The Beginning of 2015: January and February

We finally got to meet Rou-Jia's boyfriend on 1/2!! 

Daniel and Maddy stayed the night before we went to Disneyland on 1/5 and we made vegan lasagna, fresh lavender lemonade from lemons from our yard, and lavender cookies for dinner. Delicious feast!  

In early January we had some car issues. We had the tires replaced, alignment done, rear breaks replaced, and oil changed on our Volvo, then I got into it and the button on the shifter was stuck so I asked the mechanic about it and he forced it, breaking it. So we had to fight with them over it and they replaced the shift assembly for cost of parts but broke the passenger seat in the process so that it was stuck in a permanent reclined position. So we got that fixed and the whole ordeal cost over $1000. Ridiculous.

While unemployed, I resurrected my professional website and published once a week as well as posted lots of really awesome content to my professional Twitter. I also was accepted as a syndicated/contributing writer for Social Work Helper! Here's my first article for them.

Nova got a bladder infection on 1/15, but on the "bright side," I got to do my first clean catch urinalysis sample on a dog, lol. She's all better now and we got to establish a vet here, haha.

I got to babysit my nieces on Presidents' Day on 2/16! We did Newton's First Law with marbles, played with my toilet paper roll marble track masterpiece (discussing the challenges & need for patience in engineering, lol), played new puzzles & Seeds for the Birds (a sweet co-op game), rode bikes in the sun, did a shape/color/gross motor skill game and drew with sidewalk chalk outside, ate lunch outside, & colored. The marble track that took me 2 hours to make the night before was a smash hit, so that was a success!

Our buddy, Maddy, wanted to do an early 90s theme for her birthday part on 2/20 this year so we borrowed some of Jed's parents' old clothes and went as accurate as we remembered: ill-fitting and poor hair/makeup. ;) Jed went as a typical 90s guy and I went for the grunge look. There was rollerskating, neither of us biffed it, so it was a good night. 

We got to partially host our niece's 3rd birthday on 2/22 because, in her little heart of hearts, she wanted to play with Nova for her birthday. So the sibs-in-law came up for the afternoon and hung out. I got to practice my crepe paper streamer skills, which was more fun than I anticipated, we got some helium balloons, and fairy wings, and it was fun. Melinda made sweet rainbow cupcakes and sweetly brought me vegan ice cream sandwiches.

We gave Eleanor a corgi plush (with cat collar). She really likes Nova and can't play with her very often so we gave her "Nova's friend," Luna, to look after instead. Eleanor left clutching Luna to her chest and forgot to say bye to Nova so I think it was a success. ;) The darn thing is so cute Jed and I kinda want one now, lol.

I got my hair cut/colored for first time in 8 months. Very cool.

It took me 62 job applications before I landed myself a job. I had my first interview for application #46 on 1/16 and my interview for application #40 on 1/27. I interviewed at the first for a full-time position, ended up not getting it but being offered an on-call position. I interviewed at the second place for a part-time and got it. Phew.

So after weeks of doing fingerprints, a UA drug screening, TB test, physical exam, CPR class, First Aid class, tons of paperwork, and plenty of waiting, I started both jobs the week of 2/23. 

My primary position is in Ramona (66 miles from home) and Julian (73-88 miles from home depending on which way I go; there's a good reason it's call the "back country" - it is way out there!) as a mental health therapist at 2 elementary schools and a high school. The clinical team seems super awesome and I'm really excited about it. They said that they hope I will go full-time within the next couple months. *fingers crossed*

My secondary position that's on-call is at a transitional residential facility in Oceanside (52 miles from home). I think I've decided that residential/inpatient isn't really my thing, but it's on-call and good experience, so there it is. I'll also be learning how to man the Adult Protective Services after hours phone line.

My first week of work in numbers: 

• 4 days worked
• 2 jobs
• 4 towns
• 36 hours of pay
• 14 hours in car
• 28 hours in building
• 550 miles driven
• and not enough sleep

I also got to go from 4200 ft elevation Wednesday in Julian to 0 on Thursday when I stepped down onto the beach 3 blocks away from my work in Oceanside. There's not a lot of places you can easily do that in only 60 miles.

In celebration for my new jobs we got victory sushi/bento, mmm.

Jed is still looking for a job, and there are some bites right now, so we'll let ch'all know when we know.

Media! I watched/re-watched all of Black Adder and Fawlty Towers on Netflix before they took them off Jan 31. Jed got the Nintendo 3DS video game Animal Crossing: New Leaf and I thought it sounded stupid, but when I checked it out, I got hooked, lol.

The only book I've gotten through is Peter Pan. It wasn't very good. And Tinkerbell is an irreconcilable jerk. My reading has really suffered. Peter Pan was painful and the current book I'm on (Shift by Hugh Howey) is 608 pp long. I'm also reading several books for work.

And in conclusion: SUPER NOVA!!