The "I Love My Job" Thread
 

Since I started volunteering and then working in school, I've noticed I take up a lot of the Happy thread with very similar posts.

So I've set up this thread which will allow people to differentiate between everyday mundane happiness at work, and winning the lottery happiness or personal happiness.

I'm not suggesting anyone else changes their posting habits, but for those who have a good day, week, month or who simply love their jobs, this option is here. If no-one else posts here, at least you can avoid the details of my school days should you so choose.

And it goes without saying - although I say it often - that my job does not pay a living wage, so I'm not boasting.

So, to kick off:
Tiger had a new reading book, and in his reading record, Dad noted that he really struggled. I decided to read it with him instead of him reading to me.
It's good practice if a child shows an aversion or says a book is too hard.
This book had a lot of animal noises in it.
He went from saying "I can't" to giggling as he made a dinosaur ROAR sound.
I love it when a plan comes together.

Awesome Sundae:)

I had a really good day today, Had a meeting of all the Hist1050 tutors (that's the module I'm teaching this semester - same as last time, but this time I'm taking two groups) and it was really nice reconnecting with the other post grad tutors.

Kind of related ... kind of ...

Here's another reason to love my job. I don't have to deal with things like these.

These pics came in an email, apparently showing what workers had to deal with when laying a new pipe in Western Australia.

Exhibit one: 5.5 metres (18' 2") of Saltwater crocodile.


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Exhibit two: Snakes in a drain. 87 of the mofos, apparently. Don't know the species, don't care.

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OMG! I'm glad I don't lay pipe in Oz, either!

I hope you don't lay pipe anywhere in public!

Tiger today was really happy with the book. No problemo.
He's kept it again tonight, but I'll switch it for him tomorrow.

Also found out I do not have to pay for coach/ museum entry when we go on a trip next month. Our topic this term is canals, we're off to Stoke Bruene. This is an annual trip for the school and I am looking forward to it. Of course I'll technically be volunteering after 13.30, but I'm happy with that.

This Tuesday we're going to Broughton Lock on a class walk.
I might be able to take some pics.
This was my last one of Aylesbury canal.

What a great pic, SG!! We had loads of canal holidays when I was a kid, they were lovely! We need to rent a 70 footer and fill it with Dwellars for an amazing week's cruise round the waterways of England ...

I love the canal picture. Canals are beautiful. At least the ones in parks. I suppose industrial canals aren't all that nice.

Oh glatt! The industrial ones are industrial no more, and are frequently lovely green corridors through crumbling but interesting industrial architecture ...

Limey has it. It's not all interesting, and some of them are still filthy, but you see a side to cities you wouldn't see otherwise.

Friends of mine in Leicester ran two boats owned by the Narrow Boats Trust (do NOT call a narrow boat a barge! Glare of death!) They went on coal runs to and from London every year, so they could be classified as working boats. London's canals were a revelation to me - I thought I knew the city. But I hadn't seen its waterworks.

I went to a narrow boat event in Maida Vale and enjoyed it immensely.
I'm too claustrophobic to choose it as a holiday though.

Nothin' like layin' a little pipe...:cool:

My great aunt had a narrow boat, Beautiful it was. All vibrant colours, always looked freshly painted.

Their cottage overlooked the canal in Worsley. Narrowboat moored pretty much out the back of their house :p

Showed Tiger my binoculars today.
He was immediately taken with them.
His especial pleasure was looking through them the wrong way in order to see everyone far away. Not surprising when I think about it.

I don't really need them at school, but as they were my birthday treat to myself I may as well pretend I can use them for something other than checking out David Tennant's (and next John Barrowman's) crotch.

Have started carrying a small bag with me at lunchtime. In it I have wet-wipes, tissues, a post-it pad (not my personalised one) and pen, binocs, whistle and lip balm (for me).

I won't clean up every child with dinner smeared over their face, but at least now I have the opportunity to give a wipe to a child in my class or in Tiger's group of friends. If you send them in to clean themself up it rarely works. Ditto snottty noses. They sort it in front of you or not at all.

Oh and the whistle is to get attention. The school provides some, but I couldn't be arsed to go through the requisition procedure - especially justifying why I might need it. The playing field is BIG. If I see a child entering the nature reserve (forbidden, but accessible via the bushes in one corner) I want them to stop NOW. Not when I've jogged over there. Ditto a child deciding to skin up the netball goalpost.

If I've brought the whole field to a halt (the whistle is the sign to line up) I will justify myself afterwards. But I'd rather be on the carpet for over-reacting than see a broken bone, or an eye injury.

So there.

A good day today all round, although it was quite disrupted by a visiting group (which over-ran on each session).
Some frustration from the staff, having our schedules messed up, but on the plus side the work combined exercise with learning and the children loved it.

Sad part - just spoke to Tiger-Mum.
Tiger is signed up for Dance Class after school every Thursday.
He is also used to going to Cine Club (viewing a film in the school hall) every month.
It always used to be on a Wednesday - I'm not sure why it has changed, but there will be a good reason - probably availability of staff.

So this time there is a clash.
Mum explained it when they got home.
Tiger was still crying at 18.00.
He could not (note, not would not) accept that they would run at the same time.
He repeatedly said that he would go to Dance Club after the film.

I assured Mum I would be there in the afternoon, so at least if it was still an issue I would understand and if worst came to worst I could call her.
Quite often, he will wake up and not reference something that was a serious issue the night before.
But I do understand it might be a problem again when the children are split into separate groups at the end of school.

Given that today went off-curriculum my class will appreciate a hand tomorrow anyway.
And I have stayed for previous Cine Nights, so Tiger will not find it odd (this one came in under my radar for some reason).

Poor chap.

I love my job because connections are everywhere you turn. Getting free continuing education to keep my state professional fire card up to date through a local dept I know a number of guys on. And recently I got to down to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and work track safety in pit row. A guy I work with at the private EMS does it every year, and he dropped my name to the head of the dept and I got accepted. Worked the last race of the season, EMCO Gears Classic featuring the Rolex Series of Grand Am racing. It was an absolute blast, can't wait to do it again next summer.

Bullitt, you are awesome. :)