On a good day you can see the end from here

I found out a couple days ago that I can work at the nursery again in a couple weeks. Hooray! First chance I get I am giving my notice at Tim's. :D

I also found out today that I've been excepted to Trent University. It's my last choice of all the schools I applied to, but at least I can rest assured that I WILL go to some school this fall. :)
I also applied to two schools in Calgary today. One was a last minute decision and after I applied, I found that the deadline for the application is tomorrow. So far I have spent about $600 just applying to schools. Sick, eh?

I have a new flatmate. She is 19, unemployed, seems pretty nice, apparently is pretty clean (or so she says) and is moving in tomorrow or so. I hope she turns out okay.

My moped is going to the shop tomorrow. I hope they fix it promptly! I can't wait to ride it.
Dee comes home tomorrow, I can't wait to see her.
I have to work tomorrow, I can't wait to quit!

It's going to be a good spring.

I've made a huge mistake.

Today at work I made the exact same mistake twice to the same man and had to refund him twice for these mistakes. Someone else came to the rescue and was going to fix it all, but rather than allow the situation to be corrected and get his food and drink for free, this man opted to storm out with angry words, leaving his free food behind because "it would be cold by now". I can understand being frustrated and know I was entirely at fault, but I am definitely reminded of why God calls his people to show patience, forgiveness and mercy to others, even in small situations. This man stands out to me as someone who lacks all those things. I will always remember my humiliation when I see him, whereas had he shown these other characteristics, I would have remembered his kindness instead.

So keep that in mind, friends.

uh oh?

I was looking at pictures online of Hueco Tanks and suddenly the page I was on turned into this alert page telling me my computer is full of viruses and trojans of sorts. Should I be worried? It tried to download something, which I didn't allow, and tried to get me to click on stuff, which I did not. I just quit the page, but now I'm running a scan with a red umbrella and it's finding nothing.
So to all you computer experts out there, help? :)

Today I had an interview at a hospice center. Once my vaccinations, TB test, background check and classes are taken care of, I can begin. I am a bit excited, but then I feel guilty because this seems far too serious a subject and a place to be excited about. I am curious. I am also bored and want to try volunteering and this place is close to my house. But mostly I am hoping to get a peak at what nursing is like in this place. Seems interesting.

I just applied to McGill University. Afterwards I checked their deadlines and today was the deadline for the application. Talk about last minute. I'm not sure it's worth the $85 application fee since it's not my top choice. It would be my second choice, if it were a 2 year program, but then, 3 years isn't so bad and it's in MONTREAL! So maybe it is still my second choice.

I am stressed out by all these school applications. It's so much work. But I have already had several people say, "You wanna be a nurse? Can I get your number? I'll call you in two years..." That's how much they need nurses, at least in Ontario. This is okay. I can make it through the applications and when I'm done, someone's gotta take me. I hope...

history sticks to your feet

This is the sixth year of this blog. I started looking back at some of my old posts. I'm a little embarrassed. But mostly it's fun to read about times I had forgotten. Or read a story I wrote, only to see I tell it a bit different now (mostly just shorter now, and many would say thats a good thing).
Anyway, I found this, Amanda. From June 2, 2006. Though we may laugh at all the wrong moments, we do so to ourselves too.

"It was kind of rainy that day though and I was wearing my flip flops. At some point we were crossing a street and there were cars all lined up.. and I slipped on a man-whole cover in front of all of them scraping my knees and tearing holes in both knees of my good jeans. At least now they're "stylish"... Ah well, it was worth the laughs. If something stupid like that is going to happen, there at least better be people to see it to make it worth while. :)"

I'm baking a chicken leg for the first time in my life. Can you believe I've never done that before? I was beginning to feel like a decent enough chef living at the brick house, but I guess Dee really did most of it, and even together we rarely cooked meat... There's a first time for everything.

Speaking of firsts, I had my first day at my new job yesterday. I'm surprised and how complicated some things at Tim's can be, even with all their machinery to make everything so simple. I don't think their machines make things simple, actually. They just make everything 99% uniform. I don't like it. It takes no talent or skill to work there, except to listen well, read a screen well, work quickly and be accurate. I'm also disappointed with their idea of "fresh". But I won't talk too much about it, because I don't want to bite the hand that feeds me... In their defense, most things frozen are still fresh in their own way, right?

I am applying to volunteer at a hospice center. Seems like it could be fun and difficult at times, but mostly I am hoping it will be a good experience.

Once upon a time...

Four weeks of unemployment.
First two weeks spent travelling with my big sister.
Last two weeks spent in very rigid search (job search) mostly.
Last two weeks spent filling out applications. Job applications, unemployment application, school applications...
Last two weeks spent "developing myself" with literature, Dutch, French, the Bible, Netflix and paint-by-numbers.
Last two weeks spent IN THE DEPTHS OF DESPAIR!

Tuesday:
1 awkward interview.
14 days of free pass to a fitness center.
1 funny story.

Funny story side note: So I finally had an interview. A receptionist job at a fitness center. After realizing I have almost no experience, however, P (who I'll call the interviewer) offered to give me a tour of the facilities, which I guess in P language means, "I'll show you out."
We stepped out of the office, which was located in a big exercise room and he said, "Well, this is one room. I won't show you the rest, it's too big. Do you like to work out?" To which I responded, "Sometimes," so he said, "Okay, go ahead. I'll get you a free pass" and he walked away leaving me amidst stair-steppers, ellipticals, treadmills and stationary bicycles... IN MY FORMAL ATTIRE!
I did stay and climbed 21 flights of stairs in under ten minutes and he came back with a 14-day VIP pass, which gives me access to everything, including the pool!

Wednesday:
10 laps at the pool.
1 inch of snow.
1 Netflix movie.

Thursday:
1 job application.
1 company.
4 locations.
3hrs of paint-by-numbers.

Friday:
5 new resumes printed and
5 cover letters.
2 interviews and
2 job offers in
2 hours.
1 job
3 left-over resumes
1 happy camper.

(And 1 poorly told, Carmela fashion, funny story.)

Journey of the Juniper

Today I put my work pants on and felt a little prick. "Perhaps I have a little piece of juniper in my pants", I thought, so I turned them inside out to see and instead of a little piece of juniper the size of my pinkie nail, I found a whole branch as long as my hand. How did that ever get in there...?

I like working with cuttings because instead of coming home smelling of sweat or soil, I come home smelling like a Christmas tree. I feel like I can go much longer without doing laundry... but I'll stay on the safe side. Or safer side anyhow.

I never really get homesick, but this year Christmas seems to be highlighting the fact that my family is so dispersed. I have been away for a few Christmases so far, but usually I had a big distraction so I didn't notice so much. But this year I just miss my family and having a Christmas tree with wooden ornaments from the fair and our stockings Mom stitched and hot coco and Dad reading the Christmas story from Luke and having a big yummy meal and a party at church and being in Mexico... I miss the crazy lights hung up all over downtown and the big Christmas tree on Paseo Montejo, or someplace, and the kids coming by to sing a song with a manger scene in a box. I miss it all. And I miss them.

Maybe I should get a wreath. Or twinkle lights to put on the fake fern...