End of Semester Rush

Beh... In under two weeks, I have my last Social Psych test, a Russian Studies Presentation, a research paper for Russian Studies, and one for Social Psych as well. On top of this, it's the end of the fiscal year, so I have to have all my paperwork figured out by Monday, and on Wednesday I have to attend Safe Management recertification training. Plus I still have all my contract work, and I have to attend some research participation thing for Social Psych.

Little nervous to attend research participation. In Social Psychology, they like to make tests that state a purpose, but which have a secret purpose that determines that you are racist/sexist/homophobic or a potential murderer based on your unconscious submissiveness. I would like to not know these things about myself, but I get 2% for attending and an additional 2% bonus grade for additional participation.

Just did my final Russian Studies test last Wednesday. First one that I didn't get 100% on, I got one question wrong. It was a true/false question stating that Russian folk music could make a strong impression without strong emphasis on lyrics. Sounded true but it was false. Of course the one question I'd get wrong in the semester had to do with music. I am not a musically minded person.

I'm getting a raise in the new fiscal year for my Direct Support Work. I don't know if I mentioned it the last time it happened, but this is my second wage increase since I started. Of course, my initial wage was under what is now minimum wage, so it's natural that they would have to increase it. It's a little awkward now, though, because I also do some work independent from the agency that is linked with most of the people I support. When I work independently, I charge a bit more than I would if I went through the agency, because the agency takes a bit off what I make, and also because I've been doing this for so much longer than most people and I deserve it, darn it. But now, with the April wage increase, what I receive hourly from the agency will be more than what I charge for my independent work. So when I work independently, I'll be like a discount social worker. That's not a good look.

So I'm going to have to give myself a raise. I've never done that, and I feel like that could develop into some awkward conversation.

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area has been developing a Light Rail Transit system. It's been under construction since I moved to Kitchener about four-five years ago. It's been a really controversial subject, because the tri-city has put massive amounts of funding into it and the construction has caused a lot of inconvenience. There have been times where I've had to check the bus schedule daily because there were so many detours.

Well, they're finally sending trains over their rails, although only doing tests at the moment. I've seen them in motion, and they look sleeeeeek. They've caused me a lot of inconvenience up until now, but I have to admit, they look good. The stations also look marvelous.

They're getting rid of the bus stop that I've used to get almost everywhere since I moved into my current place. It's not a popular bus stop or anything, but out of coincidence, it goes by people that I've worked with, it goes by my old grouphome job, and it goes to the university. At first I was bummed out, but then someone pointed out that a station is going to be right by where I live, and it's a direct line to the University.

Since I've only ever known the LRT as the source of inconveniencing construction, I have only anticipated it finishing so that it can stop inconveniencing me, I've never really considered that it might be beneficial. Right now it takes me an hour and a half to get to the University, but this Light Rail could make that into a fragment of the time.

My life feels like it's... developing patterns. When I was in my early twenties, I did Ways2Work, Katimavik and Canada World Youth, living in five different communities, and had different job placements in each. I worked in eleven factories during my time in Guelph. When I moved to Kitchener, I lived in the Residence for a year, then student housing for two, then I subletted at a place after graduating before moving to where I am now. When I was in college, my part-time job changed twice. I lived with twenty different roommates throughout college, eight people in Katimavik, three different Project leaders, two host families in Canada World Youth and my counterpart. Even after graduating high school, I changed roommates three times.

I've been living at the place I'm currently at for two years and three months now, which is three months longer than anywhere else that I've lived since turning twenty, and it doesn't look like I'll be moving anytime soon. In one month, I will have lived with my current roommate longer than any other. I've been working as a Direct Support Worker for four years, three of which I've been with since I started. If I go back to the Summer Program for a fourth year, I will have worked sporadically with that program for five years.

I guess it's normal to become more consistent with age, and it looks good on a resume to show that you're able to maintain a position, but I won't lie... I'm feeling like a bit less of a... dynamic character. Feeling a little static in my lifestyle.