Bummed. But not Beaten.

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Craig got the answer from Sydney last night. No. Turns out the other guy he was up against had already worked with the RSA Sydney sales team and they really wanted that guy. I'm pretty sure Craig didn't stand a chance *and* the remarks from the Sydney HR person he talked to last night were pretty discouraging. She said Craig didn't get hired because he's Canadian, not already in Sydney and that he wouldn't understand how to work very well with the Australian culture. She went on to say how hard it was for her to fit in to Sydney and how insular people are in Australia - she's from the US and it took her years to fit in, she's been there for 15 years now. What the hell? I don't get why they'd even phone him to interview him (twice!) when they KNEW he wasn't in Sydney. Duh! They phoned CANADA to interview him...and that's the reason why he didn't get the job? It's weird cause he had a recommendation from the CEO at RSA, pretty much everyone at RSA in North America was on his side and Craig said he felt really good about the interviews. I don't get it...they must have really wanted the other guy. Sheesh.

Ranting aside, the past couple of weeks of potential moving panic has made me realize what kind of work we need to do to move. I'd better go get the cat microchipped and get the tests and shots done on her. We're going to stick to the original plan by putting Craig's Visa application in for January and plan on moving in the summer once I finish SFU.

I was getting pretty excited about moving...I was looking at apartments online, checking out used cars online...generally researching all kinds of stuff: luxury movie theatres, furniture, grocery stores, all kinds of stuff. I'm bummed that we're not going in a big whirlwind of excitement. But we're still gonna get there.

Now I get to do more around the house...I'm so going to fix up the 2nd bathroom which has nicotine white paint and a strip of floral tile around the tub. Grody.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

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Picturesque East Van

So, it was a 2nd interview. Once again, it was an hour with Craig on the phone to RSA Sydney and me trying to be calm in another room. And...he's in the running with one other guy and they'll get back to us by the 'end of the week' (which means late Thursday for us). We have no idea how it will go since we don't know who he's up against - I'm the optimist here and Craig is being much more cautious. He was a star at RSA...he's got to get hired! Argh.

I'm still eyeballing everything around here to work out what goes, what we ship, what we store. I thought it was time for a CD purge at the very least...so last night I went throught the racks and racks of CDs and pulled a whole bunch out. I know they're no good for eBay, but I'm hoping at least Charlie's will take them. (Extra xmas money) I can't believe how much Kate Bush, Tori Amos and Cocteau Twins I had. 20 CDs purged and it's only a fraction of what's there. I'm surprised by what I want to keep...the George Michael greatest hits CD really is that good BTW.

Is it 'early next week' yet?

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It is 'early next week'!

RSA called back, 2nd phone interview tonight. (Or hopefully they're calling to offer the job and talk terms.) Fingers crossed.

Just found out it takes 5 months to quarantine a cat to take to Australia. They don't have rabies there. At all. I had no idea. Anyway, the cat has to have shots and tests and be microchipped, then they can only be sent to Australia 150 days later. (The 150 days can be some time in Vancouver and the balance of the days in quarantine in Sydney) I'm afraid to know how much that will cost.

I'm *super* procrastinating on writing the most boring paper I'll have written in my SFU career. Must get back to it. The procrastinating, that is.

I'll miss shoes on wires...or do they do this everywhere?

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if I looking for frog. him name is hopkin green frog. P.S. I'll find my frog.

Loooove to tile!

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Now that Craig has had the 1st interview with RSA - Sydney, I've put any kind of home projects on hold. I've done a bunch in this apartment over the past year or so. Considering it's a rental, I've done a lot. Painted most of the place at the very least. Then I tiled the kitchen wall (made it look waaay better...not so rental), did a feature wall with vintage wallpaper on canvases, made the padded headboard and bench at the foot of the bed, put up galvanized steel on the backsplash with magnetic spice containers and stretched some Marimekko fabric on a canvas frame. I took pictures of this stuff to keep track of what I've done.

Now I want to take pics of my favorite places and stuff in Vancouver.

Maybe I should have spent this time work on my papers but too bad. We find out 'early next week' on whether Craig gets the job or not and I have a paper to write that I've been putting off. Guess that's what'll keep me busy until then.

A sunny November week

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I miss the spring.

We had 3 amazing days of sun although it was pretty cold. I say we had 3 days of sun since it's supposed to rain tomorrow and it's November - so there will be no end in sight once the rain starts. I should carry my camera around more...I used to have it on me all the time, since it's small enough to fit in a curiously strong mint tin. Then I'd have evidence of the blue skies. So instead, this is a lovely day from last April.

Since it's so cold and the heaters have been now turned on (love the burned dust-on-the-radiator-smell) I have a project for Caro - a really cool knit hot water bottle cover. I'd like a pink fuzzy one. You could do them like cute sweaters. A PMS one with the letters P M S knit into it - hot pink on light pink. I'd like a black one with cherries. Nothing ugly that looks like a sweater, nothing cable knit that reminds me of oversized sweaters from the 80's and nothing gay like a teddy bear. These are OK, but they remind me of sweat socks due to the stripe at the top. Ahhhhh. Warm.

Exciting news - RSA emailed with a job opening in Sydney. It's not an offer, but at least they called him! Craig still has to interview. But my mind is racing with a million questions...how do we get him a visa quickly? What do we pack to ship and what do we store? How on earth will I cull my shoe collection? (Life's great sacrifices.)

4 weeks till hawaii

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After a full week of 20 WW points a day, I'm doing OK. (Did have one slipup on Saturday night at Coast.) The whole not drinking at all thing is pretty hard so one night ain't so bad. Bring me wine! Wine! Wine!

So I'm living on yummy veggie soup , Snackwell's crackers and water water water. Oh yeah...and lots of sushi. + I've been going to the gym a bunch. One month of this and I'll be beach ready! OK...pool ready cause I don't like beaches.

Never thought I'd love Debbie Travis

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Love it. Love it. Love it.

Thanks to flipping around the channels, I caught the "Karen's Cottage" episode of Debbie Travis' Facelift. I liked everything she did on this ep. If you catch it, check out the bubble wall. I want one! I'm trying to work out where I can make that crazy rectangle wall...I'll figure it out.

Mom! What's there to do?

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The weather is sucking right now. Cold. Wet. Uninspiring. I feel like I'm stuck in the house and my Tivo that I've only had for 2 weeks has given up talking to my computer. So it still works but more like a VCR at the moment. If you've ever known the pleasures of Tivo, you'd miss it too.