Criminals get better service!

Once again my fingerprints have been returned to me in my quest to get a Washington State certificate to teach. This is the second time. It has nothing to do with who does the fingerprinting or how the fingerprinting is done. I just have poor quality fingerprints. I will admit that much. But that in no way affects my ability to teach. The helpful women at the educational service district office that has my application keenly observed that if I was a criminal, they would have no problem with my fingerprints. But I want to teach and that's a different matter all together. Maybe the third time will be a charm and they will accept my fingerprints for what they are - substandard.

Where do we go from here?

My head is spinning. I've been jumping through hoops to get certified to teach in a state across the country and I was relieved to find out I passed the Praxis I (after a quick review of math that I haven't used in my 28 years of teaching). That was yesterday morning. Then my husband asks how would you like to live in A-. OK, let me regroup in my line of thinking. The answer is "I don't know." Yes, it's closer to home, but I've had a S- mindset since March.

It's hard starting over period, much less after 50. I won't even get into the becoming empty-nesters issue. Why does this not appear to affect men as much as women? Is it because we have sons? Maybe moving across the country will help take my mind off that, swaying me to vote for S-.