A Little of Bruins and an All Around Update.

The Bruins won!  The game.  Not the Cup.  They have to win 3 more to do that.  But tonight they won.  Daniel Paille scored the winning goal in overtime.  Good for them.  My husband was originally the avid Boston Bruins fan but he has turned me into one too.  I also cheer for the LA Kings because I feel like I should be living in LA.  And of course, because of Wil Wheaton.

I passed the background check at CVS (of course I would). So I filled out some paperwork online and now I just have to go to my training sessions in Boston.  Which is going to be a real pain to get to but I'm sure I'll work it out.  I am a little nervous working after not having worked for 5 years but I have faith in myself.  I know I can do it.

My husband started his second job at Advanced Auto Parts tonight.  He said it was good and he likes it.  He worked a double today.  He had a Honda Village Saturday shift first, then he had a few hours off before his AAP shift.  I gave him some oatmeal in between because it was too early for dinner but by the time he got home for dinner he'd be starving.  I made homemade chicken stew/soup.

We have to go back to meet with my husband's school, Porter and Chester Institute because the Financial Aid person's computer went down right before she was going to help us.  So we get to go back this week and try to work it out so that he can go to school.  Advanced Auto is okay with him just working the nights he doesn't have class, so that's great!  He will be a very tired man for the next few years but at least he will be moving in the right career path to jumpstart his career.

I have signed up for Orientation at Mount Ida.  I signed up for July 9th Transfer Student Orientation Day, where I will have to take a math placement test (yuck), and I will pick my classes (yay!).  I met some of my fellow Class of 2017 Vet Techs on Facebook which was pretty cool.  I even talked to one in chat for an hour.  She was shy but I think she warmed up to me.

The piggies are well.  I have discovered they like blueberries and green beans, red-leaf lettuce, as well as carrots and parsley.  They're not big on oranges though.  They'll eat them eventually but they're not excited about them.

A Step In The Right Direction

I got hired by CVS!  Now all I have to do is pass their background check.  The I take orientation and fill out all the paperwork.  Then I have a training day and then I start.  Yay!  I'm to be the Greeter/ person who helps you with those self check out machines.  I forget what they're called.  Cool, huh?  And they know I'm going to school and will work with me on the hours.

School.  Yeah, so I need to still come up with a pretty big chunk of change for student loans.  Yuck.  I'm not going to lie, my credit is not so shiny.  So we'll see if I can actually pay for school.  I have befriended many of my fellow Class of 2017 Vet Tech Majors via Facebook and can't wait to meet them in real life.  Of course since I am transferring credits I may be able to graduate a semester early.  Or something like that.  My credits aren't in Vet Tech but at least I don't have to take the tedious English courses over again.

The Piggies are all well.  Amy is back in the big cage and Penny is bullying her as usual.  Bernadette has been moved to the small cage with Snickers.  They seem to be getting along reasonably well.  I can't wait for them all to be in the big cage.  That should be fun.

Monty the Ball Python had her first complete shed that she didn't need any helkp with last night.  What a relief.  I suppose there are advantages to outside humidity.  Twinkie, Rusty, and Peanut are all fine.

Well that's as good an update as any.  Stop and enjoy life.  Take a breath of fresh air whenever you can.

A Painful Way To Spend a Rainy Day, But Good News Is on the Horizon

I had a tooth prepped for a crown today.  Not so much fun.  It wasn't so bad while I was at the dentist because of the Novocaine.  But when I got home and that Novocaine wore off, holy Ouch Batman.  I took Tylenol and 600mg of Ibuprofen.  Fortunately for me that worked.  Then I fell asleep.  I woke up at 5:45 pm remembering Jason got off at 6 today because he picked up an extra shift.

So Jason is going to talk to his boss about the tuition reimbursement program and possibly go to school at Porter Chester Institute at night to earn his Auto mechanics degree. We filed for FAFSA just in case work doesn't cover all of it and I'm very excited for him.  It's an 18 month program.  So I would go to school during the day while Jason works, pick up Jason, go to his school and sit there and study and do homework while he's learning.  I won't have any distractions.

Once Jason is an auto tech he can move up from being a valet to something that uses his skills.   Let's just hope it all works out.

Mount Ida College, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet!!!!

I got into Mount Ida College!

It took so long because my transcripts kept getting lost in the mail.  Finally I had them sent to me then drove them to the College myself.  I got my tentative financial aid package which I'm not going to lie, does not close the gap as I would like, so I will talk to them about options.

But I am going to go!  My fortune cookie said to take a big step and this sure is a big one!  I'm going to be a Vet Tech and finally have my BA.  Or in this case I believe it's a BS.  Oh I am so glad.  I am going to work my ass off too.  No more scraping by, no more watching TV rather than going to class.  No more getting too sick to go.  I'm going to go and make a difference.  I'm going to study and do my homework.  I'm going to go to Discussion Groups.

And I'm going to make some new friends.  I already have a few and a great new friend, my buddy at Honda Village, but it will be nice to see the same people every day and get to know them.  My classes at UofT were so huge I didn't really meet anyone through class, just through my residence.  And Northeastern I talked to a few people but then the class would end and that was it.  This time I'm going to be with the same group of people for four years.  If I can't build friendships out of that I'm utterly hopeless.

So long story short, I'm going to Mount Ida College in Newton, MA.  Look out!

Market Basket: Heaven or Hell?

I discovered Market Basket several months ago.  I discovered the good produce, low prices, clean organized store, but I also discovered the madness that is the phenomenon of Market Basket.  Lines to get parking spots, lines to get carts, lines to checkout that extend far back into the aisles.  The wait at the deli counter can be upwards of half an hour.

So I found a solution.  I go to the Burlington Market Basket at 7:00am, right when they open.  There are parking spots, and just a few elderly people there.  I have my first choice of sandwich meats, produce, breads, bagels, etc.  This is heaven.

On Sunday I experienced Hell.  I had to drive to Lynn to pick up the tickets for the Drag Show from Shawompa, and Burlington was completely out of the way home,  I desperately needed groceries and I only had $30 to spend.  I ask my friend is there a Market Basket nearby.  Turns out there's one basically on my route back to Waltham so I get directions and head there.

The Market Basket was huge.  I found a parking spot okay, but there were no shopping carts inside.  I had to go back out into the parking lot where the attendant let me take one of the carts he was bringing in.  The store is so crowded I'm trying to to have an anxiety attack.  I rush through, counting up how much each thing costs and trying to determine what we can go without for a week.  Then I see the lines.  The lines are backed up into the aisles with Market Basket Employees directing carts when and where to go.  I got stuck behind a guy who had his groceries literally in a wagon.  It was bigger than a Red Rider wagon but it was still a wagon. He opened up the can of whipped cream and sprayed some directly into his mouth.  He did this several times before switches to eating some rosat beef deli meat, following by what else, but sliced cheese.  I thought I was going to be ill.

Finally it was my turn and I paid for my items.  I pushed my cart out to my parking spot and loaded up my meager selection of groceries.  Unlike the people who literally left there carts in the middle of the parking lot, I put mine in a cart collection gate.  Then I left.  I took a wrong turn getting out of the lot and ended up lost in Chelsea.  Fortunately my good sense of direction led me back to Rt 16 and I made it home alive.

My First Drag Show

I had quite a weekend!  First the YES concert then tonight I saw my first Drag Show entitled Size Doesn't Matter with a picture of a banana on the front of the program.  It was a charity event put on by the Monday Night Bowling League to benefit Boston Living Center and Community Servings.  Boston Living Center helps out those who have HIV/AIDs.  Community Servings serves meals to people who are home-bound due to illness, originally AIDS, but has expanded to other illnesses.  There was a raffle and a silent auction as well as a couple of hours worth of performances.  It took place at Machine Nightclub in Boston on Boylston Street.

My friend, we'll call him by his stage name, Shawompa, performed two numbers. Get the Party Started, not the P!nk version but by Shelley something-or-other, and Proud Mary by Tina Turner.  She was fabulous!  How she can dance in those heels is beyond me.  The dresses were perfect, the wigs were perfect.  I'm just gobsmacked how good Shawompa was.

I loved the red tassel dress for the first number.  With the gloves and the mask...  What a way to open the show!  And that hair!  How did it stay on?!  I had a dazzling evening and am so proud of my friend who has severe stage fright.  I could never do that, perform in front of all those people much less in drag!

An Evening With YES! at Foxwoods

Last night my husband and I went to a concert at the MGM Theater in Foxwoods to see an Evening With YES!  He had a phenomenal time.  I had a good time.  I confess I'm not a YES fan but I don't dislike them either.  It was a good concert.  Not too long not too short with an encore that was just the right amount of time.  We bought the tickets a long time ago, back when I thought we could afford them.  As they were non-refundable I thought we should go.

We started off the evening with a long and traffic filled drive down to Mashantucket where we parked with relative ease at the MGM Grand.  Then we took the shuttle to Rainmaker Casino and ate at the Festival Buffet.  Since we couldn't really afford to eat there I made sure I pigged out sufficiently to justify the cost.  I hit the BBQ station first and enjoyed some steak, pulled pork, and sweet potatoes with some cornbread.  Mmm mmm good.  I next hit the "International" Stations where I had mashed potatoes, pot roast, rice pilaf, and fried chicken breast.  Then I went for the Asian and seafood counters where I got some Scezhuan String Beans, Spring Rolls, and of course fried clam strips.  For dessert I enjoyed cheesecake, Boston Creme Pie, and Coconut Cream Cake.  Ugh, I overate just a tad.

We walked the mile back to the MGM Grand Theater and picked up our tickets.  Then we went and settled into our seats in the Right Mezzanine.  They were pretty good seats being only $20.  We waited patiently for the show to start and then there they were.  YES! live on stage.  I decided the lead singer looked a little like Viggo Mortensen.  They played two albums in their entirety and then my husband's favorite song for the encore.  I confess it was past my bedtime and I couldn't help yawning through most of the show.  But it wasn't because I was bored, just tired.

We got home at midnight and actually found a parking spot.  Yay, us!  We stayed up talking for awhile until Jason fell asleep.  Then I tooled around on the computer for a bit before going to bed myself.  The most interesting part of the night however was that I was hit on by a woman.  I'm starting to regret my short haircut.  It is not attracting mean, but women.  Which wouldn't be a problem if I were single or a lesbian, however I am neither.  And I don't react well to anybody hitting on me.  I get shy and then ignore them.  Oh well, she could have thought I was a bitch and I'm okay with that.  After all, I'm not all sweetness and flowers dispite what you may think.  ;)