The Waiting Game

I have spent most of the last week feeling quite sick from the stress of waiting to hear back from that job interview. I almost (almost) wish I knew it had gone terribly so I would know it wouldn't be a yes. The role will be quite a challenge – I'll have to learn a whole new world of financing, indices, interest, “joint ventures”. I know in my head that I'm up for it. I got my head around Glasgow leases for my regional council round, of course I can learn about flipping houses, but my stomach is in knots. I think it will be something of a relief whichever answer I get when they finally call back.

I spent Monday writing a “test” for the magazine, which consisted of turning around a press release from November last year. So being the good reporter I am, I got new quotes from a helpful but very confused French-Canadian man who kept telling me “There are new figures out.”... Thanks Marc.

The week has not been without its fun, however. In the interest of the long-term goals of making friends and learning about the city I managed two birds/one stone on Sunday with a Meetup organised Urban Scavenger Hunt. In teams of five or six we had to race around downtown Toronto taking pictures of things to tick off our list.

For example:

-A team member with a member of royalty

-The entire team on a floor higher than 15

-Three pizza places

-Five things that rhyme with “floor”

-A team member imitating a statue

There were 30 things all together and we had to hold a mini Maple Leafs jersey in front to prove we didn't just google image search it. Some required creativity (we found our royalty on a magazine cover and our “triplets” as mannequins in a store window) and our team was the only one that got 100% so we won! They're planning a summer version so we'll get to defend our title then. Each team had a slightly different list and some missed stuff like “A team member dressed as a superhero”, which we definitely would have achieved. A teammate suggested just holding our jersey up to a blank wall and calling it “Catie as the invisible woman”. Teeheehee.

It's funny how a good week (scavenger hunt, getting through two stages of an employment process) can still feel like a bad week when you're tied in stress knots. I should really take up yoga or meditation or something... Oh, actually, I took up shopping as stress relief. I got two dresses, a jacket and two belts for less than $30 at local op shops. Good for the budget AND the soul.

 This is me imitating the statue of Winston Churchill at Nathan Phillips Square. I do an excellent old man impression.

Wednesday already...!

So it had been an uneventful week and I was all prepared to blog about boredom and reading 12 books in 8 days (some were children's books, which count less) BUT then I got a job interview for tomorrow so instead I spent a few hours going to the library to print stuff and going to the dollar store to buy a professional looking folder to keep stuff in and then thinking maybe I should research real estate in Canada since it's a businessy/real estatey journalism.

I am very hopeful about the interview for a number of reasons (I don't know which number yet, I'll let you know at the end). Firstly, it is a real journalism job, not a communications or admin role. I would be perfectly happy to do either of those things, might even have loved it, but this is what I trained to do and it looks like a great position. Secondly, they called me literally within three hours of me sending my application. Three hours. And set the job interview for within 24 hours! So that means they're keen, right? Thirdly it is in central Toronto which would mean that I could live anywhere in the city and be at work within half an hour.

The small downside to getting the job is that it is only two weeks until Peggy and Mum visit. I don't know how fast the turnaround would be on this role, but considering how quickly they've done everything else I could be starting within two weeks. But long term, I would quite like to be employed in the industry I love, learning and "upskilling". We Nobettes are adaptable, we'll do the glass-half-full thing no matter what. And maybe I won't start until the 27th and will get five days with them. We'll see.

Otherwise, what's been happening in my little life? Saturday I hosted a Very Successful dinner party with my friends. I realised too late I should have taken photos as proof that a) I can cook and b) I have friends. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of effort, but everyone appreciated my effort so that makes it worthwhile. There was even cake!

On the Friday before was a get together with one of the Meetup groups I joined. Very low key, very fun. Just drinks and socialising with a range of people. I maybe made a new friend - there's a scavenger hunt on Sunday where we intend to cement our friendship. Then Monday was book club (Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night and House Rules) where everyone loved one book and hated the other. Next month is The Road and The Hunger Games so I don't actually have to read anything, just might skim The Road so I get some talking points.

And that's it - going to go read some more about investing in real estate. Maybe it'll give me some good ideas for the future (assuming I ever have any money to try and make grow).

Free the children

So yet another job has come up that I really want and think I would be perfect for - marketing and comms for Canada based youth-oriented charity Free the Children. It does good work, does not have a religious agenda and is, apparently, one of the "top employers of young people" in Canada. So everyone cross your fingers and toes and maybe this time, finally, I'll get a call.

It's been one of those slightly disillusioning weeks. There aren't as many things listed, I feel like I'm just shooting applications into space and no one's picking them up, and I'm kind of bored. I keep thinking I should pick up some volunteer work here, but then I worry that I'll get a job with weird hours and have to ditch it, but maybe two weeks of volunteering is better than no weeks of volunteering? I spent Wednesday watching Freaks and Geeks, reading Jonathan Franzen and stalking childhood friends on Facebook. Strangely, none of these things made me feel better.

I did have a really excellent weekend hanging out with people. Thursday night (I know, not quite the weekend, but it's not like I have weekly activities anyway) I watched Apollo 13 with some book club friends. Having never seen the film it was quite nail-bitey, except I knew it was based on a book by Tom Hanks (aka Jim Lovell) so I knew he lived, at least. Friday night was dinner and drinks with friends, then more drinks, which culminated in us, back at the house dancing to the Boat that Rocked soundtrack. Then I drunk-texted and -Facebooked, always a good idea, some of the people at home that I missed.

Tuesday I went to a really fantastic seminar about women in the media and the fact that just 20% of opinion pieces are by women and only 25% of what they called "newsmakers" - essentially the people being interviews - are women. The reasons were partly underrepresentation politically and in the business world, but also because women are more likely to say no due to thinking they have no time, or not thinking they are the right person to comment. It was very inspirational and now I'm going to come up with some strong opinions so I can express them frequently, at loud volumes.

Can haz hospital care...

Punch me in the face! Go on, I'm sure I've deserved it at some point... As of Monday I can get injured/sick with impunity because I am covered by the local health system. Slightly short-sighted me didn't extend my travel insurance to cover all of the three months it takes to qualify. The theory here is that it's done by province so if you move from Quebec to Ontario, Quebec covers you for the first three months, then Ontario takes over. Unfortunately I didn't have another province to look after me and I've had my fingers crossed for three months that I didn't spontaneously get acute appendicitis. (First stop: emergency room to have my fingers straightened.)

Job listings have slowed down so only a couple applications this week. I have branched out and am essentially applying for anything that sounds like something I would enjoy and be good at. And pays okay ;) I'm hoping for something in downtown Toronto so I can live nearby and walk/subway but I might end up out of town in which case I'll join the cool kids who commute every morning. I'm aiming to not need to own a car because a) insurance here is a bitch, b) driving here seems unnecessarily arduous with lots of traffic, lots of "no turning" signs and lots of trolley cars in the way and c) any expense avoided is an extra dollar towards Ethiopia. Or Peru. Wherever I end up next.

I've read a few more books since we last had a catch up including The Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock which I recommend if you like your books with an edge of weirdness. It's a disturbing and creepy coming of age story set in the 1950s and 60s of Ohio. Included: animal sacrifice, serial killers, preachers eating bugs and an oddly endearing, and often violent, main character named Arvin. I am slowly working my way through my pile, but also have more books to pick up from the library tomorrow so it seems to be getting worse, rather than better!

It is less than a month until I see Mum and Peggy - another exciting thing to count down to.We're having Christmas here then, I think that's a record for us. We're pretty flexible about Christmas because we're so often in different countries/time zones but I think two months late is the most we've pushed it out.

Books, Bell and Boots + Bonus book review!

I had my first big snow this week! It was exciting. I think maybe I don't hate snow as long as it remains like this - light, fluffy, not too disruptive. I shovelled the pathway to the front door, a novel experience. Not too difficult but probably quite good exercise if I had more of it to do.

My pile of books has shrunk somewhat - I've read six since I last saw you all. Most were exceptional, but reading so many so quickly is probably not the best way to do them justice. Mum has convinced me to start a file on my desktop of how many books I've read and while the last months' lists are somewhat incomplete it will be interesting to go back over them and see what patterns I end up finding.

I've applied for yet another seven (ish?) jobs in the last five days and still don't hear back for interviews. It's off putting but I'm still thinking positive. I have a few more months before money gets tight, and I'm enjoying getting to know the city. If it comes to the worst I'll turn to retail to plug the gap!

Had a great day today. I finally sorted out my phone so now I just pay a bill once a month and get free incoming calls (including international, so, you know, call me!). This country is slightly ridiculous in that people pay to receive calls. I know, right? I worked out that I've owned ten phones, in five countries on four continents and this is the only place with that system. Still, got amazing service at Bell so might have to make sure they get praised. I also shopped for waterproof boots but was indecisive so I still don't own any... Then dinner with a friend and now home to play with my fun new phone. It looks fancy, but is, in fact, quite cheap. But still loads better than my other one.

And today I'm trying something new: a book review of The House of Silk, by Anthony Horowitz. Because the entertainment world can't help but embrace bandwagons this is a new Sherlock Holmes mystery. In the past few years we've seen new "Robert Ludlum" books, a sixth Hitchhiker's Guide book and The Wheel of Time series being completed, all after the original author's death, some authorised and some driven by what I can only describe as hubris.

I'm a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Many I've read more than once, and I've whole-heartedly enjoyed both the Guy Ritchie and BBC recent re-imaginations so I was open-minded but apprehensive about reading the novel. Overall I was impressed. The story opens with Watson reminiscing about his friend Holmes and their adventures, telling the reader there is one last story to tell, which could not be told at the time. The House of Silk is a conspiracy worthy of Holmes and Doyle, and draws in many of the patterns and themes of the original stories. Starting with the destruction of four paintings and an art auctioneer being stalked, the death of a thief and a young boy, and taking a jaunt through an opium den for old times' sake it takes a long time for these threads to weave together but it was fun to watch them start to connect. I haven't read anything else by Anthony Horowitz, but would be more likely to try his other work now.

At times I forgot I wasn't reading something contemporary to the time, although this was usually broken by character's expressing views more modern than their time - a common difficulty for modern writers setting a novel in "olden days". They want somehow to show that their characters were good, forward-thinking people, but in fact succeed only in breaking the spell they've cast of London in the 1890s.

So if you liked the originals, or have only seen the films or TV show I'd recommend this. It has enough "in jokes" for fans of Doyle, without, I think, spoiling any of the stories for those who haven't read his work. And if the epilogue is overly sentimental we can probably forgive the author, as long as he doesn't draw the whole thing out with yet another novel next year.

Busy beaver

I had four events in a row this week! And I have a coffee planned for Saturday which makes for five events in seven days. How's that for building a social life?

I've also applied for five jobs, and emailed a friend's dad who said he'd look over my resume too. So yay for opportunities.

Sunday I had dinner with my cousins, who flew to Cuba this week, Monday was book club (Room, by Emily Donaghue), Tuesday dinner and a movie with Joanna and her colleagues, and yesterday was a Kiwi Expats Abroad event at the NZ themed pub, Hemingway's. That was lots of fun - it's so nice to hear the accents! Also we had a long conversation about why Canadians need to pick up the word "flat" and "flatmates" because it sums up a way of living that most people experience at some point: sharing a house with friends or strangers. Here they say "roommates" which is silly - nobody shares a room! I also had a long conversation about Israel Dagg, who I interviews, with his "cousin", talked about green stone with an amateur carver and about wine with a guy from Hawke's Bay. All in all very nice to relax into that community for a while. I might even have made a connection for some freelance work writing copy for websites. Back to the whole "who you know" thing.

So far 16 of my 40+ books have arrived at the library... Boy am I in trouble there. It's only three week rentals here so I have to read 16 books in 21 days and still apply for jobs and hang out with people. I accept this challenge. It's free, unlimited renewals unless it's reserved so I figure I'll do my research and prioritise what to read first... And how's that for boring blog material. "The reserving, borrowing, and renewing policies of the common Toronto Library (librarium Torontosus)".

I'm meeting a girl from my bookclub for coffee Saturday, very hopeful for the whole "make new friends" potential of this group. There are quite a few young people there so I figure as long as I go every month I'll keep making contacts. The only trouble now is that Waitangi Day is ALSO the first Monday of February, so the big Kiwi night at Hemingway's lines up with my next bookclub. Because I am Socialiser Extraordinaire I intend to attempt both. Take that, common sense! Of course if I'm working by then it gets triple as complicated but whatever, I'm up for the challenge.

Peggy is in Paris - what a brat! I'm jealous. Although not as jealous about that as about her stop in Bruges. I hope she sees people filming midgets and that no one falls/jumps off the tower while she's there. I'm planning my trip to Ethiopia for this time next year...

Back to routine?

As my dear sister Peggy pointed out it is not Wednesday... but by my calculations Monday and Tuesday were public holidays so today is the third work day of this week and is therefore a lot like Wednesday.

I am finally back in Toronto for the foreseeable future - and also hopefully back to routine. I've found a couple jobs to apply for and have decided to expand out and apply for office admin roles. Sure, it's not my dream job but I'd rather do that than work at Shoppers Drug Mart until my dream job comes up. The worrying thing is that in just two weeks it appears my brain has turned to jelly (or cake maybe, I ate a lot of cake) and I can't figure out how to write this application. It's new to me because it's about organisation and multi-tasking (which I'm awesome at) not about communication and multi-tasking (which I'm also pretty damn good at) so new cover letter etc. Fun times. Focus, right? I'm sure I can do this...

Along the way to turning my brain into cheesecake I spent Christmas with Dad's family, between Christmas and New Year in Ottawa, New Year's Eve in Toronto with my cousin Jen, New Year's Day until yesterday in Hamilton with Mum's family... it's been a busy two weeks. Ooh, and I got my hair-cut. That's pretty much the big news of my week :) It's been great to see everyone. The main reason I wanted to come to Toronto (as opposed to another city) was to get to know everyone, especially the kids. So when the chance came up to babysit my cousin's girls (aged two and three) I signed up without hesitation. The three-year old has the most amazing imagination - we spent the whole afternoon rescuing baby animals from corners of the family room to reunite them with their mommies.

Closer to home Faith's has become the refuge for her friend's daughters - Joanna moved in this week so we'll be flatmates until she finds an appropriate place to live. Should be fun to see her more often and maybe get to know some of her other friends.

There are lots of events on here - next week I'm going to drinks with the local Kea (Kiwi Expats Abroad) group, the week after is sledding, then a scavenger hunt, then another pub night... So lots of chances to meet people. Add to that my monthly book club and I am anything but bored! I also might get to apartment-sit for my cousins while they're in Cuba.

I've gone a little overboard reserving stuff from the library and I still have quite a few books to read from my last trip. I read all the "Best Books of 2011" lists and ended up with more than 40 reservations. One of the lists focused on Canadian writers and I thought that would be a great way to increase my knowledge about this country, but my job hunting could seriously suffer as I try to make sure I read everything that crosses my desk.

Okay... back to the grind. I have got to apply for this job. Plus, the pay is better than most of the comms jobs I've been looking at ;)