Dear Department of Education,
As of July 2009, you took over two of my student loans. This November marks the end of my grace period and I will have to begin paying back said loans. I was wondering if the Department would be interested in different arrangement instead.
In college, I studied for and received my license to teach Life Sciences in high school and General Sciences for grades 5-8. Since you helped pay for this licensing, I believe that a more efficient way for you to earn you money back is to allow me to teach. One could argue that by being so adamant in getting your money back surrenders your insecurity on the investment you made by helping me achieve my degree. I think that it would be more beneficial to both of us if, instead, my loans be forgiven through yearly installments of Adequate Yearly Progress.
Through putting my concentration and effort into making my students the very best, I am helping the next generation of Americans achieve to the fullest extent that they can. One of the goals of your department is to “Encourage the increased involvement of the public, parents, and students in Federal education programs,” I believe that I could help do this by increasing student achievement in low-performing public schools which could help with public support in Federal Education. I want to work towards an America where there are no ‘bad’ schools to attend.
So here is my proposition: Every year that my students make AYP, the department knocks off 10% of my debt so not only that I remain in teaching for ten years, but that I remain an effective teacher for ten years. If I am unable to do this, perhaps we can go back to the monetary system that is currently set up. I’ll even say that I have to start from the beginning, with the additional interest that I undoubtedly accrued during this barter.
Now you might bring up the point that this year I will be out of country volunteering and hence will not be teaching, ergo not keeping my end of the transaction. I would ask that if you do allow for the arrangement to be made, then you let me defer this for one year and we will begin next school year. I do put in my request to work somewhere on the East Coast, but I understand that I should probably go where I am most needed. I do want to make it clear though, you don’t have the authority to tell me where to go, I can choose my placement so long as it is a public or charter school.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
I figure at least with this benefit, it'll be easier to accept the low respect and pay I'll be receiving.
27 August 2010
22 August 2010
Will I Go Bald?
NOTE: This was written a few months ago before I picked up blogging again. So I’m even closer to male pattern baldness than before!
Sometimes it’s a bit scary how intuitive Google’s suggestions in can be as you begin typing in your query. Either it’s the fact that we have been together for several years now and Google understands me or that I’m bonding with the average likes of humanity. I suppose there’s comfort to be had for the latter.
Being a Biology major, this thought of balding has been in the back of my head for some time. I have taken note of previous girlfriends’ father’s hair control and I am beginning to believe that perhaps this will be an unconscious attribute I find attractive in the opposite sex. Female’s Father’s Hair. The FFH. “Hey Jer, how’s life?” “Good, dating someone. She’s pretty awesome.” “How’s the FFH?” If anything, I hope that I can protect my sons.
At the supple age of 22, this reality is (hopefully) far off on the horizon. I believed that so long as I kept my concern private and rationalized a more optimistic outcome, I might be spared. This all came crashing down the other night when I went out with my family to meet my mother’s relatives. Now I know my mom’s siblings and the various loin-product that they bring along with them, but I have never met her aunts and uncles. The uncles were balding if not bald, and after a cousin of dear mother said how her dad and his brothers have the same haircut, my father wryly slid in to say “that’s your future boys.” Thank you dad.
Although I never had much hope. My dad’s dad did have thick locks on his head til he died, and this sustained my optimism – until I learned more about genetics. Dad’s dad is a nonplayer in the hair game. It’s mom’s dad. And let’s just say, my mom’s family are balders. They come from a long line of balders. Some say that it skips a generation – here it is so ingrained in the family that we’re churning shiny spots in every litter. Perhaps this is what we see in our future mates. Can one man stand up against generations of balders and say “enough is enough!”? Ladies, don’t be alarmed if I want to meet your parents soon after we begin dating – I have a few curiosities I need to satisfy.
Anyways, back to Google. After this enlightening night at dinner I went home to talk to Google. Google (I’m still up in the air on the pronoun to use, so we’ll stick with formal, third party names until then) sent me to a site where I could run some numbers and get a prognosis. After putting in my details (age, stage of hair, stress levels, heredity), I found out that I have a “Quite Possible” chance of losing all/most of my hair. They were even kind enough to give me my age when it’ll be all gone (I draw a few issues with this. When are you bald? When the back meets the front? Perhaps if someone has to squint when holding conversation with you?). I’m expected to have no hair when I turn 62! I even changed the stress levels to nonexistent (not true) – no change in the age. NOTE – Apparently I have until 63. I’m almost 23 so I changed my age and bought myself another year. Hizzah!
One comfort is that I can have extreme stress and it doesn’t change the numbers either. Apparently stress is not a factor. Good for me I suppose.
In any case, I have forty years until I have a dome top. I figure that it begins to become pretty apparent in 16-20 years that I’m balding? So I have about 16 more years to find that woman to marry. I guess that is more time than I can really fathom at this moment. If I had a choice, I suppose I hope it is sudden without apologies. To morbidly associate it with executions (which, in a sense it is, my hair life will be over – I maintain that I wrongfully sentenced), I hope that my baldness is similar to a hanging. It happens suddenly and completely. I don’t want a lethal injection bald experience where it takes a while and I am unaware of what is going on. Please no electric chair though. I have the image of my hair gumming up the shower sink and me freaking out with that association.
Sometimes it’s a bit scary how intuitive Google’s suggestions in can be as you begin typing in your query. Either it’s the fact that we have been together for several years now and Google understands me or that I’m bonding with the average likes of humanity. I suppose there’s comfort to be had for the latter.
Being a Biology major, this thought of balding has been in the back of my head for some time. I have taken note of previous girlfriends’ father’s hair control and I am beginning to believe that perhaps this will be an unconscious attribute I find attractive in the opposite sex. Female’s Father’s Hair. The FFH. “Hey Jer, how’s life?” “Good, dating someone. She’s pretty awesome.” “How’s the FFH?” If anything, I hope that I can protect my sons.
At the supple age of 22, this reality is (hopefully) far off on the horizon. I believed that so long as I kept my concern private and rationalized a more optimistic outcome, I might be spared. This all came crashing down the other night when I went out with my family to meet my mother’s relatives. Now I know my mom’s siblings and the various loin-product that they bring along with them, but I have never met her aunts and uncles. The uncles were balding if not bald, and after a cousin of dear mother said how her dad and his brothers have the same haircut, my father wryly slid in to say “that’s your future boys.” Thank you dad.
Although I never had much hope. My dad’s dad did have thick locks on his head til he died, and this sustained my optimism – until I learned more about genetics. Dad’s dad is a nonplayer in the hair game. It’s mom’s dad. And let’s just say, my mom’s family are balders. They come from a long line of balders. Some say that it skips a generation – here it is so ingrained in the family that we’re churning shiny spots in every litter. Perhaps this is what we see in our future mates. Can one man stand up against generations of balders and say “enough is enough!”? Ladies, don’t be alarmed if I want to meet your parents soon after we begin dating – I have a few curiosities I need to satisfy.
Anyways, back to Google. After this enlightening night at dinner I went home to talk to Google. Google (I’m still up in the air on the pronoun to use, so we’ll stick with formal, third party names until then) sent me to a site where I could run some numbers and get a prognosis. After putting in my details (age, stage of hair, stress levels, heredity), I found out that I have a “Quite Possible” chance of losing all/most of my hair. They were even kind enough to give me my age when it’ll be all gone (I draw a few issues with this. When are you bald? When the back meets the front? Perhaps if someone has to squint when holding conversation with you?). I’m expected to have no hair when I turn 62! I even changed the stress levels to nonexistent (not true) – no change in the age. NOTE – Apparently I have until 63. I’m almost 23 so I changed my age and bought myself another year. Hizzah!
One comfort is that I can have extreme stress and it doesn’t change the numbers either. Apparently stress is not a factor. Good for me I suppose.
In any case, I have forty years until I have a dome top. I figure that it begins to become pretty apparent in 16-20 years that I’m balding? So I have about 16 more years to find that woman to marry. I guess that is more time than I can really fathom at this moment. If I had a choice, I suppose I hope it is sudden without apologies. To morbidly associate it with executions (which, in a sense it is, my hair life will be over – I maintain that I wrongfully sentenced), I hope that my baldness is similar to a hanging. It happens suddenly and completely. I don’t want a lethal injection bald experience where it takes a while and I am unaware of what is going on. Please no electric chair though. I have the image of my hair gumming up the shower sink and me freaking out with that association.
19 August 2010
Googling Thyself
I was working on updating my resume today and decided to Google myself to see how people perceive me online. Here are the top 10 result Titles
Jeremy Graney | Facebook
Not me, some guy from Wisconsin. But will people know that? I hope so. Also, this guy hasn’t changed his profile picture for 2.5ish years. I wonder if the account is still active.
Jeremy Graney | Edmonton, AB | Classmates.com
Again, not me.
Blog Post: Follow me at the Final Four in Koln, Germany…
Ah yes, I’m mentioned a few times in my friend’s articles she did for US Team Handball. I was the photographer. I think that this is a positive image of me online.
Blog Post: 300 Goals, the Lions Roar, Partille Cup & EHF Final…
Same as previous – I’m related to the EHF Final. Again positive.
Twenty-Three New Volunteers in year 8 of SJBVC
The St. John’s Benedictine Volunteer Page. This is what I’m doing this year – A positive image that will undoubtedly help when future employers search for me.
Jeremy Graney - Contact Info, Pictures, Background Check, Profiles ...
Ah, this is half me I would say. It goes to two Jeremy Graneys and one is me. However it states that my age is 25 which is incorrect. I’m 23 at the moment. Although I find this to still be a coincidence because my motto is “Stay alive ‘til 25.” Two reactions came from this – one, I wanted to see what they had on me but I had to pay so…no dice. And two, I doubt the credibility of these sites now. If they got my age wrong, who knows what else they lazily researched. I hope my future employers are not fooled.
23 recent SJU graduates join Benedictine Volunteer Corps
Another BVC plug – this time mentioned right away in the description – not bad.
Graney, Jeremy - Graney, John | People Directory | MySpace
Not me, but the Jeremy Graney they are referring to goes by Jer. I also go by Jer. I did not think that it was a common nickname for Jeremy. I discover that I’m not as unique as I had believed.
Starry Night, Jeremy Graney on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
A picture that I did take with the help of my friend (who is standing on the right) that was while we were up north in the Outback of Australia. Pretty cool picture that CSB/SJU Abroad Office is apparently using. I’m sure that I gave them permission somewhere down the road. That is my Haiku underneath.
Last Names Ranging From Granet, Justin To Graney, Martha @ MyLife.com
If you find my name it is me but, once again, they have my age as 25. It also has a link to send an email which makes me very curious as to which email they would send it to. I think I have five. It appears that joining is free. I’m very tempted to…
Overall, I think that I’m pretty well represented on the first page. It’s not until about page four that they start bringing up sights of “Jeremy” or “Graney” but no longer together. The second page is a bit disconcerting because my name is linked to some odd Facebook pages (I’m assuming it’s the Wisconsin guy, although after a quick check, there is another Jeremy online as well).
Anywho.
Take Care,
Jeremy Graney | Facebook
Not me, some guy from Wisconsin. But will people know that? I hope so. Also, this guy hasn’t changed his profile picture for 2.5ish years. I wonder if the account is still active.
Jeremy Graney | Edmonton, AB | Classmates.com
Again, not me.
Blog Post: Follow me at the Final Four in Koln, Germany…
Ah yes, I’m mentioned a few times in my friend’s articles she did for US Team Handball. I was the photographer. I think that this is a positive image of me online.
Blog Post: 300 Goals, the Lions Roar, Partille Cup & EHF Final…
Same as previous – I’m related to the EHF Final. Again positive.
Twenty-Three New Volunteers in year 8 of SJBVC
The St. John’s Benedictine Volunteer Page. This is what I’m doing this year – A positive image that will undoubtedly help when future employers search for me.
Jeremy Graney - Contact Info, Pictures, Background Check, Profiles ...
Ah, this is half me I would say. It goes to two Jeremy Graneys and one is me. However it states that my age is 25 which is incorrect. I’m 23 at the moment. Although I find this to still be a coincidence because my motto is “Stay alive ‘til 25.” Two reactions came from this – one, I wanted to see what they had on me but I had to pay so…no dice. And two, I doubt the credibility of these sites now. If they got my age wrong, who knows what else they lazily researched. I hope my future employers are not fooled.
23 recent SJU graduates join Benedictine Volunteer Corps
Another BVC plug – this time mentioned right away in the description – not bad.
Graney, Jeremy - Graney, John | People Directory | MySpace
Not me, but the Jeremy Graney they are referring to goes by Jer. I also go by Jer. I did not think that it was a common nickname for Jeremy. I discover that I’m not as unique as I had believed.
Starry Night, Jeremy Graney on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
A picture that I did take with the help of my friend (who is standing on the right) that was while we were up north in the Outback of Australia. Pretty cool picture that CSB/SJU Abroad Office is apparently using. I’m sure that I gave them permission somewhere down the road. That is my Haiku underneath.
Last Names Ranging From Granet, Justin To Graney, Martha @ MyLife.com
If you find my name it is me but, once again, they have my age as 25. It also has a link to send an email which makes me very curious as to which email they would send it to. I think I have five. It appears that joining is free. I’m very tempted to…
Overall, I think that I’m pretty well represented on the first page. It’s not until about page four that they start bringing up sights of “Jeremy” or “Graney” but no longer together. The second page is a bit disconcerting because my name is linked to some odd Facebook pages (I’m assuming it’s the Wisconsin guy, although after a quick check, there is another Jeremy online as well).
Anywho.
Take Care,
Rejuvenated!
I’m back! Hizzah me! Not much has changed, save for the name and URL. A Life Between Two Shoulders. It took me AGES to get this URL. I originally had it when I had a brief breakdown and thought it was the cleverest title ever. It’s not, but I like it because it’s supposed to symbolize how your life is perceived through your mind, i.e. head, and your head is betwixt your shoulders. So your whole recollection of your life resides between your shoulders, or other people’s shoulders as well (they might remember things that you don’t).
In any case, I was able to recover this address and have changed my previous blog’s title (The Toilet’s Flush Clockwise). So, as you may see, most of my entries are from my blogging while I studied in Australia. It is my current desire to blog about less situational things (such as travelling in Australia) and more experiential instances. We shall see how this holds up.
So here’s to the start…again!
Take Care,
In any case, I was able to recover this address and have changed my previous blog’s title (The Toilet’s Flush Clockwise). So, as you may see, most of my entries are from my blogging while I studied in Australia. It is my current desire to blog about less situational things (such as travelling in Australia) and more experiential instances. We shall see how this holds up.
So here’s to the start…again!
Take Care,
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