Keeping Track of Beth

Hello, everyone!

Welcome to Keeping Track of Beth!  I have such a great summer coming up that I couldn't resist creating a blog to show it off a bit.  It'll let you keep track of where I am, what I'm doing, and how my summer is going - I'll be posting stories and pictures from my summer here to share with everyone.

So, to start things off, some introductions and explanations, because I know not all of you have heard the full story of why my summer is going to be so much fun!

With summer rapidly approaching, I knew that I would need to find a summer job.  Teaching is wonderful in that you get the summers free from work... but unfortunately, it means you also have a summer free from paychecks!  As rent and bills don't really care about pesky things like summer break equaling no income for teachers, I started my hunt for a summer job in late winter/early spring.

In between making cookies, of course.

Luckily enough for me, around the same time, the company Matt works for (a wonderful place that provides new driver training for teens and corporate fleet training for companies, which I am not going to name on the internet) decided to look into hiring outside applicants to act as lead instructors for their defensive driving events.  I talked it over with Matt and decided to apply - he loves the company and his job, and while I didn't think I could ever do his part of the job (put my life in the hands of a brand new teenage driver?  Not 'til I have kids of my own, thanks!), I'd always been interested in the defensive driving events.  I applied for the job, interviewed, and was up front about the fact that I was dating a current employee.  After demonstrating my teaching skills by instructing grown men in the proper way to create friendship bracelets, I was hired!

I am insanely happy with this job.  Not only is the job perfect for my schedule, with weekend events during the school year and tons of events in the summer, but I've realized just how much I enjoy it.  Don't get me wrong - it's a lot of work!  It involves twelve-hour days running around outside regardless of weather dealing with cone, cars, and courses. But I'm constantly learning and having fun as I work, and this summer, it's only going to get better!  Why, you ask?

Well, my company has paired with an insurance company (again, not named because this is the internet!).  Because of this partnership, the team I work with is being sent to 27 different cities around the United States to run defensive driving events for local drivers.  We know 25 of those cities already, and of the 25, I live in one (Seattle, WA), and have driven through two others (Fresno and San Fransisco, both in CA).  The others are completely new to me, and I'm excited to see them first-hand!

Some of the cities on the list!

This blog is where I'll keep track of all the places I go to this summer, as well as what I'm up to at home when I'm not traveling!  I want to have a record of what my life looks like, and I decided that sharing the awesome parts with all of you will be a fun summer project.  It's definitely shaping up to be a fun ride, so stay tuned... I'll be out and about before you know it!

-Beth