Lupus Adventurer and Two Interviews

New Chapter of Life and New Resume

A new chapter of life in retirement requires a new resume, so it was time to get busy and draft a new personal marketing tool for a desired new part-time career. After going back to college to wrap up my unfinished degree with four years of college in music, Bible, and general education classes, evenings were spent in a two-year degree completion program ending with a bachelor of science degree in Business Administration. Upon a careful review of the initial four-year transcript, an academic minor in music was also granted, along with cum laude honors at graduation.

One of the marketing course projects was developing a written business plan and a marketing plan. This included the milestones and steps that would support starting a part-time business as a private music teacher and substitute teacher. Some of these details included getting state substitute teacher certification, writing a music resume, and networking with some nearby private and charter schools. With the 2023/2024 school year just beginning, these goals were accomplished: the the approval of substitute certification, a finalized resume, and substitute teacher applications submitted to four local schools.

Interviews Leading to Onboarding

It was heartening to get overnight responses from three schools and to be sitting in two interviews yesterday that led to solid job offers for substitute teaching in two charter schools and a private Christian school. It is exciting to anticipate going to work one or two days per week as a substitute teacher in music, technology, or general classrooms. Substitute teaching sometimes gets bad press, but it seems like something that will an exciting adventure in coming years. A love of working with children in church programs over the years and a natural talent for teaching expressed in business settings over the past thity-plus years makes the idea of substitute teaching sound like great fun, not something fearful! Also, teaching piano lessons to my grandchildren fanned the flame of my love of working one-on-one with children.

Much thought and prayer was given to how working in retirement might affect Lupus, and a two-day per week maximum is the goal, leaving the other three days free to attend exercise classes at the gym, work on sketches for a drawing class, spend time on watercolor painting, and attend greeting card making classes. This leaves time to play the piano and work on practicing vocal music for upcoming church services. Also, with social security there are annual dollar limits on earnings before mandatory reductions in benfits kick in, so earnings should stay comfortably below any problematic amount.

While grateful and blessed to have our budget needs met by a public service pension and social security payments, the earnings from substitute teaching are targeted for “fun money”, vacation, and special projects. Since substitute teachers are in high demand, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, there are strong assurances there should be more requests for help than necessary to reach the two-day per week goal. There should be more than enough requests for help from the schools.

Lupus and Finding Balance!

Always a concern with Lupus is the risk weariness from overdoing and the possible detriment this can be to Lupus! There is nothing more disheartening than wanting to do more than there is energy to, or not being able to enjoy life because of flaring Lupus symptoms. Going back to work part-time will require paying close attention to health issues, and responding promptly to signs of flare or exhaustion. As a substitute there is the liberty and flexibility to say “not today” in order to focus that day on rest or leisure. Part of this new life chapter should be called retirement “work/play balance!”

Working as a “guest” teacher will be an adventure, and perhaps will not turn out the way it has been imagined in my mind. However, it will be something new and different from the four decades spent in “serious business” working in law firms and a local government law department. Embarking on this new direction is filled with an expection of fun and experimenting… a new place to interact with people who just happen to be children, and help them try to continue their learning on days when routine has been disrupted by the absence of the regular teachers. This will be an opportunity to for me to learn along with the students. Every day will be a unique and inspiring adventure!