Chapter 47: Professional Horizons

Post-Vacation Blues

When I returned from Disney World, I picked up a voice mail from Trish about what had happened at Terumo while I was away. My stomach flipped.

Apparently, mass layoffs had just occurred, including our manager, Joni; the warehouse manager, Paul and a bunch of others. Everyone was bewildered, and there seemed to be no particular reason for the cuts.

The sales teams were slashed to the quick. Even the Elkton manufacturing facility didn’t emerge unaffected. It was rumored that our department was also at risk. The situation was ominous and at that point I decided it was time to seek other employment.

There was major discontent among the ranks. This was not a company that valued its employees. (Trish stayed on until around 2005, and the job was a constant source of stress right up until retirement.)

Audio clip: “Natural One” by Folk Implosion

Folk Implosion – Natural One
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While working, I began to sow my professional oats again. I scoured the print want-ads and each contact was by phone or hard copy cover letter and resume. I also decided to double-market myself for corporate as well as education positions.

There was no Monster, no Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Upwork. “Pounding the pavement” was the only path to employment.

I had been teaching Sunday School and thought I might fire up my education credentials and test the waters in public school teaching. For K-8 General Education certification, I needed to study for and take the Praxis exam. (I was already certified for K-12 Music in both West Virginia and New Jersey.) I passed the Praxis, got my certificate and began the hunt in earnest. I went on several interviews.

One was for an administrative position at Merrill Lynch in Plainsboro, and another was for General Music Teacher at a Sayreville elementary school, among others. It took some doing to squeeze in interviews while working full-time.

Miss Lori and the “Fours” class

The job I ended up taking was Preschool Educator at KinderCare Early Childhood Learning Center in Somerset, NJ. It represented a substantial pay cut and loss of benefits; these would now have to be covered by John’s employer.

I viewed the KinderCare opportunity as my gateway to teaching. I started in October, after a nice sendoff from Trish with a cake and lovely little paperweight gift.

Audio clip: “Never Known A Girl Like You Before” by David Bowie

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This gig proved both a blessing and a curse. The blessing: the adorable four-year-old kids and their parents. The curse: the Center was run by a witch who fronted for the parents but ran things like an ogress with a 24/7 burr in her saddle.

This company, based in toasty Alabama, did not understand paid “snow days” so we had to fight for pay after the Blizzard of ’96 brought a State of Emergency and we all had to miss a day’s work.

Meanwhile, I did my best in the classroom. I prepared lesson plans and activities, ran Circle Time, took them out for recess and tucked them in for nap time.

I was also responsible for cleaning everything that can and will go wrong with a child’s digestive system, and was constantly scrubbing the tables and mats and floors and bulletin boards. We were teachers and custodians. Another pain in the arse: ONE adult rest room stall for the ENTIRE Center. Anyone want to join me in some head-scratching on that one? There was no lounge or “teachers’ area.”

For lunch, I’d drive over to where John worked, at Pharmacia Biotech just to sit and grab some zen.

There was a lot of grunt work involved, but the rewards came with the kids’ smiles and the parents’ appreciation.

Around Christmas, I helped produce a holiday concert for the parents. My class sang and played toy percussion instruments.

I still remember those children; their bright, innocent faces and their budding personalities. Friendships were formed at the preschool level and at the time, Toy Story was all the rage. I remember little Michael and Andrew, best buds, and Alexander, who was so articulate. Those faces remain in my memory, and it is startling to realize they’re all beyond college age as of this writing.

Despite the positives, by February, I knew I had to return to the corporate world. There were still few public school opportunities, and this Center was being run by an inexperienced woman whose Guantanamo staff disciplinary style needed serious work. I was also earning the same dirt pay as aides, not that of a college-educated, certified teacher. It was time.

I gave my notice and immediately contacted temporary employment agencies, and went for Microsoft Word training for a few days. Soon, I learned of two opportunities. One was United Jersey Bank (remember them? Me either) and the other was Dow Jones & Company, which offered $2 more.

The UJB position was to start the following week; Dow wanted someone immediately.

Guess which one I chose?

Chapter 48: Into the Sunset and Happily Ever After

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