Steps

I've been giving the career thing a lot of thought lately, and it's come down to two things: Just get a "job" and move on, or plan for a "career" later.

I've decided to go for the career, but in baby steps.

To do what I really want to do (teaching/guidance counseling), I will need to go back to school. That is something I can't really afford at the moment - not to mention crazy schedules and that school has already started.

I'm going to keep working sub jobs and elections, and I might break down and start teaching a few piano lessons again. It's not my all-time favorite job, but it's good money for the time it takes, and I know I could get students. I just feel really strongly that right now I need to have a flexible schedule for the sake of my kids. It's selfish, but I want to work when I want to work, and be there for my kids when they need me without a boss telling me what to do. I'm long done with bosses, at least at peon jobs.

While I'm doing that, I will probably try to get the medical transcriptionist training (Julie and Brianne, I will be in touch!!) - so that I can have more regular work (since subbing and elections are very sporadic) while I attend grad school.

Then I'm going to try to get into a master's program starting either next fall (2009, finishing in 2012) or the following (2010, finishing in 2013) - a lot of that depends on what financial aid I can get, where I decide to go...etc.

In a nutshell, I hope to have my master's by 2013 at the latest, and start teaching and/or counseling by the 2013-2014 school year. That sounds like a long time, but I'd only be 42 - and my kids will be 14, 12, and 10. Hopefully that would give me enough years to contribute to their college educations! If I started at age 42, I could still have a good 20-25 year career, right?

Well, anyway, that's the plan. Baby steps.