New update about me.

Well I've brought up pursuing more school to my dad while I was staying with my parents this past Christmas holiday.

He didn't seem disappointed or convincing of me otherwise which was quite nice. I laid out all the facts and reasons of why I've been thinking about school. It looked like he understood and accepted it all.

I verbally said I'm going to give it 6 more months from now (dec 07) to see if work becomes more busy, stimulating and challenging for me. If it doesn't get better or just a little bit better than how it is now, I will seriously persue a different avenue.

Computer Information systems does offer a wide range of career opportunities, so why not attempt it? Hmmm...one good thing is that if I get a student loan (not sure if I'd be approved though) I won't have to start paying it back until 6 months after I'm done the program.

Something to keep an eye on I guess.

Festival of Lights

There was a light festival on top of Connaught Hill in PG. The idea was to drive around the top of the hill and view the colorful displays of lights. My parents and I went there on

Dec. 23rd.
Here are a few of the displays. Candycane fence leading to the Gingerbread house.
Here is a barn decorated quite festivally. (Is that a word?)
This is Santa's toy shop. Notice Santa on the top of the house.
Reindeer launching themselves off a ramp and....parachuting to the ground.

Christmas gifts for everyone!

I got Caitlin a Mommy Planning Calender. She'll be a new mommy in March.

I customized a t-shirt for Dave. On the front it said 007 and on the back "undercover". He's a huge fan.

Tenille and her new cookbooks by Rachael Ray.

Dad with his new/used golf clubs and bag.

Cat tree that Brad made for Tenille and Dave.

Mom opening her NEW computer. She really needed one.

Dave bringing in Dad's present. Boy, was he surprised!!

Brad aiming at Croquenol.

Dad aiming at Croquenol.
End of Christmas day, family playing Dutch Blitz...a vonderful goot game.

Did any of you browsing through my pics notice I'm not in any of them?? Yes it's true! I rarely get caught in a picture taking moment. I really don't know why forsure but I have hunchs. Hmmm....so I just thought I'd clarify if anyone was wondering :)

Christmas 2007

Here is the Christmas tree of 2007. It's a bit loaded up but I think it only looks really

full is because of the oversized gifts that couldn't fit under the tree.

CHRISTMAS QUESTIONS

I stole this from Hillary's blog. I hope you enjoy it!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or artificial?
Fake. Where I live there's a 7.5ft fake tree with fake presents underneath. At my parent's place there's also a 7.5 ft fake tree...with lots of real presents.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually after Dec. 1st

4. When do you take the tree down?
Probably the wknd after Boxing day. Mom usually decides that.

5. Do you like egg nog?
No. I'm not a huge fan of creamy, thick drinks.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Probably the "Barbie & the Rockers" cafe.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
My parents do. It's under the tree right now but when that tree starts bustling with gifts, it'll move of course.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
This year it was my middle sister and both brother-in-laws.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
Probably DAD. He's thankful for everything he gets. If he fakes it, no one can tell.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail. I feel important and thought about when someone spends money on a stamp for me.
11 . Worst Christmas gift you ever received????
Not sure....if I received a bad gift, I may have blocked out that memory.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Probably a tie between "A Christmas Story" and "Christmas with the Kranks". Very funny.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Usually Sept but got a late start this year....October. haha

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I really doubt it.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
My Nuts n' Bolts mixture. It's been a tradition of mine for about 3-4 years.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Colored but in one color...blue is nice.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Almost anything from the Transiberian Orchestra.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
I travelled every year after 2000 to my parent's place. In 2004 and 2005 I travelled about 5 min to my parent's place....this year will be a 2.5 hr drive.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
Dasher, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, Dancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid...and that was without looking them up.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
I believe it's an angel....I could be wrong.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Morning! Dad is the most excited. He used to declare "HO HO HO" at 7am. Nowadays it's about 8am when we start.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Too much snow!!!! And believe me, I've had too much at one time...what a hassle.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I like uniformity, theme, color coordination.

24. Favorite part of Christmas dinner?
Dessert.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A family that will get along perfectly....even if there are gag gifts and it seems silly.

26. Gift Cards. Yes, I like them, or No, too impersonal?
They're a bit impersonal but I think if you cannot physically get to that store but the receiver can, then go for it.

27. If yes, where from? If No, best place to shop for your present?
Starbucks is a must. Ikea is nice but even I can't get there as often as I'd like, LL Bean, Amazon, Chapters

Thoughts of changing careers....

Lately I've been thinking of new job/career choices that I could make. I'm not sure Pharmacy is my "thing" because I'm not very people-caring oriented. There are new developments slowly being made in pharmacy but they are patient centered which calls for patient interaction, and I'm thinking that's not for me. It's scary and nerve-racking.

So my next idea was drafting....not necessarily to become an Architect because that takes about 7 years but just a drafter. I still need to research what that actually means though. I don't know what else I could do. What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What makes me shine? Hmmm....I guess I gotta do some "soul" searching.

So for me to move on and change my way of life requires going back to school, which is cool but scary, possibly moving (again) and maybe living as a "starving student". Yuck! Hmmm....

Maybe I'll read through the programs offered at the closest University or College and see if any of them would work for me?

TO BE CONTINUED...

Certifications as a Pharmacy Technician

Today at 1000 I went to a neighboring hospital to work in the pharmacy for a change. I'm working on being certified as a chemo mixing tech...which means I could be mixing chemo drugs and other IV meds for administration to hospital patients. Cool eh? Then I'd get another raise but this certification training will take quite a bit longer than my last cert.
Sure is nice to have this opportunity to upgrade myself as a Pharm Tech in such a large organization that I belong to.

Anyhoo, not sure what else to talk about....I noticed my buddy, Hillary, is keeping her blog quite uptodate so I felt I should too. We almost never talk on the phone as it's long distance but we could still make the call.

I'm almost completed my Christas shopping. I'm in the "big" city this wknd so should be able to finish. Yay! I don't usually take this long but I started later than ususal. Oh well. Some of the gifts were handmade as well...I scrapbooked 3 calendars for relatives. I know they'll like those! Who wouldn't, especially since it came from the oldest grandchild/daughter. I know that being the oldest has a special place in a grandparent's heart! I'm lucky that way.

So once again, I'll be signing off. How do people sign off in blogs? Is it like a letter where you say "sincerely" or "love" or "from"?? Hmmm.....perhaps I should Google that! (And for the people that know me...they know I'm a googler). Haha

TTYL.

Living on my own...will it ever happen?

So here's another update for all you readers out there!

I'm still living in the nurses' residence and I'm getting very tired of it. I'ts bizarre that since getting a raise and just plain making more money then ever, I can't afford to get my own place! I've been in this residence for 15 months straight as of tomorrow. I have my own furniture and belongings but it's all in storage!

It's winter time once again and I know my mood gets affected by all the snow and doldrum kind of weather this northern town gets for over 6 months of the year.

Ugh! I am happy about the friendships I've made at the "house" but I desperately need my OWN space.

Update about me

Well it's been a lonnnnng time since I last blogged. (shame on me). I'm not sure where to start so here goes....

My youngest sister is pregnant and due the day after my birthday next year. I'm hoping for a boy because there are no boys in our family, except the bro-in laws but they don't count. Also what would be cool is that my dad could have a grandson to teach and play with. He's told me on occassion that if he had 3 boys instead of 3 girls their names would be Brick, Block and Stone.

I'm still single and living in the residence. I'm really hoping that a great suite becomes available and I can move out. Can you believe I've lived here for 17 months???? Some days I'm so sad I'm still here but other days I'm content because of the friends I've made who have come and gone from this place.

I recently got a raise at work because I completed a certification that classifies me as a Pharm Tech 1A instead of just a 1. So that's cool....I'm over $20.00/hr now!! Woohoo!! But the money seems to disappear after every paychecque....those darn bills and gas and groceries!

Our first snowfall this season was at the beginning of October; but at least it was only about 1 inch. Last year at the end of October, during the first snowfall, we got 3-4 feet!!! I'm soooo glad we haven't received that...yet. Sure we have snow....4-5 inches but that's good enough for me. When we get silly amounts of snow at one time it's hard to go anywhere especially to other towns....ya never know how the highways will be.

This past Thursday I went to Granisle for work as I do every month. The road to the turn off was great...when I had to turn off the highway the quality of road went down hill really fast!! I was white-knuckling it the whole way. Any sort of movement caused by ice just made me more nervous! And it was 50 kms till Granisle. Once I got there, in one piece, I decided I'm not doing this again next month. Yeesh!! I was shaking when I got outta the van. But then it gets better! I had to drive back to Burns Lake on the SAME road. It was worse going back. It took me 45min when it normally takes 30min. The corners were the best part of the road because of all the gravel on the road but on the straight stretches the sun was melting whatever was covering the ice underneath...sure was scary...and for those who know me well...I don't scare easily. Reason for all this scariness is that I ended up sideways in the ditch last December on the same road. So I'm not a fan of going quickly, big rigs behind/or passing me and ice.

Tonite is the hospital Christmas party. It's at a hall and will be a potlluck and dance. I'll be going but I'm not a huge Christmas party person. For one, I do not dance. So I hope there are others that don't either...make me feel better. (Lame eh?) Unfortunately most of the people at the hospital won't be there for whatever reason. Oh well....hopefully it will be fun anyways. I'm bringing my pasta salad. It has red and green veggies in it...Christmas colours.

Well for now, that's all I'm going to write. I do have pictures I'd like to post but am at the wrong computer for that.