Dear Internet,
If there is one thing that I cannot stand, it is when people are not true to their word. For instance, when I am promised something mid-June during an employment contract lasting through August, come mid-November I'm pretty irked to not have received it yet.
In other words: yes, I am still complaining about not having received a bonus I was promised over the summer.
If it weren't for the fact that I really hated my job, and that it was four unfulfilling months of menial work that amounted to nothing but a meagre amount of money that was barely enough to last me through this term, I would just give up on ever receiving this bonus. It's almost like I want to force my former boss to give me this bonus so that she can admit that I deserved a better evaluation than I was given. In what sort of twisted universe can an employee receive a bonus for having awesome production, but be evaluated the equivalent of "ehhhhhh"? It's ridiculous.
I got so hopeful...when I emailed her a week into November after her last ETA passed (end of October), she emailed me back promising the bonus by the end of the week. From the way the email was worded, I thought, just maybe, she sent it out right before sending me that email. And so I continued faithfully checking my mail every day, even going through the "SmartShopper" mini newspaper in case it got lost between the pages. In this time, I have received two packages I ordered at the end of October, which had to be sent from the States...somewhat farther away than Toronto. Alas, it still has yet to arrive, and I am receiving messages from my team mates from over the summer asking if anything has happened with our bonuses yet.
Honestly, it's just unprofessional for them to be so slow with this. I feel like they teased us with the bonus over the summer the same way I take out a treat whenever I want my dog to come inside, but then put the treat away once he's actually in. "Ohh if you do all this awesome work with us you'll get a BONUS! ...okay the work is over, NO BONUS FOR YOU!"
Maybe if someone else from the team (read: someone my boss didn't hate) emailed her and asked her, we would actually receive what we were promised.
Will give this more thought.
Sincerely,
Caro
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Month Catch-Up
Dear Internet,
It has been nearly a month since I last wrote...and let me tell you, it has been one LONG month.
It didn't occur to me at the time that I was picking out classes, but I have come to realize that perhaps 5 math/computer science courses is a bit much to have on my plate all at one time. Every week, I have a total of four assignments due...three of which are due on Wednesdays. So, you can imagine that Tuesday is a pretty stressful day for me (not that it wasn't already - damn Tuesdays). On top of that, I have to be applying to, interviewing for, and stressing out about jobs. The first round of postings was at the beginning of the month. So far, I have had two interviews, and have one more this week on, you guessed it, Wednesday.
I was pumped for the first interview I had. As someone who does not have very much experience in anything except tutoring, I was pretty pumped to be chosen above other people who were probably more qualified. This job was basically to run the day-to-day happenings of an online tutoring program. At first glance, this seems awesome for me. Right on, I have tutoring experience! If there's anything that I CAN do, it's tutoring. Do more research, read the job description carefully, go to an information meeting...turns out that the job is mainly dealing with sales, customers, and affiliates over the telephone. Number One question during the interview: have you ever worked somewhere where you've been on the phone a lot. Poor Response Number One: no. The interview mainly consisted of the man asking me if I have ever done certain things before (business stuff like the phones) and I had to answer no every time. Number Two question during the interview: why is your evaluation from your former job so low? True Answer: my boss didn't like me. Answer I gave/Poor Response Number Two (also true, but believable): I was caught slacking off a few times. At the end I tried to save myself and really just dug myself into a hole even more. I was trying to convince him that I would be great at the job, I had great interpersonal skills - when he interrupts me and says "How do I know you have good interpersonal skills?" Annnd then I proceed to show him how my interpersonal skills suck by going widely off-topic and trying desperately to backpedal but to no avail.
Basically, I don't expect to be landing that job. The next job interview I had, on the other hand, went really well. I was interviewing for two tutoring positions at once. Besides the fact that they called me in early before I was *totally* prepared, it was great. Main difference between this and job #1: I can actually do this job. So I'm really hoping to land it so that I can stay in town and not have a sucky job experience like over the summer.
Speaking of which, I don't know if I mentioned this earlier, but my place of former employment, let's call them Stacks o' Paper Inc, still owes me a bonus. There are many reasons why this is silly. First of all, my contract with them ended at the end of August. Second of all, my boss disliked me, thought I was lazy and unproductive, and gave me a lower evaluation than every other co-op worker at the place. Whenever I get frustrated for not having my bonus yet, I giggle at that irony. She disliked me for being lazy and unproductive, yet owes me a bonus for being a part of the most productive team. I would, however, like to point out that I was extremely productive most of the time, and she always caught me during the other times. Still sore about that, in case you couldn't tell.
But yeah, the point is that they owe me money. Actually, not even money; my bonus is in the form of a gift card. Hell, I don't even know the *amount*. We were told at the beginning of the summer $100, but then they sort of forgot about the whole thing until the end and by the time I left my boss didn't seem too sure about what that amount would be. After receiving my last pay-stub and not the gift card, I sent her an email inquiring about it. She told me, "by the end of September." September 30th rolled around...then October 8th...and I still didn't have it. So I emailed her again. This time, "by the end of October." So, I have a week (I'll be nice and give it two because October 31st is a Sunday) until I get even more angry about this. There are a few things that are frustrating about this situation: if I never receive my bonus, there's nothing I can do about it, because as far as I know, I was never promised in a thoroughly legal and check-able sort of way that I would receive it, and also, I can never send an angry or even slightly less than super super polite email to my former boss because she could very easily call up the co-op people and tell them I'm a nasty, baby-eating ogre who never deserves employment ever ever again (except in the field of baby-eating, at which I excel) and they'll believe her.
Then, if you can believe it, in addition to the assignments and classes and applications and interviews, I have midterms and projects and even *le gasp* a life. Well, admittedly, not very much of one. I spend the weekend with Steven, and go grocery shopping with him on Tuesdays (only good thing about Tuesdays...the grocery store has 10% off for university students).
Oh, also, I got into the program that I have been working towards for the better part of 2 years now :) I am that much closer to terror-I mean, teaching high school students for a living!!
Sincerely,
Caro
It has been nearly a month since I last wrote...and let me tell you, it has been one LONG month.
It didn't occur to me at the time that I was picking out classes, but I have come to realize that perhaps 5 math/computer science courses is a bit much to have on my plate all at one time. Every week, I have a total of four assignments due...three of which are due on Wednesdays. So, you can imagine that Tuesday is a pretty stressful day for me (not that it wasn't already - damn Tuesdays). On top of that, I have to be applying to, interviewing for, and stressing out about jobs. The first round of postings was at the beginning of the month. So far, I have had two interviews, and have one more this week on, you guessed it, Wednesday.
I was pumped for the first interview I had. As someone who does not have very much experience in anything except tutoring, I was pretty pumped to be chosen above other people who were probably more qualified. This job was basically to run the day-to-day happenings of an online tutoring program. At first glance, this seems awesome for me. Right on, I have tutoring experience! If there's anything that I CAN do, it's tutoring. Do more research, read the job description carefully, go to an information meeting...turns out that the job is mainly dealing with sales, customers, and affiliates over the telephone. Number One question during the interview: have you ever worked somewhere where you've been on the phone a lot. Poor Response Number One: no. The interview mainly consisted of the man asking me if I have ever done certain things before (business stuff like the phones) and I had to answer no every time. Number Two question during the interview: why is your evaluation from your former job so low? True Answer: my boss didn't like me. Answer I gave/Poor Response Number Two (also true, but believable): I was caught slacking off a few times. At the end I tried to save myself and really just dug myself into a hole even more. I was trying to convince him that I would be great at the job, I had great interpersonal skills - when he interrupts me and says "How do I know you have good interpersonal skills?" Annnd then I proceed to show him how my interpersonal skills suck by going widely off-topic and trying desperately to backpedal but to no avail.
Basically, I don't expect to be landing that job. The next job interview I had, on the other hand, went really well. I was interviewing for two tutoring positions at once. Besides the fact that they called me in early before I was *totally* prepared, it was great. Main difference between this and job #1: I can actually do this job. So I'm really hoping to land it so that I can stay in town and not have a sucky job experience like over the summer.
Speaking of which, I don't know if I mentioned this earlier, but my place of former employment, let's call them Stacks o' Paper Inc, still owes me a bonus. There are many reasons why this is silly. First of all, my contract with them ended at the end of August. Second of all, my boss disliked me, thought I was lazy and unproductive, and gave me a lower evaluation than every other co-op worker at the place. Whenever I get frustrated for not having my bonus yet, I giggle at that irony. She disliked me for being lazy and unproductive, yet owes me a bonus for being a part of the most productive team. I would, however, like to point out that I was extremely productive most of the time, and she always caught me during the other times. Still sore about that, in case you couldn't tell.
But yeah, the point is that they owe me money. Actually, not even money; my bonus is in the form of a gift card. Hell, I don't even know the *amount*. We were told at the beginning of the summer $100, but then they sort of forgot about the whole thing until the end and by the time I left my boss didn't seem too sure about what that amount would be. After receiving my last pay-stub and not the gift card, I sent her an email inquiring about it. She told me, "by the end of September." September 30th rolled around...then October 8th...and I still didn't have it. So I emailed her again. This time, "by the end of October." So, I have a week (I'll be nice and give it two because October 31st is a Sunday) until I get even more angry about this. There are a few things that are frustrating about this situation: if I never receive my bonus, there's nothing I can do about it, because as far as I know, I was never promised in a thoroughly legal and check-able sort of way that I would receive it, and also, I can never send an angry or even slightly less than super super polite email to my former boss because she could very easily call up the co-op people and tell them I'm a nasty, baby-eating ogre who never deserves employment ever ever again (except in the field of baby-eating, at which I excel) and they'll believe her.
Then, if you can believe it, in addition to the assignments and classes and applications and interviews, I have midterms and projects and even *le gasp* a life. Well, admittedly, not very much of one. I spend the weekend with Steven, and go grocery shopping with him on Tuesdays (only good thing about Tuesdays...the grocery store has 10% off for university students).
Oh, also, I got into the program that I have been working towards for the better part of 2 years now :) I am that much closer to terror-I mean, teaching high school students for a living!!
Sincerely,
Caro
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Random News Day
Dear Internet,
Last night I was an accessory to a dog kidnapping.
...
Okay that was a little bit exaggerated. But now the real story will just fall short of your expectations, so I'll leave it up to your imagination to fill in the blanks.
In other news, apparently my fire alarm feels unloved and will, spontaneously, at ridiculous hours, beep (very loudly) twice to remind me of its presence then fall silent, smug with the satisfaction of having woken me up and terrified me.
Also, it is officially heater weather here. At least, that's what I'm assuming the vent blowing air from my ceiling is for. As if it wasn't nearly 30 degrees on Friday (that's 86 for you silly Fahrenheit people). Although the temperature did about half itself yesterday. Silly confused Ontario weather. It's still cold today...and a little uncomfortable in my room with what I presume to be the heater blowing not-so-hot air from above.
Anyways, until next time!
Sincerely,
Caro
Last night I was an accessory to a dog kidnapping.
...
Okay that was a little bit exaggerated. But now the real story will just fall short of your expectations, so I'll leave it up to your imagination to fill in the blanks.
In other news, apparently my fire alarm feels unloved and will, spontaneously, at ridiculous hours, beep (very loudly) twice to remind me of its presence then fall silent, smug with the satisfaction of having woken me up and terrified me.
Also, it is officially heater weather here. At least, that's what I'm assuming the vent blowing air from my ceiling is for. As if it wasn't nearly 30 degrees on Friday (that's 86 for you silly Fahrenheit people). Although the temperature did about half itself yesterday. Silly confused Ontario weather. It's still cold today...and a little uncomfortable in my room with what I presume to be the heater blowing not-so-hot air from above.
Anyways, until next time!
Sincerely,
Caro
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Busy Weeks and the Best Person Ever
Dear Internet,
OH MY GOODNESS THE PAST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN BUSY! I have successfully moved from Toronto back to university and am now settled nicely in my place here. Unfortunately, for the past few days we have been without internet at the fault of our internet provider. I don't know exactly what's going on, but at least I have the option of going to campus to use their internet for free! (Or, well, free with my few-thousand-dollar tuition.) I also went home for a week last week, and that was a lot of fun. Besides the fact that I had to get some painful dental work done. Classes have started, and I'm lucky enough to, so far, really like all my professors. My classes seem pretty good (I'm taking Calculus 3, Linear Algebra 2, Probability, Intro to Differential Equations, and Elementary Algorithm Design and Data Abstraction). Mostly, though, I'm super happy to be back on campus and seeing all my friends, after my rather lonely summer.
Last Wednesday, however, was a very important day for me. You see, last Wednesday was my one-year anniversary with my boyfriend. I'm going to take a moment to tell you about him. If you're not a fan of mushy romantic crap I suggest you stop reading right about now.
Steven is the most wonderful person I've ever known (I'm sure that there are friends of mine who would read this and be all like "Hmph I'm pretty wonderful too y'know" and to them I say, if you were as wonderful as Steven I would be dating you). Coming out of some crazy relationships in high school, he was basically just what I needed to stop being a crazy b**** (I say that in the past tense because I like to think that I am no longer a crazy b****), mainly because he does not put up with my shit. Now, some people might think, in a relationship, aren't you supposed to accept each other's faults and love the other person for them? And to those people I say, NO! This is the healthiest relationship I've been in my entire life of 19 years (I've had between 3 and 7 relationships depending on your definition), and I think that the reason is that we influence each other to be the best we can be. It's not as intense as, like, Steven standing over me while I work and yelling at me to do better, but more along the lines of, "You know, in your effort to eat better foods, Carolyn, you might want to cut pop out of your daily diet." If it weren't for him I'd probably get worse grades and in general have a worse lifestyle.
So, Steve, thank you for making me a better person! If it weren't for you I'd still be drowning in my high school woes and I'd probably be fat.
Sincerely,
Caro
OH MY GOODNESS THE PAST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN BUSY! I have successfully moved from Toronto back to university and am now settled nicely in my place here. Unfortunately, for the past few days we have been without internet at the fault of our internet provider. I don't know exactly what's going on, but at least I have the option of going to campus to use their internet for free! (Or, well, free with my few-thousand-dollar tuition.) I also went home for a week last week, and that was a lot of fun. Besides the fact that I had to get some painful dental work done. Classes have started, and I'm lucky enough to, so far, really like all my professors. My classes seem pretty good (I'm taking Calculus 3, Linear Algebra 2, Probability, Intro to Differential Equations, and Elementary Algorithm Design and Data Abstraction). Mostly, though, I'm super happy to be back on campus and seeing all my friends, after my rather lonely summer.
Last Wednesday, however, was a very important day for me. You see, last Wednesday was my one-year anniversary with my boyfriend. I'm going to take a moment to tell you about him. If you're not a fan of mushy romantic crap I suggest you stop reading right about now.
Steven is the most wonderful person I've ever known (I'm sure that there are friends of mine who would read this and be all like "Hmph I'm pretty wonderful too y'know" and to them I say, if you were as wonderful as Steven I would be dating you). Coming out of some crazy relationships in high school, he was basically just what I needed to stop being a crazy b**** (I say that in the past tense because I like to think that I am no longer a crazy b****), mainly because he does not put up with my shit. Now, some people might think, in a relationship, aren't you supposed to accept each other's faults and love the other person for them? And to those people I say, NO! This is the healthiest relationship I've been in my entire life of 19 years (I've had between 3 and 7 relationships depending on your definition), and I think that the reason is that we influence each other to be the best we can be. It's not as intense as, like, Steven standing over me while I work and yelling at me to do better, but more along the lines of, "You know, in your effort to eat better foods, Carolyn, you might want to cut pop out of your daily diet." If it weren't for him I'd probably get worse grades and in general have a worse lifestyle.
So, Steve, thank you for making me a better person! If it weren't for you I'd still be drowning in my high school woes and I'd probably be fat.
Sincerely,
Caro
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Work Term Over!
Dear Internet,
I made it. I survived my first work term. I was planning on ranting how much I hated it, but I've decided that that is unprofessional and probably a bad idea. Let's just say that it was an under-stimulating and disappointing experience, and my supervisor may or may not have disliked me. The point is that it's over and that makes me happy.
I have moved back to my university town for the upcoming school term, and damn am I excited for this term. Coming from a summer that was too hot and too lonely and too boring, I am looking forward to fall/winter, being with friends, and going to classes or out with friends. My room looks AWESOME (all of my crap managed to fit, surprisingly enough, into my 9'x9' room).
Soon, I'll be heading home for a week (with someone really awesome), then after that, classes start and the general routine of school begins. I am so pumped.
Sincerely,
Carolyn
I made it. I survived my first work term. I was planning on ranting how much I hated it, but I've decided that that is unprofessional and probably a bad idea. Let's just say that it was an under-stimulating and disappointing experience, and my supervisor may or may not have disliked me. The point is that it's over and that makes me happy.
I have moved back to my university town for the upcoming school term, and damn am I excited for this term. Coming from a summer that was too hot and too lonely and too boring, I am looking forward to fall/winter, being with friends, and going to classes or out with friends. My room looks AWESOME (all of my crap managed to fit, surprisingly enough, into my 9'x9' room).
Soon, I'll be heading home for a week (with someone really awesome), then after that, classes start and the general routine of school begins. I am so pumped.
Sincerely,
Carolyn
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Canada vs. U.S.A
Dear Internet,
As somebody who has pretty recently moved to Canada from the United States, I get asked a lot which country I prefer, and I have to admit that it is a tough question to answer. I'm happier in Canada than I was in the States, that is true, but that has more to do with my own personal situation than the countries in general. I'm reluctant to say that I prefer Canada because although I was born here, currently live here, and intend to stay here, the States treated me as one of its own and housed me for just about ten years (over half my life). So I'm going draw up a little PROS vs. CONS list for each country, and see if I can come to a good conclusion. I'd like to point out that I cannot speak, of course, for each ENTIRE country (both are quite large and diverse), so think of this more of comparing southern Ontario to New England.
First of all, Canada. Pros. In general, people are nicer here than in the States. The vague sort of accent in southern Ontario is much more pleasant than the Bostonian one. The money is more colourful and more exciting. My habits such as putting a "u" in the word "colour" are not considered strange. All of my extended family is much closer. Tim Horton's, Harvey's, Aero bars, Caramilk, Smarties.
Cons. Weather in Ontario is more fickle than in New England. Winter seems colder (although that also probably has to do with the fact that before coming here I was spoiled in that I didn't have to be outside so much and walk between classes and home and such). Summer seems hotter (again, probably having to do with the fact that suddenly I can't hole myself up in an air-conditioned house all the time and have to actually be outside sometimes). There are more coins to make my wallet's change pouch explode. I'm far away from my immediate family. My cell phone is so expensive!
Now, the U.S. Pros. One dollar bills. My immediate family. My favourite hometown restaurants. Driving (I can drive in Canada, but unfortunately and not surprisingly do not own a car). Less traffic. More consistent weather. It's better to be known as "the Canadian" in the States than "the American" in Canada...less negative connotation.
Cons. Living in a small town with people who always seem to have ulterior motives is not fun (coming to Canada, I was surprised when people actually meant what they said when they talked. Having become a master of the small-town sideways talking habit myself, I found it difficult to do so myself - again more of a small-town thing than a general thing).
Now that I think of it, there's not really anything in particular that I disliked about the States in general. I really just ended up getting tired of my home town. All in all, I'm happy where I am right now. Well, maybe not right this very instant. As I've mentioned many times, I do not enjoy living in the city at all. Plus I'm sitting at my desk at work as I'm writing this, and that's another place I don't enjoy being. But I've decided that I'm done complaining about my current situation, because there are only two weeks left. In fact, at this time in two weeks, I intend to be sitting on my lazy butt in my apartment in my university town doing absolutely nothing. Maybe eating lunch. Maybe going out for a walk. But not in Toronto, and not working a lame job (which I will have to tell you more about, but only once I don't feel contractually obligated not to be mean about it).
Only six more days of work! I am, of course, really looking forward to being done (as my parents always tell me, you can do anything for four months, but I've decided that four months is probably the limit), but at the same time I'm dreading the last day. You see, I am going to have to be evaluated, and I don't think that my boss likes me. But more about that later.
Sincerely,
Caro
As somebody who has pretty recently moved to Canada from the United States, I get asked a lot which country I prefer, and I have to admit that it is a tough question to answer. I'm happier in Canada than I was in the States, that is true, but that has more to do with my own personal situation than the countries in general. I'm reluctant to say that I prefer Canada because although I was born here, currently live here, and intend to stay here, the States treated me as one of its own and housed me for just about ten years (over half my life). So I'm going draw up a little PROS vs. CONS list for each country, and see if I can come to a good conclusion. I'd like to point out that I cannot speak, of course, for each ENTIRE country (both are quite large and diverse), so think of this more of comparing southern Ontario to New England.
First of all, Canada. Pros. In general, people are nicer here than in the States. The vague sort of accent in southern Ontario is much more pleasant than the Bostonian one. The money is more colourful and more exciting. My habits such as putting a "u" in the word "colour" are not considered strange. All of my extended family is much closer. Tim Horton's, Harvey's, Aero bars, Caramilk, Smarties.
Cons. Weather in Ontario is more fickle than in New England. Winter seems colder (although that also probably has to do with the fact that before coming here I was spoiled in that I didn't have to be outside so much and walk between classes and home and such). Summer seems hotter (again, probably having to do with the fact that suddenly I can't hole myself up in an air-conditioned house all the time and have to actually be outside sometimes). There are more coins to make my wallet's change pouch explode. I'm far away from my immediate family. My cell phone is so expensive!
Now, the U.S. Pros. One dollar bills. My immediate family. My favourite hometown restaurants. Driving (I can drive in Canada, but unfortunately and not surprisingly do not own a car). Less traffic. More consistent weather. It's better to be known as "the Canadian" in the States than "the American" in Canada...less negative connotation.
Cons. Living in a small town with people who always seem to have ulterior motives is not fun (coming to Canada, I was surprised when people actually meant what they said when they talked. Having become a master of the small-town sideways talking habit myself, I found it difficult to do so myself - again more of a small-town thing than a general thing).
Now that I think of it, there's not really anything in particular that I disliked about the States in general. I really just ended up getting tired of my home town. All in all, I'm happy where I am right now. Well, maybe not right this very instant. As I've mentioned many times, I do not enjoy living in the city at all. Plus I'm sitting at my desk at work as I'm writing this, and that's another place I don't enjoy being. But I've decided that I'm done complaining about my current situation, because there are only two weeks left. In fact, at this time in two weeks, I intend to be sitting on my lazy butt in my apartment in my university town doing absolutely nothing. Maybe eating lunch. Maybe going out for a walk. But not in Toronto, and not working a lame job (which I will have to tell you more about, but only once I don't feel contractually obligated not to be mean about it).
Only six more days of work! I am, of course, really looking forward to being done (as my parents always tell me, you can do anything for four months, but I've decided that four months is probably the limit), but at the same time I'm dreading the last day. You see, I am going to have to be evaluated, and I don't think that my boss likes me. But more about that later.
Sincerely,
Caro
Monday, August 9, 2010
The City
Dear Internet,
As you may or may not know already, I have been living in the city of Toronto (much to my chagrin) this summer due to a work placement here. As you also may or may not have gathered already, I am not, in general, a fan of this city. Although I suppose it would be rude to specifically malign Toronto, as I am not a fan of any city in general. Toronto is simply the first city I've ever lived in for more than a weekend.
There are a few other things contributing to my dislike of Toronto that are not exactly the fault of the city. For instance, I quite dislike my job, but that is a story for another day (more specifically, a day when I am no longer enslaved to this particular company). Also, summer is hot almost no matter where you are, but before this summer I had never really been at so much of the mercy of the summer heat, having been privileged with air-conditioning almost wherever I went for most of my life before this. Unfortunately for the city, many of the unpleasantries of real life that I am experiencing for the first time take place here, leading to my intense dislike of the city, which is (mostly) undeserving of it. I'm sure that, had my first full-time job been situated in any other city, I would dislike that city with the same intensity, or had I actually enjoyed my job, the city wouldn't seem so bad.
Anyways, I digress. My point is that Toronto is dirty, hot, smelly, and just generally gross and it makes me unhappy. I don't understand how so many people can flock to a place that has a consistent odor of car exhaust, garbage, and millions of people hanging in the air and lacking a breeze to blow it away. Not to mention the lack of trees! I'm no tree enthusiast as my boyfriend seems to be (he refuses to join my family for Christmas until we promise not a use a real pine tree, because apparently it is sick and murderous to string a tree's corpse with pretty lights and shiny things and put it proudly on display in our living room), but the lack of trees around the city is just depressing, especially coming from a town where most of the streets seem to cut through thick forests and even the "downtown" area is not lacking so much in greenery. I am lucky enough to be renting a room in house on a street that has real trees, so there's not too much withdrawal there.
Here's hoping I don't go nuts in the next three weeks.
Sincerely,
Caro
As you may or may not know already, I have been living in the city of Toronto (much to my chagrin) this summer due to a work placement here. As you also may or may not have gathered already, I am not, in general, a fan of this city. Although I suppose it would be rude to specifically malign Toronto, as I am not a fan of any city in general. Toronto is simply the first city I've ever lived in for more than a weekend.
There are a few other things contributing to my dislike of Toronto that are not exactly the fault of the city. For instance, I quite dislike my job, but that is a story for another day (more specifically, a day when I am no longer enslaved to this particular company). Also, summer is hot almost no matter where you are, but before this summer I had never really been at so much of the mercy of the summer heat, having been privileged with air-conditioning almost wherever I went for most of my life before this. Unfortunately for the city, many of the unpleasantries of real life that I am experiencing for the first time take place here, leading to my intense dislike of the city, which is (mostly) undeserving of it. I'm sure that, had my first full-time job been situated in any other city, I would dislike that city with the same intensity, or had I actually enjoyed my job, the city wouldn't seem so bad.
Anyways, I digress. My point is that Toronto is dirty, hot, smelly, and just generally gross and it makes me unhappy. I don't understand how so many people can flock to a place that has a consistent odor of car exhaust, garbage, and millions of people hanging in the air and lacking a breeze to blow it away. Not to mention the lack of trees! I'm no tree enthusiast as my boyfriend seems to be (he refuses to join my family for Christmas until we promise not a use a real pine tree, because apparently it is sick and murderous to string a tree's corpse with pretty lights and shiny things and put it proudly on display in our living room), but the lack of trees around the city is just depressing, especially coming from a town where most of the streets seem to cut through thick forests and even the "downtown" area is not lacking so much in greenery. I am lucky enough to be renting a room in house on a street that has real trees, so there's not too much withdrawal there.
Here's hoping I don't go nuts in the next three weeks.
Sincerely,
Caro
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