Year in Review
Haha...I'm a bit late with this obviously, but I've just been so lazy and I didn't want to actually sit down to reflect just yet. Now that I have a few minutes to myself, I thought I'd at least try and get the ball rolling....
The beginning of the year started off a bit rough. Jamie and I went through a pretty rough patch in our relationship, which was something that I take full responsibility for because I had initated it and it was clearly a one sided decision. By mid-February we had resolved our issues and got back together. We needed some time apart and I think it really helped clear my head.
My nephew turned 1 and my sister and her husband threw a big family party to celebrate the milestone. Chris turned 30 shortly after which was another big milestone and we celebrated it at the Canucks game in a box seat! My birthday came and went, Jamie took me to Harrison Hot Springs where we did a couples massage and a fancy fancy dinner in the Copper Room (which is one of my favourite restaurants, I've always had a fabulous time everytime I'm there).
I job hunted for months and months and still hadn't got anywhere. It had totally stressed me out. I was such a wreck over it and I didn't understand where I had gone wrong. I felt like my window of opportunity was closing in on me. I graduated a year ago and still hadn't got anywhere and felt that if I waited longer, my education would be outdated. I've gone through so many interviews and on 4 occasions it was down to me and another person and they had beat me out. Meanwhile, I was still working at IKEA and they had totally cut my hours back because the store sales sucked. There was a change-up in my department and the team was divided into two...I choose to stick with the smaller team which turned out good and bad. Good because my new team (of 3) became a super team. We worked so efficiently together; it was fun; my manager was so easy going; and I didn't have to deal with the drama from the other team if I chose to stay with them. Bad because our hours were cut back and most days we worked alone which became very lonely.
My brother and his fiance was planning his wedding around this time which my sister and I became heavily involved in even though we weren't part of the wedding party. In April, after a lot of stress from the bride and groom, I was made a bridesmaid to even out the groomsmen to bridesmaid (which secretly I was a bit choked because I had already bought a BEAUTIFUL dress to wear and it cost me $200...and for someone who had no money because I had no hours from work, it was a lot of money! Plus, I wanted to drink my face off that night but because I represented the bridal party in front of so many people, I didn't think it was appropriate). I was homeless during the week of the wedding because my parents had decided to kick me out so that our relatives from the States could stay in my room. I stayed at Huong's for a few nights but she was also hosting out of town guests at her house so sleeping arrangements were really tight. The rest of the time, I was at Jamie's and then stayed at Loan's parents house the night before the wedding. The wedding itself was massive...approximately 400 guests and so so many out of town people, over half I didn't know who the hell they were. I became so sick 2 days before the wedding and it was the worst sickness I ever had to overcome. I had blisters down my throat and lost my voice. I had hot and cold flashes constantly...oh my god, it was really bad. I wanted to die. I rushed myself to the doctor to get some medication and all I got was antibiotics which I swear didn't do anything. I was so tired the day of the wedding...I had to drug myself up with anitbiotics, codeine, and advil so that I could function properly. It was a very very very long day. With the wedding, however, my family finally decided to make amends after a horrible horrible fall-out that they had years ago. So that was very nice to see.
By the end of May, I finally was hired on at Langara Fishing Adventures. But like I said before, the job that I actually applied for (Travel Coordinator) was given to the other candidate. I was given a call back a few days later and they offered me a part time position because they liked me so much and wanted to bring me on board. It wasn't want a wanted but baggars can't be choosers so I accepted, it was a temporary position anyways so if I didn't like it, I only had to endure it for 4 months. My official title was Front Desk Relief Coordinator, which turned out to be a real drag. The company was good but the position sucked. I knew that I would have been much happier in the Travel Coordinator role, but I definitely learned a lot about myself taking this position on. I later found out that the reason why I didn't get the position I originally applied for was purely because of timing and the fact that THEY made the error. I was told by the Travel Manager that they had interviewed the other girl the day before and by the morning had offered it to her, thinking that she was the best candidate. I had my interview later in the afternoon and apparently after I left, they knew that they made a mistake. What solidified this later was that a month and a half later, the girl had to "mysteriously" go back the Phillipines and left the company two days later which completely screwed over the company. They had asked me to step into her place but by the time this all happened, my Activities Coordinator at IKEA was leaving on vacation for 3 weeks and I had already agreed to step into her role (which often happens between the two of us, although I'm technically under her, I can take on her position very easily) while she was away and hold the fort down. Plus, at the time, I was also in the interview process for another company and didn't want to make any commitments to a company that was only going to hang on to me until the end of September. September came and went, Langara threw a farewell party for the temporary office crew so that was nice and by this time I was getting so frustrated at IKEA.
Huong turned 30 in August...another big milestone. She celebrated it in New York (she went to a tradeshow and wanted to do research before opening TSF). I wanted to go with her so badly but I didn't have enough money. If I went, I would have ended up in some serious debt and one of my biggest fears is living off paycheck to paycheck. Now that I look back, I regret not going...I think if I budgeted right, I would have made it (...plus I didn't know at the time that I would end up with a full time permanent job a few weeks later).
By October things started to finally go in my favour. I finally managed to get my career going with a company that fit perfectly in with that I went to school for. It was a slow start but it's been great. After this happened I fully started to believe that everything happens for a reason. WIth the job came the money and with the money came plans for the future. Jamie and I decided a timeline for ourselves. We both agreed to save enough money between the two of us to secure a down payment for a place of our own by next year. And then I told him that a year after that, I'd like to get married....in which he responded a year after that, he'd like to have kids. So it's been nice the last few months because we've been slowly buying nick-nacks for our non-existent house (I actually got a lot of cookware this year for Christmas, which is funny because I sure as hell don't know how to cook).
Huong and Linda opened their store in late November, in which we shared some great family memories helping them start up. It was very exciting and all the hard work finally paid off. Sure, she opened 3 weeks later than what she expected but after all that stress, it's been great. The store has only been opened for 7 weeks to date but her and Linda already have expansion plans. I hope to be a part of that one day.
Lairay and Loan finally moved out...which was very sad. Lairay and Loan bought a little condo not too far from Huong and Chris; it's probably about a 5-10 minute walk. The rooms in our house were shuffled around and my parents finally got the master bedroom...it was first occupied by my sister and I, then Lairay and Loan, and now after 10 years, they finally have it. The spare bedroom instantly became Tai's room / playroom. It just made more sense because my parents babysit him 3 or 4 times a week. When Tai isn't around my parents have been focusing a lot of their attention on me. It's been good and bad. Good because I'm spending more time talking to them, but bad because they are definitely keeping a closer eye on me which is affecting my freedom.
So, to summarize on the year...it's started out pretty stressful but as it progressed, it definitely all came together. I think I'm a lot happier this year compared to last year. I have some pretty solid plans for 2009 and if my horoscope turns out to be true, it will be a pretty eventful year. I just hope that I stay on course.