I don't feel well today, it's like I'm on the verge of getting sick and I really want to do all that is possible to keep from going off this cliff. One of the things on my to do list is to get plenty of sleep, but right now there is much too much noise in the house. I tried to turn on music to drown it out, but that just creates much too much noise to sleep. GAH! I suppose I'm just in the mood to complain. Sorry.
On a side note, as an update to my last post for those who actually read this, work is fantastic! I love the family that I work for, the schedule is fantastic (though starting early is not ideal for me), and for the first time in quite some time I feel financially stable and independent. It's such a good feeling to really enjoy where I am in life right now.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Happy New Year!
I'm going to try being better about updating this, but I know that since I've said that before it's not really anything to fully count on.
The holiday season is now over, thankfully! Not that they were bad by any means, but I'm excited for life to be normal again. Or again is the wrong term? That implies that it was once normal... Whatever. A lot of things have changed in the past few weeks and next week brings a new beginning which I am very excited about.
The Tuesday before Christmas I was preparing to leave work (part time nanny) for the day when the mom started writing out my check. In my head I was thinking, "That's odd, I don't usually get paid until Friday. Oh but they are going out of town, so this makes sense." When the mom said, "So Maren, we decided that we aren't going to have anyone watch our daughter next year," I was in shock. Actually I'm quite sure that my jaw actually dropped and I stared at her wide-eyed and mouth gaping for a second or two before muttering out an "Oh, ok..." and grabbing the check on my way out. Now I'm left with unanswered questions: Was it me? Did I do something wrong? Are they just cutting back expenses?
I felt horrible and hopeless the whole way home, especially when I had to do some necessary grocery shopping. I felt like I could have just mumbled under my breath, "Don't mind me, I just lost my job and have no money but still need to eat to survive" as I walked through the store comparing the price per ounce and pound of everything I bought. When I got home I called a friend to vent and while talking to her I pulled out my computer to check my email.
I was expecting the usual email from Groupon and Boston Deals, which were both in there, but the first message in my inbox was from someone I didn't know. The subject caught my attention so I opened it to read that he was the husband of someone who had recently been in contact with me about a full-time nanny position for a friend of theirs. Things with that job didn't come to fruition, but this husband said that he has a colleague looking for a nanny. A complete calm came over me and my actual thought at that moment was, "See? When the Lord closes a door, He opens another one." I knew it was irrational, but I knew that this was going to be my job.
The email had come just minutes before so I shot him an email right away saying that I was interested and would love for him to send my contact information to his colleague as he offered to do. Again, within minutes, he replied saying that he had done such. It was such a miracle! Just hours later I had been in contact with his colleague and we were working on setting up a time to do a phone interview. Over the next few days we exchanged emails, then we had a phone interview which lasted around 35 minutes, and we set up a time to meet in person. The face to face interview went well and now with more emails being exchanged we are working out the finer details since I start work on Monday. Woot!
Life has been so stressful, but it has been so interesting to watch how things have unfolded. The reason that I'm here in Boston is still unclear, but with the experiences that I've had so far and the people that I have met I don't care why I'm here because I'm happy. My testimony has grown, I have strengthened relationships, my appreciation for my family (most especially my parents) has astronomically grown, and while there may be rough patches I am a generally happy person. This has been a wonderful experience and hopefully with this new endeavor I will be able to continue to learn and grow and thrive as I trust that the Lord has a plan for me.
We were not sent here to fail, but to act and to conquer.
The holiday season is now over, thankfully! Not that they were bad by any means, but I'm excited for life to be normal again. Or again is the wrong term? That implies that it was once normal... Whatever. A lot of things have changed in the past few weeks and next week brings a new beginning which I am very excited about.
The Tuesday before Christmas I was preparing to leave work (part time nanny) for the day when the mom started writing out my check. In my head I was thinking, "That's odd, I don't usually get paid until Friday. Oh but they are going out of town, so this makes sense." When the mom said, "So Maren, we decided that we aren't going to have anyone watch our daughter next year," I was in shock. Actually I'm quite sure that my jaw actually dropped and I stared at her wide-eyed and mouth gaping for a second or two before muttering out an "Oh, ok..." and grabbing the check on my way out. Now I'm left with unanswered questions: Was it me? Did I do something wrong? Are they just cutting back expenses?
I felt horrible and hopeless the whole way home, especially when I had to do some necessary grocery shopping. I felt like I could have just mumbled under my breath, "Don't mind me, I just lost my job and have no money but still need to eat to survive" as I walked through the store comparing the price per ounce and pound of everything I bought. When I got home I called a friend to vent and while talking to her I pulled out my computer to check my email.
I was expecting the usual email from Groupon and Boston Deals, which were both in there, but the first message in my inbox was from someone I didn't know. The subject caught my attention so I opened it to read that he was the husband of someone who had recently been in contact with me about a full-time nanny position for a friend of theirs. Things with that job didn't come to fruition, but this husband said that he has a colleague looking for a nanny. A complete calm came over me and my actual thought at that moment was, "See? When the Lord closes a door, He opens another one." I knew it was irrational, but I knew that this was going to be my job.
The email had come just minutes before so I shot him an email right away saying that I was interested and would love for him to send my contact information to his colleague as he offered to do. Again, within minutes, he replied saying that he had done such. It was such a miracle! Just hours later I had been in contact with his colleague and we were working on setting up a time to do a phone interview. Over the next few days we exchanged emails, then we had a phone interview which lasted around 35 minutes, and we set up a time to meet in person. The face to face interview went well and now with more emails being exchanged we are working out the finer details since I start work on Monday. Woot!
Life has been so stressful, but it has been so interesting to watch how things have unfolded. The reason that I'm here in Boston is still unclear, but with the experiences that I've had so far and the people that I have met I don't care why I'm here because I'm happy. My testimony has grown, I have strengthened relationships, my appreciation for my family (most especially my parents) has astronomically grown, and while there may be rough patches I am a generally happy person. This has been a wonderful experience and hopefully with this new endeavor I will be able to continue to learn and grow and thrive as I trust that the Lord has a plan for me.
We were not sent here to fail, but to act and to conquer.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
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 I need a sunrise, I'm tired of the sunset,
I hear it's nice in the Summer, some snow would be nice..."
"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
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..."
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..."
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
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.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
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:
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?
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?
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