Hello World!

I experienced this in college. Life was lived in a bubble of academia. I had no time, no energy and no patience to try and stay up to date with the world. I only allowed myself three sinful indulgences: facebook, my favorite shows on Hulu and social gossip from Perez Hilton's blog. Now that I'm back in academia (though only at a secondary level) my life is wholly absorbed by history yet again, and now grading. As a student, I always used to think that teachers had it easy grading. They already knew the material inside and out and they created the tests, so they must just breeze through it! Not so much, now that I'm in their shoes.

It seems that the majority of my time is spent grading. Sure I know the material and may not need a key half the time, but its a mindless task that simultaneously and ironically demands every ounce of your attention. I'd much rather spend my mental energy reading or analyzing something new that can only add to my ability to teach in the classroom, but alas, grading is the foundation to educating these kiddos!

What else is there to do in Colorado Springs than teach?? Well, I've finally started to find out. Spent some time with some other Hillsdale Alum last week which started my exposure to Colorado Springs. The more I experience, the more I like it here! It has some big city attractions and quality in food and entertainment, without the annoyances I had found in Denver such as traffic, sky high prices and the like. If you're looking for a modern cuisine bar and restaurant, the Blue Star is great. It's also attached to the Laughing Lab Brewery - a great Colorado product!

We also visited the Golden Bee, a pub in the traditional English style and part of the gorgeous Broadmoor Historic Hotel. What makes it even better than most others I've visited is that it is the most personable - it invites strangers to come together in camaraderie. This is mostly due to the genius idea to differentiate the Bee with a regular pianist and sing-along-songs! It was one of the most simple but fun-filled night's I've had in a long time. So if you ever find yourself in the Springs, the Bee is a must go-to place!

No I did not die... I've just been MIA

Well, I've had some pretty big changes in my life lately - hence the prolonged absence. Last time I left off hinting at a highly anticipated interview at Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy. Long story short, the position of history teacher I applied to was filled the day I submitted my resume, but they wanted to meet with me anyway. The fact that I graduated from Hillsdale College was a huge deal with them and my educational philosophy fit perfectly with their school's. Three days after my meeting at The Vanguard School (name of the CMCA's High School) I received a call saying that the original position I applied for opened up again. One interview later & I'm officially a High School History teacher!!!!! I now teach 9th grade Honors Classical History and 10th grade Honors European History at one of the top performing schools in the entire state of Colorado.

God's hand has been undeniably present in every detail of this whole series of events. From unknown network connections, to unexpected referrals from previous teachers of my own, to the circumstances surrounding the positions' opening... it couldn't have played out any more perfectly. I never thought I wanted to be a teacher, but the longer I worked in corporate business environments, the more I found myself wanting the atmosphere, colleagues and intellectual expectations I love so much in academia. Now I am so excited to be sharing my love of history with these children who are so incredibly well behaved and just as excited to be at Vanguard. I love giving them little teasers for the end of the year when we'll get to studying WWI and WWII history!

I've had an unusually rough start to the year, mostly because A) this is my first year of teaching, so I have an incredibly steep learning curve to climb and B) when I assumed the position, school had already been underway for 2 weeks. I inherited a position that was abandoned by the former teacher, patched together by substitutes and other teachers until I was able to step in. Most of all I sympathize with the children. The sense of disorder, lack of consistent information and irregularity of authority figures in the History classroom must be disconcerting to them, let alone hindering to good academic performance. So I'm basically staying a day ahead of my students. Sometimes I'm literally 30 minutes ahead of them. Want to know how? For example I gave my 10th graders a test yesterday. I literally made the test the half hour before class and the copies were still warm when I handed them out at 7:45 am. These last three days have been particularly difficult as progress reports have gone out, so I am learning how to handle the righteous indignation and wrath of parents to failing students! eeeeeeek!!!

I have never really been able to comprehend how some people can be workaholics. I like my personal time, family & friend time and of course sleep. Never before have I dedicated so many hours to work so effortlessly. Time just seems to fly by and I never have enough! I'm regularly spending 12+ hour days in Colorado Springs and it feels like its only been 8 hrs. Speaking of which, yes the school is in CO Springs, while I am still living in Denver. So these last three weeks have been perfecting my hour long commute abilities at the disgustingly early hour of 5 am. A move to COS is planned shortly, so bye by Denver.... hello COS!

I'm excited to move to Colorado Springs. I found a great house with three other teachers from the high school and its only located 10 minutes away. I'm the 7th Hillsdale College Alum to come on board at Vanguard and beyond the High School there are dozens of other Alum who live in and around COS. I am so grateful to have good acquaintances nearby and other individuals who understand Hillsdale! Finally! The Springs area is beautiful. Denver and the Rockies backdrop was something new, beautiful and fascinating, but the Springs takes all that and makes it even more dramatic. It has more of a western feel because the soil has a red clay hue to it. Temperatures are cooler due to a higher elevation. There are gorgeous rock formations around the area, most famously the Garden of the Gods. More so, its beautiful because Colorado Springs lies at the very base of the Pike's Peak and the southern stretch of the Rockies. Denver lies a good half hour's drive from the base of the Rockies, but I look out my window at school and they're so close I keep thinking the sky is purple!

I'm excited to make the official move in the first week of October and begin making Colorado Springs my home. I can attend school sports events and support my students. Spend time with other Hillsdale grads and fellow teachers and resume a regular social life! and most of all work on some of my life goals more resolutely now that I have the comfort and security of a full time job that supports my academic endeavors. I'll still pursue wine on the side as an amateur - taken from the Latin roots "for the love of". Posts from now on may still be a bit irregular as I continue to smooth out the kinks and other road blocks I encounter on a daily basis, but I'll write updates as often as I can!

So have a cheerful weekend, I thank God for His infinite love and blessings, thank you all for your faithful prayers on my behalf & go Vanguard Coarsers!