Globex Corporation Newsletter

So I get a call at 7:31am yesterday asking if I can come in and relieve an ill teacher. Classes start at 8am, so it's pretty obvious that there's no possible way I'll get into school before then. I said "yes" of course, and when they asked how long it would take me to get in I told them it would be an hour.

Now keep in mind that in the past I've made it in to work in less than 40 minutes, that includes a 20 minute drive. In the past, I've gone from warm and cozy in my bed to being completely unprepared and in front of a classroom full of kids in less than 40 minutes. Maybe I think a little too much of this, but I think it's pretty damn impressive. Being a substitute teacher isn't an easy job under the best of situations. In a case like that, just keeping the kids from running wild is nearly impossible. But I've done it, damn it, and because they only pay me for the time I'm actually there, I actually make less money on a day like that then I would for a day when I'm called in with adequete time to prepare. Once I actually made it into work in a ridiculously short amount of time, was in class before the kids, taught a whole day of classes and received a half hour less pay because, through no fault of my own, I was called in to work more than an hour later than normal.

So I told them it would take me an hour. I knew I could make it in to school in less than an hour, but why bust my hump. How have I been rewarded for breaking my ass to get in and teach a whole day on such short notice? Last time I wasnt called to sub again for over a week. Thanks for coming in on ridiculously short notice, your reward is we'll give you no opportunity to work here for over a week.

People are appreiative. The people who's asses I'm saving, the administrators in the buildings I work in, the teachers I sub for an their associates. That's all nice, and in turn I appreciate their appreciation (in an totally and completely , redundant and repetive way) but it don't pay the bills. Then again I do a lot of stuff that don't pay the bills, so what the hell am I complaining about?

Last night's open mic was fun. The teacher I subbed for planned to take a bunch of kids down to Dunn Bros. to hear some poetry and perhaps read some. Quite a few made it and I'm sure quite a few students saw a different side of 'Mr. BOJ' as I make them call me in class (actually I generally get 'Mr. Dude' 'Mr. Teacher-Dude' or ocassionally 'Mr. Jeopardy!'). Two girl's who I'd taught that day read poetry, nice stuff. The first, a confident, talented young lady in class, was noticeably nervous in front of a pretty good sized Dunn Bros. crowd. I don't relay that information to put her down in any way. Her poem was nice and she held it together despite the nerves. It's hard to do, especially the first time. My first time on stage alone was at Knight's Cellar in Spearfish, playing a song I wrote about ex-Governor and US Representative Bill Janklow. I was out of my mind with fear. I'd played harmonica and sung in front of people before, I'd never played guitaror performed original material in front of a crowd, I'd definitely never tried to do all four at once under those circumstances. It's hard, but I belive it's made me a better person. It's true, I'm basically a shy person and I take it as a compliment when peole tell me that they don't believe that. Being able to handle myself under those circumstances has helped me more comfortable in all kinds of social situations.

TSA made an early appearance and instead of closing down the show, we took the stage at 8:30 (exactly 12 hours after I arrived for work at the high school that morning). We started off with Plastic Jesus and the on-stage debut of my Kevin Smith signed "Buddy Christ" statue. We followed that up with Tull's Locomotive Breath, a song that somehow garners more notice than I ever think it should. A couple came up to me as they were leaving and asked about it. That anyone notices that song still amazes me. I can't explain it. Finished up with the Mojo, my voice shot at that point and I just didn't have the power behind it that the song requires. Nobody seemed to mind.

I'm thinking that Recipe Wednesday will become Recipe Thursday. Wednesdays can be a little hard for me to post with open mic taking up a good portion of my evening. If I teach that day it's easier to have supper with the folks who live in the neighborhood of the school and then head straight to open mic. That means I tend to wake up, have a full day, get home and go to bed. Not a lot of time to post, especially with helping dad putting a new deck on the house. So Recipe Thursday it is. Special thanks to That 1 Gal for offering her own recipe in the comments of the previous post. I love rum, don't ever omit it from anything! I post the folloing recipe the same place yesterday, but consider this the first official Recipe Thursday post.


Chicken Feta Pizza

1 Foccacia Crust (I make my own)
Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups Mozzerella Cheese
Grilled Boneless Chicken Breast, diced (or two)
1 Tomato sliced or diced
8 oz. Feta Cheese
(or is that 4 oz.? Whatever the package size is.)

Brush Olive Oil onto foccacia. Top with 3/4 cup mozzerella cheese. Add grilled chicken, tomato and feta. Cover with remaining cheese. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Variations/Additions

Substitute grilled eggplant for grilled chicken
Add marinated artichoke hearts (mmmmmm)
Add fresh basil to top of pizza before baking
Add fresh grated parmasean cheese to crust before spreading on oil

I love this, everyone I've served it to seems to enjoy it. It's a nice change from a tomato sauce based pizza. As a single guy, I can say that it's really good reheated. Or, as a hangover remedy, serve cold with warm beer as per song by Safire - The Uppity Blues Women.

BOJ