thrihyrne: Portland, OR (squee!)
Thrihyrne ([personal profile] thrihyrne) wrote2009-03-04 07:19 pm
Entry tags:

Pretty good week thus far

I have good news to report! I've even been able to IM more often with Callum, and he noted, to his shock, "An optimistic Kristi! For two days now!" :D
A few of the pretty cooling events of this week:
Phone conversation with [livejournal.com profile] wolfiekins!
Two phone conversations with a friend formerly known as hapendfro here on LJ!
Baby sweater project- nearly done!
Dentist visit! But my second-ever cavity, too. :(
Fun hair cut! For $10! Photos at some point…
Good workout again today (step aerobics followed by Pilates), and while there, saw a fellow person in class looking at an index card and doing recognizable Irish step-dancing moves. I asked her where she took, and it turns out she and her son are members of An Daire Academy of the Celtic Arts. She brought me a card, so if I get really ambitious, on top of choir and free yoga twice a week (perhaps; each Saturday for sure) and everything else, I could go and take Irish step dancing again.
The big one: I accepted a position with the Portland Opera. It is part-time, though I should be able to work between 30-40 hours on any given week, closer to 40 while we're in campaigns, which we have coming up soon. I'll be a regular, part-time employee, which means that I do qualify for benefits: the opera will pay 54% of it, I'll pay the remainder, and I'll qualify for that as of May 1st. So it's not totally ideal— it's not full time, I have to pay for half of a monthly insurance premium. On the other hand: the economy sucks, this is a place that prefers to promote from within and they do think this position (which is rather malleable, actually) can be expanded to full time at some point, and it's an environment I'm very familiar with and where I'll actually use my skills. It's certainly better than being as underemployed as I have been, and it's a very positive way to be affirmed. So that's pretty cool.

Between the job, choir, and an okay living situation (though one which will need to change before next winter, so this spring probably I'll keep an eye and ear out for a place closer to the opera that is heated :P ), I don't feel nearly as unrooted here as I'd been feeling in recent weeks. I'd been thinking quite candidly that if I didn't have a full time job or something pretty close to it by this summer, it would be time to go elsewhere. I didn't know where, but it seemed that perhaps this Grand Experiment™ in moving somewhere I'd never visited and didn't know anyone and then the economy fell apart had come to its end. So perhaps I'll have a bit of longevity here after all. I do find myself obsessing somewhat about my license plates and driving. I must say that I've noticed a lot of really stupid/crazy/inconsiderate drivers in Portland of late, and I realize that I blend in now that I don't have Virginia plates any more. I really liked having such different plates. Now I have my Thevina plates in my room. I'm definitely going to save at least one.

Bottomless thanks to you for enduring my periods of ennui and self-doubt. It's pretty tremendous to be feeling not that!

[identity profile] espresso-addict.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
Fantastic news on the job front! I'm sure it will be very positive to be employed in a role that uses your skills & experience, even if the benefits aren't yet what you would prefer.
ext_21803: (Gen: I'll just pretend to hug you until)

[identity profile] madam-minnie.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
Yay!!! I'm so glad that things are going well for you babe! *hugs you tight* You deserve all the joy, happiness and success life can bring!
ext_36740: (jaiden_s celtic fae by fairewench)

[identity profile] jaiden-s.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
That is good news! :)

[identity profile] kymyrra.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
So glad to hear things are going well! I so totally owe you a phone call...

[identity profile] mrsquizzical.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 07:36 am (UTC)(link)
sometimes it only takes one thing sort of 'slotting into place' for everything to feel more hopeful.

nice to 'see you smiling'.

*hugs*

[identity profile] elfscribe5.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 07:58 am (UTC)(link)
Congrats Thev!! And I look forward to cute haircut pics.
Hugs.

[identity profile] snottygrrl.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 08:24 am (UTC)(link)
yays! am v. glad things are feeling better to you.

and congrats on the opera job (which i think i neglected to say earlier).

[*runs off*]
ext_348218: Me and Hz as penguins (MagicalExplosions)

[identity profile] evannichols.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay for Opera Job! I'm very pleased to hear that. Glad to hear all your news (well, not so much the cavity), especially that you're feeling optimistic. May the trend continue! (((hugs!)))

[identity profile] brumeux77.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 02:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Poor you; second cavity. I think I have one tooth in my head that doesn't have a filling--and the fillings have been there long enough that they're beginning to disintegrate. :P

Apart from that, what a wonderful post. I'm so glad things seem to be falling into place.

*hugs*
grrlpup: yellow rose in sunlight (Default)

[personal profile] grrlpup 2009-03-05 05:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Congrats on the opera job! I kept meaning to mention I glimpsed you working the table in the lobby last time I went, but you looked very busy (yay). :)

Portland water doesn't have fluoride, so I sometimes request a fluoride-painting of my teeth like little kids get for cavity prevention. In my completely anecdotal experience it has worked.

[identity profile] cim-halfling.livejournal.com 2009-03-05 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Huzzah for the job! I got your postcard two days ago (and my husband made a point of making sure I actually saw it, LOL). Beauitiful postcard and lovely note, thank you so much.

What would I do without my Thev?? And, I'm so glad you are feeling more up.

*HUGS*

[identity profile] sexyscholar.livejournal.com 2009-03-06 01:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Congratulations on the job! I'm so happy to hear about the positive turn of events! ::HUGS::

[identity profile] verdenia.livejournal.com 2009-03-11 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Hooray happy time!!!



Awesome Opera job, too! :D