UPDATE: New Location

October sometime, 2011

Well, I just glanced at my last post that made me realize it has been almost exactly 3 months since I started feeling like I needed to move.  Guess what?  I've been in Boston for a month already!  Crazy, right?!  I think it's pretty insane, and I couldn't be happier about my move.  Well perhaps that isn't 100% true, even though they say money doesn't bring happiness or buy love, you need money to pay rent so having a job would be nice.

My first two weeks here I was super stressed about work.  (Just ask any of my four roommates, it was pretty much the only thing I ever talked about.)  Then on day I finally got called in for an interview.  I left the house about an hour before the interview to give myself time since the office I was going to is across town from where I live.  As I was riding the T (subway) and counting the stops I realized after multiple glances at my watch that there was no way I was going to make it on time.  By the time the train pulled in to my stop (the end of the line of course) it was about 20 minutes after my interview was supposed to start.  I ran off the train and down the stairs to the exit while pulling up the directions from the station to the office on my phone.  "It's only about a five minute walk."  I start walking and trying to decipher the directions, which were not crystal clear, and have walked about 15 minutes before I decide I have gone in the wrong direction.  I was so frustrated!  So now I have to walk back those 15 minutes again and the original 5 from the station.

I knew there was nothing I could do but go to the office and apologize profusely for being late, thank them for their consideration of my application, and then leave the office.  As I walked in the doors and introduced myself the receptionist asked questions like why I was late and why I didn't call.  Very valid questions.  I told her as best I could between my short breath and my almost boiling over emotions that I was new in the Boston area, lived across town, and didn't realize it would take so long.  She then told me to have a seat and she would go see if a manager was available to talk to me.  It took me by complete surprise!  I was an hour late to the interview, and they were going to let me go in any way!?  Wow!  When the manager came out she was very nice and overheard parts of the conversation I was having with the receptionist about where I'm from and what I'm doing in Boston.  Back in the office for the interview I lost it again and started crying, but was able to pull myself together and have what I thought was a fairly successful interview.  She told me that they were interviewing about 50 candidates, but they would be done by about 2 pm that day (about an hour and a half from then) and if I heard a call then I would make it in to the second of three interviews.  I thanked her for her time as I thought to myself that I would never see her again after walking out the door.

When I got home after what seemed to be the longest ride of my life because I was kicking myself for ruining such a great opportunity, my cell phone rang.  It was 1:59 pm and the unthinkable happened.  I was called in for a second interview!  I have no idea what they saw on my resume or in me that convinced them that this girl who has the balls to show up an hour late to an interview was someone they wanted back...

I went back the next day and found out that my interview was actually a day following around a rep and watching her do her job.  Her name is Amy and she was super friendly!  The whole time we walked around we just got to know each other and talked about life, our backgrounds, our families, interests, hobbies, and occasionally we'd throw work related things into the mix.  It was kind of funny though because it made me feel like I was on a mission, two girls walking door to door...  All that was missing was the name tags and the fact that she's not LDS.  By the end of the day I felt like I was on a mission again, that was definitely the most walking I've done since my mission, but we went back to the office so that I could meet with one of the supervisors again.  Danielle, the supervisor, asked me a few questions on my own and then pulled Amy in to the office.  She asked me a few more questions, had Amy give some feed back and then she offered me a job.  Yeah, just like that!  It totally caught me off guard!  Before I knew it I was shaking hands with both of them and accepting the job.  Hallelujah!  I have work!

December 14, 2011

I suppose it's about time that I update my blog.  This will be short and sweet... hopefully!

The job mentioned about lasted less than a week I think.  I walked around for three days with people trying to sell Verizon FiOS, not a fun job.  After I quit I wondered if it was a good idea seeing as how I didn't really have any other leads for work and I needed to make money quick.  It was also hard because Amy was super nice and she actually had a bunch of questions about why I went on a mission and it just seemed like it would have been such a good missionary experience.

Not horribly long after that I got work as a (very) part time nanny and had a few other babysitting jobs so that made me not worry quite as much.  I still wasn't making rent, but luckily I have amazing parents who have been helping me.  About a month ago I got a job working at a tele-fundraising company close by.  At first I didn't think it was going to be so bad because I've worked in call centers before... piece of cake.  Or so I thought.  I don't like it!  We raise money mostly for political campaigns and since the way people campaign drives me nuts with all the mud-slinging and name calling it's really hard for me to coerce people to cough up the dough.  (English is so strange!  How does any one learn this language?!)

On a happier note, I have four of the most wonderful roommates a person could dream for!  When I was still in the planning stages of moving to Boston and I heard that five girls share this house I was hesitant, but it just felt so right to do it...  I think the only decision I've loved more than this was my decision to go on a mission.  Honestly, they each have amazing qualities that I hope to emulate one day.

This is about where I stand right now.  I was recommended for a nanny position (but it's live-in most likely:-( ) and then today one of my cousins tells me that she found me a job using Cebuano...  too bad it's back in Salt Lake City.  Oh the decisions!

Perhaps since I don't keep a journal I should be better about keeping this blog up to date.  We'll see how things go.

I have a secret to tell...

There has been something on my mind lately that I have not told very many people about.  It may remain that way as well for a little while, at least until I get things a little more sorted out.  Here are a few songs that have been going through my head though along with other things...


"I have a secret to tell
From my electrical well
It's a simple message and I'm leaving out the whistles and bells"


"I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,

...I think that I'm just tired

I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind.
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice..."

"Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could breakaway 

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change...
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change..."

Long time no post

It has been brought to my attention that I haven't updated my blog recently.  A certain friend of mine, who shall remain anonymous, told me earlier today that she checks my blog every day on her lunch break and is disappointed to see the same old post.  So here you go certain friend who is remaining nameless...

Reasons I love the unnamed friend:

(In no particular order and certainly not all reasons...)

•  When I hit my head on the car door looking for a paper that blew out of the car, she just laughs at me

•  We can be open with each other about poop

•  When I'm having a bad day, she makes me laugh

•  Even when what I say is only funny to me, she gives me a pity laugh

•  She buys ice cream because it's a dollar

•  We quote Kid History together

•  Soldiers protect the country...  what protects soldiers?

•  I'm not allowed to sit on the bed because I'm dirty

These are just some of the examples that I could think of from tonight, but there are many more from other days.  She is just a great friend and I love her to death.  She is one good thing in my life that I hope I never have to get rid of.

This post is for you.

For the first time...

I think he likes me...!

Such a Great Day!

Yesterday was such a great day!  I'm not sure it could have gotten to be any better.  I went snowboarding with a good friend of mine, which was my first time up the mountain in about two years or more.  It was AMAZING!  The weather was great, though the wind was a little intense at times.  We took the bus to Brighton Ski Resort and did 3 rides down the beginners hill.  I was feeling way good about my skills (as good as I ever did) so we moved over to the bigger hill.  That one kind of kicked my butt, literally.  My tail bone is sore and I'm sure I'll really feel it tomorrow.  It was so great though, I loved every minute of it!

On the bus ride up the canyon I received a phone call from a girl that wants to set up an interview with me for a job.  This isn't just any job though, it's a Cebuano teaching position at the MTC!  How awesome is that?!  It's so awesome!!  Unfortunately I didn't hear my phone so she just left a message, but she said she wants to set an appointment for next week or the week after.  When I returned the phone call after I got home no one answered so I get to wait for the phone call today.  Of course I posted on Facebook about this and my cousin who used to teach at the MTC told me that when she was hired, her boss told her that if you get the interview then that basically means you get the job.  How cool is that?  This is seriously a dream come true!

After boarding I had plans to go shopping with a friend, but I needed food so I stopped at Shivers.  I'm sorry to say that I wasn't totally impressed with the sandwich I got, but it was pretty good.  Mainly the food run was great because I got to talk to another friend of mine since she works there.

Finally I finished getting cleaned up and sent a text to my friend letting her know that I was ready to go shopping if she was still game.  She text back that she was and that she would come pick me up in a few minutes.  Well that few minutes went by and she called me to say that something came up with her sister and she needed to go take care of that, but we had an awesome conversation that helped me put some things in a different perspective about my life and the way I handle some things.  She told me to stop worrying so much about the future, to live for the moment, and if things are right then they will work out.  She's right, I need to stop being such a worry wart and just live my life the best I can each and every moment and trust that things will work out.

In case that wasn't enough of a lesson, the Lord decided to teach me again.  Since I now had no plans for the evening I planned on going to temple square to hang out for a little bit.  As I was rounding the corner to find a parking place, a friend of mine called me up.  The conversation was kind of funny and went something like this:

Her:  Hey, I'm sure that you are busy because this is late notice so I understand if you can't, but I just got tickets to the Jazz game and was wondering if maybe you could go or want to go.  (Reader, keep in mind that this phone call came at 7:15, 15 minutes after tip off.)

Me:  Well, guess where I am right now...

Her:  Umm.... I don't know... (very hesitant voice)

Me:  I'm down town with nothing to do!

Her:  No way!  That's so amazing!  I can't believe it!

It was so amazing that things worked out the way they did, I couldn't believe how perfectly things worked out.  But then I thought about it and realized that this was just a confirmation of what my friend had just told me on the phone, that if you do the right things then things will work out.  It's amazing the different teaching strategies the Lord will use to help us realize we are on the right path.  Who would have thought that my first NBA game would teach such a great lesson?

When I got home last night I was in such a great mood, nothing could bring me down.  This morning, nothing has changed.  In fact I'm even higher because while typing that last paragraph I was called by the MTC again to set up my interview.  Next Wednesday will be a big day for me!

Isn't life wonderful?

My week

I know that it's only Wednesday night, but I just need to update this thing!  It's been a great week so far any way.  Monday I went back to work at Evergreen which was so nice to be back where I know (and am told) that people appreciate me.  Just this week I was basically fought over by a teacher and the vice principal about which job position I was going to take.  The teacher wants me in his class and the vice principal wants me in the ISS (In School Suspension) position.  I'm going in with the teacher though, my decision has already been made.  That night for FHE we took a tour of the Conference Center down town.  We got there just as the sun had gone down so we started on the roof.  The sky still had red and it was just so beautiful!  The tour was good, but way too long in my opinion.  1.5  hours to look at a building I've been in and toured many times loses its appeal after a while.  But after the tour ended I went to get ice cream with some friends as an early birthday thing.  And if that wasn't enough, I half invited myself and was half invited to go to a friend's house and watch The Scarlet Pimpernel.  (Good movie!)

Tuesday was my birthday.  It was a pretty good day.  I went to work, then one of my very good friends came over to my house and we went for a walk around the neighborhood and talked.  It was so nice to talk to her since we don't get to see each other a ton.  (And the weather was great!)  After that I went out to eat at a filipino place down town with a couple of really good friends.  The food was great, the company was awesome!  We finished out the night by going to our friend's new apartment to see what it looks like and we went up to check out her rooftop because not even she had done that yet.  It is amazing!  You can see so much from up there!  For the past couple of years I have thought that the coolest place to live would be in the down town of a city and she basically does.  It's so cool.  I really was blown away by it.

Today was my half day of work since I'm only doing a 15 hour position again until the other becomes available.  I hardly did anything.  I forgot that they were presenting the musical to the whole school so I was only in the classroom for about 45 minutes.  It made me feel guilty because I got there later than I usually do on my half days and most of it was at the musical.  Oh well.  After work I went and played some ward ball!  We only get to play 5 games in about two weeks which is lame, but I'm still excited.  We won by forfeit but since we had so many people show up we still got to play a full game.  According to the score at the end of the 4th quarter my team won, but we played an extra quarter because we still had time and the other team pulled ahead at the buzzer.  Lame sauce!!  After the game I got cleaned up and hung out with some other friends, I went with them to get dinner and then we ended up at my place for desert.
Sometimes I feel like I'm boring, but I just don't know what to do!  I get tired of watching movies all the time and I'm not one to just bust out a board game so we usually just end up sitting and talking in the kitchen...  That's all I have to offer though.  Perhaps when food is involved it doesn't really matter, but I still feel the same.  Then again if people really didn't like it, they wouldn't keep coming.  ...Right?  Maybe I just think too much and over analyze things.

Someday I will have more exciting things to post about, with better pictures.  Life is just a little boring right now, sorry if you read the whole thing looking for excitement only to now be disappointed.  It's your own fault.

When one door closes...

It's just like the old saying goes, when one door closes another one opens.  The door has closed on one position, but a new and familiar door is open.  Upon getting "fired" last night I sent a text to a friend of mine, the teacher I used to work with, and asked her if I could have my old job back (knowing that they hadn't yet filled the position).  She told me that she would do what she could for me today at work.

Today I took the badge back to the school and signed my time card.*  On my way out to the west side and after I finished doing the deed she was in contact with me... apparently there were a few different options.  On my way home my friend called me and told me that the principal had asked her that morning during first period if there was a way to get me back.  He had no idea what my situation was, for all he knew I was perfectly happy at the other school and didn't want to come back, but he knew he wanted me.  My friend gave him the edited low down on my situation and said there was a pretty good chance I would go back.  I can start ASAP as the aide in ISS (In School Suspension) until another position becomes available in the SpEd department.  Both of those positions are 29 hours a week which is just fine for me.

Tomorrow I return to Evergreen Jr. High and hopefully will be able to start working.  We aren't sure if I can start tomorrow because of paperwork (which has already been started), but I'm going in to prove that I want this and am committed to working there.  I'm so excited to be able to go back to a school that wants me and will appreciate me for who I am and what I do.  This has been one of the best working experiences I have had (and I've had a lot!) and cannot wait to be part of the team again.  Not to mention I'll be back at work with a great friend of mine.  There are so many perks about working at this school it makes me wonder why I left at all.

*My only reason for taking the other position was for the pay.  The new school doubled my hours and offered a higher pay rate, and I need money.  The unfortunate part is that since I missed those few days of work I never made it to my full 30 hours a week.  (The first week, although I didn't miss a work day, had a holiday that I forgot about in the last post.)  I think that with the 15 from Evergreen and the hours I've worked at the other school I barely reached my 60 hours for the month which is what I was doing before.  That means my check may be a few dollars more.  And the worst part about it all?  If I had just stayed at Evergreen I could have gotten my full 15 hours a week and I would have gotten an extra 10 hours worth of pay because of the book report thing the staff was doing.  I read the book, Nobody Don't Love Nobody, all I had left to do was write the one page paper about it and be at the meeting.  But no, I missed that.

I suppose it's also true what people say; everything happens for a reason.  There must be some reason that I went to that school for the short two and a half weeks that I was there.  One of my friends said that it was so that people at Evergreen could realize how much they missed me and wanted me to be there, that they won't take me for granted because they now know that I could leave again.  Who knows what is really true?  It doesn't matter though, it's in the past.  It happened, it happened for a reason, now I just need to learn from it and move on.

So much for the new one...

**This post has been edited**

So a couple of posts ago I told whomever it is that reads my blog that I had a job offer at a new school.  I spent the $40 to take the required test (which I rocked!) and started about three weeks ago.  This now may be my shortest lived position.  That's right, I no longer work there.

Two weeks ago my grandma died.  She is the first of my four grandparents to go so I went with some of my family to California for the funeral.  Well, that being on a Monday afternoon I missed work on Monday and Tuesday, along with Wednesday because a lot of unexpected things happened on the trip that tuckered me out and the teacher I work with told me before I left that I could take Wednesday if I needed to.  So I missed three days of work for that.  One more day than I probably should have taken, but when your sister ends up in the hospital a thousand miles from her home and husband leaving you and your brother to take care of her two children (baby and toddler) while your parents run back and forth from hospital, hotel, pharmacy, and their hotel, you get a little burned out.

Today I woke up around 4:30 am feeling sicker than a dog and looking a very unnatural human color.  Without going in to too many details, let's just say I thought it was in my best interest for me to stay home instead of being around 13 or 14 elementary aged kids.  I sent a text to the teacher at least an hour before school telling her that I wouldn't be there today and explained a little of how I was feeling.  I know I should have called but frankly with the way I was feeling and the tiny conversation I had with my sister it wasn't the best form of communication for me at that point.

Any way, after a few text messages were exchanged between the both of us, we decided that it would be better if I take a different position, possibly back at Evergreen.  I was a little upset that it was so short lived, but I'm grateful I had the time there.

So here's all I have to say about the situation:  Good luck finding an aide, maybe it won't be too hard, but I hope you find a male because that day that the student peed his pants and I had to sit with him in the nurses room until his mom got there with clean pants wasn't a very comfortable situation for either of us with him in his skivvies and a t-shirt.  Thank you for giving me an opportunity to learn, no matter how short lived it was...

Whatchamacallit

What my week feels like

Renewed Outlook

Yesterday turned into one of those "pity me" days, one of those days that everything seems to loom over you like a dark rain cloud and all you have is a tiny toy umbrella to keep you safe from the deluge of expectation and responsibility.

When the storm starts, however, you realize that it only falls one or two drops at a time.  Life is manageable.  We will conquer so long as we stop worrying that we get a little wet or that our hair gets a little tangled by the wind of adversity.  The reality is the Lord is my umbrella and He is one of those giant, family sized ones shielding me from the storm.  He takes on the real storm.  We just get the sweat from His hard work, the part that He has already experienced and knows how to best help us.

From now on I will trust the Lord to protect me, to teach me, and to guide me where I need to be.

Confused Emotions

Yesterday was one of the busiest days since I have been home from the mission.  I thought Sunday was supposed to be the day of rest but it seems like things just pile up.  I went to a friend's farewell, went to my own ward (including choir practice), went to the open house for said friend, went back to my ward for an interview with my bishop (at least I got to talk to a cute kid while waiting), ran home to pull brownies out of the freezer, went to the stake center so that I could have my interview with my stake president, went back home to grab said brownies and also grabbed an apple because at this point I was starving, went back to church for a fireside, and then finally got home to stay at 8.  That means about 11 hours of go, go, go!  When I got home I text one of my friends because she had had a bad weekend and I was chatting with another friend about our goals for life and how to fix things and be happy which both were a little emotionally taxing for me.  It was just a crazy day that didn't end well and the effects are carrying over to today.  I have been sassy and sarcastic with the teacher, a good friend of mine, which makes me feel worse.  Can this day be over now?  I don't care that it's only lunch time...

Chocolate Milk

I went to the temple today with some others from my singles ward and it was totally fun.  On the way home we stopped by Sonic and got drinks and one of the girls paid for me because she is super nice (and because I was driving and it was a temple further from our houses) and it was just loads of fun.

That's when the bad stuff happened.  I think I may have lost over 200 unsaved pictures because my memory card decided to freak.  Then a friend stopped by unexpectedly which was great but we got on a topic that isn't fun for me and that I don't longer thinking about... Since it was our last topic it's on my mind now so I need to think about some thing other than that.

I love chocolate milk.  The picture is from a few days ago when I made myself a nice tall glass of chocolate milk.  As the chocolate was flowering from the bottle into the cup of milk it fascinated me how there was a little resistence on the part of the milk, forcing the chocolate to linger on the surface for a brief moment before falling silently to the bottom.  In my trance I didn't realize how much chocolate was actually going into my glass... It ended up being a lot.  Fortunately it made for a good photo opportunity.  It made me laugh.  Once I mixed it in and took a swig I laughed even harder (after the fact) because it tasted like Hershey's chocolate syrup.  So gross.  It was enough chocolate for at least two glasses of milk.

And there you have it, my chocolate milk experience to swallow down the bad taste still lingering in my mouth.

New job?

So for those who don't know I work as a teacher's assistant for a local school district here in Salt Lake. It's what I did before I went on my mission and now I'm back. It's been a great job and I've been lucky enough to work with an amazing teacher who makes being in a school fun (no matter how much I dislike schools in general). She is wonderful. I worked with her before and I'm working with her again and I love it. The thing I don't love is the fact that right now I can only work 15 hours a week. That's not much. Another thing is that I took a serious paycut, apparently the district cut the budget while I was away. It's about $4 an hour less! AHH! How do they expect me to live and pay my bills on that?

Well yesterday we were on our way home (I carpool with my friend/ the teacher I work with) and my phone rang. Usually I wouldn't answer but I was expecting a call so I pulled my phone out and looked at the number. It wasn't my granddad who I was expecting, but when I said the number my friend told me it was a district number so curiousity got the best of me and I answered. The woman on the phone introduced herself as a teacher at an elementary school and she saw my name on a list of people looking for teacher assistant positions. What?!? I don't remember putting my name on a list! She went on to say that the position is 29 hours a week (almost double my hours!) and asked if I had a job yet. (My head was reeling at this point!) I told her that I was already working at a school 15 hours a week so maybe I won't be able to do it... Then my friend whispered to me (now remember, she's the teacher that I currently work with) 'If it's a better position, take it!!' The woman on the phone said something I don't remember because I was so confused that I couldn't pay attention and then I asked how much the hourly pay would be. Her answer was one dollar more an hour than what I'm making now, but she added that if I have special ed experience (which I have) then that may, no promises, boost the digits a little.
My mind is blown! I was blindsided with this! It seems like a great position but at the same time I don't know. This new teacher works, as I mentioned, at an elementary school with children that have communication disorders (CD) and learning disabilities (LD). I am hesitant about this new job because the CD. That and when I started this job in 2008 I told myself that I couldn't work with little kids. But now, adding both of those together I don't really know what to think. What do I do? I need to call the new teacher later today or tomorrow morning.
Decisions, decisions, decisions...

It's been a while

Well, now that it has been almost two years since I have posted on my blog, I think it's about time to start up again. Blogs seem to be a good way to keep up with people that it just seems like there isn't enough time in the day to keep up with.

One of the reasons that I haven't posted in so long is because I was serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines Cebu Mission. It was great! It was amazing! It was everything that I needed!

Now I'm back and ready to start the next phase of life, whatever that may be. I will however keep you updated on the happenings of my life for any and all that are interested. I can't promise to be completely diligent in posting, but I will do my best whenever something big happens.


Stay tuned for more.