My Grandpa always said "there's nothing so bad that some good doesn't come out of it.  There's also nothing so good that there isn't some bad"  I'm feeling the 'bad' effects of having a large extended but close knit family with relatively few deaths (until a few years ago)

About 3 years ago we lost the kids' Grandpa Mike.  While there was no blood relation, he was as much family as family can possibly get.  His death was a complication from surgery and was very unexpected.  18 months ago we lost Aunt Deb.  While she wasn't in excellent health, her death wasn't expected either.  She passed away while my Mom was visiting us for my birthday.  Christmas time 2003 my cousin unintentionally overdosed and passed away.  Last month Karen died, after she had been stabilized from being in ICU and had been moved to an assisted living center.  If all of that isn't enough for us, I just got off the phone with Mom who told me that Grandma won't wake up.  She has reflexes but isn't responsive to anyone or anything.  The hospice nurse said that we are looking at days, not weeks.

*sigh*

I'm tired of these kinds of unplanned 'family reunions'

In a post I made about getting the job (I got the job BTW!) someone posted their congratulations and then said thank you from all of us who have to use your services.

Wow.  I'm in a 'thank you job'

I've wanted to be an EMT forever, I just new that the time was never right.  It's been something that I am grateful for when we've had to call them the few times we've needed to, and in tragedies I've thought a general 'thank you from all of us' but I've never made the connection that part of that thank you would be going to me now.  It's kind of overwhelming.

I hope I live up to expectations, and I don't let anyone down who is relying on me.

Well, I found a *pattern* online to make my own softboxes from for about $20.  I just found out that as part of the walking study that I'm a guinea pig in we get a $50 gift certificate to Wal-mart (who happens to have all of the supplies I need for the softboxes!  Woo!)

I'm sure something more important will come up between now and then and I'll end up spending on something like food, but I can dream between now and friday :D

Oh, and about my interview today, it's over.  They asked hard questions (the type of hard questions they ask at 'real' interviews) and a couple of hard non-typical questions.  It wasn't 1 on 1 either, I was infront of a panel.  UGH.

Now I'm gonna be a nerveous wreck until I hear from them.  Who wants to pace with me?