Changes, Ranting, and Reloading on the Road

[Bisley Joe]

Been a teacher for a long time and it's just gotten out of hand. the utter disrespect, the zero support from admin (not to mention being thrown under the bus), the kids not caring... I have mainly taught art and you can;t even get kids to write their names on the papers, not to mention follow directions.

 

Example: Instructions to draw a building using one point perspective (after lesson on how to do that). These instructions are posted online, with examples and video tutorial, handed out in a printed sheet with labeled spots for first and last name, and class period, and read and explained in class.

Assignments that are turned in mostly are missing name and period, and you get something like a drawing of a deer, flowers... nothing to do with the directions. Many that write a name use some nickname and often is illegible because they can barely write their own name...

 

Students are then given the opportunity to correct the mistakes but don't. Assignments missing name/period go in a spot so they can retrieve them, correct it, and get a grade. These assignments stay in the box. Despite repeated reminders, no one claims them. By the end of the quarter, no joke: almost foot high stack of assignments with no name. Result: I get called out for not grading assignments.

 

Class sizes of 38 students. Constant vandalism, students destroying or plagiarizing other students' work, students out of control: pouring glue on others, vulgar drawings on tables, stuff like a student walking around loudly asking the class "Anyone want to touch my b@^^s?"

No consequences. This is high school, mind you.

 

I switched schools to teach at risk kids, since it's a class size of one to four students. This is better but last year I had two students arrested and expelled for dealing drugs: which resulted in another student in class going into a hallucinogenic nightmare.

A 300lb 5' tall wannabe dictator principal who I have already had to stand up to... and her cohort of sycophants.

 

Add to this that I am now driving 1 hour each way to work. It's about 50 miles each way with pretty much no traffic, but regardless: That's 10 hours a week, 40 hours a month,  about 400 hours/50 work day equivalents a year, sitting on my ass in the car.

 

I've had enough of it.

Planning on returning this year and using it to just pay off stuff and save, then resigning at the end, or maybe before Christmas break.

 

So, after that rant, my point is...

 

I may be living out of a Casita camper soon, and doing some traveling. Making some life changes, like focusing on my writing and art. I'm working on a novel about Wild Bill Hickok and some other stuff including animation.

 

Being able to shoot some matches in different places would be a neat way to relax and do something different every once in a while.

 

Would be great if I can reload in there. As it is, I do leather-work (gunbelts and holsters, bags) so will have that gear also.

Tools are in tool rolls, which helps tremendously with keeping things compact.

 

Anyway, I have a Dillon 550C but am really only interested in black powder, so thinking a smaller loader-maybe even a single stage, and using my hand primer, etc. I also have a simple reloader in storage. Red. I think it's a Lee.

Filling the cases one at a time. Did that before and it was not at all a problem. I like the idea of keeping it simple and doing one part of the reloading at a time.

I have never reloaded on my own-just watched or helped: both with a Dillon and with a single stage, doing all the steps one at a time with about 50 cartridges at a time.

For me, it seemed like the Dillon required multitasking: keeping track of the steps to see that they are working. With the single stage, I found it easier: you deprime, you clean, you size or whatever, 50 cartridges at a time. Seemed more relaxing to me.

 

Anyway, just thinking on doing this. Transporting the firearms, clothing, and cart in an FJ Cruiser and a 17' Casita is another story. Though since I could have most of the bulky stuff in the FJC, in the back, leaving the Casita free.

 

 

Anybody else done this?

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

You are not along. Our daughter went to university and got her degree in education. Came out and started substituting grades 3 to 12 for experience and to select a grade. Exact same thing happened to her. She left and went onto something else. 

 

I used a single stage RCBS for 5 years loading black. Slower but the outcome is great. And you can't overload a BP round.

[Eyesa Horg]

Thinking this is what our politicians want. Entitled ignorant people that they can control and will vote for them due to all the entitled freebies.  It's a sad state of affairs in our education system and just keeps costing more with less so called students.

[Caladisi kid]

Bisley Joe,

Welcome to the traveling road warriors.  Some thoughts to be aware of:

Campers:  Your TOTAL weight capacity of your camper. There are limits with a single axle and how/where your pack your things. Casita's are great and lightweight but watch your weight.  Never travel with tires that are over 5 years old, especially on a single axle, in hot weather.  Don't ask me how I know, new tires are cheap insurance.

Reloading Black Powder:  Jedi Knight has some great advice on his channel, jed itv.  Look him up.  Hope to see ya out there!

[Boggus Deal #64218]

As Caladisi Kid said, tires! I travel I-40 on a daily basis and if you saw how many small campers and trailers I see with blown tires, you’d carry at least two spares, a battery powered impact and a spare jack.

[Texas Jack Black]

 What are you going to do for $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Griff]

When I only loaded ammo for myself, I found I could easily load on a RCBS Jr. for all my needed rifle & long range stuff, (shot cap & ball, so not an issue).  A Mec 600 Jr. kept me in shotshells.  Almost exclusively BP.  I did load some smokeless for long range side matches in the .30-30, but the Sharps was nearly always BP powered.  After my wife & son started shooting, I found nearly all my spare time was taken up loading enough ammo for a match each weekend.  I went to a Dillon 550B and never looked back.  It's nearly like a single stage in that each pull of the handle does four tasks (five if you count primer seating on the up stroke), and since it doesn't auto-advance, you have as much time as you like to inspect that each of those functions has been performed to satisfaction.  It easily triples the productivity over the single stage.  Which means less time loading the same number of rounds, or loading far more in the same amount of time.  Since my loading room is not in a temperature controlled environment, this means I can load at times when the temperature is comfortable.  

 

When traveling, there are few simple things to pay attention to regarding weight, whether a single or dual axle trailer is being hauled.  The towing vehicle should ALWAYS weigh more than the towed vehicle.  Even in the case of my semi truck.  For optimum ride quality and steering control, weight on the trailer axle(s) should be slightly less up to equal to the weight on the towing vehicles rear axle.  The majority of weight in either towed or towing vehicle should be in front of the rear axle on either vehicle, tho' the tongue weight should NOT remove weight from the towing vehicles steer axle.  If it does, you need a weight distributing hitch, or shift weight from the towed to towing vehicle in front of the center of the vehicle (or as close thereto as practicable).

 

Lastly, you are not allowed to have more than 25 lbs of BP in a vehicle unless you have an hazardous material endorsement on your license and explosive placards on the front, both sides, and rear of the vehicle containing such explosive.  

Edited June 29 by Griff

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

3 hours ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

As Caladisi Kid said, tires! I travel I-40 on a daily basis and if you saw how many small campers and trailers I see with blown tires, you’d carry at least two spares, a battery powered impact and a spare jack.

I've been one of these travelers.  A 3-year-old Chinese-made travel trailer tire (aka a China Bomb) blew and caused $8K damage to my trailer.  I replaced the tires with premium US-made trailer tires and added an aftermarket tire pressure monitoring system.  Two years later a tire was trashed by a sharp object.  The TPMS alerted me, and I pulled over and immediately replaced the damaged trailer.  I made it to my match on time and there was no damage to the trailer.

 

OP: as a retiree, you will have plenty of time to load on a single-stage press.  They are lighter weight and smaller than your 550 and will do what you need.

Edited June 29 by Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971
more info

[Bisley Joe]

4 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

You are not along. Our daughter went to university and got her degree in education. Came out and started substituting grades 3 to 12 for experience and to select a grade. Exact same thing happened to her. She left and went onto something else. 

 

I used a single stage RCBS for 5 years loading black. Slower but the outcome is great. And you can't overload a BP round.

It's amazing to see how many teachers quit, and also how many stay and are visibly crushed human beings.

I've taught rural in places like Ash Fork, the Navajo reservation in St. Michaels, and also in an inner city school (NC). Things just continue to get worse.

In the inner city it was a lot rougher regarding physical violence. First week of school I had a student who was my size walk up to me angry because I told him to be quiet. The way I earned the respect was I faced him off and said "You came up here to do something, so do it or sit down." He stared at me for a moment, turned around, and sat down. I was also asked what I'd do if I got jumped. I told them "Well there's about twenty of you and one of me, so you're probably gonna win. But I guarantee a good deal of you are gonna at least wind up in the hospital after taking the quick way out the window to the sidewalk." We were on the second floor.

 

Funny enough, they were somewhat easy to deal with after that. Except for two or three who were real scumbags, they were mostly just kids in an environment that bread racism and all that crap. I had one kid who started off cursing me out and saying he hated my guts, on a daily basis, because I wouldn't put up with his crap, come to me halfway through the year, shake my hand, apologize, and still screw up sometimes but ALWAYS apologize and be a man about it.

And that is what PISSES me off!!! These kids are being conditioned to being hoodlums. This is deliberate. They need guidance, and sometimes that comes from old school tactics, but it's not allowed. It's a sickening disgusting crime.

I stood up to a school district once over this crap, and called the principal, assistant principal, super independent, and assistant superintendent hypocrites and criminals to their face.

I just can't stand those bastards. And by the way, I have seen, several times, superintendents come in on a four year or more, six figure contract. They screw up the district... even telling parents to go straight to him with complaints about teachers, and then have teachers non-renewed over accusations they are not told as to who made them. Then, if/when these dirtbag politician superintendents get fired, they get the rest of their contract paid and go to another school district without it affecting their job prospects. So think about that: You do about two years with a six figure salary, then get dismissed with the next two years paid, and you immediately get another similar job. It's like double dipping and a massive scam.

 

 

Anyway...

Yeah I love how black powder is actually simpler, in my opinion-and easier to clean.

Edited June 29 by Bisley Joe

[Bisley Joe]

4 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Thinking this is what our politicians want. Entitled ignorant people that they can control and will vote for them due to all the entitled freebies.  It's a sad state of affairs in our education system and just keeps costing more with less so called students.

PRECISELY what they want!

You know, in that inner city school in NC I was in, they had some BS racial education crap for teachers. They showed a film of some "study" with white teachers with blue eyes being treated terribly by black/African American people, to see ho it felt.

I was so disgusted I had to speak up. I remember telling them how, as a man born in Cuba, being of Spanish/Lebanese and who knows what the hell else origin, I found it offensive seeing anyone subjected to that nonsense.

I also talked to the kids several times about racism. It was very interesting how you could see them think when presented with facts.

We are being deliberately kept at each others' throats by certain elites, and this goes worldwide with all the damn wars and BS.

It''s an indoctrination system.

[Bisley Joe]

4 hours ago, Caladisi kid said:

Bisley Joe,

Welcome to the traveling road warriors.  Some thoughts to be aware of:

Campers:  Your TOTAL weight capacity of your camper. There are limits with a single axle and how/where your pack your things. Casita's are great and lightweight but watch your weight.  Never travel with tires that are over 5 years old, especially on a single axle, in hot weather.  Don't ask me how I know, new tires are cheap insurance.

Reloading Black Powder:  Jedi Knight has some great advice on his channel, jed itv.  Look him up.  Hope to see ya out there!

 

4 hours ago, Boggus Deal #64218 said:

As Caladisi Kid said, tires! I travel I-40 on a daily basis and if you saw how many small campers and trailers I see with blown tires, you’d carry at least two spares, a battery powered impact and a spare jack.

 

22 minutes ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

I've been one of these travelers.  A 3-year-old Chinese-made travel trailer tire (aka a China Bomb) blew and caused $8K damage to my trailer.  I replaced the tires with premium US-made trailer tires and added an aftermarket tire pressure monitoring system.  Two years later a tire was trashed by a sharp object.  The TPMS alerted me, and I pulled over and immediately replaced the damaged trailer.  I made it to my match on time and there was no damage to the trailer.

 

Thanks for that warning.

Yeah, good and fresh tires are a MUST! Not sure what the Casita brings, but will upgrade to LT tires. I actually plan on, if it works out and I keep it, upgrading the suspension to trailing arm and using LT all terrain tires as they are better than P rated tires.

 

I got the trailer with a weight distributing anti-sway hitch. Even then, I am not going to blast down the highway at non-trailer speeds. I've seen people towing even fifth wheels passing at 80, 90 mph and more. That's just irresponsible.

I usually avoid highways and take my time.

TPMS is certainly a great idea!

[Bisley Joe]

1 hour ago, Griff said:

When I only loaded ammo for myself, I found I could easily load on a RCBS Jr. for all my needed rifle & long range stuff, (shot cap & ball, so not an issue).  A Mec 600 Jr. kept me in shotshells.  Almost exclusively BP.  I did load some smokeless for long range side matches in the .30-30, but the Sharps was nearly always BP powered.  After my wife & son started shooting, I found nearly all my spare time was taken up loading enough ammo for a match each weekend.  I went to a Dillon 550B and never looked back.  It's nearly like a single stage in that each pull of the handle does four tasks (five if you count primer seating on the up stroke), and since it doesn't auto-advance, you have as much time as you like to inspect that each of those functions has been performed to satisfaction.  It easily triples the productivity over the single stage.  Which means less time loading the same number of rounds, or loading far more in the same amount of time.  Since my loading room is not in a temperature controlled environment, this means I can load at times when the temperature is comfortable.  

 

When traveling, there are few simple things to pay attention to regarding weight, whether a single or dual axle trailer is being hauled.  The towing vehicle should ALWAYS weigh more than the towed vehicle.  Even in the case of my semi truck.  For optimum ride quality and steering control, weight on the trailer axle(s) should be slightly less up to equal to the weight on the towing vehicles rear axle.  The majority of weight in either towed or towing vehicle should be in front of the rear axle on either vehicle, tho' the tongue weight should NOT remove weight from the towing vehicles steer axle.  If it does, you need a weight distributing hitch, or shift weight from the towed to towing vehicle in front of the center of the vehicle (or as close thereto as practicable).

 

Lastly, you are not allowed to have more than 25 lbs of BP in a vehicle unless you have an hazardous material endorsement on your license and explosive placards on the front, both sides, and rear of the vehicle containing such explosive.  

 

The Dillon worked well with BP then?

I will likely keep the 550C and set it up when I get a house. I think the single stage system will be smaller and lighter for the Casita.

Of course, another option is to set up the 550C in a climate controlled storage and reload there every once and a while. Not sure.

 

Ha!

That would be something: traveling around in a Casita with explosive placards all over.   I'll carry under 25 lbs for sure!

[Bisley Joe]

4 hours ago, Texas Jack Black said:

 What are you going to do for $$$$$$$$$$$$$

For now I am staying at my job for perhaps another school year so I can pay off the Casita and my old Land Cruiser diesel.

After that, I hope to be making some income from my writing and also my small business doing murals for kids rooms and business. I also have done props, scale models, etc. And I also teach online.

Hopefully that will let me be on the road.

 

The thing with this kind of job is yeah: I have steady pay and I have insurance, but it burns me out and kills me creatively. With whatever time I have left, I need to focus on my gifts and talents instead of beating my head against the wall with morons and criminals who have no intention of doing anything but pass the buck and pat their own slimy

backs.

Edited June 29 by Bisley Joe

[Texas Jack Black]

1 minute ago, Bisley Joe said:

For now I am staying at my job for perhaps another school year so I can pay off the Casita and my old Land Cruiser diesel.

After that, I hope to be making some income from my writing and also my small business doing murals for kids rooms and business. I also have done props, scale models, etc. And I also teach online.

Hopefully that will let me be on the road.

 Stay safe and enjoy 

 

Best Wishes

[Bisley Joe]

Just now, Texas Jack Black said:

 Stay safe and enjoy 

 

Best Wishes

THANK YOU!

 

[DeaconKC]

Best wishes to you on retiring. For a reloading set up. my old Lee Turret press is super convenient for swapping calibers. Might be worth considering.

[Nasty Newt # 7365]

Two of our daughters are teachers. They, and I, feel your pain. 

[Yul Lose]

The Casita is a great little trailer for one person, it gets crowded quick with another. I did a few upgrades on mine to make it a little more user friendly. PM me when you get it if you want to talk about it.

[Bisley Joe]

1 hour ago, DeaconKC said:

Best wishes to you on retiring. For a reloading set up. my old Lee Turret press is super convenient for swapping calibers. Might be worth considering.

Will look into it.

I may actually have that. I have a Lee press. Red. In a box in storage. Have to get it soon and see which one.

THank you!

[Bisley Joe]

1 hour ago, Yul Lose said:

The Casita is a great little trailer for one person, it gets crowded quick with another. I did a few upgrades on mine to make it a little more user friendly. PM me when you get it if you want to talk about it.

I only went inside last week when I saw one at the factory. Very well made! Feels like you're in a little sailboat.

It will be me and two dogs: a 40+lb lab/pitty mix, and a 14lb or so Chihuahua/Dachshund mix.

 

This is something I have to do. God willing I will be able to buy a little piece of land and put a little cabin on it. Actually, a small hobbit house would be ideal.

All I want is a place to eat/sleep/wash/relax, and also to do artwork etc., and a yard for these two to run in.

God willing it won't be long.

 

 

Regarding the Casita, I have been pondering ideas for having a work area and also a sleeping area.

 

I will PM you.

Thank you!

Edited June 30 by Bisley Joe

[Rip Snorter]

1 minute ago, Bisley Joe said:

I only went inside last week when I saw one at the factory. Very well made! Feels like you're in a little sailboat.

It will be me and two dogs: a 40+lb lab/pitty mix, and a 14lb or so Chihuahua/Dachshund mix.

 

This is something I have to do. God willing I will be able to buy a little piece of land and put a little cabin on it. Actually, a small hobbit house would be ideal.

All I want is a place to eat/sleep/wash/relax, and also to do artwork etc., and a yard for these two to run in.

God willing it won't be long.

There is absolutely nothing as great as your own place in Red State rural America.  Been 16+ years and will add years to my life.   Several dog friends as well though I trend to large ones.  Wishing you success!  Rewards worth great effort.

[Bisley Joe]

1 hour ago, Yul Lose said:

The Casita is a great little trailer for one person, it gets crowded quick with another. I did a few upgrades on mine to make it a little more user friendly. PM me when you get it if you want to talk about it.

Tried PMing you, but it says you can;t receive messages.

My idea is:

I do not want to have to take down and set up my eating or sleeping area every day.

So far I have considered a. couple of options:

 

1. A work surface over half of the large sleep/dining area, with the surface against the back window and the mattress (now half) tuckable under the work surface. Maybe it even folds over itself using a piano hinge, and then back up.

This would cover the back window when sleeping, but then I'd be sleeping and wouldn't need the back window.

This would allow me to have a work area and sleep there also.

2. Install a tabletop (romovable) over the small dinette table that spans the whole width of that area (72") and this would be my work area, looking out the window.

 

3. The bed surface divided in half, lengthwise. This would be a bit of a takedown/setup, but fast. During the day I would stack the bed support boards, and mattresses (I bought a nice firm mattress topper that I cut in half lengthwise). The exposed bench area would allow me to sit and eat, etc. with a small easily folding table.

The work area would be at the dinette, as above.

 

The work surfaces would be made out of 1" insulation foam sandwiched between Luan or that plastic sheet that they use for bathrooms. The edges sealed with bondo. Painted white. This would make them strong but light. Also would make them easily removable, and I can stow them under the Casita if I need the extra space for company, and the areas would be back to regular configuration.

I would rather not drill or cut anything in the Casita.

 

I figure once I get it and am inside it a bit, I can think it through better.

[Bisley Joe]

15 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

There is absolutely nothing as great as your own place in Red State rural America.  Been 16+ years and will add years to my life.   Several dog friends as well though I trend to large ones.  Wishing you success!  Rewards worth great effort.

Sounds great!

I have had people say that my life would be simpler and better without the dogs.

Maybe simpler, but surely not better!!!

Those two have made me laugh in the darkest times. Every morning in bed the little one (Frodo) rushes at me and shoves his head under my chin and proceeds to whine and rub crazily while the big one (Violet) does all sorts of contortions on her back pushing against me. Then they get into a play fight where the little one sounds like he wants to kill the big one.

It's absolute chaos and insanity, and it makes me laugh every time.

They are awesome all around!!!

 

Edited June 30 by Bisley Joe

[Yul Lose]

10 hours ago, Bisley Joe said:

Tried PMing you, but it says you can;t receive messages.

My idea is:

I do not want to have to take down and set up my eating or sleeping area every day.

So far I have considered a. couple of options:

 

1. A work surface over half of the large sleep/dining area, with the surface against the back window and the mattress (now half) tuckable under the work surface. Maybe it even folds over itself using a piano hinge, and then back up.

This would cover the back window when sleeping, but then I'd be sleeping and wouldn't need the back window.

This would allow me to have a work area and sleep there also.

2. Install a tabletop (romovable) over the small dinette table that spans the whole width of that area (72") and this would be my work area, looking out the window.

 

3. The bed surface divided in half, lengthwise. This would be a bit of a takedown/setup, but fast. During the day I would stack the bed support boards, and mattresses (I bought a nice firm mattress topper that I cut in half lengthwise). The exposed bench area would allow me to sit and eat, etc. with a small easily folding table.

The work area would be at the dinette, as above.

 

The work surfaces would be made out of 1" insulation foam sandwiched between Luan or that plastic sheet that they use for bathrooms. The edges sealed with bondo. Painted white. This would make them strong but light. Also would make them easily removable, and I can stow them under the Casita if I need the extra space for company, and the areas would be back to regular configuration.

I would rather not drill or cut anything in the Casita.

 

I figure once I get it and am inside it a bit, I can think it through better.

I cleaned out my mailbox, try it now.

[largo casey #19191]

You didn't mention shotgun loading.The MEC seems to take up less room.

                                                                                                                                      Largo

[Bisley Joe]

4 hours ago, largo casey #19191 said:

You didn't mention shotgun loading.The MEC seems to take up less room.

                                                                                                                                      Largo

True. Definitely a need!

What is an "MEC"?

[Bisley Joe]

4 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

I cleaned out my mailbox, try it now.

Still getting the same message.

I would have sent what I posted above.

[Yul Lose]

Doing what you want to do in a Casita may be problematic in a number of ways. It’s pretty small and anything you add makes it even smaller. You might consider the Lee tripod type reloader stand. Doing your reloading outside might be a good option to consider also. Your tow vehicle, FJ Cruiser doesn’t have a lot of room either. You have to stick guns and a gun cart in there. I know when I travel to multi day matches my little Casita gets cozy in a hurry and I don’t have any reloading equipment to worry about. The improvements that I was going to tell you about were related to tow ability, a better entry step, and leveling jacks and a few other items. My Old AC starts and runs just fine on a Honda 2200 generator but I don’t believe the newer Casitas have the same type of AC unit so you might have to install a Soft Start condenser in the AC unit or carry 2 generators.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

Bisley Joe,

been there done that--

taught 35 years--last 3 as an elementary art teacher--best 3 years of them all

I gave up on doing curriculum for similar reasons as yours and realized I needed to find out what the kids would want to do and then just 'go with the flow'  Kids were happy, parents were happy and admin wasn't getting in my face cause someone was complaining.  

 

You have to do what is right for you--best of luck in whatever you decide

 

 

 

 

 

[Bisley Joe]

2 hours ago, Yul Lose said:

Doing what you want to do in a Casita may be problematic in a number of ways. It’s pretty small and anything you add makes it even smaller. You might consider the Lee tripod type reloader stand. Doing your reloading outside might be a good option to consider also. Your tow vehicle, FJ Cruiser doesn’t have a lot of room either. You have to stick guns and a gun cart in there. I know when I travel to multi day matches my little Casita gets cozy in a hurry and I don’t have any reloading equipment to worry about. The improvements that I was going to tell you about were related to tow ability, a better entry step, and leveling jacks and a few other items. My Old AC starts and runs just fine on a Honda 2200 generator but I don’t believe the newer Casitas have the same type of AC unit so you might have to install a Soft Start condenser in the AC unit or carry 2 generators.

Yeah I agree.

I chose the Casita because my only option right now is a travel trailer, and I think it's the best built/value. Ideally I'd have a medium length Super C towing a trailer with my FJC or Land Cruiser on it, and have the trailer set up as a little workshop.

I looked into a C and converting the bedroom into my office/workshop, but can't pull the FJC because it can;t be flat towed, and I also hae flat towing: especially doing that to a 1980 HJ45 Land Cruiser!

 

I'm gonna have to keep it simple for now, and reloading outside is actually a great idea, especially if I keep it to the simplest way of doing it.

 

For my leather craft stuff I bought some tool rolls and plastic bins with those compartments to keep things as compact as possible. I could do a similar thing with reloading-as much as it can be done.

[Bisley Joe]

2 hours ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

Bisley Joe,

been there done that--

taught 35 years--last 3 as an elementary art teacher--best 3 years of them all

I gave up on doing curriculum for similar reasons as yours and realized I needed to find out what the kids would want to do and then just 'go with the flow'  Kids were happy, parents were happy and admin wasn't getting in my face cause someone was complaining.  

 

You have to do what is right for you--best of luck in whatever you decide

 

 

 

 

 

I realized that late and started to do that: just let the kids do what they wanted. But in my case, in a high school, it did not work. It didn't matter what I tried... most of the kids refused to work and just acted up, broke things, and stole other's artwork.

In this current job, I am just going with the flow and it has made it easier, but I am just done with it. Feel like I am wasting my time and life now.

I think I will use this year to pay things off and then move on. I may even boondock in the Casita near the school to save rent and save up.

 

PS

 

I taught a 6th grade and it was fun. I even started a model building club and we had competitions. New superintendent tells parents to skip the principal and go straight to him with complaints. Me and others immediately started getting accused of screaming at kids, etc. and we were refused any details. Principal resigned when she found out who the new Superintendent would be. Assistant principal walked out within a few months. I got told in private that I would not be renewed. Just sickening.

For the next year I would bump into kids at Walmart, etc. that would come to say hello. One mom told me her daughter rushed into art class that following year, saw the new teacher, and ran out crying.

Last year I see a car drive by my house as I was getting the mail and do a hard U turn. Pulls up and it's this young man who thanked me for standing up for him in 5th grade and telling him how to be confident and defend himself. He said it changed his life. That is one of a few similar events that make me not regret it all.

Edited July 1 by Bisley Joe

[Bisley Joe]

So I am thinking, after the input here, that the Dillon 550C will be great, but once I get a home again or perhaps even set it up in a climate controlled storage unit.

For the road, I think a much more compact system will be best: something not so much to load bulk ammo, but to help me if I am far from home base and need to load up for a match.

Of course, I could just load up a good 2,000 rounds and have those with me, but it's still nice to be able to reload on th road.

 

I'm gonna look into really simple reloading gear. I have a hand primer, and that's a start at least.

I will shoot 45 Colt, 38 Special, and 12 Gauge Shotgun-all black powder. Would also like to reload 45-110 or 45-120, when I can get the damned rifle (and brass).

[Bailey Creek,5759]

There used to be a company called Black Dawg.

They made conversions for Dillion 550's. So, you can load Black Powder.

I have one works great. 

Maybe you can find one on Ebay.

[Eyesa Horg]

Been loading BP on my Dillon for years without issue. Just clean the powder measure well when back to smokyless.

[Dapper Dave]

OK, so you are a teacher, have already learned how to handle unruly students - would you like to work someplace where you are allowed to defend yourself and there are no such thing as parental complaints? No, I'm not joking, and I am serious - we are always looking for teachers how can handle themselves and work in the ultimate challenging environment, BUT where you have a radio to call for help, pepper spray on your belt, and lots of guys in uniform who will run to help YOU if you call for help. Where? In prison. 

No, again, I am not joking - we need teachers. From Low custody to Max custody, and it is not nearly as bad as you might think. For instance, nobody is going to walk around asking people to see his juevos - he would be removed from class, given a disciplinary violation and stuffed back in his assigned housing by correctional officers. They WANT to complete assigned classes, as some of it is required for release/good time. Anyone puffs up on you, same thing, grab the radio, follow the procedures we teach you for use of force with the issued OC we have, and defend yourself. 
No principal, no superintendent, and no parental complaints. Oh, and we have smoking areas.
Home (azstatejobs.gov)
Go to Current Openings, filter Categories to Education and Department to Department of Corrections. BTW, I've been here 22.5 years working from Medium to Max/Death Row, and have only used force twice - it's not NEAR as bad as working at a high school!