Brenda's f****** Chemistry course

So, you may ask yourselves "why the heck is she taking a chemistry course? Is she curious about why she and Paul are so awesome together?" No, that will remain a mystery...

As most of you know, I am in the business of Waste Management (like Tony Soprano) with the Halton Region. Until about a year ago, our department was located in the beautiful Regional Headquarters building in Oakville. Due to the huge increase in staff at said building...and the fact we are the "Rowdies of the Region" we got the boot out of Headquarters up to the oh so beautiful "Landfill Site"...okay, okay, The Dump. At first, we were a little insulted and worried that we'd have difficulties assimilating to our new "environment"...new people and many new odours, but it's been a great year and I, personally, am quite pround of the work that Halton has put into our Landfill site and into creating a better environment.

Anyway, this new location has brought about many new opportunities for me and will continue to do so as new initiatives for increased diversion rates continue to be developed. In January, I will begin a new position as Program Co-ordinator with Waste Management covering a mat leave for a year. Currently, I am on the road most of the time monitoring and supervising waste collection servies so this will be a big change for me. In the next few years, we will be implementing an Energy from Waste program as well as a full green cart/organics program. There will most likely be a new transfer station and incinerator located at the landfill and many new programs...which means many new oppotunities for me. So, I figured that my degree in Sociology aint gonna get me too far in Environmental Services...and hence, back to school.

In January, I start to work toward my Environmental Engineering Certificate at Mohawk College, but before I do that, I had to complete a prep. Chemisty course. Considering that I only completed 1 grade 9 course in Science (which I had to do twice to pass), this has been quite the undertaking for me. I signed up 6 weeks late and had to do it via "distance ed" but IT'S DONE! and I just found out tonight that I passed, with a 77%! I can't believe it! Of course, I couldn't have done it without the help of my wonderful husband and children because I have been a freakin psychotic nutcase for the past 2 months while working on this course.

So now...Christmas begins for me and I AM SO EXCITED! We have Kevin Christmas Eve and Christmas morning and then he's off to his mom's, but we're loooking forward to a great time. We have Brad the whole time as this mono virus he has is very contageous and therefore pretty dangerous for his dad so they will celebrate a few weeks down the road.

I am loving the blogs from all you guys out West...had lunch with Marilyn today and she bragged about all of you the whole time! Anyway, I have some gift wrapping to do and I am bagged! I'll be back on soon...I hope.