Monday, December 29, 2008
Christmas Gifts
David bought me my Christmas gift before he flew home for the holiday on the 14th. My gift sat wrapped in his apartment because he didn't want me to open it until Christmas and I didn't want to open it until he came home on the 28th. So, I picked him up from the airport yesterday and took him to his apartment where my gift sat waiting. I anxiously unwrapped it to find that he had bought me finger paints! =) Mind you, he bought them before he left, before I interviewed to teach, before I got the job as a preschool teacher. This gift was not bought in anyway related to my new job. These paints are for me. What can I say? I love paint. I especially like to paint with my hands. Just one more piece of evidence that I belong in the preschool classroom. Yeah, I think I'm going to quite well as a preschool teacher. =)
Nerves
Today is Monday. This time next week, I will be in my new classroom with my new class for the first time. I'm still very excited, but nerves are starting to set in. My tummy is all twisted.
I talked to my Starbucks manager about leaving. She isn't happy. I mean, she's happy on some level for me. But she is disappointed to lose me. She said she figured it would happen with what Starbucks is putting us through.
And so, I spend this week saying my goodbyes to Starbucks and start my preparations for preschool!
I talked to my Starbucks manager about leaving. She isn't happy. I mean, she's happy on some level for me. But she is disappointed to lose me. She said she figured it would happen with what Starbucks is putting us through.
And so, I spend this week saying my goodbyes to Starbucks and start my preparations for preschool!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Goodbye coffee! Hello fingerpaints!
My job hunt in Oregon has been a difficult one. I transferred within Starbucks when I moved seven months ago to ensure income. Though, I fully intended to find a different job. I've been with Starbucks for over 4 1/2 years. I felt stuck because I had earned a higher pay with them than I would ever find starting out in child care. I wanted to work in my field of choice, early childhood education, but I didn't see it possible to do so and be able to support myself.
In the past few months I have submitted close to 50 job applications. Yes, 50. First, I applied for jobs I wanted such as preschools, offices, and banks. If I couldn't work in childcare, I at least wanted a job with regular (and decent) hours and set days off. When I didn't get those jobs I started applying for anything and everything short of fast food.
My job hunt became more desperate in the past month when Starbucks created a new labor policy stating that Shift Supervisors (me) could not work more than an hour with each other. Formerly our shifts overlapped as much as needed to insure our previously promised 32+ hours a week. With this no longer being the case, my work hours were cut down to 20/week. My income was not even close to enough for paying bills, much less setting anything aside for emergencies or special things.
I came to terms with the idea of working two part time jobs to make ends meet. I swallowed my pride (after shedding some tears) and picked up job applications at the mall. I felt foolish, like a teenager hunting for their first after school job. However, mall jobs aren't as easy to come by as I had assumed.
I applied and interviewed this past Monday at David's Bridal. It was a job I felt I might enjoy. Plus, their store hours are limited so it wouldn't be difficult juggling the two jobs. I could tell the interview went well, and I pretty much knew I was in.
Meanwhile, I was still filling out and turning in applications all over town. One of the jobs I found on craigslist was for a preschool teacher position. I, of course, applied. I interviewed with their board of education on Tuesday and they offered me the job on the spot! I could tell that interview was going well also. But I had no idea how well until they offered me to position right away at a considerably higher wage than originally stated with the intent of training me to also be the Assistant Director of the center! Wow! So, after some number crunching and careful consideration, I joyfully accepted the position. =)
The same day I accepted the job, I got a call back from the David's Bridal manager. She excitedly and proudly offered me the job. I felt a little bad about telling her I would not be accpeting. I of all people know about rejection in the job hunting process. It was difficult to refuse such a nice woman, though it did feel nice to be chosen. She did not seem upset in the least. Rather, she celebrated with me and congratulated me. We had talked about my desire to work in childcare during my interview, so she was already aware of how much I wanted the job I have now.
I am extatic. I can't possibly describe how amazing I feel. It still feels a little sereal, but I'm loving every moment anyway. The job starts soon, January 5th. I feel so unprepared. I know I'll do just fine.
Putting my notice in at Starbucks was scary and exciting. It's hard to walk away from a world I know so well, even if I don't enjoy it. However, I am pleased to leave much of this world behind. I have some really great coworkers and a wonderful managment team. But the job is not for me; not anymore. I'm moving on to where I'm supposed to be.
I'm so happy thinking about the children I'll have in my very own classroom. I'm looking forward to all the fun activities we'll have in our lesson plans. How much I'll enjoy singing with the kids, painting, playing, learning, and enjoying my day. Plus, on a personal note, I'll have nights and weekends off! Oh, and holidays too, of course. =)
In the past few months I have submitted close to 50 job applications. Yes, 50. First, I applied for jobs I wanted such as preschools, offices, and banks. If I couldn't work in childcare, I at least wanted a job with regular (and decent) hours and set days off. When I didn't get those jobs I started applying for anything and everything short of fast food.
My job hunt became more desperate in the past month when Starbucks created a new labor policy stating that Shift Supervisors (me) could not work more than an hour with each other. Formerly our shifts overlapped as much as needed to insure our previously promised 32+ hours a week. With this no longer being the case, my work hours were cut down to 20/week. My income was not even close to enough for paying bills, much less setting anything aside for emergencies or special things.
I came to terms with the idea of working two part time jobs to make ends meet. I swallowed my pride (after shedding some tears) and picked up job applications at the mall. I felt foolish, like a teenager hunting for their first after school job. However, mall jobs aren't as easy to come by as I had assumed.
I applied and interviewed this past Monday at David's Bridal. It was a job I felt I might enjoy. Plus, their store hours are limited so it wouldn't be difficult juggling the two jobs. I could tell the interview went well, and I pretty much knew I was in.
Meanwhile, I was still filling out and turning in applications all over town. One of the jobs I found on craigslist was for a preschool teacher position. I, of course, applied. I interviewed with their board of education on Tuesday and they offered me the job on the spot! I could tell that interview was going well also. But I had no idea how well until they offered me to position right away at a considerably higher wage than originally stated with the intent of training me to also be the Assistant Director of the center! Wow! So, after some number crunching and careful consideration, I joyfully accepted the position. =)
The same day I accepted the job, I got a call back from the David's Bridal manager. She excitedly and proudly offered me the job. I felt a little bad about telling her I would not be accpeting. I of all people know about rejection in the job hunting process. It was difficult to refuse such a nice woman, though it did feel nice to be chosen. She did not seem upset in the least. Rather, she celebrated with me and congratulated me. We had talked about my desire to work in childcare during my interview, so she was already aware of how much I wanted the job I have now.
I am extatic. I can't possibly describe how amazing I feel. It still feels a little sereal, but I'm loving every moment anyway. The job starts soon, January 5th. I feel so unprepared. I know I'll do just fine.
Putting my notice in at Starbucks was scary and exciting. It's hard to walk away from a world I know so well, even if I don't enjoy it. However, I am pleased to leave much of this world behind. I have some really great coworkers and a wonderful managment team. But the job is not for me; not anymore. I'm moving on to where I'm supposed to be.
I'm so happy thinking about the children I'll have in my very own classroom. I'm looking forward to all the fun activities we'll have in our lesson plans. How much I'll enjoy singing with the kids, painting, playing, learning, and enjoying my day. Plus, on a personal note, I'll have nights and weekends off! Oh, and holidays too, of course. =)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
I'll Be Home For Christmas
Last Sunday, I drove my boyfriend, David, to the local airport so he could fly home for the holidays. On the drive there, I was very moody and upset. Nearing our destination, I broke down and started crying. I apologized to David and told him I wasn't mad at him, I was just sad.
I am not able to go home for Christmas this year. I do not have the money and can not afford the time off of work. I need every hour I can get of paid time. Not going home might not be so bad if I was here with David for the holiday, but he isn't going to be here. So, my sadness grew.
Fortunately, I have family in Oregon. My sister, Valerie is just over an hour away. I plan to spend my Christmas this year with her and her family. Her in-laws have graciously extended the invitation to me. This makes me feel very cared for. I appreciated it more than I know how to express. Even still, I'm sad.
Oddly enough, this is not my first Christmas without family. One year I couldn't make the two hour drive to my parents' house because I had to work both Christmas Day and the following morning. I spent that Christmas with my friend Jess and her family. I fit in because they are just as wacky as my own family!
So, perhaps it's just knowing that most of my family is so much further away this year. Maybe it has to do with the disappointment of not having the time or money to travel home. It might be the fact that my best friend, David, won't be here to spend it with. I'm not sure what is making this year so much more difficult. But I know that the song "I'll Be Home For Christmas" has never stung the way it does today.
I am not able to go home for Christmas this year. I do not have the money and can not afford the time off of work. I need every hour I can get of paid time. Not going home might not be so bad if I was here with David for the holiday, but he isn't going to be here. So, my sadness grew.
Fortunately, I have family in Oregon. My sister, Valerie is just over an hour away. I plan to spend my Christmas this year with her and her family. Her in-laws have graciously extended the invitation to me. This makes me feel very cared for. I appreciated it more than I know how to express. Even still, I'm sad.
Oddly enough, this is not my first Christmas without family. One year I couldn't make the two hour drive to my parents' house because I had to work both Christmas Day and the following morning. I spent that Christmas with my friend Jess and her family. I fit in because they are just as wacky as my own family!
So, perhaps it's just knowing that most of my family is so much further away this year. Maybe it has to do with the disappointment of not having the time or money to travel home. It might be the fact that my best friend, David, won't be here to spend it with. I'm not sure what is making this year so much more difficult. But I know that the song "I'll Be Home For Christmas" has never stung the way it does today.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Winter Wonderland
I fell asleep Sunday night to an unusually cold night. I woke up to a wonderful winter wonderland. Snow everywhere! Snow on the trees. Snow covering the grass. Snow on rooftops. Snow on the stairs. Snow on my car. Snow snow snow! It was beautiful.
Funny thing about snow, it's silent. If it had been raining all night, I would have known because of the pitter patter on my windows. But the snow didn't make a sound. It was quite the delightful surprise.
I called work to let them know I would be late since I had to dig my car out of the snow. Plus, I'd never driven in snow before. I knew I would need the extra time. After brushing the snow off my car and defrosting the windows, I set out on my first snow drive. Everything they warn you about happened to me on this less than five mile drive!
The land was covered in snow, but the road was covered in ice, completely. As I was pulling out of my apartment parking lot, I tried to stop, but when I pressed the breaks, my car kept rolling! It was a horrible feeling of panic as there were cars coming down the road toward me! I pushed the breaks again and stopped. However, after the cars passed, I discovered that I was stuck! I pushed on the gas, but my tires just spun in place. Scary when your break pedal doesn't make you stop and your gas pedal doesn't make you go! A man in a truck behind me help me back my car up for a successful drive out of the parking lot. He told me "now, once you get out there, just don't stop." Okay...what about stop lights?
I drove about 8 miles an hour to work, along with every other car on the road. I of course knew that you need to break longer in order to stop on ice. I discovered quickly that any normal about of pressure on the gas pedal from a stop will make you skid out. Also, and gas or break during a turn will make you skid, swerve, and fishtail. Yikes!
It was quite the adventure: not being able to stop, not being able to go, skidding, swerving, and panic. I didn't crash. Didn't even come close, thank goodness. But I did get a "crash" course in driving in ice. I learned a lot in those 25 mintues to work. I was a much more skilled driver the next day. ;)
my car
Funny thing about snow, it's silent. If it had been raining all night, I would have known because of the pitter patter on my windows. But the snow didn't make a sound. It was quite the delightful surprise.
I called work to let them know I would be late since I had to dig my car out of the snow. Plus, I'd never driven in snow before. I knew I would need the extra time. After brushing the snow off my car and defrosting the windows, I set out on my first snow drive. Everything they warn you about happened to me on this less than five mile drive!
The land was covered in snow, but the road was covered in ice, completely. As I was pulling out of my apartment parking lot, I tried to stop, but when I pressed the breaks, my car kept rolling! It was a horrible feeling of panic as there were cars coming down the road toward me! I pushed the breaks again and stopped. However, after the cars passed, I discovered that I was stuck! I pushed on the gas, but my tires just spun in place. Scary when your break pedal doesn't make you stop and your gas pedal doesn't make you go! A man in a truck behind me help me back my car up for a successful drive out of the parking lot. He told me "now, once you get out there, just don't stop." Okay...what about stop lights?
I drove about 8 miles an hour to work, along with every other car on the road. I of course knew that you need to break longer in order to stop on ice. I discovered quickly that any normal about of pressure on the gas pedal from a stop will make you skid out. Also, and gas or break during a turn will make you skid, swerve, and fishtail. Yikes!
It was quite the adventure: not being able to stop, not being able to go, skidding, swerving, and panic. I didn't crash. Didn't even come close, thank goodness. But I did get a "crash" course in driving in ice. I learned a lot in those 25 mintues to work. I was a much more skilled driver the next day. ;)
my carSunday, December 14, 2008
White Christmas
It snowed in Eugene! Friday night was our first snow of the season. My first snow at home ever. I'm so excited about more snow. Uh...maybe snow that is still around in the morning! ;)
I'll be here for Christmas; I can't make it "home" for the holidays. But at least I can look forward to my first white Christmas. And if it doesn't snow on Christmas day, at least I'll have my first white Christmas season.
Yay winter! Oh, I love Oregon!
I'll be here for Christmas; I can't make it "home" for the holidays. But at least I can look forward to my first white Christmas. And if it doesn't snow on Christmas day, at least I'll have my first white Christmas season.
Yay winter! Oh, I love Oregon!
Friday, December 12, 2008
New Blog
Greetings from Eugene!
Amy here, writing my first post from my new blog. I've been in Eugene, Oregon for just over six months now, and I decided I really should be keeping record of my adventures. So, I took the idea from my sister, Valerie, to start a blogger blog. =)
Six months is a long time to try to catch up on events in just one blog, so I'll try to summarize and highlight main events.
I moved here from Palm Desert, California at the end of May. My boyfriend moved here just a few months before me and we both love it here. Oh, and no, please don't ask..we do not live together. He lives alone, and my only roommate is my dog, Winnie.
I have a sister in Salem (just over an hour's drive away), and I am so happy to spend time with her and her family on a semi-regular basis. Far more regular than I did when we lived 1000 miles apart!
I've made two trips home to Southern California since I moved; one for my boyfriend David's birthday in August, and one for my family's annual Labor Day Campout in September. I don't know when I'll be able to make it back again. It's difficult sometimes. I don't miss California the state at all, but I do miss my family.
I work for Starbucks and when I moved, I transferred stores but not without having to step down positions from Assistant Store Manager back to Shift Supervisor. It wasn't a big deal until scheduling policy changed this month and my work hours got cut. I am actively looking for a second job.
So life in California meant a lot of working, school, and some socializing. All the while avoiding the sun. Life in Oregon involves some working (currently not enough to pay the bills) and much more socializing (going to see old movies at the local theater, game nights at each other's apartments, and even baking adventures together...we are a regular group of party animals). All the while soaking in the rain, standing in the gloomy outdoors, and loving every minute of it.
Oregon hasn't failed my expectations. It isn't as wet and rainy as I had anticipated, but I am still satisfied with the weather. The people are much of what I expected, in all the right ways. Life is different, but life is good.
Amy here, writing my first post from my new blog. I've been in Eugene, Oregon for just over six months now, and I decided I really should be keeping record of my adventures. So, I took the idea from my sister, Valerie, to start a blogger blog. =)
Six months is a long time to try to catch up on events in just one blog, so I'll try to summarize and highlight main events.
I moved here from Palm Desert, California at the end of May. My boyfriend moved here just a few months before me and we both love it here. Oh, and no, please don't ask..we do not live together. He lives alone, and my only roommate is my dog, Winnie.
I have a sister in Salem (just over an hour's drive away), and I am so happy to spend time with her and her family on a semi-regular basis. Far more regular than I did when we lived 1000 miles apart!
I've made two trips home to Southern California since I moved; one for my boyfriend David's birthday in August, and one for my family's annual Labor Day Campout in September. I don't know when I'll be able to make it back again. It's difficult sometimes. I don't miss California the state at all, but I do miss my family.
I work for Starbucks and when I moved, I transferred stores but not without having to step down positions from Assistant Store Manager back to Shift Supervisor. It wasn't a big deal until scheduling policy changed this month and my work hours got cut. I am actively looking for a second job.
So life in California meant a lot of working, school, and some socializing. All the while avoiding the sun. Life in Oregon involves some working (currently not enough to pay the bills) and much more socializing (going to see old movies at the local theater, game nights at each other's apartments, and even baking adventures together...we are a regular group of party animals). All the while soaking in the rain, standing in the gloomy outdoors, and loving every minute of it.
Oregon hasn't failed my expectations. It isn't as wet and rainy as I had anticipated, but I am still satisfied with the weather. The people are much of what I expected, in all the right ways. Life is different, but life is good.
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