divabot

Unsurprisingly after work killing our project mid April, it took until yesterday for me to get any notice about internal transfer options. Which amounted to "send over your resume to the UI team, we'll see if there's a fit". So now I have to redo my resume with a focus on full stack development. Which I sort of did last year while job hunting but I need to add more team lead experience now and apply some of the stuff I learned during furlough when I took all those webinars. Finally dug up all my resumes and the notes and presentations I needed, now just to do it. Also still mentoring my jr dev cause they want both our resumes.

But backing up, when I left off here, it was right before moving: it went well! I was nightmare/ptsd nervous because of my last move into a condo being a shitshow (too big truck, hitting a car on the street with it, movers failing to get my couch out, not reserving enough time with the movers so they left me with a full truck and I had to call in help, my partner at the time not bothering to come help at all, then losing my job after my first mortgage payment) but amazingly the uhaul I reserved was ready when I showed up (doors open before posted hours so I got to be first in line), the two movers I hired to help load and unload showed up early and were super amazing efficient at packing the slightly too small truck (guy in charge wasn't sure everything would fit, but I wasn't too worried because I could come back for stuff when S&J were back with their SUV) and even got my cruiser bike tucked in right at the back door. I helped a lot too, staging and hauling boxes out to the truck. Getting it backed up into the driveway was a bit of a challenge as there were low hanging pine branches there, but we didn't kill any trees, yay. I missed that tricky turn between highways on the way south (map voice directions not quite matching signs) and then got caught waiting for a train to pass on the level crossing downtown, but the elevator reservation was all set and the pads were up and despite the freight elevator not being that big, we got everything in with time to spare on the mover's reservation. They did get the elevator stuck closed though, not sure what they did with the service key, but one of the condo board was available to post an out of order sign and then call after the Easter holiday. Didn't get my reservation deposit (fee?) back though. The truck was empty by 2:30 and I was able to add some gas, get it back to the rental place a few blocks away well before 5pm, and start unpacking essentials.

At which point I was completely unable to find my queen size aerobed, since the packers in S'ville didn't label which box it had gone into. Luckily my camping stuff was easy to find, so double sleeping pads and some sheets and pillows were easy to find and I set up in the small bedroom to test out sleeping there (it also had curtains instead of just blinds so stays a bit darker). It took unpacking all the wardrobe boxes to find the aerobed tucked into the bottom of one of them, just beyond my sweeping fingertip reach as I was checking them. I'd brought enough food to get me through the end of the week, but the co-op three blocks away was open for a few hours on Easter Sunday and I was able to do a stock up shop with a backpack and extra bags easily enough - rebuying all my missing spices was as annoying as expected. I'm loving the kitchen layout still though, it's got so much counterspace that I'm probably not going to assemble my baker's rack, and the flow when I'm cooking works really well. Still not sold on getting counter stools yet though, but that's where I'm storing the few things I need to still organise.

Sunday I had the internet tech over to figure out why my gateway wasn't connected, turns out there were lots and lots of cables running all over the place and the obvious one wasn't the right one. Finally got that sorted out and could stream music while doing hours of unpacking and stacking boxes and wrapping paper - so much paper, I dubbed it Mont Papier which quickly grew foothills as the flattened pieces shifted and settled as I kept piling it on top. The packers for the long haul move were very thorough in wrapping stuff up! Which made it hard to find things as I could only guess at size and shape of what I was looking for under layers of paper. Missing my build in cabinets something fierce, one junk drawer and one linens draw in the kitchen aren't enough. I'll probably have to designate a tote in a closet for some of the wires and lights I didn't cull enough. I was able to get my desk set up in time to start working remotely on the Monday, tucked into a bright corner of the living/dining room right by the window. I also walked across the river and picked up my new bike! I had forgotten a kickstand, they offered to throw that on as well for me while I waited, though I said I could put the bike computer on myself (spoiler: it's still in the box, oops). It took a while to sort out getting the bike into the bike cage (turns out the lock took the building outside door key which I didn't think to try), but luckily my storage room in the basement was big enough for two bikes.

The next week was about settling in: I ordered a new mattress (went with a Casper bed in a box that was delivered the next day) and set up in the big bedroom as it was more insulated from elevator noise. I went to an in real life workout and run club, riding my bike along the river to both sessions (love it!). I got my kindle switched over to the unlimited subscription for Canada - though I still need to reupload my owned books. Made it to Canadian Tire to get bits and bobs (guest toilet keeps running so replaced the flapper, didn't solve the issue, may have to replace another seal) and went out for an odd but delicious vegan poutine (gf tater tots, faux shredded cheese, jackfruit).

Then I had found a local doctor taking new patients, turns out he'd also just moved here four months ago and was looking for a good work life balance. First time I'd had a meet and greet with a doctor, but we vibed okay and I set up a full physical appointment for the week after I moved. It definitely felt like a senior assessment with balance and memory checks. Then I walked over to a clinic to get my blood work done and had a nice chat with the phlebotomist (after a fun confusion about someone with my same first name and last initial also in the waiting room), whispered political agreement to avoid being overheard. I was able to pick up my prescriptions same day as well, just a couple of days before the pills I brought from the USA were going to run out, phew. On the Saturday I met up with my sister at the big rec center that had multiple pools and we did our tri training in the 50m pool - wtf, those lanes felt like they went on forever after only swimming in 25m pools so far! There was a very loud volleyball tournament going on in the main gyms we entered above but the pool was pretty chill even with a lesson taking up the first few lanes. Then hot tub and catch up time, then pretty much chilling the rest of the day because swimming wears me out. The bike ride home was a bit breathless as it was uphill a bit, getting a bit worried about the tri, but the venue is at least 1000 feet lower in altitude than here, so that should help.
I finally used my new washer and found places to hang clothes to dry that were not the forbidden balcony - I'd picked up a frame from Cdn Tire that worked well, and the bathtub curtain rod did too. Then that evening was the ACTORS show at Dickens which was so good, though they kept digging at the less enthusiastic crowd that they'd had in Edmonton. :-) I ended up meeting the sister of the owner and main DJ and she introduced me around a bit, and we connected online so yay, first connection being a hub person!
On the Sunday, S&J brought over the TV that they were giving me and I rode back with them to their place to crash for our last swimming lesson on the Monday morning at 6am (ugh). Basically spent the evening reading on their couch, it was nice not to have to stress about unpacking. I'd started folding the wrapping paper and tucking it back into boxes to reduce Mont Papier to a manageable size once I started getting worried about emergency egress past it. :-)

Okay, up to last week:
Last swimming lesson of four at the JCC early Monday, then took the BRT back downtown and made it to my desk to start work at a bit after 8am after going to vote in the federal election at the school across the street (getting registered took a while as there were quite a few people with address changes, and I joined a line a block long right before they opened the doors at 7:30am). I did tweak my shoulder during one of the sprint laps though, same one I hurt mountain biking and had forgotten to baby since I haven't been doing a lot of monkey bars. :-/ I'm focussed on backstroke since I couldn't get my breathing synched up properly and the reach and twist motion with the pull underwater was stressing it. Same thing happened though less bad on my last training swim, but at least it didn't happen until about 600m of the 750m I'm aiming for and I can go slower. At my sister's suggestion, I'd posted a small notice in the building mail room about free packing materials available so I didn't have to recycle everything and I got a hit from our mail carrier! She was helping her mom downsize and needed all I could give, so she came over twice during the week to get boxes and paper and I'll text again when the last of it is ready to go (have to decide where to put the bookcases).
Tuesday I had a follow up with my doctor, turns out my sodium levels are low still. He accepted that it was because I don't salt my food very much, suggested eating more crisps. :-) I wasn't too worried about it until he said that fatigue and cramps are symptoms and I've been dragging a lot lately. I've been trying to up my salt intake, and plan to get some fun types of salt in nice grinders to keep out and remind myself to use. I'll definitely be bringing a lot of electrolytes for the tri! This became more worrisome as I skipped run club because I couldn't muster the energy to bike half an hour then run hills. I did end up doing that on the Friday night, after monitoring my salt intake more, so it did seem to be a factor. :-/
Saturday I had my bike fitting at Ridley's and that was a whole experience. I was on a trainer bike, talking to the PT bike fitter, on my bike on a training set up, spinning away for close to an hour, there for two. I was glad I'd brought water with me, I was dripping by the time we finished. He said I had a nice pedaling cadence though. :-) Bars down, seat up, and stem shorter and it does feel a lot better. The biggest takeaway though was that foot tingles are most commonly from shoes that are too tight - and your feet swell over the course of a ride. D'oh! I loosened my shoes halfway though and that did help! Then I took myself out for a very nice sushi lunch around the corner, and restocked my loose leaf tea at the shop above it. New Leaf had a great selection of black teas that weren't just flavoured basic stuff. I picked up some from Kenya and Nepal and have been enjoying them a lot. They had sniff test samples out for almost everything, it was fun to indulge. Then I took my newly fitted bike for a short shakedown spin along the river and then back home again. That evening was a mini concert before a darkwave night, two one person bands before the DJ went on. Glad I got there early, but with doors at 7 I was feeling about done (headachy and cranky) after 10 and decided to go over to the distillery and try some gins instead. :-) A group of young women were coming down the stairs at Dickens as I was leaving, heard the NIN playing and turned back around again. I saw them on the street as I was walking over to cross the tracks and they went into the next bar over, obviously on a non planned crawl of some sort. :-) The gin flight was great, Last Best has quite a few styles of gin and I ended up getting a full Negroni with the citrus Fortunella one before heading home.
Sunday I had booked myself a massage in the early afternoon and boy howdy was I spoiled by my friend/MT in Boston. They basically said clothes off lie down I'll be back, then asked about painful parts once I was on the table. I think saying my shoulder was painful instead of knotted didn't yield me the best results, but the knot did go down a lot and I found some other spots that definitely needed the love. But it wiped me out for the rest of the day, I just spent it guzzling water and melting into the couch. I had wanted to attend a Star Wars cabaret that night but couldn't muster up the will to move.

This week:
Monday was still a bit slow, but I turned things around Tuesday with swimming in the evening (bit late as they opened the lanes at 8:30 and I didn't get back home until 10:30) and then run club on Wednesday (with the half hour bike ride). I had looked up some "how to run better and breathe" and saw a tip about diaphragmatic breathing and *lightbulb* I'm definitely struggling when I'm only using the top part of my lungs, need to retrain ASAP. I posted my fasted pace ever, though still super slow compared to the people training for marathons and ultras who showed up this week. Then a cool down jog and core workout and bike ride home and shower and flop. I'm def at the tri training phase where I'm getting worried, but when I put it all here I am doing a lot, on top of my regular strength workouts as well. I could use some more long bike rides, but having the bike fitted and in the cage now (going in and out the garage door is fun) I'm getting the kms in (though I really need to get the odo on it!).

I wasn't happy that my riding stayed Conservative but was happy that the Liberals won enough to keep Carney as PM. I think I need something to look forward to, getting moved and settled here has put me in a bit of a "what's next" state, esp with the busy work at work and not being super sure if there'll be a position for me to move to (and losing my team). Healthcare computing is calling to me again as well, but I'll explore here some more to see if I can find a fit. My vacation days reset May 1, so I'm back to taking the next year to build up 4 weeks. My parents want me to come visit, hopefully I'll have enough earned days to at least do a long weekend this summer. Oh, and then I bought a one day ticket to a comedy festival in Edmonton, so want to organise going there for the weekend and exploring (and trying to over my adamant aversion to the city). And I've got two big concerts this month to look forward to (Godspeed You! Black Emperor next week - getting to see them here after missing the Boston date, and Ministry with My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult and Die Krupps (saw Ministry with FLA and Gary Numan in Boston but happy for the do over)). And the regular DJ nights at Dickens.
For longer term trips, an Arctic cruise with Oceanwide would be faboo (still thinking about Greenland for the next big solar eclipse), and I just bookmarked a northern India trekking one that's really reasonable for 15 days (though yikes, keep an eye on the conflict there!). I need to do some hiking/camping as well. But with job uncertainty I don't want to spend my condo sale cushion wildly, had enough big expenses moving in already. I have a line on a financial advisor, need to ping them and talk about my IRA as well as how best to situate my nest egg.