TV, and a lack thereof.

So our TV died a few weeks ago.  There are times that I miss it, and other times that I'm glad we don't have it.  I used to play video games on it, and the video game machines sit there unused.  That part is really good.  I actually do stuff that helps out around here when I'm not working, such as go out and see that big shiny thing in the sky.  My wife tells me it's called the "sun." 

You see, as I work at 2:30 in the morning, my goal is to get home before the day star emerges from its hiding place.  If I do that, I'm doing fine.  I get home, look at whatever is important to me at that moment, and then collapse and sleep.  For example, this morning, I got home at about 4:30, and then looked at some of the districts that were at the job fair in Lynchburg that I went to this morning.  Next thing I know, I'm waking up on the floor to the not-too-subtle noises of kids waking upstairs.  I don't remember going to sleep there!  Ugh.

The job fair was a big deal, but I don't think I got a job today.  Gave a few people my resume, but they weren't hiring.  One district said that they were hiring, but that I'd need to fill out an application and fax it to them.  OK, I'll jump right on that.  I don't expect much, though.  I've faxed in probably 50 applications this Summer.  None of them called back.  Occasionally, I'll get a school that writes to me to tell me that a spot that I applied for was filled, which is awfully nice of them.  When/if I become an administrator, I hope to be as kind as that.  It's a nice way to let folks know to stop waiting for you school.

So after our TV died, both of our computers died.  We went about a week with no computer nor TV.  It was tough on the job hunt, though I could go to the library or university and look for more jobs, and I did that a couple of times, but it was tough on our very tech-savvy children.  They had to (*gasp!) go outside and play.  Poor things!  Ironically, since then, our kids have realized that it's far easier for them to get outside than it ever has been for them to watch TV.  All they have to do to go outside is finish their chores.  To watch TV, they have to finish chores AND do something else.  Scary.

So during that week, I averaged over 10,000 steps per day.  It was great!  Since then, I've regressed to around 7,000 per day, but I'm also doing some lesson planning for my eventual job, and actually looking for a job, and keeping up with friends that I've neglected for far too long.  I've decided computers are great for keeping in touch with long lost friends, but they're also horrible wastes of time.

Back to the kids' chores for just a second.  Since Analee's become a big 5-year-old, she's had the added chore of garbage duty.  She's taken to it like a duck to water!  I'm seriously impressed!  When Bub turns 5, it'll be his chore, but until then, Analee seems to be taking the job and running with it.  She has quietly become an amazingly obedient girl, for the most part.  Where was I?  For her next trick, I'm going to teach her how to heat up canned food.  In fact, I should probably do that tomorrow.

For now, though, I'm going to go bug my wife.  Yesterday was her day to blog, and I see she hasn't done so.  Wish me luck!