Life Update

Well I re-read some of my previous posts.   Looks like not too much has changed in my life since I've started this blog of mine.    I'm still basically not happy with work and haven't done too much in the way of changing it either.    Funny how life is isn't it??

The only major change seems to be the fact that I am no longer complaining about Jonathan not marrying me.     Since we've been married not much has changed (other than my wondering why we aren't).    Things continue the way they were.   I'm not happier, I'm not less happy either.  

I don't know exactly why, but I'm not the most content person.    I can't put my finger on it exactly but "discontent" seems to be a good word to describe me.    I know I am responsible for my own happiness but right now I don't know how to get it.     To be honest, one thing I know may help, I haven't done.   That would be to exercise.   Exercise releases endorphins and I know how I feel when I'm really exercising regularly.   I know I owe it to myself to start seriously again but I'm in a little bit of a rut and can't seem to get myself motivated.   

I'm in the middle of an eight shift run at work.   That alone makes my energy levels sink to an all time low.   Five of the eight shifts are all afternoon/evening shifts.   A person has to work but I wish I wasn't working shift work all the time.   I could spend all the time in the world complaining about it but it wouldn't change a thing.

New Posting at SWB

Well there is another posting for a 0.6 position here at switchboard.   It's Pam's old point.     I've applied but I'm pretty sure I won't get it which makes me so disappointed.   It's all based on seniority and I'm still so low on the food chain that I know I won't get it.   What makes it even more disappointing is that I have to go through the whole interview process again and I think it's such a big F-ing waste of everyone's time.   I would bet big money that they already know who they are putting into Pam's old time slot.

I've made a couple inquiries to HR regarding my rate of pay over at Home Care.   Both answers from HR have stated that I'm making the right amount over there.   This is what they wrote back to me:

You currently have three active Employee Records with Alberta Health Services:

- Employee Record 0 RPT 0.40 FTE Switchboard Operator Job Code 0073 Pay Band AU1 022 Step 99 (Red-circled) Rate $24.32 per hour
- Employee Record 1 Casual Clerk IV Job Code 0070 Pay Band AU3 0006 Step 1 Rate $21.76 per hour
- Employee Record 1 Casual Secretary I Job Code 0068 Pay Band AU3 0005 Step 1 Rate $21.76 per hour

So that pretty much sums it up.   I won't be making more, I'm starting at Step 1 even though it's the same union and the same job classification.   I had asked about the "Recognition of Previous Experience" form but they didn't even respond to that question.   So that pretty much sucks.

I think I've said it before but I have to think about what I want.     I don't think I want this anymore.    Making $24.32 per hour isn't bad and I know it, but I know being here isn't making me happy anymore.    I will stick it out for a while longer for sure but I have to get down to some serious planning about what I'm going to do next.

Second 30 year High School Reunion

Last night was our second 30 year high school reunion (at Dixon's again).    About the same number of people showed up for the reunion in May I think.   Well, come to think about it, maybe there were less attending yesterday.    The one nice thing was that there were some different faces there this time and the disappointing thing was that were some people whose presence were missed terribly.     Kurt did a wonderful job of hosting a 1981 Jeopardy Game that was on the big screen TV via his laptop.   What a riot!    Great fun was had by all.    I'm so happy I was able to graduate with such wonderful people.

End of August

It's August 28th and as the end of the month approaches I look back at the summer with disappointment.   It seems most everything was a bust this summer.   Our holiday to Vancouver Island and the cancellation of our trip to Disneyland were both major disappointments.   I find it funny that we wait all year for this little window of time (July and August) hoping it will be warm, sunny and most of all, fun-filled.    When it doesn't happen the way we would have hoped it seems to be all the more disappointing.

I finished reading the book, Born to Run so quickly that I didn't have any time to write about it.   But I must say it was the best book ever!    Right after I finished it I handed it over to Jillian and she finished it in record time too.    Both of us loved this book.    I mentioned on Facebook that I was reading this book and guess who left a comment:  Marcel.   I don't believe he has ever left a comment on my FB page, so this book really makes an impression.     Jillian and I even went to Mountain Equipment Co-Op and bought some 5 Finger Vibram running shoes (for Jilllian).   She's been wearing them and now that they are broken in she seems to like them even better then ever.     The reason I bring up the shoes is that the whole book is based on barefoot running.   It covers biology, history, sports, retail shoe sales and it's all wrapped up in a really good story.   I'm pretty sure I'll be reading it again really, really soon.

Yesterday evening Penny, Judy, Kurt and I met at Dixon's Pub to do some planning for the reunion coming up on September 16 and 17 (3 weeks away).   Judy had nothing planned again.    It looks like we will be heading back to Dixon's Pub on Friday night for lack of better ideas at such short notice.   It was mentioned to do something over at Sundance Lake during the day on Saturday and possibly going out for dinner at a restaurant afterwards the same evening.   Kurt posted a message on FB asking people to confirm their attendance.     But Penny had the best idea yet ... she proposed us all getting together near the end of 2012 and celebrating our combined 50th birthdays that should all be happening sometime in the years 2012 and 2013.     That was the best idea of the evening!    We would use the September reunion to see what the interest would be and if enough people are on-board it would be a go and we would start planning for the big party.   Penny mentioned that since 2012 is suppose to be the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar we could call it the "2012 End of the World ?   No, We're Only Turning 50 Party".     What a complete riot!

So although this summer was a bust I'll have to make the most of the upcoming events and try to start looking forward to all the little things that happen and not put too much focus on things like summer in general.

"Born To Run"

Today I purchased the book "Born To Run" by Christopher McDougall.    I've wanted to buy this book for a while now and was waiting to purchase it on-line.   Today I couldn't wait any longer.   

I was at a memorial for a friend's love one this afternoon.    It was heart breaking to see her so upset.  So many people were crying and it just tore me up.     So many lovely things were said and I was deeply touched by how loved and respected he was.       I don't know exactly why all those emotions made me want to stop at the book store and buy this book but it did. 

So now I'm eager to read it and perhaps even blog a little bit about it too.

Disneyland Scrapped

All the best plans.    Hell all the planning ... gone, finished, never appreciated.    I was going to go to the travel agency yesterday to buy the tickets for the trip.   I had done all the reading possible.    Hours and hours spent looking at hotel reviews.   Hours spent looking for a best price for Disneyland tickets.    Emails sent back and forth to the travel agent.   All I wanted was for Jonathan to help me pick between 2 fucking hotels.  TWO, that's all.     I wanted his input because it never fails.   I pick something and he has something to say about it ... never positive.       So I show him where the two properties are located and tell him the price difference.   And WHAM !!, he calls me "last minute Mona".   WTF??   Seriously?    Is he insane?     I booked these holidays in March after we talked about it ... going to Vancouver Island in July then going to California in August.   That was back in March.    Not to mention, he promised the kids a trip to Disneyland if Jacob got onto the Honor Roll in Grade 8 and Jillian got into Nursing.    That was last year.   Jacob is now going into Grade 10 in September.   This trip is overdue and I wasn't the one that made the promise.   I was only trying to make it come true.    And to top all this crap off ... I had saved money like crazy since his promise to get this done.    Lord only knows, if he had to pay for it, it would be a no-go.    But apparently it's a no-go anyway.     I'm really mad and upset about the whole thing.   

I think I'm going to get myself some braces with the money I've saved.    If he wants to go anywhere in the future, he'll have to make the plans.  I'm out.

August First ... yikes!

Oh crap.   It's been ages since I last wrote here on this blog.   It's August 1, 2011.   AUGUST FIRST !!!   Where does the time go?!

The month of June was busy with job training.   Job training that I have yet to finish ... yikes.   July has been a mixture of work at Switchboard, a 9 day holiday to Vancouver Island and the Weekend to End Women's Cancers.    Today is the Monday of the August long weekend.   And yes, I'm here at work and have been all weekend long and I won't have a day off until Thursday.   Yikes again.

Our Vancouver holiday started on July 11th when we drove to Kelowna.   The weather there was beautiful and I even put on my sundress.   Good thing I put in on there because I never had the opportunity to put in on again for the whole trip.  Why you may ask?   Well it was way too cold and rainy.  In fact, it was the coldest, rainiest holiday we've ever had on the island.   I guess we were due to run into some bad weather sooner or later but I was really disappointed by it all.     I had been working so many hours and just plugging along trying to make the best of it figuring I had a good break ahead of me.    Well, a break I did have but it wasn't the holiday I was hoping for.   Now I'm scrambling to get something planned for a quick trip to Disneyland so we can have an actual sunny, warm summer holiday.    I should get it figured out in the next day or two.   Fingers crossed.

The Weekend to End Women's Cancers went pretty well this year.    I came through it with no blisters, no missing toe nails, nothing.   That, in itself, was a victory.    I have to give some credit to the shoes I was wearing the first day.   They are Barefoot running shoes from Merrell.     The second day I wore $20.00 New Balance runners purchased from Aerie in Chinook Centre.   I didn't hold out too much promise for them when I bought them but I'd been running in them at the gym and they were pretty broken in.  Good news all around. 

The weekend event itself was a mixture of good and bad.    Bad things like horrible showers, awful lunches and the continuing saga of crabby tent neighbours.   Good things like finding my lost watch at the lost and found, drinking in the tent, skipping opening/closing ceremonies and hanging out with Penny and making our own fun.   I don't know if we are planning to do this again next year or not.    We haven't signed up yet anyway.   That, in itself, could be saying something.