Please excuse my need to use this first paragraph for a venting session. I am getting pretty annoyed with my current job. I love it, but I dislike it SO much at the same time. There's really no room for me to grow anymore, and I am tired of having to 'obey' (for lack of a better word) the people that are older than me. I have left for home so unhappy because I've been nagged all day long. I can understand when a task needs to be done, but most of the time I am already doing something else that is just as high as a priority. I swear my co-worker does not see me working right in front of her. Every day I try to get ahead so that I can have time to do everything that is thrown at me, but I get pulled behind by other side tasks because its more convenient for me to do it than it is for her. The most reoccurring thing that happens is when she shouts 'MEEE SHEELL, CUUUSSTOMMMERRR' after I've already greeted them... or while I'm doing dishes to catch up, and she is literally standing two feet away from the counter. My patience can only be tested so many times within a 6 hour period.
I know I've said it many times, but I want the hospital position soooo bad. Its time to move on.
After work, I scrambled yet again to get to Trevor's hometown so we could go to a 'young parents' group. They served us pasta and meatballs. We also played a few games like 'Jeopardy' and 'Survival'. I learned that if I were stranded in -43 degree F weather with only a tub of Crisco, I'd survive just fine. Kidding, kinda. We bascially talked about the importance of creativity and unstructured play in a child's life.
Tonight Adam finally went to sleep almost at the instant we put him in his pack n play. He was tired out from all the doggie excitement at Trevor's. I'll be baby free for the next few days, so hopefully the stress will simmer down and I'll get a few loads of laundry done and some sleep!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Interview Day
When I went to bed last night, all I could think about was my outfit for today's interview. Right before falling asleep I remember thinking "Oh, man... I don't have any shoes that will match!" Soon after I woke up this morning, I decided to wear sandals and try my luck with the rain puddles. It worked, but I have to admit it was no easy to prevent clicking my heel on the ground loudly without looking like I was skating!
I woke up at 7:15 am, and started getting ready for my interview and juggling Adam while my mom jumped into the shower. I got half of my nice clothes on before feeding Adam and then fighting with the hair straightener which I had not touched since graduation. The time-eater was painting my toenails! I changed into the rest of my outfit after I felt my hair was not going to get all over my suit coat.
At 8:55 I was out the door and on my way to the hospital. I arrived with 15 minutes to go before my interview, thank goodness! When I got in, there was a fire drill in progress, so all the doors were closed for security. I had no idea what the next door led to because most of the signs were in the main hallways, and not the mini ones between them. Of course I got lost, and it was noticed by a couple people that I had no idea where I was. They were about to point me in the right direction when I guy passing by was asked where he was headed, and he responded, 'Well, where do you need to go?' Perfect! He guided me though the hospital wing right up to the doors that lead to the HR department. Huge time saver; I was very lucky.
I met the lady at the front desk who checked me in and then had me sit in their 'waiting area' as I looked over the job description and filled out my references. After about 10 minutes, I was greeted by the HR lady I talked to on the phone on multiple occasions. I broke the ice a little bit by talking about the intensity of the storm last night (which hopefully excused the tired look I could not shake off my face). She interviewed me for about 15 minutes, and first had me ask any questions I had about the position. When she responded to one of my questions she said at one point, "... because you will be working..." which I interpreted as already having the job. At the time, though, I was unaware that I would be interviewed by the food service manager next. The rest of my time with her was spent answering a few questions like:
1) If I were to call up your past employer right now, what would they say about you?
--I learned quickly that the best way to answer this question is to just list off positive adjectives associated with the tasks of past jobs
2) What is the best skill that you have in your line of work and what would you say is your worst?
3) Describe a situation when an important task needs to be done in the midst of other obligations (ex, customers) and how you handled the situation.
4) Describe a situation where you felt something was done the way you did not think it should be done and how you resolved the issue.
5) Describe a situation when you went above and beyond for your customers.
I was interviewed a total of three times, and each interviewer asked me the same questions. I found that really odd, but also comforting because by the time I was asked them the 3rd time, I was much more prepared and confident in the answers I wanted to give. The HR lady also gave me a handout on my benefits for Full-time employment, which were much more rewarding than I thought. That was the first light bulb moment for me that made me really desire this position.
The interview with the Food Service Manager was outside, which I loved. As we walked from the HR department to the interview location, I found it really easy to talk to the manger. She briefly described to me what they had going on at the hospital in addition to their newest attraction: A Farmer's Market. I was beaming. It was tiny, but it was cute and I was excited for them. We sat down on the patio and she described to me that she was looking for someone that would be able to learn and transition from all the venues that had including the coffee shop, cafeteria, and catering. I wanted to jump up and down in my seat when I heard about catering. I had one minor experience with it, but I heard it is a great resume booster to have when going into a dietetic internship. I hope I radiated my excitement and didn't scare her too much with the look on my face! I informed her that I had been floating between venues a lot when I worked for Campus Dining and Illinois State, which would make me a great candidate for learning her venues and what she needed me for. We also discussed the hourly salary, and I was excited to learn that I could earn up to $12/hr as I became familiar with the facilities. She also mentioned that there were four registered dietitians buzzing around the areas I'd work. That was a great feeling. I felt that if I were to get this job it would help me save up for the internship and potentially my Master's Degree after a year and a half. Additionally, I see great potential for building relationships and hopefully having those dietitians as outlets for advice and minor mentoring while I figure out my way to where they are today.
The third interview was pretty short. It was called the 'peer interview' and took place with someone that currently works for the food service outlets. The lady that interviewed me was a sweetheart. She asked me the same 5 questions I wrote out earlier, and even treated it like she wanted to get to know me better.
I left the hospital so optimistic, and brought home a celebratory bag of Bouna Beef for my mom and brother. Now I have to wait it out a couple weeks for the verdict. I hope they want me as much as I want to work for them!!
I woke up at 7:15 am, and started getting ready for my interview and juggling Adam while my mom jumped into the shower. I got half of my nice clothes on before feeding Adam and then fighting with the hair straightener which I had not touched since graduation. The time-eater was painting my toenails! I changed into the rest of my outfit after I felt my hair was not going to get all over my suit coat.
At 8:55 I was out the door and on my way to the hospital. I arrived with 15 minutes to go before my interview, thank goodness! When I got in, there was a fire drill in progress, so all the doors were closed for security. I had no idea what the next door led to because most of the signs were in the main hallways, and not the mini ones between them. Of course I got lost, and it was noticed by a couple people that I had no idea where I was. They were about to point me in the right direction when I guy passing by was asked where he was headed, and he responded, 'Well, where do you need to go?' Perfect! He guided me though the hospital wing right up to the doors that lead to the HR department. Huge time saver; I was very lucky.
I met the lady at the front desk who checked me in and then had me sit in their 'waiting area' as I looked over the job description and filled out my references. After about 10 minutes, I was greeted by the HR lady I talked to on the phone on multiple occasions. I broke the ice a little bit by talking about the intensity of the storm last night (which hopefully excused the tired look I could not shake off my face). She interviewed me for about 15 minutes, and first had me ask any questions I had about the position. When she responded to one of my questions she said at one point, "... because you will be working..." which I interpreted as already having the job. At the time, though, I was unaware that I would be interviewed by the food service manager next. The rest of my time with her was spent answering a few questions like:
1) If I were to call up your past employer right now, what would they say about you?
--I learned quickly that the best way to answer this question is to just list off positive adjectives associated with the tasks of past jobs
2) What is the best skill that you have in your line of work and what would you say is your worst?
3) Describe a situation when an important task needs to be done in the midst of other obligations (ex, customers) and how you handled the situation.
4) Describe a situation where you felt something was done the way you did not think it should be done and how you resolved the issue.
5) Describe a situation when you went above and beyond for your customers.
I was interviewed a total of three times, and each interviewer asked me the same questions. I found that really odd, but also comforting because by the time I was asked them the 3rd time, I was much more prepared and confident in the answers I wanted to give. The HR lady also gave me a handout on my benefits for Full-time employment, which were much more rewarding than I thought. That was the first light bulb moment for me that made me really desire this position.
The interview with the Food Service Manager was outside, which I loved. As we walked from the HR department to the interview location, I found it really easy to talk to the manger. She briefly described to me what they had going on at the hospital in addition to their newest attraction: A Farmer's Market. I was beaming. It was tiny, but it was cute and I was excited for them. We sat down on the patio and she described to me that she was looking for someone that would be able to learn and transition from all the venues that had including the coffee shop, cafeteria, and catering. I wanted to jump up and down in my seat when I heard about catering. I had one minor experience with it, but I heard it is a great resume booster to have when going into a dietetic internship. I hope I radiated my excitement and didn't scare her too much with the look on my face! I informed her that I had been floating between venues a lot when I worked for Campus Dining and Illinois State, which would make me a great candidate for learning her venues and what she needed me for. We also discussed the hourly salary, and I was excited to learn that I could earn up to $12/hr as I became familiar with the facilities. She also mentioned that there were four registered dietitians buzzing around the areas I'd work. That was a great feeling. I felt that if I were to get this job it would help me save up for the internship and potentially my Master's Degree after a year and a half. Additionally, I see great potential for building relationships and hopefully having those dietitians as outlets for advice and minor mentoring while I figure out my way to where they are today.
The third interview was pretty short. It was called the 'peer interview' and took place with someone that currently works for the food service outlets. The lady that interviewed me was a sweetheart. She asked me the same 5 questions I wrote out earlier, and even treated it like she wanted to get to know me better.
I left the hospital so optimistic, and brought home a celebratory bag of Bouna Beef for my mom and brother. Now I have to wait it out a couple weeks for the verdict. I hope they want me as much as I want to work for them!!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Dirty Feet
At work today I kinda broke down about some of the stuff that bothered me yesterday with my boss. He seemed to understand why I was frustrated, which was nice. It was good to get if off my chest and it felt like the air was cleared. I am very much so looking forward to getting this new job. I think its just time to move into something different and hopefully build some important relationships in the process.
After work, I literally saw Adam for 15 minutes before I piled into my ride to summer league. In the mess of the transition, I pulled a rookie move and completely forgot my cleats! I was luckily given the O-K to play by the captains of both team. Aly was a captain of a different team and was afraid that it would be a liability issue. I'm in one piece, and didn't try anything fancy so it worked out fine in the end. I just have really gross feet right now, which I NEED to either cover up or work on so that they are presentable for tomorrow's interview.
After ultimate, we decided to go to the bar last minute, so I didn't have my wallet with me. I didn't expect much because of the fiasco last week, but I must say they up-ed their anti this time. Everyone who wanted to order pizza, got their pizza and the beer was not flat OR watered down! Yay!
Within the 15 minute transition from work to ultimate, I heard a voice mail from the the HR lady asking to push my interview up 30 minutes. I called and left her a voice mail letting her know that it was okay, so hopefully everything is set tomorrow. I just need to come armed with a copy of my contacts, my resume, and a list of some questions I have for her. Time to take a shower and rest up! Wish me luck!
After work, I literally saw Adam for 15 minutes before I piled into my ride to summer league. In the mess of the transition, I pulled a rookie move and completely forgot my cleats! I was luckily given the O-K to play by the captains of both team. Aly was a captain of a different team and was afraid that it would be a liability issue. I'm in one piece, and didn't try anything fancy so it worked out fine in the end. I just have really gross feet right now, which I NEED to either cover up or work on so that they are presentable for tomorrow's interview.
After ultimate, we decided to go to the bar last minute, so I didn't have my wallet with me. I didn't expect much because of the fiasco last week, but I must say they up-ed their anti this time. Everyone who wanted to order pizza, got their pizza and the beer was not flat OR watered down! Yay!
Within the 15 minute transition from work to ultimate, I heard a voice mail from the the HR lady asking to push my interview up 30 minutes. I called and left her a voice mail letting her know that it was okay, so hopefully everything is set tomorrow. I just need to come armed with a copy of my contacts, my resume, and a list of some questions I have for her. Time to take a shower and rest up! Wish me luck!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Hopeful
I missed my post for yesterday too, but honestly nothing significant happened beyond water-staining the piano bench (and then fixing it with mayo, who knew!), Amanda owning her 10 miler, and getting the chance to meet some guy named Pete. Those were the highlights beyond my time fused to the couch while my dad and brother watched sports and documentaries. I swear I honestly do not want a TV in my future house. I would rather be out than watching people while they're out. I need to make up for the hours of my young life I spent in front of the tube before I get too old.
On with today... it was super frustrating. Customers frustrated me (2 of the 30 or so, but enough to dull the day), coworkers frustrated me, and I frustrated myself. I made a record for over-rings, got attitude from co-workers for no real good reason, and a couple customers pushed my buttons. I'll share my customer stories. Do not feel obligated to read on because the rest is not very classy, nor interesting. Some venting is healthy, right?
Senario 1: I answer the phone. There is a young woman on the other end asking about our low-carb options. I tell her we only have no-sugar added options. She asks if I know the nutrition facts for those. I tell her that the website TCBY.com has all the information she needs, but I estimated they have about 7g of sugar versus 17g of sugar. She tells me that's not what she is talking about, and that we should have them in chocolate and vanilla. Then, I remember we used to carry low-carb soft serve when I was in high school when the Atkins diet was big. I relay that thought on to her. She admits she is on the Atkins diet, and it restricts her from consuming the sugar alcohols in the no sugar added flavors. She then goes on to tell me the low-carb yogurt is advertized with toppings to total 8 carbs. Additionally, she comments that that is false advertisement if we don't carry it but offer a coupon for a free one with a purchase of a cake or pie. I apologize and explain to her that they did not sell well here, so we stopped carrying that product. She then goes on about how she just moved from California and sounded very desperate to know where else in the area she could find low-carb frozen yogurt. I tell her I honestly have no idea, but apologized again... but I barely got that in as she kept going on about how awful it is here to find low-carb frozen yogurt. I tell her I understand how hard it is because I could barely think of anywhere else that had frozen yogurt, let alone low-carb varieties. I suggest she check out a new place in Naperville called Red Mango. She was very reluctant to hang up... but I apologized again, and I got a nice thank you before she said good-bye.
I did some research of my own on her side of the story because I was frustrated with her false advertisement comment. I'm now 100% sure that she was never on the TCBY website. There are absolutely no low-carb options listed there. I had a feeling about this while I was on the phone but she sounded so certain of herself, I didn't want to make the situation worse. I did find the website she was at:
Low Carb TCBY and its from 2004!!!! 7 years ago! That's not false advertisement because its not even listed on the official website! Sorry, lady, but you were super wrong on that one. Also, thank goodness Red Mango has yogurt, and she didn't call back trying to shake any other info out of me. Red Mango does not have the low-carb kind (judging from their website), but I wonder if she ever called them up and asked them for more suggestions.
Scenario 2 was just about an impatient customer storming out of the store with her two family members saying "This is taking too long!" while I'm helping someone on the sub-sandwich side for no more than a few minutes. It would probably take her more time to 1)get to a new frozen treats place and 2)order something there, 3) get their order. If she wanted 30 more seconds, I would have been right there. I understand when customers are in a hurry, but at the same time its really embarrassing and rude to should something like that while I'm doing my best to run the place solo for a little while.
Rawr. I'm just hoping that my next [potential] job won't have days like these.
On with today... it was super frustrating. Customers frustrated me (2 of the 30 or so, but enough to dull the day), coworkers frustrated me, and I frustrated myself. I made a record for over-rings, got attitude from co-workers for no real good reason, and a couple customers pushed my buttons. I'll share my customer stories. Do not feel obligated to read on because the rest is not very classy, nor interesting. Some venting is healthy, right?
Senario 1: I answer the phone. There is a young woman on the other end asking about our low-carb options. I tell her we only have no-sugar added options. She asks if I know the nutrition facts for those. I tell her that the website TCBY.com has all the information she needs, but I estimated they have about 7g of sugar versus 17g of sugar. She tells me that's not what she is talking about, and that we should have them in chocolate and vanilla. Then, I remember we used to carry low-carb soft serve when I was in high school when the Atkins diet was big. I relay that thought on to her. She admits she is on the Atkins diet, and it restricts her from consuming the sugar alcohols in the no sugar added flavors. She then goes on to tell me the low-carb yogurt is advertized with toppings to total 8 carbs. Additionally, she comments that that is false advertisement if we don't carry it but offer a coupon for a free one with a purchase of a cake or pie. I apologize and explain to her that they did not sell well here, so we stopped carrying that product. She then goes on about how she just moved from California and sounded very desperate to know where else in the area she could find low-carb frozen yogurt. I tell her I honestly have no idea, but apologized again... but I barely got that in as she kept going on about how awful it is here to find low-carb frozen yogurt. I tell her I understand how hard it is because I could barely think of anywhere else that had frozen yogurt, let alone low-carb varieties. I suggest she check out a new place in Naperville called Red Mango. She was very reluctant to hang up... but I apologized again, and I got a nice thank you before she said good-bye.
I did some research of my own on her side of the story because I was frustrated with her false advertisement comment. I'm now 100% sure that she was never on the TCBY website. There are absolutely no low-carb options listed there. I had a feeling about this while I was on the phone but she sounded so certain of herself, I didn't want to make the situation worse. I did find the website she was at:
Low Carb TCBY and its from 2004!!!! 7 years ago! That's not false advertisement because its not even listed on the official website! Sorry, lady, but you were super wrong on that one. Also, thank goodness Red Mango has yogurt, and she didn't call back trying to shake any other info out of me. Red Mango does not have the low-carb kind (judging from their website), but I wonder if she ever called them up and asked them for more suggestions.
Scenario 2 was just about an impatient customer storming out of the store with her two family members saying "This is taking too long!" while I'm helping someone on the sub-sandwich side for no more than a few minutes. It would probably take her more time to 1)get to a new frozen treats place and 2)order something there, 3) get their order. If she wanted 30 more seconds, I would have been right there. I understand when customers are in a hurry, but at the same time its really embarrassing and rude to should something like that while I'm doing my best to run the place solo for a little while.
Rawr. I'm just hoping that my next [potential] job won't have days like these.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Broccoli and Articoke Dip
This is entry is a tad overdue, but I thought I'd take advantage of the time Adam is taking to nap right now. Yesterday started with the usual; work. In the first two hours, we had one customer! I am considering making flyers to put out around town to remind people to come get some grub at the shop. Maybe then, it'd get so busy my boss would stop talking about how bad business has been this summer.
It was an exciting day because I was invited to 4 parties, thanks to graduation season. I only made it to 3 of them, which were in my town... and two were touching my backyard which made it convenient. Next door, it was the neighbor's birthday party for their two little girls, so I brought Adam over to say hello. We attempted to used the slide, and all the little kids were beyond exited to see a baby there. Adam got to meet the Elmo pinata, and as we left for the next party around back, we had to shield Adam from the sight of them beating Elmo to a pulp.
Party two was for Amanda's 22nd birthday and her and her brother's graduations. Despite the weather, we had fun! I ate a lot and we got to watch a live "not so famous" band. They were really good. I had the opportunity to catch up with Cassandra again, who I haven't seen since Adam was just barely a week old!
The last party was for my college buddy Eric's 27th birthday. I got to see his new place, meet his new girl (yay Liz! I'm not implying that he's a player by any means), and again catch up with some friends I haven't seen in a looong time (Rachel & Kristen). After some dudes immaturely flushed a cake down his toilet, we went to a bar nearby. The title to my blog, by the way, is a reference to the appetizer the cook pawned off on us (it was free, but why advertise spinach and artichoke dip and then put broccoli in it?). It was a good time, and Trevor even had the confidence to go in front of everyone to the karaoke stage a start the "Happy Birthday" song. I was not drinking, otherwise I might have karaoked a song or two. Fun day, getting excited and nervous for the interview!
It was an exciting day because I was invited to 4 parties, thanks to graduation season. I only made it to 3 of them, which were in my town... and two were touching my backyard which made it convenient. Next door, it was the neighbor's birthday party for their two little girls, so I brought Adam over to say hello. We attempted to used the slide, and all the little kids were beyond exited to see a baby there. Adam got to meet the Elmo pinata, and as we left for the next party around back, we had to shield Adam from the sight of them beating Elmo to a pulp.
Party two was for Amanda's 22nd birthday and her and her brother's graduations. Despite the weather, we had fun! I ate a lot and we got to watch a live "not so famous" band. They were really good. I had the opportunity to catch up with Cassandra again, who I haven't seen since Adam was just barely a week old!
The last party was for my college buddy Eric's 27th birthday. I got to see his new place, meet his new girl (yay Liz! I'm not implying that he's a player by any means), and again catch up with some friends I haven't seen in a looong time (Rachel & Kristen). After some dudes immaturely flushed a cake down his toilet, we went to a bar nearby. The title to my blog, by the way, is a reference to the appetizer the cook pawned off on us (it was free, but why advertise spinach and artichoke dip and then put broccoli in it?). It was a good time, and Trevor even had the confidence to go in front of everyone to the karaoke stage a start the "Happy Birthday" song. I was not drinking, otherwise I might have karaoked a song or two. Fun day, getting excited and nervous for the interview!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday
I'm getting less creative with my titles, and I realized shortly after I submitted my last blog, I didn't even title it! Oh well. Anyway, I got paid today which is a big plus. It makes me feel better about all the time I am spending at work. My account pretty much doubled, which is sad and awesome at the same time. I talked to my brother and he is fine with me keeping the car if I get this job at the hospital. Thank goodness! There is not way I can afford a brand new car right now.
Trevor and I talked about setting up Adam's crib today, but instead of working on it we went out to a restaurant/bar with Aly, her boyfriend Arthur, and her sister Molly. We chatted and devoured a brownie s'more dessert (shout out to Arthur for the treat) while kinda watching sports. I never pay attention. Regardless, it was fun and I probably talked a lot given Trevor's comment about me sipping too much on my non-alcoholic wild-berry lemonade.
I'm excited for tomorrow, I'm supposed to hit up two grad parties and a birthday party. I don't think I can go to all of them, but it'd be fun to try! I also have to find time to do a test run on my interview look so Wednesday morning things go smoothly. I will hopefully have someone awake early enough in the morning so I can prevent any evidence of baby messes on my interview clothes. Nothing like a baby cereal run on a nice pair of pants!
Trevor and I talked about setting up Adam's crib today, but instead of working on it we went out to a restaurant/bar with Aly, her boyfriend Arthur, and her sister Molly. We chatted and devoured a brownie s'more dessert (shout out to Arthur for the treat) while kinda watching sports. I never pay attention. Regardless, it was fun and I probably talked a lot given Trevor's comment about me sipping too much on my non-alcoholic wild-berry lemonade.
I'm excited for tomorrow, I'm supposed to hit up two grad parties and a birthday party. I don't think I can go to all of them, but it'd be fun to try! I also have to find time to do a test run on my interview look so Wednesday morning things go smoothly. I will hopefully have someone awake early enough in the morning so I can prevent any evidence of baby messes on my interview clothes. Nothing like a baby cereal run on a nice pair of pants!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
While at work today, I told my boss that I have an interview coming up next week. He also confirmed that I could use him as a reference, which is great. This reminds me I need to contact my former boss at McAlister's and make sure that he is aware I'd like to put him down as a reference too. I am supposed to know my hospital schedule three weeks ahead of time, so I may have two jobs this summer if the hours fit together nicely. Hopefully I will really like my [prospective] new job too, and I won't just rely on paychecks for motivation.
Also, I learned how to say "scoop" at work today. Its 'cuchara.' Hopefully I'll get to use some Spanish soon!
After work, I did not have much time to get to Trevor's house before our group meeting with other young parents near his town. I met a lot of new mommies, and most of their kids were very close to Adam's age. They are all a little bit younger than me and Trevor, but I feel that we will still get positive support from it. They took some of the kids into a separate play room, and Adam went too. His reaction to other little kids is so funny, because he acts so excited.
I felt like I had more to write about after leaving work today, but I forgot about half the things I wanted to say! Oh well. I also wanted to add that I am rethinking buying a car right now. I'll have to convince my brother to let me keep our shared car here so I can go to work and not put over half of my paychecks towards [new] car payments and insurance costs. However, my boss at work today said its a great investment because it will make me more reliable and independent. I have some thinking to do.
Also, I learned how to say "scoop" at work today. Its 'cuchara.' Hopefully I'll get to use some Spanish soon!
After work, I did not have much time to get to Trevor's house before our group meeting with other young parents near his town. I met a lot of new mommies, and most of their kids were very close to Adam's age. They are all a little bit younger than me and Trevor, but I feel that we will still get positive support from it. They took some of the kids into a separate play room, and Adam went too. His reaction to other little kids is so funny, because he acts so excited.
I felt like I had more to write about after leaving work today, but I forgot about half the things I wanted to say! Oh well. I also wanted to add that I am rethinking buying a car right now. I'll have to convince my brother to let me keep our shared car here so I can go to work and not put over half of my paychecks towards [new] car payments and insurance costs. However, my boss at work today said its a great investment because it will make me more reliable and independent. I have some thinking to do.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Progress!
I got the call I've been waiting for from the HR representative at the hospital I applied at a couple weeks ago. She asked me back for an interview, and its on Wednesday at 10am. I am really happy that things turned out to be moving just as they should. Just a few minutes after I set up my interview, Trevor got a call for one too in Chicago. We celebrated our good news by making noises with Adam, he was happy for us. Even though there's still no guarantee, I'm feeling confident that we will be hired within the next couple of weeks. Now its time to get my big-girl clothes on that have been sitting in my closet for a couple months. Now I can't stop thinking about what to do about my hair and makeup since I rarely ever do much with either!
My current boss offered to let me keep a day or two at the shop if I needed it. Its very tempting to have two jobs right now, considering my dad and I discussed the possibility of me getting my own car by July 5th. I honestly don't know if I can afford to pay $300/mo. just for a [brand new] car and insurance combined (that'd be a HUGE chunk of my paycheck) but at the same time, I am up for any suggestions! Just has to be made by GM.
Lastly, I wanted to also share that today was Adam's first time in a pool. We went to my grandma's condo's clubhouse pool and suited him up in just a Little Swimmers over his diaper. I don't think that's how its supposed to be done because his diaper area absorbed as much water as it possibly could and got HUGE! At first he would only put one foot in the water, it was pretty funny. He had fun after he realized that he can splash in the water. Also, babies love other little kids. He was trying to get all the kids' attention! He also enjoyed sitting with me and great-grandma at the pool side watching everyone play in the lap pool. Can't wait until he can talk and make some little buddies.
My current boss offered to let me keep a day or two at the shop if I needed it. Its very tempting to have two jobs right now, considering my dad and I discussed the possibility of me getting my own car by July 5th. I honestly don't know if I can afford to pay $300/mo. just for a [brand new] car and insurance combined (that'd be a HUGE chunk of my paycheck) but at the same time, I am up for any suggestions! Just has to be made by GM.
Lastly, I wanted to also share that today was Adam's first time in a pool. We went to my grandma's condo's clubhouse pool and suited him up in just a Little Swimmers over his diaper. I don't think that's how its supposed to be done because his diaper area absorbed as much water as it possibly could and got HUGE! At first he would only put one foot in the water, it was pretty funny. He had fun after he realized that he can splash in the water. Also, babies love other little kids. He was trying to get all the kids' attention! He also enjoyed sitting with me and great-grandma at the pool side watching everyone play in the lap pool. Can't wait until he can talk and make some little buddies.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Exhausted
Today I realized how the start of the day can greatly effect my mood throughout the rest of the day. My patience was tested pretty hard at home and at work. I was drained from my long day yesterday, which added to my short fuse. My mom and I were not getting along too well, and I bickered with my co-worker about how to make one of our menu items. Both situations were pointless arguments what really had no substantial value. I tried to focus on not letting the little things get to me anymore because I did not want the rest of my day to continue to go poorly.
It worked, for the most part. Summer league ultimate helped a lot. I liked meeting new people. My team is already gelling pretty well, which is always exciting. I played my good friend Aly's team today, and lost (but only by one point!). I will always remember it because they had our field set up, but the grass was not mowed. That definitely made the game interesting. I think if more people on my team were enthusiastic about my grass disguise plan, we would have come out on top.
After the game we went to a local bar for the post ultimate party. It was an experience that was hard to describe. They had a special for us, half priced pizzas and $3 pitchers of beer... but had 3 pizza crusts left and only really really flat watered down beer. The burger I ended up eating was really good, but I was not happy that I ended up spending $12 on dinner when it could have been more like $5.
No calls from the hospital yet. Maybe its time to start on more applications.
It worked, for the most part. Summer league ultimate helped a lot. I liked meeting new people. My team is already gelling pretty well, which is always exciting. I played my good friend Aly's team today, and lost (but only by one point!). I will always remember it because they had our field set up, but the grass was not mowed. That definitely made the game interesting. I think if more people on my team were enthusiastic about my grass disguise plan, we would have come out on top.
After the game we went to a local bar for the post ultimate party. It was an experience that was hard to describe. They had a special for us, half priced pizzas and $3 pitchers of beer... but had 3 pizza crusts left and only really really flat watered down beer. The burger I ended up eating was really good, but I was not happy that I ended up spending $12 on dinner when it could have been more like $5.
No calls from the hospital yet. Maybe its time to start on more applications.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Back to Normal
Today I went back to Illinois State's campus with Trevor for an orthopedic appointment for Adam. We also went to the student center to visit the people we used to work with. The general manager of McAlister's treated us to a free meal (which was awesome, considering I was used to paying $3.64 for a meal, and not full price!). It was nice having some place to 'belong' for a little while now that we don't live there anymore.
We also took care of a few errands around town before going to Miller Park Zoo for Adam's first zoo trip. The Human Resources Office in Bloomington was a complete mess, and I am looking forward to talking to people from DuPage County. So far, they appear to be more organized. Wednesday we have another appointment so I will be able to compare it better. They will not have to prick my finger, which is a huge plus!!
It was such a hot day, and a long one too! I went straight to work after getting home from Normal, and now I'm really exhausted. I'm ready to start summer league ultimate tomorrow, though! I am leaving for the fields pretty much right after work since I'm leading a carpool, and my team wants to be there early.
Still no response from the hospital cafeteria yet. Trevor found a lot more food service opportunities at other locations so I would appreciate a call sooner than later!!
We also took care of a few errands around town before going to Miller Park Zoo for Adam's first zoo trip. The Human Resources Office in Bloomington was a complete mess, and I am looking forward to talking to people from DuPage County. So far, they appear to be more organized. Wednesday we have another appointment so I will be able to compare it better. They will not have to prick my finger, which is a huge plus!!
It was such a hot day, and a long one too! I went straight to work after getting home from Normal, and now I'm really exhausted. I'm ready to start summer league ultimate tomorrow, though! I am leaving for the fields pretty much right after work since I'm leading a carpool, and my team wants to be there early.
Still no response from the hospital cafeteria yet. Trevor found a lot more food service opportunities at other locations so I would appreciate a call sooner than later!!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Catch-up Time
Turns out this blog is harder to keep up with than I thought! I've been working for almost three weeks now at the same place I worked in high school, and its a bittersweet reminder of what's next in life [working!]. I am very lucky to have a boss that is willing to let me move on to another job whenever the opportunity arises. I can tell its going to take awhile to sink in that I NEED to figure out my plan since school is not my cushion anymore. My biggest obstacle is money. That's what is standing between me and pursuing the next step in my dietetics career, the dietetic internship (DI). The second obstacle is deciding whether or not to get a Master's degree. I don't know how necessary it is right now.
Update on the hospital job search: I never called back the lady that I left a message for in the beginning of the summer. I was going to give her another call given the advice from friends and family, (and oddly enough, a customer my age that knows her since he works in the cafeteria at that hospital) but I applied to a cafeteria job online instead at a different location. I hope that that was the best move I could have made.
The day after I applied (yay), I got a phone call from the HR department. It think they liked me, but I was afraid that I was overqualified.... 6 years experience in food service, a bachelor's degree, and a safety and sanitation certification. Its a good feeling knowing I have some experience that can help me get a job. I just wish that experience could carry over more heavily into a more sound career. The HR lady basically screened me and made sure I was aware of all of the duties and scheduling responsibilities. Then I was told that she'd talk to the hiring manager, and then I'd her back from her if the hiring manager wants to interview me... and all that jazz. This is probably my least favorite part of job searching just because there is a lot of patience and I never know how long to wait before I should do anything. The HR lady commented also that if I don't hear from them over the phone, I should watch my email for updates. I'm not a fan of keeping up with e-mails while I'm transitioning from my college e-mail address, but if its what I have to do, I can do it.
I'll sign off this post with a MUST SEE clip of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Season 2, Episode 3 starting at 25:18 (25 minutes 18 seconds) What's in your icecream sundae? ... I'm going to do some investigating at my current job!
Update on the hospital job search: I never called back the lady that I left a message for in the beginning of the summer. I was going to give her another call given the advice from friends and family, (and oddly enough, a customer my age that knows her since he works in the cafeteria at that hospital) but I applied to a cafeteria job online instead at a different location. I hope that that was the best move I could have made.
The day after I applied (yay), I got a phone call from the HR department. It think they liked me, but I was afraid that I was overqualified.... 6 years experience in food service, a bachelor's degree, and a safety and sanitation certification. Its a good feeling knowing I have some experience that can help me get a job. I just wish that experience could carry over more heavily into a more sound career. The HR lady basically screened me and made sure I was aware of all of the duties and scheduling responsibilities. Then I was told that she'd talk to the hiring manager, and then I'd her back from her if the hiring manager wants to interview me... and all that jazz. This is probably my least favorite part of job searching just because there is a lot of patience and I never know how long to wait before I should do anything. The HR lady commented also that if I don't hear from them over the phone, I should watch my email for updates. I'm not a fan of keeping up with e-mails while I'm transitioning from my college e-mail address, but if its what I have to do, I can do it.
I'll sign off this post with a MUST SEE clip of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Season 2, Episode 3 starting at 25:18 (25 minutes 18 seconds) What's in your icecream sundae? ... I'm going to do some investigating at my current job!
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