Work Is a Drag

Who says life is difficult? Today is my husband's last day of "work" (he'll be enjoying a huuuge vacation until January 2 - of course, just my luck, should've gotten used to it by now!) and his boss decided that they were too exhausted to actually do some work today, so they are going bowling, they'll be playing Nintendo, PS2 and Xbox games, they'll try out a few bumper cars and I don't know what else. I surely hope they are not going to any paintball ground... without me :D ! Neah, they should have fun, they deserve it.

I Have the Best Boss :D !

I have heard back from the majority of you regarding your status for next semester, and it pains me to see that some of you will not be returning (not because of my decision!). Nadia (France), Mirela (Spain), and Shabato (Argentina) will be departing to do a semester abroad, and Cindy would rather introduce foreigners to her rubber glove than deal with our usual clientele (she will have regular work with Canadian Customs). Nadia, Mirela and Shabato, are you leaving from the Dorval airport per chance? :-)

This is part of the e-mail my colleagues and I received today from our boss (I changed a few names, just to be safe:P ); I might be crazy, but it made me laugh for a few good minutes (and, yes, that's the airport! I'm scared now because of that glove :))). ). At the same time, I must admit, it made me feel pretty good, it reinforced the idea that in less than two months I'll be leaving in chase of one of my biggest dreams: Spain! Caught in the madness of this semester, I had almost forgotten to feel happy for what's to come. After finding this message, I went on-line and did some research on La Rioja and Spain. The most interesting thing I discovered (joke :) ! ) was that the region is most famous for its wine, the best in Spain and one of the mostly appreciated worldwide. I'm not too crazy about wine right now, but I may change my opinion in a few months :D.

To prove that he's as great as I think, within 3 hours my boss gave me two payment stabs; I felt sorry to leave, maybe I would've gotten a third one as well, who knows :) ? Because I've been a good employee :P, I also received a 10% discount for various books offered by our bookstore... I'll certainly look into that.

Well, as it seems, the Holidays are here! I have a few things planned this weekend, and I hope to have at least half the fun I'm expecting. Don't you worry, I'll make sure this is the case :D. Have a great weekend, whoever happens to read this!

"Definition"

As you might know, Fridays I work as a lab monitor. One of my overwhelming duties is to count the two students who use the computers every half hour :P. The thing is, the monitor who worked on Wednesday saw there were no more papers left for the job. He must've gone to Carla (Jerry's - our "boss" - replacement at this campus), who.. well, this is where what the monitor wrote on the last piece of paper comes in; please let me know if you could give a more precise definition of the word "bureaucracy" :)) (not that this is the case) :

"Last page. Get more copies :) . Asked Carla, she asked me to ask Jerry who will ask Carla to print more out. If it's Thursday and there are still no sheets, ask Carla to ask Jerry to ask me to ask myself... why?"

P.S. I changed the names only because I didn't ask for their permission and I don't know whether it would be fair. They don't even know I have a blog, anyway... lol.

Iluzie optica

Si m-apuc-asa deodata... mai am 1/2 de ora pana plec si am chef sa scriu. O posibilitate ar fi sa incep sa scriu 10101000101010101010101101011111111111011010101000101010101, dupa cum am citit intr-un comentariu de la LittleBro, dar nu cred ca asta m-ar multumi... am nevoie sa scriu ceva profund, cum numai eu pot. De exemplu, cum ar fi sa scriu ca "iarna nu-i ca vara"? Eh, nu-i asa ca v-au dat deja lacrimile? Eu as zice sa nu va emotionati inca, nici nu va dati seama cu cata subtilitate (he, he!) v-am zis vreo doua de dulce cand am scris asta :).
As putea sa scriu ca mai am o 1/2 de ora pana plec... dar as gresi, pentru ca de fapt mai am 28 de minute... chiar 27... as putea s-o tin tot asa pana la 0... dar atunci as pierde autobuzul, si nu stiu inca daca asta vreau.
As putea scrie ca lipseste ceva... da, asa e, mi-am dat seama ca nu mai avem suc in frigider si ca mi s-a facut pofta de suc de mere. Mi-am pierdut si-un pix... nici soarele nu mai e pe cer... e normal, nu? E aproape 7:00 pm (mai sunt 23 de minute).
As putea sa scriu despre raidurile din Statele Unite, dar planuisem sa fac asta maine, asa ca o sa ma abtin.
As putea sa fac o lista cu 20 de melodii preferate si ce relatie exista intre ele si starea mea spirituala, ce reactii chimice au loc in momentul in care apas pe "play"... dar am sa pastrez asta pentru cand nu mai am ce posta aici.
As putea sa scriu multe lucruri fascinante, dar nu mai am chef. Asa ca o sa sterg tot si n-am sa mai scriu nimic.......... gata, s-a dus!

Idei preconcepute?

La ora asta ar trebui sa termin de citit "Paludes", de André Gide, dar cum lenea si-a facut din nou simtita prezenta (o influenta puternica asupra starii mele are si faptul ca este in limba franceza), am rasfoit cateva blog-uri pe care n-am mai mai poposit pana acum. Am dat de cel al lui zoso, printr-un link de la LittleBro (nu ca LIGHTNING nu l-ar avea, pare a fi un blog foarte popular :) ). Interesant, amuzant, uneori stresant (putin, putintel)... e placut sa-l citesti. Mi-a atras atentia in mod deosebit un post de pe pagina a doua, intitulat axe click, din care am aflat faptul ca Axe e "parfum de tarani". S-a nimerit ca mie sa-mi placa foarte mult Axe, dar chiar nu m-am simtit vreodata taranca din cauza asta (am I in denial? :P ). Nu cred ca voi intelege vreodata pe ce ne bazam cand facem distinctia intre un parfum de tarani si unul de domni, de exemplu. Atata vreme cat cel care-l foloseste face dus in fiecare zi si nu altereaza parfumul cu miasme personale, nu vad nicio problema in a folosi Axe, Denim, Brut, Old Spice sau mai stiu eu ce alt deodorant ii este pe plac. Mi se pare ca acest mod de gandire are legatura cu nasucul unora, intr-adevar, dar nu in ceea ce priveste sensibilitatea, ci altitudinea sa ;). E posibil sa ma insel, evident, si chiar sper sa fie asa.
Postul lui zoso m-a dus cu gandul la cele 8 luni petrecute de mine in Romania in perioada 2003-2004 (nu c-ar avea vreo importanta anii). Chiar daca fusesem avertizata ca nu ar trebui sa spun chiar tot ce am facut eu pe-aici si prin State, eu am hotarat sa spun adevarul, fiind chiar revoltata la gandul ca cineva ar putea avea ceva impotriva diferitelor mele job-uri. Si asa incepu Mirela sa raspunda intrebarii primite de la fiecare cunostinta revazuta, si-anume "Ce faci acolo?", prin a spune ca in New York a muncit in restaurante, iar in Montreal a cules capsuni pentru o vara si acum face curat in case (mi se promisese ca voi avea postul asigurat la intoarcere, deci, teoretic, inca lucram acolo). De la cuvantul "cules" fetele interlocutorilor capatau trasaturi de balada: ochii se mareau, narile vibrau, chipul se-nrosea, mana tremura. Unii erau jenati, nestiind ce replica sa-mi dea si gandindu-se la rusinea adusa familiei :)))), altii chiar ma intrebau cum am putut sa las Romania pentru asa ceva? Dupa cateva experimente de acest gen am devenit mai rezervata, bagam la inaintare faptul c-am lucrat secretara + un fel de contabila intr-un restaurant. Este adevarat ca au fost catorva persoane carora le-am spus cu o placere sadica cu ce m-am ocupat :D . Buuuun, trecem si peste asta.
In Romania nu puteam lucra, deh, n-aveam una, n-aveam alta. Am dat cateva meditatii unor fete deosebite care mi-au ramas foarte dragi. Si totusi, ma plictiseam, nu pot sa stau chiar degeaba. Asa ca mi-a dat prin cap sa ma angajez la tarabe numai ca sa treaca timpul mai usor. Mama, saraca, ar fi vrut sa ma vada afara din casa (in sensul bun, evident), sa am o ocupatie si sa nu mai plang dupa micul meu. Stia ca m-as simti bine sa fac asta, cand eram mica si aveam gradina mergeam cu trei legaturi de ceapa si doua de marar la piata, sa le vand, atat de mult imi placea. Dar imediat a aparut problema "ce-ar spune lumea?". Am impartasit ideea mea catorva persoane si reactia lor m-a convins (din pacate): "Eeee, nu se poate, de ce sa mergi acolo, stai prost cu banii?" sau: "Mirela, te vede lumea, te cunosc atatia (unde era V.I.P.-ul!!), o sa te vorbeasca." Am renuntat la gandul de-a vinde la tarabe, dar tot m-am angajat la o mica sala de Internet. Si pe-acolo au trecut cunoscuti: unii au fost bucurosi sa ma revada si nu s-au preocupat de altceva, altii se cam minunau de "serviciul" meu, dar deja nu imi mai pasa. Intr-o zi a venit un domn in varsta care m-a rugat sa-i transcriu ceva si cat a stat acolo m-a pisat la cap: "Vezi, daca faceai facultate, nu ajungeai sa lucrezi aici!" si alte lucruri de genul asta. Nu m-am obosit sa-i povestesc viata mea, doar am tastat cat de repede am putut ca sa plece odata :P.
Un ultim lucru: nestiind franceza, cand m-am intors in Montreal m-am angajat la un magazin cu produse de $1. Romanii se uitau cam ciudat la mine, dar majoritatea nu spunea nimic enervant, aceptam comentariile cu un zambet si-o eventuala ridicare din umeri. Am retinut o doamna care s-a apucat sa-mi planga de mila: "Vai, mama, aici ai ajuns sa lucrezi?! Pentru asta ai plecat din Romania?". Atunci eram deja studenta, asa ca n-am mai suportat: "Doamna, sunt studenta la Concordia, aici muncesc part-time." (ma simt cam prost c-am facut asta, dar, deh, eram mandra ca doar ce fusesem acceptata). "Oooo, asa da, bravo!" I s-a luminat instantaneu chipul :P. Au mai existat destule incidente de acest gen, dar postul acesta e, din nou, mult prea lung.
Am pornit de la blog-ul lui zoso... am ajuns aici. Nu vreau sa fac alte comentarii, e deja prea mult si cred ca se intelege care este opinia mea din ceea ce-am scris mai sus.

P.S. Daca tot am vorbit despre blog-ul lui zoso: http://zoso.rockmania.net/

New York, New York

The New York we all miss...

We went yesterday to a GUESS? sale, looking for some jeans, in particular. Call me whatever you want, but I would never pay $150 for a pair of jeans, no matter what made they might be. But when they are on sale... let's just say I'm open minded :) . Anyway, while there, we found a t-shirt with some kind of a NY subway map, that I had to have... so I bought it, of course. The thing is, memories of NY came back to me and now I just feel like describing a bit our NY life.
It was mainly about work, work and... that's right, work. Nevertheless, we still managed to have a great deal of fun, too. About work... my first job was as a bartender in a midtown restaurant. Used to work from 12 pm to 10 pm; I had some great customers, whom I enjoyed talking to; Christmas time was the best, we would sing carols, would play silly word games.. I could say I felt pampered, couldn't believe new yorkers would be so nice to an immigrant :) . I like to believe that I've learnt a lot during that period, especially the fact that since you and the owner are the last ones to leave, you'd better change your clothes extremely fast... yes, my two bosses would take turns in following me to the bathroom, while I was getting ready to leave... kind of scary, trust me. Since I don't find restroom discussions too challenging, I got bored and decided to look for a different job (sarcasm, anyone?).
Second job: hostess in an uptown restaurant. Reason of leaving: same as above (except for the restroom part, if you catch my drift). My self-esteem was continuously growing... lol.
My then boyfriend, now known as "micul" :) , was working as a waiter at a different restaurant. His manager seemed to like me, considering me to be a nice girl (how wrong was he!!!! :D ) and offered me a similar job. I was terrified, didn't think I could make it as a waitress, since I have a certain problem with my right hand. Since I had become "friends" with almost everyone there, they convinced me to take the job. I had such a great time. No harassing, no restroom incidents, and people would even help me carry drinks, especially micul, of course. But even when he was busy, Fermin, the bartender, Lucian, our best friend, or another waiter would help me when I had a large order of drinks (and I didn't even have to ask :) ). Hey, we were pretty tired when we got home, after 11, respectively 7 hours of continuous waiting on different kinds of customers, but it wasn't that bad, tthe atmosphere was great and everyone there knew how to have fun, despite everything else.
A few months after, micul got offered a job at a new, fancier restaurant. As we had "some" expenses regarding the Canadian residency application, he acceptede the offer and left. I stayed there and continued to fully enjoy it. The problem appeared after 9/11. We had no more customers, money was really short, so I had to follow micul to his restaurant, where he put in a good word for me (was I a leech or what? :D ). that job was tough, the boss was driving us crazy. If I may, only the food was driving us crazy; omelette each and every day... I was begging the guys in the kitchen to give some extra salada leaves and take away the omelette, I couldn't take it anymore. Being in a kosher place (the restaurant was Jewish), we couldn's bring any outside food, so we were stuck with the omelette.... urghhh!!! Micul used to work around 13 hours, while I only worked 8... that is until our boss had the great idea of offering me the secretary position as well. How could I say no? Micul was working lunches anyway, so instead of sleeping at home, I would be with him (not literally, but still). I afterwards realized that being a secretary and a waitress meant no more days off for me :D. The restaurant was closed on Friday, but I still had to come to the "office", at least from 8 am until 12 pm. I know, it doesn't sound so bad, BUT... the restaurant was located in Long Island, while we lived in Queens. It would take us around 1 hr. and 45 min to 2 hours one-way :D. That's some 3 and a half - 4 hours spent on the road, our biggest challenge. It was still our best option, so we had to be happy with it. To make the road sweeter, we would buy two sushi rolls (for breakfast :P ) almost every day... they were soo good and extremely cheap, as well. How I miss NY sushi :) !
I guess I wrote too much. Well... sorry about that... lol. Just felt like it :) .