The company that met with me earlier this week really wants to get me in on the team they're forming. I've got to meet with them a bit more, but if all goes well, I might have a new job within the next 48 hours.
I feel like jumping onto a table and yelling about it for a few minutes. As is, I'm going to be having dinner with the neighbors soon and I'm sure they'll hear ALL about it.
I feel like a little part of my life has kind of woken up and looked around. Even if I don't get this job (and I really hope I do), I'm no worse off than I was before, and I proved one thing - it's possible. There's options out there.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Moment of OMG nervous
A company has contacted me and would like to speak to me tomorrow.
*Tomorrow*.
Here's hoping I don't vomit on myself in nervousness.
*Tomorrow*.
Here's hoping I don't vomit on myself in nervousness.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
The secret is coming out
So I've been starting to tentatively talk to more people about my possible career. No one thinks I'm crazy yet.
I've started mentioning it often to my husband, and it's to the point where it's part of daily conversation. I had to deal with children the other day (me and children are a dish best served on opposite sides of the table; I'm pretty good with kids for periods of time less than an hour or two, but I'm not really a kid person at all).
My husband actually pointed out that it would be good for me to get practice with dealing with kids more consistantly for when I'm an EMT (which was funny because it's exactly what I was telling myself anyway). As I said - I'm not *bad* at it, but I'm really not a kid person.
He's gotten used to the idea, at least. I'm really happy about that.
On the work front, work was very good last week, but I keep reminding myself: that isn't a permanent situation. It's happened before, it'll happen again.
Overall, though, life feels pretty decent this week, which at least makes it easier to get through to the fun stuff in my days.
I've started mentioning it often to my husband, and it's to the point where it's part of daily conversation. I had to deal with children the other day (me and children are a dish best served on opposite sides of the table; I'm pretty good with kids for periods of time less than an hour or two, but I'm not really a kid person at all).
My husband actually pointed out that it would be good for me to get practice with dealing with kids more consistantly for when I'm an EMT (which was funny because it's exactly what I was telling myself anyway). As I said - I'm not *bad* at it, but I'm really not a kid person.
He's gotten used to the idea, at least. I'm really happy about that.
On the work front, work was very good last week, but I keep reminding myself: that isn't a permanent situation. It's happened before, it'll happen again.
Overall, though, life feels pretty decent this week, which at least makes it easier to get through to the fun stuff in my days.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Random short update
I am still falling to the dark side, so to speak. Am driving everyone crazy with my random first aid and CPR fun things I learned, and I think at least one person is disturbed at the level of knowledge I have over the local fire station and how quickly I can spot our little town's ambulance.
My husband is talking about moving to Europe in a few years; he says it would be easier for him to make a living doing what he loves there. EMTs and paramedics are still paid pretty low over there, but it might work out if his stuff pays enough. We're going to do the research. Really, it's pretty early to even discuss much, but it's interesting and it's creeping into conversation. My stepson noted at dinner that his mother is just inspiring him to move to Europe after high school. Heh.
Job situation the same, however, last week was pretty good, for all of being a short week for me (sick, yuck). I feel like I kicked some serious butt, but it's still time to move on soonishly.
I also did some really good cooking over the weekend in an effort to save money and eat better. So far, so good. I'm not exactly natural born chef material here, but people are eating the food, and that's good by me.
My husband is talking about moving to Europe in a few years; he says it would be easier for him to make a living doing what he loves there. EMTs and paramedics are still paid pretty low over there, but it might work out if his stuff pays enough. We're going to do the research. Really, it's pretty early to even discuss much, but it's interesting and it's creeping into conversation. My stepson noted at dinner that his mother is just inspiring him to move to Europe after high school. Heh.
Job situation the same, however, last week was pretty good, for all of being a short week for me (sick, yuck). I feel like I kicked some serious butt, but it's still time to move on soonishly.
I also did some really good cooking over the weekend in an effort to save money and eat better. So far, so good. I'm not exactly natural born chef material here, but people are eating the food, and that's good by me.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
First aid/CPR stuff
My first aid/CPR class was Saturday, and I have to say, it was a lot more thorough than I had thought it would be (which was very cool). Not only did I get the normal first aid/CPR stuff for adults, children, and infants, but I also learned how to use an AED and we had a nice beefy section on bloodborne pathogens.
As for CPR, they're still teaching the 15-2 ratio for compressions-breaths, and I asked the instructor (an EMT himself) about the new standard. He said that the thought seemed to be that at 15 compressions, the circulatory system just got going, and by increasing that, more blood will move through the body.
There's a lot more concentration on safety than the last time I took a course like this (which was something like 11 years ago). Good stuff. AEDs talk funny. They seem super easy to use, but I'm glad that I've got an idea because now I can say that I could use one without hesitation if needed.
Nice way to spend a Saturday.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Spectacularly unimpressed with my company today
:: facepalm ::
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301400.html
"Security experts yesterday criticized Microsoft Corp. for waiting until next week to address a recently revealed flaw in the Windows operating system that they say is unusually dangerous.
The experts took the unusual step of urging users to install a patch created by a private developer, saying Microsoft is downplaying the severity of the security hole."
D'oh.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/03/AR2006010301400.html
"Security experts yesterday criticized Microsoft Corp. for waiting until next week to address a recently revealed flaw in the Windows operating system that they say is unusually dangerous.
The experts took the unusual step of urging users to install a patch created by a private developer, saying Microsoft is downplaying the severity of the security hole."
D'oh.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Thinking outloud
Hoping this isn't too much bitching and moaning. :)
I found myself digging through a lot of the stuff in the house, and found stuff like my old PSAT scores. The scores were good; what killed me is that at that point, in 1994, I'd put down that my intended major as being in health sciences. What the heck happened?
It started me retracing my steps through my life, how I got to this point. I think where it started was at the place I used to live. I lived with my fiance and a roommate, and we had a deal when we moved in that they would split the house payment, and I would pay the utilities. I would be considered a full time student, and they would support me in this.
It seemed simple enough. I worked only part time in a fairly low paying job, but I brought home around $600 a month - plenty for utilities, plus I also had an ample stock account at the time that I could draw off of as needed. It was intended to pay for college, but at this point, I'd changed to a community college, and the education wouldn't use as much money. There was some leeway.
Within months, things degenerated. Our roommate got his license. He got a few cars. He started to race one, sink money into another, and his driving record became bad quickly. Bit by bit, there was less money to pay the house payment. My fiance and I made up the difference, but then everything started going all to hell. We started fighting, all three of us. All the time. Those were still some of the worst years of my life.
It didn't take long for the blame for the situation to fall onto me. With few options and a lot of pressure on me, I dropped out of school for a semester, thinking that I might take one semester off, work full time, make some extra cash, then get back to school.
It didn't happen. Even at a full 40-48 hours a week, it still wasn't enough to fix the damage that our roommate had already done. For a while, we sent in our half of the mortgage and then he'd send his in, usually after he begged it from a family member. Soon, the people that we were buying the house from refused to take our payment without his. The mortgage payments started to fall farther behind.
I had no options - with my relationship and household crumbling under me, I started looking at contract jobs at the large technology company down the street. I'd tried this before, before I went back to school, but had never managed to land a job.
Amazingly, I did, first time I'd tried in about a year. And so I was off. I loved what I was doing at the time, and after a number of months, I had a chance to interview for a full time job. I did, and I didn't get that job, although I did end up landing another one. I really thought I was doing the right thing; I mean, this was *Microsoft*. How much better could I do?
Well, here I am, years later, and I think to myself, I'm not sure how much of it was the job and how much of it was the team. They were really good people, and even now I miss working with them. That team has since been scattered. And what I do now isn't the same. It won't ever be.
I will never cease to regret the fact that I let other people push me into the decision. If I'd been the person I am now, I'd have been more stubborn and strong, and I would have stood my ground. Then again, though, I'm not sure I'd be the person I am today if I hadn't had those experiences, if I hadn't learned that if I don't stand up and put my foot down, no one is going to do it for me.
Sometimes it's those experiences in life that you hate the most that teach you the most about who you are. I know who I am, and that's more than my mother could say for herself, for example. Some people never learn who they really are, and I'm fortunate in a way; I'm only 28, and I feel very comfortable in my skin so to speak.
I understand myself and am starting to get more ideas of the kinds of things I was meant to do in this world. I really want to help people. I think that's why being an EMT or a personal trainer appeal to me so much. It's obvious how an EMT or paramedic helps people, and as for a personal trainer, one helped save my skin at one point. She gave me back my health, boosted my confidence, and when I dropped over 50 lbs, I realized that I'd love to pass that gift on. I tend to do it in my way anyway, by helping people I know, friends and family, with what to eat, exercises to do, ect. It feels good to help people, to know that you've made some difference, however small. It's all those small differences added up that truly affect change in life.
I found myself digging through a lot of the stuff in the house, and found stuff like my old PSAT scores. The scores were good; what killed me is that at that point, in 1994, I'd put down that my intended major as being in health sciences. What the heck happened?
It started me retracing my steps through my life, how I got to this point. I think where it started was at the place I used to live. I lived with my fiance and a roommate, and we had a deal when we moved in that they would split the house payment, and I would pay the utilities. I would be considered a full time student, and they would support me in this.
It seemed simple enough. I worked only part time in a fairly low paying job, but I brought home around $600 a month - plenty for utilities, plus I also had an ample stock account at the time that I could draw off of as needed. It was intended to pay for college, but at this point, I'd changed to a community college, and the education wouldn't use as much money. There was some leeway.
Within months, things degenerated. Our roommate got his license. He got a few cars. He started to race one, sink money into another, and his driving record became bad quickly. Bit by bit, there was less money to pay the house payment. My fiance and I made up the difference, but then everything started going all to hell. We started fighting, all three of us. All the time. Those were still some of the worst years of my life.
It didn't take long for the blame for the situation to fall onto me. With few options and a lot of pressure on me, I dropped out of school for a semester, thinking that I might take one semester off, work full time, make some extra cash, then get back to school.
It didn't happen. Even at a full 40-48 hours a week, it still wasn't enough to fix the damage that our roommate had already done. For a while, we sent in our half of the mortgage and then he'd send his in, usually after he begged it from a family member. Soon, the people that we were buying the house from refused to take our payment without his. The mortgage payments started to fall farther behind.
I had no options - with my relationship and household crumbling under me, I started looking at contract jobs at the large technology company down the street. I'd tried this before, before I went back to school, but had never managed to land a job.
Amazingly, I did, first time I'd tried in about a year. And so I was off. I loved what I was doing at the time, and after a number of months, I had a chance to interview for a full time job. I did, and I didn't get that job, although I did end up landing another one. I really thought I was doing the right thing; I mean, this was *Microsoft*. How much better could I do?
Well, here I am, years later, and I think to myself, I'm not sure how much of it was the job and how much of it was the team. They were really good people, and even now I miss working with them. That team has since been scattered. And what I do now isn't the same. It won't ever be.
I will never cease to regret the fact that I let other people push me into the decision. If I'd been the person I am now, I'd have been more stubborn and strong, and I would have stood my ground. Then again, though, I'm not sure I'd be the person I am today if I hadn't had those experiences, if I hadn't learned that if I don't stand up and put my foot down, no one is going to do it for me.
Sometimes it's those experiences in life that you hate the most that teach you the most about who you are. I know who I am, and that's more than my mother could say for herself, for example. Some people never learn who they really are, and I'm fortunate in a way; I'm only 28, and I feel very comfortable in my skin so to speak.
I understand myself and am starting to get more ideas of the kinds of things I was meant to do in this world. I really want to help people. I think that's why being an EMT or a personal trainer appeal to me so much. It's obvious how an EMT or paramedic helps people, and as for a personal trainer, one helped save my skin at one point. She gave me back my health, boosted my confidence, and when I dropped over 50 lbs, I realized that I'd love to pass that gift on. I tend to do it in my way anyway, by helping people I know, friends and family, with what to eat, exercises to do, ect. It feels good to help people, to know that you've made some difference, however small. It's all those small differences added up that truly affect change in life.
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