Less than a week left at A-1 Pallet now. I’m tying up loose ends as best I can, trying to make things tidy and functional for Juwll and Sarah in the office so that it’s not too hard for them when I go. I don’t think it will be too difficult; if there’s one thing I’ve learned here, it’s that everyone is replaceable. I shouldn’t ever flatter myself that I am the ‘only one’ that can get any particular job done. Besides, if we all thought like, that, we’d all be stuck in jobs we hate, out of twisted loyalty and bitter pride.

(If any of you reading this just thought, “hey, that’s me,” I give you permission to find something you like better and quit your current job. The only thing you ‘owe’ to the world is your happiest, most functional self. Don’t just do what you can do. Do what you love.)

A few people are asking me what I plan to do once I’ve completed the CELTA program, where I plan to go. The truth is, I’m not sure. Right now, it’s just good to be taking the plunge and be going back to school. I’ve been plowing through the pretask, and now have a feeble grasp on verb tenses… did you know that there was such a thing as a perfect progressive past tense? I didn’t either, until last night.

I’m going to live with my friend Pat in Vancouver. I talked to him on the phone last night, and realized that I haven’t heard his voice in two years, and I’ve probably only met him three times… so it’s really openhearted of him to allow a relative stranger to move in to his apartment for a month. He’s warned me about the potential for mice (no big deal) and mess (also no big deal), I’m just wondering if there’s anything I should warn him about… maybe that green peppers make me gassy? Nathan is alright with the arrangement, and Pat has made it clear that Nathan is welcome to stay whenever as well. It’s altogether an astoundingly copasetic arrangement. Thank you, Universe! Buddha! God, or whoever/whatever! Thank you, Pat! Thank you, Global Village Vancouver! Life is good.

The power was out for a few hours at work, and it’s just now come back on. I think there was an accident down the highway involving a power pole… I could continue working, but everyone else in the office has cleared out, and I don’t believe in getting paid for slacking. I’ll hit the trail myself pretty soon. I’ll go vote. It’s election day… hooray! And just remember… if you DON’T vote, you’re not allowed to complain about the government. Sorry, but not voting is not cool.