Shamelessly advertising myself

I have emailed so many schools over the past few months that I am beginning to feel like an incredible pest. Hi, read my cover letter and resume. Hi, read my application. Hi, do you have any Latin teaching positions available? Hi, I know I'm not certified, but I'm willing to get that way real quick.

No. No. No. NO. NO. I've heard a lot of that lately. Much more nicely though, because people in SA? They're really freaking nice overall. And if I haven't heard, "No."? Then I've heard nothing. Silence. The silence of being ignored. It's surreal. I think I'd rather hear, "No," than be ignored.

I set up an appointment with an alternative certification program today. The same one which helped me get my Latin EXCET exam set up (Yea, little did you know you have to be backed by a program to get in to take one of these tests... or at least have to promise that you WILL try to get into one once you've taken it).

Once I set up that appointment and filled out the program's application, I called the human resources woman of the school district who turned me down a long time ago to let her know my status. (She had actually requested that I let her know when I had taken the test, etc.). On her voicemail, I shamelessly advertised myself some more: Hi, remember me? You wouldn't/couldn't hire me because I wasn't in an alt. cert. program? Okay, well look! I've taken that uber important test! I am meeting with the alt. cert. program on Thursday! They consider me highly qualified! Do you have any other Latin positions available at this moment? (I happen to be in the know about one of their other high schools needing a Latin teacher.) Can you consider me now, please? Oh, and please let me shamelessly suck up while I thank you so much for putting me in contact with this program. I truly appreciate it. You can call me back at: xxx-xxx-xxxx. Thanks, bye!

Okay, so it was a lot better sounding when I actually left it. It was a composed, collected, cool voicemail. And I wasn't really trying to suck up by thanking her- I really am grateful for her help. But really? I felt like that was what I sounded like. Shamelessly advertising myself and continuously running after every last little lead I hear about... like a dog chasing bones.

In the meantime? I have been sleeping on the couch because CB is out of town and I am too afraid to sleep upstairs alone. Awesome.