Another Week Ahead

What’s new?

Well I had fun this week making sure that the college had received and applied to me all the things I had sent in to the central Ontario Colleges web site. Luckily for me, it seems that the lady I had spoken to a week ago was the Admissions Officer and she was following it all up. I never actually spoke to her again, though I did call, but she left several messages for me. I do still have to get my report card for the chemistry to Ontario Colleges, but that shouldn’t be too hard to do next week. They are in Guelph and Howard has been voluntold... I mean... volunteered to drop it in for me

So now I wait on tender hooks to find out if I get in. I could know a soon as Monday.

Also on next week... go to the unemployment office and start the job hunt rolling. Also go visit the pre-op clinic for my tonsils and find out what the plan of action is there.

I’ll worry about the next week when it gets here.

Inducted into the not-so-secret society of CANUCKS!

Today has been a good day.

First thing this morning I called the college. I think we sorted out the hiccup about my admission requirements for the Collections Conservation and Management program. It may even have helped as there were other stray items that hadn't been gathered together correctly which may improve my chances of getting in. (Crossing fingers and toes!). I will look into it again next week. Just to make sure that all is well.

Then this afternoon I took my oath and became a Canadian. It went very well though it took a lot longer than I expected. There were some friends there who took lots of pictures so I might see about posting some.

I know other friends also wanted to be there, but were unable to attend; I thank you all for your good wishes.

On another note. For whatever reason, we received a free gift of a “cultural access pass” from the “Institute for Canadian Citizenship”. What that entails is a free, one year membership, to six... count em... six, museums. These include; Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Ontario Science Centre, Toronto Art Gallery, McMichael, Gardiner Museum, and the Textile Museum! Thank goodness I hadn’t renewed my ROM membership in the Fall!

Yes, it has been a good day.

Next Update

Well it has been quite an entertaining week so far, and it’s not over yet!

Monday I sat my final exam for the Chemistry course.

Some things I had down cold, a couple of things I knew I knew, but my brain couldn’t access the information... stupid filing system. Then there were a few that I knew I’d just blown. I do really hate exams, tests... whatever. I’ve never performed well in them, even when I knew the subject and the course has been all tests and the exam, apart from one project. So by the time I went in on Wednesday to get my final marks I had convinced myself that my percentage was going to be below the +70%. I wanted. +70% is a level 3 pass, which is what I preferably needed for my college application. I was really pleased when I found out that I had passed with 78%.

Then I arrived home tonight to a letter from the college informing me that I do not meet the admission requirements. I do not have a successful completion of an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (or equivalent). So I now have some calls to make tomorrow. Why don’t they have a copy of the assessment report I had done (and payed for) when I put in my application? I have the copy I requested in my hot little hand , and the letter that came with it said that it had been transmitted electronically to colleges to which I had applied. Is there a grade or course credit I need missing on the (I’m sure) more detailed one that they received? It says I have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma and a College Certificate (two year program). Arrg....

Oh, and tomorrow I become Canadian... eh!

One Down

A quick update.

I mentioned in my last post that I was going for my Canadian Citizenship test. That was a week ago and though I didn’t post at the time I thought it went well. This has been confirmed as I have received my “NOTICE TO APPEAR - TO TAKE THE OATH OF CITIZENSHIP”.

I don’t know what I scored on the test . To be honest, there was no excuse for getting less than 100%...eh!

The future

As people know, I am not a big into newsletters, or posting on-line. But enough people are asking how my future plans are going that I thought that it might be useful to sum it all up.

My current job is due to end at the end of January so come the new year I will be searching for something new to do. Of course there is always nannying to fall back on, but I really do want to move on to something else. As a result it has been a very busy fall.

It started last Spring when Kathy and the kids sent me to see a career councillor and I found out what I want to be when I grow up, now I just have to see if I can make it happen. The job I fell in love with is that of a conservation and restoration technician. Unbelievably a job that would call on most of my skills and interests from the angles that most fascinate me! If I do manage to get the required training and find a job in the field, it is my belief that I wouldn’t be going to work every day, but to play. Yes, it might often be slow, laborious and perhaps even frustrating; but it would always fascinating, and, I think, fun. Not knowing where to start, I went to the ROM and talked briefly to someone who worked in the conservation department there. She pointed me towards Flemming College in Peterborough, the only place with a Collections Conservation and Management Course in the country. It was interesting that unlike anything else I might have been interested in re-training for, it is only a 16 month course; rather than three years.

I decided to try for it, as I have nothing to lose in the attempt and if I don’t try then I’ve already failed. The main stumbling block was that I would need Grade 12 Chemistry before I could apply.

I’ve been attending a nearby Toronto High School to get the Chem. It’s a night course that takes place two evenings a week for three hours with no break. It is a very intense and fast paced course that has proven to be quite challenging. I have been enjoying it though, maybe because it gives the old grey cells and good work out. It has also been a fascinating window onto the world around us. I have often found that it gives me a deeper level (or perhaps just another layer) of understanding of things mentioned in conversation or on T.V.. There is also a whole slew of things I’m going to be following up after the course is over. I don’t think I’ve done too badly for plunging back into learning a single, isolated subject so far from my own highschool days with the supporting subjects of science, biology and math twenty-five years behind me. I’m currently pulling just under an 80% average and expect to pass the course, even if I don’t have the most spectacular grade ever. Studying has been taking up most of my free time, when I wasn’t looking (unsuccessfully) for a local, part-time job. I have even been known to turn up at social events and spend a good portion of them working in a corner.

I addition I am also studying for my citizenship test that is scheduled for next week . The other thing I had to do in the fall was put in my application for the course.

The start of 2009 is going to be most interesting. Jan 6th - Citizenship Test, Jan 19th - Final Exam, Mid to late Jan - get results from first two, Jan 31st - out of work, Feb 2nd - find out if I’ve been accepted on the course, Jan - Feb - hope to find a new job, Feb 11th - get tonsils removed.

Hopefully March and the run up to FKO, will be much more relaxing and soothing on the nerves; after all; I’m only the Con Chair! After the con.... If I didn’t get into Flemming I will need to find new digs. I think that’s about it. I’ll keep people posted.