Bradley Woodrum Bradley Woodrum Bradley Woodrum

Up to what has Bradley Woodrum been? An excellent question, Brad. Among other things, I have been engaged whole-heartedly in a campaign of Passion, a journey of Excellence, and noble pursuit of Americanism: I have been trying to get a million cat/kitten images to appear in a Google image search (GIS) for "Bradley Woodrum" and "Brad Woodrum."

Step one of this devious plan is to, you guessed it, write "Bradley Woodrum" or "Brad Woodrum" in blog-posts featuring cats slash kittens.

My less-noble, more-boring, recent pursuits include:

1) Teaching my ESL classes in Chinatown. Helping out at Cornerstone.
2) Doing some freelance editing for McGraw-Hill.
3) Finishing up my last few RU classes.
4) Writing for DRaysBay, where they treat me like, eh, maybe the son of a demi-god? Yeah, not great or anything, but they at least recognize me and say stuff like, "I think I kind of like your writing."
5) Polishing up a short story for a writing contest.
6) Learning how to write the word "meow" in Chinese. 咪.

My ESL Classes
I feel very fortunate to say I love the place I'm in right now. I really like teacher -- even though it can be a real strain sometimes -- and I suspect I'm decent at it. I can easily picture myself teaching for a while. And, with the possibility of decent income coming my way via freelance writing/editing, I should be able to work at the Pui Tak Center and still put noodles on the table.

Jamie and I have also taken leadership roles at Cornerstone (the church that formed out of our old church in Chinatown). We really love Cornerstone! It's a collection of great friends and genuine, God-fearing and God-loving people. Jamie has started helping with Hospitality and Greeting, and I'm currently serving the Children's Ministry and Worship Ministry (they want me to learn more keyboard, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!).

I really have a burden for the Youth Ministry, though, but unfortunately we don't have any youths. So, since half the church is under age 13, the plan is to help with and learn from the Children's Ministry while we wait for the kids to get older, which can take any unknown amount of time. I'm told children age at different rates, but they don't seem to be aging at all. Go figure.

Summer Schools and Summer Jobs

This is my desktop background at work.

Hey everyone!

By now, a few of you know that I recently found employment in Chinatown, but I'd like to elaborate on the details. Basically, about two weeks ago, some of the Americorps workers at the Pui Tak Center -- where I volunteer as an ESL (English as a second language) tutor and pronunciation teacher -- told me they had a summer internship position opening and suggested I apply. Well, I almost forgot about it, but applied at the last second and got the position! The job is about 30 hours a week with a $2000 stipend, plus a $1000 tuition waiver upon my completion of the program. With the tuition waiver, it works out to about $10 an hour -- and a big bonus to my resume.

My focus at the Pui Tak Center is twofold: (1) build a foundation of curriculum for future pronunciation teachers and (2) conduct an ACT Prep class for ESL high school students. I'm much more excited about objective (1), especially since they didn't tell me anything about number (2) until after they hired me.

In the meantime, I'm taking two classes this summer, which means I should be able to finish my masters degree by December. However, teaching at the Pui Tak has led me to reconsider pursuing my doctorate. It It's something I'm still quite wary of, but I'm becoming less and less off-put by the notion of teaching as a career. I've looked into the program at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and I think there's a very good chance I could not only get accepted, but go entirely for free.

In addition to opening teaching opportunities, a PhD also means I will: (a) have a better shot at working for the Federal Reserve, (b) have a better opportunity to become a published researcher and writer, and (c) possibly price myself out of working for a baseball team. I'm not so sure about point (c), but it seems probable -- and disheartening.

Anyway, if there was one thing I would want everyone to pray about, it would be about this -- about school. I almost feel like God deliberately kept me from other job opportunities this summer (I turned down two jobs, and didn't hear back from dozens of others) so he could specifically get me to teach.

Outside of that, I shaved -- as many of you already know. Each day I wake up and say, "I'm going to grow my beard back today." And then I go shave again. I really feel like my hair is getting too long to not have a beard, but it's so hot outside!

Mom, when you get here, can you help Jamie give me a non-Mohawk hairstyle? We don't know how to do it.

In other news, Daniel graciously paid for this month's MLB.tv subscription! For those of you using that service, please be sure to thank Daniel! I've become too poor of late to afford that extra payment -- also our internet asplodes about every ten minutes.

I'm so excited about mom, dad, and Jessica coming to Chicago! Jamie and I keep talking about all the places we want to take our family, and now we will finally have a chance!

Summer Plans

For those who didn't know, I had a grueling, 3.5-hour job interview on Monday. After putting all the time and effort into the interview, I'm no longer certain if I even want the job. I haven't had any peace about the subject all week, until a day or two ago when Jamie and I decided it would be best to decline if they offered me a job. It's still hard to say exactly why I didn't feel good about the job, especially since we could really use some solid income, like, right now; but today, I talked with one of my professors about an independent study I plan to take this summer, and he noted something interesting that I hadn't really considered before: Apparently, in recessions, when the labor market is really tight and everyone's looking for work, people are inclined to take the first job offer they receive. This results in people entering career paths that don't best suit their interests or skills, and since people tend to stick with a general career path, this first job defines the remainder of their lives. (In turn, the society as a whole suffers as thousands of people fail to reach their highest potential.)

I don't know if that's why I don't feel good about this job, but it's very true that the offer is not really in line with my ultimate career goals (to work for the Tampa Bay Rays or Cubs, or writing [about economics]). Also, adding a job at $40K per year, but still taking classes would actually carry the potential of worsening our financial situation (i.e. still no cats, and possibly having to move to the ghetto). The difference, in terms of actual weekly and monthly obligations for us, of $40K and $45K is monumental, so we would be better served to hold out for a little more.

So, on Tuesday I applied to about 6 or 7 more opportunities, namely some summer internships or internship-type jobs. So, if you guys remember, please keep me in your prayers that I might navigate this summer prudently and according to God's big, sometimes secret plan.

In the meantime, Jamie and I have continued to train for the Chinatown 5K. Yesterday, I ran a 5K in about 24 minutes, which is about 4 minutes slower than I want to, so I'm still far away from my goals. Additionally, we are now in possession of three different kinds of Oreos (peanut butter, chocolate, and reduced fat -- which is hilarious). I have deemed all three kinds of these Oreos contrary to my running goals, but too delicious to resist.

Also, and I don't know if Melissa reads this or not, but Daniel and Melissa: I've been praying for you guys every day, because I'm intimately aware of the pains of wedding planning. If there's anything Jamie or I can do to help you guys (maybe send you a pizza?), let us know.

As March Nears an End

Here's a maine coon kitteh I've been stalking on Craigslist.

Hey everyone!

Today, Jamie and I registered for a 5k run in Chinatown! It's about 3 miles, which I run about once or twice per week, so hopefully I won't collapse in a quivering ball of shame. My main goal is to beat Jamie and all her friends. Because they are women.

In other news, I've started teaching a pronunciation class at the Pui Tak Center, and though I'm a nervous wreck going into every class, God usually blesses the time and we have a lot of laughs. I can only hope they learn something, too.

Also, I had my first baseball game last Sunday. It was really fun (photos should be forthcoming on Homebody and Woman), yet really windy and cold. I didn't start the game, but came in to play right field in the 4th inning (or thereabouts). I finished the day with a walk, a stolen base (yeah, you read that right), a run, and a groundout. I also dropped a pop up, but was able to throw the runner out at second base, so we'll say it was a fielder's choice, not an error. (We fought admirably, but lost 6 to 16ish... To an art school.)

Recently, I've been spending my days searching for internships, applying for jobs, and wistfully looking at pictures of cats on Craigslist. I've sent applications to a couple of places, and even had some friends from church look into a few opportunities for me, but right now God is having me wait. Maybe this means there's some incredible job just around the corner... Is there such thing as a Kitten Tester?

The big news, however, is that the refurbished XBOX 360 Daniel ordered for me arrived sometime yesterday. As I write this, Jamie should be collecting the package from the office downstairs (I'm at work right now) and preparing it for the coming era of Brotherly Video Game Jubilation!

***

UPDATE: I've meaning to mention this book: When Wanderers Cease to Roam by Vivian Swift. I bought it in January with a gift card from December, and have been loving it through March! It's like an illustrated diary and it's just wonderful. Jamie and I are really liking it, and have decided that:

Janelle would like the cats.
Jessica would like the art.
Dad would like the art, too.
Mom would like the art and cats.
And Daniel would like the fact that there's a lot of pictures to go with the words, but still wouldn't read it.
Matt would possibly dislike it because it lacks beards and meat.

I like the cats, art, and cats.
Jamie likes the cats, teacups, and travelling.

(Oh, and just kidding; Matt would like it too.)

Classes, Summer, and Summer Classes

I promised I would post over the weekend, but our internet disappeared -- presumably on some mad, bandwidth-drinking binge. Anyway, our super-shoddy internet aside, I've been spending the last few days: 1) preparing for midterms and 2) preparing for the summer.

Thus far, my classes have been going very well. I get along well with my professors, and they seem genuinely interested in my well-being and future -- which is about the most I could ask for. Just a week or two ago, I was at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and one of my professors introduced me to this guy, Bill Testa, who informed me that the Fed was not likely to have any interns this summer.

This both bums me out and brings me to my next point: I've already applied for two internships (dream internships, at that), one at the Fed and one with the Cubs. I'm really pulling for the one with the Cubs (which is probably good, given Bill's forecast), because -- in all honesty -- my ultimate aim of working at the Fed is building my stats-cred so I can get a job in baseball. I've also examined some other internships with investment firms and risk analysis groups -- positions that I would probably find very interesting, but ultimately wouldn't want to do forever.

In the meantime, I signed up for a summer class at Roosevelt (did you guys know that I write for their Writing Center Blog?). If I pass the summer class (which -- my professor all but assured me -- I will), then I should be able to finish my Masters in one more semester, or two semesters of part-time classes (which would be great if I'm working by then).

In other news, Daniel and I have been trying, fruitlessly, for weeks now to play each other in Madden via XBOX 360, but technology has confounded us on every turn. Hopefully, though, I will be able to hammer out some of the problems this spring break and commence with the butt-whoopings. Also, today I went outside without my coat, and I found the weather chilly, but tolerable in my t-shirt. Oddly, though, I think I will miss winter (I really like the cold, except for how it makes my nose runny).

Short Poem

When I go to heaven, I will have this tightly held in my fist, and I will have a million co-authors write ahmen:

I called to God for help;
and when it came,
I had no idea
it would look like that.

At the beginning of the new year, Jamie and I were upset. We were going to a seeker-friendly church downtown called Willow Chicago, and we had settled on this church after several months of fruitless searching, even once visiting a unitarian universalist church by accident. Willow met at the Auditorium Theater, a famous concert house underneath my school, and had some thousand-plus members and visitors each Sunday. It was nearly impossible to see the same face twice, and though a desire to serve weighed heavily on my heart (I really wanted to use my writing and teaching talents to serve others), I kept meeting obstacles. Also, we both had agreed we wanted to take some sort of Biblical finances class so we could have a better grasp of Godly principles for our money, but Willow had no such programs. But the worst thing was that Willow's structure is predicated around the supposition that members can find a small group to plug into, to get deeper fellowship and deeper study; but the combination of our class schedules had prevented us from joining any groups in 2009. And so, when our schedules continued to conflict when the new, 2010 class schedules came out, we began to suspect this was a sign.

Mmm... I'm Hungry!

It's past noon and I'm still in my pajamas. Of course, I should do homework, but Brad has rubbed off on me, and now I'm getting into the habit of reading blogs! Mine are mostly craft blogs though. Since I have the extra time (job hunting is surprisingly difficult) I want to learn to do something like quilting, or paper crafts, or knitting. I just don't know where to start. I really really want to learn to quilt, but I can barely sew right now, so I should probably take it one step at a time. Maybe I should just try knitting...or weaving...or watercolors....blah!!

Tomorrow, our group from church is having a Valentine Social/Potluck. The guys are making the main courses, and the women are making desserts - my favorite! So tonight, a few of the women are hanging out, making a two-tiered cake for the social, and eating spaghetti. I'm thankful for little opportunities like this to get to know some of them better.

This is Bradley and I having lunch at the church...yes, it was delicious :)