Because I've been so sick ...
It started last Saturday. I cough. And cough. And cough. And cough. And cough. And COUGH.
My skull feels too tight. My throat is lined with broken glass. My ribs are being chainsawed apart. I'm too exhausted to eat, let alone do anything else.
I'll be back when I'm better.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Making Progress
Not as much as I'd like, but every little bit counts, right?
My original timeline for getting my new workroom done failed to account for how much my neck and shoulders would ache by bedtime, or how badly I would stiffen up overnight ...it also failed to account for how cold and damp the weather would be all this week. Therefore, the timeline has been revised. I work on the room every other day, and spend the in-between days catching up on paperwork, reading, mending, and knitting. (I'll post before, during, and after pics once the room is finished ... I might even post pics of the knitting projects I've done between priming/painting days.) And of course, the daily search for a job goes on.
The spackling that should have dried in eight hours took three days! Followed with an afternoon of sanding and dusting/sweeping. Two days later, the first coat of primer went on, and two days after that, the second coat ... let me tell you, no matter how good your primer says it is, one coat is not going to completely eradicate bright neon green!
Daughter P has come out on both priming days to help, bless her - she volunteered, I didn't ask. In fact, I was determined from the start that this is my project - mainly because Big Guy started grousing about how much he hates painting as soon as I mentioned re-doing the room. So far all I've asked him for is advice on what kind of spackle/filler to get, and if he offers to help I will thank him sweetly and decline. Something like "Oh, honey, it's so sweet of you to offer, but I'd really like to see if I can manage this on my own."
So far, the whole room is patched, sanded (except the floor) and primed. Tomorrow I'll finish off the ceiling; that's a smallish job, so I think I'll be able to do the walls and window on Sunday. Allowing two days for the paint to be completely dry everywhere, I'll fill the closet on Monday (it didn't get painted, just cleaned thoroughly), measure and hem the curtains on Tuesday, sand the floor and baseboards Wednesday, and by Thursday night I'd like to have all the furniture moved in. Friday will be for shelving books and organizing everything else, and then it's done! I can't even describe how much I'm looking forward to having a workroom I can actually work in!
* * * * * *
The job search is going about as well as I expected ... I've had two interviews so far, neither of which went anywhere. There are so few jobs posted that I qualify for, and so much competition for every opening. So I'm now signed up for a series of free workshops on such topics as creating a winning resume, writing killer over letters, searching the "hidden" job market, interviewing, and so on. I have nothing to lose and everything (i.e. employment) to gain.
My original timeline for getting my new workroom done failed to account for how much my neck and shoulders would ache by bedtime, or how badly I would stiffen up overnight ...it also failed to account for how cold and damp the weather would be all this week. Therefore, the timeline has been revised. I work on the room every other day, and spend the in-between days catching up on paperwork, reading, mending, and knitting. (I'll post before, during, and after pics once the room is finished ... I might even post pics of the knitting projects I've done between priming/painting days.) And of course, the daily search for a job goes on.
The spackling that should have dried in eight hours took three days! Followed with an afternoon of sanding and dusting/sweeping. Two days later, the first coat of primer went on, and two days after that, the second coat ... let me tell you, no matter how good your primer says it is, one coat is not going to completely eradicate bright neon green!
Daughter P has come out on both priming days to help, bless her - she volunteered, I didn't ask. In fact, I was determined from the start that this is my project - mainly because Big Guy started grousing about how much he hates painting as soon as I mentioned re-doing the room. So far all I've asked him for is advice on what kind of spackle/filler to get, and if he offers to help I will thank him sweetly and decline. Something like "Oh, honey, it's so sweet of you to offer, but I'd really like to see if I can manage this on my own."
So far, the whole room is patched, sanded (except the floor) and primed. Tomorrow I'll finish off the ceiling; that's a smallish job, so I think I'll be able to do the walls and window on Sunday. Allowing two days for the paint to be completely dry everywhere, I'll fill the closet on Monday (it didn't get painted, just cleaned thoroughly), measure and hem the curtains on Tuesday, sand the floor and baseboards Wednesday, and by Thursday night I'd like to have all the furniture moved in. Friday will be for shelving books and organizing everything else, and then it's done! I can't even describe how much I'm looking forward to having a workroom I can actually work in!
* * * * * *
The job search is going about as well as I expected ... I've had two interviews so far, neither of which went anywhere. There are so few jobs posted that I qualify for, and so much competition for every opening. So I'm now signed up for a series of free workshops on such topics as creating a winning resume, writing killer over letters, searching the "hidden" job market, interviewing, and so on. I have nothing to lose and everything (i.e. employment) to gain.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Hunt Continues
The job hunt, that is.
Yesterday I went over to the Employment Resource Centre, and got a referral to another local centre that does various workshops on resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and so on. I signed up for six of the workshops - it can't hurt! My work history - and job acquisition history - has been so full of serendipity over the last fifteen years that I really have very little experience with things like crafting a winning resume and acing an interview. All my jobs to date have either been through temp agencies, or through being sought out by employers. Flattering, but not presently useful!
Funnily enough, I actually had an interview today. A forwarding company had found my current resume (such as it is) on monster.ca, and called me to come in on about five hours' notice - was I glad I'd touched up the grey roots last week! The interview went well, though rather quickly, but I don't think I'll get the job. They seem to want someone with a lot more forwarding and NVOCC experience than I have. But you just never know ... as I told Big Guy when I got home, "It's always a fifty-fifty chance - either they hire me or they don't."
* * * * * *
Moving J went more smoothly than I'd expected, all things considered. We had everything loaded, moved, and unloaded, and the truck back at the rental place, by about 6 p.m. Friday. Her helpers were willing and able, nothing (that I know of) got broken, and I only hit my knees on the trailer hitch six times. My hands and wrists are still kind of sore, but I suspect some of that may be from a weekend spent almost entirely either knitting or winding yarn. Once I can get some clear table space (don't go there!) I now have three completed sweaters to sew together.
The room proceeds, albeit a bit more slowly than I'd originally planned. The walls, ceiling, and woodwork have all been washed, but I won't be doing the primer until my right wrist is less stiff and achy. So it looks like I'll be priming on Friday, and painting on Sunday and Monday. Furniture etc will start shifting Tuesday or Wednesday, since I want to give the paint plenty of time to harden up first.
* * * * * *
We got up this morning to another dry, sunny, beautiful (but very cold) day. I spent the time before I had to get ready for the interview wandering around the yard, making mental notes of everything I'd like to do to prepare for this year's garden, and thinking I'd get started on the winter debris cleanup tomorrow morning. All the fruit trees need pruning, the lawn needs a good raking to get rid of what the evergreens have been dropping on it all winter, and there are monster weeds everywhere. Naturally, the morning paper is predicting rain for the rest of the week ... It rains with monotonous regularity this time of year, especially on those rare occasions when I have the energy, the motivation, and the time to get out there and do something. Sigh. I may have to console myself with graph paper and seed packets.
Or maybe I'll start another sweater.
Yesterday I went over to the Employment Resource Centre, and got a referral to another local centre that does various workshops on resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and so on. I signed up for six of the workshops - it can't hurt! My work history - and job acquisition history - has been so full of serendipity over the last fifteen years that I really have very little experience with things like crafting a winning resume and acing an interview. All my jobs to date have either been through temp agencies, or through being sought out by employers. Flattering, but not presently useful!
Funnily enough, I actually had an interview today. A forwarding company had found my current resume (such as it is) on monster.ca, and called me to come in on about five hours' notice - was I glad I'd touched up the grey roots last week! The interview went well, though rather quickly, but I don't think I'll get the job. They seem to want someone with a lot more forwarding and NVOCC experience than I have. But you just never know ... as I told Big Guy when I got home, "It's always a fifty-fifty chance - either they hire me or they don't."
* * * * * *
Moving J went more smoothly than I'd expected, all things considered. We had everything loaded, moved, and unloaded, and the truck back at the rental place, by about 6 p.m. Friday. Her helpers were willing and able, nothing (that I know of) got broken, and I only hit my knees on the trailer hitch six times. My hands and wrists are still kind of sore, but I suspect some of that may be from a weekend spent almost entirely either knitting or winding yarn. Once I can get some clear table space (don't go there!) I now have three completed sweaters to sew together.
The room proceeds, albeit a bit more slowly than I'd originally planned. The walls, ceiling, and woodwork have all been washed, but I won't be doing the primer until my right wrist is less stiff and achy. So it looks like I'll be priming on Friday, and painting on Sunday and Monday. Furniture etc will start shifting Tuesday or Wednesday, since I want to give the paint plenty of time to harden up first.
* * * * * *
We got up this morning to another dry, sunny, beautiful (but very cold) day. I spent the time before I had to get ready for the interview wandering around the yard, making mental notes of everything I'd like to do to prepare for this year's garden, and thinking I'd get started on the winter debris cleanup tomorrow morning. All the fruit trees need pruning, the lawn needs a good raking to get rid of what the evergreens have been dropping on it all winter, and there are monster weeds everywhere. Naturally, the morning paper is predicting rain for the rest of the week ... It rains with monotonous regularity this time of year, especially on those rare occasions when I have the energy, the motivation, and the time to get out there and do something. Sigh. I may have to console myself with graph paper and seed packets.
Or maybe I'll start another sweater.
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