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hazliyaThe good:
PetSmart (shoppes at Blackstone Valley) called today and offered me the job(s). So, starting Friday, I'm a Pet Care specialist. As soon as I take the instructor orientation/lessons, I'll be teaching their dog training classes as well. I get above the starting pay, even though I'm just starting, because they wanted to ensure that I came on board, and they also apologized for finalizing it so late - there was trouble with their computer system and they had to call corporate to verify me. Even so, they held off and offered me the position rather than turning to other applicants.
This was a huge confidence booster, as not only was this my first time going through the job application process on my own (before, I either worked as a favor to someone shorthanded or was given a job on the spot at Christo's), but I beat out every other applicant and was hired for two positions at the store. Needless to say, I was happy.
The managers are exceptionally nice, and were very excited to hear that I accepted the job. It's a good feeling when someone says that they can't wait for you to start working and see what you can do - even when it's something as simple as companion animal care.
I'm also doubly excited for the dog training coach job - I get to teach classes! With dogs! They've mentioned that I'll probably be teaching the puppy classes, which is great, else I'll spend my time working with the small mammals, reptiles, and birds. I'm so looking forward to work.
I also got to introduce![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
elenuial to Blazing Saddles as our Intercon Wind-Down movie, which has always been a favorite of mine. It broke him in places and lagged for him in others, but overall, he seemed to really enjoy it and remarked on the style of an early Mel Brooks.
.
The bad:
My aunt is dying. The Friday of Intercon, I got a call from my cousin Whitney (the one who seems more like a sister) saying that my third-eldest aunt on my mother's side, Suzanne, was stopping treatment. She's had multiple cancers, and has said many times that she's "had it." She was given an estimate of a month remaining, and was thrown a short farewell party on Sunday. Saturday night seemed to be the more emotional one, from what I heard, where a lot of the grief came to the forefront. She's been battling cancer for years, but now there's a time limit and it's shorter than anyone expected.
This is especially hard on my mother. She's eighth born of eleven, and Suzanne is the first of her siblings to face death. Virginia (the second eldest girl) came close a few years ago, but checked into rehab and moved to a quieter place. However, my smoking-but-otherwise-completely-healthy mother has been, as per usual, taking the mediating job herself. Suzanne's daughter (we call her Little Virginia to differentiate cousin from aunt), has been a wreck. We also call her Virginia the Miserable, because she (quite frankly, though I hate to speak ill of suffering family) has never been happy. Nothing is ever her fault, and the world revolves around her, including her mother's death. She is grossly overweight, cruel, and spoiled, and has been harping on her mother like she was the one dying.
As I was talking with my mother over the phone tonight, I expressed my thought that the last thing someone who has accepted death needs is someone constantly smothering you and bawling every minute. It undermines her strength, and to spend time panicking rather than enjoying the time left is something easily regrettable later on. My mother agreed, and will be spending Wednesday with my aunt, labeling little crystals with the names of those Suzanne wants them to go to as mementos. I'm very proud of my mother for this; she has a tendency to collapse under the weight of her own emotions.
Although she has started her typical way of dealing. When I talked to my father this afternoon ("Dad! I got a job!" "Wow. Didn't know they had strip clubs in Worcester."), I asked how she was, and he simply replied: "Guess."
She's thrown herself into her work, as per usual, and I'm fully expecting a breakdown when she crashes against a wall sooner or later. In the meantime, I'll try to slow her down and help her process everything threatening to ruin her composure, and then plan to come home as often as needed. I'll be going home on Sunday to cook for her and keep her company, as well as make a day to visit Suzanne.
Though the thought of it disturbs me on a level I'm not quite sure how to describe, I'm keeping my calendar clear after Lunacon. This probably means no Yale Tango Fest, as it's on the weekend that marks the end of my aunt's life expectancy. When the inevitable happens, I want to be able to drop everything and go back home to the family, like a good daughter and a good niece should.
I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. I have a hunch that it'll hit me like a punch in the face one day, but until then, I seem to be cruising.
.
To my newly-added friends, I'm sorry for the depressing post! I've just been meaning to talk about it for a while and type best whileelenuial games in the background. I'm usually much more chipper, I promise.
-Haz
PetSmart (shoppes at Blackstone Valley) called today and offered me the job(s). So, starting Friday, I'm a Pet Care specialist. As soon as I take the instructor orientation/lessons, I'll be teaching their dog training classes as well. I get above the starting pay, even though I'm just starting, because they wanted to ensure that I came on board, and they also apologized for finalizing it so late - there was trouble with their computer system and they had to call corporate to verify me. Even so, they held off and offered me the position rather than turning to other applicants.
This was a huge confidence booster, as not only was this my first time going through the job application process on my own (before, I either worked as a favor to someone shorthanded or was given a job on the spot at Christo's), but I beat out every other applicant and was hired for two positions at the store. Needless to say, I was happy.
The managers are exceptionally nice, and were very excited to hear that I accepted the job. It's a good feeling when someone says that they can't wait for you to start working and see what you can do - even when it's something as simple as companion animal care.
I'm also doubly excited for the dog training coach job - I get to teach classes! With dogs! They've mentioned that I'll probably be teaching the puppy classes, which is great, else I'll spend my time working with the small mammals, reptiles, and birds. I'm so looking forward to work.
I also got to introduce
elenuial to Blazing Saddles as our Intercon Wind-Down movie, which has always been a favorite of mine. It broke him in places and lagged for him in others, but overall, he seemed to really enjoy it and remarked on the style of an early Mel Brooks..
The bad:
My aunt is dying. The Friday of Intercon, I got a call from my cousin Whitney (the one who seems more like a sister) saying that my third-eldest aunt on my mother's side, Suzanne, was stopping treatment. She's had multiple cancers, and has said many times that she's "had it." She was given an estimate of a month remaining, and was thrown a short farewell party on Sunday. Saturday night seemed to be the more emotional one, from what I heard, where a lot of the grief came to the forefront. She's been battling cancer for years, but now there's a time limit and it's shorter than anyone expected.
This is especially hard on my mother. She's eighth born of eleven, and Suzanne is the first of her siblings to face death. Virginia (the second eldest girl) came close a few years ago, but checked into rehab and moved to a quieter place. However, my smoking-but-otherwise-completely-healthy mother has been, as per usual, taking the mediating job herself. Suzanne's daughter (we call her Little Virginia to differentiate cousin from aunt), has been a wreck. We also call her Virginia the Miserable, because she (quite frankly, though I hate to speak ill of suffering family) has never been happy. Nothing is ever her fault, and the world revolves around her, including her mother's death. She is grossly overweight, cruel, and spoiled, and has been harping on her mother like she was the one dying.
As I was talking with my mother over the phone tonight, I expressed my thought that the last thing someone who has accepted death needs is someone constantly smothering you and bawling every minute. It undermines her strength, and to spend time panicking rather than enjoying the time left is something easily regrettable later on. My mother agreed, and will be spending Wednesday with my aunt, labeling little crystals with the names of those Suzanne wants them to go to as mementos. I'm very proud of my mother for this; she has a tendency to collapse under the weight of her own emotions.
Although she has started her typical way of dealing. When I talked to my father this afternoon ("Dad! I got a job!" "Wow. Didn't know they had strip clubs in Worcester."), I asked how she was, and he simply replied: "Guess."
She's thrown herself into her work, as per usual, and I'm fully expecting a breakdown when she crashes against a wall sooner or later. In the meantime, I'll try to slow her down and help her process everything threatening to ruin her composure, and then plan to come home as often as needed. I'll be going home on Sunday to cook for her and keep her company, as well as make a day to visit Suzanne.
Though the thought of it disturbs me on a level I'm not quite sure how to describe, I'm keeping my calendar clear after Lunacon. This probably means no Yale Tango Fest, as it's on the weekend that marks the end of my aunt's life expectancy. When the inevitable happens, I want to be able to drop everything and go back home to the family, like a good daughter and a good niece should.
I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. I have a hunch that it'll hit me like a punch in the face one day, but until then, I seem to be cruising.
.
To my newly-added friends, I'm sorry for the depressing post! I've just been meaning to talk about it for a while and type best while
elenuial games in the background. I'm usually much more chipper, I promise.-Haz
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no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 06:27 am (UTC)I'm sorry about your aunt. I don't know if you were planning on coming to Festival before you heard this news, but I'm sorry I won't see you there (although of course I think you're doing the right thing by clearing you schedule).
Cancer sucks. Your aunt and the rest of your family are as in my thoughts as they can be, given that I don't know any of them. *hug*
no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 01:14 pm (UTC)*hugs* I'm sorry to hear about your aunt.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:34 pm (UTC)Thanks for the sympathies. And I hope your date goes well. But not too well, if you know what I mean! Home by 11! D
no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 02:35 pm (UTC)So...your Dad's never actually been to Worcester, then?
Congratulations on the job, and condolences on your aunt. I hope your Mom can cope. When my uncle who I hadn't seen in years died, that didn't bother me so much as seeing the effect it had on my mother.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:36 pm (UTC)I'm the same way with the aunt thing, I think. Suzanne's not the aunt I'm closest to, and college has been distancing even more when it comes to family. But I am still very close with mum, so I'll probably be spending a lot of time at home in the next month.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 04:39 pm (UTC)Fabulous news about the Job. Not only is it a good job, but it'll look good when you go for other good jobs in the future.
Sorry to hear about your aunt, and I hope everyone has the strength to make it through with as much dignity as they can muster.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:38 pm (UTC)And I'm not sure how much I care about how good the job looks so much as how much I'm going to love it.
Thanks for the good thoughts.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 04:45 pm (UTC)Congrats on the job, though!
no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 05:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-04 07:10 pm (UTC)I should really see blazing saddles end to end (I've seen the last half hour or so, but...)
See you @ Lunacon!
no subject
Date: 2008-03-05 07:40 pm (UTC)Yes, you should definitely see the movie. You're missing out. =)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-08 05:32 am (UTC)And I'm sorry about your aunt, my dear. *hugs to you*