I am a 30-something mom who lives in Western Pennsylvania with my 3 year old son, my 30-something husband, and our two very fat, very lazy cats.\u00a0\u00a0We are working on restoring a 125 year old Queen Anne Victorian home to its original splendor\u2026if only we had the money to do it!\u00a0\u00a0My husband does all of his own work, so the process is slow going.<\/p>\n
I attended a small liberal arts college where I majored in both English and Theatre with great aspirations of someday winning a Tony Award.\u00a0\u00a0Once reality set in and I realized my talent was only as good as a community theater regular, I began to pursue ways to finance my life.<\/p>\n
I worked in retail management for far more years than I would like to admit while working on two Masters degrees-one in Literature, one in Secondary Education.\u00a0\u00a0Retail provided me the foundation for every other job to come and gave me richer experience than any other job since.\u00a0\u00a0I applaud those who continue retail careers-it\u2019s a tough job.\u00a0\u00a0So, dear readers, be kind to retail employees-chances are, someone was just really rude to them!<\/p>\n
Upon finishing my graduate degrees, I began my calling as an English teacher at a small, private Catholic high school.\u00a0\u00a0I love my students, I love my colleagues (most of the time), and I love curriculum.\u00a0\u00a0Now if only the administration could get a clue\u2026<\/p>\n
I took a year off when I had my son and worked from my home as sales assistant for a major bra company.\u00a0\u00a0I despised every bloody second of it, but it allowed me to stay at home with my son during his first year and a half.\u00a0\u00a0Why I thought I would enjoy working with numbers all day is beyond me-I am a words kind of girl!<\/p>\n
While on my year sabbatical, I also began a new phase of my teaching career working for a cyber charter school.\u00a0\u00a0I remain at both teaching jobs part-time now and love them both equally.\u00a0\u00a0They are drastically different, but equally challenging!<\/p>\n
Besides being a mom, wife and teacher, I am addicted to stamping and scrapbooking and all things crafty.\u00a0\u00a0I am trying my hand at knitting and crocheting, but I\u2019m not sure if I have the talent for it.\u00a0\u00a0I have a background in theater and while I don\u2019t get to work in the theater anymore, I still enjoy seeing plays and musicals.\u00a0\u00a0I am always reading many books at the same time, most for pleasure, some for my job. I love Jane Austen and Shakespeare and Ian McEwan.<\/p>\n
Unlike the other reviewers for this site, my only link to the martial arts is my father, a 3rd degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do (which he earned in his late 50\u2019s!) who desperately tried to get me interested, but was too annoyed after my constant giggling as he tried to teach me techniques.\u00a0\u00a0I am, however, tremendously proud of him as he continues his training at his late 60\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Likes: Hearing my son laugh, potato chips, cheese, peanut butter cups, dark chocolate, classy people, a great novel, seeing my students master a skill<\/p>\n
Dislikes: Seeing my son upset, rude people, lazy people, melons of any kind (I know\u2026weird\u2026), bad acting<\/p>\n
You can read even more about me at “Renovation Girl<\/a>.”<\/p>\n