One person's job offer, another's relief

I’m in a different spot today than I was yesterday.

Brian may have a contract-based job after a lunch meeting this afternoon. It is because I heard a business description at a networking event and took action to get contact information for him to follow up on. Now, he may be on track to at least part-time income, with an interview with a temp agency next week to possibly fill in the gaps.

We are scheduled to go to Alabama this weekend for an aikido seminar. I have never been to Alabama, and it has been a long time since I have been on the road for more than three hours. I am excited to travel somewhere new, even though everyone I talk to about it says it won’t be exciting.

I’m trying to stay on top of things at work, but something has happened where the people I need to talk to are all unavailable until Thursday (tomorrow), and all my deadlines start next week.

My lead story hasn’t gotten any of my attention until today, when I realized I hadn’t worked on it at all so far. I’ve sent an email and gathered some phone numbers, but am hesitant to make any calls until I get some response from the three or so places I’ve left messages for this afternoon.

The two pages of nonprofit organizations I have to fact check unveiled a nice surprise when I actually started making calls earlier: nine of them are for the same organization, just different Austin branches. If their media person would just call me back, I’d have more than half of this assignment knocked out today. But I’m unsure that they have gotten the message. May have to call them again this afternoon or tomorrow.

All in all, I feel a bit more optimistic about things now that opportunities are panning out for Brian. Being the breadwinner has been a little stressful on me (and my bank account), but I know he’s been stressed without work too.

If I could just get myself in gear with focusing on things, life would be just rosy. 

Keeping the candle of contentment akindle... around others' darkness

I honestly don't know if I had a legitimate urge to blog, or I just really don't feel like doing what I should be at the moment.

In any case, here I am. Tomorrow will mark three months in the "new" job, if it still counts as new at this point. Still enjoying it, still loving the new town so much more than the old one, and generally being at peace with where I am for the time being.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the people around me.

The person I spend the most time with is in utter disdain with his current life situation. I completely understand and empathize with him, but I can only say "that sucks, hon," so many times. 

Of course I'm keen on him taking steps to get into a better situation, but sometimes I wonder if he just enjoys having something to complain about. I'm starting to feel like most of our discussions are on the same three topics: job, people that bug him, and me nagging that he leaves his stuff all over the apartment (namely, clothing in the kitchen, so I can't be blamed for being uptight!). 

We talk about him going back to school, but the issue of funding and what to study constantly roadblock any planning. He can't quit his job because he wants to have another one to turn to right away. But he can't apply for others because he's so tired by the time he gets home.

I am concerned that he doesn't have enough to be happy about in life. I suggest he try a church in the area, but he has halfhearted opposition to that too. So I'm starting to feel stuck in his rut. 

Would it push him in the direction of trying something new and enjoyable if I went off and found something for myself too? I've been considering something like kickboxing, Pilates or an art class, but just haven't gotten around to doing the proper research. Probably because I spend all my internet time at work looking at funny pictures or reading horror stories of customer service (in between legitimate article research, of course). Actually, while waiting on a meeting to start, I ordered a new skirt for work. Kind of excited for that to arrive in a few weeks. 

There I go veering off topics again. Ah well. Here's a parting photo that's totally not related:

http://themetapicture.com/its-time-for-tickles/

Until next time.

Not perfect, but doing pretty well

I am engaged with my life again.

No, I still haven't gotten back into crafting. Or recreational writing. And the new apartment is still a mess.

But I have 20 basil sprouts, a daisy plant that shouldn't have come back this year but is blooming like crazy, a sweet potato plant with leaves like KA-POW, and a smattering of lavender seedlings coming up.

Oh, and I'm now a pet mom.

Brian and I were at Petsmart Saturday to look at rodents. I told him how I had wanted one since I was 13 and would like to hold one of the cuties they had out. He tracked down an associate and asked if we could. The minute that rat started sniffing his hand, the mushy side of Brian took over. He was enamored and, well, we left the store a bit poorer, but with a rat, cage, litterbox, food, litter and chews. 

The next day we went to Waco to pick up a larger cage from my friend Jennifer. 

Grace is settling down well. She is a bit scared of the wheel we added to the cage last night, but I'm sure she'll warm up to it eventually.  I am excited to teach her tricks. On my list: come to her name, sit up on command, and the first four steps of the aikido walk. My aikido teacher actually heard that and gave me a challenge: see who learns the walk first, my rat or his 5-year-old daughter. We'll see how that goes...

She loves to climb, explore and search things out. Last night, she figured out how to jump, making our testcapade in the bathtub a sudden game of "don't let her out!" 

But aside of the plants and the pet, things are going well. A get-together is in the works for a few weekends from now. I'm being more social at work. Generally surviving each day by more than the skin of my teeth, which is fantastic. Even Brian is getting back earlier, so we watch tv or movies together at night.

My apologies. Here's an update.

Greetings. It's been a while since I updated. And with Brian staring over my shoulder, I feel a bit odd about writing this blog...

All right, he's left. :-)

Anyway, I've been very busy over the last month and a half. I spent the last three weeks of March driving an hour between Killeen and Pflugerville for work. My Georgetown apartment was ready April 5 and on April 6 I moved in with the help of the most amazing friends ever. I've since mostly unpacked and am nearly settled in.

The job has been very nice. Not easy per-say, but the differences between this company and my last one are astronomical. 

Speaking of the last one, it was a long, twisted path trying to get a way from it, but I think I've succeeded (finally). From my knowledge, things have not been very smooth over there and I'm pretty satisfied to have been separated from it when I was. 

Deadlines are different at the new job, but it's essentially the same deal. I stay busy and they pay me. That's what I wanted, right?

Last weekend, Brian and I went on a spontaneous trip to Nac. Ever since, I've missed the piney woods. I'm seriously thinking that will be my next move if/when I separate from the capital area of Texas, but it may require a career change. Reporting in the rural areas isn't as exciting given the quiet nature, but I could see myself living there in another chapter of my life. For now, I still like the populated areas. 

And there's the biggest update I've done in, what, a month? Sorry, I would like to try and update more (despite the fact that nobody seems to read them). I just like to write out about what's going on.

Bare bones update

I can't do an in-depth post, like I'd like to, but here's a skeleton update on what's gone on since I last updated:

-Started my new job. It's much more technology-inclusive than my last one and I'm still adjusting. I think I'll have a firm opinion on the position and company in a couple more weeks, after I've adjusted to the vastly different climate.

-I moved this weekend. It was stressful. I hated it.

-My old apartment still has a lot of stuff in it, so the move isn't technically over yet. After I get everything out, then I have to clean it. THEN I will be done with Killeen. Except for aikido.

-My new bathroom requires shelves. So soon I'll have to go shopping again.

-Still dealing with some issues regarding the unemployment I'm no longer receiving. Blah.

-Tired as hell, but can't rest 'til I'm done with the move. So caffeine is my friend.

10th Post, Good News

I haven't been online in a few days, but it's good news this time around.

After two rounds of interviews last week, I got a call Monday offering me the job in Georgetown. 

I accepted. 

It's  a higher paying job, and from this perspective, appears to be a manageable workload. The location puts me closer to Austin, but still in a medium sized town with (likely) less city traffic. While the office is in Pflugerville, it will still be a doable commute to live in the area I'll be reporting for. 

I had to fill out a survey from the company asking me about my favorite cuisines and what song I would have play when I entered a room. Odd questions that probably took me way too long to answer, but it's in.

On March 18, I'll start the new job. In the meantime, all I can think about is having to move all the crap out of my apartment. Fortunately, the location means I don't necessarily have to do it all at once, which is very nice. 

Here's hoping for better days ahead. I'd also like to thank Denny's, Subway, McDonald's, Hasting's, the Copperas Cove Library and every other location I have gone to bum internet from in my search. Couldn't have done it without y'all.

Amazing Opening: Applied

Honestly not sure why I keep updating this. I really don't think it's being read or enjoyed by anyone, but I do enjoy writing so I'll continue. 

Anyway, as I restarted the search today, the first thing I saw was a reporter opening in Georgetown with the company I'd applied for last summer. Score! Took me an hour to apply because I wanted the wording in my resume and cover letter to be just right, and I had to select clips relevant to the type of reporting they want, but I'd really like to hear back on this position. Georgetown isn't too far, and definitely has more to offer than Killeen. The area, from the little bit I've seen passing through, is pretty nice. Maybe a bit upscale from where I am now, but probably manageable. 

Have yet to hear from any of my applications in Dallas or Austin yet. A little bummed about it, but I guess all I can do is keep putting myself out there and wait for a call back.

To date, I've sent my application out to eleven places. Kind of low for searching for two weeks, I suppose, but I was doing temp work for the last four days, and that kind of took up a bit of time (not going to have a huge check to show for it, but whatevs). Have to go to some kind of employment briefing in regards to my unemployment tomorrow. Three hours of "here's how to write a resume" is what I'm expecting. Ugh, so not looking forward to that, but it's just to keep them happy and providing me with a tiny bit of income I guess. 

Now I am hungry. Will search a short while longer, then I will need food.

Yup. Still searching.

This time, from the Hardback Cafe in my local Hastings. 

I went through my Texas Workforce materials last night. My possible unemployment benefits will even out to around half what I was making before. I still have no promising leads, thought I've been applying to well more than the minimum of three I'm required to do to receive unemployment.

Dallas Morning News emailed me Monday to say they got my application and if I hear from them, it will be later this week. Obviously I'm hoping for sooner rather than later. That position is much more attractive than the Houston Community Newspapers one, in all honesty.

Today, I interviewed at a local screen printing place through a lead from the temp agency. I'd be a perfect fit if I was interested in staying for 2-3 years, so I've scrapped any hopes of that position. 

A TV station and the housing authority in Austin both should have received my applications today, and I may be sending an application to a copywriting job (also in Austin) after this update. 

I'm noting that my frustration and anger at being jobless seems to manifest itself once the sun goes down. I can be productive in my search all day long, but when it gets dark I start feeling hopeless and helpless. The materials from TWC are difficult to understand, I can't continue searching from my apartment except via my phone (which is a pain in the ass), so all I can really do is stare at the mess and wish the job search motivation translated to cleaning up when I'm unable to continue for the day.

That and I am also hungry right now. Been staring at the cafe menu since I set myself up here, my mind has been on what possible Valentine's candy may be left on sale at Walmart right now, but my desire to save every bit of money I can keeps telling me to just go home and eat some Ramen. Because that's what WINNERS have for dinner right before they go to their aikido club!

Here I am in Houston

I interviewed at Houston Texas Consulting this afternoon. They told me if the manager likes my resume and the notes from the interview, I would get a call to schedule a second interview between 3:30 and 4 p.m.

So 4:00 came... and went. But my trip wasn't a complete bust. Besides getting to hang with my friends, a Facebook status about being in the area prompted a friend who works for a news company to message me that they're "hurting" for reporters right now. There are a couple positions open, and they're generally like what I did in Killeen/Copperas Cove. The pay seems to be lower, but it may have the potential to increase as the company does better. The options are between a somewhat-uppity, family-centered sounding community, and a more rural community, each pretty far north of the busy-ness of Houston itself. 

Austin is still a possibility, but I'm seeing fewer options there at the moment. I'm about to draft a cover letter, relook at my resume and pick out a few clips to send to this possibility. 

Honestly though, the traffic of Houston is the most offputting thing. I was nearly sideswiped trying to leave McDonald's this morning (the guy, whose car I honestly did not see, rolled down his window to say "Are you stupid?" When I, probably foolishly, answered "no," he called me a "f*cking asshole" and sped away to the red light... a couple hundred feet away), and am still sore from being rearended trying to leave Temple yesterday afternoon. The thing is, the two times I've been rearended, once in Killeen, once in Temple, both people were apologetic. I get almost hit in Houston, and then there's namecalling. What the hell?

It's been a while since I was in Conroe, which seems to be the more bearable of the two locations, but it would still put me in weekend visiting distance of my friends, as well as close enough to do shopping/eating in the city if I ever felt like doing so. It will also be a change of landscape and demographics. Then again, the job is the same thing I did for the last year and a half. I kind of wanted to do something new (and better paying). I guess I'd be closer to better options in Houston, should a better-paying, higher-advancing option opens up. 

For now, I'm just going to apply for everything I can. I really don't like not having an income.

The Search Begins

Hello from the free WiFi of Subway.

I've been here nearly four hours, I believe. After I ate and nabbed a table near an outlet, I applied for a local temp agency and three PR-type positions, two in Houston, one in Austin. 

I'd forgotten how annoying it is to enter the same information over and over on different sites, and I didn't expect a customer service/sales rep application to include a questionnaire that seemed very interested in my ability to do math. Some of the questions were:

[Sample questions deleted to discourage excessive post views from people answering the same questionnaire and just Googling the answers instead of actually figuring them out themselves.]

All were multiple choice, and I only guessed on the airplane one (there was a whole other page, as well, and included questions about percentages and volume). Thank goodness I didn't forget all my middle-school math skills!

I'll be back at the same thing - applying like a madwoman - tomorrow. But now, I really have to pee and I'm tired. So, because I've been so productive today (also visited the Workforce Center and applied for unemployment. Take that, old boss), I'm going to go home and either clean or lay down for a few hours before aikido tonight.  

I hope this taking charge stuff pays off well. I'd really like to start my life over in a happier place, with a more enjoyable job. But I guess we shall see. 

And Suddenly... Unemployment

I spoke with the general manager this morning. At around 9:30 a.m. on February 12, 2013, I learned my position had been cut. I am welcome to finish out the day, but budget just doesn't allow for my position anymore. 

I think I reacted well enough. I kept composure and was offered references if needed. But when I'm done today, I will be out of a job. 

This is the first time I've experienced being laid off. I am looking around for PR openings in Texas, because I'm trying to make this into something positive. My friend commented that she things good things will come of this and that I haven't been happy since I moved to Killeen. It's quite true. I am hoping to make an advancement in my professional life from this brief stumble. 

I found a few possible leads that I am noting and will follow up on tomorrow, after I look into unemployment and maybe drop off an application at Express Employment temp agency. I won't take this lying down. I am going to find something better in a better area and try to make a positive out of this.

I suppose I can join a certain "survivors" group on Facebook now. This won't only be a story of survival. I intend to thrive. I intend to advance and improve my life from this. 

But today, I will take my chances to rant, rave, and finish my last assignment for Friday. 

Thanks for all the bullshit, G-man. It only made me stronger and more aware. 

A Quick Hello from Work

Well I've dropped the ball again. It's been FAR too long since I wrote anything, but my work and personal lives have been oddly busy lately.

I am paranoid about posting via this computer, so I'll just leave some links to my favorite GIF blogs for anyone to pursue at their leisure. 

http://howdoiputthisgently.tumblr.com/

http://whatshouldbetchescallme.tumblr.com/

http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/

http://likeacollegejourno.tumblr.com/ (It makes me very sad this one hasn't updated in months)

http://whatdiabetesshouldcallme.tumblr.com/

Enjoy wasting some time. :-)

Projects, Goals and the Like

Since the new year started, I've had a lot of random ideas for goals and projects floating around in my head. Things like getting back on track with checking my blood sugar, going on a vacation, getting a pet, getting a new car, starting an exercise routine. Heck, someone left a skateboard at my apartment after Saturday's get-together, so the thought of learning to use it has even been floating around.

The trouble with all these things is they require motivation and dedication, both of which I am severely lacking right now (along with available friends with whom I could tackle one of these ideas, but that's a whole other can of worms).

I don't make New Year's Resolutions, but the allure of a new year beginning and that "clean slate" idea is as infectious to me as anyone else.  

So my next dilemma: picking a goal. Because yes, I miss having something to focus my energy into outside of work. I have aikido, but I realized how much I miss creating things or devoting myself to something for a few hours or days at a time. Problem is that dedication thing. I can barely make myself read for more than 20 minutes at a time now, whereas I used to go for hours without a break. I miss having so much interest in something (and time/energy to devote to it).

For my own sake, I will now look at each of these possible goals individually. I never said I was really writing this blog to entertain other, but if there are thoughts, bring 'em on.

Checking my blood sugar more regularly 

I tried last year to get back into a daily habit of testing, but it was completely bust by spring. I fell out of my four tests a day habit in college, first dropping lunch, then dinner, then before bed and finally just stopped all together because it was a nuisance to have to do it. 

However, I know my control is out of whack and I am probably constantly on the "high" end of the scale. The only way to fix it is to be more aware of it. I would have to start small and work up. Two tests per week, work to one per day, twice per day, eventually back to at least three. If I could go two weeks straight on each of these before I increase the goal, I should be all right.

Planning a vacation

I have never been on a plane in my life. The first time my family took an actual vacation, I was 20 years old. So the whole picking-and-planning thing is completely foreign to me. I haven't even got a clue of where I would go. I was browsing around the other night and started writing down what interested me. My list?

-New Orleans

-Alaska

-A cruise

-Scandanavia

-Australia

Note the complete lack of any sort of "theme" to these locations. I could drive to New Orleans. I've seen the ocean (technically, The Gulf of Mexico) three times in my life. I don't have a passport and I'm not rich, nor have I ever been. 

Obviously, this is more of an ongoing thing. I worked all of 2012 without a non-company vacation. I only had two days of vacation time to use, and neither of them were utilized. This year, I get two weeks paid. I will use them. 

Getting a pet

I decided quite a while ago now is not the time for me to have a dog, as much as I'd LOVE to have one again. I live in an apartment with a ban on all the good breeds, I'm rarely home during the day, have an unpredictable, irregular schedule and don't really want to give the complex a $700 pet deposit, plus an extra $10 on each month's rent. However, I asked when I was touring this complex if they would require a deposit for a small animal, like a rodent. I was told no. SO... That fancy rat I've wanted since I was 13 is a definite possibility here. Thing is I need to get all the equipment and supplies, then find a reputable rat dealer, and decide if I want one or two. They're social creatures, rats, and - as I said before - I'm not home during the day very much (however, they are naturally nocturnal, so there's a lot to consider). 

The idea of something I can hold though is so comforting. I have a fish who is awesome in his own right, but you can't pet a betta. You feed them, wash the bowl, and antagonize them with a mirror held up to the glass every now and then to see them flare up. That's about it. 

New car

Squirtle has been doing all right lately, but I know what's off under the hood. It's not going to last forever, though it hit 165,000 xp (miles) this week. I have an idea of what I want, but with another hunk of taxes being taken out of my paycheck, I'm a bit wary of spending more money now. Plus my mom is kicking me off her auto insurance (yeah yeah, first world problems), so I'll have to be paying that every month or six months now. Which reminds me, need to talk to my agent tomorrow...

Exercise

I admit, this isn't a huge draw for me. I've never been what you call "active." I couldn't tell you why I lost so much weight at the end of 2012, but I know it probably won't happen again any time soon. But the idea of being healthier is definitely appealing.

Some of my friends talk about training for 5k runs. It sounds like it would be awesome to say I did something like that, but hell, starting from working 8+ hours per day and going home and barely having the drive to do the dishes, to finding time to make myself actually MOVE? Like, OUTSIDE? It's hard to picture and plan.

Maybe I could find some home workout DVDs. Supposedly it helps to work out in the morning (how anyone can resist the sweet siren song of a warm fluffy bed any earlier than strictly necessary is still beyond me), and it might help me with this whole "going to bed earlier" deal I've been meaning to start. 

---

Anyway, that's a bit of the self/life-improvement ideas I've been bouncing around. I'm very dissatisfied with how my life is going now, and anything to give me something else to focus on besides how annoying my job can be is something I'd like to consider pursuing.

 

Long-Delayed Update

So much for updating once a week, right? A lot of stuff has happened since Christmas eve. I'm single again. I'm looking at all kinds of vacation options for this year. My college friends came to my apartment this weekend and we all hung out Saturday (with some copious amounts of boozing). Today, I'm at work taking my first official break of the day at 5 p.m. 

I got to interview the lead singer of Shinedown this afternoon. He said something that really hit me personally, so now I'm considering going to the concert in March. Already have one friend who is on board to join me. Woo hoo. 
 

I have a city council meeting at 7 I probably won't get to stay the entirety of. But it's been a productive Monday. I will have turned in three stories by the time I leave, but I still have a lot of my weekly assignments to start/finish by Wednesday. Not to mention the special edition at the end of February I already missed the first set of deadlines for. I don't know how I'm going to keep up with that while I'm keeping up with all my new beats. 

Not to mention the fact that about 70 percent of what I write now runs on Friday. I will be very unhappy if I start getting grief for not having Sunday stories, when those deadlines are the same as one of my Friday deadlines. Blargh. 

I would really like to write more, but there are other things I'd like to do with this break, like check the GIF blogs I follow and catch up on notalwaysright.com.