Our first days of school...

Cassi and Mom!

Well, Monday was the first day of school for both of us. Cassi started a new school and is in first grade. In her school system, her local school does not have kindergarten classes.

This is why last year, she went on a bus to a school about 2 minutes away. There, she was in one of 16 kindergarten classes. Since we are in a city, but DEFINITELY smaller than, say, our neighbor Cleveland, we have fewer kids overall, but having 16 classes of 20-kids-per-class groups can be daunting when they are all 5 and 6 year olds.

But, this year, she has the opportunity to go to school about 3 blocks from home. When possible, we are walking back and forth to school. Because their parking lot is so small, the fact that EVERYONE drives their kids, and it's just a DAMNED Mess down there, our walk is quite good. I am trying to make it a point of walking her on the days that I'm not in school (Tuesday and Thursday). The other days will have to be afternoons only as I want to be at school as early as possible because of crappy parking and road construction.

So, if it means anything, I know she went to school, learned where she lines up to go in as there are 3 entrances for all 6 grades. Your entrance is based on your grade, with first and second at the same door. I know we forgot her glasses the first day (yep, mom was excited too), but got them there for day 2 and 3. Otherwise, with the special education requirements she has with the school system, I get updates daily from her special ed teacher. She doesn't want to tell me anything. "Today was good," was about all I will get. I know if I phrase the questions correctly, I know I'll get the correct answers. Note to self: gotta work on it.

Okay, realized after havine my second full day at school myself, that, no, I do not want to work weekdays if I can handle it. Working Saturdays and Sundays will be best for me. Cassi will go to Pa's. The reason is the Newspaper class I'm in. I think I'm REALLY going to enjoy it. It is Lab Newspaper I. We are running an actual newspaper. At this time, I'm a staff reporter. Part of my "job" is to take the stories assigned, make sure I get the story done in time, along with getting photos whenever possible. Even though it's a class, it's also like an unofficial job. This class will give me MANY writing samples to add to my online portfolio for future jobs.

So, Monday, my first day, I didn't have my hang tag yet to park in the lot. Luckily, Rob was off and was able to drive me to school. He dropped me off to get my books (the least amount since starting). He then picked me back up about 10 minutes after dropping me off (almost a miracle in timing) and dropped me off at campus police. He then had the day free to do what he wanted, which ended up being working on house projects. Instead of having him come all the way to downtown Cleveland to get me, I had him meet me at my mom's. Part of my tuition for Fall and Spring is a $25 fee to RTA, which is the bus and train system in the Cleveland area. Not bad when a typical monthly EXPRESS card can run over $50. This $25 is for all 16 weeks. So, I told him I would get my sticker and take the bus to their house. Very nice bus ride. I used to do it when I worked full-time and didn't have a car. But, that was from 1994-1996 (month after I broke up with my "love affair"). But, I also digress.

The other class I am taking is a Gender & Communciations class. Today, my second class, she had us go around the room to say why we were taking the class. I said: 1. because it is a gen ed requirment for my degree (which is English), 2. it's an upper level 300/400 class for my gen ed requirement, 3. I try to stick with COM and ENG classes for my degree because I have an AA in Communications, and 4. my daughter is in school and so am I AT THE SAME TIME! So, this class will deal with stereotypes, and how gender is handled in regards to communications. Today, we started talking about the word: FEMINISM. What does it mean to people? I'm really going to enjoy this class. If I didn't start spewing my opinions by now, I REALLY will here.

So, my classes run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11am until 1:30pm. But, I will probably end up at school on Tuesdays and Thursdays because of the newspaper thing.

So, Monday, I made an appointment with my career counselor. That appointment is Friday. I want to get started trying to get my summer internship, paid internship. There are some companies I want to try to get my "foot in the door" as far as technical writing is concerned. I would REALLY love the opportunity to work for the ABC Affiliate here in Cleveland or even The Plain Dealer, which is the BIG Cleveland newspaper. But, they are all unpaid internships. With the day care situation, there's NO WAY I can do an internship if it is unpaid.

So, I've got lots of reading, writing, phone calls, interviews, etc. I'll post my interviews once they have been published in our student newspaper. They will live on my Creative Writing Blog.

With that, I'll close for now. It's Wednesday night, and I've got 2 more Blog stories to write, get my kid to bed, wash a load of laundry, and start dishes, if I've got the gumption. Because it is now 9pm, time for my darling red-head to get to bed!

Love to all,
Cathy
8^ )