From the news

I don't think I've ever blogged about the news before, but two stories I read tonight really struck me.

When I left my high-tech programming job over 12 1/2 years ago, to take a break for a few years to be a stay-at-home mom, I don't think I would ever have guessed that my break would stretch out into a permanent change. The world of technology has changed incredibly during those years and the cutting-edge company that I used to work for is no longer cutting-edge. Still, it is sad to hear of the passing of Ray Noorda today, and even though he had moved on from his original company quite some time ago, it really feels like the final curtain on an era for me. I still sometimes miss that emotion of being wrapped up in working on the "next, new thing" and being a part of attempting to "fight the evil empire". It was an exciting and heady time.

Since then, my break has morphed into a gradual career change. Part-time volunteering in co-op preschool with my first child has grown gradually into my immersion into the public schools as an almost full-time commitment (part-time working and most of the rest of the time volunteering). I now love working with children and really appreciate that I have been able to grow into these great jobs of substitute teaching and volunteering. Only I never thought that these environments, where I am sending my beloved children daily, and where I am choosing to work and volunteer, could be so dangerous! Four shootings in U.S. schools in less than 2 weeks? This is not right.