New Direction

This summer is looking promising, especially compared to last summer, which involved a lot of working for school that did not involve monetary compensation of any sort.

I considered getting a job for the summer.  The thought of having another income while still getting paid by school was really enticing.  But then Spring semester happened, and I'm just barely hobbling along to the end of the semester--the burnout is hitting me hard for this year.  On top of that, the precarious position all teachers in Texas have found ourselves this year has been a stressful struggle.  Texas lawmakers are dumbasses.  At any rate, the uncertainty about my job status came during a time in which I was already considering a career shift, perhaps a change altogether.  The thing I enjoy most about my job is creating well-designed, research-based materials for my students.  And I've basically designed two textbooks this year.  When I stop and think about it, it's absurd.

Anyway, I've been considering a shift to textbook development/design because I have the skill set, the education, and the creative knowhow/ability to do it and do it well.  The only issue is getting a little more relevant experience to make that shift.  Thus, I am taking a vector graphics class this summer, and probably going to take a graphic design basics class in the fall.  I took that stuff as an undergrad as part of my art minor, but it has been a while, and now the information would have more relevance to my life, rather than just being random classwork.  I'm super excited about it all!  I'll share some of my work here as I go along this summer.  There are two major textbook companies here in town, and several small educational companies that create online learning programs.

Additionally, last year I had planned that I would make and sell lots of fun stuff on Etsy...and then reality hit and dissolved those plans.  So I'm renewing it and will be preparing a shop-full of items and opening the store at some point this summer.  Definite updates will be posted later, as well as sneak peeks of items to come!

And one last fun thing for you: I started playing the ukulele earlier this year!  Isn't she lovely???

I am in love with this instrument!  I've had a guitar for a number of years, and I couldn't really get into it, but I can't put the ukulele down!  I have a good little routine of songs at this point, adding to it everyday. Perhaps I'll share some with you this summer ;)