Conversations and discouragement

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

In the digital age I guess I am still a dinosaur.  My preferred mode of communication is to speak.  Sure, it’s better when I do all the speaking and everyone else agrees with me but it really is better than having to send an email or a text.  I think things sometimes get lost.

At work I have to do a lot of conversation.   On the rare occasion I am not heard, then I resort to my wonderful letter writing skills.  I prefer that my message get across through conversation but when it doesn’t, I will admit that I do like drafting a good letter to drive the point home.  I’ve had to do some additional driving lately but in the end, that should alleviate driving at a later time.

I spoke with the boss today and she was slightly surprised at how many days I was requesting until I reminded her that because we are being forced to work three days over the break and they are part of my annual leave time, I am entitled to take those days during the summer or at another time during the year.  I’m opting for the summer. 

I explained our situation:  it’s probably the last time we will be able to take a trip like this for some time, the fee is fairly cheap for us to take the baby, and it’s a little longer than we would have planned because we are trying to find the cheapest flights.  I didn’t explain that we had gotten the bug again. 

I’m not so sure she would have cared about that.

She explained to me that people in my position are discouraged from not being there for the start of summer school.  However, I explained that there is another principal who works in our school who would be there and can be there if I am not.  The plan would need to be organized and ready to go (that’s what I do!)  She suggested speaking to my colleague who’s building we will be housed in to ensure that she can assist my AP.  So, more talking will lead to more talking which should lead to a definitive answer by Friday the latest. 

This is what I love about being in a union.  You can discourage me, but you can’t force me not to do it.  They are MY annual leave days that I have earned and should be used according to my need.  Are there potential snags?  Of course, that’s what cell phones were made for.  I am capable of trouble shooting from across the Atlantic Ocean, in a foreign country, and with a 19 month old, right?

New monkey wrench:  I’m starting to drift and wonder what type of effect this will have on the baby being away from home for so long.  He wasn’t terrible or had major issues but I think he was off a bit when we were in Florida and that was only a week or so.  This would be three.

Holy shit!  Can this really be happening?

Bit by the bug...

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Yes, you heard that right. 

No, this is not a statement of fact that we are going.  It is however a record of the process should we decide to go and how we got to it.

I think I am already starting to stress out about it.

Jess always said that when we had kids, she didn’t care, we would still travel and she would just strap them to her back.  Thank you for volunteering!

We have been sitting at dinner the past few months talking about the possibility of this and other trips for the summer.  This year I will have an additional three days to use so hopefully I will be able to do this and my annual Mets trip.  I imagine that I can finagle some additional days during the Spring Break because we have to do some preparation for a review, so…

The thing with summer school is that you share a space with a few other schools and there always has to be one principal at the site.  We usually work it all out early so there shouldn’t be any issues but…

We sit at dinner and debate.  Almost every night.  I look to my right and there’s the baby.  How the hell are we going to do this?  He generally doesn’t nap in places other than his crib.  Are we going to need to bring a stroller now?  What about naps – will there still be a need for there to be two a day at this point? Food?  How are we going to be able to pull off our famous bummy lunches?  He’s obviously not going to remember any of this.  Should we just save and wait?  How will he handle life in hostels with a bunch of dirty Europeans?  No baths – showers only.  In those fucking showers that one can barely fit in and get scalding hot and then cold and then hot, turn off, conserve water, scald you again…

Jess just remembered time changes – yes, there’s another monkey wrench.  Then there’s the biggest monkey wrench – violin camp. 

We talk about places we’d like to go:  the Scottish Highlands, Iceland (yes, we’ve already been there), Spain (ok that’s just me), Portugal (where we didn’t spend a lot of time), the French countryside (for lot’s of castles).  As of right now, Iceland seems to have the cheapest flights and you can stay a few days and then hop over to Glasgow (this is all starting to look possible).   It’s the last time he will cost less than a hundred bucks or so per direction.  Come November, he’s full price, so it makes sense for us to make a go of it.

Didn’t we talk about having some work done on the house?  There’s another monkey wrench.  What about our tax return – another monkey wrench.  It’s going to be at least 50-60% less than what it was and it was pretty decent for a few years.  Add all the additional Obamashit…don’t get me fucking started.

Jess reminds me that everyone said we were crazy for the other trips we took.  Who travels like that?  2006 – 11 countries in 43 days, 2007 – 15 countries in 45 days…so, really, what’s two or three with a 19/20 month old?  She’ll strap him on her and I will have the backpack with all of our shit.  Everyone’s shit.  This would include, I assume, the travel sleeper.  That thing is heavy.  So, I’ll be down to like two shirts, two pair of draws and one pair of convertible pants.  But if we go to Iceland and the Highlands, we’ll need heavier stuff.

Last night we watched The Way.  It was probably more exciting for us because we understood what the journey was about and had been to some of the palces.  It was Emelio Esteves and Martin Sheen and was about a father walking El Camino, the pilgrims’ trail from France to Santiago de Compostella (more info here).  We decided to watch it because we have been to Santiago de Compostella.  Needless to say, the movie incited the travel bug even more and then conversation and discussion has increased.

Maybe it’s not going to happen.  Right now, the flights are really expensive to get home and dependent upon the days, might not work with work.  I am sure we will continue to as we talk and of course keep you updated on any progress that we make.