more bits from ruminations.com

Dear West Coast: We know you have more earthquakes than us here on the east coast, but if you are allowed to panic when you get a half inch of snow, we are allowed to panic when the earth shakes for 10 seconds. Sincerely, The East Coast

Posted by Roominator

Today in my head, I made out, had sex, broke up, got back together again, married, had kids, grew old and died with a man I walked past in the corridor.

Posted by huzzah

There are some people walking around alive today simply because I don't want to go to jail tomorrow.

Posted by anamcara

Mom: Put this away, this is how your stuff gets lost. Me: No, you hiding my stuff and thinking you're putting it away for me is how my stuff gets lost.

Posted by NotFunny

you know you've been friends with someone for a very long time when you still remember their home number from back when you still had to go through "Hi, can I please speak to..." shenanigans.

Posted by dahliaj

"Dark Smooth Sweet Luscious Cherries".... Settle down cherry company I am just looking for a snack not an online dating profile.

Posted by DarkKnight


Anyone can catch my eye, but it takes a special person to catch my drift.

Posted by jezsmits

Just saw an ad for "minimal running shoes." I'm pretty sure I already own several pairs - I call them "heels."

Posted by GeneralsBitch

The end of a long relationship is like finishing a marathon. You feel like you may throw up, but are still proud you finished. However, one thing is certain. Only a crazy person would try to start running another one the next day.

Posted by fakepeterman


I want to get a tattoo of a lays chip so that when I get older it will turn into a ruffle

Posted by IslaAnn

sigh

They say that you learn more from failure than from sucess. I think it's not really failure as long as you learn from it. If you learn from it, it's just an experience that didn't turn out as planned.


My gut was screaming, "NO!! NO!!! NO!!!" and my mind was screaming, "well that's effed up." That and the gladness I feel at being free of the situation makes me believe I made the right decision.

Avril Lavigne-Tomorrow

Barenaked Ladies - The Humor Of The Situation

The Universe Has A Sick Sense of Humor

Finally got a job. Not my dream, but hey it's a paycheck and experience and in this economy you take what you can get and be grateful. Sooooo . . . just saw an ad for a job in my hometown area with better pay, better benefits, and a whole heck of a lot less travel. Oh, and in an area I've had interest in. And near family including wonderful, darling niece. *akward giggle* Just saw it today. It was posted about two days after I had accepted this job and was really busy with other things. All that time looking local and then BAM!

Anyway. . .

"Tomorrow is a different day "

Butterflies

First day of first real job tomorrow. Nerves. I know I passed many tests to show I'm qualified but right now I'm not feeling qualified to count past five. I figure the first week or two will be pretty rough. A lot of newness and learning the ropes. Things'll get better though. I just have to keep telling myself that. I was really nervous with my first summer job. I calmed down and by the end of the second year, you'd never guess I'd ever felt nervous. Yeah, I felt better after working a few weeks, but it was around the second when I felt really really comfortable.

I just have to keep telling myself that I am not stupid, that things will get better, that what seems overwhelming now, will later settle into something very managable.

*fingers crossed*

Dedication Going Out To Many People

Random Bits

So you know when you walk into a store and the pushy salesperson comes at you before you have a chance to look at even one thing and you just want to turn around and walk out? Oh, or they keep trying to push a basket on you every ten seconds. I said I didn't want a basket!

Some people never grow up. They fail to realize that they are no longer living in a tree fort or college dorm. They're in their very own apt. or house. They need to take a little pride in appearances. Not teen appropriate movie posters covering the room and all your DVD collection laid out in full glory. Things like real curtains, furniture that wasn't owned by five people before you and has stuffing coming out. Suck it up and grow up.

Learn from your mistakes. I mean, if you got sparked when you touched the electric fence with your finger, why do you think pressing your whole arm to it's gonna have better results? If you're broke because you blew all your money on toys, maybe you need to stop buying toys? Especially now that you're making less / zero?

I don't care if you're paying the people, you still have to be decent to them. There are a lot of jobs that can't be done properly unless you give the needed information. Don't get upset with them when they only bring enough paint for one 10x10 room like you told them and it turns out that you want two 20x20 rooms painted. They're working off the info. you gave them. They're not mind readers.

Gratitude. Saying thank you is a good start. A lot of times, that's all that is needed. However, when someone has been doing a whole lot for you, you need to make some little gesture. Take out to a meal, fix a meal, bring a baked good, clean their gutters, etc. You also shouldn't get pissy when they've been doing a lot for you and now have to take a day to get their own lives together. It's generally nicer to aske someone to get or do something rather than just state or assume that they will. They are probably under no obligation to clean up after you when you have made a mess. If you make arrangments for someone to do something for you and then as they're doing it, you tell someone else to do it another way, be prepared for the first person to be upset for wasting their time.

"It takes a villiage to rear a child." Yeah. Don't assume that that villiage is just anxiously awaiting the chance to babysit your child. Do not leave your baby at a check out counter for the clerk to watch while you "go grab a few things." Do not let your child run around assuming that any "big person" is ther to act their parent. No random child in Wal-Mart, I will not put fresh batteries in your PS3. Well kid in the library, I'm sorry your game on the computer isn't working but talk to your parents, whoever brought you here, or the nice people behind the desk. It is NOT okay to send a 9 year old our roaming on public transportation waving around a roll of twenties.

I have a sneaking suspision that especially in the current economic situation, even the niecest people can get a little power trippy when put in a position to hire someone else.

If you post a job online, have an online application, and have a site for your company, maybe you could help an applicant out and have something like a mission statement or something? You know just so I can have some key phrases to throw in to show I did at least look up your company?

Len - Steal My Sunshine

This just says summer to me.

I HATE Being Lied To

No, I really do. I got a letter about a policy change and basically that I'd have to meet a minimum. Okay. Before the date that the policy went into effect, I made sure that I met that minimum. I checked with the people and they said it was all good. Next month I got a notice that it wasn't all good. I called, thought I had things straightened out, and asked if it was all good. I was told it was all good. Next month, I got another notice that it wasn't all good. I called to try to straighten it out and basically I'd have to do more than what I had done and maybe just maybe they'd be able to straighten things out. No. Nu-uh. Nope. I was told twice, TWICE!!!!, that it was all good when it wasn't. I'm not going to do more and then have to keep calling for something I have no need for.

I'm stopping that thing tomorrow. I really, really, really hate being lied to and taken advantage of.

Blech.

I think I got too much sleep. It's so messed up that too much sleep can make you feel pretty much the same as too little sleep. Blech blech blech.

I need to get a better sleep schedule.

Dark and icky looking outside today.

I'm a bit tired of all the humidity. I have a new purse I want to spray and use but want a non-humid day.

Not much else. Might paint my toenails.

Whine.

Grrr. I want to vent but it's the venting that is better put in the private journal.

I think there's a bit of the "tie it to a balloon and release it" type of thing with the appeal of blogging some things. Only the blog has a higher likelihood of coming back to bite you in the tush.

Errr.


Well.


Boo to you, the people who are annoying me.

Boo to you, the situations that are not making me happy. Not happy at all, downright unhappy.

Boo I say boo.

Voltaire-Goodnight demon slayer

Lyrics:
There's a monster that lives neath your bed
Oh for crying out loud it's a futon on the floor
He must be flat as a board

There's a creature that lurks behind the door
Though I've checked there 15 times
When I leave then he arrives
Every night

Tell the monster that lives neath your bed
To go somewhere else instead
Or you'll kick him in the head

Tell the creature that lurks behind the door
If he knows what's good he won't come here anymore
Cause you'll kick in his butt at the count of four

Goodnight demon slayer, goodnight
Now its time to close your tired eyes
There are devils to slay and dragons to ride
If they see you coming, hell they better hide

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Goodnight my little slayer goodnight

Tell the monster that eats children, that you taste bad
And you're sure you'd be the worst that he's ever had
If he eats you, don't fret, just cut him open with an axe
Don't regret it, he deserved it, he's a cad

Tell the harpies that land on your bed post
That at the count of five you'll roast them alive
Tell the devil its time you gave him his due
He should go back to hell, he should shake in his shoes
Cause the mightiest, scariest, creature is you

Goodnight demon slayer, goodnight
Now its time to close your tired eyes
There are devils to slay and dragons to ride
If they see you coming, hell they better hide

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Goodnight my little slayer goodnight

I won't tell you, there's nothing neath your bed
I won't tell you, that it's all in your head
This world of ours is not as it seems
The monsters are real but not in your dreams
Learn what you can from the beasts you defeat,
you'll need it for some of the people you meet

Goodnight demon slayer, goodnight
Now its time to close your tired eyes
There are devils to slay and dragons to ride
If they see you coming, hell they better hide

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Goodnight my little slayer goodnight

Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight
Goodnight

Kate Havnevik - So-Lo

anna nalick - wreck of the day (acoustic)

Sexy Intrigue

Oooooohhhh, attention getting huh? Well sorry to let you down but it's the fragrance name of a deodorant. It came free with the deodorant I bought. *shrug* Brought to you by Degree. I'd like to take a moment to thank Degree. Before Degree, I didn't realize how truly gauche I was. Can you imagine, I did NOT match my spray on fragrance with the fragrance of my deodorant!?!?!?! The horrors!

Anyway, you're probably wondering how it smells. Eh, it smells like deodorant. Nice but far from special. I sniffed it and wasn't overly impressed. I had some other people sniff it too in case it was just me. Nope, not just me. No TAG body spray moments where clothes were ripped off. (Am I the only person who thinks TAG is more gag inducing than seducing?)

Jumble

Ordered cute new bathing suit! Not that I really needed one and this was a one piece and not my usual two piece, but I LOVE IT! Just to clear things up, when I say two piece I mean the tankini type of suit, not one where you see any hint of my middle. I don't really like seeing it, so why would I want to make others look at it? Plus it's easier for when you have to peel off to use the restroom. Anyhoo, the smallest size I could find was a large. I have sizes 8-14 in my closet and 3 in kids up to 6.5 in adults sized shoes, so I can't go by sizes when buying clothes. Anyhoo, found a leopard print one in store and tried it on. As soon as I got back home I ordered it online. 97 cent shipping and you can return it at the store. I really like when you can return an item to the store. It makes me far more willing to try to order clothes without first trying them on.

Have a whiney thing but can't post online.

It's very hot and humid here.

Oh! Got a Rimmel lipstick yesterday. A bit bright but my mom says it's okay. It was five something and then I had a $2 off coupon. Good time to try something new. I got a moisturizing one. I've been trying to find a long wear that will work with me. They usually end up being crumbly and coming right off. They make my lips feel really dry sometimes so I put DCT on and that acts like some sort on make-up remover on them.

I've decided to try to branch my job hunting into Pocomoke. MD, but so close it doesn't really matter.

Wish there were fireworks nearby. The only ones I know of are 40ish minutes away and I'd be eaten alive by mosquitoes.

I've been getting bitten by mosquitoes in the middle of the night in my own room for crying out loud!

Bits

I like reading ruminations.com.

I read this and went "ewww!"
"Never kiss a newborn...You know where they've been."

I know I know, very mature. But true when you think about it.

And one that's so true, "people who investigate strange noises on horror movies deserve to die".

Oh! That's what you meant!!! *whew*

So I was talking to my mom and she said something. I of course apparently had my mind wallowing in the gutter and thought she meant something I really didn't want to discuss. So I just said I wasn't going to say anything on it. She kept going on. Turns out it was a perfectly innocent and normal thing she was talking about but I just "read" it the wrong way. Oppsie!

Stupid right? But think about it. We have all these colloquialisms and sometimes it's easy to make a mistake. Still . . . I'm glad I didn't launch into what I thought she meant!

Hey Have I Mentioned . . . ?

Have mentioned that so far I'm really please with the Exposed Skincare treatment? It works way better than Skin ID ever did and possibly better than the Proactive did at the beginning. So far I haven't had any problems with Exposed's customer service. In fact I'm tickled that a few days before they process the order to be shipped out, they send you an e-mail notification. The others didn't do that. Now I know responsibly you should know to the minute when you're supposed to be getting your products sent to you, but sometimes it just kinda slips. This way you know that you need to have the address changed, the timing changed, have someone pick the package up while you're out of town, or if you're crazy, cancel your order and not worry about sending things back. (bit of a run-on sentence but it's an informal kind of blog, right?)

Anyway. Guess I should share some details. No, my skin has not magically been transformed into micro pored, airbrushed, supermodel perfection. Yes, I still have acne. But it is better than what it was. Before I started the Exposed, my face was super pebbly and had some of the larger zits, I had the big zits all on my neck, and some acne on my chest and back. My face is a lot better. Sometimes I'll get a somewhat larger zit, but it's more like a something getting rid of gunk that was deeply embedded in my pores. (ewww! right?) Now and then I'll get a larger zit on my jawline or neck but it's one as opposed to being covered. I think my chest and back are better.

Seeing an astetician (Sp????) was overpriced bull. The microderm abrasions left my face looking pretty much the same except for being beat up. If I wanted to have my zits popped, I could do that myself. The take home skin treatments, creams, sprays,and whatever, were no more effective than Proactive and cost waaay more. Well there was the thermal water. I found it on amazon and need to get a bottle. I'm not excited about it because of the skin clearing properties. I like it because it helps congestion. Proactive helped for a year or two but then stopped working. Skin ID never worked.

So, skinwise that's where I am.

Smooshie Update

13 lbs. 2 oz.

24 inches

Cute as all get out.

Fusses if her diaper is the least bit damp.

Random

So the other day it had been raining for what felt like a long time. I found myself thinking, "Yeah, we need the rain, but maybe it could be a bit more spaced out instead of day after day." Then I had one of those life and book connection moments and remembered a bit from a book I had just read.

Troubled Waters by Sharon Shin

In the book there had been drought through much of the country and the characters had been followed by rain while traveling.

"You must welcome bounty whenever it come, hunti man. It is often inconvenient. But if you insist on accepting it only when it suits your schedule, you will find yourself very poor."

Every time I hear it . . .

Every single time I hear or see the ads for JELL-O Temptations and they say it's the first adult JELL-O product I can't stop my brain from chiming in with "Well, ummm HELLO!!! JELL-O shooters!?!?! Wouldn't they be adult JELL-O?!?!". I know they're not "official" but that's what a little part of my brain keeps doing.

bleh

Hot hot hot weather. High pollen. Ticks and other bugs. Sleep issues. Headache. Lack of appetite. Wearing the cranky pants.

Getting out of the house later so maybe that'll perk me up. In the meantime, maybe haul my tushy to the treadmill.

Ummm?

So, lots of stuff I'd like to rant and share but they're not really the type of things that one puts in a blog. So, pre-order a copy of my exciting memoirs now and be one of the first to find out!

So. . .

I've researched bottle warmers a bit. While reading reviews I've learned of people using them to warm their milk for coffee at the office and to warm massage oils and such. O-kay. . . .
But the thought that in the time it take to microwave the water to heat the bottle in I could have a warm bottle is highly attractive.

Since my plan of holding the baby for five minutes and then just steering clear until she was old enough to have an intelligent conversation (yes, I know some 30+ year olds still lack this skill) have fallen through and I'm feeding, burping, and changing diapers, I'm trying to look up childcare books at the local library.

Still job hunting. Little miffed when I see things I've been rejected from posted again a short time later. I try to contact the people to say that I'm still interested. I WANT EMPLOYMENT! Employers want experience and sadly it's very much an employer's market.

Tis the time of year when bugs swarm. I'm looking for a bug barrier spray coupon while skimming some site for jobs. I'm trying to apply to at least two places today. At least one Tuesday, break on Wednesday and then two more by Saturday. Goals. They need to be set and stated so you have something to work towards and some achievement.

Still trying to figure out the best place to order pic prints. Not impressed with the Wal-Mart ones. Some of the snapfish ones Karen got didn't turn out well. I'm thinking of going with shutterfly. Might be a cent or two more but I was really impressed with the quality of a card I got from someone.

Anyhooo. . .

More later.

Interesting Jobs

So, while I'm desperately seeking employment, I thought I'd share some interesting job titles as I run across them.

Small Ruminants Development Agent

cuteness

As of yesterday, Smooshie is 9 lbs. 3 oz. of cuteness!

You know I never really questioned my spelling of her name until my mom asked me a few minutes ago. No clue why I went with Smooshie instead of Smooshy. Maybe I've driven by too many Smoothie Kings?

Blah blah blah

Thank goodness the William and Kate wedding is finally over! With any luck things will start to die down soon. I'm just so sick of hearing about it!

New Addition and Lessons Learned

I am now an aunt. I have learned much in the week and a half or so that I spent becoming one.

I think I knew more about the birthing process than the rest of the family. That's after I tried to only know the bare and basic outline of what to expect. I think it was all the TLC and Discovery Health Channel. I must cut down on my viewing of them.

It takes a lot more energy to keep from screaming and hitting someone than it does to actually scream and hit them.

(I have a lot I could rant on about but it's not fitting for blogging.)

I think I picked up waaaay more from observing friends caring for infants and toddlers than I had realized. (at one point I broke and snapped at my sister to shush and that I had had what I was in the process of doing down pat since before she even thought of getting knocked up.

I held the baby every day I was there and on the last day even did so without a pillow and walked a bit. I am still scared to death to pick the baby up or move the baby around much. They're so tiny and I really freak out about their little necks.

I learned that while I don't exactly like the baby screaming (especially when I'm holding her), I can deal. I get a little worried that I'm not supporting the head, pinching something, etc. But I can deal. Still, I pass her off to someone who is more able to calm her down.

I am not changing diapers. Unless it's dire emergency or the kid is mine, there will be no diaper changing in my future.

Shaken baby syndrome is not as big a concern for me at this time as shaken mommy syndrome. (I swear it was all I could do a few times not to at least smack her.)
The baby is sunshine and rainbows and goodness in the world. She barely cries and when she does, it's for a very good reason.

I thought I was pretty obsessed with the four legs and put them right up there with the two legged kids. Not as much as I thought. It is my belief that the dog is not to bark at the baby. The dog is not to jump up on the mother when she is trying to feed or hold the baby. If an alarm goes off, I'm checking that the kid's not upset and working itself up before I check on the dog (who I know from past experience doesn't like the alarm noise but hides in a room when it goes off).

It is my belief that a baby not even a week old should not even hear the word pacifier and should be encouraged to eat as much as makes baby happy. I believe that it doesn't matter what form nutrition takes, getting that nutrition inside the baby is more important than pride or a need to feel vindicated by anyone. As long as the baby is healthy and getting nourishment (all the be determined by regular check-ups with the pediatrician)who gives a care?

People (and even people who you know know better) are too ready to just go along with anyone who went through med school. First off, your doctor is hired by you to provide a service. If you are not satisfied with the services, you dump the one you have and find one who you do like. Would you keep the car mechanic who said you needed work you didn't really need or fixed something incorrectly? Second, you need to interact with your doctor. Ask questions. If they are not willing to answer your questions (which are part of the services you're paying for by the way) you need to change physicians. If they say you should have a procedure you need to find out the pros and cons of having that procedure. You need to remember that just because they say you need it, it is still your choice whether to have it done or not.

Segueing from that, you need to be ready to speak up for yourself. It's hard. It's harder when someone you expected to advocate for you seems to be going in the opposite direction. There comes a time when you know what is best for you and you need to stand up for yourself.

And I should probably stop the ranting here and now. Probably said too much, but hey.

Gut Punch

At times I strongly feel that every 28 days or so all men of a certain age should be knock-the-wind-out-of-'em punched in the gut. At other times I feel that still would not be satisfactory.

Funnies

More funnies or huhs from rumination.com

"Why do people end up in their parent's basements? What happened to their rooms they used in childhood?

It's funny how people would consider drinking human breast milk beyond their infant stage to be disgusting, but will drink the breast milk of another species for their entire life.

Why don't guys ever suck at singing? It's either good enough or surprisingly great. Of the girls I know, maybe two are amazing, the rest of us sound like drunken seagulls, and there's always one who can only be described as a serial ear murderer.

Hockey has twenty minute periods. I'm so fucking jealous.

I'm sorry, I'm not trying to stare down your family, but your baby keeps smiling at me and I don't want to be rude to it.

Hair ties only exist in one size... the size where if you don't loop it enough, it's too loose, but if you loop it just one more time, it's too tight.

The definition of a comfortable relationship is when you eat the same way around each other as you do alone.

Bananas are one of my favorite fruits, so how come everything banana flavored tastes worse than licking the bottom of someone's shoe.

It was much more comforting when my computer took 20 seconds to save something and gave me the hourglass, versus the nonchalance it shows now. "You are saving this final thesis, right?"

I want to start a pizza franchise with $4 Hot 'n Ready pizzas. It'll be called "Little Brutus: The Caesar Killer."





AND . . . a few random quotes I found elsewhere:
Sometimes I lie awake at night and ask why me? Then a voice answers nothing personal, your name just happened to come up.
Charles M. Schulz

Sometimes I lie awake at night, and ask, 'Where have I gone wrong?' Then a voice says to me, 'This is going to take more than one night.'
Charles M. Schulz



Read more: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/charles_m_schulz.html#ixzz1IhR3kmEb

I'm Just Saying

In my view, if it's dead critter, it's meat.

Dead chicken = meat
dead cow = meat
fishy = meat
guinea pig = meat
critter = meat

bits

Virginia is wide.
No, I mean really, I think all of MD is closer than some spots in VA.


Even if you're making a good salary, would many people mind if they got a higher one?


Sometimes you end up with something you didn't expect and didn't think you really wanted and it turns out to work out well.


The sound of cutlery whacking on china carries insanely well.
No, I mean it's like I'm at the other end of a building with all the doors closed and I can hear it like it's next to my head.

Sometimes it's fun to read garbage.

Is there any easy way to decide what hotel to book online? Good reviews and bad reviews, prices, amenities. They all start to blur.

Why can't employers do a preliminary interview over the phone? I mean I get that you want to make sure I can dress decent and there are some things that just plain don't come across over the phone, but you could get a basic idea of whether you're interested in hiring or not. I mean especially if it's a long car drive or plane trip away. Have you seen gas prices lately?

When Did That Happen?

It's April? What? *sigh* In November I thought I'd have a job by now. Someone told me that someone else told her to look at unemployment this way: A lot of the people who have jobs hate them. You have the opportunity to find a job you love.

I'm thinking of the saying that tough times go down better with soup than without. (Horribly paraphrased but ya get the gist.)

Here's hoping for that perfect job that pays me billions an hour to sit and read whatever I want, maybe say a few words on what I read, and offers great benefits that include dental. Until then, I'll settle for a more "regular" job. ;-D

Late Night Language Warning

So, after getting sucked into a random vortex of trying to find an acne treatment. . .

[Proactive wasn't effective after a few years so I switched to Skin ID. Skin ID was a total bust that did nothing and I wasn't impressed with customer service. I switched back to some Proactive I had left over and that's been working better than the Skin ID, but I need to decide if I want to go back to Proactive (with the reformulated) or try something else. I'm toying with the idea of Exposed Skin Care.]

. . . and reading all sorts of reviews and this and that and the other, I have come to the profound truth: acne, you're a bitch.

Timing

So I got a call for an interview! Yay! About 8ish hours away. Eeeehhhh. Right for when my sister is due to have her first child. Oh crap! But wait, it turns out there are basically three open positions and I'm one of under 30 people who are being called in for an interview. So how do you say no? Simple. You don't. You schedule and hope that the kid stays put until your interview is concluded.

I admit I hesitated. It's a looong way. It's a lot of toll, gas, and overnight accommodations to pay for. I got burned the last time I went to an interview for a similar job. My niece is scheduled to arrive. But it's a chance at a JOB. A job! Me having to hack it on my own. (scary) Me getting to have my own space, time, things, etc. (lovely!)


Aaaand, they already seem a lot nicer than the burn interview. Confirmation e-mail and everything!

Hair Woe

Ohhhhhhhh! :-( HAIR!!!!!!!!!!

Growing your hair out is a giant pain in the butt! I want long hair again (at least I thought I did for a while . . .) but now that I'm in that very looooong lasting in-between awkward stage I want to smack every woman I see with a cute short haircut.

I dream of long braids, ponytails, buns with the cutest hairsticks, and it being a bit less obvious if I didn't wash my hair the night before.

I dream of cute short hair that dries and washes quickly, is cute and fun, and easy to style.


Oh!

I have moments when I just want to shave it all off. I know my hair has grown in six months, but it seems like it hasn't done anything but get awkward.

Sadistic?

In the past five or so days I have bought a rose bush (Mae West) and two strawberry plants (Bubbles and Squeaks.) Yes. I named them. It's bad enough that by buying them and bringing them home with me I've pretty much issued a death sentence, but then I go and give them names. Names like 'Bubbles.' Am I some sadistic fiend who enjoys the destruction of plant life and have a need to make it more personal? OR Maybe the daffodils that came up (out of 50+ bulbs that I planted) have given me delusions of being a gardener?

A spot has been selected for Mae out in the yard. Bubbles and Squeaks have been put into containers.

Suspense reigns!

well

Apparently when you cut me off from my plans I go to an employment site and apply for some crazy things.

Great Shirt

http://shirt.woot.com/friends.aspx?k=18301


1st place in Derby #190: Magic, with 1102 votes!
In the Reckoning »
4th of 27

Nerds and magic, is there any sweeter pairing? Both dress oddly, both reference strange deities, both carry tiny keepsakes to link them with larger myths, and both quote strange texts from memory in a way that “mundanes” just can’t comprehend.

And when they gather in their places of power, like Stonehenge or Dragoncon, the regular folk feel… what is it, exactly? Is there a word for the dread in the pit of the stomach, that need to run back to a world of their own, the scary moment when they see a flash of light and cower before something they could never possibly understand?

Of course, this works both ways, too. It’s why the guys at the I.T. desk don’t go to boardroom meetings. Black robes and White robes, baby. Live and let live.

Wear this shirt: in the bus with your high school debate team.

Don’t wear this shirt: to your grandmother’s society tea party. She’s your grandmother, jerkface! Wear a collared shirt!

This shirt tells the world: “There’s a very high chance I can tell you exactly where they’ll be showing the midnight movie.”

We call this color: Asphalted Peanut. Sorry, we can’t tell you the entire joke. You might die.

Design Placement: Centered

I Don't Get It

Purex Fabric Softening Crystals.

I don't get it. I mean, they're saying how they're crystals and they last longer in the wash cycle. When I hear 'crystals' I think of sharp angles making pointy rough bits. I think exfoliation and scrubbing. In the harsher, taking away from the surface sense. So why would you want long lasting crystals in you laundry with your clothes? I mean what happened to gentle on your clothes and preserving your favorite shirt? Baby your laundry with Woolite and then throw some crystals in with it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJOzdLwvTHA#

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Okay maybe it's not the greatest to vent about your work hunting woes on a blog but I feel I'm being vague enough that I'm not naming names. I ran into some of this looking for summer work too so I don't think it's limited to "career" type employers. Dudes, show a little respect and common courtesy to the people who apply will you?

Applications. Okay, I get that not hearing from you at all means I'm not in the running. Still, if you can at least send a little something to say you got the material?

Interviews. Look, I had to take time out of my day for this too. Don't keep changing dates and times on me. Especially when you're the one who put forth the original date and time. Know how to give basic directions to where the interview is. We're not all locals. It's cool that you're trying to fill in some holes or gaps that you may feel need to be filled in. It's not cool when you try to make me feel like just plain scum. As far as I know, I'm not a horrible person. I'm far from being a saint. Now mad props for people who volunteer for the sole sake of helping others. Understanding for those who volunteer to have something to put on applications. But just because you've done volunteer work doesn't automatically mean you aren't selfish and or an asshole. Okay. Just because I never raised money for some group of underprivileged kids to go to some summer camp doesn't mean that I'm a classest (?) bitch who doesn't treat people with basic respect. I'm one of the people who gets a little annoyed when there is a big deal that a celebrity donated $10,000 to a charity. I mean good that the charity gets money (assuming it's a legit charity . . . but that's another vent) but that same celebrity spends more than that for a dress/ custom skin cream/ etc. big whop. Okay I got sidetracked but the point is, don't try to make me feel like scum or trick me into saying something so you can salve your conscience by claiming it was a bigoted remark.

And another about the interview. If you already have someone lined up for the job. Don't waste my time and yours. You're also wasting my money for car maintenance and gas. If you've already decided that I'm not a good candidate for the job, don't have me show up to an interview where you spend it telling me why I'm not fit for the job. You're not doing me a favor. You're enjoying a little power trip trying to make someone feel small so you can feel big.

Letting me know I didn't get the job. Eh, you basically know that if you get a letter then you didn't get the job. Don't even have to open it. But here's the thing. If you say that I'll hear from you by a certain time, I'm going to expect a call or email. Snail mailing something on the date you said I would hear from you by? Not cool man. When I call you because the date I was supposed to hear from you has come and gone and you screen out my calls? Not cool. Not cool at all. I'm just calling to ask about where things stand. If you picked someone else, well "them's the breaks." Just have the decency to pick up the phone and tell me. I'd like to ask you to offer some constructive criticism. That's how I learn. That's part of being decent. You didn't hire me but maybe you could help me out. Go ahead and point out that I should wear something more professional to an interview than cut off shorts, a tube top, flip flops, and a beer holder hat. (Not that I would, but as an example.) I mean after you went on about how I should be all helpful and kind to my fellows, maybe you could take three minutes to tell me where I can improve.


Making me think I got the job. Oh, and don't have me come in for an interview, tell me I have the job as soon as you schedule a drug test and then never have contact with me. Not cool. I could be turning down jobs because you told me I had this one. Own up to the mistake or change of circumstance and just call me (or at least take my call) and tell me that you can't/ won't hire me.

When I say I am looking for permanent employment not just once but multiple times, stop trying to get me to take short term jobs that will actually cost me a great deal of money.


Conclusion: My venting about some parts of the job hunting process from 2004 to today. It's just common decency. Don't lie to me. Don't weasel out of telling someone bad news. You're in a position to hire people, you should have enough decency/ deportment / maturity / ability / guts to be able to tell the people who didn't get the job that they didn't. If you're afraid they'll ask you why they didn't and you can't give a legitimate reason, well, that's your problem.

Daniel Craig in drag for International Women's Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIjiqeUx4fk

OOOooooOOOOooooo

Ug. Don't feel good. Stuffy but runny nose. Sinus pressure like crazy. Post nasal drip irritating my throat and making me feel like I'm choking in my sleep. General feel of big, heavy, stuffy head. Oh and a bit of a headache. Didn't even try to get on the treadmill today. Tired and can't breathe.

Had an interview today. I'm hoping I think it went better than I think it did. I just have no clue how to answer certain questions. And what do they mean when they use certain terms like "above and beyond"? I mean is it holding a door open or something more like an episode of Eureka?

Anyhoo. I got experience in interviewing and hopefully I'll improve.

Jobwise, I'd rather not have rotating shifts. It wasn't my favorite thing about the last job I had. I can deal though. I'm really trying for something that is more salary than piecework type. I want to know that by the end of the year, I'll have made x amount. I don't want to worry about whether I'll get enough little things to make the necessary amount to pay bills.

Eh, so I'm sickly feeling, learning how to interview, and picky. Yep. That's about it.

Vienna Teng Sang Cannonball!!!

So I went to the Vienna Teng concert in Annapolis last week. It was great! I LOVE hearing her perform live. The music is great and the bits between are always super entertaining. She and Alex Wong are really talented. They're great about encores too. They performed three more songs after the show "officially" ended.

My only real complaint about the concert is that we were sitting on a wall near a door and even when the door was closed, there was a great deal of noise from outside. It sounded like a loud kitchen.

Oh Vanity, You Make Me Laugh at Myself!

Okay, it's not a proud moment for me, but it's one of those moments I think a lot of people can relate to (or at the very least get a good laugh out of)!

So. I went to get take out dinner at restaurant. I had looked up the menu online and written down what I wanted to order. I wanted to order a fairly large amount of food. So, my order planned, I eventually made my way to the restaurant. (I took a few wrong turns of course!) Walked through the door and HELLLLOOOOO cute guy at the cash register taking orders! Dilemma. Who wants to look like a pig in front of someone cute? Okay. Ordering lots of food. Aha! I had it all on a list. Pretend you got sent on a food run by some friends! There we go. Ohohoh! And be prepared to fake a phone call if say, they're out of something or the order needs changing. Yes! Crisis averted.

And I'm willing to bet the guy couldn't pick me up out of a line-up two hours later.

Huh.

So I found out that I didn't get the job I interviewed for. The letter arrived today saying they had picked someone else. I knew as soon as I knew they were contacting me by letter instead of phone that I hadn't gotten it. Snail mail's for rejection, phones are for call backs. Anyhoo. I don't know if it's taking a while to sink in, if I just didn't think I'd get it or what, but I find myself a bit ambivalent. I mean I really wanted the job, but I'm not going into deep depression and looking for a cliff to jump off of. I am being eaten alive by curiosity about who DID get the position. More experienced? What? You know some people you don't mind being beaten by and some you do? Eh. I'll just try to put more effort into finding things to apply to and hope for the other interview to pan out.

Blech Weather

Why's the weather all gloomy? Spring's supposed to be cheerful and full of regrowth and such. But it seems like there's an awful lot of dreary, rainy, damp, icky days. The new growth, warmth, etc. doesn't hit until the veeeeery end. Like June.

I Can SO Picture Miss Susan Singing This to the Kids

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-4e0sazlQY

What I Learned Today

There are some super crazy cute / cool shoes in the steampunk category!

Funnies from Ruminations.com

From ruminations.com

"Wait, you think Call of Duty is too violent? Mom, last time I checked you were the one that handed me a bat on my 4th birthday and told me that if I brutally slaughtered that piñata I would get rewarded. "


"Why can't I buy movie theater style butter flavoring at my grocery store? Probably, it's because it's worse for you than drinking straight brake fluid, and consuming it on consecutive days will kill you. But seriously, I want some for my popcorn. "


"Sometimes when I'm driving alone at night and there are no other cars on the road with me, I turn my headlights off to see what it would be like if we didn't have them."

"Wouldn't building a city on rock 'n' roll be a violation of multiple municipal building codes? "

"There are couch naps and bed naps. Bed naps are serious. "

"Pandora tells me what music I like, Netflix tells me what movies I like.. Refrigerator: Why are you such a slacker?! "

"Pandora needs a "Yeah, I like it, but I'm not really in the mood for it right now" button. "

"Got pulled over in a cab over the weekend. He was arrested for DUI. Just when I thought I was being responsible, the irony began. "

Vibrating

Got a call back from a place applied to. INTERVIEW! I was a bit discombobulated and had to call back about an hour later to set things up. In my defense, the interview is far far away and not a quick drive down the road.

So trying to research for that and another phone call. Another interview!!!! This one closer (and probably waay lower paying).

Freaking out. What do I wear? What do I say? How do I figure out when I can start if I have to move? How on earth will I find a place? Is my hair okay? How can I avoid seeming like a total spaz? Etc. Etc.

Bambi Had it Coming

So I'm outside with Xena. I see this herd of deer near the house. I start yelling at them (well, what yelling I'm currently capable of) and for the longest time they barely even look at me. I'm trying to shoo them and they don't even budge. I question the difficulty of hunting deer when I can't manage to scare some off while yelling and waving like an idiot.

Please?

Okay, so I've never lied about it. In fact, I usually come right out and say it. I am a high-maintenance and high-strung person. In keeping with the whole high-maintenance thing, I'm at times a little needy/ curious. So. Is anyone reading this? Anyone keeping up with this? Anyone want to share constructive criticism? Anyone just wanna say howdy? And I don't mean you stupid heads who sneak in links to porn sites and such in your comments. You will be dealt with.

Ta.

Relationship

So first I was flirting with Contagion. A little scratchiness in the throat maybe a teeny bit of coughing.

Then before I knew it, Contagion had a toothbrush and a its own drawer at my place. Definitely sore throat, hacking cough, sinus pain/pressure, and a bit of an ache in my right ear. I knew for sure that the relationship wouldn't work out when I starting running a temperature. (100.00 to be precise)

Now we're in the final stages of splitting up. Toothbrush out. Drawer now filled in again with my things. We still have a little contact with each other, but as the days go by it's less and less.

Frustration

So you go over something with someone (very carefully might I add) and then the next thing you know they're saying you never said this and certainly said that. *sigh* Always finalize any agreements made in writing and have both parties sign. Even if it's just what is for dinner next Tuesday.

Ouch!

So the other day my mother and I were talking. Anyway, somehow it came out that when she was pregnant with my sister she only weighed about five more pounds than what I weigh right now. That hurts. It hurts even more coming after finally getting a bit more together and exercising a bit more for about a month without losing a single pound. Depressing.

The. Hunt. Is. ON!

I am now desperately hunting Vienna Teng: Live At Bend Studio. It has her cover version of Cannonball. I. LOVE. That. Cover. (I actually like the cover better than the original.) Anyway, it's out of stock on amazon and the few times I've found a lead, it links to amazon. So . . .

Anyone wanna help?

wages

Okay, so you expect entry level to get paid less than those with experience. But think about it. Entry level you're probably just out of school/training. You have student loans and let's face it the higher you go, the higher the debt. You need a certain minimum wage. There's food, rent, utilities, various insurances, transportation, etc. And you just might be out all alone for the first time. It seems like at the time you need to make more money is when you make less. Now, I understand why entry level is paid less and I don't blame employers for rolling like that. It's just one of those situations where how life works just kinda sucks.

Venting.

New Season My Foot

If it really was a new season, there would be new episodes every week not every other week. Get it together people!

random gripe

And another thing:

You're applying for jobs so there's a chance that you don't have a job and therefor have no income. Yet you're supposed to buy the expensive stationary to send your resumes etc in on. And postage keeps going up. :-P

not encouraging

Why should I try to get up at a decent hour (aka before 3 pm)? It's kinda starting that if I get up at a decent times bad things happen. This is not encouraging me to get up at a respectable time.

?

Why are some appointments just so much harder to make than others? I don't even mean the difficulty in getting to speak to a person and getting a date set, I mean just working yourself up to make the phone call.

Call me picky but . . .

Okay, maybe I'm picky but I want a job. The way I loosely define a job is that I come in and do something for you and then you give me money. I'm cool if you hold back the first two weeks pay. If I quit after working for you for three weeks, I get three weeks pay in the end. I don't get the "advance payment/ commission" thing. I work for you three weeks and I owe YOU money?!?!?! Ummm, I'll pass on that thank you.

Sketchy?

We want you to work for us! We want go-getters, dependable people, sunshine and rainbows etc. New office in your area so you don't have to relocate. Are you interested? *Attempts to make an appointment with me. (which BTW in a Looong drive)* (I try to ask what I think are some pertinent questions to determine whether I'm interested.) The person will answer those questions during the presentation. Uh-huh.

Sketchy or just business practices of today?

. . .

Blah.

Cold and rainy.

Blah.

Job hunting.

Blah.
(Hey, shouldn't y'all be looking for cheaper entry level people instead of the more expensive experienced people?)

Having a reversed sleep schedule.

Blah.

Just blah.