Three weeks into the New Year...

And I've made progress on one of my three resolutions. I am aiming for eight hours of sleep a night, and am often getting them! My least slept night (barring the frequent panicked wake-ups the night of my 5 a.m. shift) was a mere seven hours, a vast improvement from my regular six-ish of before Christmas. And, I'm going to bed in plenty of time to get my eight hours, so I'm actually moderately rested most days!

I feel this is a vast improvement over my resolutions of last year, which are long forgotten (but may have simply been surviving the last two terms of school and getting a job, which I did).

I've also ramped up my hunt for a real, reliable job with vacation and the like. I've "cold emailed" several publications, along with several people I know in the industry, while still prowling the job boards daily -- all while keeping my fingers crossed of course.

I've also been tempted by two internship possibilities. One is far-fetched and already ruled out, it's in Kitchener and it requires a car, which basically puts it out of the running, but I love the idea of it -- reporting for a daily for a few months would look great on my resume. The other obstacle is that it runs through August, which, as many of you may know, happens to require a bit of time off for an important milestone -- my wedding -- and interns don't get the choice vacation days (if any). If it was in Toronto, and didn't require a car, I'd maybe look into extending it into September to fulfill the time while still getting the time off, but the other factors all contribute to strike it out. Plus, I'm still having trouble getting around in Ontario. They'd send me for coffee and I'd end up in Hamilton calling James and asking him to map out a way back for me on his blackberry. Not good.

The second is slightly more realistic, but I'm still uncertain enough that I haven't applied. Toronto Life, a very well respected magazine for you non-Torontonians, has a four-month internship program, which appears to be fairly flexible with start and end dates (i.e. I could start in March, or June or whenever -- if I got accepted). It would be planning, researching, writing, and an introduction into the world of magazine publishing -- something I am not particularly familiar with, but do find quite interesting. The downside to said internship, were I able to get it, is that the whole thing pays a stipend of $2,000. Yes, that's $500 a month, which would cover rent but not much else -- certainly not bills or student loans.

Odds are I'd be able to make more working at the CBC, if I'm willing to risk it and continue with this crazy, unpredictable schedule and the lurch in my stomach each morning when I wake up in the morning expecting a phone call to tear me out of my slumber into the cold, cruel world to cover for a writer sick in Manitoba or PEI or who knows where. Even when I'm not working for them, I'm perpetually preparing myself to be available "just in case", and that's a rather rough way to get by. But, currently at least, it pays the bills and is in the field I want -- online news and features.

The other issue in all these decisions is the election factor. If I depart from political news and an election is called (which I certainly believe to be a possibility, maybe a 50 per cent chance) I'll feel like I'm missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

So, I'm currently still hunting down that elusive job with vacation -- that's a decision that would be quite simple! -- but am definitely looking at other options.

And, of course, this week James has been away in San Francisco, so I've been left alone with my thoughts and a very cranky bunny. These factors (more the aloneless than the rabbit though) lead me to my third resolution -- worrying less. That's posing a bit more of a challenge. I'm a worrier. But, isn't admitting it the first step to recovery?

When I do find myself worrying I try to distract myself too (the oven in our apartment is the cleanest it's ever been. Admittedly, it needed a good scrub, but now it really sparkles!) and I figure with only three weeks into the new year, an occasional relapse is inevitable anyway. But hey, at least I'm trying!

Lesson of the day

It was a very busy week on the news desk, with conflicts around the world, breaking political developments, accidents and the rising popularity of a newborn polar bear at Germany's Nuremberg Zoo who has been named Flocke -- the German word for snowflake (see the bear's website here in German.)

The job hunt continues, and I'm starting to feel a little more confidant and a little less disillusioned.

And, I re-learned an important lesson: Do not wear dangly earrings when conducting phone interviews. Your ear will get increasingly hot, then sore and achy, and remain so for at least another hour.

Now, I think I may dig into my chocolate shoe :)

Back in the t-dot

My vacation flew by. My time at home seemed hardly long enough (despite amply time to stuff my face with mussels, pudding and other home delicacies) and I could barely believe it when I was once again en route to the airport. Moral of the story? Five days is not enough.

And, before I knew it, we were seven days into the new year, I was well back into work (though having trouble getting back in the swing of things) and I had made no progress on my new year's resolutions, which by the way, are as follows:

- Find a job
- Sleep more
- Worry less

Simple sounding enough, yes, but still highly difficult to achieve. They are also all linked. It's easier to worry less when you have a job. If you worry less, you sleep more. A lack of sleep will not help me find a job.

Good logic, difficult execution.

Anyway, just wanted to check in to assure everyone that I am in fact alive and well in 2008. As part of my "sleep more" effort, I'm trying to eat supper before seven whenever possible. I'll keep you posted on my progress through the new year's resolutions (fingers crossed that I make some!) and best of luck with yours!

Three sleeps away and I'm starting to smell that salt water...

I'm heading home on Friday and it's getting so close that I can practically taste the salt water (and the Christmas cookies, garlic fingers, Lunenburg pudding, etc...).

Central Canada is nice, with its cold that cuts through you rather than seeps into your bones, the regular sunshine, the smooth, straight roads, but it's been too long since I've been home. And, the fact that it's Christmas makes it all the better!

It's going to be a very short visit -- only till boxing day -- followed by a quick stop in Belleville with James' family and then I'll return to reality. But, for the next two weeks-ish, starting today, life will be a flurry of holiday preparations, packing and travelling, and I can't wait!

The news has been getting me down lately -- with seven-year-olds crushed in snow tunnels, old men killed while delivering Christmas cards, bombings, thefts, and so on -- and I think this holiday is exactly what I need to regain some optimism. That, or start my own "good news" site, about cars driving safely, children going on rollercoasters without having their feet chopped off, trick-or-treaters getting great, safe candy, tourists visiting Mexican resorts and having a great time, and of course, how cute kittens, bunnies, puppies and such are (though, someone already beat me to that one). I know there's good news out there, it's just hard to find.

So, to start off these holidays right, I'm going to share some good, festive news before signing off. NORAD's Santa Tracker is up, and ready for action. European scientists estimate that it takes Santa 34 miliseconds to go to a house, drop off presents and take off again. And, the UN says the "elves" who help Santa respond to his over 6 million letters are working hard to make sure all the good girls and toys can pass on their wishes for toys.

So, with happy thoughts, I'm off to pack.

A week until home!

Life has been exhausting this week, with full time work at the CBC and an article for PCWorld.ca, combined with a sore throat and attempts to prepare for Christmas and get ready for my much anticipated first trip back to Nova Scotia since I left last June.

As a result, this will be a short one. Not much has changed since the last post, I'm still chugging away on the job hunt and am trying not to get too dejected. I do think I may give myself a brief break over Christmas, to alleviate the feeling of rejection from every unanswered application (there have been over a hundred by now, I believe)and then hopefully when I come back in January I will be confident, revitalized, and employable. Fingers crossed.

We're bracing for a big snowstorm in Toronto -- which could break records set for December snowfall in 1944 (how's that for a journalism nerd factoid? I should really start doing trivia...) -- so, for those of you who have electricity this weekend, but are trapped inside, I'd love to recommend some light reading generated by yours truly this week:

- North Korea: axis of evil or tourist trap? (CBC)
- Kosovo Q & A (CBC)
- Canadian Internet pioneers (PCWorld)

OK, maybe it's not terribly light. But, compared to the Conrad Black and Pickton trial updates from earlier this week, these topics are seriously lighthearted.

Anyway, I must be off for present wrapping before I bring home a new batch of Christmas shopping tomorrow, providing I don't get stormstayed. I'll be dreaming of homemade cookies and a Nova Scotian Christmas for the next seven sleeps, until the dream becomes a reality!

Happy December

The pre-Christmas flurry of activity has kept me quite busy. I'm about three-quarters of the way through my Christmas shopping, which I hope to finish this week. I'm also getting very excited to get home to Nova Scotia, even if it's only for a few days, to see my family and just be home. Also, because the time is drawing close so quickly, I'm starting to think about other, less sentimental, reasons for visiting, including:

- Mussels that haven't flown halfway across the country
- Peanut butter pie at The Knot
- Lunenburg pudding (which, for those of you who don't know, is kind of a grey, spicy meat -- which James refuses to try)
- Garlic fingers, which I have not been able to find/get here. Also, if you ask, you draw a lot of blank stares
- Saying "Fill your boots" without being mocked
- Travelling by SUV with heated seats, rather than by the crowded, dirty subway

I'm sure as the time draws closer I'll think of more silly reasons too.

Otherwise, not much has been happening. We cook, we clean, we work, we shop and we play video games. Certainly not a bad existence in any way, just not terribly blog-worthy.

A month until Christmas

Actually, slightly less than a month, but I'm late putting up this entry. Job searching is exhausting. I think the only thing that keeps me going with it is that I know when I finally succeed, I won't have to do it again for awhile. Like, at least a year depending on the job.

Things are still kind of strange, as I think I always expected to be more settled after being here for six months (which I hit next week, so I guess there's still time). But, I have updated my links of things I write that I like on the side, so check it out. Basically, I spend a lot of time writing news stories using press releases, quotes that TV and radio reporters get and things that move on the wire, so whenever I step out of that zone at work and feel like I've really created something new and interesting -- and talked to real people to do so -- I post it there. It's pretty strict criteria, so the list isn't very long!

Anyway, the job hunt continues. I've started applying for a rather random assortment of careers, as I hit panic mode every so often about my lack of permanency and financial security, so at this point I kind of wonder what happens if I get calls back.

For example, fact checker for a magazine? Maybe if I have the chance to write and some nifty freebies (I've never really wanted to write for magazines, unless it's like Macleans, and even in that case, I'd be more interested in their website!).

Or reporter on all issues Canadian Idol? Barring some slight reservations about the effect this could have my lofty political reporter goals, it actually sounds pretty cool.

Any reporter position? I'm there (well, if it's in Toronto) in a heartbeat. Even if it's not perfect, it's a foot in the door, some experience and steady pay. I'm learning that every month logged is valuable and essential experience when you're competing in this biz.

I haven't resorted to marketing/advertising/pr applications yet, because I know if I go that way, there's no turning back to journalism. I don't know for sure how much longer I have to wait -- especially since this whole on-call, casual thing eats into all aspects of life and makes exploring freelancing opportunities more difficult -- but the time is not now.

To loosely paraphrase Dirty Sexy Money, a show I have just started watching, tomorrow's a new day, with new chances, and we'll see what it brings.

Hopefully it brings chocolate.