Zip Squeal

Quick updates on stuff:

1. Travels: Special thanks to the Colemans for letting a grumpy bear hang out in their house last week.

2. Transfer: I received a call on my way to the interview in Concord. TYC offered a transfer to a facility in Gainesville, but I had only 24 hours to accept the offer (including signing the paperwork). It took some juggling but Christie was able to get the form, scan and e-mail it to me, so I could print it and beg Katie to get her printer to scan it so I could e-mail it back, and then Christie turned in a signed form to the HR office the same day.

3. Interview: I applied for a Youth Counselor position, and flew out to Charlotte for the interview. The job description sounds like almost exactly what I do here with TYC (except less garbage, hopefully). When I got there, the description they gave me at the beginning of the interview sounded more like a Youth Services Technician. In TYC, we would call this a Juvenile Correctional Officer, or "babysitter". I was told I was interviewing for a 2:30-10:30 PM position, which required me to spend my entire shift with my assigned 4 juveniles. No idea when I'm supposed to do the case management part of the job, except maybe after I tuck them in at night, but then that means I can't coordinate with all the resources in the community (parole, MHMR, etc.) that they'll need when they go home. The more Christie and I talk, it sounds like a bait and switch.

I was advised to add to my applications everything I've ever done that involved working with people, as this would directly increase my starting pay. I've cranked out two extra pages, and I just now remembered another page's wort of tings I could add. But unless I can get some answers and a heck of a pay offer when they call back for the pee and psych testing, the deal is off.

4. Back to the Gainesville transfer: I have to report at the beginning of March. So that leaves us less than 3 weeks to find a place, pack up a truk, get there, and unload. Which would be fun enough except I need to attend two different two day blocks of training for the new program we're rolling out this month agency wide. I'm trying to make arrangements to take the training up in Gainesville, so we can house hunt at the same time, but that means we'd have to leave *tomorrow*. Right now I'm waiting on someone in Austin to call and give me permission to attend training at my new duty station, because I'm requesting it less than 10 days from the training. So now I'm stuck in my office waiting for a phone call which can change our plans for the rest of the month. I didn't even leave for lunch today.

5. Church: Just to make things extra complicated, Feb 28 & March 1 is a Texas-Wide Stake Conference. In other words, right when we probably need to arrive an unload the truck, the entire state of Texas will be in stake conference! Yet another reason why being able to attend training in Gainesville is so important; otherwise I'm stuck down here in training right when we need to leave.

We've started contacting the wards we might possibly live in, and so far Denton 3rd Ward, which is possible if we don't live in Gainseville itself, might be a good fit. The Bishop's wife reports they are a young ward with lots of kids. The Bishop called back this morning because he didn't get a chance to call last night. They both sound very friendly.

Yesterday was a very rough day at church for the whole family. I'll leave it at that for now.

6. School: I complete my training for Axia College - University of Phoenix today. After that, I spend a week with a mentor, then I start teaching.

Gainesville is advantageous academically because on of the universities in DFW (UT Dallas I think) is preparing to open a PhD in Criminal Justice program. This (and UT San Marcos) will be the first programs in the state outside of Sam Houston State University, which has had a political stranglehold on the possibility of other schools getting programs. SHSU has been going downhill hard and fast lately, so these expansions are long needed.

7. Family (Texas, etc): Gainesville is close to some of the Jeppson clan , and is a few hours closer to my parents. We're right on I-35 and DFW airport isn't that far off, so we can make it just about anywhere else we need to go to be near family for special stuff.

8. Other stuff: Still waiting to hear on other job applications I sent out. Best deal wins. Gainesville sounds like it will be home for the next while, but if someplace else makes an offer I can't refuse, we'll pick back up again.

9. RenFest!!! We can actually go to Scarborough Faire this year without having to take a whole week off from work! Just looking for more bright sides to the transfer.