Tuesday, May 13, 2008

An Interesting Day

An interesting day. My hubby and I traveled to St. Paul, MN to the Minnesota Department of Education building. Their directions were full of errors, and the workshop registration had typos on it, which I find amusing. I attended a meeting to explain the Licensure Via Portfolio path to gaining my Minnesota Public Schools teaching license. John came along because he's thinking that a career change to Math Instructor might be a good thing. Let me tell you, this portfolio program is no cake walk!! It's a highly detailed process wherein you argue that your life experience and education are equal to the standards for a public classroom teacher. It's only slighty less involved than earning a Master's, but a lot less expensive.

After the two-hour workshop, we headed to downtown St. Paul for a burger at Mickey's diner. This place is an icon. It's not a yuppified "redo" with cutesy kitsch and fake history. This place is the REAL DEAL. Rust is holding up most of the exterior. The interior has not changed since about 1942, nor has it been dusted much. The wait staff are funny and will makes jokes at your expense. Within 10 minutes, we became known as the "ding-a-lings at the end of the counter". We also learned by watching that the garbage can right outside our window was a favorite with local trash divers.
My burger and hash browns were perfect diner food. If I'd had access to this stuff in college could have cured many hangovers. Or maybe I'm the only person who craved greasy diner food when hungover. Luckily it wasn't too often. And perhaps lucky this place is a good distance from the University of Minnesota campus or they'd be packed even fuller on weekend mornings.

From wikipedia - Mickey's Diner is a classic Art Deco diner car restaurant in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was prefabricated in New Jersey, shipped to Saint Paul by rail, and installed downtown just before World War II. It looks much like it did then and is still open 24 hours a day (and according to its employees, non-stop since it started). It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 as the only building of its kind in Minnesota.

On the way home, my husband repeatedly drove IN THE PASSING LANE while everyone backed up angrily behind him. He obtusely insists that he is allowed to drive in the left lane although the facts are staring him, or flipping him off, right in the face. Would someone else please phone him up and tell him to just quit it already? I'm getting nowhere.

8 comments:

Christopher Tassava said...

That sounds like a pretty good day! How involved is involved, though? When do you find out if you can get a license?

Mnmom said...

It's a portfolio about the size of the NYC phone book! Seriously! They estimate that people put well over 100 hours into them. I would have until Sept to submit, then they have until Dec to accept or reject.

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

It's our god given right as men to drive in the passing lane.

Shannon said...

Good Lord. a.) your husband would drive me CRAZY about the left lane business, and b.) the path of teacher licensure sounds about as bureaucratic and ridiculous, as well as arbitrary and punishing, as the path to psychologist licensure! Onward! (Good luck, really. And I think I need to talk to you about our daughters and the babysitting. Before I lose my ever-loving mind.)

Mnmom said...

Shan, you can email me at c l g o @ c h a r t e r . n e t

Unknown said...

Sounds like a bunch of stuff to do...but I say go for it...we need more good teachers! I have lived less than 7 miles from Mickeys and have yet to eat there...I think I will do that this summer... Keep us posted on the progress toward satifying the State of MN Ed Dept.

girly whirled said...

This looks like fun.

Missy said...

Wendy is apparently thrilled about the portfolio idea? Or Mickey's?

I am at the last new blog for me. I have been so behind!

I wanted to tell you that the Megabus was a hoot...but we knew that "you get what you pay for" and had a great sense of humor about it. I think that is very important to bring on the trip. We paid $40.50 total round trip to Chi town! So cheap, so little overhead, so no perks!

I also think that going on the overnight trip is very important because everyone slept! People are much less annoying or offensive or loud or seat kicky in their sleep- usually!

There was only 1 stop between Minneapolis and Chicago, so that is nicer than the Greyhound!

Also, tomorrow we are driving to South Dakota- so I will wave to you when we pass you on 35!