the last month or so I've been very busy with work for the past month or so. I've had days off here and there, but again i have neglected this journal. I am very sorry everyone, i need to figure out a way to get back into the blogging routine.
Anyway, work's been going quite well. I do a rotation between day and night shifts, however i get a few days off in between so i can let my body adjust to the schedule. I've been doing quite well with it though. We have a lady who is working with us who is east indian and she is very complicating to work with. No, I'm definitely not racist, it's just that she isn't very computer smart, and she basically lied on her resume and said that she has excellent computer skills. I've had to work a few shifts with her, and I was so ready to pull my hair out by the end of each shift. The rest of the staff have complained to our boss about her and her work performance and our boss is really scared to get rid of her because her husband works for the department of highways as well and he's worried she is going to complain to the labourboard that our boss fired her because of her race or something. i don't know. but yeah anyway, she's a nice enough woman, just not computer savi.
Besides that, I managed to get all my Christmas shopping done on Friday! So I am quite excited about that. Now all I need to do is wrap gifts. I also bought myself a pretty decent plantronicks headset the other day.
I am heading back to Rosetown this coming weekend to visit friends and family and to do a gift exchange with friends as well because I won't get much of a chance to get back home until new years again. My aunt lisa and little cousin michael are coming down to canada from england for the holidays too. Hopefully everything goes well. i know my aunt and i tend to argue and end on bad terms before she leaves each time but i'm going to cross my fingers and hope it doesn't go that way this time.
Well, i'm rambling on here. i think that's a sign that i need to get to bed. I have another twelve hour shift tomorrow.
The Last few days The last few days have been all right. I worked Monday night, and that was actually fairly decent. Spent a fair bit of monday sleeping, so that i was able to stay up all night Monday night. I brought my laptop to work with me; I never really do that, but found out the other day that there is an internet cable i could plug it into if I so desired. So that kept me sane, because there were barely any phone calls. I downloaded a few movies, 2012 and the Mist to be exact. Watched 2012, and it was fairly decent, and then i started watching The Mist, but then it turned out to be 5:00 in the morning already, and we had a few phone calls by then. i guess at that time it appears to get busier, just because a lot of the road crews are going to work around that time so they need to call and notify us they are going to start work for the day so we can document it into our system.
I managed to fix my laptop that night too! I had this thought that perhaps if I were to create a new user account for my computer, it would fix the error that I kept on getting. I figured it was worth a try anyway, and I was right! So I deleted the old user account, and my computer's been up and running ever since. So I've been downloading some more music for my shows, and copying it all onto my external drive.
Tuesday I stayed in my pajamas and practically slept all day. I was pretty tired, even though I slept until 4:00 in the afternoon, so last night was definitely an earlier night for me, after I did a variety show on the blink for the hell of it because no one was broadcasting in this particular time slot.
Today I had a mobility lesson in the morning which went over pretty decently, minus the snowy weather. Yes, we got some snow again. Damn Saskatchewan weather. It will never co-operate lol. I took my mobility instructor out for lunch after that; I had owed her back because she took me to an asian restaurant for dinner a few weeks ago. I got back to my uncle's by around 1:30 and did some house cleaning for the rest of the afternoon. Tonight I've just been relaxing and downloading more music to put onto my hard drive.
My uncle came back home from Cuba tonight as well. Actually he just got back about half hour ago, so we did a bit of visiting and such. He said he had a great trip.
Well I believe that's about all I have to write at the moment. Later days, Charlene
First Entry from my laptop This is the first lj entry from my laptop which I've finally started to use a lot more now.
I had a pretty good weekend. Friday I read for the most part, and lazed around the house. Most of Saturday I did pretty well the same until the evening. I went over to Char and Cory's for a few hours to visit with them and Casey. that little rascal is definitely growing like a weed, and starting to talk a bit too.
today was another lazy day. I am totally hooked on these Sookie Stackhouse novels, and I am almost finished the second book in the series. I will continue to do a bit more reading before bed.
In June I had a shoot-out with rival gang lords on the 5 near LA (-76 points). In February brattier_brat and I donated clothes to the needy (11 points). In March I gave vampress_nitara a life-saving blood transfusion (50 points). Last Sunday I turned jdx_random in for eating carbs (3 points). Last Friday I helped rdfreak hide a body (-173 points).
Overall, I've been naughty (-185 points). For Christmas I deserve a spanking!
“Hey LiveJournal, I know I haven't been doing any of these for a while but I don't feel like typing tonight so I figured I would talk instead but yeah, this week I don't know I've been feeling kinda of down in the dumps all week pretty well. I've been tired to from the weekend and everything cos Friday night I partied pretty hard and Saturday I took a break and then Sunday night I ended up partying again so anyway. I've been trying to catch up on my sleep a little bit and trying to get some stuff done around the house but anyway I'm really missing Joey. I don't know I'm kinda confused because he told me he was gonna give me a call when he got back to Saskatoon on Saturday and we were trying to find a cell phone and everything and we couldn't find it because I don't know we thought that maybe he dropped it somewhere. But I guess it was in my friend's charged vehicle. So anyway I have it here in my house now and I told him that.”
I want to let everyone know that there's a new online radio station out there called 107 The Phoenix. Apparently there's a promotional thing going on right now to do with the station, and if someone can get as many listeners as possible to listen to the station, apparently you win $50 plus a 40 gig hard drive. So, I'm begging you all, check it out!
To listen, go to 107 The Phoenix Also, if you are listening to the station, or if you choose to, please send an email to
management@107thephoenix.com and in the e-mail, say that I referred you to listen to the station!
Damn Technology! I suppose I should write an entry in here now in case I don't get the chance to write one in here later.
I've been having problems with both of my computers lately. First of all, this laptop has been giving me some problems since January or so, not too long after I got it, and I wasn't really in any ambition to go get it fixed because I had school to work on. So, now it's a lot worse, and I'll probably be sending it away within the next couple days, hopefully tomorrow or so. The other computer is totally fucked up; it won't even boot up properly, and apparently the computer guy who was trying to fix it is having issues with it too. He tried to reformat it, and it still wouldn't work properly. He says that it crashes on a regular basis, and reboots by itself so now he's trying to figure out what's up with that. At first we thought that it was something to do with the motherboard of the computer, and I think that was parcially what was wrong with it,.
So, I want to let you all know that I might not be online for a while. Depending on how long it takes to get the desktop computer fixed, if it's possible, and depending on how long it takes for them to see if they can get my laptop fixed, I guess we'll just have to see. I know you all will miss me, and I sure as hell hope that people read this so that they know where I'll be. I'll try and pop online to let people know too.
I'm also heading up to the lake on Friday, so that'll give me a good chance to relax again and enjoy myself. I haven't been to the lake yet this year, and I told my mom and other people that I'd go up there. Then I m ight come back home for a while, and probably go visit people in Saskatoon. So, please peoples, don't worry yourselves sick about me. I'll be back in time.
A boring Saturday evening at home I've been away lately, so I haven't been writing in here. So I suppose I should let you all know how things have been going.
I went to the CNIB camp as a volunteer and man oh man was it ever a tiring week. I have lots of experience from the past as a counselor, but the kids that we got this year were even more rowdier than previous years.
Anyway, I got back to Saskatoon yesterday, and went partying with friends of mine. I ended up coming home earlier this evening, and I have been unpacking and sitting on my ass ever since. I could've stayed in Saskatoon longer, that's for sure.
So I come home this evening to see that the microphone and ear phone plugs are looser than they were before I left. The earphone jack still works, but the microphone one makes this realy weird buzzing sound and I'm not too sure what's up with that. I'm thinking I better send this laptop into Saskatoon to get fixed as soon as possible because I need it for my course which starts up again in September. On the other hand, I came home today being told that the desktop computer doesn't work either, and will have to get formatted or some stupid shit like that. So, I guess there will be no skyping for me until I get the desktop computer fixed.
Well, I suppose that's really all I have to say for now, but I will write another time.
I'm still here, haven't fallen off the face of the earth just yet, haha. I've been gone to my cousin's for the past week or so, and just got home on Thursday night. Ever since I've been home I've been packing again because I'm leaving for camp today. I'm going to be a counselor there, they sort of chose me to do that at the last minute, after I came home from GDB. So hey, I'm not complaining, I get paid for this job.
I enjoyed my stay at Duncan's, as always. It was good to get away from town for a while; I don't think I'd be able to stand staying here with nothing to do for most of my summer.
I will write more when I come home from camp; I should be home by next Friday or Saturday.
I don't have a lot to write in here today, but I figured I should update in case I don't get the chance to do so tonight. I'm heading back to my cousin's tomorrow for a while to spend some time with him, and I'm actually quite looking forward to it. I need to try my best and enjoy my summer even if I had to come home from California early.
I'm starting my o and m tomorrow with the instructor from the CNIB. I'm hoping to do as much of it as I possibly can this year. My goal is to get my mobility down so that I feel confident in crossing lighted intersections, etc, before January so that I feel confident to apply back to GDB again. I'm going to push myself as hard as I can into this O and M so that I get it all.
After I get home from my cousin's, I'm going to be a volunteer at CNIB camp. I know that I'm not getting paid, but I don't really mind at all. It'd be nice to get the money, but it'd also be nice to have a good time with everyone there too.
Anyway, I might get a chance to write in here while I'm at my cousin's, if I decide to bring my laptop with me and if that wireless internet connection will let me log on again.
Home now Hey everyone, Well, I'm home now. It was quite a long flight on Sunday, but I managed to get home in one piece so that was good. I stayed at my grandparents' house until this afternoon, and I just got home a while ago. I'm feeling better about things; I've really gathered my thoughts. I don't hate gdb for what just happened, and I'm not fully blaming them either. I guess before I was going to get a dog, I should've sat down and realized what kinds of skills I have and what skills I need. I should've realized that maybe before I applied I should work on some more things with my O and M instructor but, instead of that, I just went on with applying and when the interviewer came out, she didn't have me read traffic lights. I know that it was parcially her fault too, but everybody makes mistakes. I feel that I should give gdb another chance and apply again. I know that maybe some of you might think it's the wrong decision, but, if I feel that it's the right thing to do, then I'm going to do it. Once I have the mobility skills that I need, I'm sure that I'll be confident in succeeding to get a guide dog next summer hopefully! They tell me that I have a really great attitude, and that I'm motivated, but at that time, I was falling behind with the class, and they didn't want it to be stressfull for both me and Tehoma. They didn't think it would be fair for the both of us. They also wanted to make sure that they graduate a safe team too, and I totally agree with them on that one. Anyway, just figured I'd update you all on how I've been doing with that.
Tonight I've basically just been hanging out and unpacking. I went to a friend's house for a short while and what not, and now I'm going to just sit here and catch up on some emails. I'm getting quite sleepy, so I might end up going to bed too. Charlene
Why? I'm so upset right now, and I'm crying hysterically. I didn't rrealize how much I loved my dog that I got the other day, Tehoma who is a female black lab. Anyway, I have to leave GDB tomorrow because the class supervisor and the instructors are making me. It's because I don't have the propper skills to train with a dog, and they won't let me push forward with their program until I am successfull in training my dog. They also think that my dog won't work out for me because I can't read traffic correctly, i veer, and I'm not a person who walks in a straight line when I walk. There are several other blind people who don't have a straight line of dirrection when they walk either, so I don't know what their point is on that. So anyway, I'm so sad without Tehoma; her and I were really starting to have a good bonde with one another, and I love her to bits. I wish I could see her again before I leave tomorrow. I don't know how the instructors would go about that though, I hope that they'll bring her up for me so I can spend a bit of time with her and say my goodbyes.
Right now, all my classmates are in workshops having fun with their dogs, and I'm just sitting here, in my room, so depressed. It hurts so bad, I don't even know how to describe the feelings that I have. It's almost a feeling as if somebody that I loved very much died, just like my dad. I haven't been so upset since then. Even if Tehoma and I bonded for about two days, I've gotten really close to her. I asked them if it would be a problem if they could save her for me if i decide to come back, but they said that theire not going for that. I just can't believe that it's me that has to leave. Why is it always me? Now my summer's going to be crap, and I won't have much to do. it took so long for the application process to go through, and for me to get my home interview. I told everyone I know pretty much how excited I was to go get this dog, and they were all so happy for me. Now, it all has gone to shit, and when they find out that I didn't get my dog and that I wasn't successfull, they'll be very upset, and disappointed.
I don't know what to do anymore, my self esteem has really dropped. I thought that if I came here, I'd have some success and have a great summer and get a bit more independence, but it didn't work that way.
I guess my plan for now is to go home, brush up on my o and m skills with my o and m instructor, and perhaps apply again for another dog, but I will probably apply for a dog at the seeing eye instead.
I'm here! Hey everyone! Well, I finally made it to GDB yesterday! Sorry I didn't update when I got there, well, I updated the other journal but not this one. I think I'll probably only update in here every once in a while, so please, if you are interested in how my training is going, add the user charsguidedog to your friend's pages!
The dormitory that I'm staying at is absolutely amazing! and the rooms are also very large! Caitlin makes an awesome room mate, and I'm really glad that I was able to meet her. Anyway, what more can I say, it's a blast!
So things have been going very well. I just got back from doing an O and M route with my GDB instructors and now I'm just sitting around and relaxing until we move onto something else for the afternoon.
I can't wait until Wednesday, though, because that will be when I get my dog! I'm so curious as to what type of dog I'll be getting!
Well I leave the day after tomorrow to go to GDB, and I'm so excited! I'm a bit nervous too, but I'm usually nervous before I go on a trip or something. I'll probably get no sleep tomorrow night because I'll be thinking about the flight and what not!
Today was spent packing, and making sure that I have everything for when I go. I also went out for Chinese food with mom for a while which was excellent, and now I'm here catching up on emails, because I haven't had much of a chance to actually sit here in front of my computer ever since I've been home from my cousin's.
Well, I suppose I don't have anything else to write about now, but I will more than likely write in here the day I get to GDB!
For those who don't know about my GDB lj, feel free to add me to it at
It's been two years Well, I just got home from my cousin's today. I had a wonderful time there spending time with him and being at his grad. I also enjoyed spending time with my other relatives while they were there. I am so exhausted today though, Duncan and I ended up staying up rather late last night, actually, let me rephrase that. We stayed up the entire night. I only got about an hour of sleep today, not even, and then my grandma was going to come pick me up so I packed my bags and left early this afternoon. So I'm looking forward to a well deserved sleep tonight. Hopefully this is the starting of a good sleeping pattern for when I go to GDB. I can't believe that I leave on Sunday, only three more days! I'm glad that this week didn't just drag by. If I wasn't at my cousin's, then it probably would've went really slow.
Today marks the two year anaversery of my dad's death. It's been rather depressing for me, but I am just too damn tired to even think too much of it. I don't want to make myself even more stressed out than I already am. It's just unbelieveable that it's been two years all ready, and that he's dead. There are times when thinking about him really hits me, and I break down, however, there are other times when I think about the happy things that him and I did when he was alive, and it brings a smile to my face. My dad taught me many things throughout my life, and I have continued to live life, thinking about what he taught me. It's helped me quite a lot, and I've come a long way, in my opinion anyway.
Also, on this date last year, I graduated from high school. Now some of my friends who were a grade younger than me in high school are graduating, and moving on with their lives just like I've been doing. I often think about my high school life, and of grad, saying goodbye to classmates who I haven't seen since grad, and just having a good time at the party afterwards, spending time with people I really didn't spend much time with in high school. I know that I didn't have the greatest high school life, for I was lonely most of the time because of the fact that my classmates classified me as different and didn't really want to be with me, but most of them have really matured now, and whenever I see some of them when I'm walking down the street, I can have a decent conversation with them and they treat me as if I was one of their close friends. and Duncan, if you get a chance to read this, again I congradulate you for graduating, and I'm very proud of you. You've always been my favorite cousin, and of course, a great friend too!
I think that's all that I have to say for now though. Sorry I did lots of rambling, well, it's my lj, so I guess there's nothing I should be sorry for. Lj's are used for rambling and all that stuff.
I'll write another update in here before I leave for GDB. I have lots ofpacking and laundry to do within the next few days, so I'll be busy with that.
Well, I don't have a lot to write this evening, however, I just figured I'd write a quick entry because I don't know if I'll get the chance to write tomorrow before I leave for my cousin's grad.
So this weekend was rather quiet; didn't do much of anything really. It was actually really nice to just sit around for once; I've been going out constantly every weekend for the past while, and I'm thinking I should take a break from that.
I started packing today for my cousin's house, and also a bit for GDB. Only one more week and I'll be there! Hopefully this week will go by fast!
I might have the opportunity to write an entry in here while I'm at my cousin's house, if I am able to steal his neighbor's wireless connection like I did before, but if I don't, I will write when I return back home. I'll probably only be there until Thursday at the latest.
Well, I know I haven't been writing in here much lately, but I tell ya, this week's been so busy! I have been finishing up with last minute things from college for the summer, and studying for finals. I wrote one this morning which went quite well, and I have one more on Monday morning and then I'll be done for the summer yaaaaay!
Other than that, there was a very serious car accident early Monday morning here in my town. This guy that I know, not very well but I do know him to talk to him once in a while, was driving to work and he was hit by a semmy, and was killed. So, it hasn't been a very happy week for anybody here in town, and the funeral was yesterday, but I didn't end up going. I was sort of planning on it, but I didn't have any transportation to get there so I didn't bother. I'm not much for funerals anyway. Actually the last funeral I've ever gone to was my dad's, two years ago. but anyway, I believe that this guy is in a better place now, and he's not suffering anymore. Blah sorry about my bad grammar.
Wow, there are only nine more days until I go to GDB! I can't wait, I just want to go now!!, but, I will just have to be patient and wait!! and at least I'll know some people who are going to be in my class, including
I've actually started pakcking already, but I won't be able to pack everything until I get home from my cousin's grad. His grad's on this coming Tuesday, so I will definitely be attending that. I went to Saskatoon the other day and did some shopping for an outfit to wear to both his grad and the guide dog grad. I will be leaving on Monday, and probably going to end up staying at his house for a few days, and come home to do some laundry and finish packing! Then before I know it, next Sunday will roll along and I'll be bording the plain for California!!
I have created a guide dog journal so that I can keep you all up-to-date on my guide dog experience and all of the events that go on at the school. So if any of you are interested and would like to add it to your friends page or just want to read it for your information, it is
Hmmm, what else to write in here! I really can't think of anything else in particular that is going on, so I think that will be a good enough entry for now! Everybody take care! Char
Well, I can't sleep at this time of night; I wish I could, but it's just not happening. Anyhow, I had gone to bed quite early because I had a killer migraine, and I just couldn't stand it anymore. So I took a few tilenol, and crashed. I new this type of shit would happen where I wouldn't be able to sleep at this time, but hey, I still have homework to do and so I could just work on that until I have to get ready for class again.
So this weekend was pretty decent, actually. Friday night was spent going out for coffee with a friend, and then coming back here and listening to tunes and chit chatting for the rest of the night. After that, I had the best sleep I have ever had in a while. I definitely needed it; I was utterly exhausted from the week.
I ended up waking up at about 2:00 Saturday afternoon, doing my usual showering routine, and then the same friend who was over Friday night called me again and wanted to know if I wanted to watch The Pink Panther movie with her. I didn't think it would be very good, and I figured it'd be boring for me, but I said yes anyway and it was actually pretty fucking hilarious!
After the movie, the friend and I went out for supper, and went driving around for a while. The drive was slightly scary, we ended up getting stuck in some mud while driving down this hill, so we were about half way down the hill when it happened, and she couldn't pull her vehicle out! We're lucky we didn't slide and end up in the ditch or something like that. That's all I need is to get into some sort of accident before I go to California. Anyway, we ended up getting out of that mud hole, and drove back to town.
After that, I went home, relaxed for a bit, and then mom ended up coming home from wherever she was with her friends and asked if I wanted to go to the bar for karaoke night. I said I would, and we ended up going later on that night. It was a blast, and I had a few drinks, of course. After having a few drinks though, I had the ambition to go up there and sing. I never usually do that when I'm sober, actually, I'm a bit nervous to go do that sorta shit, but I had loosened up and thought why the heck not? So anyway, I ended up singing that one song called Bitch by Maratithe Brooks, because I new the words well enough to be able to sing it properly. and it's my shower song, lol. So anyway, it went quite well, and everyone was rather impressed, I even had people up there dancing lol!
I didn't get home until 2:00 that night, and then I spent some quality time online chatting to a few people before going to bed. Then yesterday, I just lazed around in my pj's all day, I wasn't hung over, just real tired. I did however get this really nasty migraine like I said, but it wasn't until after supper when I got it. So, yeah, that was my weekend.
I'm so excited about going to GDB though, I know I said that last time I wrote in here, but wow, I still can't believe that I got in! I think it's only like 13 more days until I leave! Hopefully this week hurrys up and then I leave probably Monday night to go to my cousin's grad for the next day! Then not long after that, and I'll be boarding the plane to go to California!
Well, I think that this has been a long enough entry for now, but I will write more later this week! My last full week of classes, whoohoo finally! Char
Well, I couldn't wait! So I called GDB today to see if my interview and application was accepted, and sure enough, it is! The first time I called today, it didn't sound like my forms weren't on today's agenda for the selection group meeting, but then I got a call back saying that it was on the agenda! So, now I don't have to stress over it anymore; I can just sit back and relax until I go! I leave on July 2nd, but I'm not sure about the rest of my traveling arrangements yet. I'm supposed to be getting some information delivered to me sometime next week about my class instructors and all that! Man I'm so glad that I got in! I've been waiting for the longest time for this to happen! This week just dragged by so slowly until today when I found out!
Anyway, other than that, I've been keeping busy with college. Actually it's been a pretty hecktick week, and I've started to study for some exams that I have on Friday and on Monday of the two following weeks! At least I only have two, though. Then I'm going to my cousin's grad on the 27th and probably going to stay with him for a couple days, come home, and get some laundry done before I go to GDB!
Oh, and also, some not so good news to share. I had a dentist appointment today, and I was informed that I have to get my wisdom teeth pulled out. I don't have to get that done until the end of August though, so I guess I really shouldn't have to worry about it for the time being. It won't be very fun though I can tell ya that. Oh well though, such as life I suppose!
Well that's all I have to talk about for now! Take care everyone! ?Char
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charmarie's journal
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Dear Santa...
pissed off
tired
okay
depressed