August

August is here.

It's a bellwether month. Did you have a good summer? If not, and it's August, it's practically too late. School for the kids starts in three weeks. And for me, well, I get another two weeks beyond that, but then I'm in the teacher's chair. It's a virtual chair, yes, but nonetheless I'll be in charge. A weird feeling, that.

I am now certified to teach online at BYU-Idaho. That means I can navigate around their online learning software, make a podcast and perhaps respond to student queries in a way that won't make them sic their bishop on me. Though the training is done, it's going to be weird interacting with students as a teacher. Part of me wonders if I'm up to this, and then another part of me reminds the first part that, well, you may as well give it a shot else you'll never know whether you're up to it or not. And given that I teach a bunch of (really) rowdy Primary kids, how bad can a bunch of college freshmen be? Well, probably worse, but at least I don't technically have to be in the same physical room with them. The temptation to thump skulls and kick rumps will be significantly diminished. I hope.

Also coming this month: A job interview in Logan, Utah. That'll take place this week. I have to go, in person, and give a ten-minute presentation on why I think I'm a good fit for the position they're hoping to fill. I'll call them tomorrow for more information and to schedule a time and to find out if the first five minutes of the presentation can be from a mariachi band singing something along the lines of "Hire this guy, he's great, he's greeeeaaaaat!" And it's not that I'm disappointed with my current job -- it's just that I'm looking to the future. 2012 comes and the stimulus money dries up and the entire contract comes up for renewal, so anything could and likely will happen between now and then. They're already talking up layoffs and helping us find jobs in Scotland and such, and you know the help they'll offer will be along the lines of "Well, there's the unemployment office, so go get 'em, boys!"

Another bridge to cross when we come to it: There are a lot of houses for sale right now in Sugar City and they're just not selling. Nobody seems to want to buy houses right now, for some odd reason. Michelle has said that if I did get the job in Logan I could just take the camper down there and live out of it until we get affairs settled here, but, as I said before, that's a bridge we'll cross when we come to it. An interview doesn't mean a job offer is in the offing. And, as I've told her, it would have to be a pretty attractive offer to make the move attractive. Though there are benefits attached to that job. That would be sweet.

So August may change a little for us, as Isaac enters the first grade, or a lot, as maybe we look to relocate the entire family and all the possessions it took us thirteen years to shop for. If it comes to that, the only thing I can think of to say is: Massive garage sale.