So today is my last day at Berkeley. After all the bitching about this place I think I'm actually going to miss it. I'm especially going to miss Sonia, Lorie, Jennifer, Aaron and Allen. They made this place fun and I'm going to miss all our lunches together. I thought everybody might want to see pictures from the pot luck which we had on Wednesday for my going away.
Bye Bye Berkeley! HELLO Santa Barbara!
Nuala the Hobo
Me with two of my Professors
Group Shot
Group Shot with Aaron
Michele and Kristen trying to hide
So remember when I lost my cute little red purse with the effile tower on it that I bought in NYC. Well I finally found the website online as well as a list of online stores that sell there stuff and I just thought I'd share. Now I just have to decide between the Hula girl and legs on the run. I love these bags.
Now I KNOW that most of my friends couldn't give a damn about Star Trek, but I love it and last night I watched the latest Star Trek movie, Nemesis and now I have to bitch cause they've runied my Star Trek universe. For those of you who might actually want to view the movie at one point in time don't read any further as one of the topics I will be bitching about is a huge spoiler.
1. The cut out Wesley. You see him at the wedding, but he says nothing. This is supposed to be the last Next Generation movie, would it have killed them to add an extra 10 minutes and not have cut the Wesley scene. The movie was already 1 hour and 50 minutes long, ten minutes really wouldn't have made a difference.
2. Fine they cut out Wesley's scene. Would it have killed them to put it in the deleted scenes? I mean COME ON! Not all of us hated the character. In fact I'm sure there was more people than just me who enjoyed watching him. (For info on this from the horse's mouth, check out what Wil Wheaton (the guy who played Wesley) said.
4. Yea! Deanna and Riker got married, but what the fuck! After 10 years all we get is two minutes on screen of the wedding reception. I mean people! We waited YEARS for this and you jipped us! Shame on you!
3. And this is the biggest one. The spoiler. The reason they have destroyed my vison of TNG forever. THEY KILLED DATA. I mean he is a bunch of atoms floating through space. They blew him up. He is no more. DATA. The best non human trying to be more human on Star Trek ever. SCREW SPOCK. It was all about Data. And they killed him. No more will Data outlive everyone and just be around forever. Oh no just like everyone else will he's died. Gone forever. Ruined my whole ideal of how things continue. Bastards.
Fine they kinda left the door open what with a random pre data android which of course looks exactly like him and which he uploaded all his memories to, but as the movie was trying to point out just because it's a replica it doesn't mean it's the same. And it's not.
My only consulation in this was something Brent Spiner (who plays Data) said in one of the special features. He said that Data's sacrifice was an ultimate expression of his desire to become human, because what is more human than sacrificing oneself for those you love. Basically Blah Blah Blah they still killed Data.
The rest of the movie was pretty fun. I especially liked Tom Hardy who played the clone of Captain Picard. And Patrick Stewart was as great as ever. That voice! It makes me happy, until they kill Data. (I'm still bitter. Can you tell?)
I justed wanted to shout out a belated thank you to Kristen and Michele for organizing the small dinner party they threw for me last saturday. A special thank you to Eydie and Bob for opening up their house and cooking dinner (Kristen too!) and to Gene, Carol and Mom for coming and providing their company. I had a really great time and you know how I love dinner parties.
I'm going to miss everyone, but Michele and Kristen especially. I love you guys and you're the best friends a girl could hope for.
My sister bought a dog. A shitzu. Like Sophie. She named him Rocky, so now there's an Adrienne and a Rocky in her house. This from the girl who HATED when people imitated Rocky Balboa, the Italian Stallion, by saying, "Yo, Adrienne" or yelling the classic, "ADRIENNE!" She probably didn't think of this. I'm waiting for a virtual punch that is forthcoming for that comment.
Rocky is 10 weeks old and can't even go out of the house yet. Mom is going in two weeks and has promised to take pictures. They will be uploaded faster than you can say, "hot potato." I so want to go to New York just to see the dog. Well and Stephanie's show that my sister is producing, but also to play with the cute puppy. Damn me for moving right now! Damn my lack of funds!
Right. Puppy. My sister has a puppy. Ady, I'm glad you got a puppy and I'm all kinds of jealous. Thank god my new housemate has a small dog for me to lavish all my dog wanting on.
Puppies. So wiggly, so small, so damn cute!
Buffy has ended and I'm sad about that, yadda, yadda, yadda, but more importantly they're auctioning off stuff from the set, and OHMYGOD who would actually pay that much?! I love Buffy as much as the next person but what am I going to do with a $560 pumpkin patch sign? I ask you!
I've decided. People are crazy!
That's right. I'm now officially employed in Santa Barbara County. I've been offered and accepted a job at SYR. I'm happy with the way everything has turned out. I have a job that pays more than the other places I was talking to. I get benefits and I get to accumulate vacation and sick time. It's no where near as good as the benefits at UCB, but really I wasn't expecting it to be. It's going to be about 15 miles from my house, so not so close but then again I've just cut my commute time in half and the traffic is no where near the way it is in the bay area. I believe that the only downside is that I DON'T have to wear a uniform. I was looking forward to not having to think about what I'll be wearing in the morning. Oh well. It gives me an excuse to buy clothes....I need them for work.
I start June 10th so I have a whole week with no work in which to pack up all my crap. Yea for me. Here's the thing though. I think I'm going to need some help moving my crap down. Mom is ditching me to go to NY to visit my sister. Not that she shouldn't go see my sister, but couldn't she have waited until Monday? Anyways, if anyone would be willing it would be great to have some help. Michele already offered, but in case she changed her mind I'm not going to hold her to it. If no one can, no big deal, Mom basically offered to come down a week or two later with the bigger stuff. I don't really have a lot, I just can't fit it all into my little car.
Anyways Nuala is happy today. Things are falling into place. Yea me!
So I have a phone interview tomorrow with Hotel Oceana and now it looks like I have to go back to SB this weekend for an interview on Monday with SYR. Basically I think I can get a job offer out of both of them. The question is which one do I want. Sigh. I'm feeling the pressure.
Hotel Oceana is closer to where I'm going to be living, but it's less money.
SYR is a higher class place, but I still have to find out if they are going to give me benefits.
Hotel Oceana is on the beach and close to downtown, SYR is in the mountains, ina a more seclueded area.
So many decisions, so much moving. I'm about to have a major freak out session, so excuse me while I scream my head off. I'll calm down in an hour or two when I realize everything is going to be ok. If I could just get some major sleep I would be happy. It does not look like it is meant to be however. (big huge sigh.)
First I would like to say that I love that almost everyone's entry today had something to do with the Matrix. And the fact that Michele said something to the effect of, "woo-hoo! Matrix" in everyone's comments if at all applicable.
Second I'm exhausted. (big sigh) I just got back from SB last night. I found a place to live. As Sumit says it is a pink box, but I really like the girl, Krista, we had a great talk when we met and it's cheap. Well cheap for SB and my own room. And I can bring the cat, and Krista has a small dog which hopefully Ribbon can become friends with so he is not so lonely all day by himself as he is now.
I also did four freaking interviews. I'm so sick of talking and answering dumbass interview questions. I interviewed at Hotel Oceana, the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort, and SYR. Honestly I think I like SYR the best. They pay the most, it was more relaxed and like the Cheshire Cat, while still expensive so serving a higher clientele. It's probably somewhere I could gain some management experience although I don't know how likely promotion is, since it is a small place, but it would probably be a good place to get my feet wet.
The Fess Parker left a bad taste in my mouth. It's a huge place, over 350 rooms and it's part of the Hilton chain. I first met with the Human Resources person and eventually got introduced to the main manager who was basically a jackass. He was going off on how important the front desk job was and how if you start there and maybe not in one of the other departments like reservations you have more to learn and you may not shine as quickly. He also downplayed my experience at the Cheshire Cat even though I took care of problems that will arise at his front desk among other things ON MY OWN. Basically he pissed me off and made me doubt my ability to handle a place like that until I realized it's only a $10/hour job. If they REALLY thought it was difficult or THAT important they would pay their employees more so they could be more selective.
Anyways it's made me not want to work there or a place as big as it is because they are so fucking full of themselves and there's way too much middle management. However I am feeling discouraged because it is probably the best place to gain experience to move up into management. I dunno, if they offer me a job I might not take it. I don't want to hate where I work.
Hotel Oceana was nice. It's only a year old. The Assistant Manager, Brian was really nice. We had a nice interview, (freaking 45 minutes) but it looks like there is a lot of opportunity to grow and gain some experience. It's not as high class as SYR or Fess Parker, but it's probably a good place to learn, however they pay the least.
But anyways now I'm just feeling really nervous about the move and the decision to go into hospitality. I mean I really disliked the feeling I got from the Fess Parker, and what if the only way to start making some real money is to work at a place like that. I imagine that is is harder to get into management at the smaller places because they have less turnover in management. Anyways I'm getting scared, but I'm going to forge ahead anyways. Here's hoping things work out.
It looks like teaching REALLY wasn't for me. I even got rejected from UCSD. Me=LOSER.