Personal
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
One More
I can’t believe it. I truly cannot believe it.
One more day. Just have to go tomorrow morning, race home, throw food at the pets and the hoodlums outside, get changed, go to the next one, work until evening, race to the third one, work there for a little bit and then, finally, at LONG last, after 28 days, I will have....
A DAY OFF!
In fact, I worked it so that I am getting four days off.
IN!
A!
ROW!
I have NO idea what I’m even going to do with myself. It will feel like a lifetime. In the extremely limited time I have had, I have done all my major chores like going to the dump, the store, etc. All I will have to do in those four days is clean up the cat box and dishes but other than that? I don’t have to do a DAMN. THING.
The first day? I intend on staying in bed in my pajamas the entire day. In fact, I’m going to bring my laptop up to my room so that I don’t have to get out of bed at all. The second day? I might do more of the same! If it’s not horrible outside, I’m going to give the hoodlums a good bit of time out there since they have been so neglected in the “running around outside like morons for a good hour everyday” bit. They’ve been REALLY good about it and I want to reward them handsomely.
The third day, if it’s not snowing or the roads are not covered in ICE like they were today, I have plans and will discuss them later but that depends on weather.
And then!?
I STILL have another WHOLE day left!
I’m beside myself with joy.
Ok, on to the next paid bit.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
So Anyway, The Fish
Yes...more filler. I am sure you are all hanging on the edge of your seats, in eager anticipation, waiting for my next update about my boring life. I guess if you put it all in one neat package and tie a pretty bow on top, it’s actually not that boring but aside from the highlights - moving to Miami, driving air boats, seeing and holding gators, having gator babies thinkin’ I’m their mama, feeding gators by hand, (well, my hand holding the stick that speared the meat that goes in to the baby gators’ mouths, that is), the tour buses plowing in to my car, the cruises, moving to Maine, experiencing the hoodlums experiencing their first snow, the past injuries, the interesting posts I used to write about strange women yanking roses off my brother’s rose bushes and leaving without a word while I stood right there, the experiments, the endless work hours and days, the drama of it all....sure, it seems so damn interesting but really? I think I have a pretty boring life.
And to be honest, I think it’s BECAUSE of those highlights that most days, I just do. not. have the energy to go out and do more interesting things. It seems most of the “interesting” things happen to me by complete accident and against my will.
Most days I just want to chill out, do boring things and sometimes, the highlight of my day is sitting back and watching the fish swim around in their little fishy world. It really is calming....once things are back in balance after a move and fish stop dying on your watch.
The dogs are high strung and don’t bring me peace. Sure, they make me laugh. Sure they are fun. Sure, they are cute. But peace? Ha! Forget it.
The cats are relatively peaceful until they get all uppity with each other and start hissing contests and swiping at each other or hacking up hair balls or climbing my fricken black out curtains leaving little claw holes all over them making them NOT black out curtains any more....growl!
I throw food out to the squirrels and birds outside, (holy crap I’m getting old...that’s what old people do), and watch them scamper about but it’s not necessarily peaceful because I have dogs in the house, behind me, whining behind the closed door because they want to eat the squirrels, please, open the door, let us out so we can chase and eat the squirrels.
No...the only ones who are peaceful and calming to watch are the fish. So, I hope this substrate change over works. I’ve been studying how to do it with minimal damage and I think things are going to look much better, stay cleaner longer, (and easier), when I get the corys they will be in heaven and the plants will hopefully thrive beyond belief in the sand. If only I could get a job working from home where I could sit next to the tank and work, and not have to commute, it would be just about perfect. If I made enough, I’d send the hoodlums off to “doggy daycare” to get out of my face for a few hours so I can just relax. Don’t take that wrong, yah I dig ‘em but there was a reason I did not intentionally seek dogs...I’m not sorry I have them, I’m just fricken tired.
Ok, on to the next one.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Almost There
Filler post…
Only 11 more days...then I finally get to have a full day off. Not only a full day, but if I can wing it, I might actually get 4 days off IN. A. ROW.
It will feel like a vacation. I won’t even know what to do with myself after running around from one job to the next for 28 fricken days, sometimes doing three jobs in the same day.
I’m exhausted. I’m spent. My sense of humor is pretty much NILL at this point.
Just make it through the HELL of this week, a little bit extra next week and then four. glorious. beautiful. long. days. off.
I can not wait.
Friday, December 09, 2011
One Last Time
I just realized that I have to deal with that cesspool I just left one more time to get my income tax information for next year’s taxes.
Just the thought of having to contact those assholes is exhausting, I can only imagine the b.s. I’m going to have to put up with when I do call. If I’m lucky, I’ll get the boss or the ONE cool person at the counter right away. If I’m not, I will have to try multiple times because I know, for a fact, that two of them, including the Russian Bitch, will not pass on the message. The thing is, Russian bitch is the boss’ wife and she should know better than to fuck with those forms as they are required by law to give them out but she is an insipid twit and will make up some excuse not to do it. “She never called here, we didn’t know!” I guarantee it. That is how she operates.
I will try, very hard, not to tell Bitch, (not Russian bitch, just THE bitch), to go suck a rotting alligator penis, much as I would like to do, or tell her everything I’ve ever wanted to say to her, because she deserves it because a) it’s not worth the time and b) she’ll just use it to make herself a martyr YET again. Lying, manipulative bitch. The thing is, she is so bad at manipulation that anyone with the IQ of a single cell life form would catch on but, again, that place is filled with utter morons so it actually works for her.
Maybe some day they’ll get a damn clue.
Whatever, just give me my income tax stuff and they can suck it for the rest of their lives.
You know, I’ve left jobs in the past because I was unhappy with the “management” but I’ve never been so ecstatic to leave a place as I have this one that I left in Miami. I do miss the animals on tour but I don’t miss anything else about it at all. Driving an airboat was fun but I don’t miss the tourists, I don’t miss the long days. I don’t miss the heat. I don’t miss the humidity. I don’t miss having to take idiots out in 30 degree weather, at 30mph. (Think that isn’t cold? Ok, for those of you in the states that get that kind of weather, go rent a convertible, drive around in it for 8-9 hours with the top down and then come tell me it’s not cold.) I don’t miss the fools who fall in the water, who feed the gators, (illegal), who harass the animals, (illegal), who ask stupid questions, (oh yes, there ARE stupid questions), who cut down protected plant life in the Glades, (illegal), to widen the channel for their airboats, who spill oil in to the Glades, (illegal), who throw boat parts in to the Glades, (illegal), who have done all sorts of illegal things and acted all kinds of stupid but strut around like they’re the top shit.
Guess what? NOBODY has heard of those people outside of an 8 mile stretch of road. If I were to say a few particular names around here, not a person would have a clue nor care. In fact, most people here would undoubtedly think that those mentioned were total shit bags. (They would be right.)
Hell, even some of the tourists figured that out. I’ve had some of the tourists say things to me about the other drivers, about the bitches behind the counter, about the boss. Every one of them was right. Yep, they are showing off, yep, they are assholes, yep, that is a whiskey voice and is not cool like he thinks it is, yep, that one IS all about himself, wow, you’ve been here an hour and you figured that one out already but these clowns who have been here years still don’t get it? Yep, this place is a dump, yep, the people behind the counter are rude and bitchy, yep, the boss doesn’t care about anything except his money...you are absolutely right!
All I want right now is my income tax information and Gator Park can go fuck itself right raw. I wish it would be shut down, frankly.
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Some Day
In the not too distant future, I will have another day off! I will. It has to happen. This can not go on forever. I will either die of exhaustion and get a day off that way or I will DEMAND a fricken day off but I am GOING to get a day off, some day. Soon.
“Hard work gets you ahead!”, they say.
Bullshit.
Hard work just makes it so you can keep living...thus far, I’m not getting ahead but I sure as hell am working harder than most people I know, right now. And I’m tired...tired...tired.
Do they have jobs for mattress testers? I can sleep at work, ensuring the mattress is good quality, suitable for everyone else? That would be a GREAT job!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Thank You Readers
To all of you who have used my Amazon store to purchase items, I want to thank you, very much, for doing so. As I have disclosed in the past, when you order through the store, you get the same excellent customer service and products through Amazon and you help me earn a little bit that they give to me in the form of an Amazon gift card. Because of this, I’m actually able to get Christmas gifts this year for my pets and some friends.
Please consider utilizing my store to access Amazon items for your Christmas and holiday shopping. I truly do appreciate it.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Another Day Added
Yah.
So.
I’ve been one day ahead this weekend. I thought when it snowed it was the 30th and even posted that, (now corrected).
And....
Last night I was lying on my couch watching DVDs wondering why I was getting no trick or treaters.
I just now checked the calendar on the computer to ensure that I’m off and not actually supposed to be at work I’m so confused about what day it is.
Think things need to calm down a little. Yep.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Weather Outside Is Delightful
On Friday I went up to a town about an hour away to do a job. When we were done, we were walking out of the building and the supervisor stated that it was going to snow up to 6 inches that night or the next night. I asked, “WHAT?” because, it’s October. Since when does it snow in October? Figured he was wrong. As we made our way to the parking lot, we saw 4-5 teensy, tiny snow flakes slowly wafting to the ground.
Today after work I found out the landlord finally turned on the heat, (thank GOD, I was freezing), and talked to my neighbors. They said that a good way to keep the heat in and the cold out was to use plastic on the windows. My first thought was, “how trailer trash” but they explained it was put on the inside and you use a hair dryer to shrink wrap it to the frame.
Hmm. Ok. Where can I get this?
Wally World.
First of all, I hardly ever go to Wally World because my experiences in Wally World, (ghetto places like Miami), were horrifying the two times I’ve ever been there. I was not looking forward to this.
Second of all, dudes, it’s Wally World. Sigh.
I began to notice the onslaught of panic from the weather reports when I got near the exit to Wally World from the freeway. The traffic was getting thick.
Get off the freeway, get on to the surface streets towards Wally World and noticed tons of traffic everywhere. Ok, where I live? Not a lot of people so not usually a lot of traffic. At first I thought they were all going to this building that’s a Halloween store or a haunted house type thing because there were tons of cars in the parking lot and many people turning in.
And then I got to Wally World.
Holy shit.
Finding parking was pure luck and timing.
I decided to go ahead and, for the first time EVER in my entire life, use the grocery section to pick up some stuff. Grabbed a cart, walked in the door, found myself in grocery and was immediately overwhelmed.
It’s enormous. It’s gluttonous. It’s shocking.
Apparently everyone else in the entire state had the same thought because they all descended on this Wally World and in this grocery department. I cannot believe how many fricken people were in this place. Several times I stopped and stared and said only, “Oh my God!”
I went around in circles because I didn’t know where a damn thing was located and felt like a salmon swimming upstream. The people. My God the amount of people! Some shelves were cleaned out and I saw people CLIMBING shelves to get to the last of something. They were animals! It was like being in a zoo. I had to stop again several times, close my eyes, shake my head, open my eyes again, no, they are still there, “Oh. My. God!!”
Finally found the plastic shrink wrap stuff for the windows and wearily worked my way towards the registers. Please, just get me out of here!
Got my stuff to my car, got out of the parking lot with relative ease, (because they were in one of two places, one of them being inside that dang store in the grocery department), and made my way back on to the street.
And this is where everything just went out of control.
Two lanes of traffic in each direction. I’m in the left lane of my two lanes because that’s the lane I need to get back on the freeway in a few stoplights. I get through the first light ok but by the time I got to the second light…
Holy.
Shit.
Really!? REALLY? I didn’t even know this entire STATE had this many people! The right hand lane was at a complete stand still while those of us in the left hand lane went passing on by. I thought again maybe they were all going to that Halloween place/store/event/whatever but nope. We passed that and the right lane was still crammed with no movement.
Let a couple people in when we came to a stop because I felt bad for them trying to get out on to the streets with so much traffic and the first one, ok, the second one, man, what a mistake THAT was. This guy did not know where the hell he was going. He would start to change lanes and then decide against that and change back right in front of me.
We then got to the light right before the freeway light. Ok, traffic had been going ok in the left lane up to this point. Just a matter of a light or two and I was home free.
Idiot. I’m such an idiot.
Waited, waited, waited. The light finally turned green...ok, here we go.
Except we didn’t go. Not a fucking car in the left lane went through that light. I was 4 cars back from the light and we didn’t move a fucking inch. Reason? Because all the ASSHOLES who had turned in to the street from the damn mall blocked the fucking intersection so that NO ONE could move at all. Morons. Total flippin’ morons.
Waited, waited, waited.
Light turned green again.
One car.
Argh! Went through the waiting again, light turned green.
You assholes better MOVE! I’ve already spent a HALF AN HOUR trying to go 1/4 mile.
Waited at the freeway entrance light. Waited. Waited. Waited. Course now there’s a ton of cars in the two turn lanes on to the freeway. And they all have to merge around the bend in the road before they merge on to the freeway. Whomever designed this entrance should be shot.
So as you may guess, it’s a cluster fuck. Brakes being slammed left and right because no one wanted to let anyone get in front of them and others were driving the speed of snails pissing everyone off. We worked it out with merging with each other, NOW we have to merge on to the freeway.
Let me tell you something. I have a magnet for many things. One of those is shitty drivers. In this entire state, (and ask the locals, they’ll tell you what I observe is true), every one else knows how to merge on to the damn freeway. In my city? They are total twits!
Most of the time instead of using the RUNWAY LENGTH onramp to build up freeway speed and get on the freeway AT freeway speed, they come to a complete and total stop RIGHT AT THE END of the onramp. OR! They get on the freeway at 20mph and wonder why traffic is “crazy”. Because you can’t get on the fucking freeway at 20mph you simple minded buffoons! And, the people already on the freeway do NOT like to get the FUCK OVER in to the left lane to allow those who are merging to fucking merge. Jeezus I’ve never seen such stupidity when it comes to merging.
Finally get on the freeway, get past most of these tool sheds but there’s still a lot of cars out.
One thing I will say about this state is that people DO stay to the right except to pass. They really do. It’s amazing. They all, (99%), co-operate. I love it.
But they did not do that, today. NO!
There was a giant line of assholes all sitting in the left lane...la de da.
I was in the left lane patiently waiting so I could pass thinking, stupidly, that these people were doing what they always do which is pass the cars and get the fuck over. After awhile I realized, these pricks aren’t passing anyone! I looked over in to the right lane and noticed, there’s like ONE car, way up there, in the right lane and no one is passing shit.
So I got in the right lane and sped right on past all these assholes. I got up to the car in the right lane, noticed there was P! LENTY! of room for me to go around him in the left lane without cutting off the douchebag who was leading the slow ass line in the left lane and did just that. And you know what? The freeway opened right up after that. Not a fricken clump of traffic anywhere. Sure, a car or two here and there but nothing like what was now behind me.
I looked in my rear view mirror, oh NOW that asshole and all those behind him want to move over to the right lane. You pricks.
Got home, got my stuff put away and am now waiting for the snow! I don’t know if it will actually snow but it’s supposed to. We are supposed to get up 5 inches here. Heavy snow is forecast for 6am. Well, I’m off tomorrow...but I may just set my alarm if I don’t stay up all night. I’m excited! SNOW! I haven’t seen snow in forever.
And might I ask, why is it that when I move somewhere, within six months of me being there, the weather does stuff it doesn’t do or hasn’t done in “years!!”???
I moved to Miami and we have Katrina, Rita and Wilma in my first six months there.
I move to New England and there’s fricken Irene. A hurricane. In New England. Really?! (By the time it got here it was laughable.)
And now? Snow in October. And not just a light dusting, actual crazy ass snow storm.
WHAT is that all about?!
If it does snow, I’m taking photos and especially of the dogs in their first snow. I hope it does! I don’t have to go anywhere until Tuesday morning anyway, let it snow!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Filler Up
Strange how things happen. At first, things go slow, you get no connections, no one is talking, weird things happen that make no sense and just when you think that maybe you bit off more than you could chew, everything starts rolling. And rolling in without much effort on your part.
I have the one part time job, I just got offered another part time job at the same place I already work which means I only have to find one more part time job. I swear, almost every single time I get a job, (almost), it’s through a connection. I have gone on interviews, I have had second interviews, I have filled out more applications than I care to remember, I’m TIRED of writing out my fricken work history!
The first part time job I got was through a connection I made up here in Maine. And how did I get hired? They told the person about me, that person called me at 8am one morning, waking me up, I stumbled to the phone, said nothing more than, “yah” the entire conversation until the end when I said, “Ok, bye” because I was NOT awake and I got the job! WTF?! I go in to an interview looking all professional and crossing all my Ts, dotting all my Is, being as neat, clean and orderly as possible and I get nothing. But you wake me up out of a dead sleep, I mutter three words to you and you hire me while I’m standing next to the window in my pajamas?
I do not get it.
So, I worked hard at this part time job because I knew it had potential for other things in the future. Next thing I know, barely in to this job, I am called in to the office. Oh no. I go to the office and am offered a second position at this place. I grabbed it up without knowing everything about it, hey, money is money, someone is trying to give it to me, offering me work, I don’t ask a whole lot of questions!
Now, this isn’t exactly what I meant when I said that there were opportunities for the future by taking the first part time job but this second part time job is hopefully a step in the right direction. I don’t know. It may not go exactly how I want but it may turn out to be better. Who knows.
Hours and hours spent applying and updating the resume and making it sound and look fantastic, marketing it towards each individual job I applied for, going to interviews, looking sharp, scoring high on certain tests, wowing the pants off of people, getting second interviews....and then hearing “We have filled this position, thank you for your interest”.
Staying up way too late, sleeping, answering a phone half assed and bam, two part time jobs.
This country is so weird anymore in regards to employment.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Filler
Dudes, if you ever want to lose a couple of pounds real quick, just get sick. Ugh. Don’t know what’s up cause I feel fine in every other way, (except I never seem to get enough sleep), but every time I eat something, I get sick. I know you didn’t want to hear that, I can hear the screams of “TMI!” as I write this but hey, this is a filler post...plus, it’s true. Feels like someone slugged me in the gut, hard. Otherwise, I’m perfectly fine. What is THAT all about?
So, I’ve been given some online schools to look at, some real schools. I’ll be checking those out and we’ll see what happens in the future. I think I won’t make it for this fall but I’m going to do my homework and get things together and maybe try for next fall. That gives me time to get my shite together here, after moving so recently, really research each school, I may even go to some forums and pretend I went there just to see what people say. Why would I do that? Because every single time in my life that I’ve done something and wrote about it or talked about it later, someone always comes up and says, “Oh, I could have told you to....” which is entirely UNhelpful AFTER the fact. So, why don’t I pretend it’s “after the fact” before it is and see what kind of advice I get then. (Really, I get that all the time and it’s annoying. Don’t tell me after, tell me before!)
In other news, I’m starting to think a wild animal has been in our back yard. The dogs have been reluctant to go outside to do their business, in the evenings, especially. It’s the weirdest thing. I’m looking at my dogs saying, “What?! You used to bounce out the door when we lived in the Everglades, alligators all around, not a care in the world but now, suddenly, the scent of a porcupine instills terror in to you so much that you won’t go relieve yourself? Really!?”
I mean, I literally have to push them out the door. I have to push on their butts or I have to lift them and carry them...that is ridiculous! I thought it might be due to rain and wet ground but that makes no sense because when it hailed here not too long ago, they couldn’t wait to go out in that and explore. That would just not make sense...they’ll go out in the HAIL but not in rain?
But anyway, they’ve been out in the rain before and didn’t care. And this fear of going outside was like night and day, again, literally. One day they were fine, nothing on their minds except, “Yay! Outside!” the next night, “You want me to go out there?! WHY?!?!? I don’t want to go out there! I’ll hold it!” Absolutely nothing changed on our end or our routine.
You ever think your dogs know you are talking about them? As I was writing that, I looked down at Sakari on her little bed and she was doing that, “looking out of the corner of her eye” thing at me. HAHA!
Dogs...such a pain in the butt, so time consuming...but they sure make me laugh.
Ok, on to the next ad.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Seriously?
So I’ve been talking to some people about school and told them that I have over 100 credits but never got an AA. They questioned how on earth I didn’t get a degree with that many credits and are also asking why do I feel I need to get an AA, why not just go right on to get a BA.
Uh...maybe I don’t know shit about school.
I thought you had to get an AA to get a BA and get a BA to get an MA.
Will someone please fricken tell me what the hell I can get and what I am close to having? WTF?! I’m starting to wonder how many times I’ve screwed myself over by saying I’m not as educated as I maybe am.
(Clearly any guidance counselor I spoke to SUCKS!)
Here’s what I want to do:
I want to go to school. I want to get a damn degree and I want it to be more than a lowly AA. (Yes, it’s better than no degree but it’s not good enough, for me.) I want a BA or higher. Or a BS, truthfully.
Or both.
And how the hell do I get both? Do I have to take a couple more years to get a BA and then four more years to get a BS or what the hell, man, I feel like a total idiot right now.
I want to go to school online. I don’t want to take classes from some for profit POS fake ass school, I want a REAL school but I want to do it online. I work faster than many and slower than some so I want this online.
What are some good, accredited online schools?
I want to get some sort of financial aid whether I can find a way to pay for my entire schooling through grants or apply for a student loan. And again, as I asked before, if I apply for a student loan, does that give me enough money to live off, as well? I seem to remember people talking about student loans when I was younger and it came across that the student loan allowed them to be able to pay bills and such, as well.
I don’t know exactly what I want to specialize in because I have a thousand interests. That’s why I need to find the schools first. Then I check out what they offer and I can make my lists and go from there.
I do know I have zero interest in anything business related. Business classes bore the hell out of me. Not my thing.
I’m more in to science, biology, meteorology, zoology, oceanography, etc.
But I also like art stuff like graphic arts or maybe something with computers. And no, I do not want to go to ITT Tech Institute. I want a real school.
I’m also interested in anything English or writing or literature.
I’m also interested in History although, majoring in history means you can be a teacher...nah. No thanks. Any class I would take that is History related would be an elective or just for fun.
I also want to brush up on my German and learn even more, I want to learn Japanese, I want to learn Russian, I want to learn Mandarin Chinese, (which, I know a few words thanks to my tour guide days...) I want to learn French, as well. But I do not want to major in them, I just want to learn them because...just because.
I could easily spend the rest of my life in school but I know, I have to major in something...so I need to know:
a) what are good, accredited, REAL online schools
b) wtf with my credits...do I have more than I think I have, meaning, am I more educated than I know....which sounds ridiculous asking that since I sound so damn uneducated.
Someone throw me a bone here. I’m fricken lost.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Is It Worth It?
Been thinking a lot lately about this and just really don’t know the answers...so, let me ask:
How does one go about getting a student loan?
How much is the student loan?
Does it just pay books and tuition or is it enough to live off of so that you can go to school and truly concentrate on school so you can pass and get a degree?
How long does the loan last?
Do you have to reapply every year?
Do you get accepted first and then get the loan or try to get the loan and then get accepted?
I’ve heard of people paying off student loans for a long time to come...how terrible is it, really?
Is it even worth it in this day and age when even a good college degree doesn’t seem to get you a well paying job?
Would I be stuck with a huge student loan payment and the same measly ass wages that I get now or would work experience plus a new degree help me out? (And be realistic with this answer, we are talking about TODAY and not what it used to be like because, gotta tell ya, it is NOTHING like it used to be, out there.)
Do I have the option of only taking out one student loan or is there more than one?
Is it affected by credit? What if I don’t have much credit? Will I be refused a student loan?
Can I use that student loan anywhere or must it be certain schools?
I have no debt. I owe on nothing. I’m just struggling by to just make it. I am smart as hell, (not saying I’m the smartest, hell I use wrong words on here all the fricken time...which I’ve noticed hardly anyone ever corrects me....), and really would like to finish school and get a better degree and actually have a shot at better paying jobs, better jobs, period.
Oh and do I have to live in a dorm if I get a student loan or can I live in my own place?
This economy sucks. It totally sucks. Used to be so fricken easy to get a job. I have one part time...very part time job. It’s not enough. I need more. I would prefer a full time job, one that pays very well and has great benefits and is not going to fold any time soon but of course, none of those things are guaranteed the way things are going, these days. Seems more and more employers are cutting things left and right because they can because too many are out of work, desperate to work and the employers have the upper hand. So, people will take the job for a cut of what they should be earning. What they deserve based on their experience and education. It’s not right. I will remember these employers should things get back to where they were, some day, and I will make sure never to give them my business because I think they are being unethical...but I’m not here to debate capitalism right now. I’m just trying to find something better. Not just get by, something that affords me a better life.
And even those with college degrees are having a hard time.
Is it even worth it to give myself a debt? Is it hard to get one? Is it enough to live off of? Can I complete another four years in school to get a higher degree to make more money and stop fricken struggling to just make it?
Am I talking to myself? Anyone here?
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
That was TOO Close!!
Today is my birthday and I’m celebrating in a whole new way. I’m thankful today...very thankful.
Last night, most of Maine, (northern part), got some serious lightning and thunder. Where I am located, we were supposed to only get the tail end of it, the bottom portion of it, and it wasn’t supposed to be all that bad.
I have lived in Houston where the lightning is so ridiculous it’s like a strobe light. In Houston was the first time I was ever afraid of lightning. I would sit in the hallway, away from windows and any outlets, holding my cat Serenity, waiting for it to pass. It’s bad in Houston.
I then moved to Miami and we got some lightning there and it wasn’t too bad. I moved out to the Everglades where it really kicked up and I would pray while driving the airboats but when it was right on top of us, we would be called back in. (Giant metal boat out on the open water with lightning crashing around = Not a good idea.) The lightning out there was pretty fierce and there were times it struck right near us. One day I even saw a green ball traveling down the power line during a storm. But, it wasn’t as bad as Houston and while it could be unnerving at times, I wasn’t scared to the point of hiding.
Last night...at first I just shut off the fan and a/c and only ran the laptop and t.v. (It’s Shark Week, c’mon!) And at about 9:40pm, the storms seemed to be going away.
Wrong.
Here in the town I live in, we got a whole lot more at around 11ish...11:30pm or so, right when I was getting ready to go to bed. The lightning was literally striking right outside the door. At one point the dogs jumped up, ran out the bedroom door, barking and then attacked each other because they were so scared. I called them back in to the room being as nonchalant as I could, (which was hard cause I was anxious, as well), and had them lie back down on their beds. But, it got so bad that I turned everything off, (even Shark Week), and got down on the floor with the dogs. I actually was afraid last night.
It appears I had good reason to be. This morning when I pulled out of my driveway to go to work, I saw that lightning had indeed struck very close to home...WAY too close for my comfort.
Here are some photos:
Do you see it? How about a close up:
Ripped the top right off of that pole.
Here it is again from the other side with a bit of the debris field:
And some of the debris right next to the pole:
And then this...this piece of debris from the pole was stuck in the ground a good two to three inches:
More debris…
The debris went clear across the street and the radius of the debris field covered about 30-40 meters from the pole.
This final photo, look past the whited out sign on the right, through those trees and you should be able to see some blue from a house. That’s where I live. The pole fills the right edge of the photo to give you an idea of how close that was:
That is, as I said, entirely too close for my comfort. I think perhaps you’ll understand why I hit the deck with my dogs.
And now I hear more thunder.....:(
Oh and my next door neighbors, who just got internet 2 days ago, their whole system was fried. They have everything plugged in to a surge protector...except that.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I Have To Be In The Twilight Zone
Since moving up to Maine, I have been applying for jobs and I have to tell you, I’m really starting to wonder what world I have entered. I’m sure this isn’t special to Maine but how businesses are operating these days because so many people are looking for jobs. The employers can get away with things because there’s what, 10 people per job out there? I’m finding out real fast which businesses are good and which ones are disgustingly unethical.
And I would also like to add a head smack moment because now, apparently, there are ADS to go through when you’re just trying to apply. Seriously. ADS!
I applied for a particular job and was called to verify everything on the resume/application. I was told that the call could take up to 25 minutes, (how does it take 25 minutes to verify everything, I innocently wondered), and please make sure I have that time before continuing.
I’m pretty much unemployed, (very part time job but for the most part, unemployed), so I have all the time in the world, let’s get to it.
We go over my name, address, and college and THAT is where I hear the ad. Would I like to continue school at some time in the future, I am asked. Well of course! When would that be, I was asked. As soon as I find a job that pays me well enough that I can do that and live. So you are interested in continuing school at some in the future, so would you be willing to accept financial aid to do it, I am asked.
My radar starts to tick.
What the hell is this?
I answer, “No, I want to pay for my school outright, so no.” (Not true, I would take a grant but I’m not taking out a student loan but that is NOT their business, I’m just applying for a fricken job!)
“So if you found a job that paid you well enough that you could pay for school, you would be interested in attending a school online?”
WTF?!? Are you assholes actually trying to sell me something? I’m just looking for a fucking job!
“Online? No, I would not go to school online.”
This is not true. IF I found a school that was legit and accredited, then yes, I would but I WILL choose which school, do NOT try to sell me some crap like Phoenix Online or whatever it’s called because we all know, by now, it’s bullshit. I just want to apply for a job, thank you.
Well, that pretty much ended the phone call. They said they would review the application and should I meet their qualifications, (which I do), they would let me know.
Which I’m thinking they won’t because I refused their online schooling spiel.
And before you ask, YES, it’s a legit job, YES, it’s a legit company...I look them all up before I apply. I just can’t get over a fucking commercial when I’m trying to apply for a job. Are they getting kickbacks for this? What the hell is the deal?
And if you think that’s weird, I have one doozy of another story but frankly, I’m far too exhausted from the other one to write about it here just yet. Maybe in time. Not just yet. I have told some friends and they are pretty much floored as well as I am. You may be floored as well. What I do know is that some companies are being extremely unethical these days, taking severe advantage of desperate people looking for work and it is not right.
That’s ok. I’m making a list and I will keep it so that if/when the economy gets better, and things are more in favor of the potential employees, I’m going to do to them as they did to me. And the first thing I’m going to do is name the companies on that list and why they are on that list. Yes, indeed.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
I Would Like To Thank All The Liars Out There
If there is one thing I have never done, it is lie on an application or a resume. As I’ve been doing some research, it appears that up to 40% of people do lie, embellish, completely fabricate things.
You people who do this are assholes.
I have never, with the exception of the military, of course, had to go through a background check. Never. I’ve always just got the job. But now? I have to go through a background check. Personally I find it highly intrusive and I don’t particularly like someone poking around asking about my character, of all things. I don’t want to hear some bullshit explanation about why companies do this because I don’t care.
It’s because of those fucking liars out there that I have to go through this.
And how long does it fucking take anyway? Seriously! This is ridiculous. Can I just start working already?! THANKEW!
Monday, May 30, 2011
So, We're Here
I’m in Maine. I got here late night on Thursday the 19th. Got my stuff that was shipped on the Monday, following. They totally broke a piece of furniture, (a bookshelf thingie for the cats), so I have to make a claim and either have them buy me a new one or give me the $300 that it cost me.
That week I applied to some jobs, went to the Goodwill to get warmer clothes, (I got an entire new wardrobe, (sweaters and things), for $42. I’m set for the winter except for a warm coat...we’ll see how bad it is. I typically like to layer but I don’t know just how cold it gets here and if layering will work.
I also got a really, really nice nightstand, I mean, I see NOTHING wrong with it, it looks brand new, for $19. It’s “real” furniture, not the type you put together and is made of particle board. I don’t think I’ve ever owned a piece of “real” furniture.
I had to get the dogs some Advantix because within one week of being here, I found a tick on the girl. Grrr! I pulled that bastard off and drowned it. Lyme disease is caused by deer ticks and I don’t know one tick from the next so, as much as I hate to use chemicals, until I find a great natural alternative, it’s going to have to be chemicals.
Something keeps biting me at night when I go to bed. Oh, I did get a bed. I slept on the floor in my sleeping bag the first three nights and that just wasn’t going to be something I could do, long term, so I had to get a bed.
Anyway, kind of still learning my way around. I went and got my Maine driver’s license. It’s paper right now, just waiting for the real one to come in the mail. I also had to have the bank I used to finance the car through to re-send me the paper work so I could get my title. They said they sent it, I never got it. They had the right address. I seriously doubt they messed up, I blame it on the idiots who shared a mailbox with me in Miami, (neighbors), because many, many times, they would get the mail and leave it at work and NO ONE would tell me I had mail. It would NOT surprise me IN the slightest if someone, (some bitch I used to work with), threw it away. Not one little bit. Because that’s the kind of shit those people are.
When they send that I am supposed to be able to go to the DMV here and get a title or copy or whatever. Then I can register my car. Unlike Florida, Maine has an excise tax and many people that I talk to in Maine, (on a forum), have been telling me it’s going to be horribly expensive. It was $42. HA! Ooooh, yes, try to scare me away from Maine. These are, of course, the same people who act like a person needs 20 years living expenses just to leave their driveway. They really are doomsayers...but I keep telling them, “If you want something bad enough, you find a way to make it work.”
Granted, I had some help, for which I am forever grateful and was the big reason I was able to do this when I did. Thank you! You know who you are!
Anyway, this past weekend, Memorial Day weekend, I knew that people would not be calling to interview or for hiring so I figured, hey, I live merely an hour away from Acadia National Park, let’s just go. I packed up the dogs and went on Saturday; it was cold, foggy and rainy, (My God I was in heaven), and not a lot of people out because of it. I loved it and we did see some people but not too many. It was very peaceful.
The minimum pass price is $10 and the pass lasts for 7 days. Annual pass is $40 and I may just get one. But, I got the $10 one and since I had 7 days to use it, I went back to Acadia today. Today it was 81 degrees, (ugh, too hot), and there were TONS of people out. I now know that I should go either on weekdays, (depends on working schedule in the future), and/or when it’s cold and rainy and foggy out.
So, this will be picture heavy but these are some of the photos I took on Saturday and then again, today.
Enjoy.
Park Loop Road.This is the main road in the park. Some of it is one way. Very peaceful and quiet and has a ton of areas to pull over and sight see or park so you can get out and hike if you want.
Getting started…
The dogs on their very first ever, “official” hike. They loved every single second of it.
Because I love crashing waves.
Like I just said, I love crashing waves. Especially on a cloudy, foggy day. Paradise for me.
The dogs did not bark at this seagull, only stared at it. That is why I was able to get the shot.
Floating seagulls.
That was Saturday. Monday’s photos are in the extended area....
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
When They Tell You Something, Listen
At work we are always talking about how people seem to think that things we tell them to do are just so we can control them. We tell them things for their own safety, such as, “step on the seat to get in to the boat” because many times, when they don’t, they wipe out. They usually aren’t hurt but who wants to fall in to a boat in front of a bunch of people? (And yes, we laugh.)
So, when someone or some company is telling you something, you should probably listen and not think you know better or are better controlled.
Case in point....
Setting: This morning
Location: My living room
Action: Playing the Wii
Damage: One front window, shattered.
Yes. Because I’m a fucking moron.
See, I have used the little strap it comes with every single time, like I was told to do by the manufacturer. I heeded their warnings, I knew that when playing Wii, you can get all involved and out of control. But I have played my Wii countless times and I’ve never once lost control of the controller.
This morning, I wanted to stay in bed. I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. However, the dogs needed to pee. So I had to get up and let them out. One decided she didn’t want to pee right away so in to the crate she went while I waited for a period of time to try it again.
(It sounds like I’m blaming the dogs...part of me wants to....)
That means I have to stay up, I cannot go back to bed until she has peed. Well, why don’t we play around with the Wii whilst we wait, shall we?
But I couldn’t find the wrist strap. See, I had to hide the damn thing because my cats like to play with it. It’s string! What fun! But I couldn’t remember where I put it. Oh well, I’ll look later, let’s just play.
Five minutes later I was watching in horror as the controller left my hand, sailed gracefully through the air and slammed in to the blinds on my front window. And then I heard, “CRACK!”
And then? “tinkle, tinkle, tinkle”.
Fuck me.
I contacted the repair guy right away and asked him to come out. He’s coming this afternoon, my God I can only guess as to how expensive this is going to be.
He asked me how I did it. I told him I’d tell him when he got here. He asked me if there was alcohol involved. I told him I don’t really drink and besides, it’s 8 o’clock in the fricken morning. However, if there was alcohol involved, I feel it would be less embarrassing to say how it happened rather than, “I lost control of my Wii controller.”
God, how stupid does that make me sound?
Fuck me, again.
So he’s coming out to assess the damage, laugh at me, order a new window and become rich off of my stupidity.
So, kids, when someone is telling you something or the manufacturer has a warning, heed it. Listen. Don’t think you are better or know better. It can happen to you, too.
Now I get to replace the glass in my car and my home! I’m so thrilled!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
It's Pretty Much Ready
Ok, kids...at long last, the announcement is ready and I’m ready to tell you about the project I’ve been working on that I talked about a few weeks ago.
However, I know that I have fans and I have people who hate because of the things I’ve written in the past 7 years. I do not want this project’s image pre-tarnished simply because someone did not like something I said 3 years ago.
Therefore, I ask that if you want to take a look, help out, be a part of it, and really, just your dang presence is help, please let me know in comments. I will email you the information so please, use your real email address when you comment. It won’t show up here but I can get it from my control panel.
If you do take a look, I’d love to have some feedback, let me know what you think and if you see any place that needs improvement, something that can be worded better, something that can be done better, or, as said in previous posts, are really good with Photoshop and have the skillZ, let me know.
Thanks.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Assistance
Anyone good at Photoshop? Anyone? Bueller?
I THINK I have my other two issues resolved...but I need someone who is good with Photoshop and has about...oh, 20 minutes of time..or however long it takes you to create something nice in Photoshop....anyone?
I suck at Photoshop. I’ve tried. I failed. Repeatedly. I’m too stupid for Photoshop. So, anyone?
Stuck
Ok, kids...I’m stuck. I need some help. I need someone who is good with Word Press, building a website and the tinkering that goes with it.
I am only needing help with two little things...and I’m sure they are simply and easily fixed but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how to fix them.
Please, someone, I have been stuck on this for almost three weeks and it’s causing a major delay. Anyone out there have any knowledge on the above mentioned things and can help?
Then I can get this thing off the ground.
