Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

Hello World. I’m back after a long break. Life became very busy and isn’t letting up yet.

This morning I have my second interview for a position I really want. It is for the principalship of the school where my teaching career started. All of my major classes were held at the school along with my student teaching. Many great memories, with many of them flooding my senses when I pulled in for my first interview earlier this week.

For interviewing, as one knows, you have to look your best. Which means, for me at least, a suit and tie are in order, especially when the job I’m seeking hits my heart and soul so much.

With a suit comes the dress shirt, pants, jacket, and, of course, a tie. Ties confound me because I’m not a flashy dresser. I dress for the part. Classroom dress is jeans, nice shirt, and tennis shoes due to the constant up and down on chairs, carpets and playground. Principal dress is nice khakis, dress shirt (except Spirit Days), and tennis shoes because I move around the school a lot as I want to be visible to all that I’m here, I care, and I’m ready to step in to any situation. As mentioned above, suits in general for interviews.

Richard is my tie guru. I’ll show him the ensemble and he’ll say yeah or nah. Then he’ll be helpful by pulling out the right tie. Before I left for Indianapolis (we are moving, but more on that in a separate post), I put out all of my interview ensembles, and he helped with ties. Unfortunately, I didn’t switch out the shirts with the jackets—we went off the suits themselves.

So, here I am in the hotel room getting ready, way to early this time, and had to make an executive decision on the tie. I sent him a picture, but since he is at work, I may or may not hear back from him in time. I’m trusting the powers that be have helped me pick the right tie to make the right impression. Time will tell I guess.

As a side note, I’m wearing my pigeon socks from the Pigeon books by Mo Willems. One of my students gave them to me as an end-of-year present. They are so adorable and help keep me a little lighter as I can be very serious. Just ask anyone who knows me. I’m not sure if they match my slacks, but I don’t actually care. The socks feel like my good luck charms such as athletes have for the big games.

Another side note is I took a walk this morning. I was feeling restless and a little tired. Usually a quick walk will help ground me. While walking a tree caught my attention. It was all alone in a field. What got me was the way the leaves were waving in the light breeze and making the best sound around. Below is the video if it works. That tree helped bring me back to earth (oh, did I say the school has an environmental focus). As odd as it may sound to many of you, I believe that tree called me so I could have a moment of being one with it, with it saying, “You got this Frank, you’ll do fine.”

I hope that tree and all of my supporters out there are right. It would be so serendipitous to be able to finish out my career where it began.

Fingers-crossed everyone!