Drum Roll Please!

This post is dedicated to 2 of my friends, Dustin and Amber.
Due to my timing issues, I started my Bachelor's program late, so in reality, I was in 2 different 'groups'. I finished 1 group and had to take 2 classes with the next group of students. Dustin was in group 1, and Amber was in group 2.
One day in group 1 Dustin and I were discussing work and he mentioned that he had a position opening in his department that he would really like me to apply for, so I did. I had an interview, which went great, but someone swooped in with 20 years experience, and I just can't beat that. I would have had to start work at age 8.
Amber works in the HR department of the same organization Dustin works for. She also sat in on my interview, and is also in group 2 of school with me.
See where this is goin?
So months go by. Group 1 is completed. Group 2 starts. I complete my 2 courses with group 2. I get a call from Dustin who says Amber was really impressed with me in my interview and my presentations in class, there's another position open and she wants me to apply and she'll look for my application coming through. So I applied. I took an assessment test. I interviewed, which I may be bias, but I thought it went great!
Weeks go by. I get an email that says 'Thanks for your patience, you're still being considered." Fair enough. More weeks go by. I get a call from Amber who says they're going to check my references. And 2 days ago..... I get offered a job, using my education, with none other than:



It was bittersweet and sad to tell my current employer, they have been my family for the past 5 years and I checked in everyday for years while life's events were happening... but it's time for change and forward progression in life, and I'm so excited!
It is a nice added perk that my last day is Dec 21, after which I get to head home for Christmas, and I don't have orientation until Jan 9.... I haven't had a break from a job that long in 12 years! I'm overdue, thrilled, and couldn't feel more blessed for the changes coming in my life!

Agree or disagree, but I'm a firm believer of, "it's not what you know, it's who," That line has gotten me my past 4 jobs, my apartment, and a sweet deal on a flat screen tv.

Nontraditional

This year, was a little nontraditional for me for Turkey Day. For effect lets just say, I spent it alone... "aaawww, poor Jules..."
Hold your tears.
Long story short, due to my job, I was unable to make it home for Thanksgiving. Jamaica was headed north, and Jen was spending the holiday with her in-laws, which leaves those of us without kids or spouses doin' the independent thing.
It was a sad reality at first, I felt a little sorry for myself in all honesty...
BUT, here's how the weekend panned out:
* I had a dear friend who flew into town and needed a place to crash, so we stayed up late, caught up on boys and girly issues, and I loved every minute of it!
* I have another friend who's working on her RN and had to work until 6AM Thanksgiving Day, and go back to work at 6PM for another 10 hour shift, so I invited her over for food.
* I spent the WHOLE day in my pj's.... yes, the ENTIRE day, it was awesome
* I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner, and only cooked the items I love about Thanksgiving, which excludes deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. For those of you in the family, I had an ENTIRE pan of Raspberry Snow to myself... you're getting jealous now aren't you? It went off without a hitch! I call it beginner's luck since my lil 9 lb turkey was in the over for almost 6 hours! BUT! Everything came out of the oven at the same time (which, lets be honest, NEVER happens with a crowd to feed), everything was warm, delicious, and the turkey was the most moist turkey I dare say I've ever had!
* I napped when I wanted to nap, I had leftovers about 4 times... on Thanksgiving Day, I watched movies, and relaxed until it was time to hit up Black Friday, which started at 10pm on Thanksgiving, but THAT is another post in itself.
* Confession: I don't know if I can go back to having a chaotic, big hoopla of a Thanksgiving dinner. I LOVED IT! Don't get me wrong, I love hangin with the fam, but sometimes it gets chaotic, the turkey ends up cold, and I end up having to make the deviled eggs. So this was AWESOME!
* And to top off the weekend I drove to Evanston and played volleyball ALL day with a group of really fun girls! Man, we played a lot of volleyball, and we were exhausted, but it was great!

I'm starting to realize that being single sometimes makes us 'exceptions to the rule' on a lot of levels. It somehow entitles us to some interesting situations. For example: If you have a spouse and kids and tell your entire family you want to cook your own Thanksgiving dinner entirely alone, they may say you're selfish or crazy! So see, being single has its perks!