Welcome! This blog is Retired. However, you may still enjoy some of the finer pages of vintage online ramblings out there! Inspired by the certainty of my headaches, "The Headache Diaries" may include my headache log, people, places, and things that I don't like, as well as people, places, and things that I do like. Blog officially retired 02.14.2021
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So far, no response for the position. The same positions are still up though. I don't know what that means, but I just hope they look at my application. Just like other companies, they claim they like to promote their own, but I don't think that is something they will stick to completely. Well, if I don't transfer into something by January, I think I will just take the leave of absence anyway. Who wants to be a dishwasher? Not me!
Today's activities include getting the windshield on the car fixed finally! I am so lazy when it comes to stuff like that but since I am going to drive yet again to NY in it, I would rather not have the windshield collapse on my face while I am driving. Although I will say that it has major cracks going all the way up and down and across, and it has been safe this whole time. Granted, snow has not accumulated onto it, but I did drive it in the pouring rain, and it held up. It's been cracked for over two years now, just as the Jeep. We've been pulled over and warned in both vehicles but I'm like "Meh, whatever." The crack in my Jeep is a souvenir from Alaska, driving along the Dalton. I kind of don't want to fix it just yet. But the car yes, because when I close the doors hard enough I can see the glass moving along the cracks, ha ha! So that may be an indicator that i should replace it. It's an Acura TL and I am getting it replaced at Safelite and they gave me an online quote of about $250. Not bad since they claim to use OEM parts. I will ask them if it is OEM, because I would rather have OEM for the Acura than some knock off. We shall see.
And today I should make bread. And buy some Tofurky.
I HAVE OFFICIALLY APPLIED TO WHAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE MY NEW JOB!
I woke up at 0300 as usual and immediately went to see what the employee website had to say about my time in. Thankfully, it said 6 months 0 days. Well, you know I couldn't apply for that CNA position fast enough. Anyway, I decided to apply for the day job. I was thinking to myself that I wasn't ready to just hop into nights. I was thinking that the only reason I would need to go nights is if I had to do the LPN program. And since I wouldn't start that until August, I would have plenty of time to transfer to a night shift before then. As it stands, I would have to take a leave of absence from this fabulous job to do the master program. So why suffer now? I think it would be easier to get a night gig than a day gig anyways. If I don't get in and I need a night shift, I will have some seniority to get it I would assume. I think it would be better to try for days and if I don't get anything then try for nights.
Whew! Now that this transfer is finally out of the way, I can go back to focusing on my application. I still have to write two essays for the program, upload my resume, and pay the fee. The fee and resume I will do last. I will wait to see if I get a CNA job first then upload. I have ideas for what I plan to write for the essays but I won't start on that today. What I want to do today is organize all the things I need to do on a checklist so I don't forget or have to keep looking back over and over. I think I have done everything for the master program except what I mentioned. If I don't get in, I want to make a list of what I need to do for my back up plans. That should be good for today.
In other news, I learned that French-Canadians have a high rate of being carriers for Tay-Sachs. I was surprised when I read this because I thought it was only associated with Jews. However, because they have done so well with testing and matching couples to reduce this disorder, new ethnic groups are popping up as having Tay-Sachs previously thought not to have it. This includes French-Canadians, Cajuns, and Irish. Well, I am half French-Canadian! And TJ is a smidge, so I decided to have us both tested for Tay-Sachs. Since it is recessive, both of us would have to be carriers to produce offspring with the disease. So if we are both positive, I will have to have an amniocentesis to see if the fetus has Tay-Sachs! Hopefully none or only one of us will have it and then we will be okay. We will do that when I go to NY to see my Russian doctor. I want him to run all the blood tests I need before I go and make pre-natal appointments. That way I have all the information I need to make decisions. If he can, I would want him to do my immunity assays, Rh factors, Tay-Sachs, and regular blood work to see about anemia and all that. I want him to run the same tests on TJ too, so we know what we have. This should help me feel better about going to the pre-natal appointments.
I am not sure what else I have to do today besides try to clean up the messes. I need to throw away a lot of stuff but it's hard. It's hard to be excited about cleaning and it's hard to throw stuff out when I think I may still need them. I dunno! I know I have way too much stuff, but I have so many nice things I don't want to part with. Well, I know that I have to buy some plain oatmeal for TJ today. I guess that is something I can do. Of course, it doesn't help with the cleaning! UGH!
I assume that tomorrow marks my sixth month. The computer says 5 months and 29 days... but will they make it 5 months and 30 days before 6 months 0 days?? I hope not! Good grief I can't wait any longer!
Well today and tomorrow I have no work thankfully. I will do my resume today and have it ready for tomorrow. I planned on waking up and leaving with TJ unless the job is still posted on the regular internet. Which it is right now. However, they keep putting them internal, external, then internal then external again! What are they doing?? I don't know. With SHC, you can't tell.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about medical school and that whole thing, especially the Caribbean. Wow. It's hard to believe that I did all that, and started that whole thing in like, 2009 or so. Seems like a waste of time, but I don't know. If I didn't try then I'd always be left wondering. I really liked Trinity, and I think I would have done well there if I had TJ with me. Oh well. Live and learn. I think doing the NP is just as good, at least in this state, and I think that it is a good alternative. At least I get to stay here. Hopefully I will get in and go to the classes in Phoenix.
So not much today other than resume. I already wrote up my cover letter last week. I just have to spiffy up my resume which should take less than 1 hour. Then I will break out my CNA books and look at what may be asked during an interview. Maybe they want to know if you know some clinical stuff? Maybe. When I get a CNA job, I will upload my resume to the UA website. That way it looks better than just saying I am a dishwasher. I have plenty of time to complete my application with them so I want to wait and see if I can get this job.
Oh yeah and I have to replace the windshield on the car. I should set that up today before I forget.
Well, the page for the master program changed. And so did the address where they wanted transcripts sent. So I called them and they said I only need to submit transcripts after I am accepted. For now, I will scan and upload my unofficial copies. Well okay. I also see on the application page for UA that they want a resume. So I was thinking that I would wait until I got a CNA job (hopefully) before I upload my resume. I am still going to update mine now, but just an update.
I have five days left before I can apply for anything. And of course a perfect full time position pops up now. And of course the policy is that YOU WILL BE FIRED if you "misrepresent" your facts. I mean really? They would fire someone just for applying five days earlier? Well, I emailed the HR woman to see if that is true. In the meantime, I was working on a new cover letter and I am now going to update my resume. I was thinking to go to the hospital and see if I can find the manager and just let them see my resume. And if, perhaps, they like me or they don't get enough qualified applicants, they can keep it open for me. I doubt it since these jobs disappear after two days. This is day 2 for that job. it should disappear soon. If I am lucky, it will stay up until Tuesday. I doubt it though. Of course, I haven't been to work, so there are also jobs on the intranet that can't be seen by the general public. I am off Tuesday, but rest assured I will make my way to the hospital to apply to something.
The main thing that sucks about this company is that you have to wait SIX MONTHS before you can transfer. That is a really long time. And they make no exception for going from part time to full time. Or moving up in category. Some things about this place annoy me and that is definitely one of them.
After I update my resume, I will submit requests for transcripts from LIU, City College, and St. John's. St. John's I have to mail in, so it's not something I can do online. I am going to save Kingsborough for when I go there. That way I can avoid having to buy a stupid money order. Plus they take forever for some reason. Maybe if I go there, it will be the same amount of time, like three weeks than if I would have requested it today. Anyway, that is my plan. Once I do that, I will see about working on the essays. I probably wont do much with that today but maybe just jot down some ideas for them. They only have to be 400 words so they are pretty short.
Actually I am getting hungry. I will eat first then do transcripts then do resume. I just remembered that the transcripts get done faster if I request them during business hours. That shouldn't take long anyway.
I am so excited that I can finally apply for new jobs at the hospital. My six months is almost up and I am so anxious to get the hell out of dish washing!!!!
I have been eyeballing some CNA jobs, but they come and go so fast that I am scared none will be available when I am able to apply. I would really want a full time position, preferably at night. The night position will set me up the best for having the baby and school and whatever. I am not anticipating making a ton more than I do now, but being full time is the best situation in terms of benefits and whatnot. Speaking of benefits, I was calculating the costs all morning. I think that it may be to my benefit to get my own coverage through the hospital. I think for most things, TJ's insurance is better, but to have a baby, mine would be better. The only problem is that I would have to have the baby at Shea... Not something I wanted to do, as I wanted to try to go to NY. However, if I get into this master program, I wouldn't have much choice but to have it here in Arizona. So I am hoping that I get in because I think I am going to get my own coverage. I am going to talk more with TJ about it, as I have yet to calculate how much it would be total to each have insurance. If it comes out to more money than maybe it is best to just stay with his coverage. We shall see. Tomorrow I am going to get my "I don't smoke tobacco test" tomorrow so if I do get my coverage, I can get $50 off. Not bad.
Other than that, I haven't been feeling ill or anything. I am at week nine now and I am not showing much yet. I just look like I have a fat stomach. But I guess in a few weeks I won't be able to hide this anymore. People will know... And then what? I don't know. Maybe I can get my minimum hours like I am this and next week. Having three days off is really nice. Especially since I am not super fond of my job. I am just hoping something comes up!! And soon!!
No, I still haven't gone to the doctor yet. What? I'll go soon enough.
I had already started my application to the master program. I have to write two very short essays and submit my transcripts. I already submitted the ones from Scottsdale and South Mountain. But since I am going to NY soon, I will request transcripts in person at Kingsborough since I also need a letter of good standing from the nursing department. Then I can go to City College and finally get an official copy of my transcript. I never got one! I got an official one from Scottsdale and South Mountain, but it looks like a printout. It's not printed on fancy paper or anything. Oh well. I am not sure I can go to to the office at LIU, so I may just do that online like I did last time. It is a pain in the ass because you have to do some verification process, but we shall see. My plan of action for this is to apply and if I don't get in, apply again that same year since this will be the only year they will have it twice because they are moving the deadline to October instead of January. The only thing I am undecided about is whether to apply for the associate degree nurse or do the LPN. If I get an LPN, I can still try for the master program. If I get the associate, I will have a long road to the NP. I am not sure about that part, but I do know that I am going to try to work at the same time. But you know how things are so we shall see!
Today has been pretty lazy. Now that I have some more questions answered about what I am going to do next, I will get some cleaning done. I bought a cat tree from Goodwill and I want to clean it off so the brats can use it. I will do that in the garage since that thing is full of hair. I think I will wear a mask too. But first, I will wash the dishes! Hooray! Not really.
I am in my eighth week and I really have nothing to say! I felt meh here and there, and I learned that my iron pills make me feel sick. Instead, I will maybe take those pills when I feel weak and try to eat more meat. I cooked up some beef last night and I am roasting some right now. I had also bought bags of prepared turkey burgers and beef burgers. I may eat those for breakfast. Yesterday I had a Jimmy Dean Delights with the croissant and turkey, one of my favorites, but when I got to work I was soooooo hungry I had to eat another breakfast of two sausages a biscuit and potatoes. Oh well. I have to eat when I am hungry. I was pretty satisfied that I only had a cheese quesadilla for lunch. And a brownie. Which gave me a headache. The hospital doesn't stock very many sweets. I just may have to buy a biscotti instead. Less cheap flour and sugar. Or only get the big cookies. They give me a head rush but at least no headache.
That roast is smelling good! Anyways, today I have the day off from my fabulous job, so I am going to work on my resume so I can apply for the CNA as soon as I see one on October 22. The problem is that there are day jobs and night jobs, part time and full time. Which do I choose? I was talking to TJ about it and at first we were like "yeah take a nite position" that way if I had to work while going to school I could. Then I was like well, if I don't get in, then we will have a conflict of schedules when we have this child. Hmm. Well, the good news is that if I get a position right away, I can finish my six months and then take a leave of absence from work if I get in. If I don't get in, I can finish the six months and then try to apply for a day job. Many options to consider. However, if I get in, it is more likely I will take a leave of absence and it won't really matter what shift I have. So I was thinking I would take the least desirable position so I'd most likely get it, then go from there. Once I am a CNA, I think it would be easier to apply for better positions. The one that I really wanted was the "float" position, which I guess goes to all different areas of the hospital. That would be great for seeing stuff. Well, hopefully, a position will still be available and I will be able to get it. Just keeping my fingers crossed! I have to get out of this dishwashing job!!!
As far as school is concerned, the application opens on Thursday. Maybe today I can call and ask the school how they want me to send the letter of good standing from Kingsborough. I guess when you change nursing programs, you have to have the previous school send letters of good standing to the new school so they know you didn't fail out or something. Well, I'll see if they want that in email form or letter form. I am hoping to visit NY in November, unless I get a CNA job quick and can't keep my days off. If I go, I can get the paper form myself from the office directly. If not, I had asked about it over the phone a while ago and they would do it over the phone, but I wasn't ready to send it yet. So we shall see.
Okay, time to check the roast and eat something! I'm feeling funny...
Yesterday I made my very first "baby purchase." I bought a bib and a potty. I got them both at the 99c store, ha ha! Anyways, I haven't gone out and made a bunch of baby purchases yet. I don't want to count my fetuses before they are hatched. I am still in the danger zone for miscarriage and I don't want to have a bunch of baby anticipation stuff in case that happens.
Lately I've been feeling kind of lonely. I don't know why. Or maybe its more of a "I want people around" kind of feeling. However, everyone I know is in NY. I know TJ thinks I am going to hang out with his family, but uhh, I think I will have to pass on that one. I think I've given up on the brother-in-law's wife. She was rude to me last year and I am tired of having to initiate conversation or whatever with her. I haven't gone back there since then and I don't plan on returning. I was talking to TJ's mom and she said that since she (the bro-in-law wife) will have another kid around the same time as me, we can have play dates. I was like "uh, yeah maybe." meaning "NOT!" Yeah right, knowing her she will want me to always come to her house because my house is not good enough. Besides she is one of those Kardashian watching women; I don't think we have much in common. For example, she doesn't want her kid to drink milk, (I think she wants her kid to be vegan, although she drinks milk and eats cheese) but she was feeding her kid pancakes from Ihop. Hello, pancakes are made with milk. Whatever. This is what happens when you go to regular school in Arizona: nothing.
Speaking of education, I am wondering what to do about my kids. Do I send them to public school and hope for the best? Or try to send them to private school. And I don't mean charter school. Those schools will hire anyone. I think they may be worse than public school. I guess I will have to see how intelligent they are. If they are average or less, public school for sure. If they are smarter, I may have to think harder about it. I am hoping they will be like me and know how to read, write, do basic math, and write some cursive before kindergarten. I think almost all kids have at least that ability. I hope I do not fail at that!
In case anyone is wondering (ha ha) I have not gone to the doctor yet. I have not scheduled an appointment yet either. I dunno! What's the point? You can't see anything yet anyways. I won't die just because I am not going to the doctor. I am still pregnant because I just took another pregnancy test and it was very positive. My pee strips have all been normal and I have been eating good and taking some iron (which by the way tastes like blood) and calcium supplements. I haven't had any morning sickness except once. I am pretty much not having many symptoms except tired and bored. And that may or may not be from the pregnancy. It could be from my job.
Speaking of job, I can't wait to change it! I am dying to apply to a CNA position when my 6 months are up. And that will be in a few weeks. I just got my annual review and I got a bad score, according to my standards: 3.33/4.00. Are they crazy? They think I am just going to sign off on that just because they say so. Nope! I have been protesting by not signing off on it. And I will refuse to do so until they change that score to no less than a 3.8. If after all the work I have done only warrants an 83% then 83% is all they are going to get from me. I will have to warn Double D about this, and I feel bad, but I have to do what is just. I can't let them get away with taking advantage of people. I hope me not signing the review gets them into trouble somehow. HA HA!
This week I had FOUR DAYS OFF (and of course they keep calling me to come in, pffft yeah right) and I was hoping to get some cleaning done, but, well, that didn't really go as planned. I did manage to clean two corners of the kitchen! Today I hope to organize my room just a bit. It is a disaster! We shall see. First I will wash the dishes, then try to clean up the room. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Well that is enough chatter for now. I am going downstairs.
