New...

I no longer teach.

I have never said that before, but I have not-taught during different times in my adult life.
The first was when I graduated university. The time was the roaring 80s. I had just moved in with my parents in Westland and sent letters of application to all the districts in the area. A few interviews here and there but I did not have even the remotest clue on how to do that effectively so I got on the sub list of two districts and earned my $35 a day for two years that way. In a way it was nice because I had no planning or correcting of papers to do, and I was able to work other jobs in the evenings and on weekends.
Then, I moved to Cousin Bob's place out a ways and did some other things for money: made pizza, did phone surveys, abated asbestos, counseled summer campers, bowling alley mechanic and counter boy.
In 1993 I responded to a tiny classified ad in the Livingston County Argus for a high school teaching position at a tiny Christian school. I stayed there until 1999 when I accepted a position as an alternative ed teacher in Big Rapids. We bought a house in nearby Stanwood in 2000 but in 2005 our school was shut down.
I found another alternative job in Shepherd, MI and I will not even soil the 'Net with commentary on that foul place. Suffice it to say it was like working in Mordor.
The following year (2006) I tried subbing again and working home-bound jobs but it was too little. In late January 2007 (around Super Bowl time, as I remember sadly) I went south to look for work. Little sister has a house in suburban Detroit that she let me stay at whilst I again got on the sub list and worked minimal part time jobs. Selling insurance did not pan out during the summer (I sucked) and in the fall I again found a job teaching but it was even farther up north than Big Rapids.
So, for the last five years I've been renting in Onekama, teaching during the week and driving home to see my sweetie on the weekends. In 2010 I was cut back to half time and lost my benefits. We made it work for a year but all this past summer I was dreading the long drive north without my bride working so far away for such little pay. But I didn't know what to do. I applied to all kinds of jobs during the summer and never heard anything.
Until Thursday the 23rd of August, when I got a voice message that I didn't return until the following morning. I got the message regarding the opening, called the boss and met him at McDonalds for a pretty informal interview. I called him that night and accepted the position as a loan processor about 12 minutes away from home, not 4 hours away. So, on Monday the 27th of August (The Feast of Saint Monica), I began my new career in something other than teaching.
I am vested, and I will have some sort of pension when I'm quite old, for which I am thankful.
But I no longer teach, and I'm ok with that.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 
Amen