Pest Controller?!

So as many of you know (or don't, or know and don't care, whatever), I'm graduating from University in the Spring. Because of this, I decided (with the forceful help of my mother - love you!) to see a careers counselor and see what options were available as a career for myself aside from teaching. When I graduate I'll have a BA with an English Major ( no minor, I'm bad, I know). So we talked a bit, and she suggested a careers matchmaker test for me to do and then review with her later (appointment to be made). So, I did the test, and it came up with some good and some horrible careers. I though I'd share the list, with some comments...

1. Library Technician - this wouldn't be so bad for me; I love libraries
2. Writer - maybe... However, as you can maybe tell, I'm not so wonderful with my words. I come across as rather boring quite often, don't I? (let me know what you think, please? :P)
3. Print Journalist - this I could maybe do. I want to take red pens to my local paper and fix it, so maybe I could resolve some issues by taking this on as a career?
4. Critic - Nope, don't feel intelligent enough for that!
5. Casting Director - this sounds really neat, but they seem to have missed the fact that my theater experience is quite limited. I don't act. However, I can fit people to roles?
6. Archivist - Maaaaaybe..
7. Political Aide - Uh, nope. I don't do politics.
8. Personal Trainer - I don't think I'm fit enough for this.
9. Telephone Operator - ..... I don't want to live in a call center and get hung up on repeatedly!
10. Medical Transcriptionish - This would be cool, I think. I'd have to do more school though, pretty sure.
11. Receptionist/ Information Clerk - This I could do. This I would not mind doing. However, I'm not sure I'd love to do it for life?
12. Historian - Give me European History and maybe. Send to to Canadian and no. Nope. Much as I love my country, our History is not as rich and the 'older' countries. Actually, Egypt or Rome or Greece would be cool too. I don't know very much about the Asian world, but I imagine their History would also be alright.
13. Adoption Counsellor - what? Me? 
14. Activist - can you see this tiny body being an activist? I can't. Nope, not happening
15. Researcher - Maybe. What am I researching?
16. Professional Athlete - uncoordinated
17. Dancer - haven't taken a class in years, Do not measure up to anyone I've seen that does well dancing.
18. Curriculum Specialist - This actually sounds cool. Hard, but cool.
19. Anthropologist - ENGLISH MAJOR
20. Mediator - Uhm, I don't know if I want to deal with VIU vs others, or Teachers vs Government. Actually, this doesn't sound fun
21. Adult Education Teacher - This I could do :)
22. Medical Secretary - Again, more school. But it sounds pretty okay :)
23. Administrative Assistant - Maaaaybe? Lol, alright
24. Public Policy Analyst - No?
25. Pest controller - WTF?!
26. Health Records Professional - what is this? Question for Lyn
27. Communications Specialist - Maybe.. How good with technology do I have to be?
28. Sports Official - I'd have to know sports then...
29. Dispatcher - Hmmm, probably not
30. Immigration Officer - no thank you
31. Physical Education Teacher - wouldn't I need to know sports then?
32. Singer - have you HEARD me sing?!
33. Speech - Language Pathologist - Sounds thrilling, but not too much work here right now? Also, no Linguistics experience
34. Corporate Trainer - PR work I could probably deal with?
35. Public Relations Specialist - 'Specialist'? Erm, that sounds intimidating
36. Sport Psychology Consultant - ... there's that Sport word again
37. Concierge - yeah, I don't think that's the career I'm paying thousands for
38. Fundraiser - didn't I spend my Youth doing that?
39. Data Entry Clerk - All day every day?
40. Special Effects Technician - That sounds like it involves technology... Technology and I don't always get  along. 

On another list were also 'Lobbyist' and 'Career Coach'... I don't know about you, but I'm not so sure about [most] of the things on this list. It was fun though, and there are a few I'm going to talk to the Career Counsellor about later. Also, I've got to remember this week to go to a resume workshop again, and also find out more about writing a CV. I need to do these. However, that's all I've got for tonight. Sorry for the degradation in my typing/English/literacy but it's early morning/late night, I've been up for 19 hours, and because I just got off work 2 hours ago I can't seem to sleep. I also have to be up in 6 hours for work again.. Oi vey it's going to be a long term... I'm off to try to sleep/read The Wings of the Dove and/or Wacousta, and do such things a sthe weekend brings me... Tell me what you think of my career assessment test thing?

One week (and a bit)

That's how much of my summer is left: one week and a bit. Specifically, I return to classes on Wednesday September 7th, and although I'm really excited I'm also a little bit sad. I told myself that this summer I would try to see my friends more, hang out, and do all the things I never got much of a chance to do either as a teenager in the summer or last summer. Guess what? I didn't do that. Yes, I saw (some of) my friends. Yes, I went out. But I have also managed to work 57 of the last 70 days, occasionally for 10-11 hours. This sort of subtracts from the whole 'social life' thing - when your day starts at 6:30 am and you don't get home from work until after 8pm you don't really want to get dressed and go out again. Actually, you (or at least I) don't want to do too much. A trip to the local pub with some friends, a good book with a cup of tea, a visit with a friend, or some television/Internet before sleeping like a rock is about it. But you know, aside from not being hugely social (or swimming very much due to a summer that contained very little swimming weather), I feel like my summer has been pretty good. I've met a bunch of really interesting, super nice people (most of which may or may not be my mother's age and older), I've discovered a super nice bookstore (honestly if you have not checked out Russell Books on Fort St in Vic you totally should!), I've become slightly addicted to Zumba, seen my best friend (which WILL continue to happen until such time as she leaves the country), and just generally recuperated from a very busy 2 terms at school. Now however, I'm ready to return.

I'm ready to go back and see people I haven't seen since April (minus Miss Cammi, who unfortunately for me has returned to England - however, I still wouldn't mind seeing/chatting with her; Hi Cammi!!), meet some new people (hopefully - we all know how good I am at that), see the people that I have seen infrequently through the summer more frequently because we'll be on campus, read lots, learn more, and just generally be a student again. Heck, I'm even sort of looking forward to seeing Biblio full of people, haha. All that being said though, it's going to be a tough year.

My mother and I have been talking, and it has been decided that I need to go to a career counselor when I return to campus - 'What can I do with an English Degree' - I still feel like I want to teach, but I also feel like I really should understand more of my options. I apply to graduate this fall, and apply to Grad School. My mother also told me that I should consider taking a year off between undergrad and grad school and doing something. This evening, Bug suggested something that sounds super neat but may or may not be feasible (work my butt off for half a year, travel and visit friends while they're at school/off the island for a bit, see the world a bit), but I'm also considering the Disney International Program. It's something I've wanted to do for a few years, and if I take time off between schooling, it may be the perfect opportunity. We'll see what happens though; I've still got a week to get my head around returning to school and such.

Actually, tomorrow after going to the bank (I need to see about getting a better interest rate on my car loan with MY bank over the GBC) I'm going to head into town and get school supplies and possibly a journal of sorts. Nothing fancy, but something to write thoughts and such in (the other journal I have is full of stuff lol). Then I SHOULD come home and start my homework in earnest. Oh right, yeah, school hasn't started yet but I have homework. Basically. I've got to read something on Shakespeare before the first class (Histories and Tragedies - what have I gotten myself into?!), and by the second class need to have Titus Andronicus completely read. I haven't started yet. I have though started Dracula, and it is fantastic. I want to keep reading, but keep having to stop and absorb things and piece bits out. It's wonderful. And the Vampires in it are real and ghastly, not sparkly (no offence - well maybe a bit - but sparkly vampires? Not my cuppa tea). I gave up on reading The Wings of the Dove and put it down, and now I've lost it in my pile of books. However, I need to pick it up again soon - term is approaching! I thiiiink that's about all I have to say about right now, and so I leave you with this a) super long blog post [ yay, I've done something to my blog!] and b) two photos.

This first one is my bookshelf as it currently is: three shelves, two completely double rowed (so there may be Archie comics back there on one, okay?!), one over half doubled up. Yeah, I'm out of space. I have a box of Science texts in my closet if anyone's in need - let me know what you need, I may have it (years 1-2 only?).

This photo contains all the books that I have to read for class this term. Not year, term. Before December. There are 26 required texts here (well, 24. I currently have Dracula on my nightstand and Titus Andronicus is sitting in the front seat of my car) and I've read two in their entirety. I've also read Treasure Island before but I was about 10, so I have to re-read it. So I've read The Hobbit and Sabriel so far. I'm hooped. Oh well, I'll get through it... Once I stop procrastinating. Dammit Internet, stop being so alluring!

I don't have much to say

Tonight I've just basically come to the realization that I don't write in my blog as often as I could. Actually, I've started using Tumblr lately as a great 'time-suck.' It's highly entertaining, and I get to see lots of wonderful stuff about DW, HP, and Disney. So, that's where I am a lot of the time I could be blogging. If you're interested in what I'm up to, head over to www.corner-truisms.tumblr.com. I spend a bit of time there actually blogging, but a deal of time re-blogging things. Still, it's updated more than this is (sadly). Now that may not remain true as I go back to school, but we'll see shall we?

Until next time though, your faithfully,

Tink xo

Let's look through my purse

So, I came to the conclusion at the grocery store today that at times I put FAR too much stuff in my purse. Today was one of those days because it was fairly full. Like, it didn't close full. Want to know what was in it (because I do. I can't remember!)? Well, I think I'll clean it out and see just how much was in there.

• 2 t-shirts and a sweater
• lunch/dinner dishes
• eyeglasses in a case
• water bottle
• cell phone
• wallet
• deodorant (I went from job A to job B today, okay?)
• 3 sets of keys and a sign in fob
• Titus Andronicus from the Folger Shakespeare Library
• The Wings of the Dove by Henry James
• 2 year planner
• notebook (miniature)2 headbands
• 2 ipods (old and new..)
• contact lens solution
• camera
• 2 packs of chewing gum (5 Rain and 5 React fruit for anyone interested. yum!)
• pocket knife
• locker key
• hand lotion
• Tylenol and allergy medicine
• receipts
• lighter (from a camping trip, haha)
• lip balm (love my Burt's Bees!)

How do I get that much stuff in there?! Well, I guess that's all I've got today as all I'm doing lately is work, read (just finished The Hobbit), sleep, eat, etc. Oh, and buy books. Lots of wonderful books. So many books! :)

I need to buy a smaller purse.

How is it August?!

Hey internets! So it's been a few weeks, and I'm sitting here listening to the stereo pump out sped up 80's hits at work with no one around, so I thought I'd write. I missed you/this. And thus, here's a little update from myself; enjoy!

Well, the last few weeks have been a bit of a blurr. Between my two jobs I'm working about 50 hours a week and have some fairly strange hours (i.e. 8-1 and 3-8 in a day, or 7:30-12:30 and 2-8 in a day). My family are also MIA. No, they haven't been taken away by CSIS, they've just left me on my onesies for a while. Bug's gone to Honduras on a Missions trip, and my parents are out in the mountains camping and seeing bears. I'm here, working. But hey, it's not all bad!

I've just bought 22 of my 26 school books for September (and I'm reading some of them. It's hard to resist when the required reading is things like Dracula, The Hobbit, Sabriel, and Treasure Island), seen some friends, remembered to give my puppy his pills on time, kept the garden alive (and eaten fresh fruit every day!), and done a few other things. What are those other things? Well, first off, I validated and early registration account for Pottermore Friday and I'm waiting for my email to come saying that I can start using it [they won't let us all on at once :(]. So if there's anyone else out there on Pottermore, keep an eye out for DawnQuest114 if you'd like (I think that's my username). I also went to the dinner theatre with my Grandparents Friday night, and it was superb. We saw Fiddler on the Roof, which was brilliant. Because of this, I got home slightly before midnight, didn't sleep until around 2, got up lateish (7), and still managed to get to work early enough to open on time. I was pretty pleased with myself.

Other than that, there's not been tooooo much. Tonight was Doctor Who night with a friend, so we tried to get her as caught up in the show as possible. We have 3 episodes left to watch before she is completely caught up, but that's good time.. I think we watched about 6 episodes tonight, and we even made it through part of A Very Potter Musical while we were waiting. 

That seems to be my life in a nut shell at the moment. I'm waiting for a friend to see if she has a particular weekend off so that we can go be touristy in Seattle, so we'll see how that goes, and I'm heading off to bed now because I have to work 'tomorrow' (which is actually today because of the time of 'morning').

Ciao, love, and keep it groovy! :)

Lots of Rambling, or, Why People Should Come to the Gym More

Wow, am I actually posting a second blog in July? /there must be something wrong with me! No, really, there may be. But there probably isn't, I'm just tired and cold - but that's because I just finished a workout with the A/C on. So there!

Hmm, what's been going on lately? Well, I could tell you that I've finished another book, but that'd be a lie. Basically since I wrote last I've done a lot of the same sort of stuff I've been doing for months: reading (a little; if there were more sun I may read more and be out enjoying it-today was nice though!), working (both at the grocer and the gym), sleeping (my bed may be my current best friend.. Sorry Ray-Ray, but sleep is heaven), working out (which I should start doing less maybe.. I think my body's hitting exhaustion), attending Zumba (which is not only super fun, but one heck of a workout), and basically subsisting.

Thursday (like, a week from today!) Bug leaves for Honduras for her missions trip, and a few days later my parents head off on their duo vacation in the Mountains and plains of AB for 3 weeks. Am I jealous of everyone going away? Heck yes. However, they're leaving the dog home with me this time, which is like, a super upgrade. The only down side of this is that he's on prednosoln (sp?), and has to be given his pills everyday, which will become my responsibility. That and brushing his teeth, but that's not such a bad deal; I get big scary looking pet to stay with me (well, SOMEONE must think he's scary looking, right?), I give him what he needs. Seems fair. So there's that.

I'm considering maybe going to Seattle for like, a few days at the end of the summer, maybe just like, "2 nights" on the Clipper, so yeah.. Maybe give myself a vacation with that? But I'll have to see. I don't want to go on my own, but I know Ray-Ray is hoping to go to Europe in the fall and Bug can't go with me, she'll be just getting back into life in Canada. I dunno, it just seems like summer's going by super fast and I'm, well, working. Which isn't a bad thing, I'm rather enjoying my jobs (and one's giving me ample opportunity to do stuff like this AND get fit), but wow. This time next year I'll (hopefully) be a University grad. And at this rate I'll be back doing the same things I've always done for the summer - back to the grocer.

That sounds bitter, doesn't it? Well, I'm not trying to be bitter, just realistic. With the job market the way it currently is and the rate at which my luck seems to go, I'll be working in grocery stores well into my career teaching. So if anyone knows of a super great summer job I can get with a BA, English Major next summer, let me know? I'd love to expand my horizons! Hmm, what else have I got to say today?

I don't think that there's really anything more that I can add. I'm hoping maybe to have a day off coming up, and I might head into town this weekend after work to hang out, but until then there's not mu-

OH! I'm going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 with a friend Sunday! I know, I know, super nerd. However, it has been such a huge part of my childhood! I can still remember picking up PS in the Fourth Grade, reading it avidly, and asking Mrs Allen if she had any more (which she didn't yet). I can remember receiving copies of the books for my birthdays because they were released around that time, or going out to camp and having to pick up the latest book in Costco halfway through a camping trip. Being jealous of my little sister's going to a release party without me because I had to be up early. Daddy spoiling the book for Grandma because we were passing it through the family on a camping trip and he forgot she hadn't read it yet (yeah.. 6 people, 1 copy of HBP... Bad mix). I can remember seeing the movies with my family, and sometimes going again with my friends. Although the films aren't my personal, perfect rendition of the Potter series, they really are great films in their own right, and so this last film, the eighth installment, is the close of something huge. It's not just the end of a chapter of my life, but a whole part.

That being said, it's not something that I'm leaving behind. It simply means that there are no new films and books to come out (that we know of.. Jo better not be holding out on us!), so I have a "complete" frame of reference. However, there is still Pottemore (though I've not signed up for early entry or whatever - no free time for that lol), there's still a huge following, and I've still got my copies of the books. That being said, it may be time to get a new copy of PS. It has not only been read by multiple people, but chewed by my dog, cried over, and read amongst colds/flues, etc. It's falling apart, but it's the book that started it all. My little soft-cover, battered version. It's the only book I have in paperback, actually. The rest I got either the day they came out (my grandparents actually pre-ordered me  a few for my birthday!) or shortly thereafter, and though they're destroyed the hardcovers have saved them. So yeah, NOW I think that's about it...

I'm off to finish a bit more workout now that my stomach's settled and then wash floors and remember to turn off the A/C at the end of the night.. Have a wonderful evening, and remember "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." - JKR <3

Once a month?

Hey, internet! Guess what? I've decided I should probably update my blog. It's been a little while, hasn't it? Oops. I thought maybe with school over I'd be more able to blog or something, but I honestly haven't really felt like it. Sue me, eh?

So, what's happened since we last had a moment? hmmm... *scrolls back and looks at blog post from last month* Well, when I posted my last blog, it was actually the day before my birthday, so that happened. It was a good day, went and had some family time on the actual night of my birthday (because I worked during the day), and the next night after work I went up to the pub with some friends for drinks and appies... What else has happened since that? Hmm..

I finished the Hunger Games Trilogy last night, and Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen before that - all were so extremely good! And they're making a Hunger Games movie, I've heard. Tres excited, but it'll be hard to portray perfectly, I think. There's so much that is left for interpretation with regards to the horrors that the citizens of Panem face. I'm now reading John Green's Looking For Alaska, which is good thus far, though I'm not truly that far in.

July First was not only Canada Day (so a happy belated birthday, country of my birth!), but Ray-Ray's birthday too. We went up and did a high-trees adventure/obstacle course, rode ziplines across a canyon, and she bungee jumped, so that was an excellent day as well. Since then, basically what I've been doing is reading and working. I'm hopelessly addicted to the Zumba classes that the daytime manager at my Curves location teaches, so I've been going to those, and I'm considering (in my free time, and if it ever gets near me!) taking my certification if the opportunity ever presents itself. Ooooh, and I've updated some of my technology in the past month!

I bought a car. Not a brand spanking new car, but a newer car than the one I had, and a car that is new to me. I'm now the proud owner of a 2005 Honda Civic in standard. This is a little bit freaky for me as now I not only have car payments to make once a month for the next 3 or 4 years, but I am also driving a standard. I've driven standard before, but I was never very good at it. Well, now I have to be, don't I? So that's going pretty well - the only reason I've stalled in the last few days was due to distraction, so I'm pretty thrilled. Not so thrilled that Bug was along for it, but since she's got no insurance and needs a taxi service (or loaner car) and I had to go to work this evening, she had to be there. My other upgrade isn't quite so extreme, but I'm pretty thrilled about it.

I got a new laptop! Nothing super fancy, it's a Sony VAIO (in bright green!), but I'm thrilled. It's faster than my old HP was, and it's sleek and gorgeous. It also has a working webcam built into it (though I also have an HD webcam that I go for my birthday), so I can chat with friends that are away from me. I'm excited! Lol, I think that almost sums up my month to now...

Oh hey, so I was sick for like, 7 weeks. Then I took Cold FX and I'm no longer feeling like a leaky faucet, but I'm still not 100%. I don't have whatever it is I had before; now I've just got allergies. However, I've got a weird breathy cough and I'm losing my voice and all that stuff. Is it possible to just like, develop asthma? I'm having a hard time breathing during my workouts >.< If this keeps up too much longer I'm going to have to see my Doctor, and though he's a very nice man and everything, I'd prefer not to have to go to his place of employment - it's never a good thing for me. Aw well, I'mma eat my cherries and try to get through the rest of the evening here at work.

Sidenote: Yes, I AM writing this on a computer at work. I've finished my workout (mostly, but I've still got like 3 hours), I've tidied, and I've finished my paperwork and desk stuff. I could be reading, but I decided that I've been absent a little too long. Also, ABBA is stupidly catchy, and speeding it up to 140 bpm does not make their music any less catchy... "gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight..."