In 2001, I just finished college and moved back home. My mom taught kindergarten for over 33 years and suggested that I take the CBEST to get my substitute teaching credential to get $ while I figured things out. So I scheduled an appointment in San Francisco, partied with some friends the night before, drove to the school parking lot, and woke up to pass a test that led to my substitute teaching credential. This set me up to substitute and later teach at public, private, and charter schools with students in grades TK-12. Nine years later, I secured my teaching credential and enjoyed teaching grades 3 through 5, including looping (teaching the same group of students). I eventually became a principal at a TK-8 school until I realized the systems of support weren't there to finish what I started. I creatd workarounds that weren't sustainable. At the admin level, the gaslighting and toxic admin environment of "this job's not for everyone" fueled my inner passion and desire to make moves, but I realized that my dream of running a TK-8th-grade school good enough for all kids, even mine, wasn't in play. I was hurt and needed a place to heal while I sorted things out. I resigned as a principal and became a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), teaching innovation to K-5 students at two schools in a neighboring district. The program was a successful hit and the district decided to provide all schools with district-funded collaboration time with credentialed teachers. After feeling success in a new environment and no longer being gaslit by supervisors, I took on another position as an Equity TOSA, which has now shifted in year 3 to an Improvement TOSA. Having noticed so many changes to the job and to myself, I decided to put all the ideas that go in in this brain of mine here, in hopes that it helps others make sense of what's coming down in EDU.