and God said "Let there be updates"...
Date: December 25th 2003
Feeling...: jolly...'tis the season, after all
Listening to: Christmas songs and not really minding them anymore, though I still think I'm going to be violently ill if I hear "Santa Baby" again anytime soon
Excitement brewing over: dinner this evening with some old friends...they're an elderly couple who used to live in the apartment next to ours when I was very young, and they were sort of like grandparents to me...we usually see them about once a year now, cause they live in a beautiful but out-of-the-way little cottage in Orillia. They've invited us over to their house for a turkey dinner and I can't wait to see them again :)
Concerned about: finding the time to go Secret Santa shopping...so far I've got almost nothing and I'm scheduled to work every day before the exchange *eek*
People/things that made me smile: waking up to a room filled with sunshine for the first time this week; finally having a full day off and knowing it'll be a good one too; trying on the Beatles t-shirt which I've been searching for for ages and which Julia found for me, and having it fit perfectly...lots of stuff today, actually :)
New thing(s) I�ve learned: I read this a few weeks ago but I forgot to post it before...apparently most Starbucks locations now have wireless Internet connections, so if you've got your laptop with you it's like being in an Internet cafe...with the added bonus of having chocolate malt frappucinos at your fingertips :D
On My Mind:someone at work asked me what my definition of "the meaning of life" was...I've been asked this question before and I remember coming up with a satisfactory answer a couple of years ago, but now I can't remember what it was or think of anything new in its place. I've given it a lot of thought but I can't seem to come up with anything substantial. I feel like I'm enjoying where I am right now but I'm kinda taking things one day at a time. I don't really even know where I'd love to be this time next year, let alone what purpose my entire existence serves. On some level that's slightly upsetting, but then again, I'm only 18...
Additional witty comments (heh heh heh): I have good, if somewhat belated, news to share: a few days ago I was approached by one of our managers at Resto and asked if I'd officially like to stay on after the holidays as permanent part-time staff. I'd be lying if I said this surprised me or I wasn't already sort of expecting it, but it still made me very happy to know for sure. I really enjoy working there...I've never worked in retail before but I can't imagine that things would feel this comfortable just anywhere.

A thought occurred to me the other day as I finally bought a hand warmer (conveniently after they'd gone on sale for 50% off...no small coincidence, of course ;) ): so many people allow sales reps to majorly influence their decisions on their purchases...I mean I'm the kind of person who knows what she likes and will buy what she likes because after all, I'm going to have to live with it afterwards. But I mean...so MANY people have asked me for help with those hand warmers and each time I've told them how to use it and assured them it's warm as hell (well...almost) without actually KNOWING any of this. And almost as many people have bought the product and taken it home and I NOW know that I was right all along because I've used one myself but before a couple of days ago I didn't have any idea whether it provided the kind of satisfaction I'd practically guaranteed them. I knew nothing of the stench of boiled eggs it exudes when it's first lit (though here's a moral dilemma: would I have told them about it even if I had known? The sad thing is, I probably would have. I'm not meant to have a sales position for the rest of my life, I'm too honest. Little old lady customers just love me for that very reason...) And yet after just a minute of talking these people trusted me enough to dish out $9.50 for it. Perhaps you figure it's a small amount for a customer to risk on a potentially not-so-great product, so it's not that big of a deal...but there have been several instances in which customers have asked me for my opinion on beddings, for example..."do you think these $80 shams will look good with this $300 duvet cover?" and all it takes is a couple of minutes of appearing knowledgeable and color-coordinatingly-well-trained before they're convinced that of course I'm right and they'll buy what I've practically told them to. People can be such lemmings. What difference does it make what the sales person thinks? It's YOUR bedroom. If you want to get red plaid sheets and a purple polka-dot blanket then far be it from me to step in and say "oh but this Antique Floral pattern looks ever so darling" (for the record I've never once used the word "darling" in that context but there are plenty of customers who wouldn't bat an eyelid if I did). I can tell you about thread count and washing instructions but when you start to ask me whether this flax will go with that cranberry that should be a big sign that you need to have the "self confidence" chat with your therapist...

I just realized it's almost 2004...wow
Date: December 9th 2003
Feeling...: like singing but there's no chance of that happening just yet...come back, little voice of mine!
Listening to: Robbie Williams and mouthing the words because I can't sing along
Excitement brewing over: next week's pay cheque - hurray for full-time scheduling!
Concerned about: whether my voice will be better by tomorrow or if I'll have to suck on more icky sugared ginger...*shudder*
People/things that made me smile: having a day off to sleep in, that's always nice...also, having a calc test tonight but not panicking cause I've finally decided once and for all that it's not going to matter much what I get anymore, my dreams of a 92% final mark having long since evaporated
New thing(s) I�ve learned: a party just isn't much fun until you throw in some tipsy gay men :D
On My Mind:I've been thinking a lot about next year, and what I'm really planning to do in university...I guess right now I like the idea of just trying things out in my first year. I've applied for International Development but I'm thinking more and more that it would be a better choice to take international studies as a minor, with something like business as my main focus. I don't know. I'm not really worried...yet.
Additional witty comments (heh heh heh): Haven't updated in quite a while but that's not because I haven't had anything to post...in fact quite the opposite, I've been so busy I haven't had the time to sit down and update my dear little site. But anyway here I am and oh boy, have I got a lot to say...get comfy, sweetheart.

When I last updated there was excitement brewing over going to see Mamma Mia...it was not in vain. Enjoyed it so much that my whole family decided to go see it, and we've got tickets for New Year's Eve. This is doubly exciting because not only are we going to have a good time, but I'm no longer upset over spending New Years at home doing absolutely nothing.

As I mentioned before, I've been getting almost double the number of hours at work than I was up until the week before last, and as a result of that combined with night school I've been in a perpetual state of motion known otherwise only to students cramming for exams and crack addicts. At this point sleep isn't being sacrificed but everything else is, i.e. television, Internet, my TIME magazines, going out with friends and oh, sitting down, of course. I had a couple of days off starting Wednesday, and by Thursday I had come down with a cold for which I had to call in sick on Friday 'cause I was feverish and achy. I woke up to go to work on Saturday with only half a voice for use and of course it was crazy-busy, and by Saturday night I had fully recovered except for not being able to speak altogether coherently. On Sunday morning I sounded alright - rather like Piglet from Winnie the Pooh but then I worked from 1 to 8pm and it was our Family and Friends sale day so once again, there was no chance of resting my throat. For this next part I have only myself to blame but I don't feel any remorse 'cause it was too much fun to care - after work that evening I went straight to the Resto Christmas party and didn't come home 'till about 1:30am, knowing fully well that I would barely be able to whisper the next day but smiling from the inside out nonetheless.

Allow me to elaborate; I've been craving a good party for ages. The A.Y. semi in February was pretty good, but it reeked of high school which by that point wasn't something I was fond of. Prom could have been better had I been feeling well...but anyway the point is all I wanted to do was dance and have a good time and it didn't seem like that was going to happen anytime soon (thank you, provincial government that decided to make the legal drinking age 19 in Ontario...It makes no sense because I can vote in a federal election, I can (theoretically) go to Quebec do as I please, but here in Ontario I'm not allowed to even enter a bar or club regardless of the fact that I don't plan on drinking...) I didn't have very high expectations of this party, though I suppose a small part of me wanted it to be exactly what it ended up. The party was for both Toronto Resto stores, ours and the one at Yonge and Eglington...I love the people I work with, they create a wonderful atmosphere, but in terms of..."festivity"...they can't compete with the Yonge St. gang. All it took was a little liquor, Greg from the other store, Julia and myself, and "Rock Your Body" by Justin Timberlake blasting overhead to start the dancing, and before we knew it the floor was crowded with groovy moves (lol). We danced for about three hours straight and it was just so - much - fun! I could barely talk and I had to be up six hours later to start work at 9 on Monday but it was so worth it. I'm still remembering it and smiling :)

Alrighty...I think that's everything for now. I've gotta go get ready to head out for night school...three more classes and then it's our winter break. I dunno, I'm just not in studying mode lately and calc feels like more and more of a hassle. Perhaps if I'm early I'll pop by Honest Ed's and see what he's got to offer heh heh heh...ttfn!