Events

Recent events have been exciting and I need to provide an update.

First, starting last Monday, the 8th, I got a call for a job interview on a position I had applied for a few weeks back. I had given up hope on it, even though I knew I was well qualified. Anyway, I got the call Monday. Then Monday night was Aimee's first big fancy choir concert. It was at a major old theatre downtown and it was wonderful. Lots of Christmas carols from several different choirs, and we all sang carols while the choirs moved on and off the stage. There was a kid from each choir who read a part of the Christmas nativity story before each choir sang. It was a lovely evening, even though it was friggin' cold and I had volunteered to "usher". Sadly, there were no rowdies to eject, so ushering was not nearly as glamorous as I had hoped.

Then Wednesday I had my job interview. I walked out feeling good, like I had been able to answer all the questions well. There was only one that I had to talk out of my ass, but they seemed to like what I had to say. By the time I got home, there was a message from my new prospective boss asking me to forward my references. He told me that assuming they checked out okay, I would be offered the job. I sent him my references and my salary and vacation expectations.

Thursday I heard from my current boss that they had done the reference check and by Friday I had a verbal job offer agreeing to everything I had asked for. The job takes the part of my current job that I like the best, and puts it into a 4-day-a-week position. I like the people I will work with and the hospital is close to home - no more driving. It will be very good to branch out into a bigger organization and into acute care - good for my career, good for my personal interest level, good for life balance. The whole thing is very appealing.

However.

I don't think I realized how much I will miss oncology and the people I work with now. It has been really hard telling people. I keep thinking of patients I looked after and people I have worked with. I have spent the better part of this week fighting tears and hugging people (I don't hug. This is major). It's going to be really hard. Guess it was time for a new Formative Experience. This is definitely the devil I don't know, but have a good gut feeling about it.

Ok, so that was exciting, but back to Thursday for a minute. The kids had their school Christmas concerts that night. Jack played the Principal in his - it was singing and rhyming about a snow day. It was very cute, and he even looked very spiffy in his Valu Village suit, despite his shaggy pink hair. This was of course the suit he informed me he needed on Tuesday morning ("Oh, mom, I need a suit. For tomorrow."). The kids were great - obviously very well rehearsed - everyone knew where to go and when.

Then Aimee's concert followed. She played the title character - a little girl who wanted to be a deputy Santa but got the gears for being a girl. She was so good, singing solos and speaking all her lines perfectly. She had us all in tears, it was so sweet. It too was incredibly well produced, and so enjoyable.

The Friday I had the consult with the ophthalmologist who was booked to do my laser eye surgery (tomorrow). Turns out I am not a candidate - something about my eyeballs makes it more likely I will experience long-term complications requiring cornea transplants - a risk not worth taking. So here I sit, looking through dirty glasses (still), and wishing I could swim/ski/run outside but glad to have the vision I have. Not the end of the world - especially since I had already mentally written off the cost of the surgery and now I feel like I found money. Think I'll get new glasses.

So it was a very busy and exciting week. Somewhere in there I also finished off the last requirements for my most recent course and found out I got 95.5% for the term. Yay me! Trevor called me an obsessive compulsive perfectionist, but I'll take it. I am more than half done my Master's degree.

This week, I have accepted the new job and given my notice. People have been very kind, I feel like I will be missed. Things are winding down for the kids at school and Christmas is ramping up. I have 1 more present to get, with the possibility of a second thing, and some are even wrapped. I listen to Christmas carols all day at work and as I'm trying not to freeze my ass off. Poor dogs agree, I don't think either has pooped in about 3 days - too damned cold to go outside. But I love Christmas, despite the weather. We're going on a sleigh ride Sunday and Aimee and I are going to the ballet on Monday. We'll get dressed all fancy. Can't wait to see if everyone likes their presents.

So in the event that I don't make it back to blog in time, Merry Christmas to all (both?) of my fans, and best wishes for the New Year, whatever it may bring.