Wednesday, September 27, 2006
While flowers gaze at you
Because I apparently suck at keeping up on more than one blog at a time...
If you're interested, there are thoughts from the GG season premiere over here.
And in my real life, things are going well. I was supposed to testify in court on Monday for my accident last year, and the other lady--the drunk driver who hit me--didn't show up, so I ended up with an unexpected day off, since I'd already booked the day off work. Exciting! But seriously--how dumb can you be? She was on trial for several different charges, and just didn't show. They issued a warrant for her arrest and told me I could go, and that was that--so now, I guess I'll see if I get subpoenaed again.
Um, other than that... I'm studying for my GRE, hoping to take it on Oct 13, although I still haven't registered yet. I'm pretending to be anally organized about grad schools, but really I've just got an excel sheet made up with space for all the information that I haven't gotten yet. I think I'm down to 6 schools that I'm going to pursue further; I hope to apply to 4, I think, which will give me enough options and enough schools that hopefully one of them will take me, but it won't totally drain me in application fees and paperwork.
Of course, narrowing it down from 6 to 4 means now getting in touch with admissions advisors with my list (still being written) of questions about the program and what I'm looking for.
I feel so boring, but really, I'm busy most of the time. Still writing lots, still blogging a fair bit (but, as I said, I suck at keeping up more than one blog at a time), still watching way too much TV. Oh, and I got my car. Finally. :o) Still haven't figured out the cell phone yet, though.
I think that the weirdest thing to balance these days is... okay. Last year, when I was nannying, I was home every night, and Lourenzo was in bed by 7:30 or so, so I had my evenings free, which meant that I had a lot of time for writing, getting involved in the online GG community, and becoming part of the online fandom and community there. Now, I'm back to my old schedule of working 8 hours, then going to rehearsal, and I'm still trying to juggle everything else. Studying, writing, editing, watching TV, getting into the community, analyzing the shows, memorizing lines, etc, etc, etc. There's a lot more to juggle, and a lot of it isn't necessarily "scheduled," but it still has deadlines, of a sort.
When I'm editing someone's work, I may not have a work- or rehearsal-related deadline, but I can't sit on their story for 3 weeks until I get time. When I'm working on one of my own stories, especially a multi-chapter, I want to get them written and posted in a timely manner. When I don't get home until 10:30, though, it's more difficult to get it all done, but there's no way I'm about to give it up.
That community is as real and those friends are as real as anyone that I know "in real life," and I don't want to ease up on it--I make time for my friends in person, and I'll continue to do so online. So far... I'm staying mostly on top of things. My to-do list keeps growing, but hey; that's part of the deal, right?
Anyway. Speaking of, I've got to get back to work. I love procrastination.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Just a girl
Awww. The radio just played Gwen Stefani's "Just a Girl."
It made me miss Allison, because the last time I heard that song was when she sang it the week that Brian preached on Esther.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
What comes is better than what came before
These days, it feels like my laptop is permanently attached to my shoulder. My laptop bag, that is. Who knows when I'll have an hour to get something done, and better to have the equipment with me. Also the reason I carry a flash drive in my wallet, much to my mom's amusement. Yeah--the only really amusing part of that is the fact that it's not on my keychain, like every normal person. But I lost the cap for the USB plug, so I don't want to have it just riding around in my purse uncovered. Otherwise, it would be on the keychain.
Case in point, though. Today, I brought the computer with me and escaped to Starbucks after church, between church and the worship arts team meeting that we've got at 4. That's enough time to get some writing and editing done, and chip something off my to-do list, which seems to keep growing and growing.
I had to give Esther's car back today, so I'm driving the truck again until I get my car, which will be (if all the paperwork goes quickly) by the end of the week. The sooner, the better. I can't afford to drive the gas guzzler for long, especially driving all the way across the city every day. Esther's car gets very good gas mileage--I just hope my new car is that good.
In other news, I'm highly disillusioned with all Canadian cell service providers. They, quite frankly, suck, and I want to keep my New York cell, because I get way better rates with them (even when it comes to my cell service in Calgary) that I would going back to Rogers. It would mean that everyone who wanted to call my cell from Calgary would have to pay long distance, but everyone from the States who wanted to wouldn't. And, kind of selfishly, I feel like I shouldn't have to be penalized for other people's lack of good long distance plans. Or for Canada's sucky cell providers.
Put it this way: With my Rogers plan, I pay close to $50/month for 200 daytime minutes and evenings and weekends, but that includes absolutely no long distance whatsoever, and I go over my minutes fairly often. With Verizon, I pay about $65/month for 400 daytime and unlimited evenings/weekends, and that includes everything in Canada and the US, no roaming, and I've never gone over my minutes. And yes, we have long distance at home, but I'm never actually at home, so having a land line does me no good whatsoever. Especially when I'm trying to call people in New York. By the time I get home at 10:30, it's far too late to call them, whereas with a good cell phone, I can call between work and rehearsal, or before I get home, or whatever, and not have to worry as much about the time difference.
It shocks me that Canada's cell phones don't even include domestic long distance--in the US, most cell plans' minutes include domestic long distance automatically, and then I pay an extra $20/month for my minutes to extend to Canada and Mexico, with no roaming or extra fees.
And, I don't want to renew my Rogers plan for another 2 years when I don't know whether I'll be leaving for grad school or not. But the Rogers contract isn't up until May 2007, so I'd have to pay the cancellation fee now if I want to drop that and stick with Verizon.
Okay, enough of that whining for now. I've still got a few weeks to decide--my Verizon contract is up on Oct 10, and I'm definitely keeping it at least until then, because it's just a better plan, and I'm not giving it up early.
I'm starting to get back into the rhythm of 15- and 16-hour days (away from the house, that is; not the number of hours I'm up), although I still don't like getting up at 6 any more than I ever did.
I'm hoping to get up to Edmonton for a weekend before I have to start Saturday rehearsals (in November). Which means I need to call Lynsae and see if I can crash at her house. And see if Lindsey wants to go for lunch. ;o)
And now, I've procrastinated long enough. One more hour until the worship arts gathering; 40 minutes until I need to run to Superstore and grab snacks. How much work can I do in 40 minutes?
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
In a nutshell
Work good.
Rehearsals good.
Alida tired.
Long week.
Only Wednesday?
Gah!!
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Answer to the question
Oh yeah--maybe I should mention that I got a job, hey? A permanent one, not just a temp placement.
It's an oil and gas consulting firm, a fairly small, family-run business, and I'll be starting as the receptionist on Monday, cross-training for the role of database administrator, and moving into that position in January, when the girl who's currently doing it leaves to have a baby.
It seems like a good company, and I'm more concerned about that than what the job actually entails. I'd rather work in a great work atmosphere, and it seems like this company has that, from what I could tell during the interview and just being in the office for a few minutes.
Plus, it's got regular hours, no shift work, and benefits, and especially once I get into the database admin position, I'll have quite a bit of autonomy, and I'll essentially be in charge of that particular aspect of the office.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Joyful and triumphant
I'd forgotten how much rehearsals--even just a reading--drain me. In a good way. I'm really looking forward to Halo. Wanda's going to push me like you wouldn't believe, and I'm very excited to work with her on the other side of the director's table.
If this means anything to you, enjoy the laugh: My character's name is Lizzie, and my main plot centers around my sister Meg, who's in a coma after an accident.
*grins*
And "I Hear the Bells" by Mike Doughty is my new favorite song. I spent last night updating my iPod with a bunch of new Veronica Mars and Everwood songs that I didn't have on it before. I love shows with good music.
And now, I'm going to love my bed, because I'm sleepy. G'night!
Monday, September 04, 2006
Cuteness galore
Man, I suck at updating this thing lately. Seriously. But it's 2 a.m., and I should be asleep, but I just spent the last 12 hours in front of the TV at Janna's, in the first 2/3 of a Veronica Mars season 2 marathon. Fun times. And before that, this morning was Kayla's dedication, so there was plenty of fun family times and a great big lunch at Tony Roma's. In the absence of an entry with content, however, I've got cute pictures. That makes up for having nothing to say, right?
