In Other News

Oh hey.

I've experienced a bit of a writing lull lately. I've taken over a month off, which was completely unintentional. I've had a lot of things I wanted to write about, but I just didn't. I'm approaching my 6 month anniversary of finishing my MA, and I think maybe it's taken me this long to recuperate. I've been enjoying the freedom of having an event or something I've read spark an idea, ruminate on that thought for a couple of days, and then not have to write about it because I don't have any deadlines or due dates!

Anyway, since life has been forging mightily on, I thought I'd do some pointed updates:

On the job front:
I start a new job as a receptionist/computer wizard on Wednesday. It's at a family medical clinic, where my coworkers are three doctors (two of whom also specialize in obstetrics and gynaecology), a nurse, and another receptionist. I've been doing training there twice a week for about five weeks, and I really love it. I will own up to the fact that I didn't think I would. But the staff are so lovely, and I've witnessed everyone there, on more than one occasion, go out of their way to help a patient. It's probably the first environment I've worked in that wasn't driven by competitiveness, and I think it's making me a more patient and kind person.

Starting this new job means I've left one of the Shoppers where I worked (at one point this summer, I was working at three locations). I'm staying on at one of the Beauty Boutiques to work a few shifts a month.

Makeup and such:
While we're talking about Shoppers: I'm going on a makeup-purchasing hiatus. The biggest perk of working in makeup (if you like makeup) is the freebies. Over the past few months, I've been inundated with free stuff from every company. Add that to my occasional purchase, and my makeup stores are overflowing. Thus my self-imposed spending ban until January 2015. I will miss buying makeup so. much.

On the nail front, I've started using Jamberry nail wraps. My sister sells them, and I am hooked. Don't worry: I still love nail polish, but it's nice to have some fancy nails that require no drying time every now and then. (And if you want to order some really cool designs for Christmas, you can order from Kayla's site.)

Culture, or something like it:
I've spent a lot of time at the NAC lately. I saw a staging of The Importance of Being Earnest, and it was absolutely fantastic. It's no secret how much I love Oscar Wilde (I have his words inked on my foot, lest we forget), but I had never seen the play performed before. I laughed and cried and enjoyed every single minute, which we know is true because I didn't check my phone once during the performance.

I also saw the musical Once, which was very well done, but definitely doesn't enter the ranks as one of my favourite musicals. The staging was cool, but the music, for a musical, was bland, and the storyline was too simple, and too easily resolved. It did make me want to go to Ireland immediately, though.

I've been reading some excellent books these past few months. Most notable are my friend Stacey Matson's book A Year in the Life of a Total and Complete Genius, which was recently likened to the work of David Sedaris, who is a god among comedy writers; and Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay, which is a collection of a essays that made me laugh and cry every chapter. I've also re-read Bill Bryson's Shakespeare: The World as Stage and remembered how incredible that book is. Please read all of these.

I'm really into One Direction lately, and I'm not ashamed in the slightest to admit that. While I like to think I've changed a great deal since I was 14, in many ways I am exactly the same; this is best shown through my insatiable love of boy bands. Also, The Piano Guys released a new album, where they cover a One Direction song, and that's been my other album of choice.

Other things:
I met Alan Doyle in October, which was great. He opened this fall's Ottawa Writer's Festival, and it was an excellent interview. He sang and told stories, and he met with everyone afterwards to sign books. I told him that I'd been waiting for 15 years to meet him, and he said that he wasn't worth that. And we laughed, and we talked about Great Big Sea's album Turn, and then we hugged and took a selfie. Naturally.

Starbucks has introduced a new Christmas drink: the chestnut praline latte. If you love yourself, you will try one of these immediately.

I dyed my hair blonde in September. I love it. Others tell me they love it. It feels like a resounding success all 'round. I suppose in this way, I'm still like 14 year old me, too, as that was the last time I was blonde. It hasn't worked out too poorly, though, I supposed, channelling a younger me...

I've been learning to make soup, which sounds like the easiest thing in the world. And it is! Except I didn't think so. But now I can make a few different soups and I am impressed with myself.

I've been to the Apple store every week for the past four weeks. They know me by name now. I suppose I'm lucky that everything is breaking before my year's warranty is up.

I've accomplished 7 of my 10 goals for 2014! I checked my list this morning, and I'm quite pleased with myself. I've failed miserably at two of them ("only eating McDonald's once a month" and "go camping") but we can add them all to next year's list.


That's all I can think of at the moment. It's felt good to get my fingers typing again. But now I have to stop because I've put Love Actually in the DVD player for it's inaugural seasonal viewing.

-Jillz
______________________________________
Current book: Where I Belong - Alan Doyle
Current TV show: The Good Wife season 6
Current nail colour: "Natural Pink" - Revlon Colorstay

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