Friday is my Sunday

Youtube is back again.

I am waiting to hear back from three places at the moment, and I need to get back to one. It's been a busier week in general, though. E is back and also not working at the moment so we've been able to hang out in the afternoon. Last night was fun--a couple of girls came over and we read tarot cards and drank wine. We have vowed that our next girls night will be a clothing swap. :)

Our kombi (hot water heater) seems to be on the brink. It's been dripping for the past day (and by 'drip' I mean our kitchen trash can is half full of water) so it looks like we're going to have to shell out for a plumber. Pants. This is not what any semi-unemployed girl in her 20s wants to happen.

I will update when I have real news... I'm off to prepare for my class tomorrow-- at the moment Friday really is my Sunday.

Patience is a Virtue

I feel good about my interview, though they are interviewing a bunch of other people and I won't hear back for a week and a half. So the odds aren't great, and in the meantime I will look at other opportunities. Monday afternoon I have a job applications coffee date with Erin. Job hunting is stressful, especially in a city where I'm only qualified for such a small number of jobs because I'm a foreigner who doesn't speak the native language. Mind you, actually, if I want to keep teaching English, I could have a job today and start tomorrow. It's just that I want to do something different and here there seem to be few jobs beyond teaching.

Turkey has banned youtube again.

Progress

Today I took an editing test for the company that had replied to my e-mail, and I did well enough that they have set up an interview for Thursday! I was so excited that I called LL and my parents to tell them.

Today I went to Gani Gani for lunch with LL, Amer, Jordan, and Frank. Frank is helping a friend of a friend to open up a bar right across from the Lojman. We got to take a look-- it's a small space but filled with friends it could be really fun. We'll have to see where that venture leads... opening night is Saturday (always a bad night for my friends, most of whom work early Sunday morning) so I'll try to swing by and see how it's going.

Okay, I'm off to search for some interview advice, and spend some more time on the company's website.

The Nutcracker

Above is the poster for the production of The Nutcracker that I went to see last night. I love the way they translate Tchaikovsky. It was the best production I've seen so far at AKM, though, like all Nutcrackers it had its own take on a few things. Most disturbing to me, but that's because I'm a bit of a Nutcracker purist, was that one of the dancing dolls in the party seen (to the faster, darker music) was a set of devils. I don't know how I feel about devils in The Nucracker but anyway... The costumes were beautiful, the tree grew, there were mice, and a live orchestra. There was a beer stein party dance with the men in the beginning. But there was no Sugar Plum Fairy, no angels, and at the end Clara/Marie marries the Nutcracker which I suppose IS how a little Turkish girl's dream might end but I wasn't so sure about ending the ballet with a big white veil. *sigh* Still, the dancing was at times absolutely excellent-- especially the man who played the Nutcracker. It made me happy.

Today I sent my CV out to a couple of companies/organizations I'm very interested in. I went out to pay a bill and by the time I came home I had already heard back from one of them, so I suppose that's good news. And I know that the man I e-mailed for the other job is out of the office for the week so I'm not expecting an instant reply. It's uplifting to be making progress.

Soon I'm going out to meet Kerstin for a beer to catch up about the holidays. I can't wait to see her, as she's one of my best friends in this city. Onwards!

Taksim Square

I took a picture of these pigeons on my way home from work Sunday. Last night Lars and I went to Deep, a restaurant behind the French Consulate. It has such a nice atmosphere-- I think we sat there for nearly half an hour after we'd finished eating.

Today I bought myself a ticket to see The Nutcracker on Wednesday at AKM in Taksim Square, the same place I went to the opera last winter. I love that's it's cheaper to go to the opera or the ballet than the cinema here.

Tonight, apparently, some friends are getting together and we are going to play Risk. I don't think I've played since I was about 9. My male friends are on a bit of a board game kick; I think I'll roll with it...

Snow!

I took this photo this morning around 8am on my way to work. It's been snowing for the better part of the past two days, although there hasn't been much accumulation. It looked beautiful this morning, but by the time I finished work it didn't look nearly as pretty.

Happy New Year!

Okay, it's January 3 and I am trying to be productive. I have decorated my room, uploaded my Christmas photos (a much greater feat than it should have been), started doing some spring cleaning, and now I really need to start working on cover letters.

Tonight is Matt's official going away party, though his actual last night is Saturday. We are going to Ritim and then My Moon for karaoke, so it should be large. Tomorrow I am going to try to meet up with Traci; I am also going to try to sell a few of my books at one of the used book places near Galatasaray. Knowing me, though, I will probably leave with at least one new one, despite having several books here I still haven't read, and despite the fact that the whole point is to have less stuff.

I have been greatly enjoying the peppermint tea I brought back from America and I plan on baking at some point tomorrow, possibly the No Pudge brownies but maybe oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Also I'll continue cleaning and decorating here before work Saturday morning. Happy 2008! More pictures soon...