Almost forgot...it was two years and about three and a half hours ago since I last held a paying job. Yessir, it was just after 11 AM when I got that fateful phone call.
The good news....one of the recruiters called and they might have a lead. Pay is good enough for things to continue as they have been. I'm hoping.
The county interview went okay, but I flubbed the Excel test at the end. Maybe it'll serve as a warning to brush up on Excel over the next few days.
One other positive, looks like I'll be getting a poem published in an anthology. So that's good, right? Right? Right.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Sick....
Ended up spending last week at my home state due to a family medical emergency that thankfully has stabilized. Back home now, but as usual I caught a cold while I was there that I've brought back home. Believe I am slowly recovering.
First day of summer and of course it is also the first day of triple digits here, it is supposed to be well over 100. Miserable time of year.
My family drives me crazy to the point where I almost do not want to return to my home state anymore, but I'm starting to think it is the only place where I'll find work. I didn't get the job I interviewed for. I have another county interview next week, but I don't really take those as serious job opportunities anymore. The only hope would be that this is a different agency and maybe I could possibly click with the interviewers.
Also, my last interview had a similar format and I think I did okay at it [even if I wasn't successful] so maybe I could finally perform to where I could get the job here.
Unemployment runs out in a little over a month, I'm kind of at a loss. About to hit an even worse anniversary than last year, I am almost two years unemployed now.
I was stuck with my parents' selection of books last week and ended up giving the second installment of Stieg Larson's Millennium Trilogy a try, and ended up getting hooked into it enough to finish the second and third books. I still wouldn't say they were great, it's one of those cases where the best known and most successful example of the genre is also the weakest. Really hoping that Jo Nesbo might be able to take advantage of the series' popularity. But the story did pick up in the second volume, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. I think too much of the first book involved detective work, scenes of the characters examining photographs and computer files. This at least had some more action. The third book is mainly a courtroom drama of sorts, but it is at least satisfying to see the villains get their comeuppance. But Lisbeth Salander is still a silly cartoon-like character, and despite the claims of "grittiness," the series has a real lack of realism. But if you view it as a sort of comic book, it's a decent entertainment.
First day of summer and of course it is also the first day of triple digits here, it is supposed to be well over 100. Miserable time of year.
My family drives me crazy to the point where I almost do not want to return to my home state anymore, but I'm starting to think it is the only place where I'll find work. I didn't get the job I interviewed for. I have another county interview next week, but I don't really take those as serious job opportunities anymore. The only hope would be that this is a different agency and maybe I could possibly click with the interviewers.
Also, my last interview had a similar format and I think I did okay at it [even if I wasn't successful] so maybe I could finally perform to where I could get the job here.
Unemployment runs out in a little over a month, I'm kind of at a loss. About to hit an even worse anniversary than last year, I am almost two years unemployed now.
I was stuck with my parents' selection of books last week and ended up giving the second installment of Stieg Larson's Millennium Trilogy a try, and ended up getting hooked into it enough to finish the second and third books. I still wouldn't say they were great, it's one of those cases where the best known and most successful example of the genre is also the weakest. Really hoping that Jo Nesbo might be able to take advantage of the series' popularity. But the story did pick up in the second volume, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. I think too much of the first book involved detective work, scenes of the characters examining photographs and computer files. This at least had some more action. The third book is mainly a courtroom drama of sorts, but it is at least satisfying to see the villains get their comeuppance. But Lisbeth Salander is still a silly cartoon-like character, and despite the claims of "grittiness," the series has a real lack of realism. But if you view it as a sort of comic book, it's a decent entertainment.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Keeping you up to date....
Interview tomorrow for a temporary job at one of the places I interviewed last month.
It's a low level accounting gig, I may have a good chance at it. Doesn't pay any more than I get for unemployment, but the experience would be valuable, and it would give me something to do. Not sure how long the temporary period is, I will need to find out tomorrow.
Trying to prepare, but have a lot of personal stuff going on that is weighing on my mind.
On the last 60 pages of SKIPPY DIES. Have enjoyed it a lot.
It's a low level accounting gig, I may have a good chance at it. Doesn't pay any more than I get for unemployment, but the experience would be valuable, and it would give me something to do. Not sure how long the temporary period is, I will need to find out tomorrow.
Trying to prepare, but have a lot of personal stuff going on that is weighing on my mind.
On the last 60 pages of SKIPPY DIES. Have enjoyed it a lot.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Just watched Marwencol....
...and am feeling impaired myself, as if I had the brain damage suffered by the documentary's subject.
Seriously, been feeling more anxious lately, especially as the day goes on. I'm relatively okay in the morning, and I've learned that if I need to go out I should try and do it in the morning. Otherwise I get the willies and end up putting off whatever it is.
I've had trouble lately with aggressive drivers in parking lots, panhandlers, and various other issues. I've started driving an extra 15-20 minutes to a suburb to do some of the shopping, just because it's cleaner and there is less likelihood of an incident.
There has been more to apply to lately, so I guess that is good. It would be better if I could figure out a way to not appear so overqualified.
Almost finished with SKIPPY DIES. I'd say finishing it will be the biggest accomplishment I've had lately, other than maybe finally getting a handle on the dirty dishes and managing to prepare dinner for the last few weeks.
Seriously, been feeling more anxious lately, especially as the day goes on. I'm relatively okay in the morning, and I've learned that if I need to go out I should try and do it in the morning. Otherwise I get the willies and end up putting off whatever it is.
I've had trouble lately with aggressive drivers in parking lots, panhandlers, and various other issues. I've started driving an extra 15-20 minutes to a suburb to do some of the shopping, just because it's cleaner and there is less likelihood of an incident.
There has been more to apply to lately, so I guess that is good. It would be better if I could figure out a way to not appear so overqualified.
Almost finished with SKIPPY DIES. I'd say finishing it will be the biggest accomplishment I've had lately, other than maybe finally getting a handle on the dirty dishes and managing to prepare dinner for the last few weeks.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Which month was the cruelest?
Can't remember, and am too lazy to Google.
A temp accounting position is open at the air pollution control place, so I applied. Maybe slightly better odds than the last job. I had my "feedback session" yesterday. It wasn't that bad, my main problem is that I did not elaborate enough about certain topics [namely teamwork ability and people skills, which coincidentally happen to be my key weaknesses.] The HR lady was encouraging, she said there was really nothing negative or wrong, just not enough information in certain areas. She encouraged me to apply for the temporary position. Apparently it's common for people to make multiple attempts at getting a job with this agency. Might as well.
Rediscovering Stephen King, after being involved in some online discussion regarding him. He's always going to be a big part of my reading life, one of my favorite early adolescent memories is first starting to read him around age 11-12, walking home from the library with a ton of Stephen King books. Is he the most polished writer? No.
But his stories have one key element a lot of "better" writers lack: the King reader almost always wants to know how the story ends.
I believe I have maybe six or seven weeks of unemployment. I still believe something will work out, it just may not work out in the way that I thought it would.
A temp accounting position is open at the air pollution control place, so I applied. Maybe slightly better odds than the last job. I had my "feedback session" yesterday. It wasn't that bad, my main problem is that I did not elaborate enough about certain topics [namely teamwork ability and people skills, which coincidentally happen to be my key weaknesses.] The HR lady was encouraging, she said there was really nothing negative or wrong, just not enough information in certain areas. She encouraged me to apply for the temporary position. Apparently it's common for people to make multiple attempts at getting a job with this agency. Might as well.
Rediscovering Stephen King, after being involved in some online discussion regarding him. He's always going to be a big part of my reading life, one of my favorite early adolescent memories is first starting to read him around age 11-12, walking home from the library with a ton of Stephen King books. Is he the most polished writer? No.
But his stories have one key element a lot of "better" writers lack: the King reader almost always wants to know how the story ends.
I believe I have maybe six or seven weeks of unemployment. I still believe something will work out, it just may not work out in the way that I thought it would.
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