Well I’m back from my training in Toronto.

It was a pretty intense two days. I left on sunday, took a 18h15 train to TO, got there at 23h25, had to take a cab for a half hour to our hotel and by the time we finally got there and into our room, it was past midnight. I didn’t sleep very well. I was too anxious about training and I was a little uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with someone I’ve only known for a matter of hours. Christine is pretty nice. I can’t say much more than that cause I do;t really know her, but we talked most if not the entire trip down and we seemed to get along good...

We had to be at the Bay in Queen by ten in the morning, which meant getting up early and taking the subway for a half hour.... The training was fun. It was just Christine, myself, and two other girls from the Yorkdale and Queen Bay, the training was done by Karine our country manager. We did lots of product knowledge and selling tactics and basic things like that and then we all went out to lunch and we worked the counter for the rest of the day. I made my first sales and was really happy about it. I was nervous because Karine was there watching us and looking over us but once I stopped thinking about her looking over me, it felt natural. It’s strange because I still didn’t feel like i’ve left the gap and these past few days of training and working are just coming so naturally to me and it doesn’t feel at all weird to be there....a very strange feeling....
Then we met the Vice President, Tim Warner, who seems very nice and I look forward to meeting him at MY counter....and that was about it for day one.

Day two we worked at both Yorkdale and Queen counters-it went well. I made a few sales and got used to working a counter.. It was really strange to see everything in english- it’s going to be hard to be french again! And then we took at five pm train home and I got the station at nine twenty, and took my commuter train home....I think i’ve had just about enough trains for now thankyouverymuch.



And last friday was my last day at work. Which felt weird. It didn’t really feel like my last day. It went by way too fast and I felt so rushed and like I was forgetting things and it was just and very strange feeling that I think you can only understand when you’ve been though it. I meant to say thank you to everyone during our morning meeting by when I went to say something In could feel myself getting all “veclemped” and chose to stay silent. I figure I’d rather thank in person the people who really matter to me there. All day I felt that way, I guess it’s cause I didn’t really want to be saying good-bye.

I got a really beautiful bouquet of flowers and some nice cards....Some of us went out for dinner that night and had a good time.

And I guess that’s that, my official; first day at my counter is tomorrow- although I haven’t even had my cash training and stuff...but whatever, I’ll take it as it comes right?

Wish me luck

2 SHIFTS LEFT AT GAP

That’s right, only two more shifts left. I really can’t believe it now... It’s gone by so fast and now, it’s a matter of days!!! I’m getting a little anxious.. What if this isn’t the job for me? What if I suck at it?
What if?
What if?
What if?

I’m going shoe shopping tomorrow. I need to solve my shoe dilemma soon! Or else I’ll be working shoe-less...

Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........Two days left........

I have to go study my make-up now......

***recent news***

I just called the Bay to find out what my schedule will be for next week. She said:
Monday tuesdau we're in Toronto, wednesday you have off, thursday nine forty to six ten, friday eight forty to five ten...then i'm like WHAT am I doing onmonday tuesday? and she'liie we're in Toronto.. And I'm like WE or YOU? And she said again WE.

So then two minutes later David calls me and says the he is SOOOO jealous that I'm going to Toronto for my training. What the hell?!!!!

I can't belive that they are sending me way out there for training. How nuts is that? I'm not sure how we are getting there, she has to call me back later this week to let me know....I'd rather fly than drive- Cause if we drive, then I'll be poping Pepto and it'll embarras me....

ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!oh boy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!ohboy!

WINTER AT LAST!!!




I was very happy to wake up the other day and see that whiter glow coming from behind my window shads. When I pulled them up, there was snow everywhere! and now, there's even more of it!

It must have snowed at least a foot overnight. And I may be the only one that’s happy about it. I love the snow and the winter. Those cold days when your cheeks get all red and you need to bundle up in a cozy sweater and how good it feels to come inside and warm up with hot chocolate....Yes, winter has arrived.

I’m also glad the snow is here cause now I can get into Christmas gift mode. I usually need it to look Christmassy to be able to get into the right mind frame of shopping for gifts....

I have the day off today. I was supposed to go shoe shopping with Marnie, but last night I felt a little tickle in my throat and felt it would be better if I stayed home and rested. And rest I did. So far all I’ve done is eat pancakes, shovel, play with Puppy in the snow and do dishes. I still have to do my laundry and clean a little but them I’m going to go through my Christmas recipes to see which cookies I’m going to make this year and hopefully be organized enough so I’m not rushing like I was last year.

I worked all week end. Which is fine, one last new collection to do, but my shift last night was really stupid. I had to work from 1 to nine. And for the amount of stuff i had to do (which was like nothing) I don;t see why it couldn’t wait until monday- but anyways, it’s behind me now. No more new collection.

4 SHIFTS LEFT AT GAP

and now it’s getting strange to say that/ it’s so close that I’m getting a little sad. People are telling me when to expect my letter proving that i worked there, when I’ll be paid out for my unused vacation hours..People are saying good-bye. It’s a really strange feeling and up until now I’ve been so busy that i haven’t though much about it, but ow with only a few shifts left, I’m getting sad. And I’m realizing how much I’m gong to miss the people I work with.

7 SHIFTS AT GAP LEFT


And today I did my last window display- and it sucked.

I knew this couldn’t go well. It started out okay, we din;t have the posters to put up so we had plenty of time to dress the mannequins and stuff, but our posters arrive at like noon and we had the afternoon to do it, well afternoon soon turned into early evening....

I don’t know what went wrong, I was chugging along but seemed to be getting nowhere- zero progress. I was making stupid mistakes that took long to correct and ...I dunno, it went bad and all I wanted was for it to be done. I was supposed to be done at three, I left there at almost five thirty.
Whatever, it’s over now.

And I kept telling myself to relax, breathe and it’ll be over. No matter what , this day had to end, weather it be at three, five or ten, it was inevitable going to end, and that got me through it. Yeah I was moody, and grumpy, and unsympathetic, but I still managed not to loose it, well sorta.

I think it was just one of those days where everyone was having a bad day. I kn9ow that everyone I talked to today mentioned that something didn’t go right or something happened to make their day a little harder. For me it was those dam posters. But it’s done and over with so there’s no reason to dwell on it.

What really freaked me out , was that it IS my last window. And I DO only have seven shifts left, and I have the feeling that they are going to be shifts that will make me really happy to be leaving. We have a new collection this week-end. My only hope is that it doesn’t go as bad as it did the last time. Man that was awful.

SO after work I went out to eat with Spyros and Genevieve. We ate a Nickels, the Celine Dion cafe of greasy overpriced food. Not only did we support “Sealion” but we ate the sickest food in town. I think they make everything with cheese there, either it’s been deep fried, melted with cheese or deep fried cheese-d. Anyways we ate and talked and had some fun, then I went looking at shoes. I need shoes for my new job. I had really nice boots, but I can’t wear them everyday, they hurt after like 8 hours and it’s impossible to wear them two days in a row..... But fancy flat shoes aren’t really my thing so it makes it hard. Anyways I was looking for them and them I w=saw I nice pair of sneakers. ..On sale.... And I think that if they had had them in my size, I would have ended up buying them.

You see, when I have a bad day- I shop. I buy myself something to make myself feel better. And just his week I got a credit card...Recipe or danger? I think not! So far I’ve bought movie ticket and a CD and I already paid them back. I just want to have some credit...Anyways, I was going to buy myself make-up, which is usually the ONLY thing that will make me feel better, but I thought “ why? In a week I’m going to have loads of it and have major discounts on all my favourite things...so there’s no point. Then I though- clothes, but i’m feeling a little bloated today so trying things on was completely out of the question. And then there was the shoes- I convinced myself that I’d rather buy a pair of sneakers when I go to NY, it’ll be more fun that way. So I went home empty handed and proud of myself for not spending.

Man I’m happy the day is over. I just felt all weird at work. I know I’m leaving and it’s really stressing me out. I’m feeling very uncomfortable leaving Anita. I feel like I’m leaving her hanging and with all this extra stress and tons of work. I think I’m still pulling my weight but i feel like I have to do more so it’ll be easier for her. I dunno, I guess I feel like I’m deserting her and leaving her with my dirty laundry and all these loose ends. I guess I’m just freaking out, and I think that anyone in my position would feel the same.

I walked by the make-up counter where i’ll be working and just looked around at the kind of people who shop there are like, the atmosphere....Seems like fun. Seems like it’s going to be INSANE during the holidays, but i’m used to that from the Gap so I imagine that this will be comparable...

Survivor was good, but it’s got nothing on Amazing Race- the show it the BOMB! But my favourite team was eliminated, and now i need a new team to like, I guess it’ll be John-Veto and co. And I was happy that the porn star stayed on survivor- I’m starting to like him, he’s smart but his =wife shouldn’t have videoed the piano and two cars and big house, she should have videoed like the barn or someone’ s trailer home and seventeen kids and six dogs, ten cats, jalopy.............just and idea for next years competitors.


And with that I say goodnight and screw you crappy thursday.

Been having a really nice, do nothing week-end.

I love doing nothing on the week-ends. Just sitting around, playing my PS2, watching TV and staying in my jammies all day long. I love it. Wasn’t that what week ends were created for?

Actually I did go out briefly last night. Sylvie insisted on taking me out for dinner, my choice. I hate making a dinner decision. When I’m not hungry, I find it very hard to decide what I’m going to want to eat. SO thought about it for a long time and decided on this Italian place. But even though I had said I wanted to go there Sylvie kept suggesting other places which made me think she didn’t want to go there so I cause a place I knew SHE liked- Bently’s. This place is LAME! I really hate it. The portions a HUGE. And it’s like a cheesy place where older people go to hang out and pick up......oy

The food was good, but the pressure to drink was there for some reason. I wanted to have a Bailey’s coffee, after dinner, but Sylvie kept asking what I was going to drink NOW before dinner and I said nothing cause I was saving my drink for after diner and bailey/coffee and wine don’t really mix well in my opinion, sorta a recipe for a stomach disaster!

Anyways it was fun and I got home relatively early and just played my Games and watched TV, went to bed early for a saturday night (midnight thirty) and woke up late-

Well, dinner’s going to be ready soon and I still have 2 loads of laundry to do so have a great sunday night and here’s to two more weeks at the Gap for me!

OK get this- Les Ailes De LA Mode (where I was supposed to work for Benefit) wouldn’t negotiate my pay (which sucked royally) so Karine set up an interview for me to work at the Benefit counter at The Bay..well I had the interview thursday at 14h30- It was pretty intense but i thought I did well so I felt good about it. Spent the day with Marc and Spyros and saw Aniter for a little while....but I’ll talk about that later..

So when I called my mum to let her know which train I’d be taking home she said I had a message from the Lady with whom I’d just had the interview (her name is Nancy and she wanted for me to call her back.

When I did she just said that she had forgotten to ask me to fill out a form and she asked if I was still downtown (which I was) and if I could go and see her... So I didn’t and she informed me that

I got a FULL TIME JOB AS COUNTER MANAGER!!

I’m actually going to be overlooking three counters, Benefit, Cargo and Make-up forever....Holly freaking cow man- I was completely freaking out!!!! I wasn’t expecting this at all, I was just hoping for the full time position!!

So I was all crazy happy about it and ran around telling everyone I could, ran straight to see Davis (he has the same job as I now do but at Les Ailes de la Modes) and he had been calling my house all night, i was jumping up and down and couldn’t keep the smile off my face. The I ran to Gap to tell Spyros and he was so happy that he picked me up and swung me around! Then I called Aniter and she was happy, even though I interrupted Tribal Council which is a huge NO-NO....

And them I came home and my mum was really happy for me and had got me flowers and dessert and blah blah- I e-mailed everyone to let them know and la la la they are all happy .

So today I got to hand in my resignation. After a night of NON sleep thinking about it, it went well, almost too well. I mean I’m happy they took it so good, but sometimes you want a little “please don;t go..” But really, they were happy for me (or at least they faked it real good) everyone knows that make-up is my passion, so it was good. The asked if any offer could make me stay and they already know I’d say no. So that was it and then they had their own little private meeting and I told a few other people and another manager. And everyone seemed to be quite surprised that I was leaving. And now it’s really true. I quit the Gap. After 5 years, I quit.

I quit my job today.

Oh my.......

But I’m on my way to doing what I’ve always wanted to d! It’s going to be a really HUGE responsibility but i’m ready to try and give it my 100%....Karen has been so wonderful I’d hate to let her down... And David, I can’t let him down either.


things I wont miss about the Gap.
By: Susannah Mercedes Rupnik

-Peter Hotbread
-Martine
-working at 7 am (waking up at four thirty to do so)
-working until 3am (or worse, overnight)
-ruining my hands/nails
-new collections
-the new guy who wont shut up
-Their “no listen to my opinion” policy
-my fire exit/work space
-the dips in work load
-window displays
-decals
-”signiage”


Thing I’m going to miss the most about Gap

-Anita
-Spyros
-Michel Bonneau’s good moods
-Michel Khouri’s lack of desire to work and desire to talk
-some of the staff were (are) really genuinely sweet and I do like them, but they are the kind of people that you love at work, but don’t socialize with after you punch out, but I’m going to miss em’ just the same.

*Had a crazy dream the other night....I’ll tell you about it next time, now I’m off to bed. Didn’t get much sleep last night and now that my nerves have calmed, I can sleep at last..

I did treat myself to one GREAT THING yesterday . I bought myself “Grand Theft Auto 4, Vice City”...holy amazing batman....I’m going to be playing it ALL week-end!!!

Oh man my friends are good to me.

Aniter, Marnie and myself all went out for dinner last night (monday). It was just a casual thing, just us getting together to have a nice healthy meal. It was great. We hadn’t gotten together the three of us for quite sometime. It was kind of a congratulations type dinner for me I guess.

Anyways at the end of the meal Aniter and Marnie give each other a “okay now?” look and Marnie pulls this great big bag out of her knapsack and gives it to me.....I already knew what it was and I was freaking out. Those two incredibly fantastic girl had gone out and bought me a portfolio to put all my make up photos in...It’s beautiful and I love it, and I love it even more because of who gave it to me. I was so surprised and blown away and I guess the stress of the day too, I burst out into tears. I couldn’t control it, it just leaked out of me. I felt like a bit of a fool but eventually regained my composure... I was just so touched. I wasn’t expecting anything and his was such a generous gift...And The funny thing was that the last time I was talking to Marnie she kept asking me if I had a portfolio and if I was thinking about getting one anytime soon...

Dinner was awesome too, although I’m not really supposed to say what we ate....but lets just say it was a menstrual girl’s dream....!!
And tonight I plan on going to bed early, real early. I have huge dark circles under my eyes and I nee to get rid of them, even my concealer can’t help me now....

I still haven’t given my notice into work. I had a call from the mall to discuss my pay and I really wasn’t happy with what they were offering and the woman said she couldn’t negotiate and blah...blah...blah...but them I spoke with Karine (the woman in charge of the Benefit counter) and she assured me that she would fix everything and that even she thought the pay the offered was quite unfair- so now I feel much better and I’ll feel even better when I can just tell my managers that i’m going. Not being able to tell them has been the hardest thing. We are making the schedule for next week and they are talking about december and all this stuff that is going on and all I can think about is how I may not be there for that . I just want to warn them to get more help, but I can’t really do that without saying that I’m going. Hopefully the pay issue will be resolves tomorrow and I can give in my resignation by the end of this week- otherwise I just may have a heart attack!!!


I just can't wait to start my new job- and start to fill up my portfolio.

Boy I think this has been the longest I’ve ever gone without bloggin’! I’ll try not to let it happen again. However, after you read this, I’m sure you’ll understand why I haven’t had time to write....

I guess I’ll start off with the most ionter4esting and exciting news:

I got a job working at BENEFIT!

I had an interview last wednesday and got the job the same day. I just had to wait for the call from the department store that it’s in to discuss pay (I missed the call last night and will most likely have to wait until monday). But I got it. And I, for one, am very happy about it. The interview was a breeze! The ladies with whom I had it with are really sweet and funny and we got along right away.

And I was all smiles after, until I realized that I was going to be quitting the Gap. And that made me a little sad. Don;t get me wrong. I’m so happy to get this job, but it means not working with Aniter anymore. Telling her got me all nervous....She had school that night so I couldn’t even tell her right away and I wanted her to be the first to know. But she called that night and I told her...she was a little funny on the phone which is quite understandable and I can’t say I wouldn’t be the same if it were her that were leaving....and it was then that it really hit me that I was leaving the Gap. Actually it’s not the Gap I’m going to miss- actually I AM going to be missing the discount!!!ouch clothing at full price!!!!! But it’s the people and my friends that I‘m going to miss the most...and that made me a little sad. But I’m working in the mall literally connected to the one the Gap is in, really a minute away...

The job is only part time and I’ve been getting a lot of grief because of this. Everyone is saying “oh no only part time what are you going to do for money?” “part time, is it worth it?”

This made me really upset and even made me doubt my decision. I realize that it’s only part time and I wont be making the same amount of money but wouldn’t you sacrifice that for a job your passionate about? I mean how long have I been wanting this? Two years now? Anyway, I’m happy for me, and I’ll get over the money bit..it’s going to take some re-adjusting that’s all. And when you think about it, the thing I spent the most on was make-up and now I’ll get it cheap!

And that’s my big news. This week-end I’m writing my letter of resignation with Aimee’s help and getting myself organized. I can’t believe that this is the last two or three weeks I’ll be working at Gap with Aniter. I’m all nervous to tell my managers. The only one I’ve told is Spyros. And I know he wont say anything. He was sad too but really proud and happy for me.

A soon as I talk to the woman from the store (the call missed) then I’m going to tell my managers...hopefully monday cause I can’t stand another sleepless night thinking about it. I hate walking around work knowing that I’m leaving and not being able to say anything yet...oh man, i hope I haven’t just jinxed myself by saying all this....I don’t know what I’d do!!

So that’s my news...it makes me happy and I’m just going to trust myself and not let anyone make me have doubts.