down to the wire

So here we are, about five weeks before I have to leave. I'm not going to talk about the emotional-ness associated with it just yet and stick to the logistics.

I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO :|
I have no idea how I'm going to get everything done, and even more so I have no idea how I'm going to get the motivation to do everything I need to do. But, for now, here is a to-do list.


To Do Before Leaving:

• Finalize leaving date!!!!
• Organize clothes
• Pack clothes
• Sort kitchen stuff
• Pack kitchen stuff
• Find and order a mattress at a decent price
• Look into shipping costs for mildly big things
• Apparently try to find a job for 5 weeks 
• ...who knows. I feel like there is so so SO much more to do to prepare to leave but it's impossible! I have no money or... I don't know. I don't know how to figure out how to get ready for living across the country :S. 

Sigh, I'm pretty overwhelmed. I don't know what to do...

i think i can

So apparently this job dream is a true story. I will essentially be coordinating a new business in Vancouver. I'm gaining more and more confidence in my ability to do it, I just have to keep reminding myself that I'm not a kid with expendable income just working to keep her parents happy anymore. I shall have an adult job with business responsibilities.

BUSINESS responsibilities?! Did I EVER think I would be having business responsibilities?!?

I can picture it happening though. The nerd in me pictures the charts and the files necessary for good matches, the neat conversations with parents and staff, and even going back to my Don skills to deal with a complaint. It's EXCITING. I just have to keep reminding myself I'm completely capable of doing it. It's almost like an internalized ageism thing. It's like sometimes I think I can't do it just because of my age, but that's ridiculous. Positive thinking is half the work :).

What sucks the most, kind of, is that I will probably be going two weeks earlier than expected. Technically they'd love to start the service July 1st, but that's impossible for me. I will be going around the 18th probably (Bill and I still have to work out the details) in order to start coordinating interviews and orientation for staff. The cool thing is that they're going to cover my living expenses for those two weeks since my lease doesn't start until August 1st.

This is the real world.


In other news, I'm super excited that my Grad party is tomorrow!!! I'm really sad 'Tale won't be able to be there, Daisy too, but it's still going to be awesome. It's kind of weird - for most people it'll be my good bye party too! It feels all too fast. I can't even afford furniture yet! I picture myself in my bachelor apartment with hardwood floors, wall to wall windows, surrounded by suitcases and sleeping on piles of laundry when I'm not hunched over my laptop on the floor in one corner. Or on my cell phone dealing with CLIENTS!!!!

Eek.

extremes

So Tuesday morning I was extremely unemployed. To be honest, I'm still extremely unemployed at this point and time. Tuesday afternoon, I reluctantly dragged myself to a job interview for a Child Care Provider position with an on-call high class child care service. When I sat down for the interview, though, the man said he was really excited about my resume (p.s. my resume rocks, just saying. I ♥ resumes :)) and the fact that I'm going to Vancouver; he wants me to essentially launch the service in Vancouver as the coordinator :|. This would involve hiring staff, connecting staff with clients, taking complaints, everything. It's absolutely insane. On Thursday I'll be meeting with a whole bunch of the other people from the company to ensure that this is the right fit, and if all goes well, that's what I'll be doing as soon as I get out to Vancouver.

Can you believe that?! This only happens in my delusions of grandeur!


I'm a little bit iffy about it being a for-profit service. I am, however, going to be responsible for the quality of my staff, etc. and so I feel good being able to ensure quality for the children this service would serve. I'm really quite excited about it. This is another thing, though, that I'm worried will be taken away as quickly as it was given.

I'm getting more and more confident, though, that I can do this job. I can take complaints and help find solutions, I can ensure quality staff and service, I can coordinate staff and client needs. I can read people. I LOVE reading people.

I can do this.


Probably.

happy birthday, mommy!

Today, Saturday, June 12th, is my beautiful mom's birthday, and this post is dedicated to her.

My mom is by far one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. My entire life she has taught us about the simple value of doing nice things for others. Whether she was putting anonymous birthday balloons on front doors, handing out candy canes to neighbourhood kids, bringing coffee to neighbourhood teachers on the last night of summer, or hosting a mini adult booth during halloween, I have spent my entire life witnessing my mom doing nice things for the people in our community. She has always, always, always gone above and beyond for every person she meets, let alone the people she lives among.

One of my favourite of these times happened at a hockey game. There was this wonderful woman selling beer, and a lot of people were snickering because they were unsure if she was a woman or a man. My wonderful mom, however, started one of those epic conversations she tends to have with strangers. Turns out this happy, boisterous woman has a 10ish year old daughter who is a brilliant entrepreneur: she has started a small business that raises money for a good cause and her mother uses the tips she earns to help fund her daughter's business. I think that's the story anyway. Either way, my likeable, personable mother became such quick friends with this woman and said a warm goodbye towards the end of the game. After they parted, however, my mom returned to her and tipped her an extra twenty dollars. It may seem small, but it was so special to that woman.

Mom is always so willing to recognize where she can share her privilege with people who might need it.

Knowing this, it might be obvious that she is also such a caring, giving person to us: her family. My mother consistently (and I mean CONSISTENTLY) puts all five of us (animals included) before herself. The last to sit down, the last to eat, the last to relax, my mom is like a bee buzzing around to make sure we are all taken care of, despite her sore back and her own needs. It is always very clear that we are her life. She's not only a great mom, but our whole lives she has been working so hard to try to be the best for us. She is always trying to figure out the best way to connect with us, the things she'd like for us to learn, and wonderful things to do with us. What I love most, however, is the way we've been able to connect as friends now that I am older. My favourite times lately have been being able to have really interesting conversations about intelligent things with her. I love that we can talk about human rights and discrimination, current events, anything really, because my mom is actually quite brilliant. She's taught me the most through those talks - when she didn't even think she was.

She has been the best example that any of us could ever have dreamed of, and the saddest part is that she doesn't even know it. She is so hard on herself and doesn't understand all of the amazing ways she has shaped our lives, and the lives of people she hardly knows. I love my mom so much. She is a hilarious, smart, empathetic, giving, strong person who can talk to anyone, and I wish she knew it as much as I do. She deserves the world.

And, of course, can you believe she's 59 today?! 

♥ ♥ Happy Birthday, Mom! ♥ ♥

five letters

The last 48 hours have been extremely graduation-focused. Yesterday we trekked up to Brock for the Graduation dinner. I wasn't extremely sure what the dinner was for, but I knew no one I talked to knew what the heck I was talking about. Turns out it was an extension of the celebration for people who received medals, so that was pretty cool!! I didn't know a soul there except my family and the cafeteria staff, but it was really cool to have dinner with the Dean who would give me my medal, not to mention to return to LOWENBERGER. It was REALLY cool because there was an open bar, so I got to drink in the Berg Cafeteria! (I know, I kind of need a life). See how my dad's name tag if you look closely says "Guest of Jennifer Moule". nbd. 

This morning I woke up and put on MORE make up (that was a lot of make up for two days) and got ready to GRADUATE :D. It was kind of a long and awkward ordeal for pre-graduation, and I made a promise that I would actually make friends in my classes next year, if only so I know people at graduation. It was so awesome to come into the gym - not only were my parents in VIP but I was sitting right at the end (by fluke) that was right by them! Getting my degree was really cool, also nice to hear "first class standing" after my name. I got a cool extra yellow rope hanging from my neck indicating the first class thing. Then after I got my degree, which was exciting in itself, I had to sit somewhere different with two other girls until I was called up to get my medal. It was really exciting, and a lot of people came up to me with congratulations afterwards.

I think the post-grad situation was my favourite part, actually. My parents and I chose the degree/photo frames I would be getting, and got some pictures with profs. They said some really really nice things to my parents about me :). I feel bad that I'm not sticking around at Brock, because working with Rebecca and just being in the atmosphere of Brock's CHYS program is something that I know would be amazing. I'm afraid UBC won't be open to the kind of stuff I want to do.

I'm so excited to finally have my first degree. I am half way done the accumulation of letters after my name: Jennifer Moule, E.C.E., B.A.. Five out of ten so far :) very exciting! Then of course I had to go over to Lowenberger for one last visit:

Thanks for stopping by :).

why do i watch this crap?: the bachelorette

I've decided that being bored and jobless has resulted in two things (aside from the assumed pseudo-poverty, loneliness, and "no good" reputation): I watch a lot of mostly stupid TV and I want to blog always. Oh, and that I have very little to actually blog about, so three things. Either way, this led to the 2 am conclusion that an occasional part of my blog will be entries called "why do i watch this crap?" (for some reason I like to boycott capitals in my titles), and what better way to start that off than talking about The Bachelorette.

why i've ended up watching it

For some reason, since last summer, The Bachelorette has become a ritual for not only me and my family, but for Kay to come over as well. We spend every Monday night sitting in the general vicinity of this show, often rolling our eyes, while we secretly relish the deliciously formulated drama, emo sulking (often over a balcony railing), and fake giggling. Oh, and hot men of course. 

what i don't like about it

This show is by far the absolute top of my list of very stupid shows that I inexplicably watch, right above Toddlers in Tiaras. Though very (VERY) slightly less personally offending than The Bachelor, The Bachelorette stands for everything I'm against. Aside from the fact that its contestants(??) drop the F word ("forever") about a zillion times an episode, they spend the entirety of their on-air time trying to convince us that they think this TV show is not only a valid but an infallible avenue to true-love-and-happy-marriage. This not only strongly counters my belief that pretty much nothing results in the much hyped true-love-and-happy-marriage life, but also shocks me that The Bachelorette and her subjects don't vomit when they hear themselves say it, let alone each other. It sounds more like a big party of delusionals and pathological liars than suitors and their meat princess.

In all honesty, I could go on forever about why I strongly dislike The Bachelorette, from the very first obligatory suitor video-biography featuring his manliness, his dog, and his echoed story of falling in love with a manufactured character on the previous season of The Bachelor, to that same suitor's fit of rage/sorrow/assholeness as he doesn't receive The Rose. (The rose, by the way, that I bet most of them would have been too insecure to receive from a girl were they not on a TV show). In addition to its large serving of cheese is the, of course, blatant heterosexism and hegemonic masculinity blasted across the screen. (That's a line I should copy and paste for the next crappy TV show review, because, sadly, it rarely changes).

what i do like about it
It did take me a bit to try to figure out what I enjoy about The Bachelorette, and I have decided on two things (other than how much I enjoy a good critique): hot men, Canadiana.

As previously mentioned, I do appreciate the amount of attractive that is on this show. And Ali (seen above) does seem to find clever ways to get them mostly naked through promises of her love (or at least knowing their name). But really, you can find that most places on TV, and hopefully in less delusional men.

The show, especially last season, does seem to have a large portion of Canadian content. Last season, The Bachelorette herself was actually a Canadian, leading to a lot of the show actually being filmed in Canada! This season three of the guys have been Canadian, one of whom left early, and two of whom were immediately deemed the villains, which is interesting. On top of this, this week's episode's naked men featurette (cleverly disguised as "group dates" - if that isn't a day-time TV innuendo I don't know what is) was filming a Barenaked Ladies music video! I say kudos to BNL for shamelessly exploiting these Americans' true search for love as a plug for their new album and Canadian music.

It's gotta be good for something, right?

and then down again

Signing my lease was a very momentous occasion for me. It was my first lease ever - my first taste of that infamous and previously theoretical "real world" I've been blogging about. We finally heard back from the elusive Dante, the landlord for my hopeful place, on Saturday morning. He was all for signing me for the apartment, which was a relief. He said a lot about hoping for a quiet tenant, and I discovered that being an ex-Don does a lot for your credibility as a quality tenant.

At about 1PM we arrived back at the apartment building (occasionally referred to as Dante's Paradise because I'm just that cool) and met the real life Dante. He was super young, and super awesome, and super professional, and was wearing pink shoes. We went over the details and then I SIGNED THE LEASE!!!! He's going to e-mail me the dimensions of the apartment so I can start planning my decor :D. After taking some neighbourhood scenery pictures (to be posted at a later date), mom and I returned to the trendy neighbourhood shopping district and ate at Browns Social House.

This is when the enthusiasm transformed into emo. My very first thought in this restaurant/bar was I can't wait to bring Todd and 'Tale to this place, followed by the realization that, if at all, this will only happen once. I got so sad. I so badly want to deposit those two and many others into Vancouver. I feel like it's where I belong but I also don't feel like I belong anywhere without them. It is so, so bittersweet - emphasis on the bitter. I don't know how I'm going to be able to handle it. I feel lonely when none of them are even online, what will I do when that's all I have?

time to experience... Dante's Paradise

Ok so the first virtual tour was interesting but turned out to be ultimately useless. As previously mentioned, LaDawn stepped into natural light and I realized our one night stand was maybe a mistake.

Feast your eyes instead on Dante's Paradise. A lovely building in the very hip Kitsilano neighbourhood, between the very hip 4th Avenue shopping district and the, of course, hip Kits beach. Why yes, I live by a beach... maybe I'll start sitting on a beach with at least my head uncovered by a towel. Who knows! The pictures that follow are not as good as the other place. They're for some reason not as good quality and the apartment isn't decorated as nicely, so use your imaginations.

Welcome to the virtual tour. When you enter this apartment, which is on the first floor but not on the ground floor, since it's on a hill and faces the MOUNTAINS, you can see the awesome new hardwood floor. You look to the left and see the first closet, which is a pretty decent size. Across the hall from the closet, on the right side when you walk into the apartment, is an interesting room. It's bigger than this picture tells. It would fit a queen size bed but with little room around it, if that helps, size-wise. In this room, with it's back to its wall, is the other closet which is bigger.

Once you pass the front entranceway, you see the large bathroom on the left after the closet. Everything in the bathroom is new, so it's nice it's a bigger room:

After that is the kitchen on the right side. It's quite a bit smaller than the other apartment but the appliances are just as good. The nicest thing about the kitchen is on the wall facing the windows. It has a cut out window looking into the main living area. It's really quite cool... you can't see it in this picture though lol. It's hard to see most of the kitchen because it's pretty small. The cupboards are newer though.

So that's the kitchen. After the kitchen is the main area. If you pass the kitchen you get to the area in which she kept her bed. There you can see the window from the kitchen, and the shelves above it.

When you turn to face the wall on the left, you can see it extends a bit longer, making room for a bigger bed or whatever I want, which is really nice. 

Then you turn further left and see just a part of the wall to wall, floor to ceiling windows and balcony. It's connected to others' balconies, but you can see that it's much further from the neighbours behind.

Then you turn further left and see her essentially completely unused area. I'd like it for a couch and television and all that. I haven't completely decided my usage of this space, but I'm really looking forward to figuring it all out. There are so many awesome possibilities!! (excuse Becca in the middle. This is not a very revealing picture either, but just use your imagination).

When you turn further left you see where she has her desk/kitchen table. The cool thing is that, since Becca was with us she knew to ask if the tenant had any furniture they would want to leave behind. She said she definitely wanted to leave behind the table. I'm thinking I might want to put it in the first room by the front door and use that as my office. I would need a lot of lighting, but could be very cool. 

That ends the apartment. It's important to realize that I didn't take great pictures because I didn't think I was taking the place. In fact, I was kind of grumpy that I was there at all. I can't wait to take even better pictures for everyone to see!! Especially after I decorate it :). 

To conclude the virtual tour, the following picture is important:

That's correct... if you look closely enough you'll notice that I live around the corner from a store called "Spank".

And that's all I have to say about that. Thanks for taking the tour! 

the dark side of LaDawn

I think I've changed my mind about the previously posted apartment lol. I went back there today and the caretaker we met this time was super sketchy. He kept making all these obviously fake promises and was very iffy. Also, it was a lot smaller than I remembered it.

It also reminded me that the place I saw yesterday was actually the same size, though I thought it was smaller. It was also in an absolutely amazing location. It's two blocks from the beach and two blocks from an awesome shopping district. It's also in really hip Kisilano and much closer to the school. What's cool about this place is that it has this cove room-type thing. I think I'm going to use it as my office/food prep/eating area, especially since the kitchen is a bit smaller.

The only problem so far is that we found the apartment through a girl who works at the pharmacy who is moving. Just an hour ago I finally got contact information for the landlord. I'm supposed to leave Vancouver at like 6am tomorrow. We might have to postpone the leaving, but I'm trying really hard to come home SOMETIME tomorrow because of Todd's birthday and because I'm supposed to be volunteering at the Pride Picnic on Sunday.

Bah.

Pictures when it's more certain lol.

LaDawn

I have finally found an apartment!! WOOOOOOO.

I will be living at LaDawn (hahaha) at 8739 Osler St!!! It is in Marpole area which isn't per se the hippest area but it's homey and I can walk to the things I need to and bus to the places I'd like to visit. It was a hard decision because today we saw another bachelor apartment. It was a lot smaller than the Osler place but it was in such a happening neighbourhood. It was hard to decide what was most important. I kind of like, though, that this place is kind of removed from the bustle. Also, this place is a lot closer to the family and community services I will want to volunteer, work, or study with.

WOO!!!

Anyway, feast your eyes on my lovely apartment. Some less favourable pictures of the other apartments are soon to follow.

LaDawn in all her glory.

Granted, the outside (if you can tell) looks kind of tacky and very 80's. 

See also my apartment from the outside:

It is the top floor of three floors, so it is that top balcony! It's lovely because it's not fully covered which will be nice in the sun, though not great in the rain. But still awesome. It also faces North so it'll never have too much or too little sun :).  

These inner pictures will be a replica of my future apartment. Unfortunately I couldn't see my actual apartment but this is exactly the same. I also love how the resident of this one decorated hers. She was wicked and she'll be my underneath neighbour. I will also be living right beside the caretaker so I'll be nice and secluded with no noisy neighbours beside or above me. 

When you first enter the apartment, this closet, one of TWO big closets, is on the left (I think) and the bathroom is on the right. The bathroom isn't huge, but there is such amazing closet space and everything in the bathroom (including in my actual apartment) is new!  

After the closet is the kitchen. This kitchen is quite big compared to others we saw. I also appreciated that it is contained so that the heat from the stove won't make the apartment too hot. Everything in there, of course, is also new :)

Then you enter the living area, looking back at the kitchen area looks like this. Notice the awesome decorating. To the right there is where the tenant put her desk/eating table area. She had a really big table so it could be multipurpose but she also managed to have decoration around it. 

Then you turn to the right and see where she had her living room area. It's really nice that she could fit a couch and a television in that corner. I'm thinking about having a futon as a couch for visitors.

Sorry, the size is necessary. First of all, notice how she used those tower shelves to separate the different "rooms". Also, it's just really nice in here. Everything fits so nicely even though she had pretty big furniture. PS. Just as a side note, cable and internet is expensive. Cheapest cable/internet bundles are about $70! I keep trying to convince myself that I don't need cable, but it's not working.

Turning further right is the wall-to-wall window and door out to the huge balcony. No picture could do it justice, so I won't bother. Then you turn further right to the bedroom type area:

First of all, I love her decorations. Secondly, I LOVE how she can fit a double/queen bed in there. I am SO set on a big bed. I also love how the bedroom can feel a bit separated without needing walls. As you can see to the right of the bed is ANOTHER huge closet:

I like how it's huge and that it already has some organization in there! Including a SHOE RACK!! It's very very exciting how much awesome storage this place has :D. 

So that is my NEW FREAKING APARTMENT!!! To conclude, this is the view down my sidewalk:

Thank you for reading :).

vancouver day one

Today there wasn't a lot of Vancouveriness. I did spend a lot of time chatting with someone I knew from high school who is living in Vancouver now. He's going to kind of be my friend in Van, which is really nice. Friends are important when you move far away.

Tomorrow, though I'm now going to see FIVE apartments!! 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 5pm, 7pm. Hopefully by tomorrow night I'll know where I'm going to live and can secure it on Thursday!

I really love the culture here. We walked to groceries, wine, and pizza, and there's so much variety!! I'm so excited to check out the neighbourhood of wherever I'm going to live. Hopefully then it will really sink in. Bah!! I can't freaking wait. I secretly hope I can't find a summer job (though I'm trying like CRAZY) so that I can officially move here on August 1st. I just want to settle in! This is an absolutely amazing place to live. I need to stayyyy...

I'm never going to want to leave.


Hopefully this isn't like the Service Desk job lol.