Life Query

I was cruising the stalker hub otherwise known as Facebook today, and decided to check up on someone I know (sort of. I haven't talked to her in about 2 or three years) who's been working on her film/theatre career.

Enter pang of jealousy.

I spent my first year of university in the theatre program before switching to nursing. Once I was in the nursing program I would tell myself that I was doing the right thing; the practical thing, and that I could do all the theatre I wanted to after I finished school because I'd be financially secure.

Enter real life.

I'm starting to get a real handle on how restrictive my work schedule is. It would be crazy difficult to just decide to try and go to auditions or even be in a community play because it's not like I work days and have evenings off to play with. It would be a real ordeal, especially since I'm supposed to book off 'vacation' time almost a year in advance. So it would be hard to say "well, I plan to be doing 'such and such play' this week" when I wouldn't have gone to an audition or even so much as being cast in anything.

So I'm feeling a little bummed today because I'm finally in the big city, but the big city offerings are still out of reach....and I could walk to a major casting agency from my house....

I DO Exist!

And I'm back in NursingLand!

I suppose that's why my blogging has been so negligent. oops.

Since last post I've moved to the big city into my little apartment and started my first real nursing job. Doesn't look like much on paper, but it's been oodles of work! So, I'll get you all up to speed.

M and I spent the first week in the new apartment sans employment. It took us about that long to putter around and get pretty well everything put away...Although we don't get have a couch, a computer desk (the desktop is currently a "floor top") cable, a chest of drawers, and we only managed to acquire dining chairs last weekend. It still feels a little "in the box," but slowly more like a home.

M miraculously managed to land a job at an engineering firm in the city. It was all "oh hay. Are you in the city? Come and start tomorrow at 9am. Bye" on the phone. So he actually started work a week before me, when we had moved for MY job and he wasn't expected to work for another few months... So, we're now a two income household. Maybe we can afford our little apartment and it's BIG rent.

Easter weekend, M and I and our group of friends shared a great housewarming dinner. T came down from kamloops which was a real treat! (despite the visit being short. boo.) I feel like I've been able to get grounded into this new living arrangement really well because M's old UBC roommates all live in the same building as us, which is the primary reason why we moved in in the first place. So I feel like there's a ready-built community for me here. And coincidentally, the apartment we liked best in the building is the one directly next door to one of the friends, so if ever I need someone to hang out with or borrow a cup of sugar, there's a friend nearby. Pretty nice.

I started work at the Children's Hospital last week. It's another case of instant community because it's the same ward where I did my final practicum last year. Of course I still have to get past all the "where do we keep things again?" phase and I have to really remind myself about a lot of nursing material that's faded from memory, but the staff are really helpful, the psychiatrists are really approachable, and the unit is fairly relaxed (not quite as hurried as a medical ward might be). I work 12 hour shifts which means that I don't/can't do anything else but work on those days (on a 7-7shift, I'll get up at 530am, work and then get home by 730pm, and go to bed at 9-930pm-ish)

But I have been able to find plenty of things to do on my days off- like grow things!

Like Lettuce!
And Basil!
And Lavendar!




Bonus!Here's the view from my living room. I'm on the 3rd floor, so it's nice to have a view of trees instead of other buildings...
here's what my apartment USED to look like, before we put everything away!

The Time is Near!

Moving day approaches and I continue to pack and clean. In the meantime, I conducted bunny surgery (a necessity after taking a handmade bunny to the drycleaners...)

Do you have a childhood toy that you'd keep forever? That one thing that you'd be embarrassed if your friends knew about, but that you cherish secretly and hope one day you'll get to show to grandkids? (or just your own children). I suppose if you answer that question in the comments then you'd be telling your secret, but I won't tell anyone!
I disguise mine as "great neck pillows..." Although it's more habit than anything that I still have teddies in bed with me (only at my house, M thinks they're weird, so they're relegated other places when he's over)

Erica, do you remember the teddy bear you gave me in 9th grade? And we called him "Little J?"... He's still agood friend of mine.

And I'm not really that embarrassed to admit it - is there anyone who'd rather go huggless than sleep by yourself?

That aside, I managed to do the felting process on the large bag I was knitting. It looks fantastic! The straps could use a little extra felting, but the bag itself looks great and I'll be proud to use it in vancouver while shopping for produce!

7 Days

What can one do in 7 days?

Meet with good friends. Check.

Pack your life's belongings. Check.

Sleep in. Double check.

Learn something new. Working on it.

I've got seven days until the big move. Then, I'll be back into "nursingland."

Wish me luck.

Losing It

Have you got a theory about why we lose things? Why do we lose things that have meaning? Why do I have one specific chap stick that get's lost but always always always somehow returns? Why is is that in one week I lose a pair of sunglasses and a necklace (the sunglasses were my uncle's, and the necklace was the necklace; the one with the diamond heart pendant, heart locket and silver heart (from my deceased grandfather) on it), and both of them come back to me? Or that topaz earring I got one christmas, that went missing, and mysteriously showed up on valentine's day (a gift from M).

So anyways, what's the cosmicenergy behind the things we lose? I was browsing some shop a while back and overheard two women talking about something one of them had lost. The one woman, she said:

"We lose things when we don't need them anymore - and they'll find their way back to you when you do need them"

An interesting concept, but it really affected the way I think about the things that go missing in my life. The necklace and the sunglasses both have meaning related to people who aren't around anymore, but I'd been wearing them like 'any old thing', and losing both of them in the same week is significant. But it reminded me about how important they are, which is why I found them again. That cuticle cream that I love so much...I really can't live without it - which is why in at least a year of dragging it around with me and putting it in untold forgotten pockets that it never truly gets lost for long.

But then what of the things that really meant something but got lost anyway? Is there meaning in that too? The teddy bear I had when I was little disappeared on the move from Ontario to BC. He meant everything to me, and was definitely a 'security bear,' so it was significant that I would lose him when I moving to far off lands - with no friends to speak of. But I guess it was time that I grew up a little...so he 'left' (just don't make me watch toy story 2 again...)

So next time something gets lost, think about why it might have troddled off...

Knitting

Stayed up late because I had to finish this knitting chart on the pair of socks I'm knitting for M. It's a moose! Love it. I'll post a picture of the socks together (one's a moose and the other's a beaver) when they're both done.

Let me know if you're having problems viewing this blog. It appeared earlier like there was a virus on the site, but today I'm not having that problem.....

Plus, I'm moving in 10 days! Yeoza!

Not Much...

Not knitting right now...not so interested in the tv. M's sewing a hole up in his mittens and "mexican welding" (aka duct taping) his soccer cleats.

I'm not feeling so hot because I tried not taking this bronchodilator I was given for a persistent cough. I wanted to find out if the drug was helping or if it was just masking my symptoms....it's just masking. sucks.
Felted market bag in blue/yellow/pink. Not quite done but pretty close
the "Francie" socks, aka my Tree Trunk Socks. Brown. Soy yarn. Started them in the summer. One sock done.

I'd love to be able to get the Tree Trunks and the bag done soon because I feel like I've been working on them forever! I love knitting, but certain projects can get on your nerves if they've been on your plate for too long.

Loot Bag!!

So, being that I got that nursing job I got to go on my shoppers drug mart shopping spree with all of my saved up shoppers points! Boo yea!

Here's what I came home with:

The Most Exciting Items:

Physicians Formula Gentle Cover concealer stick
Gosh Quattro Eye Shadow in Q22 in "Driftwood"
Gosh Waterproof Velvet Touch Eye Liner in "Truly Brown"
L'Oreal Paris Infallible Concealer stick in "676 Fair/Light"
L'Oreal Paris Wear Infinite eye shadow quad in "220 Blues"
CoverGirl SmokyShadowBlast double sided smoky eye crayon in "800 Onyx Smoke"
L'Oreal Paris True Match Foundation in "Cool: C1, Alabaster"
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custon Eye Enhancing Shadow and Liner in "Pop(Green) 7054C"
Quo Liner/Brow brush
Soap&Glory Glow Lotion (Smells great!!)
Life Brand Cucumber eye gel pads
Sally Hansen Cuticle Massage Cream
Sally Hansen New Lengths Ceramics nail polish in Cerise (PINK!), and Pink Sapphire

The Less Exciting Items:
Addidas Deoderant in "Intensive" and "Icy Burst"
Mitchum SmartSolid deoderant in "waterlily" (I stocked up!)
Oral-B Cross Action toothbrush
Balea Shaving cream
Spectro Jel Cleanser for Blemish Prone Skin
Stylize Bobby Pins
Three Greeting Cards
Unico Artichoke Hearts (99 cents!)
Snyder's of Hanover Buttermilk Ranch Pretzel Pieces
Life Brand Premium Swiss Milk Chocolate with Toffee

Ok, the chocolate and the pretzels are pretty exciting....

So that was the loot! In the shopping basket, it sure didn't look like $150's worth...but at least I only had to pay the taxes on it. Plus, it was pretty nice to be able to toss all of the old junk makeup I had and start new. Interesting, though, that I ended up with a less "premium" brand of foundation when I went in looking for something really really nice. I ended up with the L'Oreal because my skin tone is so pink and white that the expensive brands didn't have anything to match me!

I did cave and buy body lotion, but I liked it.....it smells great and is slightly shimmery!

And guess how long it took me to pick out these few things..... about 2 hours! I was in the drugstore so long that the lady at the cosmetics counter was ever so slighty trying to get me to hurry up and finish so she could go home! I left at 10:15, and her shift ended at 10! oops.

So, I'm going to try out some of my new toys! squee!

Waiting for Laundry...Again

Mike's sleeping. I'm doing laundry. Again. Since I've been working at that restaurant I've had to do a lot more loads of laundry than I'd like. This is because They only gave me one shirt to wear. I got two aprons but one was already losing a seam when I got it, so I only really use one. That Biznatch of a trainer I had told me to "fix it myself" when I told her it was ripped already (this was before I'd even worn it). blah. I haven't fixed it yet. And I'm not sure I will. maybe.

But, Job #1 is all done. My last shift was yesterday. It was a bit of a surprise because I still had another week left in my "two weeks' notice"...but they didn't bother I guess. I only have two shifts left in nmy restaurant job, too! This stuff is ending a little sooner that I was expecting (which means I'll be back to being very VERY poor instead of being JUST poor pretty soon), but it gives me plenty of time to do all of the packing, organizing and seeing friends before I leave. I'll take that!

Plus I won't have to do laundry 4 times a week...uugh...

Last night, made excellent pizza. I made the dough in the breadmaker and it was delish! One hawaiian style and one with pretty well everything on it. mmm. I'll definitely make that recipe again.

Today? Well, I'm going to get a haircut in about an hour, then looking at matresses and things for moving out. Then work in the evening. Sounds pretty good to me.

Movin' On Out

Everything's pretty well settled. I'm moving out. I'm pretty thrilled. M's just got to mail the security deposit cheque, but I can call the apartment mine! (and his, I guess)

....

Actually, what I'm really doing is playing a game called Virtual Villagers 3: The Secret City. It's a cross between farmville and the Sims. Who am I kidding - I don't have much to say today other than I'm totally addicted...