So, crazy carless girl hasn't come back yet. I hope that means she found a ride, but now at least I'm in my PJs so I have an excuse that won't make me feel totally mean about not driving her.

ALSO - there's a WICKED looking storm headed Paddle's way. I've been watching it approach with excitement. There's even some good structure to it with a little anvil and what I THINK might be a miniscule little lowering. If it is a lowering (wall cloud), it's not going to do anything, though, because it's way too soft and being undercut by too much cold air, methinks.

It's weird seeing a storm and not being able to follow it on radar. There are no radar stations up this way; the closest it Grande Prairie, way over on the West of the province. This storm has me watching it pretty closely, though, because it IS developing a clear slot and has some subtle striations on it from a little bit of rotation. And there's AWESOME lightning in it. Too bad it isn't darker or I'd be out there photographing it.

We had another storm blow through earlier that cut power and apparently hit the water station for the hamlet. Power came back quickly, but the water just came back on. I had a shower in case we lost power again.

GAH; the lowering is blocked by the settlement office now. I WANTS TO SEE IT. It's wrong that I'm thinking about getting in my car and driving to the highway to see if I can get a better view, right?

It's kicking off some good-sized mid-level funnels (not actual funnel clouds, just things higher up on the main storm), too.

COME ON STORM, BRING IT ON BABY.

EDIT: AND THERE"S THE WARNING. I knew it was looking bad. Quarter size hail (so that's the rotation I was seeing). I AM SO CLOSE TO GOING AND CHASING THIS SUCKER.

OMG.....

I got the photo pass for the Virgin Music Festival.

Only... I'm not here anymore for it. DUDDDE!

What kind of suckage is that!?

Alright, so a more coherent entry after my last "omg" entry.

So, yes, I finally have a teaching job, and I'm so excited about it. I'm also scared out of my mind about it because, well, it's going to be like nothing I've ever experienced. I'm working and living in a very small town called Paddle Prairie (Google Map) in the far north of Alberta, 750km north of Edmonton. The town has nothing in it save for a gas station and a general store. Yikes. I'm teaching Grade 7-12 English, and possibly computers and a social sciences class depending on what teachers show up and enrolment, etc. There are 96 kids attending the school from K-12 at the moment.

I leave on Friday to go to Edmonton where I'm picking up my shiny new car, a Toyota Rav4 V6 Sport (picture!). I'm paying almost $900 a month for this sucker, because I'm financing it over three years, rather than leasing it and stuff. After three years I'll own the car completely, free and clear. I love it; I upgraded to the V6, which is the most powerful engine in the small SUV class and everyone says it's awesomely powerful and it gets better highway mileage than the V4, and is almost imperceptably worse in city mileage. I also got the moonroof upgrade on it, because I need me a moonroof. Anyway, once I pick up the car, mom (who's coming with me for a bit of a unique vacation :P) and I are shopping at Ikea to outfit my apartment, buying supplies at Costco - you know, a 36-pack of toilet paper and 10lbs of rice, etc, etc. - and probably also buying a new TV. I'm selling my baby to my mom (the Boxing Day TV) and then using the money from her to get a new TV out there.

I've still got to sort out phone service, internet, and whatever TV service I'm getting, as well as how to ship my stuff out the most effectively. Air Canada cargo, Greyhound, etc. LOL.

Yeesh, and I have to have everything packed by Friday morning!

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

I GOT THE JOB.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.

I ACCEPTED THE JOB.

OMG.

OMG.

OMG.

I'm so scared and yet oddly excited! I'd be leaving by Friday probably, picking up my car Friday or Saturday, and then driving freaking 750km up to the middle of absolutely nowhere. JESUS KEERIST.

Salary is fantastic for a first year teacher - he thinks I'll be at about $56k a year, which is pretty much UNHEARD OF in Ontario.

School starts Sept 4.

I might also be teaching computers and social sciences.

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

You know? If someone tells you that they'll call you on a specific day, it's really rude to not call them (or to make that person wait until 8pm or something). Seriously. I've been waiting for a phone call all day that hasn't come. Stupid people not calling. How rude. *pouts*

Ugh. I hate waiting to hear about jobs. The place I interviewed for yesterday said they'd let me know by today, so I'm waiting for a call. BLAH it's stressful. A part of me doesn't want to get it, because I'd like to have the decision made for me. Another part wants it, and another part is just scared shitless about getting it.

In other news, I've pretty much decided to get a new car. My Jetta is six years old and it's getting on in years, so dad and I spent this morning test-driving and pricing various cars. The front-runner right now is the Toyota RAV4 or the Toyota Highlander. Probably the RAV4, though. It's a much nicer car than it used to be and it gets awesome gas mileage. I'm also going to go in and look at a Volvo station wagon (I want a sedan, but I'm also shopping for going up north if I get the job, and I need a 4x4 sort of thing for the snow up there...) and now is really the prime time to get one, since the 08s are coming out and I can get a pretty decent deal on an 07 model right now.

So - does anyone have a favourite car that I should look into? I know very little about cars and what's available out there. My budget is probably around the $30k mark for a new car - anywhere from $25k-$35k. So - suggestions? Help? If I don't get the job, I'm open to lots of different kinds of cars - SUVs, Hybrids, sedans, etc. If I get the job, it's got to be something with good four wheel drive, etc, etc. Help!?

Just finished my phone interview. I feel pretty good about it and was getting some positive vibes from them - questions about the size apartment I'd need, about when I could be out there, etc.

The only downside?

OMG ALL THEY HAVE IS DIAL-UP internet. Holy crappola. The school itself has high speed internet, but it's from a private school-board server. At least I can check stuff from there I guess, eh? If I get the job and if I take it, I will pay any of you on my FL to download my television shows and things and mail me the DVDs. LOL seriously. Holy crap - no downloading music!? How will I survive!? LOL.

Anyway, it's all a moot point - but I'll know by tomorrow whether or not I got the job and then I'll have to make the terrifying decision as to whether or not I take it... Yikes!

Both interviews went decently well. I basically got offered a manager in training position at Henry's and the teaching interview seemed to go very well.

On top of the good interviews? I got my results from the last certification test I had to do (I wrote it back in July) and THANK THE HOLY GODS, I passed it with flying colours - 261/300. Which means that I'm now actually freaking a certified teacher. WOOHOOO. :P

Ho.LEE.SHIT. I can't remember if anyone on my friends list lives near or in Minneapolis, MN, but if there is, get inside and away from your windows as soon as possible. ( storm stuff...Collapse )

I know this is boring to everyone else on my FL, but seriously; if you're in or around Minneapolis, then for all that's good and holy, take cover.

*goes back to watching the sucker pummel people*

Applying for jobs is really frelling time-consuming. I hate it. Seriously.

I'm applying to random temporary jobs as well as teaching jobs and I'm doing cover letters and resumes that are unique to each job. UGH. Why can't I just find the perfect job for me? I hate the looking part and the whole, "I AM SO FUCKING AWESOME YOU SHOULD JUST HIRE ME NOW" sales pitch.

I'm supposed to hear something back from the Virgin people this week sometime, so that would really make the job hunt better if I got to go there for free. ;)