As we all know I'll do whatever I can to make some extra money, within certain reasons. I have recently found out I will not go as far as selling my body in any form. True story I had someone send out a mass text looking for a liver or a kidney or something for their friend who's dying and they offered $10,000 plus medical costs. I thought about it then thought, "nah better not. I could use those organs." Now uprooting myself to live in someone else's house and take care of someone else's animals why not. Most of the time it's fine, I just do what I would be doing at home like watching TV or reading or sleeping. Nothing special. But sometimes things happen. Here is a small compilation of my Adventures in House Sitting.
First time I was house sitting for this family friend's of ours was in Dec. around the holidays, I was there for two weeks. For the most part nothing happened but there was one night. I had a friend come into town and was gone most of the night to catch up with her and a bunch of other people. We went to dinner and had some drinks and I didn't end up getting back to the house till around 12.30/1.00 am. As I'm pulling into the driveway I see the trashcans have been brought out. I didn't bring them out. And it's not like they are just slightly off to the side and maybe someone put them out for me. You would have to walk all the way down the driveway to the back of the house and walk them all the way back to the street. So freaking out I called 3 people until someone answered. My friend then stayed on the phone with me while I checked the house for murderers all the while telling me that some neighbor probably put them out to be nice. I don't think people are that nice. But when I wasn't killed and didn't find anyone wanting to kill me I calmed down and decided that since they were out there I might as well put my trash in them. So I walk out there with my trash, open the lid and THEY'RE FULL! Full of someone else's dead body... wait I mean trash. I thought dead body. I was sure body parts had to be in there. Clearly no other excuse. Eventually I freak out enough for the anti-anxiety pill to kick in full speed and knock me out. I wake up in the morning and I'm lying in bed and I hear the slow wheeling sound of the trash bins being wheeled up the drive way back to where they are stored. So I jump up and run to the front door to find out it's the neighbors son, whom I also have known since I was a kid. He said he knocked but no one was home and he didn't want to leave a note because he thought that would freak me out. (He knew I was there house sitting). A note would freak me out but no note and just full trashcans are totally cool.
The next time I sat for those same people was actually last week. I was there for only a week and again for the most part everything was fine. I was super busy with my many jobs so I was barely there. Well I occasionally like to eat my cereal in bed while watching Hulu or Netflix and they have these terrible bowls that are basically shallow dishes and I always spill. So over the course of 3 days I had spilled half a gallon of milk on the comforter. Initially I didn't care since it wasn't a lot but the third time it was like half my bowl of cereal so I figured I should wash it. That's nice of me right? Washing comforters that aren't mine. Polite thing to do. So I literally cram this thing in the washer, throw some detergent in and go walk the dog. When I get back from walking the dog I realize something smells like burning and knowing the only thing on was the washer I run in there to find the room semi full of smoke. I immediately turn the cycle off and start fanning the smoke out the backdoor. I didn't know what to do at that point. I had the giant comforter, sitting in a pile of water with no idea what to do with it. My dad is all, take it outside, but I couldn't lift it myself. So I call the neighbors I know and she comes over to help me haul this soaking comforter outside and get it set up on the chairs to air dry. I did eventually take it to my house and re-wash it and bring it back. That was ridiculous.
Currently I'm sitting for the people I nanny for. I've been here for almost a week. I was house sitting for a week, home for 4 days, then at someone else's house for yet another week. I miss my pillows. These pillows suck. And there are so many switches. Anyways, I've been gone most of the evening seeing some movies and I just got home. I was immediately gonna go set up in bed so I wasn't turning on many lights when I notice there's a faint light coming from the upstairs bedroom. Let me tangent for a moment, this house has no shades. You can clearly see in it at all times. I found that out the other day. But you can't see out at night, the windows become like mirrors so I thought maybe the reverse was true. It's not. So with this new acquired knowledge it bugs me a little more now in the evening knowing I could be watched. So I see this light on being generally aware that it wasn't on at any point in time before. My only thought it that the maids were here yesterday and maybe they turned on a light and I just never noticed it was on since it was upstairs. So far no one's tried to kill me, I did turn the light off- it was the daughter's closet light- and the cat (who's been trying to knock me down the stairs many times) seemed undisturbed. So I did take another anti-anxiety pill and this night I did lock the bedroom door but I'm assuming all is well.
I hate house sitting. More like I hate getting used to another person's bed, and home, and trying to find where they keep things and what the switches do and feeling like I might be murdered at any point and no one would know until they came home. Am I going a little extreme in that thought?
3.16.2013
3.13.2013
Mini Random Updates
I'M SICK! Yay! The one week where I don't have to nanny and have the evenings to myself, and was using spring break and an excuse to not go to my day job either and I've been stuck in bed for 4 days. Can't go to the gym class I actually like going to because I'm too busy dying. But my abs are getting a killer workout regardless because I can't stop coughing. Good times.
Hey, remember that job interview I was talking about last post? Went to it, thought it went well, totally didn't get it. Surprise surprise. And before I get the "think more positively about things" comment, I was thinking all types of positively about it. In my head it was kinda already mine. I was thinking about how I was going to have to leave my jobs and hopefully they would let me know before spring break hit so I could tell the people I nanny for before they go out of town. Well I knew before spring break it. Oh while I'm crying like a toddler in front of my dad telling him how I don't have it in me anymore and I'm running out of steam and how I should just give up and be miserable answering phones for other people this is what he says "No one's saying you have to give up right now. Just try harder. But yeah, eventually you're gonna have to give up." Thanks dad.
Actually I'm pretty sure not getting that job added to me getting sick. Let me explain. Normally I'm super resilient to sickness, it stems from my good immune system and my lack of contact with the outside world. Well my father's been sick. But it's not like I'm always around my dad. No no. The day before I found out about not getting my dream job I came to a sudden clarification that I've been so quick to anger recently because I hate my life and all attempts to change it haven't worked. I'm serious. All aspects of my life suck. Not to make people who have their own, more serious problems, feel like I'm making mine bigger. Things could be worse, but that doesn't mean that they can't be their own version of terrible. So I cried about that one day. The next day I find out I didn't get the job I wanted. Spent a solid 6 hours crying about that. So we have 1.5 days of being sad, mixed with being exposed to illness... wait there's more. Went out Saturday night to get drunk and see OZ 3D. Got too drunk, got rained on. (Don't really recommend the movie but I totally called the Wicked Witch) So we have 1.5 days of sadness, exposed to illness, exposed to rain and drunk mess. With all those powers combined I give you 4 days in bed. Totally set up for that one.
So update on the jewelry job. Nothing new has really happened. For a few days it looked like I was deemed child labor which was annoying but after my 2/3 day punishment I was allowed back on the computer. But I swear I still have like limited access to things. I promise you there isn't that much work to be done. An organized person could do it all, alone. But she's scatter-brained so she needs help. Actually with me being sick I've been monitoring what she's been posting for sale on the website and I have to say she makes both wise and poor choices with that. Here's her thought process, "Let me post things that I know are going to sell." Instead of "Let me post things that are new and I need to see if they're going to sell." My favorite post was the other day where she actually discounted an item because it's not moving in hopes of getting it out. I was so proud at that.
Clear the inventory you have before you buy more. Although I'm sure she doesn't care about clearing what she has before buying more, she's just going to buy more. I promised some people a photo to explain why I can't inventory on my own. Here it is:
This is just a third of her showroom. There are still 2/3 you don't see. Also every item is different. Gotta love that panoramic photo options. I couldn't count and categorize all this on my own. There's just too many pieces. Oh that white board that she bought via my recommendation. Totally just sitting on the desk. Not really being used. The 5 stacks of personal papers she needs to weed through, just sitting there, "she'll get to it."
Hey, remember that job interview I was talking about last post? Went to it, thought it went well, totally didn't get it. Surprise surprise. And before I get the "think more positively about things" comment, I was thinking all types of positively about it. In my head it was kinda already mine. I was thinking about how I was going to have to leave my jobs and hopefully they would let me know before spring break hit so I could tell the people I nanny for before they go out of town. Well I knew before spring break it. Oh while I'm crying like a toddler in front of my dad telling him how I don't have it in me anymore and I'm running out of steam and how I should just give up and be miserable answering phones for other people this is what he says "No one's saying you have to give up right now. Just try harder. But yeah, eventually you're gonna have to give up." Thanks dad.
Actually I'm pretty sure not getting that job added to me getting sick. Let me explain. Normally I'm super resilient to sickness, it stems from my good immune system and my lack of contact with the outside world. Well my father's been sick. But it's not like I'm always around my dad. No no. The day before I found out about not getting my dream job I came to a sudden clarification that I've been so quick to anger recently because I hate my life and all attempts to change it haven't worked. I'm serious. All aspects of my life suck. Not to make people who have their own, more serious problems, feel like I'm making mine bigger. Things could be worse, but that doesn't mean that they can't be their own version of terrible. So I cried about that one day. The next day I find out I didn't get the job I wanted. Spent a solid 6 hours crying about that. So we have 1.5 days of being sad, mixed with being exposed to illness... wait there's more. Went out Saturday night to get drunk and see OZ 3D. Got too drunk, got rained on. (Don't really recommend the movie but I totally called the Wicked Witch) So we have 1.5 days of sadness, exposed to illness, exposed to rain and drunk mess. With all those powers combined I give you 4 days in bed. Totally set up for that one.
So update on the jewelry job. Nothing new has really happened. For a few days it looked like I was deemed child labor which was annoying but after my 2/3 day punishment I was allowed back on the computer. But I swear I still have like limited access to things. I promise you there isn't that much work to be done. An organized person could do it all, alone. But she's scatter-brained so she needs help. Actually with me being sick I've been monitoring what she's been posting for sale on the website and I have to say she makes both wise and poor choices with that. Here's her thought process, "Let me post things that I know are going to sell." Instead of "Let me post things that are new and I need to see if they're going to sell." My favorite post was the other day where she actually discounted an item because it's not moving in hopes of getting it out. I was so proud at that.
Clear the inventory you have before you buy more. Although I'm sure she doesn't care about clearing what she has before buying more, she's just going to buy more. I promised some people a photo to explain why I can't inventory on my own. Here it is:
This is just a third of her showroom. There are still 2/3 you don't see. Also every item is different. Gotta love that panoramic photo options. I couldn't count and categorize all this on my own. There's just too many pieces. Oh that white board that she bought via my recommendation. Totally just sitting on the desk. Not really being used. The 5 stacks of personal papers she needs to weed through, just sitting there, "she'll get to it."
2.24.2013
Things to Google to Freak Out your Boss
The other day I was talking to an old friend of mine about how she was afraid she was about to get fired. She couldn't log into her email and all the managers, that mattered, were in a meeting. After telling her to make sure she grabs all her things and to cause a huge scene on her way out, we also talked about how maybe she shouldn't be trolling the internet but I, being the good worker and friend I am told her to keep checking her websites. I mean there are important things happening on the internet. A new meme could've been invented. And if she was getting fired there was nothing that was going to change their minds now so have some fun. We decided to discuss things to Google to retaliate for being fired. Here are our ideas:
1. How to build a car bomb
2. How to poison your coworkers without killing them
3. How to start a fire without making it look like arson
4. How to make it look like self defense
5. How to drown someone without water
6. How to make it look like someone fell down the stairs
7. How to not leave bruises
8. Casey Anthony defense lawyer. Tips on how to get away with murder.
9. The O.J. Defense
10. How to start a pandemic
11. How to make it look like a mass cult suicide
As you can see the conversation went on for a little bit. All good ideas too. Best part of it is to Google all those things and let that be on your computer for whenever they do decide to dump your internet history, just to freak them out. If you're going to go out, go out with an impression.
BTW, she didn't get fired. She survived another day which she said was both relieving and disappointing.
1. How to build a car bomb
2. How to poison your coworkers without killing them
3. How to start a fire without making it look like arson
4. How to make it look like self defense
5. How to drown someone without water
6. How to make it look like someone fell down the stairs
7. How to not leave bruises
8. Casey Anthony defense lawyer. Tips on how to get away with murder.
9. The O.J. Defense
10. How to start a pandemic
11. How to make it look like a mass cult suicide
Which to pick? They're all so good.
BTW, she didn't get fired. She survived another day which she said was both relieving and disappointing.
2.20.2013
Jerbs and Baseball terms
Two months, two months, two months and what's changed? Everything and nothing at the same time. I hear you asking yourself how things can be different and the same. Conundrum isn't it. Read... I shall tell you.
Well my fall internship is over. I'm not sure if I ever wrote about my internship. I know there were a few days in there I wanted to. But my concerns, and my being FB friends with my "co-worker", probably made me decide against it if this is the first time you're reading about it. Internship in a nutshell: Unpaid. Occasionally did some design work. Mostly made logos for business our company owner ran. Cleaned out a storage unit. Added things to my website. Did not get a job. No job to be had. Didn't get any leads to any job. Got a little insight as to how to enhance my website. That's it. So yeah. Nutshell.
Currently I'm back to the old applying for at least 5 jobs a week, the old unemployment mentality. I look at it as if I can apply to 5 jobs a week, just like if I were on unemployment, I'm doing something. It's a doable number, it's not overwhelming, and I knock it out in a day. I only got back on the apply-for-jobs train this month. So far I've applied for 10 (doing this weeks tomorrow) and I've heard back from 2. One might actually want to interview me, just playing email tag to set up a date and time. The other wanted someone more qualified. Surprise surprise. I'm beginning to wonder what I'm still doing wrong. And my thoughts have landed on my website. Maybe my website is crap and I shouldn't have one. Because the company that wants to bring me in I purposely left my website off my resume. Maybe I'll try applying for jobs with that resume instead and see if I get anything different, meaning any responses at all.
With that I am enjoying my under the table money. I am working two jobs at the same time; meaning I got to one job for a few hours and then head to the next. Plus any other work that comes my way. Most weeks I only have Saturday to myself completely. Let's learn more about these JERBS shall we.
Job #1: "Business Manager" of an in-home jewelry store.
Note business manager is in quotes. That's because that's what I would call it. She would probably call me her assistant or bitch. But if I learned anything from that resume writing class it's all about how you word things. The store started about a year ago, for FUNZIES, out of this woman's house. Now it's on the verge of eating her alive. Here are her main problems that I saw within the first two days of being there.
1. She has no inventory. Nothing is written down anywhere. She has no idea what she has, how many, what sizes and that has screwed me more than once.
2. She is constantly buying more shit to sell. So with that her unknown inventory is always changing. And since she sells things in store and online it's going out of two doors. It could also be going out in my pocket since she doesn't know what she has. Just saying.
3. She has the attention and memory of a retarded goldfish. She the type of person that says something then immediately forgets it. Starts something and the walks away and never finishes it. EXAMPLE: She wanted me to tell this one woman her order was in. All she said to me was "we need to email that girl with the ID bracelets and tell her they're in" then walks out the room. Now I know that someone asked for them. No idea what her name was because I didn't handle any of that. An hour later she comes back and asks if I emailed her. I tell her no because I don't know her name and she walks out of the room. An hour after that she asked me if I emailed her. I tell her no because she still hasn't told me her name. Finally she get on her PHONE and texts her. Yep that whole deal was done on her cell phone anyways so no way I could email her. Idiot.
4. No organization. Papers are everywhere, inventory is everywhere, shit gets moved all the time, she can't remember a thing and I hate when I have to ask her for something four or five times and she never does it.
Here's the thing. We are officially on baseball terms and she doesn't know it yet. We're on three strikes I'M out and we're safely on strike two; ball one.
The first incident I'm calling ball one because it was an in the moment problem. I'm apparently "always on my phone". I'm actually never on my phone because my friends have jobs. But it just so happened that I took a phone call, that had to do with work, one day and she was there for it. Shit I'm in her son's old room in the back of her house I didn't see a problem with answering the phone while checking her FB page for orders. I, unlike her, can multitask. Next day that same woman calls me to tell me there was a problem with the job and some details needed to be changed. She then decided to keep me on the phone for 20 minutes telling me how wonderful her son is doing and how he has all these opportunities to get into the Ad World and how he had an interview yesterday and one today and how her friend that works at a world renowned agency said she'll help him get in the door. Her son just graduated college and has 20 years of soccer and a summer working at Braum's on his resume. I've been doing this shit for 2 years and have relevant things on mine and I don't have this happening for me. Needless to say I ended up crying after I got off the phone. She was there for that. Next day my friend just happened to be blowing up my phone via text to discuss some plans we were suppose to have for the following weekend. Not like I was dropping my work to respond to the texts. End of that day I get sat down and told I'm on my phone all the time and I need to stop. When I say ok she then asks me literally three times if I was "sure it was ok?" What does that even mean? What am I suppose to say? No! I'll be on the phone as much as I want bitch! So ball one.
Strike one came at 4 am one day. She decided to text me... at 4 am... to tell me to come in an hour early. One more time. Text me at 4 am to ask me to come in early. On principal alone I wasn't going to come in an hour early I was going to come in when I got there. Because no bitch. That's rude. But when I woke up to get ready I get a text telling me to come in at 10.30 instead. Then when I get to her house and no one is there I see that my phone, which has recently taken up delaying texts, finally let me get the last text that said come at 11.
Strike two came this week. I'm doing all the labor. I'm checking her FB, I'm invoicing orders, I'm pulling merch, I'm making the shipments, I'm answering the emails. Doing all the labor while she has happy face time with customers. That's fine. I'd rather be in the back. But I needed something for an order that I couldn't find and she said she'd look for it. She never did. Asked her 4 times to look for it so I could finish the shipments. Remember, nothing is organized, she's always buying shit and she's selling from two end with no record or inventory. I blink and things are gone and I'm suppose to know this at all times. Finally she comes in while I'm packing up what I can and she starts to yell at me about how the shipments shouldn't have taken me 4 hours and how they would have taken her an hour. Right about there I almost yelled back but decided to just keep working. She then tells me how I can ask her a question on occasion but I should know the inventory by now (been there 3 weeks) and how she wants someone to take the reins. Then she tells me how frustrated she is as she starts to tear up. Respect lost. Let me tell you something. Three days into being there I told her that she needed a calendar, some basic office supplies to organize a little better and an inventory spreadsheet. In three weeks, none of that has happened. Hell she told me she doesn't want to do an inventory and I know it's because it's going to require her to work. She only wants to do the happy fun times of things and not the organize shit part. So I'm suppose to take the reins but my hands are tied? Almost quit but the money wanting side of me just kept repeating that it's only temporary and the extra income in nice to have.
But seriously one more incident like that and I'm out.
The second job is I'm a nanny, or chauffeur, to a middle school girl after school. That's it. I pick her up from school, take her to her horseback riding lesson, sit at Starbucks for 2 hours and read, then pick her up and take her home. Easy peasy.
So that's my life right now. It's a little frustrating but at least I'm still trying, in all aspects.
Well my fall internship is over. I'm not sure if I ever wrote about my internship. I know there were a few days in there I wanted to. But my concerns, and my being FB friends with my "co-worker", probably made me decide against it if this is the first time you're reading about it. Internship in a nutshell: Unpaid. Occasionally did some design work. Mostly made logos for business our company owner ran. Cleaned out a storage unit. Added things to my website. Did not get a job. No job to be had. Didn't get any leads to any job. Got a little insight as to how to enhance my website. That's it. So yeah. Nutshell.
Here's a picture of me unpaid interning really hard.
Currently I'm back to the old applying for at least 5 jobs a week, the old unemployment mentality. I look at it as if I can apply to 5 jobs a week, just like if I were on unemployment, I'm doing something. It's a doable number, it's not overwhelming, and I knock it out in a day. I only got back on the apply-for-jobs train this month. So far I've applied for 10 (doing this weeks tomorrow) and I've heard back from 2. One might actually want to interview me, just playing email tag to set up a date and time. The other wanted someone more qualified. Surprise surprise. I'm beginning to wonder what I'm still doing wrong. And my thoughts have landed on my website. Maybe my website is crap and I shouldn't have one. Because the company that wants to bring me in I purposely left my website off my resume. Maybe I'll try applying for jobs with that resume instead and see if I get anything different, meaning any responses at all.
With that I am enjoying my under the table money. I am working two jobs at the same time; meaning I got to one job for a few hours and then head to the next. Plus any other work that comes my way. Most weeks I only have Saturday to myself completely. Let's learn more about these JERBS shall we.
Note business manager is in quotes. That's because that's what I would call it. She would probably call me her assistant or bitch. But if I learned anything from that resume writing class it's all about how you word things. The store started about a year ago, for FUNZIES, out of this woman's house. Now it's on the verge of eating her alive. Here are her main problems that I saw within the first two days of being there.
1. She has no inventory. Nothing is written down anywhere. She has no idea what she has, how many, what sizes and that has screwed me more than once.
2. She is constantly buying more shit to sell. So with that her unknown inventory is always changing. And since she sells things in store and online it's going out of two doors. It could also be going out in my pocket since she doesn't know what she has. Just saying.
3. She has the attention and memory of a retarded goldfish. She the type of person that says something then immediately forgets it. Starts something and the walks away and never finishes it. EXAMPLE: She wanted me to tell this one woman her order was in. All she said to me was "we need to email that girl with the ID bracelets and tell her they're in" then walks out the room. Now I know that someone asked for them. No idea what her name was because I didn't handle any of that. An hour later she comes back and asks if I emailed her. I tell her no because I don't know her name and she walks out of the room. An hour after that she asked me if I emailed her. I tell her no because she still hasn't told me her name. Finally she get on her PHONE and texts her. Yep that whole deal was done on her cell phone anyways so no way I could email her. Idiot.
4. No organization. Papers are everywhere, inventory is everywhere, shit gets moved all the time, she can't remember a thing and I hate when I have to ask her for something four or five times and she never does it.
Here's the thing. We are officially on baseball terms and she doesn't know it yet. We're on three strikes I'M out and we're safely on strike two; ball one.
The first incident I'm calling ball one because it was an in the moment problem. I'm apparently "always on my phone". I'm actually never on my phone because my friends have jobs. But it just so happened that I took a phone call, that had to do with work, one day and she was there for it. Shit I'm in her son's old room in the back of her house I didn't see a problem with answering the phone while checking her FB page for orders. I, unlike her, can multitask. Next day that same woman calls me to tell me there was a problem with the job and some details needed to be changed. She then decided to keep me on the phone for 20 minutes telling me how wonderful her son is doing and how he has all these opportunities to get into the Ad World and how he had an interview yesterday and one today and how her friend that works at a world renowned agency said she'll help him get in the door. Her son just graduated college and has 20 years of soccer and a summer working at Braum's on his resume. I've been doing this shit for 2 years and have relevant things on mine and I don't have this happening for me. Needless to say I ended up crying after I got off the phone. She was there for that. Next day my friend just happened to be blowing up my phone via text to discuss some plans we were suppose to have for the following weekend. Not like I was dropping my work to respond to the texts. End of that day I get sat down and told I'm on my phone all the time and I need to stop. When I say ok she then asks me literally three times if I was "sure it was ok?" What does that even mean? What am I suppose to say? No! I'll be on the phone as much as I want bitch! So ball one.
Strike one came at 4 am one day. She decided to text me... at 4 am... to tell me to come in an hour early. One more time. Text me at 4 am to ask me to come in early. On principal alone I wasn't going to come in an hour early I was going to come in when I got there. Because no bitch. That's rude. But when I woke up to get ready I get a text telling me to come in at 10.30 instead. Then when I get to her house and no one is there I see that my phone, which has recently taken up delaying texts, finally let me get the last text that said come at 11.
Strike two came this week. I'm doing all the labor. I'm checking her FB, I'm invoicing orders, I'm pulling merch, I'm making the shipments, I'm answering the emails. Doing all the labor while she has happy face time with customers. That's fine. I'd rather be in the back. But I needed something for an order that I couldn't find and she said she'd look for it. She never did. Asked her 4 times to look for it so I could finish the shipments. Remember, nothing is organized, she's always buying shit and she's selling from two end with no record or inventory. I blink and things are gone and I'm suppose to know this at all times. Finally she comes in while I'm packing up what I can and she starts to yell at me about how the shipments shouldn't have taken me 4 hours and how they would have taken her an hour. Right about there I almost yelled back but decided to just keep working. She then tells me how I can ask her a question on occasion but I should know the inventory by now (been there 3 weeks) and how she wants someone to take the reins. Then she tells me how frustrated she is as she starts to tear up. Respect lost. Let me tell you something. Three days into being there I told her that she needed a calendar, some basic office supplies to organize a little better and an inventory spreadsheet. In three weeks, none of that has happened. Hell she told me she doesn't want to do an inventory and I know it's because it's going to require her to work. She only wants to do the happy fun times of things and not the organize shit part. So I'm suppose to take the reins but my hands are tied? Almost quit but the money wanting side of me just kept repeating that it's only temporary and the extra income in nice to have.
But seriously one more incident like that and I'm out.
The second job is I'm a nanny, or chauffeur, to a middle school girl after school. That's it. I pick her up from school, take her to her horseback riding lesson, sit at Starbucks for 2 hours and read, then pick her up and take her home. Easy peasy.
So that's my life right now. It's a little frustrating but at least I'm still trying, in all aspects.
12.29.2012
New Year, New Hopes.
As the year comes to an end we all know I like to wrap things up with a year-in-review type of post. Recap some of the positives and negatives and make known my wishes for the upcoming year. I think we all know my first wish so no need to go covering that one.
Twelve months is a long time to try to remember. Especially when your twelve months were so uneventful as mine, so let's see what I recall.
1. In a technical sense I went back to school to get a certificate in graphic design. And in a technical sense I am still working on that. Three classes down, something like 7 to go. Speaking of, anyone have a SLR camera they would like to donate to my educational cause? Anyone? No? Ok. Is it because those cost roughly $1,000 and like I got money for that. Come on.
2. I did land my first paying freelance job! I haven't heard from him in about 4 months so I'm not sure if he's over working with me or just not needing my services but until that matter is clarified you best be sure that he's still on my resume at "currently employed".
3. Hello experience! Got that internship of mine under my belt. It didn't give me monetary satisfaction, actually it cost me roughly $20/week to be there, plus food if I wanted to eat. So that's good. The best was when I was spending that money to go to work to be told to apply for jobs. That was a fun two weeks there at the end. Look, not saying I didn't see that it wasn't going to end in my finally being employed. They told me from the get-go that they couldn't promise that; and when you spend more of your time on the internet playing around than actually doing work you can guess their need for a new team member is low. But like I said, experience is experience. I'll take it.
4. Still unemployed. Yep. That's all folks. Going on 1.5 years now. Good times.
5. Somehow I'm still managing to pay my loans! No idea how, and I'm totally running out of money. Donations are welcomed.
6. I have re-worked my resume so many damn times I've actually lost count and now when I save them on the computer their under names like "yet another damn resume". Maybe one of these will work. I've done super creative, overly professional, totally-recent-graduate-word-template and now simplistically designed. One of those has to work right? Just one.
7. I've decided to rename all my random freelance things into one company. A company of ME! Which is my favorite company of all. Links to pages to come. Still working on technicalities like a logo design and name. I need that first before I can make a Facebook page it seems.
8. I was in another opera. In black-face. And ended up with bug bites all over my body and I missed my last performance because of a terribly sprained ankle I obtained while dancing my ass off the night before at a charity ball. Yeah I attend charity balls. What of it.
9. I started an excel sheet to keep my job hunting organized and professional. That's good. It's also bad because I can also see what I've applied to, from how long ago and see that I either never got a response or see when I got the "thanks but no thanks" email because I keep track of all that information in it. So that's fun.
10. With all the recent work I've been putting into obtaining employment I have optimism again? I've re-done my resume, fixed my LinkedIn, updated my website with new and improved things and decided to make a FB page to promote myself more. Something has to work right? Eventually something WILL work.
Maybe one of these days I will provide links to all those pages to self promote more but since I write things a little too honestly and a little to morbid it makes me believe that would be a bad choice. I'm seeking employment not an FBI red flag. Also, then everyone can find out where I used to work and, although there are a little bit of hard feelings that they didn't find me funny, I still want to keep my past employers out of this.
But if I ever write a book about how to deal with a job you hate I promise you, with all my heart, that I have all intentions on dedicating that book to them and especially the HR Director who was my direct boss. So if you ever what to know, pass this blog around. That would be great.
Wishing everyone a Happy 2013 and good things for the future from here in unemployment land.
Twelve months is a long time to try to remember. Especially when your twelve months were so uneventful as mine, so let's see what I recall.
1. In a technical sense I went back to school to get a certificate in graphic design. And in a technical sense I am still working on that. Three classes down, something like 7 to go. Speaking of, anyone have a SLR camera they would like to donate to my educational cause? Anyone? No? Ok. Is it because those cost roughly $1,000 and like I got money for that. Come on.
2. I did land my first paying freelance job! I haven't heard from him in about 4 months so I'm not sure if he's over working with me or just not needing my services but until that matter is clarified you best be sure that he's still on my resume at "currently employed".
3. Hello experience! Got that internship of mine under my belt. It didn't give me monetary satisfaction, actually it cost me roughly $20/week to be there, plus food if I wanted to eat. So that's good. The best was when I was spending that money to go to work to be told to apply for jobs. That was a fun two weeks there at the end. Look, not saying I didn't see that it wasn't going to end in my finally being employed. They told me from the get-go that they couldn't promise that; and when you spend more of your time on the internet playing around than actually doing work you can guess their need for a new team member is low. But like I said, experience is experience. I'll take it.
4. Still unemployed. Yep. That's all folks. Going on 1.5 years now. Good times.
5. Somehow I'm still managing to pay my loans! No idea how, and I'm totally running out of money. Donations are welcomed.
6. I have re-worked my resume so many damn times I've actually lost count and now when I save them on the computer their under names like "yet another damn resume". Maybe one of these will work. I've done super creative, overly professional, totally-recent-graduate-word-template and now simplistically designed. One of those has to work right? Just one.
7. I've decided to rename all my random freelance things into one company. A company of ME! Which is my favorite company of all. Links to pages to come. Still working on technicalities like a logo design and name. I need that first before I can make a Facebook page it seems.
8. I was in another opera. In black-face. And ended up with bug bites all over my body and I missed my last performance because of a terribly sprained ankle I obtained while dancing my ass off the night before at a charity ball. Yeah I attend charity balls. What of it.
9. I started an excel sheet to keep my job hunting organized and professional. That's good. It's also bad because I can also see what I've applied to, from how long ago and see that I either never got a response or see when I got the "thanks but no thanks" email because I keep track of all that information in it. So that's fun.
10. With all the recent work I've been putting into obtaining employment I have optimism again? I've re-done my resume, fixed my LinkedIn, updated my website with new and improved things and decided to make a FB page to promote myself more. Something has to work right? Eventually something WILL work.
Maybe one of these days I will provide links to all those pages to self promote more but since I write things a little too honestly and a little to morbid it makes me believe that would be a bad choice. I'm seeking employment not an FBI red flag. Also, then everyone can find out where I used to work and, although there are a little bit of hard feelings that they didn't find me funny, I still want to keep my past employers out of this.
But if I ever write a book about how to deal with a job you hate I promise you, with all my heart, that I have all intentions on dedicating that book to them and especially the HR Director who was my direct boss. So if you ever what to know, pass this blog around. That would be great.
Wishing everyone a Happy 2013 and good things for the future from here in unemployment land.
11.02.2012
Blackface and Bugs?
Normally I talk about work, today I'm going to talk about a side job I have. No it doesn't include hookers or blackjack. Occasionally I will do extra work for the local Opera. I'm in a production right now where I play an Ethiopian slave. In case you don't know me let me explain something. I am white. Like white white. Basically if you look up a White Russian it will show a picture of me instead of the drink. Technically speaking I'm actually Ukrainian, but like tomatoe/tomato right? Technically technically speaking I'm 50% Ukrainian 25% Irish and 25% Polish and 100% American BITCH! 'Merica!
So back to the point. I'm a very white person playing a very black slave. There is only one way to accomplish this... the power of paint. I am in blackface. Fact. Only it's done with body paint and not shoe polish but I feel that by the time this is all over the last show we all will be shoe polished. We just aren't black enough on stage. I wonder why? They cast a bunch of white and Mexican people to play to role of blacks. Couldn't cast some black people? We have 2 actual black people in our group. I feel bad for them. Last show I was actually complimented on how "ethnic" I looked. It's funny too because I have blonde hair and blue eyes which only look bluer with all the paint. It's weird. Never not going to be funny.
The down side to all this? The burlap sack that I wear, seems to be infested with bugs. Ever since the first dress rehearsal I've developed red itchy bumps on my legs and arms. Finally went to the doctor after 2 weeks of itching to death to be told it looks like bug bites. Awesome. They strive for authenticity it seems at the opera. So on the days I'm not wearing a bug infested burlap sack gown, that is actually weaved very openly, I'm taking too many oatmeal baths and using oat-based lotion and calamine lotion AND Benadryl. Anything for my art right?
Here is a picture:
So back to the point. I'm a very white person playing a very black slave. There is only one way to accomplish this... the power of paint. I am in blackface. Fact. Only it's done with body paint and not shoe polish but I feel that by the time this is all over the last show we all will be shoe polished. We just aren't black enough on stage. I wonder why? They cast a bunch of white and Mexican people to play to role of blacks. Couldn't cast some black people? We have 2 actual black people in our group. I feel bad for them. Last show I was actually complimented on how "ethnic" I looked. It's funny too because I have blonde hair and blue eyes which only look bluer with all the paint. It's weird. Never not going to be funny.
The down side to all this? The burlap sack that I wear, seems to be infested with bugs. Ever since the first dress rehearsal I've developed red itchy bumps on my legs and arms. Finally went to the doctor after 2 weeks of itching to death to be told it looks like bug bites. Awesome. They strive for authenticity it seems at the opera. So on the days I'm not wearing a bug infested burlap sack gown, that is actually weaved very openly, I'm taking too many oatmeal baths and using oat-based lotion and calamine lotion AND Benadryl. Anything for my art right?
Here is a picture:
I'm totally in there I promise. And not hidden.
9.19.2012
Good News!
I have some good news everyone! Wait for it.... I am, officially, an unpaid INTERN!!
Yes, you read that right. I finally have made some type of step in the general direction of my expected career path. And if anyone reading this actually knows me this is a big deal. If you don't know me let me explain why this is a big deal.
I graduated 2 years ago. Actually, slightly more then that now. I graduated with an Advertising degree into a field where more people were unemployed then ever. During school, instead of getting an internship I worked a job. I needed money. Plus I was in school full time. I'm sure I could've worked an internship in there as well but I didn't. F*ck me right!
Worst decision ever. Fast forward to my first post-college job and we are here at this blog. Basically, after my superficial, non-threat jokes got taken the wrong way and left me penniless on the side of the street (or just on financial lock-down at my parents) I vowed to not give in. I told myself I wasn't going to settle one more time because I would be stuck answering phones for other people for the rest of my life. I didn't spend $20+K to answer a phone. I was NOT going to be a career receptionist. I want to answer my own phone because someone needs to talk to ME not the owner. Now fast forward a year from my "letting go" and I'm still unemployed, going to school to get a graphic designer certificate because why the hell not and still not applying for anything that requires me to be someone's bitch. Self respect seems to finally won out!
So like I said, I have an internship. Yes, it's unpaid and that's not the best and no there is no promise of employment at the end of the day BUT I am getting the real life experience that I so desperately need. So I'll take it.
My career path is hopefully finally starting. It's starting rather late and slowly but it's starting and that's the important part.
Yes, you read that right. I finally have made some type of step in the general direction of my expected career path. And if anyone reading this actually knows me this is a big deal. If you don't know me let me explain why this is a big deal.
I graduated 2 years ago. Actually, slightly more then that now. I graduated with an Advertising degree into a field where more people were unemployed then ever. During school, instead of getting an internship I worked a job. I needed money. Plus I was in school full time. I'm sure I could've worked an internship in there as well but I didn't. F*ck me right!
So like I said, I have an internship. Yes, it's unpaid and that's not the best and no there is no promise of employment at the end of the day BUT I am getting the real life experience that I so desperately need. So I'll take it.
My career path is hopefully finally starting. It's starting rather late and slowly but it's starting and that's the important part.
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