I love to barbecue! I think my favourite thing about it is the lack of dishes to do after the meal! However, I"ve discovered a slight problem with barbecuing: having your roommate forget to turn off the burner and you throwing in a match… thinking you will throw in the match and THEN turn on the burner… only to realize seconds later that you’ve burnt off all your forearm hair!
It’s all stubbly and feels like I shaved my forearm! Bah!
Happy barbecue season everyone!! :-)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Stick a Fork in Me; I’m Done!
To Do List:
1 – Complete all University exams (check)
2 – Yawn from exhaustion after the most stressful exams of your life (check)
4 – Revel in the fact that you’ve completed half your degree (check)
5 – Pray to the Gods that you passed all your classes (double-check)
6 – Find a wonderful summer job at a local hospital starting May 5 (check)
7 – Enjoy 5 complete days of vacation (check)
8 – Work two days and enjoy 5 more days of blissful nothingness (check)
9 – Stare at your computer screen blurry-eyed (check)
Yay Me!
1 – Complete all University exams (check)
2 – Yawn from exhaustion after the most stressful exams of your life (check)
4 – Revel in the fact that you’ve completed half your degree (check)
5 – Pray to the Gods that you passed all your classes (double-check)
6 – Find a wonderful summer job at a local hospital starting May 5 (check)
7 – Enjoy 5 complete days of vacation (check)
8 – Work two days and enjoy 5 more days of blissful nothingness (check)
9 – Stare at your computer screen blurry-eyed (check)
Yay Me!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Are you freakin' kidding me!
I just got an email informing me that I didn’t get the summer job with the federal government. All I can say is: What. The. Fuck. It indicated that the job went to the most qualified candidate. They are telling me that 9 years in public relations, communications and marketing, managing a communications team, working with a budget of half a million, writing speeches for government officials and being interviewed by the freaking New York Times is not enough qualifications for a measly summer job? Jesus! I’d be curious to find out who else applied for the job.
Whatever. I would prefer the job at the hospital, anyway.
----------------------------------------
A few hours later…
Now that I’ve calmed down and rationalised the situation, I can see that the job likely went to a student who really needed the experience. It is a government program after all, and most likely about giving a student experience in his/her field of study rather than about paying Changa’s mortgage. The job is as far away from my current field of study so, yes; it should go to the kid who will one day be working in that field. However, they shouldn’t say the job went to the most qualified person because I don’t think that’s accurate. It's insulting.
Whatever. I would prefer the job at the hospital, anyway.
----------------------------------------
A few hours later…
Now that I’ve calmed down and rationalised the situation, I can see that the job likely went to a student who really needed the experience. It is a government program after all, and most likely about giving a student experience in his/her field of study rather than about paying Changa’s mortgage. The job is as far away from my current field of study so, yes; it should go to the kid who will one day be working in that field. However, they shouldn’t say the job went to the most qualified person because I don’t think that’s accurate. It's insulting.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Spring Méli-Mélo
Here’s the latest update on my life:
- I have 5 days left until I’m done my first year of University (version 2.0)
- It’s crunch time for exams as I have 3 left. So far the studying has been going well. Let’s hope I can keep it up.
- I applied for re-entry into the radiology program (only 9 are accepted in the second year) and I received a letter confirming my request has been acknowledged. Interviews will be help in May or June.
- I’m preparing for the worst when it comes to the program. I’ve finally accepted that if I don’t get in, it’s ok. I’ve been going 7 days a week for over a year now and not getting in would mean upgrading some of my classes and maybe slowing down a little. In would set me back a year, but maybe I need the break.
- I haven’t heard back from the federal job… but the federal government is notoriously slow.
- I had an interview for a summer position with the hospital last week and that’s the job I really want! It’s just admin work, but the pay is better and I would be working in a variety of departments, which would be really cool. One of my references informed me that they’ve checked with her – always a good sign.
- I’m running again (it’s been about a month) and my last two runs felt really good! It almost made me look forward to the next one.
- I’m slowly attempting the online dating thing with much caution.
- One of my roommates attempted to toast cheese in the toaster the other day... thank goodness my other roommate noticed before my toaster became an ooey-gooey mess! I seriously don't get them sometimes!
I guess that’s it for now. Back to the books!
- I have 5 days left until I’m done my first year of University (version 2.0)
- It’s crunch time for exams as I have 3 left. So far the studying has been going well. Let’s hope I can keep it up.
- I applied for re-entry into the radiology program (only 9 are accepted in the second year) and I received a letter confirming my request has been acknowledged. Interviews will be help in May or June.
- I’m preparing for the worst when it comes to the program. I’ve finally accepted that if I don’t get in, it’s ok. I’ve been going 7 days a week for over a year now and not getting in would mean upgrading some of my classes and maybe slowing down a little. In would set me back a year, but maybe I need the break.
- I haven’t heard back from the federal job… but the federal government is notoriously slow.
- I had an interview for a summer position with the hospital last week and that’s the job I really want! It’s just admin work, but the pay is better and I would be working in a variety of departments, which would be really cool. One of my references informed me that they’ve checked with her – always a good sign.
- I’m running again (it’s been about a month) and my last two runs felt really good! It almost made me look forward to the next one.
- I’m slowly attempting the online dating thing with much caution.
- One of my roommates attempted to toast cheese in the toaster the other day... thank goodness my other roommate noticed before my toaster became an ooey-gooey mess! I seriously don't get them sometimes!
I guess that’s it for now. Back to the books!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Frenchy’s Comparative
If you’re not from the Maritimes you’ve probably never heard of Frenchy's. Frenchy’s is a chain or used clothing stores. They are quite popular and sometimes you can discover some really great finds. Generally, I like shopping at Frenchy’s but it can be tiresome and you kinda have to be in a certain mood to really enjoy it.
This week I realised that dating is much like shopping at Frenchy’s. You have to sort through bins of clothing in the hopes of coming across even one great item. Plus, like dating, the searching gets tiring, your hands end up grimy and eventually the smell just makes you nauseous.
When I first became single I spent a good two years trying on pretty much everything in the hopes that quantity would eventually lead me to a gem – no such luck. Then, I became very selective about my searches and didn’t try on anything that wasn’t even close to a perfect piece of clothing. That didn’t work either. About a year ago I gave up and opted to purchase a brand new pair of jeans. I looked like it was exactly my style and appeared to be a perfect fit but I soon realize that it was so new that it had never even been taken for a spin. Like not even once! Have you ever tried breaking in a stiff pair of jeans? Ugh. It feels like you’ll never get to the comfortable part... and in the end I gave up.
So I guess my venture into dating as a Frenchy’s store has been a learning experience. Right now, I’m trying to find a balance. I’m making an effort and trying not to turn my nose up at anything that isn’t a brand name. I’ve realised that sometimes, like in makeover shows, the piece that doesn’t look that great on the hanger, looks like a million bucks once you put it on. I’m also being realistic. I’m not wasting my time trying to fit into a size 2 when I’m clearly a size 6 (humour me).
It’s all about balance – my life needs more balance.
This week I realised that dating is much like shopping at Frenchy’s. You have to sort through bins of clothing in the hopes of coming across even one great item. Plus, like dating, the searching gets tiring, your hands end up grimy and eventually the smell just makes you nauseous.
When I first became single I spent a good two years trying on pretty much everything in the hopes that quantity would eventually lead me to a gem – no such luck. Then, I became very selective about my searches and didn’t try on anything that wasn’t even close to a perfect piece of clothing. That didn’t work either. About a year ago I gave up and opted to purchase a brand new pair of jeans. I looked like it was exactly my style and appeared to be a perfect fit but I soon realize that it was so new that it had never even been taken for a spin. Like not even once! Have you ever tried breaking in a stiff pair of jeans? Ugh. It feels like you’ll never get to the comfortable part... and in the end I gave up.
So I guess my venture into dating as a Frenchy’s store has been a learning experience. Right now, I’m trying to find a balance. I’m making an effort and trying not to turn my nose up at anything that isn’t a brand name. I’ve realised that sometimes, like in makeover shows, the piece that doesn’t look that great on the hanger, looks like a million bucks once you put it on. I’m also being realistic. I’m not wasting my time trying to fit into a size 2 when I’m clearly a size 6 (humour me).
It’s all about balance – my life needs more balance.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Square Peg Moments
As my blog implies, my life is made up of what I like to call Square Peg Moments. What is a Square Peg Moment? Well, it’s a moment when I stand out like a sore thumb. I’m the proverbial square peg trying to fit into a round hole. I don’t fit in with my classmates because of the age difference, but I don’t fit in with my peers either because I have a completely different lifestyle. For the most part, it puts me in some pretty humourous situations. Here are a few examples:
Moment 1
Earlier this year I interviewed for summer job. Obviously my competition were all students, most of them under 20. Things went very well, but near the end of the interview the interviewer asked me the following question: “Tell me about your last summer job, or, if you’ve never had a summer job, tell me about your favourite hobby”. It caught me off guard for a moment… I mean, my last summer job was 11 years ago!
***Square Peg Moment***
Moment 2
I’m having dinner with some friends from high school. We meet on a regular basis to catch up. All are married (or the equivalent off being married) and most have kids. We’re discussing the usual stuff: husbands, kids, homes when Daisy* pipes up: did you hear Jessica* (mutual friend) bought a new house? Well, it’s so not new. It’s actually really, really old. Having an older house myself I inquire about the age of the house. “Oh, it’s like 12 years old or something”. My house is 70+ years old, while everyone at the table has new homes they had built.
***Square Peg Moment***
Moment 3
As I’ve mentioned before, my French professor is a bit of a dud. She had missed 4 classes and was planning on missing another 4 classes right before finals. Of course, everyone complained so we ended up getting a replacement prof while she was away. It turned out to be really great because the new professor is an awesome teacher. In fact, he was my French teacher while I was in high school. The first day, while waiting for the professor, I turned to another student who I knew had attended my high school (although years after me). I told her I was excited about the new prof since I had him in high school and asked if she knew him. She said no… but he taught her parents.
***Square Peg Moment***
*not actual names
Moment 1
Earlier this year I interviewed for summer job. Obviously my competition were all students, most of them under 20. Things went very well, but near the end of the interview the interviewer asked me the following question: “Tell me about your last summer job, or, if you’ve never had a summer job, tell me about your favourite hobby”. It caught me off guard for a moment… I mean, my last summer job was 11 years ago!
***Square Peg Moment***
Moment 2
I’m having dinner with some friends from high school. We meet on a regular basis to catch up. All are married (or the equivalent off being married) and most have kids. We’re discussing the usual stuff: husbands, kids, homes when Daisy* pipes up: did you hear Jessica* (mutual friend) bought a new house? Well, it’s so not new. It’s actually really, really old. Having an older house myself I inquire about the age of the house. “Oh, it’s like 12 years old or something”. My house is 70+ years old, while everyone at the table has new homes they had built.
***Square Peg Moment***
Moment 3
As I’ve mentioned before, my French professor is a bit of a dud. She had missed 4 classes and was planning on missing another 4 classes right before finals. Of course, everyone complained so we ended up getting a replacement prof while she was away. It turned out to be really great because the new professor is an awesome teacher. In fact, he was my French teacher while I was in high school. The first day, while waiting for the professor, I turned to another student who I knew had attended my high school (although years after me). I told her I was excited about the new prof since I had him in high school and asked if she knew him. She said no… but he taught her parents.
***Square Peg Moment***
*not actual names
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
I Know I Was Asking For It
Back in December I was looking for a new roommate. A seemingly normal guy rented the room in January. He seemed like such a sweet guy… who knew he would turn out to be dumb as a post! I referred to him as the kid because he always seemed so young even though he was 25.
A few things should have tipped me off:
- He slept till 4:00 pm, got up, sat in front of MY TV until about midnight at which point he would go out, often bringing guests home around 3:00 am and chat loudly in the living room until 5:00 am.
- He would ask the most bizarre questions. One day he asked me if a box in my kitchen (which contained a bottle of wine) was an urn with a dead person’s ashes in it.
- Every day he would use my computer without asking me and thought I didn’t know. Since he was obviously Mac illiterate he always left the web browser open without realizing it. Plus, he didn’t know how to turn the computer off.
- About a week after he moved in he told me he was giving his notice. Of course, I freaked and asked him why. He told me he got fired from his job and was too embarrassed to live here. I asked him if he couldn’t afford to live here or if it was just an issue of pride. He told me it was pride so I gave him a little pep talk about not running away from your fears, owning up to your responsibilities, etc. He thanked me and said he was glad I was so understanding and was happy to stay. A week later he got a new job.
- Then, on January 31 I come home to find a letter addressed to me. It was from the kid and essentially said: “Can’t afford to live here. To embarrassed to tell you in person so I moved out”. I was livid! Our agreement was to give me one month’s notice so he technically owed me for the month of February. An hour or so later he came back. Apparently, when his Mom found out that he had left without facing me, she made him come back and apologise. He told me he would pay me the money he owed me in two weeks as he was getting paid then.
Luckily I found a new roommate the very next day and all is well. I was about to send him an email saying, don’t worry about the money, I’ve found someone to rent the room, but decided I would wait the two weeks and let him sweat it out a bit. The kid needs to learn that he can’t just walk away from his responsibilities.
Two weeks come and go and still no call or email so I decide to send him an email requesting my money. He responds back saying he doesn’t have any money, as he will only get paid on March 7. He doesn’t even have money for food and has been going to the local food bank. The excuse is total bullshit! I believe that he doesn’t have money to spare to pay me, but there is no way his mother or two sisters (whom I’ve met) would let him go hungry. I decide to wait the two weeks until he supposedly gets paid.
Yesterday his cell phone bill arrived at my house and I realized March 7 had passed. I figured I’d let him know his bill was here and take the opportunity to request my money. I know, I know, I was clearly asking for it, but I couldn’t resist. He responds immediately saying he doesn’t know where I can forward the mail since he’s living at a homeless shelter, and, of course, he has no money. Hmmm… who knew homeless shelters were now equipped with high-speed Internet!! Wow! This pisses me off to no end. It’s not the fact that he doesn’t have my money, it’s the fact that he doesn’t own up to his responsibilities. He could have easily said, Look, I’m really sorry but I just can’t afford to pay you right now. Is there anyway we can make some sort of arrangement. I would have totally let him off the hook! It’s the fact that he’s making up these bullshit stories about being in a homeless shelter. Of course I couldn’t resist responding and telling him exactly how I felt about his attempt at a self-pitying excuse. The thing that irks me the most is that I had seen my brother struggling financially… and I mean TRULY struggling and not once did he go to a food bank. This kid has no idea what it would be like to actually have to go to a food bank or shelter and to use this excuse just makes me sick.
He responds by telling me I’m crazy and that he actually only went to the shelter once or twice between places. He also advises me that he will be blocking my email. He forgot that I have his phone number and can clearly see him posting on facebook all the time, but I will stop harassing him… only for my own sanity.
The worst part is, unless my current roommates decide to stay here another 2.5 years, my chances of having at least one more idiot living under my roof are pretty high. Ugh.
A few things should have tipped me off:
- He slept till 4:00 pm, got up, sat in front of MY TV until about midnight at which point he would go out, often bringing guests home around 3:00 am and chat loudly in the living room until 5:00 am.
- He would ask the most bizarre questions. One day he asked me if a box in my kitchen (which contained a bottle of wine) was an urn with a dead person’s ashes in it.
- Every day he would use my computer without asking me and thought I didn’t know. Since he was obviously Mac illiterate he always left the web browser open without realizing it. Plus, he didn’t know how to turn the computer off.
- About a week after he moved in he told me he was giving his notice. Of course, I freaked and asked him why. He told me he got fired from his job and was too embarrassed to live here. I asked him if he couldn’t afford to live here or if it was just an issue of pride. He told me it was pride so I gave him a little pep talk about not running away from your fears, owning up to your responsibilities, etc. He thanked me and said he was glad I was so understanding and was happy to stay. A week later he got a new job.
- Then, on January 31 I come home to find a letter addressed to me. It was from the kid and essentially said: “Can’t afford to live here. To embarrassed to tell you in person so I moved out”. I was livid! Our agreement was to give me one month’s notice so he technically owed me for the month of February. An hour or so later he came back. Apparently, when his Mom found out that he had left without facing me, she made him come back and apologise. He told me he would pay me the money he owed me in two weeks as he was getting paid then.
Luckily I found a new roommate the very next day and all is well. I was about to send him an email saying, don’t worry about the money, I’ve found someone to rent the room, but decided I would wait the two weeks and let him sweat it out a bit. The kid needs to learn that he can’t just walk away from his responsibilities.
Two weeks come and go and still no call or email so I decide to send him an email requesting my money. He responds back saying he doesn’t have any money, as he will only get paid on March 7. He doesn’t even have money for food and has been going to the local food bank. The excuse is total bullshit! I believe that he doesn’t have money to spare to pay me, but there is no way his mother or two sisters (whom I’ve met) would let him go hungry. I decide to wait the two weeks until he supposedly gets paid.
Yesterday his cell phone bill arrived at my house and I realized March 7 had passed. I figured I’d let him know his bill was here and take the opportunity to request my money. I know, I know, I was clearly asking for it, but I couldn’t resist. He responds immediately saying he doesn’t know where I can forward the mail since he’s living at a homeless shelter, and, of course, he has no money. Hmmm… who knew homeless shelters were now equipped with high-speed Internet!! Wow! This pisses me off to no end. It’s not the fact that he doesn’t have my money, it’s the fact that he doesn’t own up to his responsibilities. He could have easily said, Look, I’m really sorry but I just can’t afford to pay you right now. Is there anyway we can make some sort of arrangement. I would have totally let him off the hook! It’s the fact that he’s making up these bullshit stories about being in a homeless shelter. Of course I couldn’t resist responding and telling him exactly how I felt about his attempt at a self-pitying excuse. The thing that irks me the most is that I had seen my brother struggling financially… and I mean TRULY struggling and not once did he go to a food bank. This kid has no idea what it would be like to actually have to go to a food bank or shelter and to use this excuse just makes me sick.
He responds by telling me I’m crazy and that he actually only went to the shelter once or twice between places. He also advises me that he will be blocking my email. He forgot that I have his phone number and can clearly see him posting on facebook all the time, but I will stop harassing him… only for my own sanity.
The worst part is, unless my current roommates decide to stay here another 2.5 years, my chances of having at least one more idiot living under my roof are pretty high. Ugh.
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