if I didn't admit to relishing, just a little bit, the thought of a tidy little paycheck every now and again! I really have enjoyed being home with my girls and just "being" here for them for the everyday stuff as well as the more momentous occasions like their first steps and a variety of school-sponsored events that take place during normal working hours. And it's not like I'm going back to work full-time right now. I will still be available to go to events at school and prepare them their snacks more days of the week than not. But, I will also be getting back a bit of the old "professional" me and using my skills to help others. It's a good feeling.

Wish me luck! And pray that I can make the transition from full-time SAHM to part-time WOHM with relative grace and aplomb (and that I don't turn into some kind of ax-wielding psychotic lunatic in the process...).

Rock On!

Here's my imaginary rock band's first imaginary cover (doesn't look like it would attract much attention, let alone go platinum, does it?):

This was created by a musically inspired Meme found at Vexed in the City called the Let's Make a Band Meme!

The rules are as follows:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RandomThe first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.(you might have to click new random quotes at the bottom)

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

You then take the pic and add your band name and the album title to it, then post your pic. Tada!

In Which My Job Search Ends Before It Begins....

OK, so I told you all that I had to send an email off to my former boss to find out if I could get my hands on a copy of my resume, right?

Well, there's good news and there's Good News to share!

First of all, the good news - Rick found a not too ancient copy of my resume on an old back-up someplace or other. It's from 2003, but since my employment history has been scant since then it is not really too far out of date (sad, huh?). At least I won't be starting from scratch. Have I mentioned how much I hate writing up my resume?

As for the Good News - my former boss responded to my email. Here's what she wrote...I'll let the email speak for itself:

Hi Jeanne,
I'm sorry - I can't find it. I think it must have gotten lost in my
move from downstairs to upstairs where my office is now. I even had
someone look down in the cages at the 'former employees' files.
Anyway, just so you know - we are still looking for someone to help us
in the CCATT Center. YOU would be perfect. I hope you will still
consider us. Just let me know - it could be part-time or full-time.
Take care - glad to hear the girls are well.

Karen


Can you stand it? I'm thinking I'll be sending off countless resumes and cover letters this summer and looking for a part-time job and then I get asked to consider working for them part-time or full-time!? It feels good to be wanted, I tell ya.

I wrote back that I am very interested in working in the area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication again (that's pretty much what they do at the CCATT center) and that I would love to work with her team of professionals again (I held a very part-time position with them during the 2004-05 school year and left because I was pregnant with Eliza). I'm not sure what the position would entail and whether it would be similar to my previous position. When I worked for them last I was the "fill-in" girl and took on contracts that were difficult for the other team members to fit in their schedule. I ended up with some contracts that were only once or twice a month visits to schools and my primary goal was to educate the team of Special Education service providers (mainly SLP, but also classroom teacher, OT, PT, and paraprofessionals as necessary) in the selection, design/set-up, and implementation of communication devices for students with moderate to severe communication impairments. I learned so much in the short time I worked with them and will strongly consider a return to this kind of job.

I know that the field has probably changed exponentially since I left over 2 years ago, but I am excited for the opportunity to develop a specialty and find a unique niche rather than working as a 'general practitioner' in a school setting. My current plan is to work on some self-directed learning/professional development to find out what new products are available and learn how to use them (not to mention get a refresher on the tried and true products). The CCATT has one afternoon each month where professionals and parents of students with disabilities can do just that - learn about what is out there and get a chance to actually use them hands-on. I plan to attend a session or two this spring and I also asked my former (once-and-future?!) boss if there would be the chance of 'shadowing'/observing someone on the team to learn even more before I jump back in. I had planned to try to get a few SLP friends to allow me to observe them and I may still do that as well.

I had a brief moment after reading that email where I considered the possibility of jumping back to work sooner rather than later, but I realized that the combination arranging childcare full-day for E and working out a feasible schedule for pick-up/drop-off for A is a bit daunting. Things are busy enough right now that I think I'll just enjoy the rest of my SAHM status and plan for re-entry to the workforce in the fall.

As an aside, I also found out recently about a website called Schoolspring.com where you can post your resume and search for job listings in your area. I was speaking with R's principal during my Tuesday stint as a library assistant and mentioned that I would be planning to return to work this fall. He asked what kind of job I was looking for and I told him that I am an SLP. Well, you should have seen his eyes light up at that and he asked if I had my resume up on Schoolspring. I explained that I had just found out about it and gave him my 'sob story' about my resume and how I was working on trying to get my hands on a copy so I could get it updated and posted. He also advised me to call and speak with the Director of Special Education for our town and give her the heads up. I actually know the Director quite well because R was in her daughter's class last year and they live in our neighborhood. So, I will probably put a bug in her ear just to keep my options open but I'm hoping that the CCATT center will still have a need for me come fall.

Who would have thought that a search for my resume in order to update it so I can search for a job would end up with a job finding me instead?