Also, here's a bunch of hotel reviews from Time Out: [link]

I'm always afraid cheap = nasty, which is especially true in NYC, I think

Yes, this is my fear as well.

Nora, Emily and I stayed at the Super 8 near Times Square in March. It wasn't the nicest place I've ever stayed, but it was reasonable and clean. The room was small, but had a tv, private bath, etc.

Edit: [link]

I've stayed at various Super 8's a bunch of times, and I still think naming a hotel "superate" is just gross.

I lived in a bachelor apt with a shared bathroom for three years, so I'm okay with them.

I also grew up as the youngest of four kids in a house with one bathroom, so peeing in private was almost unheard of in my house.

Is there a reason you can't get teaching work in the UK, Fay? Is it too late in the summer to do that?

WAY too late in the day. I'd likely be able to find Supply Work, hopefully, but finding a permanent position would be a whole other kettle of fish. There are a total of 379 jobs advertised on the Times Educational Supplement website (which is where ALL the jobs are advertised) right now. That's both UK positions and International ones. That's everything from teaching Physics to 18 year olds to being a KG teacher or a Head Master. Everything. Total.

So I received an email from the Big Cheees at the new school confirming the conversation I'd had and elaborating on it. They're offering me the same money and benefits, but I'd be helping the new Principle with 'preparations for the school's opening' rather than teaching. (My flatmate and a mutual friend were both offered teaching jobs at the American sister school, but I - whether because I have less teaching experience than them or because I have more office experience than them - have been offered this hazy job instead.)

Alternatively they'll let me bow out of the whole 2 year contract, or just the 1st year of it (coming back to start teaching in 2006), and they'll give me 3 months' salary. Which is 50% more than they're contractually obliged to do - they are being very decent about the situation that we're all in.

...I am actually considering approaching my Evil Former Boss (whom I know is still recruiting right now) and asking him whether he can make it worth my while to go back to him for a year. He'd have to meet the salary that the New School is offering me, and he'd have to waive any 'you can't work for anyone else in 2006' notions he might have.

Am I completely insane? Probably. But I don't want to lose a whole year's teaching experience, and although setting up a new school is kind of exciting, and working closely with the Principle would be a good thing in many ways, still it's going to be very isolating. I'd rather be teaching, and have other teachers to hang out with during the day - my friend K, for one.

Argh.

eta Wow, 'other teachers to hang out with during the day' TOTALLY doesn't give an accurate picture of my daily routine at the school. But even if you're only bumping into people as you hurry through the corridor, or at planning meetings - it's still social contact with other adults, and you can be whisking them off out to do things of an evening, you know? Whereas if I take the money and go with the 'no teaching for a year' option, I'm going to be missing out on both the work itself AND the social interactions with other adults.

You and me both, baby -- and I'm not an Only; just the oldest.

And let me tell you, spending 5 days trapped with my family in another state, given that my parents don't understand the concept of boundaries, was really really really too much.

I did, quite seriously, drink A LOT to deal with it. It was the only way to get me mellow enough to not start screaming "LEAVE ME ALONE! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LEAVE ME ALOOOOOOOONE!!!"

It's like we were separated at birth.

(If so, it was likely by mutual agreement.)

W 82nd St near Riverside Dr

It's a nice neighborhood, pretty close to the train etc.

Um, Nora, I bet you could find a free room in NYC if you tried really hard

Sorry I can't offer. I have a family wedding that weekend and a certain amount of mayhem (I should have mentioned this sooner. d'oh!)

Damn, Fay, what a wild situation. I wonder if the experience you'd get working outside the classroom with apparently good people would do more for you in the long run than an additional year with Evil Former Boss.

And let me tell you, spending 5 days trapped with my family in another state, given that my parents don't understand the concept of boundaries, was really really really too much.

My family knows boundries -rather reticent midwesterners mostly- (and mom knows how huge mine are) and even I kept sneaking away from quiet time this past weekend. When asked why I'd wandered off, my mom would say "Oh, she just needs some downtime." I'm probably known as the family misanthrope. Despite the Sick, I really really really was thrilled to see them all and do wish there had been more time. With scheduled breaks, of course. I even hid in the bathroom of the restaurant where the wedding was held several times. There were over 350 people there. I was probably only related to 75 of them. Still.

I also figured out that despite the reticent thing? My mom's family is NOSY. I swear to god. Did Charlie pay for the wedding? Oh, no one would ask him, because we know he won't answer, but...And what's the story with that bizarro toast the groom's father made? Was he implying marriage was hell? And how exactly is cousin B's startup doing? Did his parents' invest? Oh, we couldn't ask them! That's be rude! But we can whisper and wonder and....Did you see the look on the pastor who baptized the groom's face ? I'll bet he was disgruntled to not be conducting the ceremony! Did S and her mom reconcile? Who IS the groom, anyhow? Are you seeing anyone? When are you going to get married? What are your plans in life?

@@ x a google.

I was a little surprised at how gossipy it all was. I'm much more of the "if they wanted us to know, they'd tell us" school when it comes to family. Oh, I'm curious, but I won't speculate. And I really don't assume the most scandalous explanation like they do.

Makes me wonder what my profile is....