In which our heroine provides an exhaustive update on life and love while unemployed.
Hello, long-overdue-post ahead. But it's a Friday night, the first I've had to myself in a while, and I'm typing this on a laptop from my couch (a first for me) and drinking a fuckton of "Jammy" wine (not necessarily a first for me). So, LAZY! But taking a break from hyper-organization and/or knitting.
Updates on ALL THE THINGS!
*JOB. I still don't have one. I am taking on cat-sitting jobs to help make the mortgage, and I'm allergic to cats. I've sent out (by my estimation) between 150 and 200 applications, of which I've gotten only a handful of interviews on my own, and another handful of interviews from any one of the staffing agencies I've signed up with (I got on with my fifth one today. There may be more coming, too). I've revamped the roommate search, and met with an awesome person (seriously, she's just like me, only with a pug, all of which is fuck-awesome).
I was told today by my newest recruiter that I'm over qualified for the jobs I'm applying for, which is NOT HELPFUL. I know I'm overqualified to a certain extent, but I NEED A DAMN PAYCHECK. So yes, I will apply to $13/hr receptionist jobs to make ends meet (with a roommate, I can swing it financially). An administrative assistant position is a better fit for me (more responsibility, more room for growth, more pay), but they are looking for people with either specialized skills or specific industry knowledge. Since I am trying desperately to break OUT of the HVAC industry (the only one I really have any knowledge in), that kind of sucks for me. The deck is stacked against me, as it were. And I'm about to losemy shirt the house.
It has been suggested that I should "dumb down" my resume. I'm starting to think that might not be a bad idea. At least in the interim, to get a job lined up. A reception/admin job would ideally only be a for a year or two, and then I can transfer THOSE skills to an industry more to my taste, if it wasn't already. And then add my degree/skill set back into the resume at that time.
I'm saddened by this prospect, though. I worked hard for my bachelor's degree, and I was always told that it would help me to earn a higher paying wage. Now I'm tempted to leave it off my resume to earn something only slightly above minimum wage.
Sigh. Might as well wear skin-tight pencil skirts and low-cut tops, too, when I'm interviewing with a man. My brains can be in my bra for all they care in those positions, right?
*HOUSE. The house, however, has gotten a LOT of my attention with being home for the last 9 weeks. Some of it is subtle (I organized the freezer! the cleaning supplies! the magazine stacks! OMG I AM OCD...), and some of it is more obvious (I have actual plants growing and making it look more landscaped! holy schnikes!). I'm going to have to start moving things down from the loft into the basement/elsewhere though, once a roommate is firmed up.
Still, with the inside as good as it's going to get until more $$$ comes in, I've done some work on the outside. Mostly with my parents showing me how to start, and mostly in the front yard. The holly/rose bush area was cleaned out and planted with some groundcover (lilies of the valley, hostas, etc). The walkway was edged on one side with pansies, snapdragons, primroses, and one calla lily (looking a little lopsided until I do the other side in a week or two). Mums from me mum's yard and two kinds of lavender plants were put in alongside the front steps to welcome you. The overgrown laurel bush was cut back, and the jungle on the north side (ferns, vines, a choked-out bush of something or other, a pane of broken glass) got cleaned out. An herb/veggie garden was started in the back yard. The scraggly apple tree is coming down to make room for 2 dogwoods from my parent's side yard. And there's still so much more to do! But this might be it for this year, in terms of what I can still get in the ground, what I can physically do, and what I can afford. It's exhausting, but looking back at the end of a day and saying "oh wow - it already looks better!" makes it pretty darn cool. I've also got 16 potted plants thriving INSIDE the house as well, so I think I'm getting a decently verdant thumb going on here.
*TEDDY. As of Wednesday, I've officially had Captain Fluffypants for a full year. I love my little guy so much, and he loves me. He loves nothing more than to be near me for treats and snuggles. He's had his yearly check-up and shots, and he's all good, except for gaining 3 pounds. When you only weigh 7 to begin with, a 30% increase in a year is kind of a lot. So I'm cutting back on his food (and those treats) to help bring him back down.
He's such a funny little guy. My phone's photo bank is FULL of pictures of him, of which I only publish about 10% on Facebook. Maybe I'll post more here... perhaps a year's worth of "Dog of the Day" or something of that nature.
Also? He was a fucking bad-ass ninja-dog the other day and KILLED A FLY out of the air. So proud! Also, kind of grossed out, since he did it on the bed. He got a VERY thorough brushing-out today - I had to clean out the brush 5 times before we were done. But he's SO much nicer to snuggle with now! :)
*DATING. I actually seem to have found myself in a relationship - with a British guy, no less! After one rather eventful weekend of sleeping around/dating multiple people within a 72-hour period (OMG I AM A WHORE), I started talking to a whole new guy not previously in the running and things... settled into place very quickly. I'm trying not to jinx it (I'm coming up on 6 weeks with him, and if you're not aware, I have a 6-Week Curse: guys inevitably break up with me around that point. See also: Dan, Kaleb (twice), Chuck, Mike, Tobie, and so on, ad nauseum). However, this coming week, we're getting a hotel for a couple of days while he's on an intense work schedule in the north end (double, even triple shifts), and we're even bringing Teddy Bear, whom he enjoys immensely! So, I don't think we're ending things, heh. Especially since I got $30 knocked off our hotel with my AAA discount, and therefore feeling like I contributed instead of made things harder.
He's a really great guy - British, as I said, works in the tech industry, lives on a sailboat. Wants children (and HE was the one to bring that up before we'd even met - not me!), and it sounds like sooner rather than later. Smart, funny, generous. Divorced (3 years - was married for about 3 years), and therefore a little gun-shy about crazy women, but less so than say, Shawn. Loves intimacy, and not just the bedroom games (although that's part of it), but things like snuggling up behind me while I'm making dinner or something.
We talk/Skype/see each other in some combination almost every night. He sends me texts almost every day to say good morning. He's pretty great so far! I'm excited for some of you to meet him tomorrow night, bowling for
entropic_system's birthday.
*LIFE. In general, it's not too bad. I've still got the roof over my house, although paying the mortgage + bills is starting to become worrisome. I suspect I'll be calling on my parents to take them up on their offer of loans in order to pay my bills (to be repaid, of course) before things get resolved any time soon. It sucks, but once I get a roommmate in that will be half the load off. If I can supplement the rest by whatever means necessary, I'll be able to stay independent. And at almost 30 years old, I REALLY want to stay independent and show them that I CAN DO THIS ADULT THING.
One thing I'm glad they're there for me though, is an issue with the utility company - apparently the previous owner's W/S/G bill (about $550) was NOT settled prior to foreclosure, OR going into escrow, OR my closing date last August. Nobody seems to have known this bill was in arrears, and since it's a charge against the property, they are holding me responsible for it. Apparently the utility company was never notified this became a bank-owned property (at which point I PRESUME they would have said "Oh, BTW, there's an outstanding charge that needs to be paid"). Now, while I agree 100% they should be paid, like hell I am paying for charges incurred before I bought the house. And I know it's BEFORE because the utility people checked and said "oh yes, this is 2011 charges prior to you taking over the account on August 6." You know, the time when I called them to set up the account in my name and a totally missed opportunity for them to say "oh, BTW, there's an outstanding charge to be paid." Why this has come up 10 months after I closed on the house boggles my mind. Fortunately, the utility people are being understanding and giving me a couple of weeks to track down listing agents, title companies and escrow to find out who will be paying this damn bill before my water gets shut off. My dad (and his lawyer, and his friends at utility districts) are helping me with this legwork, thankfully, but it's still stressful.
But overall, things could be worse (aside from the job front). I've been very blessed to have such good health by not getting sick in almost 2 years (ankle injuries notwithstanding). I have a great house with room for someone to come help with the rent. I have an adorable, loving dog to keep me company. I've got an exciting new relationship that seems to be headed towards longevity, not short-timing. I've got good friends and family who have offered tremendous support during the job schtuff. I've got summer plans to make and look forward to doing (at home/with friends/with family). I'm having a second short story published - and this one wasn't a local publisher via someone that I knew, so it was all resting on the story's merits. So many blessings to count, and I do, believe me. There's just a couple of pieces I'm waiting to fall into place, and then I'll truly have a charmed life.
Until then, there's always more wine.
Updates on ALL THE THINGS!
*JOB. I still don't have one. I am taking on cat-sitting jobs to help make the mortgage, and I'm allergic to cats. I've sent out (by my estimation) between 150 and 200 applications, of which I've gotten only a handful of interviews on my own, and another handful of interviews from any one of the staffing agencies I've signed up with (I got on with my fifth one today. There may be more coming, too). I've revamped the roommate search, and met with an awesome person (seriously, she's just like me, only with a pug, all of which is fuck-awesome).
I was told today by my newest recruiter that I'm over qualified for the jobs I'm applying for, which is NOT HELPFUL. I know I'm overqualified to a certain extent, but I NEED A DAMN PAYCHECK. So yes, I will apply to $13/hr receptionist jobs to make ends meet (with a roommate, I can swing it financially). An administrative assistant position is a better fit for me (more responsibility, more room for growth, more pay), but they are looking for people with either specialized skills or specific industry knowledge. Since I am trying desperately to break OUT of the HVAC industry (the only one I really have any knowledge in), that kind of sucks for me. The deck is stacked against me, as it were. And I'm about to lose
It has been suggested that I should "dumb down" my resume. I'm starting to think that might not be a bad idea. At least in the interim, to get a job lined up. A reception/admin job would ideally only be a for a year or two, and then I can transfer THOSE skills to an industry more to my taste, if it wasn't already. And then add my degree/skill set back into the resume at that time.
I'm saddened by this prospect, though. I worked hard for my bachelor's degree, and I was always told that it would help me to earn a higher paying wage. Now I'm tempted to leave it off my resume to earn something only slightly above minimum wage.
Sigh. Might as well wear skin-tight pencil skirts and low-cut tops, too, when I'm interviewing with a man. My brains can be in my bra for all they care in those positions, right?
*HOUSE. The house, however, has gotten a LOT of my attention with being home for the last 9 weeks. Some of it is subtle (I organized the freezer! the cleaning supplies! the magazine stacks! OMG I AM OCD...), and some of it is more obvious (I have actual plants growing and making it look more landscaped! holy schnikes!). I'm going to have to start moving things down from the loft into the basement/elsewhere though, once a roommate is firmed up.
Still, with the inside as good as it's going to get until more $$$ comes in, I've done some work on the outside. Mostly with my parents showing me how to start, and mostly in the front yard. The holly/rose bush area was cleaned out and planted with some groundcover (lilies of the valley, hostas, etc). The walkway was edged on one side with pansies, snapdragons, primroses, and one calla lily (looking a little lopsided until I do the other side in a week or two). Mums from me mum's yard and two kinds of lavender plants were put in alongside the front steps to welcome you. The overgrown laurel bush was cut back, and the jungle on the north side (ferns, vines, a choked-out bush of something or other, a pane of broken glass) got cleaned out. An herb/veggie garden was started in the back yard. The scraggly apple tree is coming down to make room for 2 dogwoods from my parent's side yard. And there's still so much more to do! But this might be it for this year, in terms of what I can still get in the ground, what I can physically do, and what I can afford. It's exhausting, but looking back at the end of a day and saying "oh wow - it already looks better!" makes it pretty darn cool. I've also got 16 potted plants thriving INSIDE the house as well, so I think I'm getting a decently verdant thumb going on here.
*TEDDY. As of Wednesday, I've officially had Captain Fluffypants for a full year. I love my little guy so much, and he loves me. He loves nothing more than to be near me for treats and snuggles. He's had his yearly check-up and shots, and he's all good, except for gaining 3 pounds. When you only weigh 7 to begin with, a 30% increase in a year is kind of a lot. So I'm cutting back on his food (and those treats) to help bring him back down.
He's such a funny little guy. My phone's photo bank is FULL of pictures of him, of which I only publish about 10% on Facebook. Maybe I'll post more here... perhaps a year's worth of "Dog of the Day" or something of that nature.
Also? He was a fucking bad-ass ninja-dog the other day and KILLED A FLY out of the air. So proud! Also, kind of grossed out, since he did it on the bed. He got a VERY thorough brushing-out today - I had to clean out the brush 5 times before we were done. But he's SO much nicer to snuggle with now! :)
*DATING. I actually seem to have found myself in a relationship - with a British guy, no less! After one rather eventful weekend of sleeping around/dating multiple people within a 72-hour period (OMG I AM A WHORE), I started talking to a whole new guy not previously in the running and things... settled into place very quickly. I'm trying not to jinx it (I'm coming up on 6 weeks with him, and if you're not aware, I have a 6-Week Curse: guys inevitably break up with me around that point. See also: Dan, Kaleb (twice), Chuck, Mike, Tobie, and so on, ad nauseum). However, this coming week, we're getting a hotel for a couple of days while he's on an intense work schedule in the north end (double, even triple shifts), and we're even bringing Teddy Bear, whom he enjoys immensely! So, I don't think we're ending things, heh. Especially since I got $30 knocked off our hotel with my AAA discount, and therefore feeling like I contributed instead of made things harder.
He's a really great guy - British, as I said, works in the tech industry, lives on a sailboat. Wants children (and HE was the one to bring that up before we'd even met - not me!), and it sounds like sooner rather than later. Smart, funny, generous. Divorced (3 years - was married for about 3 years), and therefore a little gun-shy about crazy women, but less so than say, Shawn. Loves intimacy, and not just the bedroom games (although that's part of it), but things like snuggling up behind me while I'm making dinner or something.
We talk/Skype/see each other in some combination almost every night. He sends me texts almost every day to say good morning. He's pretty great so far! I'm excited for some of you to meet him tomorrow night, bowling for
entropic_system's birthday. *LIFE. In general, it's not too bad. I've still got the roof over my house, although paying the mortgage + bills is starting to become worrisome. I suspect I'll be calling on my parents to take them up on their offer of loans in order to pay my bills (to be repaid, of course) before things get resolved any time soon. It sucks, but once I get a roommmate in that will be half the load off. If I can supplement the rest by whatever means necessary, I'll be able to stay independent. And at almost 30 years old, I REALLY want to stay independent and show them that I CAN DO THIS ADULT THING.
One thing I'm glad they're there for me though, is an issue with the utility company - apparently the previous owner's W/S/G bill (about $550) was NOT settled prior to foreclosure, OR going into escrow, OR my closing date last August. Nobody seems to have known this bill was in arrears, and since it's a charge against the property, they are holding me responsible for it. Apparently the utility company was never notified this became a bank-owned property (at which point I PRESUME they would have said "Oh, BTW, there's an outstanding charge that needs to be paid"). Now, while I agree 100% they should be paid, like hell I am paying for charges incurred before I bought the house. And I know it's BEFORE because the utility people checked and said "oh yes, this is 2011 charges prior to you taking over the account on August 6." You know, the time when I called them to set up the account in my name and a totally missed opportunity for them to say "oh, BTW, there's an outstanding charge to be paid." Why this has come up 10 months after I closed on the house boggles my mind. Fortunately, the utility people are being understanding and giving me a couple of weeks to track down listing agents, title companies and escrow to find out who will be paying this damn bill before my water gets shut off. My dad (and his lawyer, and his friends at utility districts) are helping me with this legwork, thankfully, but it's still stressful.
But overall, things could be worse (aside from the job front). I've been very blessed to have such good health by not getting sick in almost 2 years (ankle injuries notwithstanding). I have a great house with room for someone to come help with the rent. I have an adorable, loving dog to keep me company. I've got an exciting new relationship that seems to be headed towards longevity, not short-timing. I've got good friends and family who have offered tremendous support during the job schtuff. I've got summer plans to make and look forward to doing (at home/with friends/with family). I'm having a second short story published - and this one wasn't a local publisher via someone that I knew, so it was all resting on the story's merits. So many blessings to count, and I do, believe me. There's just a couple of pieces I'm waiting to fall into place, and then I'll truly have a charmed life.
Until then, there's always more wine.