O’Hai!
This diary is an update on my life, including my ongoing adventures in substitute teaching, earning my teaching credential, life with my critters, Covid-19 precautions AND a request for financial assistance.
I will cover here my current and future needs and justification.
I will explain ways to help, incuding direct funds via GoFundMe, PayPal, Ko-Fi, and direct mail.
I will explain ongoing subscription aid via Patreon, Kickstarter and my online digital creations.
I will also discuss my future plans for fianancial indpendence via my Teaching Credential progress.
Please ask any questions you may have in the comments.
If you do not like such diaries, please move along.
Thank you.
In May 2020, I am asking for $2400, either from direct contributions via GoFundMe, PayPal, or Ko-Fi, OR via monthly subscriptions via Patreon or PayPal. In the coming months, will be needing about $2400 per month through October, probably, when I hope I will be an intern teacher, maybe if there is a school year next year. More on that and other options at the end of this diary.
UNEMPLOYMENT NOTE: I have applied twice for unemployment, both before and after the laws that should make me eligible. However both times I have been declined as “not eligible”. I have not been able to get through via either email nor phone to a human to find out why. Why? This is the era of Trump, so assume everything is screwed up. I am going to continue to try to get through and if I do get unemployment, I will adjust my request.
HOW TO HELP:
No-Cost Ways to Support: REC, TIP, COMMENT, SHARE This Post
• Patreon • GoFundMe • Ko-Fi •
• PayPal (James at JamesThomasGreen.com) •
Sending me Pet Supplies means I don’t have to expend my scarce funds
Amazon Wishlists: Pet Supplies • Clothing • Random Gifts
Follow Me: Email List Signup • DKos • YouTube • Facebook • Twitter • Patreon
JUSTIFICATIONS:
MEDICAL JUSTIFICATION: In April I had a stent put into my heart in a just-in-time procedure before a probable fatal heart attack. I had a 95% blockage in a major artery. After a test to detect it, my doctor told me to get to the ER right away. I had a cardiac stent inserted into my heart and it has both saved and changed my life, and I have been told I would likely be dead at this moment had I not had this procedure. Before the cardiac stent implant, I had been getting very tired and weak, as the blockage has been there for years slowly getting more obstructionist.
Those of you who have been reading my posts over the years will be familiar with my accounts of coming home from a hard day of teaching only to passing out in my chair at home as soon as I got home. Sometimes I would fall asleep in my car, sometimes in a school parking lot, and sometimes parked outside my home. One time a neighbor knocked on my car window because I had been motionless for several hours and he thought I might be dead.
In addition, I am disabled and have a wide range of risk factors for Covid-19. I am 60 years old, a cancer survivor, diabetic, obese, asthmatic. I have multiple very large surgical hernias that prevent me from safely lifting more than 20 pounds at a time, thus limiting my ability to do jobs where lifting is required. I had the surgery to remove my colon cancer and I have had a permanent colostomy for the past 26 years.
I have been at home recovering from my cardiac surgery for several weeks. I am recovering well, but I have a long way to go. The increased blood flow has given me more energy, but years of increasing inactivity have atrophied both my body as a whole and my heart specifically. I have to take things slowly, and I have yet to begin my cardiac physical rehab due to COVID19 restrictions.
To give you a contemporaneously recorded view, I recorded the video below from my hospital room.
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TEACHING CREDENTIAL:
Following the death of my late father, after having been his live-in caregiver for fifteen years, I was left without an income. The story of Dad and our time together is one I am in the process of telling and I will talk more about this later in this post.
I discovered after Dad’s death that having 12 college degrees, 1 BS and 11 Associates as well as ¾ of an engineering B.S., did not automatically translate into employment. In the time after Dad’s passing, I sent out several hundred resumes and applications and heard mostly silence. I got very few callbacks and even fewer interviews. I learned that having a long period of non-paycheck-living, i.e. 15 years of caregiving with my father, prior years of recovering from cancer, more prior years of being a university student, were dismissed by most potential employes as unemployment time. All those years were dismissed as though I'd been sitting on a beach doing nothing.
To make a long story short, I eventually stumbled upon being a substitute teacher, which I have been doing for the past four years. Again those of you who are familiar with my recent writings will know this. I am in the process of writing a summary of all that for a book and series of videos which I will be entitling MISTER GREEN’s SUBSTITUTE TEACHING DAZE, and I will be setting up a Kickstarter for that in the next few weeks.
I am now in the Multiple Subject teaching credential program at California State University Monterey Bay. I have completed several semesters of classes. In order to continue I have two options:
* UNPAID one year student teaching program, in which I will be a full-time student and full-time teacher in an elementary school classroom.
* PAID two-year intern teaching program in which I would be the full-time teacher of record in an elementary school classroom.
I am hoping to get a paid internship, and am currently sending out applications, but that may not happen as I have to be hired by a school district, and under California law, teaching positions have to go to people who already have a full credential before they can hire intern credentials like me. Then there is the issue that I am not bilingual and in this area, bilingual candidates will almost always be hired before non-bilingual people like me.
To address a common thing people say, I can not easily become bilingual at age 60. Studies have shown that it is very difficult for most people to become bilingual after age 40 due to the way human brains age. Simply becoming bilingual is not a realistic option for me.
If I have to go the UNPAID route, it is shorter, one year versus two years, but I will need to raise about $2400 a month plus tuition. The UNPAID route will require $2400 a month until October 2021 when I would be hired as a regular teacher with a full teacher. Having a full credential eliminates the limitations of having an intern credential.
If I get a PAID internship, I should not need any more funding past October 2020, baring an emergency of some kind.
I may not know for sure which route I will have to take until August.
PATREON
NOTE: PATREON is NOT a charity, but is rather a way to support digital creators. You will be paying to support the things I do which give you some benefit, either directly in that you enjoy reading about my life, support the things I am doing for the public good, enjoy viewing my digital art and videos, and such admiration of me ongoing existence.
As part of a longer range of support, I have and will be setting up various Patreon and Kickstarter accounts.
Patreon is a way for Patrons (you) to support creators (me). Patreon accounts come in two types, monthly set amount and per-creation-payment, each of which are billed monthly.
Patreon Monthly: You set how much you want to pay per month to support a creator (me) and once per month you will be billed that amount no matter how much or little is actually posted that month. This option is good for general support, especially when not everything created is posted in the Patreon account, i.e. here in Daily Kos, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, other social media, and places.
Patreon Per-Creation: This option is to support specific types of work that is posted in the Patreon account. For example, in my case, in addition to my Monthly account, I have currently Patreons for JTG Politics, JTG’s Critters, Mister Green Teacher, and others to come.
In my case, I encourage you to support me, initially at least, in my JTG Monthly account at some rate, $1, $5, $10, $20, $100, et cetera. This gives me ongoing support for everything I do wherever I post it. I will post some, but not all, of my work in the JTG Monthly account, but you are also supporting my writings and digital creations wherever I post.
MAXIMUM AMOUNT: You can, and I encourage you, to set a maximum amount per month you would be billed. For example, if you pledge $1 per creation and during one month I post 45 items, you would normally be billed $45 for that month. However, if your limit was $20, you could still pledge $1 per creation but set a limit of $20 (or whatever) and you will not be surprised by a big amount one month.
My Monthly Patreon Account:
JTG Patreon: This is the Patreon I encourage my general supporters to subscribe for the ongoing support of my creative activities. Patrons pay a set amount per month no matter how much or little I post, either here or elsewhere. Eventually, much of what I post elsewhere, including the Patrons listed below, may also eventually be posted here, days, weeks, months, or years later. Patrons will get early access to some things, and higher-contributing Patreons will get early and/or exclusive access to some very personal items.
I will post examples of my digital work and various Patreon works in the comments, so check them out.
My Per-Creation Patreons I have set up (so far) are:
Random Reverberations from JTG: Digital art, memes, audio, and videos, about topics that do not fit into another pre-creation category, including my specific journal and autobiography. You will get early access to some things, and higher pledged Patreons will get earlier and/or exclusive access to some extra personal posts.
JTG Politics: Digital art, memes, audio, and videos of a political nature.
JTG Critters: Digital art, memes, audio, and videos about my critters, aka my dogs and cats as well as random birds and other wild critters that pass through my home I call Casa de Verde.
Mister Green Teacher: Digital art, memes, audio, and videos, as well as PDFs of educational materials related to teaching various topics. I will also be including materials aimed both at other teachers giving my ideas about teaching techniques and theories.
JTGenealogy: Digital art, memes, audio, and videos, about genealogy, both my own genealogy as well as the genealogy in general. I say that we are all related if you go back far enough, so in a sense, my ancestry is the ancestry of many other people. Included in this Patreon are tales of my father and mother as well as my ancestors.
In time, I may make other specific Patreon pages.
KICKSTARTER
NOTE: KICKSTARTER is NOT a charity, but is rather a way to support digital creators. You will be paying to support a specific project with a specific end goal and product as defined in each individual Kickstarter project.
KICKSTARTER BASICS: Kickstarter is a way to support specific projects with a specific goal, timeline, and defined final project. The Kickstarter process includes a proposal period when the basic proposal is posted on the Kickstarter website for a set period ranging from several days to several months. Then, if and only if the base amount needed is reached, then the Kickstarter project proceeds and some set period later, generally a few weeks to a few months later, the final product is delivered. What is delivered can range from something being posted online to a physical product being delivered to those who pledge the amounts to be eligible for such products.
MY PLANNED KICKSTARTERS: I have several Kickstarters planned in the coming months. The first two, which I will post one or both by June, are:
MISTER GREEN’S SUBSTITUTE TEACHING DAZE: I have been a substitute teacher for about four years now. I will be writing a story about how I came to become a substitute teacher. I will write about some of the adventures and experiences I had as a substitute teacher while redacting the names of districts, schools, students and other teachers to protect privacy.
I have taken many pictures of various school art such as murals that I will include in this story.
In addition, I will write about some teaching theories and techniques I learned and developed. I will have a section for other potential substitute teachers to learn from, as well as a section for regular teachers to help them write effective substitute teaching plans. I have seen some very good sub plans, and some that we're crazy, such as a kindergarten class sub-plan that had the day divided into 8-minute increments. Perhaps the regular teacher ran their class that way, but it was absurd to think that a sub would be able to do that.
This will be a book, probably available via Amazon Kindle, as well as, depending on contributions, an audiobook, and video on Youtube.
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Dad Ate Radioactive Coconuts: This will be a book telling the story of my father’s life, including the time he ate radioactive coconuts on Bikini Atoll in 1946 a few months after the first post-war atomic bomb test. I’ll talk about his childhood in Heber Springs, Arkansas, his joining the Navy in WW2, his nuclear experiences, moving to California post-war, marrying my mother, having me and my siblings, becoming a prison guard, his near-death coma and recovery following cardiac surgery in 2000, and how he and I were together for almost 15 years before he finally passed at 88. There are a lot of stories I will include during the writing period.
I have several hundred hours of audio recordings I need to digitize and go over in order to write this story.
I will include many pictures I and others took over the years.
I may change the title by the time I finish the project.
This will be a book, probably available via Amazon Kindle, as well as, depending on contributions, an audiobook, and video on Youtube.
.JTG’s CRITTERS
My critters have been a big part of my life since Dad died, and even before. I have always had some sort of pet since I was born except for a few months after my dog Norman died a few months after Dad died, but before I found my puppy Delight.
Currently, my pride and pack of critters include mama Delight’s four puppies, Dorcas, Zorrita, Brunhilda, and Fenris as well the kittahs Anubis, Apophis, and Na’at.
They have been a big part of what has kept me going in the past few years of pain, grief, isolation, and moving from one existential crisis to the next. There were many days and nights where I cuddle with them during times when I felt that I had no hope nor any future and it was only them that kept me feeling like I had any reason to go on at all.
For people who do not have animals and many who do, this may sound strange or even weird, but for me it is true.
I have set up a dedicated Patreon for my critters and I intend to in future write and create books about my critters.
Any help you might provide in terms of sending me pet food and/or other supplies (flea meds) would help me keep my roommates and furbabies alive and healthy would be appreciated, using my Amazon Pet Supplies Wishlist.
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HOW TO HELP:
No-Cost Ways to Support: REC, TIP, COMMENT, SHARE This Post
• Patreon • GoFundMe • Ko-Fi •
• PayPal (James at JamesThomasGreen.com) •
Sending me Pet Supplies means I don’t have to expend my scarce funds
Amazon Wishlists: Pet Supplies • Clothing • Random Gifts
Follow Me: Email List Signup • DKos • YouTube • Facebook • Twitter • Pa
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 · 6:16:19 PM +00:00
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jtg
RUNNING TOTAL
Goal: $2400.00
Raised: $0805.00
PATREON: $0101.00
Remainder: $1494.00
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Thanks to those who have contributed thus far. I still have a way to go to meet my May needs, but things are looking up.
I had another interview for a fall teaching internship position. I will know more in about two weeks.
I will be needing to make monthly requests until at least October if I get a paid internship, or October 2021 if I have to do the unpaid student teacher route. Ongoing monthly subscriptions via Patreon will reduce the amount I need to ask for each month.
LINKS:
ORIGINAL NEEDS DIARY
PayPal (James -at- JamesThomasGreen.com)
GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Amazon Pet Wishlist • Patreon
Kosmail for postal address
...
Thursday, May 14, 2020 · 5:54:05 PM +00:00
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jtg
FUNDRAISING RUNNING TOTAL
Goal: $2400.00
Raised: $1005.00
PATREON: $0101.00
Remainder: $1294.00
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Thanks to those who have contributed thus far. I still have a way to go to meet my May needs, but things are looking up.
It appears that I will be forced to take the UNPAID student teaching route for my teaching credential. This means that I must raise sufficient funding both for tuition as well as living expenses. The bright side is that this is a one-year program so I would get my credential sooner than the two-year paid pathway.
I will be needing to make monthly requests until at least October if I get a paid internship, or October 2021 if I have to do the unpaid student teacher route. Ongoing monthly subscriptions via Patreon will reduce the amount I need to ask for each month.
LINKS:
ORIGINAL NEEDS DIARY
PayPal (James -at- JamesThomasGreen.com)
GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Amazon Pet Wishlist • Patreon
Kosmail for postal address
...
Friday, May 15, 2020 · 4:48:30 PM +00:00
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jtg
FUNDRAISING RUNNING TOTAL
Goal: $2400.00
Raised: $1030.00
PATREON: $0101.00
Remainder: $1259.00
-------—
Thanks to those who have contributed thus far. I still have a way to go to meet my May needs, but things are looking up.
It appears that I will be forced to take the UNPAID student teaching route for my teaching credential. This means that I must raise sufficient funding both for tuition as well as living expenses. The bright side is that this is a one-year program so I would get my credential sooner than the two-year paid pathway.
I will be needing to make monthly requests until at least October if I get a paid internship, or October 2021 if I have to do the unpaid student teacher route. Ongoing monthly subscriptions via Patreon will reduce the amount I need to ask for each month.
LINKS:
ORIGINAL NEEDS DIARY
PayPal (James -at- JamesThomasGreen.com)
GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Amazon Pet Wishlist • Patreon
Kosmail for postal address
...
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 · 6:13:27 PM +00:00
·
jtg
FUNDRAISING RUNNING TOTAL
Goal: $2400.00
Raised: $1135.00
PATREON: $0101.00
Remainder: $1164.00
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Thanks to those who have contributed thus far.I’m over halfway there, but I still have a way to go to meet my May needs, but things are looking up.
It appears that I will be forced to take the UNPAID student teaching route for my teaching credential. This means that I must raise sufficient funding both for tuition as well as living expenses. The bright side is that this is a one-year program so I would get my credential sooner than the two-year paid pathway.
I will be needing to make monthly requests until at least October if I get a paid internship, or October 2021 if I have to do the unpaid student teacher route. Ongoing monthly subscriptions via Patreon will reduce the amount I need to ask for each month.
LINKS:
ORIGINAL NEEDS DIARY
PayPal (James -at- JamesThomasGreen.com)
GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Amazon Pet Wishlist • Patreon
Kosmail for postal address
...
Thursday, May 21, 2020 · 11:05:59 PM +00:00
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jtg
FUNDRAISING RUNNING TOTAL
Goal: $2400.00
Raised: $1550.00
PATREON: $0101.00
Remainder: $0749.00
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Thanks to those who have contributed thus far.I’m over halfway there, but I still have a way to go to meet my May needs, but things are looking up. I’ve been continuing my recovery at home after my heart surgery.
LINKS:
ORIGINAL NEEDS DIARY
PayPal (James -at- JamesThomasGreen.com)
GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Amazon Pet Wishlist • Patreon
Kosmail for postal address
...
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 · 2:51:34 PM +00:00
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jtg
FUNDRAISING RUNNING TOTAL
Goal: $2400.00
Raised: $1900.00
PATREON: $0101.00
Remainder: $0399.00
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I am going to be posting a new updated needs update diary on Saturday morning, May 30.
It is likely that I will be going through the unpaid student teaching pathway in the Fall, which means I will need to do ongoing fundraising until October 2021. More details to come on Saturday.
LINKS:
ORIGINAL NEEDS DIARY
PayPal (James -at- JamesThomasGreen.com)
GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Amazon Pet Wishlist • Patreon
Kosmail for postal address
...
Friday, May 29, 2020 · 1:31:15 AM +00:00
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jtg
FUNDRAISING RUNNING TOTAL
Goal: $2400.00
Raised: $1920.00
PATREON: $0101.00
Remainder: $0289.00
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I am going to be posting a new updated needs update diary on Wednesday morning, June 3, one month after my May diary.
I had a Zoom meeting with my Teaching Credential Placement Advisor and 20ish other teacher students. Apparently, very few people are getting paid internships this year due to COVID19 and budget cuts, as well as current teachers putting off retirement. In a sense, this is a relief as I had been worried there was something about ME that was the reason I was going through so many applications and not getting hired.
Thus it is almost a certain lock that I will be going through the unpaid student teaching pathway in the Fall, which means I will need to do ongoing fundraising until October 2021.
I should know which school I will be placed at some time in mid-summer. More details to come.
LINKS:
ORIGINAL NEEDS DIARY
PayPal (James -at- JamesThomasGreen.com)
GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Amazon Pet Wishlist • Patreon
Kosmail for postal address
...