The Challenges of Real Life - Staying Awake

It's been a while since my last blog, because I started working, and my body didn't know what had hit it.

Not only have I not worked for the best part of 6 months, but my previous job was in an office and I was sitting all day. Now I have returned to being on my feet all day, and in particular at the moment I am lifting heavy boxes and running around managing a Lost & Found by myself.

So I have basically been working or sleeping.

I actually went to see the doctor about the constant tiredness - which has been plaguing me even before I started work - and was told the only thing wrong with me is 'emotional exhausting' and that it was 'all in my mind and I need to become more stable'. Well gee mate, thanks. You try emigrating and living in your in-laws place for 6 months and see how stable you are!!

Anyway, back to good things. For the first time in a long time, I got paid last Friday!! As I'd only done 18 hours, it wasn't a very big paycheck, but I took it as the first sign of good things still to come. Plus, I am working 45 hours this week, having picked up a couple of extra shifts, so hopefully the money will start rolling in from hereon out :)

So far all is good. I've only been screamed at by a few people (a certain wizard-based attraction reaching capacity within 2 hours of opening tends to make people a wee bit cranky). And it's actually really nice to be back to a job where I know that (on most days) I can make at least one person happy. I rang someone on Tuesday night to let them know we'd found his wallet - you'd think I'd told him he'd won the lottery. You don't tend to always get that kind of instant gratification in an office.

Next week I start training on the more complex aspects of my job which will probably take about 2 weeks. I'm nervous - definitely a higher chance of screaming here - but excited to get to use my brain and meet some more people in my area. Just as I thought, it is really nice to have a purpose in life and a reason to get out of the house again, despite the 60% pay cut.

Even if it does mean I will be sleeping constantly until I get used to it.

More blogging soon, promise!

It's Magic time! 5..4..3..2..1..

Last Sunday I ticked another activity off the 'experiencing Americana' list, by going to see a basketball game.

Central Florida is quite well-stocked with professional sports teams, but only one of them is in Orlando. Tampa Bay has the Buccaneers in the NFL and the Lightning in the NHL - and Orlando has the Magic in the NBA. Even better, they are actually a decent team, making it to the semi-finals of the playoffs in 2009 and into the playoffs again this year. This definitely makes a change from your local side being Middlesbrough.

Anyway, Jason's dad won 2 tickets to see the Magic play the Chicago Bulls, and I was the lucky girl who got to go with him - even if I knew absolutely nothing about basketball before we went. Literally, in the car on the way, I was looking at the NBA's "Hoopipedia", trying to figure out such unfamiliar terms as technical fouls and free throws.

It was a fantastic experience. Loud, brash, and spectacularly over the top.

The first thing I noticed was the Amway Center, the Magic's home arena. It is less than a year old and is about as technologically advanced and shiny as it is possible to get.

From our seats in the Amway

It is an entirely pillarless structure, so even from our second-from-the-back seats, it was obvious that there isn't a bad view in the house. Not for vertigo sufferers though - those stairs, and the 3 escalators we had to take to get to our seats, were steep.

I don't even know how to describe the game itself except that the atmosphere was unbelievable. People from all walks of life were there - families, couples, guy groups, girl groups, school groups, and yes, the occasional (loud) Bulls fan - and the acoustics of the arena amplified the chants of "DEFENCE!!" and "GOOOOOOOOOOOO MAGIC!!" into an ear-splitting roar. It helped that it was a great game - with Jameer Nelson scoring an amazing "buzzer beater" (meaning he got the shot off before the buzzer went for the end of the quarter) from the half-court line at halftime, sending the home crowd completely wild. He did the same thing at full time, to tie the game, but unfortunately it was disallowed because the ball did not leave his hands before the buzzer. And the Magic therefore lost. But still, it was great to celebrate with the crowd in that 30 seconds where we thought we'd pulled it out of the bag.

Much to my hubby's distress - he's not a sports fan, least of all basketball - I think I could definitely get into live basketball, and I intend on going again. It's playoffs season now, so might actually get to see a game that counts next time.

I also started my new job this week, hence the tardiness of my latest blog post. I can't really go into much detail, as my new employer has strict rules about blogging (if you're friends with me on Facebook you know who I'm working for!) and until I understand them better I'd rather not risk getting fired when I've only done 4 days. So for now all I will say, is that I have met some great people so far, and I'm looking forward to getting more into it and seeing what I can do to make myself shine and just get on and be successful. On-the-job training starts next Wednesday...

This freedom must be earned.

After 5 months of unemployment, I finally have a job.


Further to last week's blog: it is not the job I'm dreaming of, but I didn't realise until I went for the second interview and knocked it out of the park exactly how important it was for my mental well-being to have just any job. I came out of the tiny little meeting room, where myself and 4 middle-aged men were sat opposite 3 hiring managers for a group-setting series of questions and scenarios, thinking 'I really hope I get this'.


In fairness, I let my ego have its day and my actual thought was 'if they don't hire me they're idiots'. But if I do say so myself, I was that good.


I went in today and had my fingerprints done (again!) and finally got to flash the all-important green card as proof of work eligibility. That was a definite improvement on the reams of paper I had to produce for absolutely anything when I was on a non-immigrant work visa in the past. Then paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork, the all-important ID photograph (I hope I didn't squint) and that was it. Orientation is on Monday, so this week could go very slowly while I'm waiting to get started.


But anyway, back to my mental well-being. I had a rough week last week of wondering whether I would ever be good enough for any job, whether I'd committed career suicide, and whether I was going to be stuck in a room in my in-laws house forever and ever. However, over the weekend (and with numerous telling-offs from my husband) I came to a few conclusions, namely:

1. A job is a job is a job. I just need to get in to the American workforce. 
2. My desire to have a purpose in my life, use my brain, and move out, all supercede the possibility of just waiting for the 'right' job to come along.

So although it might not be my dream job, it is my ticket to freedom, and actually beginning 'proper' married life with my new hubby. I can't wait to get started.

The fact that one of my company perks is a free turkey at Christmas and Thanksgiving doesn't hurt either.