Exams are done for the year, and I’ve just started working at my summer work experience job.  After going on 7 interviews, I was offered four of those positions.  I’m very happy that I didn’t ‘settle’ and take the first one that was offered, because while it may have been an interesting position, I don’t think I would have been happy with it.  Plus? This job is paying more, and I get to wear two hats.  Also, days off.

I’m going to be working on (mostly) web development over the summer, along with a bit of Java development.  There’s a chance of maybe some PowerBuilder, but I doubt it.  I think I’m going to be busy enough with the other things.  I started on Monday, and I’m very excited as well as still being a bit nervous about the job.  I’ve already been drafted onto the IT department’s street hockey team.  Our first game is Friday. (OMGWHUT)

… Then again, one of my ‘bosses’ has already asked if I’d be interested in working on any freelance web development stuff that comes his way.

Tonight’s my first hockey game in a while, and I’m excited!

I’ll have to write up a longer post later, going over the crazy that was last term.  My marks would have been better if I didn’t have to work, but when the government says I have too much money and therefore don’t need student loans (wait, what?), when I’m broke? Um. Yeah.  Work is sort of required.

It is day three of class for fall term, my second attended day of classes (I was sick yesterday, boo), and my second term. Scary thing: after this fall term, then winter term, I have my co-op term over the summer. Then one term after that, and I’m done!! Holy crap.

I’m actually not working with my Brownie unit this year, so that will also free up some time.  I am so relieved that I get to take a break this year.  I was burning out a bit, I think.  But anyone who wants cookies, let me know.  I have an in.

The Cancercare Dragonboat festival is next weekend, yay! I was going to be steersperson, but I changed my mind. I was not comfortable during the first practice trying to steer us. We almost ran aground. Oops. I’ll stay as a paddler.

School: My schedule is actually not to bad this term.  I only have two 8 am starts, the rest are 9 am classes.  I’m out early again on Thursday (3pm), late on Tuesday (5pm), and 4pm the rest of the week.  I’ve got 6 classes again:

• Database Management
• Network Administration
• Analysis and Design Methods 1
• Progamming (.NET Introduction)
• Web Development
• Programming (Advanced Java)

It’s going to be a heavy term, I think, but at least I don’t have to deal with Accounting (that comes back to haunt me next term), Economics or Business Communication.  Yay.

I’m glad I’m back at school.  The summer went by way too fast, even though I was an underemployed student. Oh well.

Okay. DBMS class. I should pay attention.

eta: Oops. Typo. Welcome doesn’t start with a ‘D’.

So, I went to Apple’s site and went through their troubleshooting steps.  Which didn’t work, by the way.  So I filled out the service request form on the site and they said they’d be in contact with me in a couple of business days.  So, yay.

Today, a FedEx guy comes to the door and drops off a box for me.  Not remembering ordering anything that would come by FedEx, I find out it’s how I’m sending my iPod back to Apple.  On the box – a preprinted shipping label.  Inside the box, foam with a cut out roughly the shape of an iPod touch, a baggie to put it in and, this is what’s blowing my mind – pre-cut PACKING TAPE TO TAPE THE BOX SHUT.

Holy crap.  My iPod is packed up, so I should probably get showered and dressed and stuff, and get this to FedEx so I can get my iPod back!

That means, after today, there is 15 more days of class.  April 10 is Good Friday (No Classes), April 13 is Easter Monday (No Classes).

I have 7 exams between April 24 and May 1.  Saturday and Sunday are not included in that time.

I have a group project to present to class on Friday, which I am doing by myself, since the other two guys in my preassigned group dropped out.  I have a research paper due Friday which I still have to finish researching and write.  I have a chapter test tomorrow morning.  I have a programming assignment due Monday afternoon that I haven’t even started.  I have 3 Brownie meetings to plan.  I have to work.  I am house sitting over the long weekend.  They don’t have wifi, so I won’t be distracted (as much) by the Interwebs.  Only the Satellite TV.

To say I’m freaking out is a little bit of an understatment.  I’m fairly calm right now, but as it gets into April, I’m sure I’m going to start snapping on people, so I hope they forgive me if I do.

Right now the only bright thing in my life was the fact I blew off school work to go to and hang out with some great friends at another  friend’s social on Saturday and ended up winning an 8 gig iPod Touch, some SWEET JBL headphones, and A/V Component cables for the iPod.  Oh, and I’m going to the NKOTB concert April 9th.  SO MUCH CHEESE, OMG.

I picked up the Watchmen TPB over the weekend.

I have to go out and buy a dress shirt that will go with my new vest (and possibly the pants that go with, too) so I have a nice ‘business-like’ attire for my presentation on Friday morning.

I have to get my resume fixed up and go apply for a couple of jobs.

I can’t not sleep, I can’t not work.  The next month is going to be HELL and this is only my first term.  Eep.

LONG day.

Thursdays are great because I’m done at 2pm.  WOOHOO.

I just realized that I probably mentioned that stuff about my schedule before.  Oh well.  I blame my broken brain.

I headed over to the mall and wandered around to try and find a replacement for the uber-warm but hurty boots I returned on Friday and actually managed to find a pair that I liked that someone had in my size (Yay for The Bay!) and that were HALF PRICE.  Me = AWESOME.  Then I went for lunch with Sandi, and came back to school making it just in time for class.

Woo.  Holy BALLS it’s cold outside.  I swear, if God had balls they’d be frozen solid and would have fallen off it’s so damn cold outside.

But, at least, my feet will be warm.

I’m busy working with the New Not Me, training her, and also training the person who’s taking on part of my job by printing up test reports for some of the items that get shipped out with them.  So, I’m going back and forth.

I don’t think the new girl will last.  If she’s still here in 6 months, I’ll sort of be surprised.  Her phone ettiquette sucks, and even though she answers ‘yes’ when I ask if she understands something I just explained, I’m not sure if she really does.  Plus, she’s kind of … odd.

Maybe that’s just me, though.

I have to do some ‘roleplaying’ with her this afternoon on the phones to try and get her more comfortable with using the phones.  She’s super quiet when she pages, so she needs to get a little more louder and clearer.  She does have a bit of an accent, which makes it even more imparitive that she enounciates.

Does anyone have any experience with Yahoo’s version of Google AdWords?  I just created an account for the company, because the GM was all freaking out (apparently) that we were far down the list when you typed our company name in at yahoo.com.  It looks to be the exact same layout as AdWords, so, other than the budget and costs per clicks and all that, it looks like I’ll be just copying things over from AdWords to Yahoo.

On a completely un-work related note, I get to hang out with my BFF and another friend tonight.  We’re going to have dinner and then watch a movie at the friend’s house.  I’m excited!! It’s going to be fun!   Plus, food, and girlie time?

I got a hair cut last night, and am totally loving it.  It’s just above my shoulders now and is just… cute.  It’s going to be super easy on me in the morings – wash and wear.  I should be able to curl it up if I want, or straighten it, too.  Eee, hair!

Before the haircut, I had an appointment at the credit union to sign the papers for my car loan, and also to get the paperwork going so I can withdraw the money I need for my tuition and some books from my RRSPs.  So, by Friday, I should be getting $2000 into one of my accounts, and then I can run over to the college on Monday next week to pay the bill and maybe buy some of my books (if I’m lucky).  (OH! Book lists are FINALLY posted on the bookstore’s website! YAY!  I think I’ll have to head down to the satellite campus and see if I can buy some books on Monday.  I don’t think I’m lucky enough to be able to grab my books from the main campus bookstore which is a 30 second drive from work.)

Um.  Hungry. Getting distracted by hunger.  Hurry up Boy and come back from your appointment so I can EAT!

… That was random.

No, I’m not looking forward to it, why do you ask?

Came in early to clean my desk off and get some stuff done, but am dicking around on LJ. Heh.

Won’t be online as much over the next two weeks just because I’ll either have someone looking over my shoulder all day or I’ll be looking over someone else’s shoulder all day.

I have to delete TweetDeck and GTalk and a few other programs she won’t need that I’ve installed for my own amusement.

EEE!

5:30 am is way too damn early.  The past two days I’ve been leaving home when it’s dark and getting home when it’s dark, too.  TF, man?  Got to the gym this morning early before they opened the doors and then realized I’d left my water bottle at home.  Called Dad, who would have been leaving soon to come to the gym anyway and asked pretty please for him to fill it and bring it with.  Then got up to the locker room and realized I’d left my shoes in the car.  TF MORNING.  I swear I was still asleep until about 10 minutes into my abbreviated 20 minutes on the cross trainer.  Stupid mornings.

Still not King Queen.

I’ve got more shifts in the next three weeks than I’ve had in the past two years.  I don’t NEED all these shifts now, kthx Cara.  Yeah, I’m saving up to go on my trip/back to school, but DUDE. I pay much less rent now than I did before and don’t have to buy groceries either.  The only reason I’m still working at the store is because I’ll need some sort of job when I quit the Day Job and go back to school.

Which reminds me, I have to go and pay sometime soon for the aptitude test I have to take.

Disclaimer before I start the next story: If you know my exBoy R in real life, please don’t mention any of this to him.  It’s not like it’s a big thing, but I’m sure if you don’t already know, he’ll want to mention it in his own time.

The ExBoy R called me on Sunday night and left a message on my cell.  Phone was in my room while I was not.  The Italian Job was on Bravo (yay not censored language!), so I was watching the pretty pretty that is Mark Whalberg and Jason Statham.  Anyway.  He says to call him back.  It’s 10:30pm so I send a txt to see if he’s awake.  No reply so I go to bed.  I call Monday evening after hockey, and get no answer, so I leave him a message.  He calls me while I’m at work Tuesday night, so I call him after and find out what’s going on.  Last time he left a message like that, his aunt passed away.

Apparently, he’s just started seeing someone a week or so ago, and wanted to let me know before I found out from one of our mutual friends.  I was slightly surprised, but am happy for him, and appreciate him telling me himself and not finding out from someone else.

Thing is, I’m not sure how I feel about it.  I’m glad for him because apparently he’s been asking different girls out for a while (whatever), and he deserves to be happy.  I’m not upset or anything, but … it feels sort of weird, I guess.  The only thing I can pin it down to is the fact that since we do have a few good friends in common (our best friends are married), we do see each other pretty often and I don’t want a big group thing to get weird.  New Years Eve is my best friend’s birthday and since she’s married to his best friend, there’s parties and shenanigans and I’m sure he’ll be there with her.  So.  Yeah.  I don’t want things to be weird because I don’t want to loose his friendship, because I still care about him.

It’s totally weird and totally strange and WTF Brain!!!?!

In other, less weird related news, I have more Brownies than I know what to do with.  I’ve got two more that I didn’t know about registering tonight, and HOLY SHIT I’m totally overwhelmed, and we’ve only had one meeting.

Last year I had 6 girls.  This year I have at least 12, if not 14.  HOLY SHITWTFBBQ?!?!?!?!??!  I mean, yeah, it’s great that I have a lot of girls because we can do a hell of a lot more with 14 than with 6, but OMG.  I can’t handle that many kids right now!!!  </freakout>

… I should probably do some, you know, work.  Since I’m here and all.

There are a bunch of commercials on, showing Harper in a nice (but expensively furnished) sitting room, in front of a fireplace, talking about family and being all soft and trying to appeal to the middle class female (supposedly) voters.

I’m sorry, but NO.  I can’t really thing of any other word to describe him, but he’s a great big fat douche.

I just … NO.  Even if we get another minority government, please let it be not the Conservatives that get it.  NDP, Green, hell, I’d be happy with a Liberal minority government.  Who cares if Stephane Dion has issues with his english – most people i know have issues with English and it’s their primary language.

Anyway.  Yes.

Work is going.  A new position was applied for.  I have to call the college back to find out what’s going on with my application, since it’s been over a month, and besides that call I received a week after asking about testing.  Nada.  So, I know they’ve received it, that call and the $60 charge went through on my credit card, so… yeah.  I called back earlier this morning and their computer systems were down for about 20 minutes, so I have to call back later.  Should probably wait until the bosses are gone for lunch, but … really. Who cares?

Dragon Boat races were this past weekend – our women’s boat came in 4th out of all the women’s boats, so that’s pretty cool.  It was DAMN cold, and it took me forever to warm up after our final race on Sunday morning.

I’m tired and stressing out about everything and nothing.  It sucks.  I haven’t been sleeping well lately, and I’ve had no energy and it really sucks.  I’m wondering if I should start getting up early and going to the gym before work like my parents do.

I’m making Mom take me out to the driving range sometime before next Thursday, because apparently, work is having a bit of a best ball golf tourney next Thursday afternoon.  Of course, that was the day I was planning on starting my Brownie unit, so I think I might be pushing it back a week, or maybe I’ll just have a short, later-starting meeting that night.  I’m not sure.  I’ll have to talk with Dawn about it.  Our First meeting is never usually the full hour and a half anyway.

Blah. I hate being stressed out.  I want to go back to school – I’m so envious of everyone that’s back there.

I applied online to go back to school near the end of last week.  I can’t wait until I get back to school, because I’m really feeling apathy about working here, and that’s never a good sign.  I’ve got to be a good little ‘Manda, because who knows what will happen when I’m looking for a reference from someone or other here.

FormerBoss aka Sales Mgr has been in the hospital for, pretty much the past three weeks.  He and his family went to Halifax to visit friends, and he ended up coming down with appendicitis while there.  He had surgery at 3 am Sunday morning to get his appendix out, was back here on Wednesday, and back in the hospital here on Thursday.  Apparently, the surgeon who took his appendix was doing other surgeries before his and wasn’t too keen on doing Art’s, so he was surprised when they woke him up to take him into surgery.  During the surgery, they nicked his bowel as well as an artery.  Which, I guess, are both complications on the extreme end of the spectrum, but required him to be rehospitalized back here for over two weeks.  He’s back home with his family and apparently going to see if he can work full days starting Monday.  Considering he’s not able to sit upright for more than 45-60 minutes, a full day is probably not going to happen.

So, the past two weeks I’ve been doing part of his job, which I used to do when he was my boss – entering purchase orders.  Fine and dandy, I don’t mind, but our production manager is out of the office this week and next and I have no idea what lead times are for products, so I’m getting dates (“Whenever,”) from my boss and entering the po’s.  Plus everything else I do: test reports, phones, filing, faxing, etc.  I was printing up packing slips too, until Monday, which I’ve passed back to my boss, because there’s no way I can do everything.  I doubt I’m going to get that back from him when Art’s back next week.  Oh well.

I went tubing last weekend with some friends at Voyageur’s View, and it was a lot of fun!  I always have fun tubing.  Except for the fact that we were missing a lot of people this year (only 8 went as opposed to the 15-20 that we usually have) and that I got a nasty wicked sunburn on my shins.  I burnt my legs bad enough that when I woke up yesterday I had a nice big blister on my left leg.  It got bigger throughout the day and is just gross.  My feet are even swollen (i was wearing dock shoes because of the sharp rocks in the river), so I’ve been sleeping with my legs propped up on pillows, which is helping me not get aloe vera gel all over my sheets.  I picked up some gauze and polysporin and tape after work and wanted to pop it SO BADLY BECAUSE EW.  It popped on it’s own this morning as I was getting out of the shower, so I’ve got two 10x10cm gauze pads taped beside each other on my shin.  I need to come up with a better story than “I got sunburnt bad enough I blistered and it popped.”

Work at the store tomorrow morning will be interesting because I haven’t worn long pants since sometime last week.  NOT FUN.  Owie.

I’ve got some family from Calgary coming into town this weekend for a couple of weeks.  It’ll be nice because I haven’t seen the cousins for a couple of years.  I’m excited and hope I’ll be able to spend some time with them.

… Right.  Work.  I should probably do some of that.