I'm not doing the Sunday Stealing this week cuz' it was all about hate. There are few things I truly hate and many things I really really really don't like. Maybe if the meme was about that, I'd do it. :)
I've been MIA for a couple days because I've just been so gosh darned busy with work and crafts! My first craft show is this Saturday and I've been focusing on getting things done for that. There is still much to do. I had said before that I had hoped to have some pics for you this weekend. Well, I do have progress pics but for reasons I'd rather not discuss, I don't want to show those. They're great pics but I'd rather wait and show you the finished product. As of this minute, I hope to have finished pics of the picture frames posted here on Tuesday and finished pics of the bookmarks on Friday.
So since I'm not giving you those pics, here are a couple other ones. Enjoy!
Before:
Don't you just love the smell of ripe peaches?
After:
Peaches with honey and pumpkin pie spice on top of a spongecake. Yum!
I had a couple deliveries tonight at work that were worthy of a blog post. We have a "richy-rich" neighborhood in the city I live in. It's right on the water and there are huge houses everywhere with amazing views. Tonight, I had a delivery to one of those houses. I pulled into their cobblestone wrap-around driveway and walked up the stairs to their door. Before I ran the bell, I noticed that there was a video camera. Wow. I've never been to a house with a surveillance system. When the lady opened the door, she was incredibly nice and invited me in. I stood there while she went to get the money and took in all of the fancy decor and huge windows that showed an amazing waterfront view. I wouldn't ever want a big house but I definitely wouldn't complain about that view. Gorgeous!
Another interesting delivery was also out towards the water. As I was driving out there, I looked at their order ticket and the address remarks gave a dock number. Huh? Sure enough, I ended up in the marina with boats galore and drove around until I found the right dock number. When I got out, I had no idea where to go because I didn't see numbers by the slips. A lady came out of the clubhouse and asked if I had a delivery for her. Whew, that always makes it easier when someone flags me down. I followed her down the dock past a long line of boats until I got to hers. I've never delivered to a boat before! Another amazing view, of course.
Hope you enjoyed the peek into part of my work life. : )
I don't normally do two posts in one day but I had to separate out the topics a bit so here ya' go.
The restaurant business is dirty. Not only physically but mentally as well. For those of you who have been following my blog for a bit, you know that I now work part-time at a pizza place. I worked for the same chain about eight years ago so I knew what I was getting into and was kinda' looking forward to it. Gone are my corporate days of dressing up, minding my P's and Q's and behaving like a proper minion. Now I have a uniform to wear and I only have to watch my behavior around the customers.
I don't smoke myself but almost everyone else that I work with smokes something, if ya' know what I mean. Most people have a foul mouth, including myself. I don't drop the F-Bomb for the most part but a resounding Son-of-a-Bizotch and the occasional Damn-it has rolled off my tongue more than once while cleaning up. We have a sprayer in the back to clean off pans and whatnot and it's so pressurized that you're bound to get pizza sauce or something sprayed up in your face at some point.
Everything sounds dirty too. For example:
-Just one pump of oil and then swirl it around. -Careful not to squirt it at me. -Hot pans coming through. -I got sauce everywhere. -Who spilled the oil? -I need more sausage. -Just poke it and see if it's done. -How many sticks would you like? -That one gets extra sauce. -Make that a meat lovers.
Okay, you get the picture. Some of those may not sound dirty at first but when you're in the gutter already, it's all dirty. Even the subject line of this post sounds a bit dirty to me.
It doesn't help that I'm working with flirty boys either. Apparently it's the uniform because I went to Taco Bell after work one night and the drive through guy commented on my uniform and asked which store I worked at. I told him and then when he brought my order, he said, "I gave you an extra guacamole just to say peace." and then he threw up the peace sign. Hilarious yet bizarre! Peace?
I saw a commercial on TV the other night for Johnsonville. Guess what their new slogan is?
Sausage is all we do.
I so need to get a t-shirt that says that! I actually emailed the company to see if they sell t-shirts like that. : )
Heads up that this is going to be an uber long post! But it should be entertaining so stick around. : )
I spent some time today in craft stores checking out materials for the craft show I want to do with my cousin next month that I talked about here. The bad news is that my initial plan has fallen apart. I was thinking about doing mosaic pots and cloth baskets. If I were to do the pots, I would need to put a higher price on them than I was originally thinking due to the cost of materials. I find that craft shows are like garage sales. Meaning that you can't get decent prices on the things you sell at them. The cloth baskets aren't looking very good right now because I can't seem to find the right material and if they don't sell, I don't want a bunch of baskets sitting around that are in fabrics that I normally wouldn't choose. I have to make something that appeals to the "normals" yet is still something I would like, in case it doesn't sell very well.
After wandering around for awhile, I came up with multiple ideas but all seemed to be too costly or time intensive for a craft show. They may be ideas that I could use if I ever start an online business though. So I'm sort of back to square one. I'm good at cross-stitch and can whip out a bunch of small ones in time for the craft show next month but I don't know if they will sell in these economic times. I have thought of an idea but it's something I've never done before and I could completely suck at it. If it works, I think I would make some good money on it. Here's a hint. : )
In one of my posts, I talked about how my new job had me scheduled as the only driver on Tuesday night and I was kinda' nervous. We ended up having a church come in and do a fundraiser that night and our dining room was crazy busy. Thank goodness I didn't have to deal with that! But because of it, there were tons and tons of dishes to be done, which I did have to deal with. Plus we had corporate coming to our store the next day so extra cleaning had to get done that we normally don't do (lights, oven, etc). The night manager ended up letting a cook stay on until close and they called in someone else just to do dishes. He worked on dishes for 3 hours straight if that gives you an idea of how many dishes we had to do. The night manager was really cool and helped me with prep so the night ended up going fairly well and we were out of there around midnight (we closed at 11).
Now you may be wondering what this "Draceneaology" is all about, hmm? Well my buddy Eve borrowed a meme from my buddy Diane where you post your name followed by "ology" and answer the below questions. Here are my answers!
***********FOODOLOGY***************
What is your salad dressing of choice?
ranch
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
I haven't eaten in a restaurant in years due to my sensitive tummy but I like most restaurant food to-go. Today I had Chinese. Yum!
What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
I haven't had it in forever but I'm gonna' go with grilled cheese sandwiches!
What are your pizza toppings of choice?
Ham, mushrooms and extra cheese.
What do you like to put on your toast?
Jelly and real butter. I have this fantastic rhubarb jelly right now.
***********TECHNOLOGY***************
How many televisions are in your house?
Two...one in the living room and one in the bedroom. Although I only use the one in the bedroom a few times a year.
What color cell phone do you have?
Black and it lights up blue when I get a call/message.
Do you have an Ipod?
Nope...don't see the point.
***************BIOLOGY******************
Are you right-handed or left-handed?
Left! I think that means I'm a Southpaw or something? I'm ambidextrous with a lot of things though so you wouldn't necessarily know I'm a lefty unless you saw me writing.
Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
Hmm...tonsils and a suspicious freckle.
What is the last heavy item you lifted?
Stacks of pans filled with dough...yesterday. I have a beautiful bruise on one of my arms from all the dough stacks I've been carrying. That'll tell you how heavy they are.
Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
Hmm...I'm gonna' go with "no" on this one cuz' I think they mean literally being knocked out.
************BULLCRAPOLOGY**************
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
Yes, please!
If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Oooh...Dark Mistress Of The Night. Has a nice ring, yes?
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
Hells no! What's wrong with you?
************DUMBOLOGY******************
How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
Zero! I'm goth for goth's sake.
Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
Hmm...a couple years ago at some holiday gathering? (My uncle is a cop.)
I'm a good girl, people, I don't break any laws EVER. Didn't believe that? Yeah, me neither. I'm just really good at not getting caught.
Last person you talked to?
My cousin.
Last person you hugged?
Vampire Kitini. Yes, he IS a person. Seriously, you don't want to argue this point.
**************FAVORITE-OLOGY****************
Season?
It's a toss-up between spring and fall.
Holiday?
Halloween...duh. Do you read this blog ever? hee hee
Day of the week?
I used to say any day that I didn't work but now that I have a fun job, I'm gonna' go with any day that I don't have to get up early for work. Sleeping is one of my favorite hobbies.
Month?
October
***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************
Missing someone?
Not especially.
Mood?
creative
What are you listening to?
Cradle of Filth
Watching?
Like Eve said in her answers, I'm watching my screen.
Worrying about?
Not making enough $$ at the new job. I hate bills!
I should say "no" to keep up my gothiness so "no".
Sleeping Alone Tonight?
Nope! I'll have Vampire Kitini and a giant teddy bear and really that's all I need cuz' boys smell and have cooties.
***************OTHER-OLOGY*****************
Do you always answer your phone?
nope
Its four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it?
Depends on the night. Most nights I would really wonder. If it's a bar night, it's probably a friend wondering if I made it home okay. The bar nights have been few and far between lately though. Drinking is expensive!
If you could change your eye color what would it be?
Black...all black. I bought special contacts for that but they hurt my eyeballs so much I can't wear them. : ( BIG waste of $$.
What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic?
I haven't been to a Sonic since I lived in Ohio and don't remember adding any flavors. Lime comes to mind though now that I think about it.
Do you own a digital camera?
Yep and if you ask Diane, myself or anyone that's seen the pictures, I need a new one!
Have you ever had a pet fish?
A few. Gordo was the last one. He hung on for quite awhile. Even tried to commit suicide once. I got out of the shower and he was laying on the blanket next to the tank. He was a shimmery gray color when I got in the shower and he was dried and black when I got out. I thought he was dead so I went to scoop him up and he started moving! I put him back in the tank and he hung on for another few years. Never regained his original color though. True story.
Yes, but you really don't want to see them. Although I haven't tried since I've been lifting all that dough. I bet they look awesome now!
Can you do a chin up?
Not sure? I don't have anything around the house that I could practice on.
Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
excited
Do you have any saved texts?
Yep but not intentionally. My phone saves them all until I delete them and I just don't make that kind of effort when it comes to phone organization. That's my assistant's job. hee hee
Ever been in a car wreck?
Unfortunately.
Do you have an accent?
When I lived in Ohio, they said I did. I'm pretty sure that's from when I lived up north. Say ya' to da' U.P., eh? ha ha (Insider Michigan joke.)
What is the last song to make you cry?
Can't think of the last one. It's been awhile.
Plans tonight?
Catching up on emails/blogs. I've had a couple of crazy busy days.
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
yep
Name 3 things you bought yesterday.
Let's see...a lighter for a co-worker, Taco Bell and that's it!
Have you ever been given roses?
A long long time ago in a galaxy far away. They sure were purty though.
Current worry?
Wondering what I'm going to do about next month's craft show.
Current hate right now?
Bills! I'm stuck because I can't get out of my mortgage or my car lease.
Met someone who changed your life?
yep
How will you bring in the New Year?
That's too far away to think about.
What song represents you?
I'm a mutt of multiple songs, like anyone is, but this one is pretty accurate. Plus I found a video of it set to Underworld. Even better!
Name three people who might complete this?
I have no idea!
Would you go back in time if you were given the chance?
It would depend on when and where I'd end up.
Have you ever dated someone longer than a year?
yep
Do you have any tattoos/piercings?
yep
Will you be in a relationship 4 months from now?
Time will tell. As of now, I'd say "no" because I have hang-ups about relationships but you never know when the right one will come along, or so they say.
Does anyone love you?
I think so. It's hard to tell if people mean the words.
Would you be a pirate?
Ahoy, matey!
What songs do you sing in the shower?
I typically don't sing in the shower but occasionally I'll belt out whatever happens to be stuck in my head.
Ever had someone sing to you?
yep
When did you last cry?
A couple months ago when I left a job that I had been at for eight years. I cried because of how horribly I was treated.
Do you like to cuddle?
The last time I cuddled, I enjoyed it but I'm not normally a cuddly type of person. As a friend once said, I'm like a cantaloupe. I have a rough exterior but I'm sweet on the inside.
Have you held hands with anyone today?
nope
Who was the last person you took a picture of?
I have no idea. Does Vampire Kitini count? Most of the time I'm taking pics of my surroundings.
What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
oldie's
Do you believe in staying close with your ex's/prospects?
Not usually. They are ex's for a reason.
Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
Brand new and shiny with fully poseable arms!
Do you like pulpy orange juice?
nope
What is something your friends make fun of you for?
My oddness. But then they're really not friends, are they?
I'm going to go with the highest one...my mortgage. Ugh!
2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?
Florentine's (an Italian place)
3. How many colleges did you attend?
Does a technical school count? If so, one.
4. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?
I'm in my PJ's so there really was no thought process.
5. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
I didn't set an alarm. I don't have to work until 6ish tonight. My first thought waking up was trying to remember what I had to do today.
6. Last thought before going to sleep last night?
I was thinking about how that was the first night in a long time that I went to bed before 2 am. :)
7. What do you miss about being a child?
I miss what I'm sure a lot of people miss...not having the worries/responsibilities that I do now.
8. What errand/chore do you despise?
Vacuuming. My cat and I shed a lot of hair and after I'm done vacuuming, I always have to cut the hair out of the bristles. Pain in my arse.
9. Have you found real love yet?
I'm gonna' say no on this one. I've been in love and had others say they love me but I've never had the "head over heels, I would die for you" type of love.
10. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart?
I only go through the living hell that is Walmart for one thing...contact lenses.
11. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?
I have so many thoughts when it comes to the topic of marriage but the short answer is no.
12. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
Gotta' go with Tim Burton on this one. Although it would be him eating and me just watching and babbling away.
13. Ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose?
No, thank goodness.
14. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?
It's a tie between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.
15. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship?
career
16. Do you have a “go to” person?
Nope...I'm pretty self-reliant.
17. Are you where you want to be in life?
Location wise, not so much. Other than that, I'm okay.
18. Over the years, what about you do you think has changed the most?
I don't trust people nearly as much. Sometimes that's a good thing though.
19. Looking back at high school were they the best years of your life?
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.
20. Are there times you still feel like a kid?
Every day!
21. Where was the hang out spot when you were a teenager?
As a younger teenager, it was the rollerskating hall. Later on it was different people's houses.
22. Who do you think impacted your life the most?
I like to call him Jackass.
23. Was there a teacher or authority figure that stood out for you?
Not really.
24. Do you tell stories that start with “when I was your age”?
No way. I ain't that old!
25. What is the scariest thing that has happened to you as an adult?
Probably the time that I was working at a gas station and had a situation where I needed the cops and our panic button was broken.
26. What advice would you give to someone about to get married?
Don't do it! ha ha In all honesty, I probably wouldn't say anything. Just because marriage doesn't appeal to me, doesn't mean that it isn't right for someone else. As I said in question #11, I have many thoughts about this topic.
27. What advice would you give someone starting their first job?
Keep to yourself, while staying friendly, and do your best.
28. If you could go back and change one thing you did, what would it be?
Nothing. There are times that I wonder what would have happened if I had done things differently but the past is the past and whatever you did, gave the outcome you have today and there are always lessons to be learned.
29. If you could go back and change one thing someone else did, what would it be?
Nothing. See answer for above. Even though there are a lot of things that people have done that hurt me, I've learned things from that.
Sorry I haven't been around for a couple days. The new job has been cutting into my blogging time. Darn that need for a paycheck! Apparently I'm doing good at work because they've got me as the only driver next Tuesday night (I think it's Tuesday). Plus it will be just me and a manager for the last few hours of the night. I really hope I don't screw anything up! The driving thing I've got down cuz' I did it before and it wasn't that hard to figure out everything again. The rest of it is all new to me though and there's A LOT to remember. Oh well, I'll just smile and pretend like I know what I'm doing. : )
Okay first things first. That's a funny thing to say isn't it? Of course first things are first. What was I saying? Oh yes, my good blogging friend, Eve, has given me an award!
It's called the "BFF Award", in which BFF stands for Blogging Friends Forever. The rules are to give this award to 3-7 people who you would like to be blogging friends forever with and you need to give a little info on why the award was given to each person. Of course you will want to link to their blog so other people can see their pages and the evidence of their coolness. : ) To see all the wonderful things Eve said about me and her other friends, go here.
I'd like to bestow this award on:
Eve @For The Love of Goth This is one cool chick. We've been friends for a few months now on the blogs and via email. She was the first online person that I communicated with through postal mail. It was so exciting to get something in the mail from her and to see the handwriting of the person you "talk" to online all the time. She's a very thoughtful and sweet gal and I know we'd have a blast talking about goth stuff if we ever hung out in real life. She's in my state so you never know! If you want to check out a artsy gothy girl, check out her page(s).
Diane @Good Mourning, Glory! Gosh Diane, how long have we been talking? I think I first came across your blog through Eve's. When I saw all your funerary stuff, I suspected we'd get along just fine. :) My suspicions were confirmed when I started following your blog(s) and saw all of your different facets. We definitely have a lot of shared interests. You have such a kind and beautiful soul. I'm sure we'll cross paths in real life someday cuz' you're in my state too! Seriously, what are the odds that both you and Eve live in the same state I do!
Chris @Frog on the Pumpkin While I don't have the same friendship with Chris that I do with Eve and Diane, she is someone that I really think kicks arse. She has a great writing style and is always sharing new and interesting things about our love of Halloween related things year-round. She's someone who I would love to meet someday and I think we'd have a wonderful time sipping our drinks and talking about spooky topics or visiting haunts. :)
I went into work at 2:00 pm today to go through orientation. There was another girl going through the same thing but she's going to be a server (I'm going to be a delivery driver/cook). After an hour of filling out paperwork and going over even more paperwork, we were given our uniforms (a shirt and a hat for me). We decided to go try our shirts on to see if they fit and she led the way to the bathroom. We walk in and she starts taking off her shirt. I didn't know there weren't any stalls and once you're in the bathroom, that's it. Awkward! Apparently she isn't shy about stripping in front of strangers so I decided to pretend I wasn't either and changed as well. Very bizarre.
By the time we got out of the bathroom and finished filling out papers, it was 4:00 pm. The employee who was going over everything with us told us that the new server would start tomorrow night but that I was starting tonight. No biggie. I knew that I was probably going to work for a bit tonight. A couple hours went by and then I found out I was working through close. Okay...that's a bit longer than I planned. I got home at midnight!
I haven't been on my feet for that many hours straight in EIGHT YEARS! I've been in cushy corporate jobs. Tonight, I had on brand new shoes and they were too tight on the back of my heels. By the end of the night, I was waddling everywhere just trying not to put too much pressure on my heels. I got home tonight and sure enough my shoes had bit into my heels so bad that they were bleeding! I have no idea when I'm supposed to work next so I have to call over there tomorrow. I did have a ton of fun tonight but I'm kinda' hoping that they don't want me to come in tomorrow cuz' I can't walk!
In summary, today was a very interesting day. I had a ton of fun! I even got a chunk of tips even though I wasn't driving. I had forgotten how different the restaurant business is compared to the corporate world. You can say naughty words! ha ha Couple downfalls: I'll be getting a ton of second-hand smoke cuz' pretty much everyone lights up quite frequently. There are no "breaks". You don't sit down for a break ever. I had a sandwich for brunch before I went in and had brought a banana for later just in case I was working longer. I never even got to eat my banana. I was starving when I left work. This could work to my advantage though. I don't get to eat and I'm moving around all the time and lifting heavy stuff. hee hee
So my birthday yesterday ended up being crazy busy just running errands. I had to get new shoes, pants, and socks for my new job, which I start in about an hour. Yay! Just trying to find the right shoes was a chore because everyone has tons of sandals this time of year. I finally found the right pair at Payless but they didn't have it in my size so I had to travel to the nearest store that had them, which was 30 miles away. It's super hard finding pants for me too because I'm tall and pants that are too short just look silly. I finally had success finding pants too but they were pricey. $55 a pair! Eh, if they fit right, they fit right and I justify the cost that way. Plus I got sweet coupons at that store so it's all good.
While I was out and about, I ended up at a mall that had a Hot Topic so I just had to stop in and see what they had. I ended up buying a Cradle of Filth CD, a Combichrist CD and a Skelanimal necklace (pic below). Had to treat myself, ya' know. When I went to check out, the necklace ended up being only $5 so that was a sweet deal. It was originally $10.
I was at the drive through at Arby's today getting brunch and as I pulled around the corner after ordering, I saw a bunch of smoke in the air. I saw a couple guys across the way that looked like they may have been in construction so I figured it was asphalt dust or something in the air. When I got closer, I saw flames and realized that a car was on fire! Maybe I've seen too many movies or TV but all I could think about was the car exploding and me along with it. No one was behind me in line so I backed up and went to the other side of Arby's and went in for my order. Everyone was watching the car outside. If I had a way to get pictures off of my phone, I would have taken pics for ya'. It looked like it was an engine fire because the whole front end of the car was flaming and melting. Finally the fire department showed up and put it out before the fire spread to the gas tank. The driver of the car was okay.
Alright people, I'm off to check some blogs and then get ready for work. Have a wonderful day, everyone!
I had my interview a couple hours ago and I got the job! I start on Monday. It's not full-time but that's okay for now. I'm so excited! I worked for this company about eight years ago and loved it. I worked with great people and the job was fun. The only reason I left was because I was working another job at the same time and they were offering me full-time with a good benefit package.
So what is this new job? I'll be a delivery driver/cook at a pizza place. Yes, I know that I'm a year away from turning 30 and working at a pizza place is typically a high school job. Guess what? I don't care! I'll get to cruise around in my car listening to music and when I'm at the store, I'll be a cook, which is a ton of fun.
The people that I've met so far are pretty awesome and my boss is great too. The boss I had when I used to work there still works for the company at a different store and my current boss called her to see if I should be hired and she said no cuz' she wanted me back. ha ha I didn't even think she'd remember me! During my interview today, I was asked if I would consider being in management. I take that as a compliment that they are right away thinking of that for me. Yay me! I know, I'm a nerd.
I've got good news and bad news. Ugh. I like to get the bad news out of the way so here goes.
I had, what I considered, a good friend at my old job. We would go out for lunch, take breaks together, talk about stuff that was going on in our personal life, etc. She came over to my house once and I was invited to hers but I ended up canceling due to the awful winters we get here and the bad driving conditions it causes. Then we both got busy and I never ended up visiting her house. We were out shopping on our lunch one day and there was a CD that she was looking for but the store didn't have it. Her birthday was coming up so I scoured the stores around town, found it and bought it for her. We had funny nicknames for each other and everything. We were FRIENDS. When I left my last job, I had called her to let her know (it was her day off). She said that we'd keep in touch and that she felt bad for what happened to me. (I've posted in the past about the crap that went on there.)
I didn't hear from her for about a week so I emailed her to ask what was new. She emailed back and everything seemed okay. After I responded to that email, it took three days to hear back from her. That was my first clue that something was up. At the old job, you were in your email all day so I knew that she had gotten my email and just chosen not to respond. This past Monday, I sent her an email wanting to know what was going on. Finally today, she responded saying that our communications felt forced and that the main thing we had in common was working together. Wow. That completely stunned me. I emailed her back and said that if we were just co-workers, we wouldn't have been hanging out, I wouldn't have bought her a birthday gift, I wouldn't have had her come over, she wouldn't have told me that I was one of her best friends, etc. I told her that she wasn't sounding like the friend I had and that it made me sad and a little angry that our whole friendship was a fraud. I doubt I'll hear from her again but at least I got to the bottom of what was going on and was able to say the things I needed to say.
Now for the good news! I have an interview on Friday afternoon for the job I mentioned here. I really hope this one works out because working there would be so much fun it wouldn't feel like I'm working. That's the best type of job!
Eve over at Through Eve's Looking-Glass has a photo game called In "Other" Words where you post a picture of something that you found interesting/amusing/unique. She prefers that you take the picture and then explain it or say what it means to you. My picture below is part of my living room. I love decorating my home with unique things. When I moved in, there were nails already in the wall that were in the perfect location for my spider web. Sometimes my decorating style can be a bit spooky but I feel right at home. : )
If you want to participate, please visit Eve's blog here and add your info to Mr. Linky.
First Job: The first paid gig I had was babysitting. The first job where I got taxes taken out was when I worked for a greenhouse.
First Real Job: I guess the first real job would be the one where you got health benefits and what-not so that'd have to be when I started working at a bank.
First Favorite Politician: I really don't like politics because of all the negativity but I did start paying attention to them when Bush was on his way out the door and Obama was coming in so I guess my first favorite politician is Obama.
First Car: A burgundy Bonneville that required frequent stops so that I could put water and antifreeze in to stop it from overheating and you had to literally kick the gas pedal if the car hadn't been run in a couple hours cuz' it would stick. Lovely! I've had new cars ever since then.
First Record/CD: For some reason, I really didn't want to move on from tapes to CD's so the first CD I ever got was Nimrod by Green Day.
First Sport Played: basketball
First Concert: MXPX I was pretty much in love with their stuff and they played locally a lot. Go punk rawk!
First Foreign Country Visited: I've never visited a foreign country. Someday though.
First Favorite TV Show:MacGyver I was so in love with Richard Dean Anderson. Still kinda' am. : ) I swear that man knows the secret to the fountain of youth.
First Favorite Actor: See above.
First Favorite Actress: I don't remember really being impressed with a female actress until recently. I'd have to go with a tie between Amanda Tapping and Rachel Luttrell from the Stargate series.
First Girlfriend/Boyfriend: The first "real" one was Fred.
First Encounter with a Famous Person: I've never met a celebrity but I met one of our news people one time. Does that count?
First Brush With Death: Probably the accident that happened when a guy ran a red light and hit the side of my car. My car got spun around a couple times and I ended up facing the wrong way on the street.
First House/Condo Owned: The one I live in now. Bought it a year ago.
First Favorite Radio Station: WSNX formerly known as Sunny FM. They were mostly pop and R&B. I've gone through many different musical tastes. Now, I like anything but country and jazz.
First Book I Remember Reading: Probably those silly Dick and Jane books.
First Meme You Answered on Your Blog: Sunday Stealing!
Well, I didn't get the job. It would have been nice because the starting pay was good, it was in a field that I'm used to and the benefits were good. But...I would have been spending a lot on gas money due to the commute, the job would have entailed dealing with upset and mean people all day and it was in banking, which I would like to get out of considering this economy. So all in all, it's okay.
Last week, I was picking up something at a shop and the girl at the register and I started talking. Another employee came up and during our conversation, it came out that I used to work at that employer but in another location. They asked what I did there and when I told them, they said that they were hiring and that I was exactly what they're looking for. That was interesting to me because I had been in there not long ago and was told they weren't hiring. Apparently they were but were looking for certain people. I guess my conversation with them was enough to get the ball rolling. I came back the next day and dropped off my app and resume. The employee that I had talked to previously was there and said that she was going to get her manager because she wanted me to meet her. The manager told me that she would run my info, check my record, etc and get back with me in a couple days. I'm really hoping to hear something Monday. I loved working for that company and the people at the shop are super friendly, which is great. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one!
Last night I posted some cool toys and said I'd be back with more today. The detail and emotion that artists can portray on these dolls is pretty amazing. The below pics are from Pipos, a doll shop. I'll be showing another doll maker's creations in a post tomorrow.
Diane over at Good Mourning, Glory! tagged me for a meme. Thanks, Diane! I'm starting to get hooked on these meme things. : )
What is your current obsession?
I had this same question on my Stealing Sunday meme so I'd say the same thing...reading, tea, and the occult. But I'm going to add crafting and Diablo to that.
I went to three different craft stores today looking for my Mother's Day project and settled on a cross-stitch pattern. I always make my mom something for Mother's Day. I better get started on it tomorrow if I want it done by then! I might even post a pic of the finished product. Mind you, it won't be gothy or anything cuz' it's for my mom. We are complete opposites!
I'm sure you've heard of Diablo before but I'm referring to the game. It's the best game EVER. They're going to come out with Diablo 3 and I cannot wait. Yes, I'm a gamer nerd. This is the version I've been playing a lot of since I no longer have the 9-5. : )
I guess the question was "obsession" singular but I just can't limit that to one thing!
What is your weirdest obsession?
Gosh I have a lot that could be considered weird. I guess all the occult/paranormal stuff that I'm interested in would be "weirdest", although it's not to me, obviously.
What are you wearing today?
Well now that it's almost midnight, I'm in my jammies, which consist of purple pj bottoms with stars on them and a blue t-shirt. Doesn't exactly match. : )
When I was out and about today, I wore a black sweatshirt hoodie and dark blue jeans with black shoes. It was a bit chilly around here.
Why is today special?
Thinking of things that happened today that don't normally happen, I would say that today was special because my brother and his girlfriend had their first ultrasound of their first kid together. OMG I'm going to be an aunt. I'm really not a fan of children but I'm happy for them. : ) I was told that if it's a girl, they're naming it after me. What can I say? I took care of my brother A LOT when we were growing up.
What would you like to learn to do?
I would love to learn how to play the piano and how to sew. I can cross-stitch and do embroidery like a mother f***er (AKA I'm really good) but I've never "sewn".
What is the last thing you bought?
I had a craving for nachos so I bought sour cream, shredded cheese, an avocado, and organic chips. I already had the salsa so when I got home, I just had to whip up the homemade guac and lunch was served. Delish!
What are you listening to right now?
What's your favorite weather?
I'd have to go with a storm on a day/night when the weather is in the 70's.
What's your most challenging goal right now?
It's the goal I always have...to constantly better myself.
What do you think about the person who tagged you?
I think she's awesome! I sense that she has a beautiful soul and that's hard to come by.
What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
Again I'm going to have to go with my Sunday Stealing answer. Naughty food...which basically means anything creamy, cheesy or buttery.
Favorite vacation spot?
I don't have a favorite go-to spot but if there is a body of water, I'm so there.
What would you like to have in your hands right now?
A buyer's agreement saying that they want to buy my condo!
What would you like to get rid of?
Family issues! Some days I just want to get in the witness protection program and run away.
If you could go anywhere in the in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
This one was tough cuz' it's only an hour. I'd have to say Dracula's castle.
Which language would you like to learn?
latin
What super power would you like to possess?
I would choose immortality because I think it would be so neat to see how the world changes over time, to see what we create.
What's your favorite thing about the city you live in?
My favorite thing is being so close to Lake Michigan. Tulip Time starts this weekend and it's going to be a mad house! People come from all over. People that don't know how to drive on our Michigan turn arounds. That part I'm not such a fan of. If you're going to be in town, let me know...I'll show ya' around!
What's your favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?
My soft fuzzy black zip-up sweater.
What's your dream job?
To work on a police force.
If you had $150 now what would you do with it?
Probably nothing because I have to watch my pennies due to the "no job" situation. If I was working, then I'd use the money to buy things off of my wish list.
Do you admire anyone's style?
No one in particular but I admire goth/industrial fashions.
Describe your personal style?
Basically anything black or blue. I'm one giant bruise. I wear a lot of comfy slip-on shirts. Not really a fan of buttons.
Who's fashion show would you want tickets to?
I can't think of anyone in particular. If Gothic Beauty magazine put on a fashion show, I'd be interested in seeing that.
Who's closet would you want to raid?
Geesh there are a lot of clothing questions. I'd raid anyone's closet that had goth/rivethead clothes.
What are you most proud of?
My ability to overcome emotional pain.
If you could choose one person who has passed to have lunch with, who would it be and why?
My great-grandpa because I think he had a secret life.
I've talked before about trying to find a job in this tough economy. It appears there may be a breakthrough! I got a call last Tuesday from a bank I had applied at a couple weeks ago. They set up a phone interview for Wednesday. During the interview I deviated from a couple of the questions a bit and felt like I was rambling but apparently I did okay because they set up a face to face interview for this morning.
It took me about 45 minutes to get there and when I showed up there were a few big buildings with multiple entrances. I finally found the right area to be, went in and told the guard who I was there to see and then proceeded to wait nervously in the lobby while appearing to be calm, cool and collected. : ) I interviewed with two guys and they did not ask the questions I thought they would. In fact, they asked one question that I've never been asked in an interview. The question was, "Have you ever gone out of your way to help a stranger?" I told them some things I did and then they asked why I did those things. I said that I did them because I would want someone to do that for me. Treat others as you want to be treated yourself. One interviewer looked at the other one and asked if he heard what I said. He said he did and that he was writing it down. Guess that was a good thing? At the end of the interview, I saw one of the guys write "Key" at the top of his note pages. I'm hoping that means that I'm a key contender? Now I'm playing the waiting game and hoping I hear something soon.
I've been meaning to call my grandparents on my dad's side for awhile now. I found out in February that they were getting divorced. They've been married for over 50 years! I knew that their divorce would be final by May 1st and I wanted to see the two of them together at their house before all of this was final. My Grandma called me Friday night from a new number and said that she had already moved out. She invited me over for Sunday dinner yesterday so I went. After we ate, she asked if I wanted to see Grandpa. I did, of course, so she told me to call him and ask him if it was okay that we came by. He didn't mind so her and I went over.
UPDATE 6/25/2009: I have removed the rest of this post due to blog content changes.
I'm feeling a little frustrated and figured I'd just let it all out here. Every single day for the past two weeks I have done something job related whether it be looking for a job or following up on a job application. A couple of the ads I responded to ended up being spam. A couple seemed like they could be legit so I emailed a couple questions to verify and never heard back so I have to assume they were spam.
One place called me on Monday and left a voicemail telling me that they were interested in having me come in for an interview. I called them back later that day and got voicemail. I called and left another voicemail on Tuesday. I still have not heard back.
The Humane Society job didn't work out. They see all of my banking experience and don't give me another look. The last time I applied for a job working with animals was when I was looking for a second job a few years ago and I had interviewed with PetSmart. They told me that I was overqualified. What?! So I get turned down for jobs because I'm overqualified? Crazy!
I've been scouring our local papers for work and either it's a field I have no experience in or they say you have to be bilingual. Personally, I think that's bullshit. I understand we have a lot of Spanish speaking people here in west Michigan (don't know why) but to say that it's a requirement that I have to speak Spanish is ridiculous. You're in fucking AMERICA! I don't go to other countries and expect them to speak my language and change all of their signage for me. Isn't saying that you have to be bilingual discrimination? I took two years Spanish in high school so I know the basics but not enough to be considered bilingual. Ugh, frustrating!
Anytime I go in to a store, I ask if they are hiring and no one is. I found out that one of our local fast food places is hiring and so I put my application in there on Wednesday. So far I haven't heard anything but I'm waiting until Monday before I follow up. I honestly don't care that I used to work in a fancy job that included business cards and paid travel and now I'll most likely be working in a fast food joint. Honestly the fast food job looks like it would be more fun! I'll probably hear crap from my family and friends but oh well. A job is a job.
It's scary that it's taking this long to find a job. I thought for sure I could find a job much quicker.
The realtor (Bev) and her husband (they're business partners) came by this past Thursday afternoon. They've seen most of the condos in our complex and they said they really liked how I had my furniture set up. Bonus points for creativity...yay! They said it was super clean and looked great but that it wouldn't sell quickly for the price I was asking because there is so much available on the market right now for a lower price. Unfortunately, if my asking price went any lower, I'd be in a short sale situation. My bank said they would only consider a short sale if my home was on the market for 4-6 months without an offer.
As the realtors and I were sitting down going over options, they commented again how nice the place looked. I said that I really tried to make it look good for any buyers that may come through and that I took down a lot of my decorations that most people wouldn't like. Bev asked what I meant and I said that I had a different decorating style. Like there was a big spiderweb on the wall in the living room and a headstone by the door. She about died laughing and said, "I had to ask." I didn't tell them what else I took down. Didn't want them to laugh too hard, ya' know. So needless to say, it would be pointless to list my home right now because even at the lowest price, there's still too much competition and I can't afford to pay a realtor unless it will sell.
I'll continue my job hunt this week and hopefully something will work. From what the realtor said, it looks like it will be 3 years before home values will start going up again.
I've been scouring Craigslist and online newspapers for job opportunities. I'm really hesitant about using Craigslist because of all the spammers out there but I emailed a few of the contacts yesterday anyway just to see. One company responded that the position was filled, which irked me a bit because they should have taken their ad down then. Another company was spam. Another company responded that they were still looking for an employee and I'm pretty excited because it's with the Humane Society. I've always wanted to work with animals and here's my chance. I went to Kinko's today to print out my resume and will be going to their office tomorrow to submit my application. I'm really hoping this works out for me. It's half the pay I was making at my last job and isn't full-time but the opportunity to work there would be priceless.
I updated my resume on Hot Jobs yesterday and when I logged into my email this afternoon, I had an email from a bank saying they saw my resume and wanted me to come in for an interview. (I've been in the financial industry for 8 years.) After doing some research, I found that there was a Web site for the bank and they did have an office in a neighboring city so I decided to call the number the person gave. When I called, she sounded legit and wanted me to come in for an informational interview tomorrow night at their office, which is about 40 minutes away. They were looking to hire full time but she didn't give me much information other than that, which I thought was strange. She said I would find out more tomorrow. I asked who I would be interviewing with and she gave me a couple names. After we hung up, I called the 800 number listed on the bank's Web site to see if I could track down those people to see if they were actual employees. They weren't listed in the directory at all and when I talked to someone at the company, they said they didn't have a directory to look up employees but that she could take my name and address and forward it to my local office for them to get back with me. That sounded fishy. I think I'm going to end up cancelling the interview because something just doesn't seem right. Plus the interview is at 6pm...a little strange for a bank.
While I was at Kinko's today, that realtor that I had called last week called me back. She and her husband (they are a team) are going to come by tomorrow at 3:30pm to check out my condo. She of course said that now is a hard time to sell and was wondering if I could get any relief from the latest stimulus package. I'm pretty sure I can't (cuz' I quit) but I'll check into it.
So tomorrow's going to be a big day...applying at the Humane Society and having a realtor come. Hopefully I'll hear good things! If I do land the job at the Humane Society or somewhere else that I really like, then I'll postpone my move down south, even if the condo sells. Lots to think about.
Two weeks ago I quit my job. I've got a little financial cushion and figured I'd get some little part-time job to cover some of my bills until I can sell my home. Well so far, the job hunt is not going well. I live in one of the states that has been hardest hit by these economic times but thought I could find some crap job somewhere. I really don't need to start panicking until the end of May but so far, it's not looking good.
Last Friday I called up the realtor that sold the home I'm currently in and left her a voicemail saying that I wanted to meet with her to discuss selling. I got a call from her assistant saying that she was out of town and would return my call on Wednesday (tomorrow). That was fine with me because I still had stuff to do around here before I wanted her to come over for an evaluation of the home.
I've done a total spring cleaning of the house, which included standing on a chair on my tippy toes to get to 5 year old dust. Achoo! I have a cathedral ceiling in the living room and I don't think the previous owner ever dusted it so when I finally got up there, the dust literally fell apart it was so old. Yuck. I actually wore a shower cap so I wouldn't get it in my hair. I looked hot! ha ha
I painted scuff marks that the previous owner left on the walls, filled in some dings in the wood window frames, cleaned windows, and bought a new shower curtain liner. I think I'm finally done. Now I don't want to touch anything. : )
I'm really antsy to have the realtor come tomorrow. I wonder what she'll say? Ideally my home would be sold by the end of this month so that I can move down south. The next best thing would be to have my home sold by the end of May. If it's not and I haven't found a job here, I'll be in panic mode.
If my dream does come true and I can sell by the end of this month, then I have a whole new set of obstacles. I'll need to get rid of 90% of my belongings and find a job and a place to live in another state. Wish me luck cuz' I'm going to need it!
At this point, I just want to be done with it and carried away like the piece that Alexander Jansson created titled Nocturnal Mysteries shown below.
I quit my job today. Yep, you heard (read) me right. I've been with this company for 8 years and even moved to another state while working for them. I started in a new position last fall and never got proper training. They would have me sit with people to learn some things and the rest I had to ask. Our auditors require that we have documented procedures but the auditors don't know that most of them are outdated. I knew, of course, because I tried to use them to train myself and found out they were inaccurate.
So what exactly led to my actions today? Mainly corporate drama. I had been relying on a couple co-workers to help me out when I had questions and I found out that one of them had been feeding me wrong answers on purpose and the other just wasn't listening to what I was asking. So I got in trouble for doing things wrong. When I explained that I had asked my co-workers for help, I was told that they weren't making these mistakes so basically it was my fault. Nice. In all the jobs I have ever had, this is the first where I got in trouble for mistakes. This is the first job where I've had multiple mistakes and even though the mistakes were being made because I was given incorrect information, my boss wouldn't even listen. She's buddies with the co-worker that was giving me wrong information on purpose so of course she sides with her and not me.
The whole thing reeks of BS. I had all I could stand so I put my documentation together to show that I wasn't making these mistakes on purpose or because I was guessing at how to do things. I met with Human Resources, told my side of the story, handed in my badge, and adios! It's sad that I had been with the company for so long and I don't have another job lined up. My health insurance is due to terminate next Tuesday. This economy is awful so I'm crossing my fingers that I can just find some part-time gig to get me by. My gut tells me that I made the right decision so it's all good. Things will work out in the end, I'm sure. Wish me luck!
Don't you just love the smell of ripe peaches?
Peaches with honey and pumpkin pie spice on top of a spongecake. Yum!
