Job

How Much Is Too Much

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 3 Comments

Thanks for all your kind words about my photog business.  It has been in the making for a long time and I am happy to finally have it be “official.”  I certainly won’t get rich-as my availability is quite limited–as I have two kids, go to school, serve on the board of a non-profit, am learning how to write grants and serve as webmaster/designer for my mom’s website.  I swear that I also enjoy my husbands company.  It’s a shame we rarely get any quality time together. 

I was talking with hubby yesterday about my photog business and he quietly laughed and said that I must not think 5 jobs was enough.  I looked at him and he listed them….

“mom, wife, student, EOR board member/grant writer, webmaster, and now photographer.”

I had to remind him that I am not content unless I am doing all that I can.  I love being a wife and mother but neither of those things are fulfilling in and of themselves.  They bring me great joy but not enough to make me feel “complete.”  I love working with EOR and that is an awesome responsibility and pleasure.  It will keep me busy but there is more.  I don’t even want to talk about school.  It has become such a part of who I am as a person.  I have been in school the entire 12 years that my husband and I have been together.  I know he  is waiting for the day that he can know me as a non-student.  Webmaster for my mom is less of a job and more of an obligation.  But it’s really only something that I have to do two or three times a year.  So that’s not too bad. 

I think my hubby worries that I am taking on too much.  My photog business is going to be very relaxed and I only hope to do a few sessions a month.  Nothing major.  I know I don’t have a lot of time, but this is something that I have hoped and wanted to do since Noah came home and I really got back into photography again–I did go to school for it for a couple years.  I finally feel like I am nurturing my whole self. Like I have something for all the parts of me.  Maybe it will be too much.  Maybe I will become successful at it–I know I am already successful with taking pictures, but you know what I mean. 

I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that I don’t want to wake up and wonder “What could have been.”  That would suck.

Just When I Thought It Was Safe To Answer The Phone

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 5 Comments

Hey world what are you doing to me.  I was at peace with not going back to work.  I was somewhat relieved about not getting the job that I had interviewed for.  What are you doing to me?  I got a call from a totally awesome high school today to come in for an interview.  I wanted to say I was no longer interested in working–but this is a high school I would kill (not literally–well maybe) to work at.  It is in an awesome district and what’s a girl to do.  So I took the interview.  I know I have this St. Maarten trip in September/October.  If I get the job, I will deal with it all then.  I am excited and I have goose bumps.  Yes, I know Internet.  I change my mind a lot–it drives my hubby crazy.  Sorry babe.  I could never run for president–I am a flip-flopper.  The problem is that I want it all and I really think I can have it.  Until I am proven otherwise I will keep trying.  Who knows, I might not get this job either–but what if this was the job I was meant to have? 

I Use To Like Talking On The Phone

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

I have decided to go back to work full-time.  I have tried this SAHM thing and it really isn’t for me.  I have been faking it–I’m an awesome faker.  I am just not as happy as I could be and life is to short to squander opportunities for happiness.  I stayed home one full year and this past year I started working part-time.  I love my son, don’t get me wrong but I am not a good SAHM–unless laying around on the couch letting him memorize SpongeBob epsisodes counts and if it does I am so winning Mother of The Year.  I long to be working and miss teaching.  I have tried on the whole “I am so happy to not be teaching high school anymore” and the “I love not having to work” but they are empty and I have been saying them to myself for two years and guess what–I still don’t believe it. 

So, I have started applying for teaching jobs that will start in the fall.   I am a little sad that I won’t have the same special time with Peepers that I had with Minnow but I just can’t do it anymore–without turning into an Afterschool special on Obesity and Insanity.  Minnow will thrive in daycare–as I think I totally bore him and Peepers will do alright–I can already tell she is a social climber.  My kids will be happy if I am happy and right now I am not all that happy. 

There is an opening in one of the districts I really want to work in–sorry to disappoint but I have given up on teaching in impoverished districts.  I am moving on to more affluent ground.  Sorry, but yes I am totally selling out.  I need the extra money to pay for day care and for gas. 

The district that is currently my first choice requires a phone screening interview.  It was hard–part of that is because of the problem on my phone line and all I could hear was static–I hope I answered the right questions.  I tend to overthink questions and I caught myself making faces at the telephone after a few answers think to myself–“sure that’s what I think.”  I am pretty sure I “passed” the interview.  We will see.  They have two open positions for my area–high school English and they want to have them filled by May 23rd–the last day of school.  I would love to know that I have a job lined up before I went to Ethiopia. 

When I got my palm read–the lady did tell me I was getting a new job–this wasn’t the job I was envisioning but it is so much better–I actually get paid a real salary and they will pay for the doctorate…icing on the cake baby and I love icing. 

I have to say that I honestly hope I never have to do a phone interview again.  I like to see the person’s face when I answer when I use my big words.