Tim is on vacation. It’s not the kind of vacation that means we are actually somewhere different than our home on the east side of Madison. No, it just means that he doesn’t have to work this week, and is doing some of the putzy stuff that we all want a few days to ourselves to do. Myself? I am not on vacation…although I do plan on making some of Tim’s vacation worthwhile by making him leave the house — go fishing, visit Wisconsin Dells, go out for lunch one day…etc. Although not today because Monday’s are always chore days. I still have to make a Monday list but I have already done things like: work on a letter, read internet crap, email people, update blogger, feed the fish, and eat breakfast. I have other things to do like clean, clean and oh yeah, do some more cleaning cos the Geisler’s are staying here on Wednesday night. Not that the house is THAT messy, it always gets destroyed over the weekend.
I am currently reading Phillip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” series. I made Tim go to Barnes and Nobles yesterday to buy the other two books because I was smitten. It’s really fast paced, and I like the different notions of fantasy that he is telling. Great stuff. We also played some sports with Ty Quan (our little) …okay Tim did more of the playing. I just can’t get myself interested in basketball. Besides my left knee has been hurting and I didn’t want to antagonize it any more. I have crappy knees to begin with and take the utmost care in making sure they don’t get any worse than they already are. That and basketball is incredibly boring and I suck at it.
Sunday evening we took Pluto to the Token Creek dog park. This is the third Sunday that we have taken him in the evening and we are starting to recognize people. There is a Sunday evening dog clutch.
If I were single, I know exactly what I would do to get myself a good man. I would go to the dog park by myself to walk the path. Why? Because there are plenty of single men, with dogs that go to the dog park. Single men with dogs say lots…it says that they are stable, they can support dogs, have a job, probably have a big enough place and don’t share with roommates, they are compassionate, reliable, etc etc. Why would I go by myself? So that I could talk to these single men and say “OH, I WISH I had a dog. I just come here to wish…” and proceed with the flirting. Yes, that is how I would find a grade A man. The dog park.
*sniff* I just finished watching the most moving movie I have seen in ages. I am still sniffly and five minutes have passed. It was called “The Children’s Hour” about two women whom are tormented by terrible gossip at a girl’s school (with Audrey Hepburn and Shirely MacLaine).
No job for me. Oh well. At least the East School people had the decency to call and say they picked someone else, the UW one didn’t. What to do? Other than feel a little sorry for myself….
So it is at times like this that I think about the ‘greater picture.’ The whole, god aspect, if you will. All that blather about there being some great purpose to your life (if only you can figure it out). I wish that God was on instant messenger and I could just ask him “Hey, what could I do that would bring me joy and fullfillment that would help the ‘great plan’ that you have for me?”
I like to think that everything happens for a reason and that there are no coincidences in life. While there is an element of chance and luck…I think that it would favor the prepared person. I am prepared, I went out and applied and tried and offer to do things. Yet nothing has come to fruitation. Since I technically tried, I have nothing to feel bad about (other than the loss of potential money). But, what I am trying to say here is or rather ask, is what is the reason I did not get a job?
I have an application laying on the living room floor to be a foster parent for the Ho Chunk Nation. I got it last week just as I was applying and interviewing for all these jobs. Perhaps that is the reason?
Maybe I should go back to school. There is a really good possibility that I could get it all paid for through grants, scholarships and fellowships. I would consider going to school to be just like having a job just like I viewed getting my undergraduate.
I should continue to plan and work on things for crafting and opening my grand store in two or three years, and also continue to toil away at writing. But I was going to do that anyway — but maybe if I had gotten a job then I would have lost focus.
Maybe I should just keep my options open and keep looking around and something is waiting in the near future that I would have found IF I had gotten a job. Hm.
Bah, so much maybe, what if’s and perhaps.
Went to the kennels yesterday to walk dogs, came home did some DDR to work of a donut, putzed around downstairs in an effort to make it more habital, helped unload garb…er thrift treasures into our garage for a friends garage sale that we were supposed do back in June, went to the dog park with Pluto and Tim, went grocery shopping and spent 20 valuable minutes looking for the damned Manwich, and went to the Inferno with Sarah and Dave. The Inferno was okay, I did way more visiting that I normally do and I am pretty sure I didn’t embarass myself much, saw Rachel who was in town for a wedding and danced to five songs before leaving. I got home and instantly washed washed my face, got into jammies and warmed up some lasagna dinner I didn’t have time to eat before I left. Oh it was so good….I ate it while watching Batman on TV.
“This town needs and enema!”
When I was younger I thought he was saying “enemy” with just a funny accent. Tim scoffed at me and said I should have known what that word was when I was 13 or 14. Itold him that the same fat kids that patrolled his playgrounds, obviously didn’t make it to mine.
Now I should really take a shower so my hair has a chance to dry before we pick out our “little” for doing something. We have no freaking idea what we are going to do either.
There were a bunch of crows cawing this morning from 7 – 10 AM. Tim said that crows hate owls and pick on other birds of prey too. They follow the bird from tree to tree and heckle them. I commented that crows should be looking for food or something and Tim replied that crows are afforded a lot of time. Crows. All freaking morning they moved around our neighbhorhood picking on a poor hawk. I wished fervently that we lived out in the woods and had (at the very least) a BB gun.
The High School job interview went…eh. I had lots of enthusiasm, made great eye contact, shook hands firmly, was careful in my answers and sold myself. However, the questions were that very generic “we don’t have lots of experience interviewing people” so the questions were hard to answer. At least by giving them what they wanted to hear. The interview was with three people: head principle, secretary to principle and another principle (who showed up half way through the interview). Now it’s my impression that when someone doesn’t show up or shows up halfway through — that a couple tenths (thanks olympics) were taken off my score. The head principle was very bruque and distracted, the secretary was nice, and the other half late principle looked wiped and barely there. All said, I couldn’t tell how I was doing and by looking at the sheets they were writing my comments on…I was fourth in line. I know there are no more interviews today because I overheard someone else asking for the room, but there might be one tomorrow. The head principle said that they were interviewing until Friday…so I am pretty sure there is one more. So that means only one was knocked off from the six that I saw on the roster for the skills test. They said that they would let all of candidates know by Monday or Tuesday at the latest.
So….I think on a scale of 1-10, that it was a 6 versus the UW interview which was a 9.547. At this point I am thinking it is entirely likely that neither will take me. Bah. Thus with those feelings, I am going to go with Mike’s great advice and just be …. er.. American. That is to say, take whatever job comes my way and then quit if I get a better offer. Why not? He’s right, I don’t owe anything to them and they don’t owe anything to me, and this whole code of ethics thing is bullshit anyway. Then of course there is always the chance that the webperson for the UW job was savvy enough to check out my website and is currently reading all this and thinks I have no ethics to begin with. Ha. Oh well, make my bed and lay in it? It sure isn’t that comfy right now.
At least I did my best and if nothing comes through — then so be it. I should really be focusing on other goals anyway (even if the extra money would really be handy). But thanks to Phil and Mike for giving me great advice…maybe the comments feature is a good idea after all. 
As for the anonymous thing..don’t worry about it. I don’t expect everyone to start blogs just so they can have personalized name thingies.
In other news, Tim is sick today. He woke up not feeling great and decided after awhile to do a half day. He went off and then just came back complaining of a headache and chills. He is actually very warm, so I sent him to bed with some nyquil and an order to rest. Poor darling.
This darling should go and find something to eat so that I can have the energy to do the cleaning that needs to be done. Lots of mopping. One of my goals is to mop the party basement really good so that I can use it for a practice area. Last night was great at sparring. I actually got a hit off of Iron Man! Yeah, it was in the beginning and he was expecting my slow ass self…when I did a double jab followed by a step-to-the-side reverse punch — and I got him! He chuckled cos I got him. I wasn’t expecting that to happen for another few months…but I didn’t let the glory go to my head. My right shin guard slipped a bit and I am now sporting a huge ass bruise on my right shin.
When it rains it pours huh? What to do. Try not to worry about it for one…but I would at least like to have a plan for when it does happen — that’s just called being prepared. My problem.
I interviewed yesterday for assistant to important person, for 10.34 an hour from 7.45-11:00 AM every day (read 3.25 hours) and it is located downtown and for the University. The interview went well and the head honcho said she had more interviews that day and …well today and would make a decision late today before they started calling references. Bah.
I get home after the interview and find that the High School people called for an interview (which is set up today for 1:00 tomorrow). THIS job pay 13.54 an hour, is a permanent 9 month position (summers off!!!!) and benefits, and just seems more interesting because it is in a high school. I like kids, yeah even teenagers even though I alternatively revile them. 
So what I am afraid of, is that the UW might offer me the job tomorrow (I hope to God it is delayed until Friday). I need to give the MMSD district SOME time to consider me? Do I press them at the interview? That is bad taste though, isn’t it? The only thing I know I should do is put off the UW people for at least a day citing that I need to think about it. But an I get away with more than day? Maybe two days to think about it?
What should I do? The school job is far superior, but if i don’t get it I don’t want to burn my bridges.
Friday I went to the Mo All Church sale and had myself a fake brat (Italian sausage is NOT a brat!), a cookie and a diet coke while I browsed the tables. I found a bunch of great quality clothes, a bunt pan, and a new frame for only 7.75! Rock on! I walked back home, stopped at one garage sale to find nothing and munched on popcorn the whole way. Once I got home it was 3:00, and I only had about an hour to go to visit all the rest of the garage sales in the area. I suited up my partner and together we went garage sailing. Pluto is an awesome partner (as long as you make sure he takes a dump before he leaves). I visited five or six more sales but only got a vintage picnic basket from the plus-size stamping lady. She seemed really independent and I probably would have liked to talk with her more if the hound hadn’t needed some water.
Later on I challenged myself to see how fast I could ride to the Bar Next Door (over by the Alliant Energy Center). I got a late start because I got sucked into watching the National Spelling Bee. Man those kids are clean cut….anyway it took me only 30 min, and I got the stitches in the side right before I crossed under the main road…so about 25 minutes into it. Weird…I thought one only got stitches from major aerobic activity like running….and I didn’t feel out of breath. Anyway. Went and had a few drinks at Al Capones old bar and then went to see a play “Audrey Seiler, Where Are You?” at the Broom Street Theater.
The play was good, but I really wish I hadn’t seen the five minutes of the Olympic Ceremony before we left…those statues was an AWESOME! idea. Seriously, I wonder what the rest of it looked like…I wish they could have floats like that in real life…in our stupid little parades. Because if they did then you can believe that I would go and wait in line or overnight to see it. The play though was good…but it ended kind of abruptly, which was okay because I had somehow turned into a squirrel and couldn’t stay still on those tiny little benches any longer.
Saturday night we went to the Essen Haus for a coworker’s (Tim) going away party. It was fun and even though we had mini boots…the Obliterator still did it’s namesake to me. Gah. After awhile we walked to some place called Ian’s…a pizza joint where the Black Bear used to be. I don’t remember it being there…but they new locals insist it has been there awhile. We had some pizza and walked all the way to the cardinal to where I car was parked. It felt like old times….walking everywhere a little drunk. Ahh yes…old times. There was tons of trash out there…but I didn’t see one single homeless student guarding his or her shit. I did manage to pick up silk pillow though (one of the chinese deals that you zip). Great quality.
Sunday…ouch. Sunday….dark beer really hurts me. But since I didn’t have that much it’s only effect was a headache that lasted most of the day. It finally went away when Tim and I went to Barnes and Nobles to get a book and a fancy coffee. I think it was the caffiene that finally kicked it. Came back, watched The Boondock Saints (pretty good) and then went to bed.
Here I am trying to hurry myself up in typing this so that I can go and take a shower….and then go over to visit Lowen. There are other things I have to do today–lots of lousy dishes ( which I had excused myself from doing the past two days because I got a deep cut on my right index finger), menu and grocery list creating, packaging some ebay crap, and cleaning in general.
Last night I saw Day of the Dead. Two weeks ago, it was on Scifi…but I had somewhere to be so I only watched the first 20 minutes, and was riveted. I knew it had to be on netflix at the next possible moment. I was also shocked to see that the “Hello! Is anyone out there? Hulllloooooooo. Is anyone out there” with the creepy music on the Gorilla’z soundtrack was from this movie! Wow. Anyway, last night we watched it…and wow…what a great fucking movie! It is SO well done…I am utterly impressed. If you haven’t seen it…see it. If you saw it when you were a kid…see it again because now you will see how well done it is.
So I am going garage sailing today. I was hoping to go with Hilary but she hasn’t been online all morning which must mean that she has better things to do. I found four yesterday by accident while walking the hound and an old lady told me that this is when “our” neighborhood all sells their unwanted crap. Awesome! First off I need to go to Woodmans and get me some moola and get out of this dark cave of an office. It will also give me a good opportunity to canvas the hood and formulate a plan.
Oh I got my padded helmet and mouth guard yesterday. I can’t wait until I get a job and can buy the rest of the gear. Scavenging sucks ass. At least I don’t have to worry about anyone else’s head sweat though.
The Triplets of Bellville was on last night in our DVD player. It was good, lots of great details, cute, with some obvious statements about certain countries…but over all .. .weird but good. I recommend it…not that anyone should really take my movie recommendations seriously. My book recommendations? That is another story.
I sparred the whole time last night. Navy dude got kicked in the head by the Hyper Sixteen got a seriously red eye — which I am sure is black by this morning. Iron Man then said I should spar with Hyper and I said “Hell no, did you see what he just did to Navy?” Master Ring then said I could decide if I wanted too, but one look at Hyper Sixteen and it was obvious he felt bad. So I said I would give him a chance. He was very mellow and didn’t try to much — good. But after that I went back to sparring with Iron Man and Ned Look Alike – they are calmer and don’t have anything to prove.
That on top of some DDR, walking in the morning and … um…riding bike around doing errands = an exhausted me when I put myself to bed last night. Of course I made up for it this morning by sleeping until 11:00. For shame.
Well I am back. Fucking test, I got seven wrong out of 25 and four of those was because of the program. I am so used to scrolling to the option I want and then clicking, but the program only allowed one move at a time. In actuality I only got three wrong. Fuckers. And my typing averaged to 65 words per minute because the letter ‘t’ stuck on their keyboard, and off course the test used the word committee every other sentence. Blah. But overall, I apparently passed the requirements. I looked at the lady’s list of people for today and tomorrow and counted six. Hopefully some of those were for other positions? One can hope. And I feel so dumb because I forgot to take out my lip ring. I hope it doesn’t affect their decision to send my application onto the people who make interviews. Oh well, at least I can say I tried going through this open door of opportunity, in the end that is all that matters.
Uff the cat box in the office stinks! I need to clean that. Also the basement is smelling basementy…I wonder how I can fix that. I know I need to go down there and clean it – sweep and bleach mop floors. Perhaps I should do that today since it so overcast — I won’t feel like I am missing out on great day mired in the depths of my house.
After the test I went to State Street and got a coffee at the UW Book Store (the cheapest place to get quality coffee STILL!) and walked up State Street trying to find out where the detour for the number 3 bus went. I finally found it across the capital after walking several blocks out of my way. By the time I got home I finished the whole 20 oz, and MAN do I feel jittery. I rarely have that much coffee anymore. Now I am ready to take on anything (specially those cat boxes because I abhor the smell of cat piss). Tim made me bring an extra hoodie, addition to the jacket I was wearing, and boy am I glad. It was nippy out!
