Katherine and I officially got together after an Angel’s Game. Thus started a beautiful relationship where we went on wonderful dates, the most memorable being the San Diego Zoo, a Carnival Cruise, and Disneyland. Simultaneously released during the start of our relationship was Taylor Swift’s Lover, which I will forever associate with the early stages of our relationship.
This school year was the most unique by far. In October, I quit Equitas, and started substitute teaching in various school districts all over Orange County – mostly Westminster, Fountain Valley, and Irvine. It was boring, and a little too easy – with many of the aides telling me I had better management than some of the students’ teachers. How shocking.
On March 13th, 2010, the world forever changed when school districts began shutting down and a 2-week pause on life began, that would last well into the rest of the year. The coronavirus was plaguing the world. For the next 3 months, Katherine and I only communicated via facetime and texting, a true test of our relationship. And we quarantined from the rest of the world. I was able to diet in the process, losing a healthy amount of weight, while simultaneously playing Animal Crossing with all my time (seeing now that I was unemployed).
Seeing that my job prospects in history were not great, I opted to try to expand my teaching portfolio by taking some supplemental special education courses. To enhance my teaching I would need to be able to work with these learners in new and profound ways. As a result, I applied for CSUF’s special education credential program, quickly getting accepted. Soon after, I found an internship to work at Hosler Middle School the following year while getting my credential. I figured it was in the midst of a global pandemic that this would be the best time to sharpen my skills.
Katherine and I quickly celebrated our first anniversary at Parker’s Lighthouse, not knowing that this would be a venue where history would be made.
