Happy Snow Day from OKC! This is my first snow day in OKC. While I am loving it, it’s very weird because Ohio would have NEVER closed for this weather! This would have been ‘suck it up, and start your cars early’ weather. But, here in Oklahoma, it is like a completely different planet. The teachers at the school I subbed with yesterday explained that this weather is rare, so Oklahoma is underprepared for it. They don’t have the salt trucks to clear the roads. The power has been knocked out in some places. Mine has flickered off and on, but has been fine for the most part. My oven clock will never be right, but neither will the clock in my car, so it’s fine. Hash tag: March to the beat of my incorrect clock!
Anyway, it has been a whirlwind of a week and a half. I started guest teaching (politically correct term for subbing) and working as an aid at the library. Did you know the Metropolitan Library System in Oklahoma has 19 branches? Well, they do! And I work at one of them! I have FINALLY achieved a dream on my bucket list! Working in a library! Dreams really DO come true! It is a lot of work, and a lot of training. It is actually similar to what I used to do at Amazon, but at a much slower pace. The sense of urgency is gone, which I love.
Guest teaching has also been great. So far, I have taught middle school, and assisted in an elementary special education room. Guest teaching has been enjoyable. I have met some great kids, and some REAL boogers. The struggle has been that the kids are all on Chrome books, and Guest Teachers do not receive training for the apps that they use. So, if/when the kids get stuck (or just don’t bring their Chrome books to school) there is nothing I can do for them. My favorite classes so far have been drama at the middle school, and the special ed room. The special ed room was pre-k. The kids were tiny and sweet. The ‘instruction’ was play. It was nice and slow. I could just be my silly self, and it was wonderful! In the drama class, the kids were learning about monologues. I truly felt like I was in my element! I talked to them about giving life to their monologue, to think about time, place, and why! I felt truly passionate about what I was saying to them, and it felt so good! I remembered why I love theater, why it makes me happy. It was such a good feeling! I am now even more excited to study/retake my test. Now that I think about it…a snow day would have been a good study day, wouldn’t it? Oops.
My aunt called me yesterday, and she asked me if I was happy. I told her I was, and you know what? It’s true! I am really, truly, ridiculously happy. I am living an amazing life! I have a job that I have always wanted, and I’m working towards a job that I am truly passionate about. I have AMAZING friends, REAL friends that have no interest in manipulating me, or controlling me. They are only interested in me as a person! They don’t want to change me or ‘correct’ me! It’s awesome! My life here is awesome! I couldn’t ask for anything better! I am ridiculously ok, and ridiculously happy. When I moved here, I had a three-five year plan. Now, I don’t need, or want, a plan. I just want to live this amazing life, and enjoy it. And I think that is the most ok thing in the world.
The OK Adventures of Peppersloth and Annie 
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