On a happier note

I am participating in the Breast Cancer run this Sunday and need donations to give for helping to find a cure. Please help a great cause and donate to the Breast Cancer Foundation. Just follow this link: (https://www.cibcrunforthecure.com/html/en/ab_virtualpinnie.asp?id=20526&email=stephclarke_22@hotmail.com)

Sure can

So I wrote a little while back about this job offer that I had and how the job offer was based on my reference/background checks and my criminal background check. I had not heard from this company in a while (4 weeks altogether!) and so when they called yesterday I was actually surprised, I thought they had just not phoned me to say the job was no longer available or something. I had been interviewing for other jobs in the meantime as I was sick of waiting around to hear from this company. The reason they were calling yesterday was to inform me that they are taking back their job offer and the job was no longer available to me as one of my references had come back unsatisfactory. Now I'm not stupid, on my references that I give to these new employers, I make sure that the people they are calling are aware they will be receiving a call and also that they are people that will give me a good reference. With this company, they wanted my last 2 employers name and numbers to do the reference check. So unfortunately for me that meant I had to give them my last employer (who laid me off) and the one before that (who I had quit from to go to the most recent guy). I was uncomfortable about this as I was not sure what either them would say for me in a reference. But low and behold I got a job taken away from me because of one of these references - and I know exactly which one - gave me the bad reference. Now maybe I am imagining things, but isn't it illegal to give somebody a bad reference? Or something along those lines? I emailed both of these former employers of mine and played stupid telling them that this company would be calling for a reference and that I just wanted to give them a heads up about the situation. They both wrote me back, one saying that he had given me a reference and wishing me luck in my job hunt and hoping that I find a job I am happy at and enjoy and the other simply wrote back saying that they had been called for the reference. Now in my opinion, that makes it pretty clear who gave me the bad reference. I don't really know where to go from here though. He isn't listed on my normal references I give to new employers doing checks on me, but when I was booted out of there he said he would give me a good reference still. Should I call him on it? What do I do from here? Anything?

Flames, Stamps and my birthday

So this is right around my favourite time of year for a few reasons: 1) The Flames are starting their season and kicking ass doing it this year. They defeated their first opponents (the Florida Panthers) with a 3-1 victory last night in their first pre-season game. I can't wait to see my boys back on the ice and be sitting in the crowd cheering them on. I do however need a jersey this year I think as my old white and red one is now more yellow and pink - not the colours I think the team is going for! 2) The Stamps are playing their hearts out trying to guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs. Each game we (my Mom, Dad and me) go to, the more intense it gets. The Stamps had a glorious victory over the Winnipeg Bombers Friday night. The score ended up being 43-9 and the temperature outside definitely felt the -3 they had predicted. But, Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Schnapps make a good warm up treat on nights like this. Just another reason to look forward to the end of the football season. 3) Summer is turning into fall which will eventually turn into Winter - my favourite season of all. I love the snow falling down around me, the perfect snow flakes we always seem to find landing on our gloves, the mountain peaks I get to ski and the frosty trees all beautiful and sparkling. What more could I ask for from Mother Nature? 4) Lastly, my birthday is fast approaching and who doesn't love their birthdays?!?! This year is especially special for me as I am turning 22. This number may not seem significant to any of you, but you all know it's my favourite number for everything else, so why not for my age right? I can't wait for this year of being 21 is over and I can start on 22.

I knew she would win!!!

Dreams

OK so I am writing to you all in hopes that I can get a solution to a problem I am having. I keep having this dream over and over every time I close my eyes to sleep. Now it's not a bad dream, but it's not necessarily one I want to come true (or at least not yet, the timing isn't quite right). So here's my dilemma: Do you believe in dreams coming true? My belief has always been that the dreams you remember will never occur or come true, but the dreams you forget you ever had come out in situations we call 'De Ja Vu'. Like when you are experiencing a situation for a 2nd time, but it has never really happened before then. So what do you all think? Do dreams come true or are they merely our imaginations playing tricks on our minds while we sleep?!?!

Can they do that?

OK so last week in my search for a new job I went to an interview with a company that I had previously done a phone interview with. So this was my 2nd interview, but this time it was an actual interview, person-to-person, not over the phone. The interview went great and the lady I had the appointment with offered me the job at the end of our meeting. It was a verbal job offer and I think this is where the beginning of my problem begins. I should have asked for something in writing and actually am kicking myself that I didn't. Either way, I told this lady that I would let her know by Friday afternoon at the latest as to whether I was going to accept the job or not. I called her 9 am Friday morning and left her a message letting her know that I was going to be taking the job and to call me back with some information. I then called her on my break at 4 pm and got her voicemail again and left her another message letting her know I was available to start ASAP and just to contact me about the job. It is now 11:15 Monday morning and I have not received a phone call or anything. Can they un-offer me the job? Because I didn't get it in writing I have no proof that they ever did offer it to me in the first place. Can they do that? And then the question is, what do I do now? Do I tell the temp place I have been working at that I can still be here everyday until I hear from them? Do I tell them that am open for interviews again? Sigh, just another day in Steph's life!

Is Money Everything?

OK OK I know, it's been forever since I posted, but it just seems like I have not stopped working or running around to interviews over the last 3 weeks. Whew.......a minute to sit here and write to you all. So where to begin? Well still not a whole lot of luck with the job scenario. I have been to 3 second interviews (well one is first thing tomorrow morning) and so far been offered 1 job. I can't complain though, I did not hear bad news from the one that hasn't responded yet so there is still hope. Now I get to sleep a nervous sleep tonight thinking and praying for this interview tomorrow to go well. In the meantime, between all of these interviews, I have been working full-time at a temping agency doing their filing, reception, data entry, job postings, etc. and getting paid alright money to do it. I actually got offered a job from them (which I declined) so I take it I am doing something right here! I just want to find the job that is going to fit me and my personality the best and am having a tough time figuring out what that is so far. My Mom and Dad came up with a new idea for me: Drafting and Piping. The Oil & Gas industry as we all know is insanely busy and I can take a 4 week (Mon-Fri 12-5) course at SAIT for $1499 and enter the drafting/piping world making $32/hr. Yup you read write $32/hr is about the minimum they are paying people right now. But is that what will make me happy? Is money everything? Am I going to go through these courses and hate the job even though I'm making stupid money? HELP someone please!!!! On top of all this interviewing and temping work I have still maintained a 57-hour week at the restaurant. Ya I know, crazy hey?!?! I'm really not sure how I am still alive and ticking after all of this work. I have never felt so out of control and wound-up as I have the last few days here. I think the adrenaline rush as well as the exhaustion setting in are making me a mad woman! Not saying I wasn't before of course :) So what do I do now? Keep up this insane schedule I have between the 2 jobs and interviews until I find the right fit or do I settle for a job that I may not be happy in? The problem I am having is, I have so many unanswered questions. What do I want for my career? What kind of career path suits me? Where am I going to be happy? Is now the time for that perfect job to come along or is that still a few years down the road? Does the perfect job even exist? Can money make a job the perfect one? Ahhhh.....deep sigh. All I can do is live each day to the fullest and see what happens. For now, adieu