Fire Girl

FireYou scored scored a 49%!
You resemble Fire. Fire people exhibit righteousness. These people conform to the standard of moral law. They do what is right and are known for their sense of fair play. They are truthful, straight-forward, just, upright and virtuous in their dealings with others. They demonstrate courage, fortitude, zeal and pugnacity. They have the mental and moral strength that enables them to venture into unknown waters and to persevere and withstand danger. They seldom show fear and are confident in their actions. They have mettle, resolution, and tenacity. They can face danger or difficulty without flinching or retreating. They will fight for their principles and have a stubborn persistence that is unwilling to recognize defeat. They have grit, back bone, guts, and are willing to keep fighting under all odds. They are aggressive and thrive on challenge. They have a nature that gives them physical energy, strength and vital powers. Their essential characteristic qualities are liveliness, energy, ardor, enthusiasm, courage and action. They have a firm, courageous and assertive disposition which is their most characteristic qualitiy. These people like to win or be the best in anything they pursue. Their aggressive nature makes them just one big ego. There is nothing more stimulating to them than to win, and there is nothing more depressing to their ego than to lose. They strive to be the center of attention and are at home when showing-off. They are determined, spiteful and revengeful. When angered, they will go to almost any extreme necessary to get revenge, and that revenge will more often be at the moment of the anger. When they're mad they want everyone around them to be mad. They are spiteful and will deliberately and openly do things which irritate someone to the point of anger. They are very short-tempered and anger easily. They are straight-forward and have no reservations about hurting the feelings of others, and they are prone to inflict physical pain as well as mental pain. Just as the main virtue of this sign is being just and right, its main fault is deceit.


http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=7056991957307027883

fire, c'est moi. As many good qualities as bad - makes a girl wonder whether she wants to be good or whether she wants to be bad...

Inter-nutso

I am now officially computer crazy.

Had my first yoga class tonight. Got something of my own. Mine all mine.

Labouring for Labour

I got my first job offer yesterday. Though, it wasn't exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. Last week I put a few resumes out to businesses on Bank Street. Mostly just to little mom and pop shops with help wanted signs in the windows - an Indian restaurant with a cheap but good lunch buffet, a tiny greasy spoon diner, a grocery store...

Yesterday the owner of the diner called and asked me to come in for an interview. So in I went, arriving a few minutes early, ready with customer services stories and examples of superior waitressing moments from my Chrysler Club days. We go sit at the table at the front of the restaurant where he asks me about my current employment situation. Sometime last week I decided it would be easier to get some sort of part time job if I told perspective employers that I was working on a project like my previous contract and just needed some extra money for my student debt. So I describe my fictional research contract, and reassure him that I'm pretty flexible with my availability. Other than the French class I want to take from 9-12 on weekdays, I can work anytime. Knowing that the restaurant industry often prefers employees to be available during meal times, I told him I could look into taking an evening class instead, provided the hours and pay would be sufficient. That's when he told me that he pays his girls $5 an hour.

Now, I know servers don't usually make a lot in wages. When I have had serving jobs before, the hourly wage was really just a wee bonus compared to the amount you get in tips - something somewhat unplanned for that goes into your account every two weeks - off which you live. But $5 an hour? Come on. As I see it, and only I need see it as it's my labour to market, there are two major problems with this proposed wage.

First of all, it's illegal. General minimum wage in the great province of Ontario is $7.15 an hour. The last service job I had in Alberta, I was making minimum wage there - a grand $5.90 an hour. Ninety cents more an hour than he offered, and that was over 3 years ago! And I'm a pretty big believer in minimum wage and in workers' rights (in spite of my Alberta upbringing and some of my feelings about labour disputes between management and white collar employees), so there is no way that I will be made settle for a job paying less than that which I am statutorily entitled.

Now, there is a different minimum wage for servers of liquor in Ontario. They must be paid at least $6.20 an hour. This leads me to my second issue with this offer. Most menu items at this particular diner are priced between $3 and $7, meaning that the total bills aren't going to be very high, in turn meaning that the 10% tip one can count on in a place like that isn't going to amount to much either. Were there liquor service, which there isn't, it may be a bit better in the tip department. So with the ups and downs of the service industry, and the likelihood of the new kid getting the slowest shifts and smallest sections, I decided that it wasn't worth my shuffling around of my desired French class to accommodate the available shifts - 6:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. I told the manager that I needed at least minimum wage as politely as I could, and told him that I wouldn't change my schedule around for less than that, thanked him for his time, and wandered off down Bank Street in search of help wanted signs.

I had seen one near the Rideau Centre on my way into the interview. At Starbucks. Now I'm not the biggest fan of Starbucks Coffee in the world, nor their marketing practices, nor their global domination, nor their lack of use of fair trade coffee... but they pay. More than minimum wage. Something every unilingual poli sci grad should keep in mind...

Well, the interview went well. It was two weeks ago today. As the position wasn't decided upon by the date my plane ticket was booked for, I moved to Ottawa last Friday. Been here for a week, looking for work. Wondering if I would be staying here. Got a call this morning telling me the Calgary job is not for me, but my application and stellar interview performance were appreciated. Call from the VPA himself. I feel good about applying, good about my skills, and good that I will be making Ottawa home. Now if only that Senator would call...