end of an era

The era of Laura writing full time ended three weeks ago. The era of Laura having lots of free time ends now.

Starting Monday, I'll be working Monday through Friday, 9 to 5, until late April, unless the Perfect Job shows up before then. I need the work, and it comes just in time for our bank account. We won't have to dip into our savings.

On the other hand: ARGH! I haven't worked a straight full-time job since 1991. And did I mention that my hourly rate will be exactly less than half what I last earned in New York? (We knew that before we moved.)

Hooray! Boo! It's great! It sucks! Mixed feelings? Why, yes.

I've no idea when I'll blog. Certainly not before I leave for work in the morning. So expect some gaps until I get re-settled.

Comments

  1. Scott M.24 February 2006 at 12:08

    Congrats! Did you get the word-processing job with a law firm you desired?

    Fortunately, the cost of living in the Toronto area is considerably less which should make up for some of the difference in rate.

    Unfortunately, you'll probably have to take the GO Train which, while an enjoyable experience (I personally take it and have up to 15 GO train friends, some of which I now know from outside the GO), can be expensive. Hopefully if you do take GO your job is near Union station so you don't have to take the TTC.

    ReplyDelete
  2. David Cho24 February 2006 at 12:14

    Congrats on getting a job, even though it is not the most ideal.

    Is it really half the rate considering how expensive NY is, and the benefits you get in Canada?

    ReplyDelete
  3. laura k24 February 2006 at 12:24

    Thank you!

    It's a long-term temp gig, word-processing at a large downtown law firm.

    I'll definitely be commuting by GO, which is one of the many reasons we wanted to live in Port Credit - a quick 20 minutes to Union Station, then most big law firms (including this one) are in walking distance from there.

    We're even in walking distance from the Port Credit GO, for those mornings when Allan can't ferry me over to the station. (Because he worked til 1:00 a.m. the night before...)

    Our expenses actually went up when we moved here, because we had a ridiculously good deal on an apartment in NYC, plus utilities for a house are considerably more than for an apartment.

    But that was why we were able to save so much money (to emigrate) so quickly - excellent paying jobs, and a rent-stabilized apartment. Now our income is more in line with our expenses - as in, we will be fine, but we have to be more budget conscious than we were in NYC. 'Sokay. We're adjusting. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. laura k24 February 2006 at 12:28

    Is it really half the rate considering how expensive NY is, and the benefits you get in Canada?

    It's exactly half of my last hourly rate in NYC - just comparing income by the hour, not adjusting for expenses, benefits, and such. In a 35-hour (5 day) work week on this temp job, I will earn less than I did in my 24-hour (2 day) work week in NY.

    When I get a permanent (non-temp) job, it will pay somewhat better, maybe 60% of what I used to earn instead of 50%.

    Like I said, we knew that going in. It's one of the reasons we chafed at being called "cowards" by certain stupid Americans.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Granny24 February 2006 at 12:39

    On balance very good news indeed but I'll miss checking back with you so often.

    Even when I don't comment, I'm lurking about somewhere.

    ReplyDelete
  6. laura k24 February 2006 at 12:41

    I'll definitely be blogging. I couldn't give it up if I tried.

    Just not sure when I'll fit it in, as I'm mostly brain-dead in the evening. If the temp job is good, I'll be able to blog from there.

    ReplyDelete
  7. M@24 February 2006 at 12:55

    Hey, coincidence. I just this week officially landed a couple of contract jobs, one in downtown Toronto.

    Fortunately I won't have to go there on a 9-5 basis. From Cambridge, that's a real killer. From Port Credit it's actually a kind of nice commute I'd think. (I went from Streetsville at one time and I found it very easy.)

    But congrats -- if it's not best-case scenario at least it's something.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Scott M.24 February 2006 at 13:03

    I'll definitely be commuting by GO

    Welcome aboard! Just make sure you punch... the POP cops are all nice people, but they'll write you a ticket just the same.

    ReplyDelete
  9. laura k24 February 2006 at 13:17

    Hey, coincidence. I just this week officially landed a couple of contract jobs, one in downtown Toronto.

    Cool - congrats to you too!

    From Port Credit it's actually a kind of nice commute I'd think.

    It's amazingly easy. It's the easiest commute I've ever had, though more expensive. The trains don't run frequently enough, but for 9-5 it's perfect.

    But congrats -- if it's not best-case scenario at least it's something.

    That's exactly it. Better scenarios may be further down the road. For now, it's a paycheque.

    Welcome aboard! Just make sure you punch...

    Hee hee. I've been tempted to skip it several times, but I never have. The New Yorker in me sometimes wars with the new Canadian... :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. barefoot hiker24 February 2006 at 13:19

    Congrats, Laura. :) You'll probably find being downtown every day interesting; it'll really acquaint you with the heart of the city so much faster.

    ReplyDelete
  11. laura k24 February 2006 at 13:20

    Thanks LP :)

    You'll probably find being downtown every day interesting; it'll really acquaint you with the heart of the city so much faster.

    I'm sure you're right. I remember temping in NYC was a great way to get to know the city.

    ReplyDelete
  12. M@24 February 2006 at 13:32

    True story swear to god: I had a monthly pass (no punching required). Train cop came by. Couldn't find the damn ticket! Realised I must have left it in my other coat.

    Grimly received my citation, fine of $105 or something.

    20 minutes later: found the ticket in my satchel. Had it all along.

    Went to plead guilty with an explanation. Waited for hours, then had 10 minute interview with judge, showing that I had the ticket, I was covered for the date of the offence, I just wasn't able to show it at the time. Fine reduced to $70. (Lost revenue in time spent waiting: $120.)

    Moral of the story: punch, or if you have a monthly pass, pin it to your sleeve. I never forgot my pass again.

    I thought I'd left this all behind but scott's comment got me all angried up about this again... stupid GO trains...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous24 February 2006 at 15:54

    Laura, it's not the end of the world, but I know what you mean. Could and did spend load of time blogging, that's how I discovered it, when we first moved from Calif. to Toronto. I am working temp positions now as my husband's company transfered us.

    At the last place, I enrolled to be a regular and get "member rates" at a local internet cafe. I would get a box if yummy dim sum and blog at lunchtime!

    ReplyDelete
  14. laura k24 February 2006 at 16:13

    Ay, I just realized it's less than half. 43% to be exact.

    Teri, that's one of the upsides to working in an office - if I have any downtime, I can be online. Dim sum and internet, sounds great!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

sharia

This morning I see that Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, is banning the Muslim religious court known as sharia . This ends months of debate about whether sharia would be legal and binding in Ontario. I'm quoting at length from the story in today's Toronto Star because many US readers are likely not up on this. In a surprise announcement that caught both supporters and opponents of sharia law off guard, Premier Dalton McGuinty says he will move quickly to ban all religious arbitration in the province. McGuinty made the announcement in a telephone interview with The Canadian Press yesterday after months of debate and controversy surrounding use of Islamic sharia law in family arbitration. "I've come to the conclusion that the debate has gone on long enough," the premier told the news agency. "There will be no sharia law in Ontario. There will be no religious arbitration in Ontario. There will be one law for all Ontarians." The announcement prompted t...
Read more

can of worms

I'm opening a sticky subject here, my need to understand causing me to throw caution to the wind. It's about Alberta. Alberta vs. the rest of the Canada. The Globe And Mail runs something about Alberta's gripes every day, and I try to follow along. If it weren't for wmtc's resident Albertan , and the ensuing arguments in comments, I would've had no warning. It's not something Americans know about. As is, observing for more than a year, I have only the smallest of clues. Here's what I know. Please pardon my ignorance and oversimplification, but I have to start somewhere. The province of Alberta is rich, because it has oil. The province of Alberta is conservative, relative to the rest of Canada. Hmm. Funny how those two go together. Because of its great oil wealth, Alberta revenue helps fund services in the rest of Canada. (These are transfer payments?) Apparently many Albertans resent this. They want to keep Alberta's money in Alberta. They don't...
Read more

low confidence

I'm excited about today's no-confidence vote . Only three months after moving here, we'll get to see a government fall, a campaign, and an election, in a system very different from what we're accustomed to. Even the expression "the government will fall" strikes us as oddly dramatic and revolutionary. My sense of current Canadian politics, for what it's worth, tells me that very little will change from the upcoming election. I'd be surprised if the Liberals didn't win. So it's kind of cool to see this happening without a lot at stake. On a semi-tangential note, have I mentioned I'm completely down with "Corner Gas"? Excellent show; I love the deadpan humour. (Great website, too; check it out .) So was that really Finance Minister Ralph Goodale ragging on Brent Butt's camera last Saturday night?
Read more