Hello all!
I am sorry about my lack of communication since my surprise announcement - but even with everything that has been going on, nothing has really been blogworthy... per the request of Ky, I will at least give a mini-update. Ky, you will have already read this first part seeing as how I am copying what I emailed to you - lol!
Part One:
Everything was working out wonderfully to keep me in Eire until my thesis was complete. The idea was that the 2 jobs I had would keep me here until graduation at the end of January and then I would see if the contracts could be extended until July, which seemed possible. But the hotel job I had in the mornings did not like the fact that I needed to keep a schedule and leave work in time for my 2pm job at the writing centre and when my one-month probation was up, they procrastinated firing me until I forced them to.
It was so irritating.
But I had a feeling I would get fired after a conversation I'd had with Wayne (the hotel general manager) on my BIRTHDAY, when he brought up my probation meeting, so I was emotionally prepared. Wayne said that my meeting would be on Friday - and it didn't happen. I asked Ruth (my other supervisor) to just tell me if I am getting fired and she wouldn't. I got an email from Dan L on Friday saying that he was losing Victoria on the following (this past) Wednesday and that he would be interviewing the next day (a week ago today, Saturday), so I gave him a ring first thing saturday morning to warn him that I might be getting fired on Monday. He offered to wait until Wed to hire anyone.
So when my shift ended on Monday without a probation meeting, I called Wayne on his mobile and offered to wait until he returned to the hotel. He showed up 20mins later and I said, "I don't mind postponing the probation meeting if you're planning to keep me on, but if you're firing me, I need to know today." and he said "okay. consider this your one-week's notice". And then he gave me the scheduling excuse saying that i hadn't told him I needed to be off at 1pm, even though we had a very direct conversation the day he hired me when I said that I had a job at the university from 2-530 M-F... hmmm...
anyway: I took it as a sign that God doesn't want me here and stopped trying so hard to be in Eire. I called Dan, we agreed on a week's notice. I did not return to the hotel, but I kept my writing centre job until Friday, 3 October.
Between deciding to move and actually flying back to North America, I gave myself 7 days. It was insane and I don't remember much except packing and a wonderful going away party. My classmate/friend, Nicole, had been planning to move for a month and we were flying out on the same day, so I sort of crashed her party - but she says she didn't mind!
Part Two: and this is the boring part...
I flew in to Calgary late Monday night & stayed 2 nights at Dan & Saryn's place. Taliah & I bonded :) I slept most of the time...
Wed, I moved over to Dan & Ev's and was at the downtown office by lunchtime for a meeting. lol. *sigh*
Most of last week was sleep, with the occasional 5-7hrs day in the middle. I have really been enjoying my conversation time with Ev :)
This weekend was Canadian Thanksgiving, so Sunday I went over to John's new house (this place is way cool & perfect for him... except it could host a family of, like, 12) & had Thanksgiving dinner with 14 Levsons, plus 4. (me, Michelle B, Anna & Anna's daughter, Angela) - I count Mike S as a Levson now that they're engaged - that's probably cheating (I hope I don't get into trouble for that. I assume it's common knowledge!). I got to have nice one-on-one conversations with Jess, Steph, Dave & Phil and built barstools for a bit while I bonded with Angela... the kids are taking a liking to me lately! That remark is in reference to Angela & Taliah -- not Dave & Phil. ;)
And I spent my Thanksgiving day sitting on my bum catching up on this season's american tv shows, woot! Actually, I only got caught up on NCIS, Bones & Criminal Minds... but that's progress.
And that is honestly what I have been up to since the last update.
Now back to my tv show catch-up...
LOVE YOU ALL!
