A new chapter on the horizon

I am sitting here in absolute amazement. I have just written and printed my final undergraduate paper. I turn it in tomorrow and take one really easy test on Thursday and then I'm a college grad. You have no idea how sentimental I am and how freaked out I get when my world changes. And this?? Will be a big change. I will be off school for an entire semester as my graduate program doesn't start until end of May early June. Also, I work as a student assistant in an office on campus and because I am graduating that means I'm leaving my job too.

I know that I bitch and moan about school and how stressed I am but I cannot fathom not being in school. It is what I do, all I've known. I have worked, but jobs have always been secondary to getting my education. What will I do with all the TIME??? How will it feel to read a book or watch t.v. and not be thinking, in the back of my mind, that I should be working on such and such that's due next week?

And work, don't even get me started on how sad I am to be leaving my perfect little office. I'm still in denial about this one. I have worked there for 3 and a half years, so basically all of my undergrad years, and I love it. It is private so I'm not constantly forced to interact with other students, the schedule is flexible, the work load is light and simple, and the people are amazing. Oh the people I work with...I wish I could bottle them up and take them with me. I cannot imagine not walking to my office and saying hello to Peg, and practicing portuguese with Janete, and listening to Phyllis curse and laugh, and talking to Kaye about her adorable grandson and what she did over the weekend. These people have been more than people that I work for and with, they have been my cheerleaders and have supported me in all the work I've done both academically and otherwise. They have taken a true interest in my life and have made going to work pleasurable. I am so very sad to be leaving my little nest. I just want things to stay the same, I am so scared of change. I cannot imagine finding a better work environment or people who care more about me. They are throwing me a celebration on Thursday and I promised myself I wouldn't cry until Friday (my last day), I doubt I'll be able to follow through. Today when I got to work there was an envelope with pictures of an outing that I went on with Peg and her grandson, so thoughtful. Little gifts have been trickling in and even better little words of encouragement and congratulations. They have confidence in me that I will succeed, more confidence in fact, then I think I have in myself.

So here's to starting new chapters, which quite frankly simultaneously terrifies and excites me.

Great quote from my (sometimes passive) co-worker

"Nicole, I'm learning to be more assertive because the meek may inherit the earth but I just want to survive while I'm here!"

All I want for Christmas is my teeth falling out dreams to stop!

I'm such a slacker but I'm not starting yet another post with how I forgot to/why I didn't write (oops I guess I just did. Oh well.) Turkey Day was lovely if not slightly boring and the day after was spectacular though tiring as always. I started shopping at about 11:00 Thanksgiving night at an outlet mall near my house that was having some midnight madness sale. I didn't buy much there but I looove being out and about with the throngs of people and making memories with friends. This year I went with my friend C and her sister and niece, it was great. We were in line at Target by 4 a.m. and when they opened at six we shopped so quickly that we were out of there and at home in bed by 6:45, Score!!!!! I got a new digital camera, a video camera (you know what that means people, videos!!!! so now you can also hear my annoying voice along with reading my annoying writing) and a couple dvd's. Those were my Christmas presents from my mom so now I need to start shopping for other people! I bought some fabric and have been making some really cute pillowcases, think that would be a lame gift? At any rate I better get back to "work" now.
p.s. I had yet another tooth falling out dream except this time it wiggled first and then I just spit it out. It was my canine tooth but for some reason it was towards the back of my mouth and I distinctly remember thinking in my dream "maybe it's from all the stress my body has been under lately" Hmmm think my subconscious is telling me to shape up?

Just call me coffee messer upper

So as I've mentioned before I am gainfully employed as a student assistant in our library on campus (in the Dean's Office nonetheless, you should be in awe). I sit at a receptionists desk while the assistants and others in the office go out to lunch and just basically do light clerical duties and answer the phone if not when it rings. Anyways it's great because I have plenty of time to catch up on "studying" and by studying I really mean surfing the internet, blogging, checking myspace, clipping my nails etc. Everyone in the office is awesome and I get to be by myself with no other pesky students (Loooove it).

So now you're probably wondering where the hell you can sign up for a job such as this; sorry you can't because its MINE!!!! Anyways it's a great job but there is one thing that grates on my nerves at times. (Come on you knew there had to be one, no job is perfect) One of the upper staff members in our office who is very nice and loud and rambunctious like myself can be quite a bitch and disguise it (or sometimes not even try to disguise it) as a joke. For example I am the one she always asks to make coffee which is fine, cute even. We get to have daily interactions like "Hey Nicole you know what would make my meeting more bearable this afternoon??? Get brewin!" Oh you know, the low woman on the totem pole always makes the coffee cliche, great, got it. A couple weeks ago she walks in the office with a colleague and loudly announces "NICOLE I GOT YOU A PRESENT ITS IN THE COFFEE CAN, IT'S A NEW SCOOP" then she turns to the colleague and explains that I'm the one who makes the coffee (as if they couldn't have guessed). The colleague just chuckled and rolled her eyes.

Anyways fast forward to today she bellows in front of my coworker (whom I will call "coworker" for purposes of this blog) and I "NICOLE CAN YOU MAKE SOME FRESH COFFEE AND I DON'T CARE WHAT *COWORKER* SAYS USE FOUR ROUNDED SCOOPS" and then as if coworker had but up a fight she added "I'M THE ONE REQUESTING THE COFFEE SO I GET IT MY WAY!" Umm okay, right boss. So I make the stupid and insanely strong coffee and I think it's done but nooooo. I have been working here in excess of two years now and never once have I messed up the coffee but today I forgot to turn the burner on so that the coffee would stay warm after it was brewed. How did I realize I made such a mistake???? Simple I hear the bellower bellowing to a colleague "NICOLE MADE THE COFFEE BUT THE DO-DO DIDN'T TURN THE BURNER ON" and then again two minutes later to someone else who asked her if there was fresh coffee "YES BUT IT'S NOT VERY HOT" Dude I get it, I made a small mistake how about we stop being so passive aggressive and if you must mention it, mention it directly to me and then shut the fuck up and put your cup of coffee in the microwave (right next to the coffee pot) for 10 seconds, I mean it had just finished brewing how cold could it have gotten in the couple minutes it had been sitting there?

Again, I love my job but cripe is all that bellowing really necessary??? I think not.