Forging Ahead

You know how you get a song stuck in your head...my head is currently playing "Guantanamera" from Ry Cooder's Buena Vista Social Club album. I don't even know why - I haven't heard it in a few months at least.

So tomorrow my new boss (due to the acquisition - see my previous post) will be visiting the office with a couple of administrator-type people. We'll have an opportunity to ask some questions about how their day-to-day stuff works, like paydays and other nitty-gritties. I am the kind of person who would rather know the worst possible news, than sit and wonder what's going on. Not that I am expecting bad news; but you know what I mean.

Also had a bit of a tete-a-tete with a company rep today, who has dealt with our new employer. The conversation went a long way to put our minds (mine and my colleague's) at ease about working for this particular company.

So, all that being said, I am feeling encouraged!

Direct your feet to the sunny side of the street...

For the past couple of months I've been pursuing a job with a different brokerage - I had a couple of different leads, each in the Ottawa area. The first place didn't pan out; they couldn't decide what they wanted to hire for. The second seemed really promising. I had a great interview and got good feedback from both the recruiter, and from my references. All signs were pointing to an offer coming my way - and then they hired someone else. Apparently the other candidate was someone they liked just as well, but who had more commercial lines experience. So for that I can't blame them, but I'm definitely disappointed; feel like someone took the wind out of my sails. They mentioned they'd consider hiring me for personal lines but there's no way. I am not at all looking to go back to personal lines; talk about regressing in my career!

So, I had hoped my update would be a bit more exciting; but it is what it is. At my current office, my employers of 13 years are retiring and the business has now been acquired by a brokerage based in Campbellford. My job is not in danger; if anything, this will open up a lot of new commercial markets to me, and for that I'm excited - it'll be a learning opportunity for me, as well as a chance to provide even better service to my clients.

In other news, we're living in the country now, about 25 minutes north of the city. The kids love it. My sister-in-law's dog lives with us (they live in a house that isn't suitable for the dog) and the kids love her too. B is enjoying being in the country again. This is the house he grew up in (we're living with his dad). I can't say that I *love* it. I like the city. If I was single with no kids, I'd live in the city in a heartbeat. It suits my lifestyle. But having a yard, having a lot of privacy, not having a ton of people around - it's good for the kids. I'm grateful that my father-in-law had the space available for us when we needed it. And the local grocery store has a combination LCBO/The Beer Store attached. I will say that, the two days a week I get to commute by myself, I enjoy the drive. And J likes his new school and his teacher seems good. Trying really hard to find all the positives.

We're over, Prison Break

Jesus Christ on toast.

The FUCKING FUCKING FUCKING FUCKING BASTARDS at FOX have killed one of the best drama series of my adult life, when they decided to decapitate Sara Tancredi.

I can't even go into it. Michael and Sara no sooner expressed their love for each other, than they were ripped apart, and now they've killed her off. I'm done with the show. I am LIVID.

Update

I absolutely promise a real update on my life, soon. I hope within the next 48 hours or so. :) It'll be worth it!

People just don't square dance like they used to...

...or at least not at a downtown drugstore in Kingston. Which was why I was really pretty surprised to see a middle-aged woman duded up in what was presumably her best square dance duds at 5:45 pm on a Thursday. Not one of those pretty frilly, lacy, satiny ones, that I admit I used to covet, ca 1979 or so, watching old reruns of Grand Ole Opry on PBS on Saturday nights. This was a long-sleeved button-up blouse with a country-and-western theme print on it and a matching skirt with a HUGEASS crinoline under it. With a 'kerchief at the neck. And of course, cowgirl boots.

Some outfits just don't translate into the outside world.