Bankers are the new flirts

I have this list of people in service-type positions who are obligated to flirt with their customers in order to provide good service. Here is the list: waiters, flight attendants, people selling magazine subscriptions. After opening up a new savings account on Friday, I have decided that bankers need to be added to the list. I had the cutest banker helping me on Friday, he was probably about 27 0r 28, blonde, and a good dresser. He even got me some free stuff: I'm getting a $50 gift card from Starbucks and a $10 gift card to Best Buy in the mail, and he upgraded me credit card so I now get 1% back on all purchases. Then he sent me an email telling me about all the great features I get with my new account. I think it's love.

Easter and such

Easter has come and gone. It was a good holiday, but nothing too major for my family. Holidays are definitely getting to be more low key the older I get. I barely got an easter basket this year, but I'm not complaining because I got a $25 gift certificate instead to J. Crew for this jean skirt I've been wanting. Much better than loads of chocolate. In the evening, I went to this awesome concert at the Metro for Stellastarr*. It was one of those concerts where the band sounded even better live than in person, and their CD's are fantastic. The opening band was great, too, this Brittish band called the Editors, and if that is an example of Brittish men then I will have a fabulous time in London this fall. : )

The process to go is ongoing. I got FedExed two applications in the mail that are a trifle foreign looking right now. They are forms to fill out to send to London, and I got emailed three explanation sheets on how to fill them out, so that will be my weekend project.

I'm going to London!

Well, I think I got the OK that I have the necessary experience for London. I was really worried there for awhile, because she kept sending me emails with questions about my CV. Basically, she was worried that since I have school social work experience, I wouldn't have enough of the experience they look for in the UK, which is with assessments and case management. I sent an email back explaining how we do a lot of assessments in the schools in our studies and the Adaptive and the Functional Behavioral Assessments that I do, as well as we are kind of the case manager for any family in the school who has needs. (Case management is like hooking the family up with resources in the area/providing whatever the family needs to function socially, emotionally, financially, etc./working closely with the family). So, once I explained that, she sent an email back saying she felt more confident that I had the necessary experience, I can call her if I want to talk about this some more, and if I send her my mailing address, she can send some applications to me! I'm trying not to get too excited, because I feel as if this could pull out from under me at any moment, but it's looking a lot better than it was! I seriously could not sleep last night because my stomach just felt like this knot of emotion and anxiety. Do you ever get like that where your thoughts are racing so bad you can't sleep? I was almost shaking because I was feeling so anxious with thoughts about my future and what would I do if I can't go to the UK. I find I get my most negative thoughts at night when I'm alone. Anyways, I will continue to keep you posted as always, but things are definitely looking good!

CV

I just sent in my CV to the lady at UK-Pro, so hopefully I should find out within the week if I am able to go over to London or not. Wish me luck!

Well, it looks like I am going to have to be in England next year. I finally got a reply from the UK-Pro people about where I can be, and it sounds like all of their contacts are in or near London. I'm a little disappointed about it but trying not to be. I'm not sure why. I know that I want to spend some time over there in Europe, but I was getting really excited about the prospect of being in Scotland. I was looking at pictures of Edinburgh, and it looks so romantic and quaint. Whereas when I visited London, I almost felt as if I were in New York City or some other big city in America, and I've heard that it is hard to make friends there, so I hope it is okay. The contact lady did say I could be around London if I didn't want to be in London, like she mentioned some suburb called Birmingham which I have never heard of before. Has anyone heard of it? Does anyone know anything about the suburbs? Is it anywhere I want to live? I almost feel like if I'm going to live in England I better live in London because it is the biggest city. I guess you all will have to come and visit me in London instead of Edinburgh, though. I'm at the library and I'm going to check out some books on life in London. There's a good one by Bill Bryson who supposedly is a good author called Notes From a Small Island. I will look around and see what else I can find. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Woes, woes

Incidentally, I am saddened by the fact that Barnes and Nobles no longer carries my preferred pretzel: sun-dried tomato stuffed with cream cheese and heated up. Oh, it was so good. Instead, they have replaced it with this pretzel stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. It sounds good, but I haven't tried it yet. Can anything really compare with cream cheese?

Back to the grindstone

Spring break is over. It went by so fast, too fast. I could have used another week off. Or maybe I'm just ready for summer to come, though I will probably have to get another job since I won't be able to pick up enough hours at Barnes and Noble, and I'm not sure where I'll work. I was thinking of applying to a temp agency. I have tons of receptionist experience, and the pay is better than minimum wage jobs. I had a fun time in California, and then didn't do much the weekend I had home. I went to see V for Vendetta, and it was really good. I also (finally!) watched Walk the Line, which I also very much enjoyed. I was such a bum this weekend. I don't know why, but I have just been feeling so tired lately, like I don't want to go out and do much, and this is not like me. I'm not sure what it's about, if I'm just working a lot and feeling tired from that, or if it is something else.

Today my supervisor is gone, so I am social working all on my own, and it's kind of a fun experience. I feel like a real social worker, because this is what it will be like for me next year. I got an email from the agency I'm going to go over to the UK with, saying they noticed it was near my graduation date and wondering what I was thinking about going. I was kind of flattered that they had saved my email and had written me back though it's been about 4 months since I've contacted them. I have to put a CV together, which is different in the UK than it is in America, so that will be interesting. I have a timeline of stuff to do, and I need to get started in this. There is so much paper work to fill out and things to apply for before I go. I'm going to try to get my CV written before the weekend is over so I can send that in. I have a basic resume, but it definitely needs tweaking.

I got a call from one of my friends, Chris, from U of I about going out this weekend. I'm going to meet his new girlfriend. I hope it goes okay, I just hate being a third wheel. We're meeting for coffee and a movie. I also got a call from this girl I used to work with at Barnes and Noble who recently moved to Chicago about coming and seeing her new apartment, so I think I'm going to do that. I also have my last class on Friday! That will be so good to get over, and then I will only have one last assignment, and my graduate career will be practically finished. It is coming up so fast, but I feel ready to be done with school. Especially when I will enter a profession where I will get two weeks off at Christmas and three months off during the summer. : ) Can't beat that.