fragileheart's journal

So I started my new job today. I was nervous. I didn’t realise it until last night but I haven’t really been nervous starting a job since I moved to Dublin. And the only reason I was nervous then was because I was in a new country¹ and who wouldn’t be nervous starting a new job in a new country – even if all you’re doing is serving fancy food and drinks in a fancy hotel bar?

My first impressions are good. Better than the first impressions I observed on the day of my interview. My boss lady is spunky and fun but she means business², and her assistant³ is thorough⁴, methodical and geeky⁵. Both are so super nice which is a definite relief because I will be working very closely with them on everything. Quite the contrast from my previous place of employment. That reminds me I have to write down people’s addresses from there so I can email them from my work email. They don’t mind if I email people… but I may not get to tweet as much as I used to. More so because of the nature of what I have to do rather than the work load though… I know you all think I hardly had any work to do while I was at my previous job but honestly, it was just that most of what I had to do was on the internet and my computer could handle a browser with 30+ tabs open⁶.

That’s all I’m willing to say right now because I don’t want to jump the gun too much but I have a good feeling about it… now if only I could figure out the fastest way to get rid of this heat rash on my face. I’ve applied my Aveeno anti-itch cream all over but now my ears and cheeks are just burning… I can’t win! Not to worry though… I’ll be taking doubling my does of allergy medicine and passing out soon after this post goes live.

Another new beginning? I finally started doing some of my french e-berlitz lessons that I signed up for in April⁷. I’ve only missed about 76 hours of study since April. But now that I’ll be getting home around 5 p.m.⁸ maybe I’ll actually be able to get some done! I haven’t done too badly so far⁹ at 94% correct answers! Considering everything is being presented to be in french, I’m quite proud of myself. Yes, there are some¹⁰ explanations provided but it’s nothing to go on while I’m trying to answer the questions I’m given.

Anyway… What is the longest job you’ve ever had? If it’s the career you’re in now, how did you start out and how did you know it was what you wanted to do for the rest of your life?

Footnotes:

1. and possibly because I followed my heart not knowing whether or not it was going to get shattered into a million pieces. again. by the same guy but we all know that didn’t happen… yet? hehe j/k …oh man this is a long footnote. sorry![↩]
2. not to mention she’s super smart[↩]
3. essentially, my partner in crime[↩]
4. kind of like someone we all know – and yes I mean me[↩]
5. but only in the cool way that I’m geeky – oh the cockiness![↩]
6. most of the time[↩]
7. that’ll expire in April 2010[↩]
8. there you go stalker dear[↩]
9. I’ve only completed 2 1/2 hours[↩]
10. very limited[↩]

I was chatting with a friend on gtalk the other day and was, as usual, complaining about work. He mentioned something about wishing he had a billion dollars and my imagination went on overdrive. I was suddenly filled with hopeful spleandor at the thought of not having to worry about money.

I realised too that it was something I had never thought about, mostly because of my roots and the fact that I know I’ll have to work for money for the rest of my life – and I had accepted that. I like working; I just wish I was paid more. But that’s besides the point.

My instinctual fantasy was this:
I’d bartend in a cute little Irish Pub with regulars consisting of all sorts of people¹ from all walks of life, in Greece². I’d want to work Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm³ and have my evenings and weekends off. Notice the four day work week? This is a fantasy after all.

Then I started building on this fantasy:
In the evening and on the weekends, I’d spend time on my yacht sailing around the islands or off in my plane where I can go sky diving. After work in the evenings, I’d walk through the vineyard⁴ and then down to the cellar and pick out a nice bottle of red for dinner. I’d cook my own meals and probably have seafood every night⁵… lobster, crab, mussels, fish, scallops⁶ and of course my absolute favourite shrimp!

Thinking this way put a huge smile on my face… a smile that has been missing from my face for a long time now. This chat with my friend made me realise what it was that I was missing from my life. I had somehow lost the one thing that kep me going through everything that I ever go through. Losing this had caused me to become bitter and even whiny⁷. Now I just have to try and hold on to my hope. Its the first time in a really⁸ long time that I had lost it so I wasn’t really sure what I was missing until now.

I have my friend to thank, but he’s going to remain anonymous because I’m not sure he’d want to be advertised… but thank you.

What would you do if you had a billion dollars?

Footnotes:

1. of all ages[↩]
2. I’ve always wanted to go[↩]
3. because having to wait until 11 to drink is ridiculous[↩]
4. mine[↩]
5. I’m living in Greece for crying out loud[↩]
6. though maybe not as often[↩]
7. ask my twitter followers, they’ll tell you I’ve been whiny lately[↩]
8. like at least 11 years[↩]

As much as I’ve complained about not having enough time to get much sleep this week, I happy that I’m able to say ‘Thank God it’s Friday’. When I was in school, and working service industry jobs I always said that I could never see myself at a desk job. And now I think, “What a silly little kid I was.”  What I didn’t realise was my need for routine… something that will enable me to do something out of the blue.

I think what i hated the most about working customer service related jobs was the irregular schedule. Not being able to make plans because your schedule could change at a moment’s notice. But it was also the fact that because you’re on such an irregular schedule,¹ it meant you pretty much partied with your co-workers. It was condusive to a life of work, you spend all your time with the same people… it becomes inevitable that you start to become attractive to someone from the group.

I don’t want to get into too much detail about this, so I’m going to stop now. I’m so glad it’s Friday, even though I’m not doing anything fun tonight². I haven’t been paid yet so I’m not going out with my friends but I do have xPeriapexx’s Pig Roast tomorrow, and I’m pretty excited about it. I also hope to get some work done for my friends’ website that I was supposed to have drafted for them by today. Oops³.

What are you working hours like? What would you prefer your working hours were like?

Footnotes:

1. and most of my other friend’s are on a regualr schedule[↩]
2. I’m going grocery shopping with my Mum[↩]
3. Luckily, it’s pro-bono so they can’t complain hehe[↩]

Looks like someone won the $32,000,000 that was meant to be mine last Saturday. *sigh*

I came back from holidays about 16 days ago and about 14 days ago found out that I wouldn’t have a job until July 11 like I originally thought I did. You see the company I was working for before I went on holidays had emailed me while I was in Dublin asking if I could come back for about 26 days and ofcourse I said yes. However, when I came into work on July 16 I found out that they only needed me for about 2 weeks. Panic! So I’ve been on a bit of a rampage trying to find a job that will last me a year. Or even 10 months.

I’ve been sending out so many resumes and cover letters I feel like it’s my new job. But I haven’t gotten a lot of responses back which is really disheartening. And what makes it worse is I can’t really go back to ‘the industry’ because of my wrist problem. *sigh* Can I just win Lotto 6/49 already?

Anyway, I’m off to New York… to spend the money I thought I was going to win. =P See you all in a couple of days!

So on this sunny Canada day, I decided to stay indoors… and work on my theme. Why? Because I can. Sure, I felt like a loser but I haven’t felt like a loser in a long time. And I figure, if I do this and feel like a loser now I’m saving Karma the hassle (and myself the embarrassment) of having to make me look like a loser at a later and perhaps more public occasion.

I actually thought it would take me longer because let’s face it, I just don’t spit out design work as often as I used to so I’m a little rusty. But I did it in half the day today and I could’ve gone cherry picking with my parents but my brother didn’t want to go and in keeping with being a loser, I decided I didn’t want to go either. Though I do wish my Mum didn’t have work just like I don’t tomorrow so that we could go to Ikea and buy stuff for the house like she wants. Yes, I’m unemployed again…

I finished up at the PR firm yesterday and I was actually quite sad to be leaving even though I had only been there for a total of 5 weeks. But it’s on to a new temp job soon (hopefully). I have an interview tomorrow… at god knows what time. The girl at the placement agency kind of did this to me before where she forgets to mention pertinent information about a gig. This time she neglected to tell me the time of the interview, but I didn’t notice this until it was too late to call her. So I’m going to have to be in the area where I have the interview for 9am and call her and ask – just in case it’s at 9am. If it’s later, that’s ok. I have an interview at another agency and I can always visit the Toronto Eaton Centre. Though I won’t be doing much shopping because I’m going to be in New York for 3 days.

My bubble, one of my closest friends since I was seven, currently lives in New York but is moving to Austin (yes, Texas) and I just had to go visit her one last time before she moves at the end of the month. At first, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go since I only really had enough to buy a bus ticket (which meant not having spending money while I was there) but then the wonderful woman that she is bought my ticket for me! So, I’m leaving on a coach bus, do know I’ll be back again, don’t want to miss John Mayer… ok I’ll stop singing now. I <3 New York even though I’m not a huge fan of the U.S., there will always be a place in my heart for New York!