Job!

I've got a job!!! woo.
I am the new Art Teacher at Vogel Intermediate (4th and 5th grade) in Conroe ISD. I am in charge of 2d education which is good since that is my forte. I will also be responsible for creating large scale murals that will be put on display in the cafeteria, should be fun. But! I'm trying to get back into doing more art. So, I am currently taking request. If someone wants me to draw something just post a comment here or e-mail me or something and if I like your idea I'll draw it for ya, if I really like it I may completely color it an such. It's nice knowing I wont be poor when I get home.

I am going to Qingdao this weekend, and planing a few other trips to be taken when over the next couple of weeks before I leave for home on July 2nd. Also packing...

Anyways, new photo up, not sure how much I like it. I like some of the shadows.

Goin home soon.

So, no new pics yet (probably tomorrow or later tonight depending on if I decide to watch a movie). But, I guess I'll talk a bit about current affairs in the life of Johnny.

I will be heading back to the great state of Texas on July 2nd. Currently I have two good job opportunities open to me. One is at Vogel Intermediate (5th and 6th) where I was a student teacher, and the other is at Buckalew Elementary (a k-4 school in the same district). I just found out about this new one yesterday via an e-mail from the principal wanting me to fax my resume, which I am doing on Monday. I'm not sure what exactly is going on with Vogel, I had a phone interview with them a while ago now, and it went very well and everything was pretty hopeful sounding, I was one of three strong candidates, one was a social studies teacher already at Vogel looking to switch over to art, another was an art teacher at a different school in the district looking to move to Vogel, and then Me. I had the full backing of the current art teacher who was retiring, which I think was the main reason I was in the running, and plus I'd taught there for student teaching. A week after the interview I got an e-mail from the principal saying she was waiting for a teacher to "r-sign" (not sure what exactly this means) before she offers me the job, and she was expecting it to happen that week, that was April 24th, and it is now May 11th,and still no new word. I e-mailed Mrs. McDonald just now asking if she has any new information and telling her about the opening at Buckalew. To be honest I think I'd prefer the Buckalew job. K-4 is such a fun age group, and I think my schedule wouldn't be quite as hectic as it would be at Vogel (I think there were about 8 30 min classes a day there, and it's like running a mini marathon every day.) So, hopefully I'll hear good things back from Buckalew.

So, if I have a teaching job when I get home what I'll probably do is take the first year pretty easy (or at least the first semester) and then maybe take a few extra photo classes at night at Sam Houston and then after a couple of years look into grad school. I'm not sure I'd be able to full time teach and get an MFA, so when I do that I'd either have to find a part time art teaching job, or sub while I get me degree. I think a couple years devoted to teaching elementary art would be fun as well. Also, after 2 years I might be able to get into international schools as well, which I might think about getting into, but maybe not until after I have my MFA.

If I don't have a teaching job next year I'm going to devote all of my time into getting started at grad school spring 2009, so taking as many photo classes at Sam as I can this year while putting together an application and portfolio.

Anyways thats all for now. Tomorrow I'll post a new photo... oh wait that reminds me I do have a photo up I haven't blogged about... I'm not sure how much I like it though... here it is:

Quick post before bed.

Two new photos on Flickr.


Took this one today at the Peoples Park Aquarium. It wasn't really much of an aquarium, most of the fish were either really ugly or goldfish (or a combination of the two) There were some wierd turtles and a scary gigantic fish that scared a small child, but the best part was the Sea Lion, he give Shelby, Amanda, and I each a kiss on the cheek. He was funny. I felt a little bad for him though, he has no friends and his cage is a bit too small. I have a few other photos from the aquarium, which will be popping up sooner or later.


This is from my second trip to Beijing with Lance and Tom, it is at the Secret Wall, well in route to it anyways. It was cold. I have work in the morning or I'd write more about it. Tell ya what I'll post more photos from the secret wall and tell ya all about it, including how Lance (the guy in the photo) got sick from wearing little more than a glorified windbreaker. (actually I just told you what happened with that so I probably won't mention that again!

Night!

Wow, a new post!

So, I've decided New Zealand is cool. The one person I've met from New Zealand is a cool guy, his name is Richard, he is a fellow teacher here at the University in Shandong. He is very well spoken, and one of the only foreigners to have ever told me that he likes Americans. I met him a while back,but I've only just recently been able to hang out with him.

Also, the more I listen to Flight of the Conchords, the more I like them. Unfortunately I don't know too much more about New Zealand, other than the fact that Lord of the Rings was filmed there, and that there are 10 sheep to every person. That's a lot of sheep.

Anyways I've decided that when I get home I'm putting most of my energy into getting into grad school. I've been wanting to get my masters pretty much since I left Edinboro, so now I figure it's time to actually do it. Anyways thats all for now...

New Photos soon, I promise this time.