The Season Begins

I don't think I was in it until this week.

Maybe it was because I didn't realize I had cabin fever this week and I needed something to break the funk. I don't currently have a job, or a car, or any real money, so my life lately has been made up of knitting and watching tv and seeing friends for coffee. (The friends are good, but the venure needs to change, I think...it's just more sitting). People who are normally very busy and have active lives get tense and a little nutty when they are made to sit still for too long, and after some confrontation, I realized that I needed something better to do with my time. Being that I'm broke during the Holiday Season, I decided it was time I put my efforts towards creating something great for my friends and family for Christmas. But how? Needs to be cheap. Needs to be cool or beautiful or meaningful or useful - something that won't get tossed January 6th. Needs to be within my talent range. Needs to be creative (nothing bugs me more than when people "craft" - they buy all the pre-made supplies at the store and assemble a craft, rather than CRAFT a craft. Like the scrapbooking industry...but I'll not get into that). So I've at least got something to keep my brain busy. Good.

In addition, I've been looking for places to volunteer. If I can't work, I can at least spend the time doing something productive. At this time of year, most volunteering comes hand in hand with Christmassy events. Like Operation Red Nose.

Basically, I'm getting into Christmas. That means I'm not as lame right now. And I feel busy, and productive and useful. I feel like I have things to do. People give you the stink eye when you sleep in until 11 (or 1130....or 12... even though by that time you've had 12 hours of sleep) every day, but upon reflection, you realize that it's not because you're lazy, it's because your body says "Well, what the hell else were you going to do? Watch tv and knit? oooo. Sleep, idiot." Not that I care about the stink eye, but sleeping like that really isn't healthy.

So, I toom Martha Stewarts 2009 Encyclopedia of crafts out of the library (GRR, EVERY Christmas craft book was on loan.). I have volunteered for a couple of organizations. I have made plans.

Now it's time to get out of my jammies.

Oh Hay,

'Sup?

Where you been?

Where have I been?

Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Brugges, Arras, Paris, Basel, Interlaken, Venice, Florence and Rome.

No biggie.

Lemme know if you want to hear more about that trip.

But it went well. Was gone for 5 weeks. Loved being away, but I was definitely glad to come home to my own shower and my own bed and clean clothes every day. Clean clothes was definitely a bonus. I'm still feeling like it's a luxury I'm getting used to.

And while I was away, I became engaged. On top of the Swiss Alps. Beautiful. That's all I can say to describe it.

And then I started thinking about what it meant to be 'engaged.' If you look at the word out of context, what does it mean? Engaged. I've started something. I've started something and now I'm fully loaded. What does that mean I was before? disengaged? I wasn't in it? Just doodling around? Now I'm supposed to start something....although I'm fine with what I've got and I don't want to change it. Of course I want to marry the guy, but I don't want to change what the relationship is....if you get my drift. Or maybe I've got "foot-in-mouth" disease and I should have just deleted those last few sentences....

So in addition to chronicling my life as a nurse, I have a feeling this blog will include snippets of the engagement stage and wedding plans.

But I don't have any yet. Yeesh, I don't officially have a job yet. And I still live with my parents. (Though I'm sure there are some people left who prefer not to live in sin beforehand...) So I can't start planning because there's no way I could make a budget. If I knew my budget right now, I could start things.... I'm feeling like there won't be any nuptials until summer 2011. That's just because I'd like a summer wedding, but I'm not sure I could get things in order in only 6 months without any money....

Do I have a vision? No. I don't think I've ever had a real vision for what my "dream wedding" would look like. I've mused about what a beautiful wedding would look like, but none of those ever really pertained to me. Sort of like "All of these things would be beautiful, but they're not me, per se." Dresses. Dream on. I don't think I've ever thought of what I'd like to wear, and I feel like I'm a million years away from choosing. A few people have suggested that I go to Bridal Fairs, but frankly, they intimidate me. All these vendors telling me about what my wedding should look like.....though I guess if I don't know what I think my wedding should look like, who's to say that what they're suggesting isn't what I want?

But that's crazy.

Mike wants a pig roast. I'm ok with that. Just as long as he keeps his beer swilling and sloshing for his Stag Party.

At least for now I don't feel so ashamed watching all the wedding shows on TLC anymore.

Aside from that, I have some good news on the job hunt front. I have an interview with BC Childrens' Hospital tomorrow at 130. It's in the same unit where I did my final practicum, so I'm pretty confident that I'll get the job, but one never wants to count their chickens before they hatch. It's not where I really want to work, but if it'll get me in the door, then I'll take it. I'd rather work with kids in Mental Health than no kids at all...especially since I applied to other hospitals and haven't heard anything back yet...

I'll let you all know how it goes tomorrow.