So the Spring 2008 semester is over, and the results are in. Laziness caught up with me and for the first time, I need to take a class again. It's online and over the summer, so it shouldn't throw any monkey wrenches into my schedule. Other than that, not bad grades...just ones that I can improve. It should be a pretty busy summer anyhow, where classes, ultimate, and coaching will be the predominant activities. Note that chess seems to be out of the picture. I'll find time for it, but it's generally not a huge priority for now, and I'm OK with that.
On the note of coaching, and jobs in general, Dad is pretty unhappy about my lack of a "real job." He's been dogging me about this since freshman year, after which I lifeguarded for a summer. My work history since then has been as follows:
Sophomore: TA with the CSC department (unemployed for summer)
Junior: Co-op with Sony Ericsson, TA with CSC dept., Community Assistant @ Lee Hall (unemployed for summer)
Senior: Co-op with Sony Ericsson (swim coach during summer)
I've wanted his approval for so long, and I haven't really gotten it at any point...at least not visibly. I didn't hear a word when I worked the "realest" job of the above, the one with Sony Ericsson. Not until my term was over, when he (almost) immediately started pressing me to get another job, with a different company just to get a feel for the field, and, to him, I was closed-minded for going back to Sony Ericsson to work a second term. Overall, I had a pretty good experience at Sony Ericsson, but something tells me that I'm going to hate working in a cubicle farm environment for a more extended period of time.
For awhile, I've aspired to be a teacher, but I put that on the back burner (probably for approval reasons) after Dad decided that it wasn't good enough (more on that later). Same reason why I majored in Aerospace Engineering and then in Computer Science (although I'm actually enjoying the CSC curriculum). I've been a lab instructor for several semesters (and will be again this coming fall), and a community assistant for two semesters. I've enjoyed both of those jobs, and I enjoy the coaching job I have right now. Interacting with people is something that I really love, and, for me, it's important that I have a positive impact on them, which, along with the example set for me by the extraordinary math teacher Bud Stuart, who made me better at something at which I was already pretty good and enjoyed; swim coaches Rusty, Chris, and Eric, who caused me to become good at and enjoy something that I initially hated; and my first Ultimate coach, Herndon, who made me good at something at which I sucked but still enjoyed, was what drew me to teaching and, more recently, coaching.
Dad says that he knows that I hate him every time he talks about wanting me to get a "real job," and that's not exactly the truth...I don't hate him for saying it...I know he means well, but I just hate being in the situation where my choices are
- to silently listen to it and know that I'm not going to actually follow through and do what he says and eventually end up hearing it again,
- to listen to him and get a job that I won't enjoy, or
- to tell him what I really want to do and weather the violent reaction.
Concerning number 3, the thing is, Dad was OK with my wanting to teach for a little while. His tune changed after watching the news one evening and seeing a report on starting salaries, and noted that teachers were underpaid. The next time I walked into the room, without any warning, I heard it from him and it went on for the rest of the night, and I told him that it was what I really wanted to do, and violence ensued...I ended up with a swollen ear and at some point, I was dragged on the ground and threatened with a knife.
So I'll end the victim rant there. It's my future and I appreciate advice, but I shouldn't have to follow all of it for the sake of approval.
