I'm too expensive

Well, that was a complete and total waste of my time.

I just drove up to NH to meet with the guys who were hiring me to do their lesson plan for training on Outlook.

They've changed their minds, seems I'm too expensive. Or, at least, me writing the lesson plan part of things is too expensive. They may still need me to do the training, but, they'll write the lesson plan.

They wanted to pay me as a consultant, so I quoted them $50 an hour, with a cap of 15 hours development time... which I felt very reasonable. Seeing as half of what I'd get as a 1099 consultant would be going directly to my taxes, it's nice to have some actual income to put into my pocket for my efforts.

The temp agency wanted to bill them directly, and I guess I'd make around $25 per hour through them, which is fine because that's all W2 in the end.

Either way, it's too expensive for them to have me do it for them. Sucks to be me. I thought I'd get a nice paycheck for my efforts.

Drats and double drats.

So, I drove south on I-95 and dropped into Newburyport to pick up an application for the Life Is Good store. We were there last weekend and they had the help wanted shingle in the window. Well, of course, because I didn't pick up the application that day, they filled the position.

The thing that kicks me in the metaphorical nuts is the fact that they're specifically looking for someone for WEEK DAY HOURS. They have plenty of weekend/evening help.

Dude, I'm so available during the days in the week time. The girl sighed heavily, knowing I would be the ultimate perfect person... but. They have someone.

She took my name and information anyway... who knows.

I stopped by the administration building for our school district and picked up Substitute Teaching forms. I think that will be my best option for getting some money, AND the time I spend subbing will count towards the full year of teaching I'll have to do for my Masters.

Can't hurt. I wonder if they'll count the classes I've taught at the college and the subbing I did 2 years ago as part of the hours logged. I figure heck, I've got a ton of hours if I sit down and add it up. Dang.

The district is hiring a Elementary Grade level Technology teacher, but I'd have to have my certification, thanks to the "No Child Left Behind" act. Screw you George W. I'm perfectly qualified, but how do I get certification without hours of teaching under my belt? I thought in Massachusetts they were dying for qualified teachers!

I asked about provisional certification, and the secretary stated that she didn't think they'd bring me in just with the fact I'm going for my Masters in Ed...

She wanted me to talk with the superintendent (Super Nintendo, for your Simpsons fans) but he was tied up. I left my name and number. We'll see if he calls.

In the meantime, Professor CM from the College, my partner in technology education instruction, has written a grant. A big FAT grant. One that will solve ALL of our woes. It would make me the director of some program thingie which trains teachers in their own school labs on how to integrate technology into the classroom.

CM applied for this grant two years ago, and it was rejected. Since then, Gov. Mitt Romney has put through all kinds of huge technology in education initiatives, and they all have the school districts clamoring to get teachers trained in the manner we'd train them.

It would mesh perfectly with the Masters program I'm enrolling in, and he says he's earmarked $60,000 a year for the director position, over a three year period (dude. Half of that would go into taxes, but with a creative tax accountant I could totally score). He's already told me that I'll be the director. Hands down, no other interviewees. But we have to wait for the grant to be approved. There's a good chance it will be, but... When? When when when?

Grrr. That job would solve everything.

Anyway -- this has not been a red letter day for me. I'm unhappy that I spent the time driving up to the guys to find out they won't need me (dude, email? phone? smoke signals? ESP?).

But, I'll play Mary Sunshine here and let you know I got interviewed this morning by the Lawrence Eagle Tribune for a story that they'll be running this Sunday upcoming. About...

Geocaching.

HA! yes.

I got interviewed about geocaching. And it'll be in the paper. Rock. On.

If I'm not about bellyaching, you KNOW I'm about geocaching. So, watch your paper if you live in the Merrimack Valley.

Anyway -- lunch time. I may make chicken salad and try not to burn the house down like I did the last time I tried to make it. More later.