In having a brief look over the posts I’ve written to date, I’ve decided that short posts are definitely better, given my tendency to rambling, and not necessarily getting everything out of my head onto the paper, er, screen (which means occasional gaps in my logic). Some of you have previously known me as the Queen of Long Emails and Voicemails, but I’ve gotten better, really I have.
Aesthetically, I will be looking into changing the background, when I have the time to re-do the html codes on a new background template, since some people think the dots have the potential to hypnotize readers into a deep sleep…Viv.
Finally, my Conspiracy Theory blog caught my eye and made me think of my grandfather…I thought I’d share with y'all some of the famous Poppink philosophy he has passed on to his descendants. This retort is often quoted by his children and grandchildren, as are lines from my late grandmother such as “Well, laaaa dee dah!” Anyway, were my grandfather to read the Conspiracy Theory blog right now, his response would be, “My name is Magellan, I’ve sailed around the world seven times, and yours is the saddest story I have ever heard by far.”
It’s all about perspective.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
"The Allison"
I was going through some photos this weekend, looking at many from Wissahickon in fact. I was reminded of driving from Lake St. Catherine to Bennington this summer to join our family friend Reg for a show at the Oldcastle Theatre Company. I lived with Reg in Vermont the summer between my junior and senior years in high school because he had arranged for me to intern at the Oldcastle Theatre Company...in fact, I was their first intern ever. I remember doing everything from selling tickets in the box office, to helping the actors with quick dress changes behind the scenes, to having a small walk-on role, to painting sets, and always helping to tear down the sets each last night of a show. I remember having a humongous crush on Chip (yes, I can hear you all snickering), which nothing ever really came of although it turned out he liked me too...I remember having my first whole bottle of beer, Molson Ice, and what a novel experience it was when the room moved really fast each time I moved my head back and forth. And I remember my last night, which was a night where I was helping to tear down the set from- well, I can't remember which show it was. Everything went pretty much as normal until I hit the floor when something really heavy hit my head. As it turned out, a 4-step stepladder had fallen off the scaffolding (so from about 20 feet up), no one really had time to shout out a warning, and I was unluckily in its path to the floor. I don't remember much about the rest of that night, or the following day, except that my friend Katie McGonigle who'd come up to visit me drove us both home to NJ since no one wants to ride with a concussed driver (never confirmed by the way, as I never went to a doctor...huh.)
So as I was saying, this summer (11 years later), I went back to see a show with Reg, who works in the Covered Bridge Museum attached to the theatre. And I learned that I am infamous at the Oldcastle Theatre Company...as Reg introduced me to the stage manager and other staff, he spoke about how I had been the first intern ever in their now well-established intern program. A light went on in each person's eyes...oh, you're Allison. Turns out that stepladder is still in use and referred to as "The Allison."
So as I was saying, this summer (11 years later), I went back to see a show with Reg, who works in the Covered Bridge Museum attached to the theatre. And I learned that I am infamous at the Oldcastle Theatre Company...as Reg introduced me to the stage manager and other staff, he spoke about how I had been the first intern ever in their now well-established intern program. A light went on in each person's eyes...oh, you're Allison. Turns out that stepladder is still in use and referred to as "The Allison."
A discourse on friendship
Something that has bugged me over the years, and what follows are my own personal feelings on what friendship is...in the end, what this has lead to basically is that I make a distinction between friends and acquaintances. To me there is a very real difference.
I am a fierce and loyal friend who strongly believes that friendship is a two-way street. Just like more romantic relationships really in this way: if the effort is only coming from one person, the other is not participating in the friendship. So, if only one person is calling, texting, or emailing, it's not really a friendship. And sooner or later, usually sooner, the one person making the effort is going to stop. I have better things to do, other friends who actually demonstrate that they care, reciprocate the feeling that we are important pieces of each others' lives, and I'd rather tend to those relationships...and so this one will fall back to the acquaintance category. Lest my idealism completely carry me away here, the reality is we all end up playing phone tag (Kristy! I think we broke the record!), we all sometimes take a week (or more) to return a phone call, but the important thing is we DO return the call...or email, or text. We do make plans together, we do visit each other, and most importantly, we drop everything and go running when a friend is in crisis.
So I guess that's my definition of a friend...anything else is more of an acquaintance. Someone in the outer rings of my social sphere, perhaps because I don't know them that well, perhaps because they're good for a night out but not for when you desperately need help to move, or perhaps because I would have liked to be friends but it wasn't a two-way street...so when we meet up, we meet up, it just sort of happens. They're not too up on the details of my life and vice versa, it's more of a happy go lucky social thing, and I'll see you again when I see you.
I have lost track of good friends from childhood, high school and college. In some cases, we grew apart, in others we moved apart and did not keep in touch well enough, and in one rare case, I reached out to a particular friend in a time of need and they could not find the time to respond. Some of these lost friends I'd love to find again (Dan being one recently re-found, see my blog about him below) and some I guess I'm not all that bothered about losing. There's a frame hanging on my wall, with a saying that reads: "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people stay for awhile, and give us a deeper understanding of what is truly important in life. They touch our souls. We gain strength from the footprints they have left on our hearts and we will never be the same." And I see that applying to both people who have humbled me, and those who have hurt me, I've gained a deeper understanding from both. The letting go of a friend can be easy, something perhaps you don't notice happening until it's too late (and their email/phone/address etc has changed), or it can be hard, most of the time not intentional...but regardless in the end, everything happens for a reason.
I have been blessed with amazing, caring friends, through good times and bad, and to Jenn, Viv, Kristy, Carla & Brian, Caitie, Nicole, Tress (we're working on it), Jennie, and Maja... "you just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come runnin', to see you again. Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you've got to do is call. And I'll be there, yes, I will, you've got a friend." Thank you all for your friendship, I treasure it every day, and wonder at my good fortune.
Viv and me in Atlantis, Dec 2005
Kristy and Me, Rhodos, Greece, 2004
PS- Not to be disrespectful to my family, extended and immediate, and my two additional sets of parents...you know you mean the world to me, and I don't know what I'd do without you. all my love.
I am a fierce and loyal friend who strongly believes that friendship is a two-way street. Just like more romantic relationships really in this way: if the effort is only coming from one person, the other is not participating in the friendship. So, if only one person is calling, texting, or emailing, it's not really a friendship. And sooner or later, usually sooner, the one person making the effort is going to stop. I have better things to do, other friends who actually demonstrate that they care, reciprocate the feeling that we are important pieces of each others' lives, and I'd rather tend to those relationships...and so this one will fall back to the acquaintance category. Lest my idealism completely carry me away here, the reality is we all end up playing phone tag (Kristy! I think we broke the record!), we all sometimes take a week (or more) to return a phone call, but the important thing is we DO return the call...or email, or text. We do make plans together, we do visit each other, and most importantly, we drop everything and go running when a friend is in crisis.
So I guess that's my definition of a friend...anything else is more of an acquaintance. Someone in the outer rings of my social sphere, perhaps because I don't know them that well, perhaps because they're good for a night out but not for when you desperately need help to move, or perhaps because I would have liked to be friends but it wasn't a two-way street...so when we meet up, we meet up, it just sort of happens. They're not too up on the details of my life and vice versa, it's more of a happy go lucky social thing, and I'll see you again when I see you.
I have lost track of good friends from childhood, high school and college. In some cases, we grew apart, in others we moved apart and did not keep in touch well enough, and in one rare case, I reached out to a particular friend in a time of need and they could not find the time to respond. Some of these lost friends I'd love to find again (Dan being one recently re-found, see my blog about him below) and some I guess I'm not all that bothered about losing. There's a frame hanging on my wall, with a saying that reads: "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people stay for awhile, and give us a deeper understanding of what is truly important in life. They touch our souls. We gain strength from the footprints they have left on our hearts and we will never be the same." And I see that applying to both people who have humbled me, and those who have hurt me, I've gained a deeper understanding from both. The letting go of a friend can be easy, something perhaps you don't notice happening until it's too late (and their email/phone/address etc has changed), or it can be hard, most of the time not intentional...but regardless in the end, everything happens for a reason.
I have been blessed with amazing, caring friends, through good times and bad, and to Jenn, Viv, Kristy, Carla & Brian, Caitie, Nicole, Tress (we're working on it), Jennie, and Maja... "you just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come runnin', to see you again. Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you've got to do is call. And I'll be there, yes, I will, you've got a friend." Thank you all for your friendship, I treasure it every day, and wonder at my good fortune.
Viv and me in Atlantis, Dec 2005
Kristy and Me, Rhodos, Greece, 2004
PS- Not to be disrespectful to my family, extended and immediate, and my two additional sets of parents...you know you mean the world to me, and I don't know what I'd do without you. all my love.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Happy Chinese New Year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I love it, another reason to celebrate..."and the beat goes on..." With Presidents' Weekend coming up, the holidays just keep comin....oh wait, we don't get holidays at Roosevelt. Ah, but this Friday is my last day!! I will miss my co-workers terribly, they make me laugh until my stomach hurts every day, but I will not miss Aegis for its horrible employee policies, including no paid holidays.
I have started another blog for OT thoughts and reflections, somewhat sarcastically entitled "She Got Skills!" and it is linked to this one. For all my OT friends, classmates, colleagues if you are so inclined, I would love your input. Don't yet know how often I'll be updating that one, but I'll try to make a few entries this last week I will be practicing in the States, at least for awhile. And then look for that blog to continue as I begin to practice in the UK the week of Feb 20th.
Also, I love all these little gadget add-ons that blogger offers and wanted to give the polls one a spin, so let's see if anyone bothers to vote...I'm feeling like the dots on the background of this blog are a little busy, and have been toying with the idea of changing to a more minimalist background. Specifically, there's a template with just a navy-ish color background, and the sidebar is on the right, which I think is a bit more intuitive. So what do y'all think, do you like the dots, or should I switch to something more simple? There should be a poll with radio buttons for you to click showing up just below...
Addendum: Ok, I obviously need to do some more fooling around with the polls html, so for now, if you have a strong opinion (ie, the dots are giving you a headache) leave me a comment. Otherwise I'll just have to make a decision all by my lonesome...
I have started another blog for OT thoughts and reflections, somewhat sarcastically entitled "She Got Skills!" and it is linked to this one. For all my OT friends, classmates, colleagues if you are so inclined, I would love your input. Don't yet know how often I'll be updating that one, but I'll try to make a few entries this last week I will be practicing in the States, at least for awhile. And then look for that blog to continue as I begin to practice in the UK the week of Feb 20th.
Also, I love all these little gadget add-ons that blogger offers and wanted to give the polls one a spin, so let's see if anyone bothers to vote...I'm feeling like the dots on the background of this blog are a little busy, and have been toying with the idea of changing to a more minimalist background. Specifically, there's a template with just a navy-ish color background, and the sidebar is on the right, which I think is a bit more intuitive. So what do y'all think, do you like the dots, or should I switch to something more simple? There should be a poll with radio buttons for you to click showing up just below...
Addendum: Ok, I obviously need to do some more fooling around with the polls html, so for now, if you have a strong opinion (ie, the dots are giving you a headache) leave me a comment. Otherwise I'll just have to make a decision all by my lonesome...
Ommm...ouch!
First of all, once you’ve been practicing yoga in a proper studio, don’t ever go to yoga classes at your gym. It’s like Jean’s carrot cake…no other carrot cake ever measures up, so why bother. Second of all, don’t let yourself get off track for more than a week or two. Especially a few months or more. Your body won’t thank you for it!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Ode to Ben
I will now shamelessly sing the praises of a faceless man at the HPC, whose British accent makes my knees weak, and helpful service on the phone Wednesday morning has resulted in my credit card being charged $400. Yes, that's a good thing. When I called, I had my Fedex slip in hand, and knew that my application had been delivered on Monday afternoon. I called the front desk to speak with the manager and got his voicemail. I called his department directly and was told he was at lunch but would be back in an hour. I called back two hours later, and got Ben...who told me the manager would be out all afternoon, and he didn't know whether he'd be in tomorrow. But lovely man that he is, asked if he could be of any service. So I name-dropped (saying the manager was taking personal care of my application), and Ben went to go make sure my application was on the manager's desk. He came back and said "No, I'm sorry it's not there...oh wait, there are several things under his desk." And indeed, it turned out my application was under the manager's desk. Need I say more about the efficiency and organization of the HPC? So Ben, wonderful wonderful Ben, told me he would have one of his colleagues re-check my application that afternoon to make sure everything was in order, and then it would be sent on to the assessors. He went on to say it would take 3-4 weeks to have my license in hand. And for once, someone at the HPC was as good as his word, because the assessment fee hit my credit card yesterday. And that is why I am actually saying thank you to Ben with regard to a $400 bill. Oh happy day!
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Food for thought
Pardon me as I wax philosophical about my blog's title. The quote by Andre Gide, has been a favorite of mine for some time. I've definitely had some hard times in my life, as have we all, and they have been somewhat tempered of late by my acquired knowledge that these are the times that shape me. We don't grow when everything is hunky dory, we grow when we are tested, and we are different people at the end of each test. We learn what we are made of when things are tough. So when people tell me I am crazy for picking up and moving across the pond, I think about when I moved with my family to Italy...we lived there while I was 14 and 15...and I think about how my parents and sister picked up and moved to England while I was in college in the US. Making such a move is hard, and I'm not just talking about culture shock. Your world view shifts, you have to cultivate an open mind, you have to figure out how to rebuild your social/support networks...you have to figure out how to cope while you build a new life for yourself. And those are times I have been really alive! Those are times I have really grown as a person, and have shaped me into who I am today. So basically, to me that quote means that if you don't let go of what you know, of what is familiar and comfortable, you're gonna miss what's just around the corner, and you'll miss getting to know the best parts of you. Maybe you won't mind, because you won't know what you're missing out on, and for you familiar and comfortable is all you want. And I'm not knocking that, to each their own...but for me, I don't want to miss out on anything, I want to always be reaching for the stars. I guess it's a big part of who I am, and so Andre Gide's words really resonate with me "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." My parents wrote in my birthday card a week ago they admired my courage...I think a lot of my courage comes from knowing this move will challenge me, and it will be hard, but I know I will find new oceans, and in the end the initial discomforts of homesickness and second thoughts and anxiety/stress will have been more than worth what I reap in the end from having lost sight of the shore.
Wanderlust
The following is a wish list in progress. Anyone interested in joining me on any of these trips, give a shout out, although serious shout outs only...don't be getting my hopes up if you're all talk, ya hear? I'm talking intention, I'm talking doing the work of planning, I'm talking putting the money aside...
Capetown (Kristy’s got a bid in for this one)
Thailand
Taiwan
Japan
Macchu Picchu (this should actually be at the top of my list)
Bosnia
Portugal
Greece
Ski trips in
Costa Rica
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
"Well, I love a rainy night"
So I'm trying to decide between LiveJournal and Blogger, because I'd like an easy site for friends and family to keep up with me whilst I venture forth on my grand British adventure, but for now I'll keep a copy of all entries here.
I don't think I've written about this anywhere else, so a brief yet scintillating blurb on my party of last Friday while it thunders and storms outside (in the middle of January, go figure).
My birthday/bon voyage bash drew a decent crowd. I cooked every night the whole week I think, and got some rave reviews on the food. People mixed and mingled, and it was a blast, in large part thanks to Meliza and Alvin, who brought along their karaoke machine. Put that together with alcohol, and you get people dancing like idiots and throwing underwear at Steve singing Brown-Eyed Girl...need I say more? I think I slept the rest of the weekend ;)
This week, I have joined a gym- for a month- because I only have a month until my flight on February 19th. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! What a long, long trip it's been. And no, I'm not missing the word strange in there, if anything, it should be "stupid" on the HPCs part. I am still, yes still, waiting for my OT license to practice in the UK, but my application is now back in London and on the manager's desk, so our best guess is it will be ready 3 weeks from now. So I am working for two more, and taking my last two weeks before the flight to organize and pack. Ok, I've done enough b**ching about the HPC...I get to call the manager tomorrow to find out what he's done with my app this time around, and there's only a slim chance of more nasty surprises still hiding in the closet. Wish me luck!
Love to all, Allison.
A couple of pics from the party
Drinking their way to courage for karaoke singing!
I don't think I've written about this anywhere else, so a brief yet scintillating blurb on my party of last Friday while it thunders and storms outside (in the middle of January, go figure).
My birthday/bon voyage bash drew a decent crowd. I cooked every night the whole week I think, and got some rave reviews on the food. People mixed and mingled, and it was a blast, in large part thanks to Meliza and Alvin, who brought along their karaoke machine. Put that together with alcohol, and you get people dancing like idiots and throwing underwear at Steve singing Brown-Eyed Girl...need I say more? I think I slept the rest of the weekend ;)
This week, I have joined a gym- for a month- because I only have a month until my flight on February 19th. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah! What a long, long trip it's been. And no, I'm not missing the word strange in there, if anything, it should be "stupid" on the HPCs part. I am still, yes still, waiting for my OT license to practice in the UK, but my application is now back in London and on the manager's desk, so our best guess is it will be ready 3 weeks from now. So I am working for two more, and taking my last two weeks before the flight to organize and pack. Ok, I've done enough b**ching about the HPC...I get to call the manager tomorrow to find out what he's done with my app this time around, and there's only a slim chance of more nasty surprises still hiding in the closet. Wish me luck!
Love to all, Allison.
A couple of pics from the party
Drinking their way to courage for karaoke singing!
In which I rediscover an old friend...
Peter (Dan)
So I checked out my Friendster homepage last night, most likely because I received an email saying one of my friends had added some pictures or something, I don't remember now. And there, staring at me from the column titled somthing like People Who Have Viewed Your Profile, is a picture of a guy who looks really familiar. Like Dan familiar. High school familiar. And I'm staring, thinking, no way, that's just way too wierd. I look at how we're connected, and it's through 4 or 5 intermediary friends (a la six degrees to Kevin Bacon), but I hit the back button to see his photo again and I start smiling. There is no one else it could be, I'd know that face anywhere, such as in Taiwan, which evidently is where he currently is...yup, that's my Peter. (We starred opposite each other in The Diary of Anne Frank in high school, and used to use our character names in emails).
So I figured out how to write him a message through Friendster, and this morning, I had an answer!! It's such an amazing and wonderful thing to re-find your friends....I suppose it's better never to lose them in the first place, but oh so joyous when re-found. I think I will have to plan a trip to Taiwan for end of this year or beginning of next...guess I'd better find out how long he'll be there;)
Check out his and his girlfriend Connie's blog from my links in the sidebar.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
A flight, uniforms, and skill
Nothing as interesting as my last posting re: getting my visa and ranting about the HPC. But I do now have a flight booked for February 19th. Nonrefundable, which I guess is about as concrete as I can get at this point, given that I still don't have my license to practice in the UK. However, I do know that my application hit the desk of the manager today, if not yesterday, and my agent tells me it should only be 3 weeks now before the license comes through. I'm crossing all my fingers and toes, since I've given notice at work, and told Whipps Cross I can start any time from Feb 21 on.
Since I am now given to forward thinking, I want to comment on how much I will miss my scrubs. My friend Midge recently did a rather nice blog on the pluses (and believe me from where I'm standing it's all pluses, we're not dressing to impress here) of scrubs. I love all the different colors I own, some have pockets on the sleeves where I can easily find my pen, highlighter, etc...they dry very quickly (thank goodness I was wearing them that day in NYC getting my visa because it was raining cats and dogs) which makes showering with patients no big deal. Wait, that came out wrong. Supervising patients as they shower...ok, there's no way that I can put this that non-OTs won't snicker at, so let's just say scrubs are great for those of us who do shower ADLs. They're lightweight, they travel well, they double as PJs, and they only get better as they age with washings. Ok, enough of that, back to...I will miss my scrubs. And that's because I have to wear a uniform in the UK. I never went to Catholic schools and I must say I'm not looking forward to it, but all OTs in the UK have the same uniform. My agent tells me they include a pair of trousers a loverly shade of green (now I understand my Oxford classmates' comments about "OT green") as well as a white tunic top with a green stripe down the side. Evidently at some NHS hospitals they've switched to white polo shirts with green stripes...how trendy of them. (Does sarcasm read through blogs?) I hope I get at least 5 pairs of these uniform things, because I'm not used to having to wash midweek. Aggg, which reminds me, I'll be back to the land of laundromats.
Why am I not just staying in the US at a very generous salary and buying my first condo/house?! I don't want to traipse outside to do my laundry!!
Actually one of my "other" dads did ask something very similar, and we discovered together that I do have a career furthering goal in mind. In the UK, they don't hire basic grade (essentially new grads, which I still am, even with 8 months experience behind me now) unless there is someone to supervise and mentor them. OTs coming to the US from the UK are highly sought because they are generally highly skilled due to this dedication to their on-the-job training. Don't tell any of my patients, but given how newly started I am on my OT career, I often wonder whether they are not getting the best care they could possibly get, especially with specialties such as stroke patients (which I'm learning as best I can from books, my notes from classes, trying to consult other OTs). I hope some day I will be able to call myself a "highly skilled OT." And I think spending a year or two in the UK is a good step in that direction.
However, at the moment, it is time to return to work, my lunch half hour having come to an end. Check out Midge's more eloquent discussion of scrubs on her blog from my links at left. TTFN.
Since I am now given to forward thinking, I want to comment on how much I will miss my scrubs. My friend Midge recently did a rather nice blog on the pluses (and believe me from where I'm standing it's all pluses, we're not dressing to impress here) of scrubs. I love all the different colors I own, some have pockets on the sleeves where I can easily find my pen, highlighter, etc...they dry very quickly (thank goodness I was wearing them that day in NYC getting my visa because it was raining cats and dogs) which makes showering with patients no big deal. Wait, that came out wrong. Supervising patients as they shower...ok, there's no way that I can put this that non-OTs won't snicker at, so let's just say scrubs are great for those of us who do shower ADLs. They're lightweight, they travel well, they double as PJs, and they only get better as they age with washings. Ok, enough of that, back to...I will miss my scrubs. And that's because I have to wear a uniform in the UK. I never went to Catholic schools and I must say I'm not looking forward to it, but all OTs in the UK have the same uniform. My agent tells me they include a pair of trousers a loverly shade of green (now I understand my Oxford classmates' comments about "OT green") as well as a white tunic top with a green stripe down the side. Evidently at some NHS hospitals they've switched to white polo shirts with green stripes...how trendy of them. (Does sarcasm read through blogs?) I hope I get at least 5 pairs of these uniform things, because I'm not used to having to wash midweek. Aggg, which reminds me, I'll be back to the land of laundromats.
Why am I not just staying in the US at a very generous salary and buying my first condo/house?! I don't want to traipse outside to do my laundry!!
Actually one of my "other" dads did ask something very similar, and we discovered together that I do have a career furthering goal in mind. In the UK, they don't hire basic grade (essentially new grads, which I still am, even with 8 months experience behind me now) unless there is someone to supervise and mentor them. OTs coming to the US from the UK are highly sought because they are generally highly skilled due to this dedication to their on-the-job training. Don't tell any of my patients, but given how newly started I am on my OT career, I often wonder whether they are not getting the best care they could possibly get, especially with specialties such as stroke patients (which I'm learning as best I can from books, my notes from classes, trying to consult other OTs). I hope some day I will be able to call myself a "highly skilled OT." And I think spending a year or two in the UK is a good step in that direction.
However, at the moment, it is time to return to work, my lunch half hour having come to an end. Check out Midge's more eloquent discussion of scrubs on her blog from my links at left. TTFN.
Conspiracy Theory
From Jan 18, 2006 (copied from my friendster blog)
So I'm beginning to think I'm not meant to go to England. Let's see, there's a whole laundry list of things that have gone wrong...I'll start with my UK license to practice. Their web site stated 8 weeks after submission of an application to receive your license. So I sent mine in August of this past year, after having jumped through all the hoops of getting references including a health reference (we'll come back to this), detailing all of my schooling, course by course, getting my diploma notarized, etc, etc. Nicole, if you ever read this, I know you feel my pain. And I get a letter back from the HPC (licensing body for professional healthcare workers in the UK) stating that they received my application, and it will take 12-15 weeks to process. Say what? OK, the time frame has been bumped from 2 months to 3-4 months. Fine, I'm not happy about it, but I'm making good money, and the hospital I'm working at is desperate to keep me (NJ is in dire need of OTs). So I work, I have lots of fun with friends, new and old, and I call the HPC to check on the progress of my application at the 8 week mark. At which point, I'm told it will be 15-17 weeks. Arrrggghhh. Ok, so I'll be "home for the holidays" which is a wonderful silver lining. Not much I can do, other than go back to my life and forget about it for awhile.
November rolls around, and I have an interview! It's a phone interview, obviously, it goes very well, and a few hours later, my agent tells me I've got the job! Drinks are on me! I'll be working at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, London...yes, London, in the northeast corner, on the Central tube line. There's a web site that comes up if you google the hospital's name. But hold the phone, I call the HPC again at the 12 week mark, and am told it will take 18-20 weeks to process my application. Mind you, this means by the time 18-20 weeks have gone by, my application will be checked for anything missing, or any errors, and then if it's all good it will be sent to the assessors. 10 days later when the assessors make their decision, assuming they say yes, give her a license, it's actually 22 weeks at that point. So all this time I've just been extending and extending my contract some more at the hospital in Edison where I currently work. Somewhere around sixteen weeks, about a week before Christmas, I call the HPC again. At this point, my work permit is finished and will be sent to me immediately after the holidays. I have a start date of January 30, and I'm looking at flights for the 26th or 27th of January. I thank my lucky stars when I am told 20 weeks (at least they didn't say 20-22 weeks). At this point, I figure it's smooth sailing.
Ha! No such thing. This is Murphys Law at it's best....
By Jan 9, I'm getting worried that the fee for assessing my application has not hit my credit card. I get a phone call from my agent saying, we have to call the HPC again, I just called with a different candidate and they said they were working on applications numbered after yours. So I call the next morning, and am told--- they sent my entire application back to me! Why? Because my Health Reference form was not signed by a G.P. Evidently, "registered medical practitioner" specifically means G.P. and mine had been signed by a P.A.C. And to top it all off, I was also told that when I sent it back to the HPC with a proper Health Reference form, it would go to the back of the now 5-month queue before it would be re-checked and sent off to the assessors.
I received my application back this past weekend, with a letter stating my application was incomplete due to a missing/omitted Health Reference form, with my Health Reference form attached to this letter via paperclip. Oh, the irony. And not to mention the nerve of these people! My agent, wonderful lady, has been talking to a secretary at the HPC for 10 years now, ever since she started assisting healthcare professionals to find jobs overseas. She called up this secretary, found out who was the leader of the international licensing dept of the HPC, and was told how I should address my application so that it goes straight to his desk, and not back into the 5 month queue. In light of this news, I decided to keep my appointment to get my entry clearance visa from the British consulate in NYC today, since I had already received my work permit the day after I found out my application had been sent back.
So last night, I was fooling around with recent digital pictures of myself, to come up with two passport-sized photos. Ok, so that was a bit of procrastination. I went to print them, and our printer was on the fritz as far as color printing goes. I thought, no big deal, I'll go to CVS on my way to work tomorrow morning. As I pull up to CVS around 7:15am this morning, it's closed. So I head on in to work for a couple of hours, and decide to catch the 9:30 train so that I have a little extra time to get photos taken in NYC. There's a 9:30 and a 10:15 train scheduled. However, no train comes through until 10:25. Once I get into Penn Station, I run for the subway and don't have to wait too long. Luckily the consulate is in my old stomping grounds from when I worked in NYC, so I head straight for the 53rd/Lex stop. I come up onto the street and head right into a Duane Reade. They don't do passport photos, but I can try the Rite Aid next door, or the CVS a block a way. It's pouring rain, so I duck into Rite Aid. The woman at the counter tries to tell me they don't do passport photos, but I point to the big sign that says Passport/ID photos above a big pull-down background screen. So she tells me the camera is broken. And I have my camera's memory card, but a lady is editing her photos on the one machine they have, so I sprint for the CVS. I walk straight to the photo counter where I am told they don't have a digital camera. So I stick my memory card in the closest machine, and it won't read it! Several tries later and my photos are up on the screen, I format one into passport photos and have to go track down the lady for the password to print. As she's typing it in she says, you can pick these up in an hour. I think the word "NOooo" pretty much came out as a moan at that point, given that it was 11:45, my appt time at the consulate. She directs me to a Kinkos, and 10 minutes later I've finally got my photos. I sprint through the pouring rain to the consulate, sweet talk my way past the guards and up to the visa section, where thankfully they have not yet shut down the line to talk to the visa agents. As I stop to catch my breath and put all my documents together, I see that they have an instant photo machine in the corner - you know, the kind you see at airports?! AAAAGGGGGH.
Conspiracy Theory. Murphys Law. Bad luck. Whatever you want to call it. So at this point, the only thing I'm missing is my license. But I am hoping to get over there end of February. Actually, I think I will go along with Jenn's idea, and start a pool at my bday party on Friday night, so people can bet on the day that I actually leave. Personally, I may just bet on "not gonna happen." That's a bit too pessimistic for me, but it's damn funny.
Keep smilin, everyone. Lots of love. Allison
So I'm beginning to think I'm not meant to go to England. Let's see, there's a whole laundry list of things that have gone wrong...I'll start with my UK license to practice. Their web site stated 8 weeks after submission of an application to receive your license. So I sent mine in August of this past year, after having jumped through all the hoops of getting references including a health reference (we'll come back to this), detailing all of my schooling, course by course, getting my diploma notarized, etc, etc. Nicole, if you ever read this, I know you feel my pain. And I get a letter back from the HPC (licensing body for professional healthcare workers in the UK) stating that they received my application, and it will take 12-15 weeks to process. Say what? OK, the time frame has been bumped from 2 months to 3-4 months. Fine, I'm not happy about it, but I'm making good money, and the hospital I'm working at is desperate to keep me (NJ is in dire need of OTs). So I work, I have lots of fun with friends, new and old, and I call the HPC to check on the progress of my application at the 8 week mark. At which point, I'm told it will be 15-17 weeks. Arrrggghhh. Ok, so I'll be "home for the holidays" which is a wonderful silver lining. Not much I can do, other than go back to my life and forget about it for awhile.
November rolls around, and I have an interview! It's a phone interview, obviously, it goes very well, and a few hours later, my agent tells me I've got the job! Drinks are on me! I'll be working at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, London...yes, London, in the northeast corner, on the Central tube line. There's a web site that comes up if you google the hospital's name. But hold the phone, I call the HPC again at the 12 week mark, and am told it will take 18-20 weeks to process my application. Mind you, this means by the time 18-20 weeks have gone by, my application will be checked for anything missing, or any errors, and then if it's all good it will be sent to the assessors. 10 days later when the assessors make their decision, assuming they say yes, give her a license, it's actually 22 weeks at that point. So all this time I've just been extending and extending my contract some more at the hospital in Edison where I currently work. Somewhere around sixteen weeks, about a week before Christmas, I call the HPC again. At this point, my work permit is finished and will be sent to me immediately after the holidays. I have a start date of January 30, and I'm looking at flights for the 26th or 27th of January. I thank my lucky stars when I am told 20 weeks (at least they didn't say 20-22 weeks). At this point, I figure it's smooth sailing.
Ha! No such thing. This is Murphys Law at it's best....
By Jan 9, I'm getting worried that the fee for assessing my application has not hit my credit card. I get a phone call from my agent saying, we have to call the HPC again, I just called with a different candidate and they said they were working on applications numbered after yours. So I call the next morning, and am told--- they sent my entire application back to me! Why? Because my Health Reference form was not signed by a G.P. Evidently, "registered medical practitioner" specifically means G.P. and mine had been signed by a P.A.C. And to top it all off, I was also told that when I sent it back to the HPC with a proper Health Reference form, it would go to the back of the now 5-month queue before it would be re-checked and sent off to the assessors.
I received my application back this past weekend, with a letter stating my application was incomplete due to a missing/omitted Health Reference form, with my Health Reference form attached to this letter via paperclip. Oh, the irony. And not to mention the nerve of these people! My agent, wonderful lady, has been talking to a secretary at the HPC for 10 years now, ever since she started assisting healthcare professionals to find jobs overseas. She called up this secretary, found out who was the leader of the international licensing dept of the HPC, and was told how I should address my application so that it goes straight to his desk, and not back into the 5 month queue. In light of this news, I decided to keep my appointment to get my entry clearance visa from the British consulate in NYC today, since I had already received my work permit the day after I found out my application had been sent back.
So last night, I was fooling around with recent digital pictures of myself, to come up with two passport-sized photos. Ok, so that was a bit of procrastination. I went to print them, and our printer was on the fritz as far as color printing goes. I thought, no big deal, I'll go to CVS on my way to work tomorrow morning. As I pull up to CVS around 7:15am this morning, it's closed. So I head on in to work for a couple of hours, and decide to catch the 9:30 train so that I have a little extra time to get photos taken in NYC. There's a 9:30 and a 10:15 train scheduled. However, no train comes through until 10:25. Once I get into Penn Station, I run for the subway and don't have to wait too long. Luckily the consulate is in my old stomping grounds from when I worked in NYC, so I head straight for the 53rd/Lex stop. I come up onto the street and head right into a Duane Reade. They don't do passport photos, but I can try the Rite Aid next door, or the CVS a block a way. It's pouring rain, so I duck into Rite Aid. The woman at the counter tries to tell me they don't do passport photos, but I point to the big sign that says Passport/ID photos above a big pull-down background screen. So she tells me the camera is broken. And I have my camera's memory card, but a lady is editing her photos on the one machine they have, so I sprint for the CVS. I walk straight to the photo counter where I am told they don't have a digital camera. So I stick my memory card in the closest machine, and it won't read it! Several tries later and my photos are up on the screen, I format one into passport photos and have to go track down the lady for the password to print. As she's typing it in she says, you can pick these up in an hour. I think the word "NOooo" pretty much came out as a moan at that point, given that it was 11:45, my appt time at the consulate. She directs me to a Kinkos, and 10 minutes later I've finally got my photos. I sprint through the pouring rain to the consulate, sweet talk my way past the guards and up to the visa section, where thankfully they have not yet shut down the line to talk to the visa agents. As I stop to catch my breath and put all my documents together, I see that they have an instant photo machine in the corner - you know, the kind you see at airports?! AAAAGGGGGH.
Conspiracy Theory. Murphys Law. Bad luck. Whatever you want to call it. So at this point, the only thing I'm missing is my license. But I am hoping to get over there end of February. Actually, I think I will go along with Jenn's idea, and start a pool at my bday party on Friday night, so people can bet on the day that I actually leave. Personally, I may just bet on "not gonna happen." That's a bit too pessimistic for me, but it's damn funny.
Keep smilin, everyone. Lots of love. Allison
Ruminations at the turn of a new year
From Jan 1, 2006 (copied from my friendster blog):
It's a brand new year. Funny how numbers can catch you so off guard, and seem so strange, even a little rough around the edges, but in the end boil down to not all that much. 2006 is a good chance to make resolutions I suppose, a time to get started on all those things I say I want to do but don't quite get around to beginning. And then there's my birthday in 19 days, er, 18 now, and to be honest 29 is a bit scary (woooo, almost at the big 3-0), but more in the sense of how quickly time flies these days. Because I'm actually quite happy about where I am in life, starting to feel very comfortable in my own skin, estatic that my 20s are just about over (you couldn't pay me to take that roller coaster ride again!)and 30 doesn't really strike me as old.
Perhaps that has a lot to do with my imminent departure for England. At times I question myself, given that I could move so many incredible places within the US, still working as an OT contracter/traveler, making big money and pay off my rather small student loans within the next two years. Having just returned from a week in Colorado, I've been thinking I might rather like to live there for awhile, after I return from England, since I've already committed to working there for a year. I like this freedom...I do whatever appeals to me, and this move to England has reassured me that I am not about the money. What a relief.
Anywho, I suppose I should start making my New Years calls and emails. My most important resolution for 2006 is to stay in better touch!
profile photo
It's a brand new year. Funny how numbers can catch you so off guard, and seem so strange, even a little rough around the edges, but in the end boil down to not all that much. 2006 is a good chance to make resolutions I suppose, a time to get started on all those things I say I want to do but don't quite get around to beginning. And then there's my birthday in 19 days, er, 18 now, and to be honest 29 is a bit scary (woooo, almost at the big 3-0), but more in the sense of how quickly time flies these days. Because I'm actually quite happy about where I am in life, starting to feel very comfortable in my own skin, estatic that my 20s are just about over (you couldn't pay me to take that roller coaster ride again!)and 30 doesn't really strike me as old.
Perhaps that has a lot to do with my imminent departure for England. At times I question myself, given that I could move so many incredible places within the US, still working as an OT contracter/traveler, making big money and pay off my rather small student loans within the next two years. Having just returned from a week in Colorado, I've been thinking I might rather like to live there for awhile, after I return from England, since I've already committed to working there for a year. I like this freedom...I do whatever appeals to me, and this move to England has reassured me that I am not about the money. What a relief.
Anywho, I suppose I should start making my New Years calls and emails. My most important resolution for 2006 is to stay in better touch!
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