Wednesday, March 7

Closing the Red Deer Chapter

Yesterday a hospital in Edmonton, Alberta made an extremely intelligent decision and hired me as a full-time, PERMANENT speech therapist on their neuro team.  Congratulations, undisclosed hospital location.  It all happened quickly but things have been brewing since the dysphagia jedi master sent me a lil' tip about this opportunity last month.  I applied on a whim because, well, when an opportunity presents itself you have to jump on it like a bouncy castle.  It was a long shot but apparently sometimes long shots pay off.  Let's be honest - it was the most difficult interview I have ever had.  It definitely put some mega-doubts in my mind about my candidacy.  For April 2012 the DapperDame will be officially an Edmontonian.

Of course this career triumph is bittersweet.  I really like the team in Red Deer and I have made friends here (as I'll discuss later, my housing situation is prime), I have even started committing myself to volunteering.  It was definite inner turmoil choosing to leave a contract unfinished here and to tell my boss but, in the end, this is the best choice for me.  I belong in the city while I'm still young and this job is a great career move - I'll learn so much and, if it comes to it, would be a wonderful resume builder.  Permanency was a major draw too.  I'm an adult now so I have to start thinking pensions and *yawn* RRSPs.

As for moving, for the past 6 months I have been spoiled in the living situation department - decent rent gets me a house and one roommate, a hot tub, a parking space, TV, netflix, utilities, laundry, my very own bathroom...the list goes on.  Moving to the "big" city means more money gets you less.  My massive cheap side is at war with my crabby adult side that has grown accustomed to a certain quality of life.  Gone are the days when I would tolerate sharing a kitchen with 4 others people or walking down the street for laundry.

Right now my goals are thus - and it really limits the ads to which I will reply:
1) to live close enough to walk to work (no more than 25-30 min)
2) a parking space (no street parking for this girl)
3) laundry (at least in the building, preferably in-suite)
4) my own bathroom (not a dealbreaker but I sure do like this...)
5) already furnished (with fairly nice furniture, a girl has to have standards)
6)  a house hippo

4 comments:

Nate said...

Congrats Katie!! :)

Beth said...

i am picturing you sharing a bathtub with a small hippo, and it is making me LAUGH. OUT. LOUD.

Lindi said...

Sweet! Maybe I'll see you on one of my many trips to Edmonton!

Sarah P said...

Congrats on the new job Katie, you're so grown up! Crazy that it's been so long since we shared that kitchen!