Jaunts around the city

Everyday I finish work at 12:30 and walk to the church office where I volunteer in the afternoon's and pass the same places along my way. I walk past a garage, a gas station and a bakery, a clothing store, a car parts etc store, a Vietnamese noodle soup restaurant and a Japanese rice ball one.  Then I turn the corner and walk another 4 city blocks on a busy street that makes up a large part of the inner core of the city- James street. Upon my way I pass a multitude of small artist galleries, artisan shops and jewellers, a convenience store or two, a european clothing store that has been in the same place for more than 50 years, an outdoor market, another bakery, two cafe's and a number of European men's "bar's" and sportsclubs. The street is always busy with cars and people causing all manner of traffic jam but you just never know who you'll meet or what you'll see. From car accidents to old Italian men, the possibilities for excitement are endless...

As I made my way past all of the new art crawl inspiring and participating galleries etc, I began to notice the sidewalk changing colour. Then I realised that the sidewalks and roadways had been coloured on.

Side note: During the months of April to probably November, the artisans of James street participate in an "ART CRAWL" wherein the street becomes flooded with all manner of artsy types selling and sporting and promoting their wares, and trades. Because of its popularity, the city has also approved a few days a year where part of the street will be closed to vehicles and open only to pedestrians; I.e the Super Crawl and Open streets Hamilton. James street which was beginning to look like an abandoned town after a lot of the former  european shop owners closed up, but luckily the art scene in our fair city has been able to rejuvenate and inspire this city space once again. Around here now the saying (which u can easily find amid buttons and t-shirts) is "keep calm and crawl on".

Well, i marvelled in the colours and images for a spell and then luckily, I was able to take a few pictures of what I was seeing amid the usual hustle and bustle of the street. I would like to share them with you as I think they are simply wonderful. I also took a picture of the free admission downtown shuttle made from an old style HER bus which goes to the big park on the lake and back all summer..

Enjoy and comment :)
♥

You've applied to how many jobs??!!??

As some of you may remember from previous posting, I have been out of school and unemployed for an entire year (as of this past April). Thanks to the firm but gentle nudging from a bff of mine, I have since then applied to just over 39 different job positions. Ive faxed and emailed resumes like crazy but up until the end of May had gotten nary a response- save for an automatic "I'm away from my desk email for two weeks" from one company's hiring person. Well, on May 24th I was sitting in the church office- you know, where I've been volunteering 5 days a week since November- and checking my email as there wasn't much going on in that moment. Wouldn't you know, my bff sent me yet another round of job links..
A few of them had no company name nor address to be found so I chucked them, but one of them stuck out largely from the others. The add held a few short lines involving answering a telephone and no experience necessary along with "please bring your resume in to John".. my bff added in a little side email comment asking if this wasn't a person/company that puts an ad in one our church bulletins every now and then.. immediately I looked the company up online, located a phone number and called to get their business hours for the day. I was told what I needed and that if I brought in a resume, the employee to whom I was speaking would "get it up to john". Immediately I edited and printed a new coverletter and my resume and hitched a ride with the parish house cook down to the Job location- it's only a few blocks but I didn't want to walk in the rain *lol*. So there I was, 3:30pm, Friday May 24th walking into a place that I have passed by both ways every day for the past 12 years- A quaint but extremely active trophy shop that has been in business since 1926.  I was greeted by a tall young man with a brilliant smile as I stepped through the door and presented my intention to submit a resume. I was asked to wait as the young man went to the back to get the owner- John. A tall portly Italian man bearing a rather large moustache and kind bright blue eyes came to the front desk and shook my hand. We chatted for a bit and he told me that the ad for the position had been put in the paper only the day before and he had already been handed an overwhelming 30 resumes. He read over my cover letter as we spoke and was impressed. He told me that i would be in charge of the phone, greeting customers and taking payment, along with invoicing and some light attachment work on trophies, plaques andd medals etc.  He also said to expect his call the following Tuesday and gave me a business card. I walked out the door, greeted once again by the large bell that hangs on the door handle and the hustle add bustle of Canon street traffic.
At 12pm the following Tuesday I received a call from my possible future employer and we agreed to meet at 8:30 the following morning for a chat. I went in Wednesday a little nervous but absolutely enthusiastic and met the gentle blue-eyed man with all of the pleasant energy I could muster. He told me that by Saturday he had interviewed already a few "contenders" and patted the large pile of resumes next to him, but he held mine in his hand. He proceeded to explain more about the work they do and about how June would be very busy and that I would learn a lot very quickly. He reminded me that on Monday he had had over 25 more resumes come in but he had already told those eager job-searchers that "the positions already been filled". Then he looked at me intensely, large bright cerulean eyes shining and said "we'd love for you to come work with us". I nearly fell off my stool! I was so happy, I told him I would love to work for them and that I was honoured by having been chosen from among so many. We shook hands and he passed me off to the book-keeper lady so I could get the necessary papers filled out. So, at 9:30 sharp, on Wednesday May 29th I began my new job! I worked the two days after and loved it from the first moment. My boss is amazing and patient and funny and we get along great! His son works there too and is a skinnier 30 years younger version  of his father and equally as nice, the girl who works the engraving machinists awesome and my shifts so far have taught me so much. As of yesterday June 7th, I've completed a full week at the trophy store and have learned to oxidize brass, put together small trophies, assemble plaques, de-bag medallions and ribbonize them (attach them to neck ribbons). I've also learned how to process payment, how to receive daily invoices and how to file. I answer the phone and I take customers orders and I love every single minute of it :)
Pay day is next Wednesday which will be awesome because I should  get 38 hours of pay and I'm making twelve bucks an hour.. deductions will suck but I'm all for supporting our roads and healthcare etc. I work 4 hours a day monday to friday (we are closed on weekends) from 8:30am until 12:30pm and I'm in charge of opening the store.
I've thanked John, my bff and God every day for getting me this job and I'm looking forward to a fruitful summer.
So it's not a highpaying anything that will get me closer to my career but it's definitely a worth while experience and I am hoping to stay employed with them as long as possible. My boss assured me that if I find something full time, I will get a reference from him and his blessings to leave the trophy store. All he can offer me is part time and he knows it's not my career to be assembling trophies lol.. what a great person to be working for :D
So wish me luck as we enter into week two and pray with me that the taxman and OSAP don't kick me in the butt at the same time.
Xoxox