A Very Productive Day

Opting not to meet up with dirndl and lederhosen-clad friends downtown today for the sake of getting things done, I've actually tackled quite a bit.  I love being productive, and quite honestly, I don't often feel like I do these days.  Such a bummer.

With the reading coming up, I've narrowed it down to five old pieces I've never really shared.  As I read each one aloud, it's difficult to say which would do best.  I'm also noticing a dark pattern, not that this should totally surprise me, as my younger years were a bit darker for me.  Let's say I wore a very depressing shade of blue glasses.  They're not all totally twisted, or anything, they just all seem to have a dark edge to them.  Call it murky accents.  Regardless, going through files and files and trying to decipher which of one's own work is worth sharing isn't an easy (or quick) task; and this after I decided I couldn't commit to writing something all new (and edit it sufficiently) by next week.  Which isn't to say I won't try, if inspiration or a surge of creativity strike.

Medical bills.  Fun, fun, medical bills.  Living abroad with Stateside insurance means after you see the doctor and pay the doctor, you must file an international claim form with above mentioned insurance company to receive reimbursement.  This means fronting the entire amount of the bill, which is fine when it's a routine check-up.  Not so much when it's an ER visit that turns into a few days in the hospital.

Back story:  It was the day before Halloween this last year when I experienced a very sudden and acute pain on the right side of my throat.  I could see it was inflamed, and could even see evidence of infection, so proceeded to swish with warm, salt water, like my mom taught me.  By Halloween morning, 6am, having not slept all night due to the pain, I called a nurse hotline.  I'd looked up my symptoms and was sure it was a nasty case of tonsillitis, but this pain was unbearable.  The nurse advised me to visit the Emergency Room.  A half hour later Chris and I were at the ER, and ten minutes after that, being seen by the doctor.  In Germany, it seems there are even specialized ERs, so after a quick examination, we were sent downtown to the Ear, Nose and Throat ER.  After doing my best to follow the directions of a large, angry looking nurse who insisted she knew no English, they took me to a room, where a nurse technician proceeded to explain how to use the phone and TV remote.  Hurray for language barriers, I was being admitted!  The picture above is the view from my room - not bad!  Long story short, it wasn't a terrible experience, but the 4 bills we got to cover all this mess were a little off-putting.

In this picture, you'll see the extravagant spread I enjoyed for dinner, a slice of cheese and - count 'em - two plum tomatoes!



So today I am finally getting the bills, the translations, and the claim forms filled out and together to mail off.    

Next in line, applying for teaching jobs.  I'd emailed a local international school, but heard back that they don't keep applications in file.  I can only apply when there is an actual position open, so I'll be keeping close tabs on their website.  Nothing right now.

The other school where I'd love to teach is the school at which I am currently working.  The chances are slim, as the applicant pool is especially rich in this area of qualified and experienced educators, but it doesn't hurt to try.  Maybe the fact that I'm already familiar with the school and have made a decent impression thus far will help my chances?  I love it when miracles happen, is the reply I got from the school secretary, the very backbone of the place.  Oh well, try anyway, I will.  The online application is rather involved, so I've been completing it by section and checking them off the list.  Right now I'm to the section that requires professional evaluations and I've got to do some information gathering before I can complete it.

And let us not forget my disaster house.  I cannot be at peace in my own home when it's a mess, and Chris and I aren't so good at maintenance.  Company coming over?  Sure!  We'll jump in and clean the heck out of the place and it'll look fabulous, and I love it.  But give it a week or two, and though we do try, it inevitably falls back to shambles.  Maybe I need something to stress over to function, but I can't seem to KEEP the place kept up.  Piles sneak up on the dining table and quietly grow; dust and dog hair find each other to form ridiculous tufts that are kicked out of the way instead of swept up; shoes multiply by the front door, and clean clothes (CLEAN) set up camp on the recliner because must I wash, fold AND put them away?  I'm ridiculous, I know, but I've never claimed to be a skilled housekeeper, and will openly admit that I hate to clean.  If I believe hard enough in the Tidy Fairy, will she appear and make it all go away?  I certainly wouldn't want a real house cleaner to see this place.

So when I'm done with the paperwork, physical and online, when I'm satisfied as to how the application is coming along, when I'm closer to figuring out what piece of my soul to bare, and the blog is done for today, the house will get a little attention.  I rocked out the kitchen yesterday, and by rocked out, I mean I transformed it back into a space in which I enjoy cooking, with clear and shiny counter tops and a well-used dishwasher.  Now it's the dining room table's turn, then maybe I'll think about lugging all those clean and folded clothes upstairs to file away in their rightful drawers and wardrobes.

Was this incredibly boring?  I'm sorry if it was, but I'm an organizer and a list-maker and talking about the stuff I can cross off the list makes me happy.  That's what today is, a very productive day.  My favorite kind.

Blog: Check