TGIF

I think ths was the longest week ever... at least that's how it felt. I worked 55 hours this week while the manager was on vacation. *sigh* He came back to work yesterday, and offered for me to work a 1/2 day today. I took full advantage of that and clocked out at noon, went out to lunch with a few guys from work, as we normally do on Friday's and then I went home.

For those inquiring minds that would like to know, I finally got an answer about my pay raise......*drum roll*......... The owner declined the original offer, claiming he is saying NO to everyone... which is complete BS since I know for a fact that 2 Service Advisors were both given a decent offer in order to stay( 1 quit anyway and the other is getting paid nicely)... But after the Parts/Service Director spoke up on my behalf, The owner changed his mind and my pay rate went up a whopping $15/week ( 37.5 cents/hour)

So, this weekend I will be looking for another job before I quit this one. I'm sure most of you will think that I should be happy I finally got something, after all something IS better than nothing... but you know where I stand... it's the principle of the matter.. 3 years of busting my ass for a mere 37.5 cents more an hour... Screw that!! I'll be damned if I live the rest of my life making less than 25K a years as the cost of living only seems to increase.

My manager knows how I feel about it... seems he also knew and was suppose to talk to me about it before leaving for England... He doesn't think it's fair either, and understands my need to look for another job. He asked if there was anything he could do, to change my mind... like cover a few late Thursday shifts or a couple Saturday shifts... I let him know that it's not that I work too many hours, besides any time I take off, I won't get paid for and I can't afford to do that. I plan on cashing in on those favors when James comes back down from Calgary. It's been almost 4 months since he's been here and some quality time with him will be what I want most, when that time comes.

As far as the BIG move to Canada goes... well things are still on hold at the moment.. I still have not been able to find a sponsor to offer me a job. It's a tricky situation, I wish it was as easy as packing up my suitcase and filling up my Saturn and driving 8 hours to the Border... nope not that simple... other wise I'd be long gone by now...

Without a Work Sponsor or a spouse/ conj. partner/ family up there.... I'm out of luck as far as doing things legally.
At first finding a Work Sponsor was my only option, James and I aren't married, nor were we in a relationship for 1 year, nor do I have family up there... We would qualify as conj.partners as long as we could prove we are in a committed relationship, show proof of joint bank accounts, transfering of funds, receipts of things we bought together, utility bills with both names on it... pictures of us and family/friends that "could" vouche for us, emails/letters send to each other... you get the idea... all of that PLUS we have to prove that we lived together for 12 consectutive months.. which the Border has made IMPOSSIBLE and the fact that neither one of us can NOT go without a source of income for 6 months or more while we wait on paperwork being processed so I can get a Permanent Resident Card.....Doesn't that paint a pretty picture... Well at least it gives more insight as to why I'm still here...

I can see why many people opt for the illegal alien route...it's tough being away from the one you love and want to spend the rest of your life with.... I just can't sell my belongings, book a 1 way flight to Calgary and live with James... get married and find a job and live happily ever after.... Nope If I sell everything and book a 1 way flight to Calgary, I'll be asked why I don't have a return ticket, they won't want to hear that I planning my life with my fiance'... They'll want to know if I'll be working, which I can't legally, How I plan on supporting myself, which I can untill the money runs out... If by some slim chance I do get through Customs, I still can't work.... Even after James and I get married, I could be waiting up to 6 months for a permanent resident card, before I can work.... Believe me, the total dollar value of everything I have to sell and what's in my savings... won't last 6 months... *sigh*

All of the above is what runs around in my head 24/7 non stop... The need to make more money because it's hard to save any when you're living pay check to pay check, and every month I have to tap into my savings just to cover my rent... it's a viscious circle... Sleep(if I'm lucky), eat(sometimes), go to work(40-45 hours/week), come home, spend a few hour playing online/ talking with James, Sleep(if I'm lucky).... that's my life in a nutshell. Day after day, Week after week...

Anyway... this concludes my blog entry for this evening...

I wish you all the happiness you deserve...