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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Wednesday Hodgepodge










It's Wednesday, which means it's Hodgepodge day! Go link up with Joyce and join in!

 
1. What creeps you out?

 Sparkly vampires. ;o)  Bugs that go crunch. Any guy who comes up to me in a bar saying he has a "dog that is lonely". . . . seriously.

2. What's your least favorite candy?

Anything with coconut or almonds. It just ruins the candy, really.

3. Are you a fan of scary movies?  What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?

I do like scary movies, although I don't watch them very often and when I do, I try not to watch with the lights out. Paranormal Activity scared the shit out of me. I had to sleep with the light on. Took me two years to work up to watching the second one and the same thing happened. I figure someday I'll get to the third and fourth ones. Someday.

4. What part of life confuses you the most?

Everything. lol No, really, there's just too much to write down here. Y'all would be reading for a month if I started.

5. Pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, poppy...what's your favorite seed?

I don't typically eat just seeds, although pumpkin seeds are pretty good. I do like a good poppy seed muffin.

6. Imagine your life ten years from today...what's changed?

Hmmm. Ten years from now? Oh I have no idea. I hope I'll finally be married and have started a family, have a house and a dog. And I imagine myself marrying a nice guy who just so happens to be fairly well off so that I may live in the life that I should already be accustomed.  ;o)

7.  What do you a) love the most and b) like the least about the Hodgepodge?

Well, I'm still new to this but A) It's interesting to find out more about other bloggers and B) I have to think of answers to the questions! lol (j/k)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I now know what it feels like to mop 8,000 square feet. Because I mopped it. And trust me when I say, it's not all that fun. 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Wednesday Hodgepodge


I'm joining Joyce and the gang for another round of Wednesday Hodgepodge!



1.  So, do you like beer?

Ick. I have yet to meet a beer that I liked.

2.  What's your least favorite repetitive task?

Reaching. My new job's front reception area was built for people who have longer arms than I have. Meaning I have lots to reach for, and I can't move any of it closer so it's easier to reach. Everything is on a built in shelf. So, reaching.

3.  When was the last time you rode a bus?  Where was it headed?

Hmmm, probably when I was in Florida for 9 weeks during college. I didn't have a car with me; I hitched a ride from another intern to get to and from work each day. I rode the bus on Saturdays so I could go to the mall to get out of the house. I'm inept at reading bus schedules so I was either really early or really late getting to the bus stop. I went to the mall because it was a "simple stop" meaning I could actually figure out where to catch the stupid bus. Plus I could do lots of window shopping in stop.

4.  What song from your childhood or from your own children's childhood could make a parent's nerves stand on end?

I'd know it if I heard it. But its music by people I don't listen to, so no nerves standing on end.

5.  The US Presidential election cycle is drawing to a close (can I get an AMEN??), and the third and final debate was held last night...what was the last thing you 'debated about'?

How pets can seem like children to some people versus pets are children to some people. It was rather heated, actually. People with children took quite a bit of offense to it, which I can understand.

6.  Can a person make too much money?  How much is too much?

Oh hell yes they can. As for how much is too much . . . anything over $100,000 a year (individually). I mean, unless you have some super-dee-duper important job or something. I mean, super-dee-duper. After that it just gets worse and they get better tax breaks that me. I'm poor. They tax me until I live in a freaking box under a bridge.

7.  Pop-soda-coke-something else...what's it called where you live?

Typically we call it soda. Or coke since most of the restaurants serve coke instead of pepsi, in my area anyway.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm curious . . . why do some people add an extra 'ed' to the word 'spayed' but not to 'neutered'? I cannot tell you how many people add that extra 'ed', it drives me nuts. "I need to make an appointment for my cat to get spayeded." I'm just curious.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Can I get a "HELL YEAH!"


I just have to say this:


HELL YEAH, THE GIANTS ARE IN THE SERIES!!!


Those last two games are so freaking awesome.

Sunday night, I was texting updates of the game to my mom as my parents had already boarded their cruise ship to Hawaii and were waiting to sail. Monday night, Granny and I whooped and hollered as my boys whooped some serious Cardinal ass San Francisco style, 9-0, and finished up in what appeared to be a monsoon.

MY BOYS ARE TOTAL STUDS!


Thursday, October 18, 2012

100 Things That Make Me Happy: Part 14


It's been awhile since I posted one of these! I'm compiling a list of things that make me happy. Click here if you'd like to catch up on previous posts. And in no particular order, I continue!

#66. Now that I've moved back home (temporarily), I get to enjoy my mother's home cookin' again. And my dad's - he's no slouch either. My mom makes the best chicken strips. Ever. Just an FYI.

#67. Watching Giants postseason baseball. I don't usually follow baseball that closely. I usually just ask my parents how they're doing. I'm really enjoying watching more games because I'm remembering players now. Buster Posey is my favorite and his grand slam against the Reds was freakin' AWESOME if you ask me. And I will say that though I'm not a Yankee's fan, I was bummed by Derek Jeter's injury.


#68.Getting a job! I'm starting out at part-time for the moment, but that is better than nothing. And once we get my hours straightened out, I can keep looking for more part-time work. Being unemployed was not fun and those were the longest two weeks of my life. I don't know how people handle it when they are unemployed for months at a time - I would need a padded cell!

#69. Non-election years. I'm happy to vote, don't get me wrong. But it's two years of this crap by the time it's all said and done. It's exhausting putting up with the mud slinging and the vague political answers. Seriously, when asked a question, they allude to answering it and then wind up talking about China or the availability of women's contraception. Really?

#70.  Getting silly little gifts from my mom. Once in awhile, she buys me something that she thinks is silly or cute. Sometimes it's related to my nick name; meaning Peanuts related. Today I went into my bathroom and found two little Halloween figurines - Charlie Brown and Snoopy. Totally made my day, bringing a smile to my face. 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Wednesday Hodgepodge


 I'm teaming up with Joyce and the gang for another round of Wednesday Hodgepodge!

1. Noah Webster was born this week back in 1758....besides the online version, do you own a dictionary?  Do you ever use the hardback copy or is your hunt for a definition strictly online these days?

Yes, I do own a dictionary. And a thesaurus. And a Spanish-English dictionary. And a veterinary medical dictionary. I'm pretty sure I'm dictionaried out. I do use my hardcover dictionary once in awhile. If I'm already online, I will use the online version. It is my opinion, however, that every household should have at least one physical dictionary.

2.  Should public schools ban Halloween celebrations?  What about other holiday celebrations currently under fire?  

Good Lord, the schools are about the take away every fun thing for children. I'm sorry, but I honestly believe that many parents and schools are just too protective. If you don't want your child to participate in holiday activities of any kind, that's your prerogative as a parent. Don't force other kids who celebrate whole heartedly and embrace it. There is nothing wrong with kids dressing up once a year and demanding candy. Many schools already stopped doing their spring break at Easter. Next up on the chopping block is St. Patrick's Day. God forbid kids wear green pretending to be Irish for a day. There is nothing wrong with schools having a "haunted house" fun night - often times it's used as a fundraiser. Not to mention it's a fun family night. And by the way, we Americans adopted the whole trick-or-treat dressed in disguises from, guess who? The Irish. You know, from their mass immigration to the US during their potato famine in the 1800s. Also, we borrowed from other countries. I'm also going to guess that 99% of kids and even parents don't know the history of Halloween, not the whole of it anyway. It's not necessarily as evil as you make it out to be. So leave it the hell alone.

3.  What's your favorite 'dog' movie?
 
Eight Below, Call of the Wild, White Fang, All Dogs Go To Heaven, Iron Will, My Dog Skip*, Marley & Me*, Chips the War Dog, and of course, Lady & the Tramp. What can I say? I love dogs.

4.  When were you last somewhere you'd describe as 'too quiet'?

Haha. Sticksville. Not that that's a bad thing, really. I liked that it was quiet.

5.  Are you a neat cook or a messy cook?  In other words do you clean as you go or make a big mess and then deal with it later?

I try to be neat but I'm a hopeless mess! lol

6. Did you hear about Felix Baumgartner, the skydiver who broke the sound barrier via parachute?  Was your first thought  COOL! or was your first thought CRAZY!  Are you adventurous?

First thought was "COOL!" and my second thought was "Craziest man alive!" My stomach did flips watching the videos of him.

7. What's not a word but should be?

Not sure. Urban Dictionary has words that shouldn't be real words, yet are. It never fails, they've got everything pretty much covered.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

GO GIANTS!!!!!!  :D  KEEP KICKING CARDINAL ASS!!!

*If you haven't seen them yet, my one warning is to watch with a box of Kleenex. One for each. Great movies, but total tear jerkers. If you didn't hear the rumor about Marley & Me, there was not one dry eye in theaters . . . including the men. I witnessed it personally.

Friday, October 12, 2012

My Very First Vlog (please be nice! lol)

So please bear with me here as my technotarded self decided to try my first Vlog. Ever. If the sounds moves faster than me, pausing it for a moment helped. Maybe someday I'll actually get the hang of this, but don't hold your breath.

Please don't laugh too hard at my sheer dorkiness. I'm a sensitive soul. lol




I'm such a technotard that I had to record it via YouTube, because it was going to take three days to upload any of the attempts I made on my own web cam recorder. I mean literally, I Googled it and did the math, and it was going to literally take 3 days. I don't know why, but if you do and want to help a poor girl out and dish out advice, I'm all ears. Or eyes. Whatever, you know what I mean.

Props go to my dear blogging friend, Jewels, for giving me the inspiration to go ahead with my first Vlog.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Job Hunting: Week 2


My second full week of job hunting is coming to a close and the only two places that have called for an interview are insurance companies. That want me to sell insurance. One company, I have no idea where they got my resume, because I've never heard of them. So that's a bit on the creepy side. And no offense, but selling insurance is not something I'm willing to do. Clean houses? Yes. Work part-time in retail at Christmas? You betcha. Be a waitress? Okay. Insurance, car sales, and port-a-potty cleaning is where I draw the line. A very large, very thick line. Sprayed with lots and lots of Febreze.

My current beef with job hunting is the online portion. I understand that it may save paper for large corporations, or even smaller businesses in some cases. I understand that it's completely awesome for me as I can job hunt in my pajamas and no make-up while I watch reruns of random shows like Leverage, Criminal Minds, and Ghost Hunters. It saves me the hassle of getting pretty so I don't scare the real world out of its wits.

HOWEVER


Here's where I can't stand it. Many large corporations now have assessment tests that you have to take in order to be "qualified" to hire. They tell you to answer honestly to such questions, so you answer as honestly as you can - and in which your only two options are to "agree" or "disagree". Questions like: You think you've had more bad luck than others. You do/don't handle stress well. You are a glass-is-half-empty kind of person or a glass-is-half-full person.You often feel depressed.

While I do understand the basis of this line of questioning, it's also stupid. I personally don't think I've had worse luck than the world and I also don't believe the world is out to get me. I usually handle stress well, at least as well as the average person can. I'm typically a glass-is-half-full kind of person, but I have rare days where I wake up on the wrong-side of the bed 5th wheel and see it as half empty. Just like all normal people. Anyone can answer those questions how they think the company wants them to be answered, even people who suffer greatly from depression.


Another thing is that you have no contact person in which to follow up on your application. You don't have a store manager that you can show your face to and nag until he hires you just so he can have some peace and quiet. Nor does he have to call the cops because you're loitering on the company's "property", nagging him to give you a job, any job.

After you fill out your online application, take the assessment test online and finally submit the application to the company (or companies), you better not hold your breath waiting for a callback. It could get ugly. Being that you generally have no real contact person, you are at the mercy of some computer system that weeds people out so that only the "right" people's applications get sent to the manager of said store location of said company. More often than not, if you fail this assessment test, you are not qualified for an interview, let alone a job. I worked for a company in college, a national chain retail store, for three years. I somehow managed to pass the test I took in person and got hired. I have since applied to said company last week . . . took their newer assessment test online and submitted my application. I'm definitely qualified to work there and it's really not the worst company to work for - and they offer benefits for part-time employees. Holla! Anyhoo, this company (like so many others), doesn't tell if you passed or failed. Therefore, you wait on pins and needles and the company doesn't give a shit.

How many good people are being weeded out because of this? (I mean, besides me) Tons. If I don't answer their question how they think they should be answered, I fail and therefore am not qualified to work for a company that I am full-on qualified for. And have already worked for.

Does this make any sense? NO.

Also, I can guarantee this process does not weed out the crazies. I have lived it. With this retail store I worked for in college, a few people were hired on that simply did not work out. Some were just lazy. Some were just ignorant and couldn't get or do anything right. And others were fucking drug dealers. I'm so not kidding. We had this one guy who, at first, seemed okay. I had an instant disliking of him, but I couldn't put my finger on it. He was a bit defiant in his training at the register (I was his trainer). However, a few co-workers came to me at different times and told me this guy had come up to them while putting stock on shelves and said, "Hey, if you need some good shit, let me know. I got connections. I got good shit." And it wasn't pot. Later, he threatened the assistant manager in the office in the presence of two employees and all three of them were scared shitless that this guy was going to come back with a gun. And he qualified via the assessment test that he was a "good employee".


Really, I just miss the days of actually going in, asking for an application, filling it out, stapling my resume to it, and going back into the store and returning my application and resume to the manager in person so I know who the hell to nag to give me a job. It used to be so simple. Now it's complicated by assessment tests online so a computer program can filter me to a person or to the garbage.

I'm not saying that people are any better at eye-balling the crazies, the ignorant, and the lazy, but I think first impressions are extremely important. One of those should be handing your application and/or resume to a manager/owner of a business, dressed like a professional. I like having a face and/or the name of a manager to nag to hire me. It helps. It will either get me a job somewhere or a restraining order. I'd prefer the former, just so we're clear.

While I will continue to job hunt in person and online, just know how much I really don't care for the online portion of my new past time. Somehow, some way, I will persevere and find a job.

Until then, it stinks.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Wednesday Hodgepodge


I'm going to give the Wednesday Hodgepodge a try. If you're curious or want to join up, please click on the image.



1. In what ways do you indulge yourself?

When I'm employed I have a huge DVD and book buying problem. I am very picky about which movies I will pay extra for in BluRay, though. And for the book thing, I'm going to be signing up for a library card soon. I haven't had one of those since I was in college.

2. Have you ever taken a cooking class?  Any interest?  What type of class would you most like to try?

I have never taken a cooking class. I probably should, but cooking is not overly interesting to me. Baking, however, is. As for what type of class I may should take, it would probably have to cover everything. Except boiling water - I can do that.

3. What does it mean to be a good citizen?

To do what's right. To watch out for each other. To help each other. Support your troops regardless of whether or not you support a war - they are fighting for and defending your rights. Realizing that the world does not revolve around you.

 4. 'Tis the season of the political advert...do these ads influence your vote?
 
All they do is piss me off and make me want to run off to Canada every four years. Good grief. I hate mudslinging and it only gets worse as the election draws to a close. I watch the debates if possible and I try to be as informed as I can be. When the ads come on I either mute them and play Angry Birds or change the channel.

5. What's something you see today that makes you wish you were a kid again?
 
I see commercials for all sorts of things that make me think, "God, I wish we had that when I was a kid . . . that looks like fun." However, I played outside a lot and many of today's toys are computer games of sorts, it doesn't necessarily get the kids outside.

 6. What's your least favorite cliche?
 
"Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." or "Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride."

Seriously, you can't make us singles feel good can you? Just rip on the poor single girl who got stuck wearing the neon green taffeta dress that doesn't flatter her figure at all, right? Give us credit for standing by our friend or family member and wearing such an ungodly number. That's love, folks.

 7. What percentage of your Christmas shopping has been completed?  How does that make you feel?
 
I bought one present so far. Only because we drew Secret Santa at my last vet job, and the next time I was in Redding I went ahead and bought something for her. Once I decided to move, I wrapped it up and gave it to the office manager because I wasn't sure if the newbie would be comfortable participating when she will hardly know anyone. So, it's now under the office manager's desk.

 8. Insert your own random thought here. 

I hate applying for jobs online. I would much rather do it in person. Like the old days. This online stuff is for the freaking birds.
 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Job Hunting: Week 1


I've been job hunting for a week and let me just say this: It sucks.

Although, I did know what I was getting into. First off I went to the vet's office that Dr. J had called, putting in a good word for me a couple weeks ago. I went to them first thing Monday morning and was politely told to check back in about two months. Lady, if I wait two months for you, I could be living in a box under a bridge (although, I'm fairly certain my parents would frown on that). Plus she was quite disappointed with the fact that I've never done IV work (as in drawing blood, inserting catheters, etc.) and pressed me as to why I don't know such things. It just never worked out that way, as unfortunate as it is and also as vague as it is, that's simply the way it is.

So, after leaving my resume and making a note to check back in a few weeks (I hope I'm not still looking in two months), I promptly drove around Cottonwood, Anderson, and Redding to all the vet clinics I could find asking for applications. Only one place actually looked at my resume, actually asking for it before I filled out the application, and in fact tried to hunt down the vet that owned the clinic. He raced by the door with part of a sandwich in his mouth on his way to surgery. I'm hoping against hope that they can offer me something, even part-time. I will be checking back with them early next week.

The next day I spent online, applying with big corporations for anything I felt I was qualified for. Even some clerical stuff that I'm pretty sure would be over my head in the beginning. No callbacks yet, but who knows.

The other day I went to a job fair at the mall. I put my resume in at a few places; most were looking for seasonal employees. After the fair I went to the unemployment office to sign up. I cringe at the very thought of collecting unemployment. However, I have my own bills to pay every month still and I'm not guaranteed anything as of yet.

It's exhausting doing the job hunting thing. It is truly amazing how much work you put into getting up, getting ready, and put on your happy face to greet anybody who might be hiring. Filling out the same information over and over and over again, hoping that they will see something that they like and call you back for an interview.

A quick Miss Harriet update - she's finally okay with the 5th wheel. It took most of the week for her to wander out of the bedroom on her own.

And a Miss Posey update - she's had the run of the house for a few weeks now and is full of piss and vinegar. Her and Libby are quite the playmates now and the best times are when Posey winds up chasing Libby around the house.