The trouble with jobhunting is that I should have been doing it months ago.
Right now, there's plenty of jobs. BUT. None of them want to train me for a couple months then have me go back to school. All the summer positions-- amusement parks, ice cream stands, etc-- were filled back in April or earlier. Last year I lucked out with the Discovery Channel position, because they needed immediate help short term with their going out of business sales. This year I'm thinking about donating my body to science (more on that later).
I mean, there's a few summer positions. I could work at Vector Marketing selling crappy overpriced knives to people who don't want them. I could go door to door for global warming again (long story). Or I could work for an elderly gentleman doing household construction, except I can't lift 85 lb bags of cement, and the guy on the phone clearly didn't believe that I'm good at carpentry and landscaping (I am, being female doesn't mean I can't use tools and I do it around the house all the time).
But they all suck or won't take me. So I am left with two ways to make money: help my mother with chores around the house, which I will do-- I can mow the lawn or repaint the back porch easily, plus she won't be able to cook or clean once she gets her hip replacement on July 8th. Or volunteer for scientific studies.
Thus far I've found a couple promising studies. There's one where they'll put me under anesthesia (a common one, widely used already, not an experimental one) and study my brain in an MRI machine for $200 plus transportation costs. Then there's one where they'll make me keep a strict sleep schedule for 2 weeks, then have me come in and keep me awake for 24 hours then give me an FDA approved sleep medication to see if it works under those conditions. That'll be a bit trickier but it has the advantage of paying $725.
Then there's the one that looked really promising at first but I decided it wasn't worth it. They're testing an HIV vaccine, not to see if it works, just to see if there are any side effects. The only catch is that the vaccine, while it can't give me AIDS, WOULD give me the antibodies against HIV which are the most common thing doctors and blood banks use to see if you have HIV. So any time I was tested I would come up as HIV positive, unless they used special alternative tests.
Not so much.
Ah well. I want to do a sleep study where you go in for two weeks and live in the hospital getting studied and they give you like $2000 but I can't find any right now, and I would only do it if they let me talk to Ryter on a regular basis. That would be awesome, in two weeks I would make as much as I would normally make in a whole summer. We'll see, and I'll keep looking. In the meantime, the only thing jobhunting is hurting is my parent's wallet (they've agreed to give me gas money for jobhunting, and they pay the phone bill). And if anyone asks me why I didn't work this summer, well, my dear mother had to get a hip replacement, see, and I WOULD have worked, but I just HAD to take care of her in her time of need...
Yeah, that's the ticket.
Showing posts with label job hunting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job hunting. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
I did get to see Loquatia again, at dinner, so today wasn't all that bad.
I've been trying to regulate my caloric intake (the dining halls post nutrition facts this year). While good for teaching me to add large numbers in my head quickly, it is posing many challenges. Yesterday the challenge was my Latin teacher bringing in homemade baklava. Today it was the fact that it was a festival day and the special foods don't list nutrition facts. And then there was the caramel apple pie.I suck at this. But I did at least manage only about 2400 calories yesterday, which considering that I estimate I burn 2800 (lots of walking around) is kind of good. My goal is 2000 a day.
So yesterday I had recitation for Biostats. Determined not to be as confused as last time, I took copious detailed notes on my laptop, step-by-step instructions and a guide in Excel itself. At the end of the class, she handed back quizzes (I got a 59 on mine. Yikes) and I rushed to pack up and get mine before the crush of half the class (of 125) got theirs. I then went to Hoco and to Ryter's for the evening, watched the first season of Heroes and speculated wildly as to the nature of the next season (but it looks like there will be superhero-teen lovin', so it's gotta be fun).Then I got home, opened my computer, received a "YOU HAVE FLAWS ON YOUR DISK" message, clicked "fix" and came back in five minutes...
It rebooted my computer. Completely. What's more, in my rush I neglected to actually save my notes, figuring they would be there when I next opened the laptop. I lost everything.
So I grabbed some stuff off the website and frantically IMed Maritima, who is also in Biostats, and asked her for help. She's basically walked me through half this stuff. My lack of notes made this assignment take me a total of five hours, four of which were spent on one problem which I couldn't figure out at all.
But thanks to Maritima and my willingness to accept defeat on one problem, it was finished in the end. Thank god.
The thing is, I like statistics in itself; I don't like the fact that my TA has a new baby so she doesn't give a shit about teaching us, or grading us. My last assignment? She didn't grade the graph because I put it on a separate page. I mean, come on. Take off a point if it bugs you. But don't just not grade it. She claimed that she couldn't find things so if she had to hunt for it she gave it a 0, but honestly, how hard is it to get to that question where the graph should be and read "See page 3," and turn to page 3, where the graph is?And that's not all she did that on-- I got a sixty, seventy with scaling, and I bet if she had spent more than a minute on each paper I could have gotten at least ten points higher. And she didn't bother to tell me what I did wrong, either. I guess I have to guess.
She says repeatedly that she hates statistics, hates grading, won't come in except for her very limited office hours, and is only doing this for the money because of the baby and because she's a graduate student. Okay. I get that she needs money, but really. This is all my stats professor could find???
Bah...
Meanwhile I am debating how to ask my dad for a small allowance so I can do fun things on the weekends sometimes, or go out to eat once in a while. I mean, he knows I can't work with school stuff, and I do like to do things for fun besides surf Fark, read blogs and pester Ryter. I think I'll ask for $15 a week but hope for $10 and settle for $5 if I must. $5 would mean I get to eat out once a month and go on an (inexpensive) trip once a month. $10 would mean the same but eating out twice a month, or saving it; $15 would mean I could actually save up some money for the holidays. My biggest concern is that the geniuses at UNH decided this year that finals end the week before Christmas. My last one is the 21st. Sure, vacation lasts until the 21st of January but guess what? Stores don't need help in January. They need help in December. If I go to a store and say I can start work on the 26th they'll say, "Sorry, no can do." Last year TJ Maxx really didn't need me after the ninth.
So that means I won't make any money at all over the winter break, and I don't really know what to do. I need a source of income, but I don't have the time to work during the year... The only thing I can think of is baby-sitting, but I hate, hate, hate advertising myself as a baby-sitter, and I don't really know any families in the area. Financially, I am screwed unless Daddy gives me an allowance.He probably will understand. So what is my concern? I bet he ties it to my grades, as in, "Get a B or higher or the money goes away." And seeing as I am in Organic and Biostats, that means that it may very well go away and I'm screwed again.
Maybe if I suggest that I may need to take a year off and work otherwise... The only thing worse for Daddy than failing grades would be skipping a year. Something about "never going back."
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
"Ooo! Anonymous book gifts! How DEVIOUS!"
Guess where I'm working? Again?
The same daycare I used to work at. Yeah, I decided to pick up some hours there, part-time. I needed a second job to get my mom to stop complaining. Well, and to make some money. Plus this job has the advantage of never requiring me to work nights or weekends, because it's not open then.
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So remember when I was talking about buying a pair of red boots? Well, I found a pair on ebay that was only $20, so I went ahead and bought them. They're a little beat up so I'm gonna buy one of those vinyl repair kits and fix them up. There's nothing to be done about the lack of zipper, though. They take like ten minutes to get on. Each.
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Today I died a little inside because some dude collecting for DARE (the government-endorsed recruiter for teen drug users!) asked me, presumably to launch a pitch about saving them through the power of telling them all the street names and positive effects of taking illegal drugs, if I had any kids.
If. I. Had. Kids.
OH MY GOD I CAN'T LOOK OLD ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE ASSUME I'M A MOM! IT'S NOT FAIR!
I'm nineteen! Nineteen year olds don't usually have kids! Especially not kids old enough that they're worried about them getting involved in drug trafficking!
This makes all those times I've been called "ma'am" pale in comparison...
The same daycare I used to work at. Yeah, I decided to pick up some hours there, part-time. I needed a second job to get my mom to stop complaining. Well, and to make some money. Plus this job has the advantage of never requiring me to work nights or weekends, because it's not open then.
So remember when I was talking about buying a pair of red boots? Well, I found a pair on ebay that was only $20, so I went ahead and bought them. They're a little beat up so I'm gonna buy one of those vinyl repair kits and fix them up. There's nothing to be done about the lack of zipper, though. They take like ten minutes to get on. Each.Today I died a little inside because some dude collecting for DARE (the government-endorsed recruiter for teen drug users!) asked me, presumably to launch a pitch about saving them through the power of telling them all the street names and positive effects of taking illegal drugs, if I had any kids.
If. I. Had. Kids.
OH MY GOD I CAN'T LOOK OLD ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE ASSUME I'M A MOM! IT'S NOT FAIR!
I'm nineteen! Nineteen year olds don't usually have kids! Especially not kids old enough that they're worried about them getting involved in drug trafficking!
This makes all those times I've been called "ma'am" pale in comparison...
Monday, June 11, 2007
Bah...
Today is the Matralia, a holiday to honor the goddess Mater Matuta. The matrons of the town would offer cakes baked in earthenware pots to her, and they carried their neices and nephews (not their own children, those of their sisters) in their arms and prayed for their welfare.
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I HAVE A JOB!
Well, sorta. I'm working the cash register at the Discovery Channel store, which is going out of business and needs help for the big "get rid of everything" sale. So this is only until early or mid August, but it's a job, and the hours are flexible so I can work part-time if I get another job.
Plus, eight bucks an hour. Schweet.
I HAVE A JOB!
Well, sorta. I'm working the cash register at the Discovery Channel store, which is going out of business and needs help for the big "get rid of everything" sale. So this is only until early or mid August, but it's a job, and the hours are flexible so I can work part-time if I get another job.
Plus, eight bucks an hour. Schweet.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Nothing induces a desire to diet like watching extreme weight loss shows.
I had a weird dream last night, in which I was slowly losing my vision. I thought, in the dream, that it was just a question of my sight getting blurry, but someone explained to me that I was also not seeing in as many wavelengths of light as was normal. This was then proved to me when I started to be unable to see objects and even people. At one point I took out my contact lenses and looked at them, only to learn they were broken in several places. I stumbled around without them for a while until I realized I was dreaming-- always a good sign-- and made a new pair appear in my pocket. I have no idea, by the way, why I didn't simply fix my eyes.
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I went over to the high school today to try to find the job list. They didn't have anything I was interested in-- just yardwork and baby sitting. I figured I would also see my old guidance counselor while I was there, since she asked about me when she saw my mom and she stitched a picture of me into her quilt and all. But she wasn't there, either, so I'm going to see her at 10:15 tomorrow. And I'm going to the gym. And I have to leave town to head up to Dover by 11. I'd better head to bed soon...
I went over to the high school today to try to find the job list. They didn't have anything I was interested in-- just yardwork and baby sitting. I figured I would also see my old guidance counselor while I was there, since she asked about me when she saw my mom and she stitched a picture of me into her quilt and all. But she wasn't there, either, so I'm going to see her at 10:15 tomorrow. And I'm going to the gym. And I have to leave town to head up to Dover by 11. I'd better head to bed soon...
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Damn I hate paranoia.
Today is the Ludi Tarentini, a three-day celebration. It started out as a private celebration funded by a man whose children were ill. It consisted of three days of stage plays held every hundred years to honor Dis Pater/Hades and Proserpina/Persephone, the king and queen of the underworld. In 17 BCE, Augustus converted these days into the Ludi Saeculares, when all free men would pray and fast, then gather at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus at the Capitolium (if they were Roman citizens) or the Temple of Diana on the Aventine (if they were Latins, which were the rustic types).
They offered the first fruit and various sacrifices on the first day, today, and the festivities would begin tomorrow evening.
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Went to Curves for the first time this summer today. I remembered everything well enough, and, bonus, it didn't require the amount of energy that it did last year to start so I haven't become totally sluggish after my year at college.
Tomorrow Shrewd and I are getting the bikes back from the shop and then I'm gonna try to bike to Curves, for some extra exercise.
Oh, and I ran into my old boss there-- the one from the day care. Apparently they need help for the summer. She asked me to consider coming back, but I'm torn-- on the one hand, I really want to see the kids again and if I can't get a better paying job it does pay more than TJ Maxx; but on the other hand, I had nightmares about the kids getting hurt or into trouble because of me the whole time I worked there. It was kinda stressful. And I kinda swore I wouldn't do childcare again. Not that I ever keep oaths like that, really...
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The Brother was inviting his girlfriend over for dinner, and while Mummy went out to get groceries and worked on a problem for work and The Brother did homework, guess who fulfilled the "Can't have non-immediate-family over without cleaning all parts of the house they might see" rule? Oh, yes. Me. I mean, she paid me $20 for it and I wanted to get this pigsty clean anyway, but it's the principle of the thing, in that if I had asked to have Ryter or even Vivacia (who has known my family for FOREVER) over, my mom would have made me clean the whole place or refused to let them visit. She wouldn't have paid Shrewd or The Brother to clean it for me, unless they offered.
Basically, until I get a job, my mom's gonna give me new chores every day to help out around the house, and as much as I like getting paid, cleaning this house is a bit like shoveling the sidewalk in the middle of a blizzard.
Oh, wait, she makes me do that too.
They offered the first fruit and various sacrifices on the first day, today, and the festivities would begin tomorrow evening.
Went to Curves for the first time this summer today. I remembered everything well enough, and, bonus, it didn't require the amount of energy that it did last year to start so I haven't become totally sluggish after my year at college.
Tomorrow Shrewd and I are getting the bikes back from the shop and then I'm gonna try to bike to Curves, for some extra exercise.
Oh, and I ran into my old boss there-- the one from the day care. Apparently they need help for the summer. She asked me to consider coming back, but I'm torn-- on the one hand, I really want to see the kids again and if I can't get a better paying job it does pay more than TJ Maxx; but on the other hand, I had nightmares about the kids getting hurt or into trouble because of me the whole time I worked there. It was kinda stressful. And I kinda swore I wouldn't do childcare again. Not that I ever keep oaths like that, really...
The Brother was inviting his girlfriend over for dinner, and while Mummy went out to get groceries and worked on a problem for work and The Brother did homework, guess who fulfilled the "Can't have non-immediate-family over without cleaning all parts of the house they might see" rule? Oh, yes. Me. I mean, she paid me $20 for it and I wanted to get this pigsty clean anyway, but it's the principle of the thing, in that if I had asked to have Ryter or even Vivacia (who has known my family for FOREVER) over, my mom would have made me clean the whole place or refused to let them visit. She wouldn't have paid Shrewd or The Brother to clean it for me, unless they offered.
Basically, until I get a job, my mom's gonna give me new chores every day to help out around the house, and as much as I like getting paid, cleaning this house is a bit like shoveling the sidewalk in the middle of a blizzard.
Oh, wait, she makes me do that too.
Friday, May 25, 2007
It helps when someone spilled jam in it
Today wasn't that exciting; I dropped off the applications and grabbed one more from Lane Bryant; I didn't notice their sign before. I'm actually hesitant to apply on account of one of the women working there seemed a little... brusque? She seemed like she was constantly in a rush and while she was helpful, she was like "Oh it's here now I'm going back to work over there." Which is okay, it's just not what I normally expect. I was kinda skittish about working there consequently, but I'm guessing it's more a long, busy day side effect than a sign that I would be unhappy there. I have the application.
The only issue with job-hunting is the clothes. Even when I'm not interviewing, just dropping off or picking up applications, I need to wear professional clothes because sometimes the managers come out and talk to you right then, and you have to look hireable, which for me means skirt (too hot for pants) and blouse. It's sticky and hot and vexing.
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We also had a Family Game Night and played Life, which I won. The thing is, I only won because I gambled everything and was victorious. Life lesson: It's okay if you're poor going into retirement, just gamble everything on a whim and you can win, as long as you remember that the spinner always sticks on 1.
The only issue with job-hunting is the clothes. Even when I'm not interviewing, just dropping off or picking up applications, I need to wear professional clothes because sometimes the managers come out and talk to you right then, and you have to look hireable, which for me means skirt (too hot for pants) and blouse. It's sticky and hot and vexing.
We also had a Family Game Night and played Life, which I won. The thing is, I only won because I gambled everything and was victorious. Life lesson: It's okay if you're poor going into retirement, just gamble everything on a whim and you can win, as long as you remember that the spinner always sticks on 1.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
I miss someone.
Today is a day marked Q.R.C.F., or Quando Rex Comitavit Fas. Basically, today is an unlawful day (as in, public sessions like court cases aren't allowed) until the the Rex Sacrorum declares a session of the comitia. I'm too tired to figure out what that means.
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You know where they have cell phone reception? Mount Everest. You know where they don't have cell phone reception? Anywhere within my house or yard, in wealthy suburban America.
Do you see the problem here?
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Today the job hunt continued as I applied at Home Depot and Sears, turned in my application to Partyrama, and picked up applications from a kiosk at the mall that makes those T-shirts with your face on them; Eddie Bauer, which is incidentally where one of my high school teachers works during the summer, and yes, that WOULD be weird; and a maternity store, which Shrewd, who was with me, seemed very uncomfortable about entering, for fear she'd catch the pregnant or something.
Then we went to another mall, a little farther away, so Shrewd could go to Lane Bryant to get some work clothes and I could hunt for more applications. That mall had more places hiring but they were all junior's boutiques like Wet Seal or Abercrombie, or else were really upscale places like Ann Taylor. Places like that usually want you to dress in the style of the store, so I didn't apply. I can't exactly buy a whole new wardrobe. But I did apply at a Hallmark-esque gift store and a Payless. Shrewd's going back to that mall tomorrow to go back to Lane Bryant and exchange some stuff so I'll tag along with her then and turn in the applications.
As I told my mother, this summer she can't nag me about not getting a job.
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Shrewd and I also decided to bring Mummy and Daddy's old bikes in for repairs, so we could exercise by biking this summer. We set out to put the bike rack on her car, as it has a trailer hitch to attach the trailer-hitch bike rack to.
Ten minutes of struggling and pounding later: "I think the hitch is too rusty..."
Switched to the beat-up old junky bike rack and my car.
"Won't go on..."
When we finally set off, the front wheels were in the trunk, the two bikes were jammed in the back seat, and the handlebars were sticking out the windows.
But we did it. VICTORY!
You know where they have cell phone reception? Mount Everest. You know where they don't have cell phone reception? Anywhere within my house or yard, in wealthy suburban America.
Do you see the problem here?
Today the job hunt continued as I applied at Home Depot and Sears, turned in my application to Partyrama, and picked up applications from a kiosk at the mall that makes those T-shirts with your face on them; Eddie Bauer, which is incidentally where one of my high school teachers works during the summer, and yes, that WOULD be weird; and a maternity store, which Shrewd, who was with me, seemed very uncomfortable about entering, for fear she'd catch the pregnant or something.
Then we went to another mall, a little farther away, so Shrewd could go to Lane Bryant to get some work clothes and I could hunt for more applications. That mall had more places hiring but they were all junior's boutiques like Wet Seal or Abercrombie, or else were really upscale places like Ann Taylor. Places like that usually want you to dress in the style of the store, so I didn't apply. I can't exactly buy a whole new wardrobe. But I did apply at a Hallmark-esque gift store and a Payless. Shrewd's going back to that mall tomorrow to go back to Lane Bryant and exchange some stuff so I'll tag along with her then and turn in the applications.
As I told my mother, this summer she can't nag me about not getting a job.
Shrewd and I also decided to bring Mummy and Daddy's old bikes in for repairs, so we could exercise by biking this summer. We set out to put the bike rack on her car, as it has a trailer hitch to attach the trailer-hitch bike rack to.
Ten minutes of struggling and pounding later: "I think the hitch is too rusty..."
Switched to the beat-up old junky bike rack and my car.
"Won't go on..."
When we finally set off, the front wheels were in the trunk, the two bikes were jammed in the back seat, and the handlebars were sticking out the windows.
But we did it. VICTORY!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Gah, I need to consider normal bedtimes again...
Today is the Tubilustrum, which was a ceremony used to make the army fit for war. They sacrificed an ewe and the priests would dance in the streets. The tubae, sacred trumpets, were used in the ceremony.
It's also the Feriae Volcano, which were rites in honor of Vulcan and Maia.
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I had plans to meet KTMack and another friend from high school, who I will call Primaevus ("youthful," he can be a bit immature at times, but he's okay as long as I tell him when he needs to shut up) at 11:30 at the 99 for lunch. This was all well and good, but I woke up at 11:45. I got a querying phone call as I hurried about, trying to NOT resemble a she-beast of the planet Kromulon, but I made it only about forty minutes late so I figured it was okay... sorta...
Oh well. They waited, and it was cool, we got to catch up. I was actually concerned that it might be weird with KTMack, since I haven't really talked to him much except for the occasional wall note on Facebook since we broke up. But you know, it really wasn't. I think the fact that we were always better at being friends than significant others made the transition back a little smoother. I mean, us dating was like three months of frustrated awkwardness, and yet, he's an awesome friend and not the sort of person I'd want to lose touch with. He didn't even bat an eye when I talked about Ryter (I didn't bring it up, Primaevus did). Things are cool. Which is very, very cool.
After catching up for a bit I swung by TJ Maxx to figure out what my manager's name was, stopped in at Curves, which is in the same mall, to ask about summer membership, and then went home to shower and get dressed in my huntin' clothes.
Job hunting clothes, that is. As in, stuff that makes me look mildly responsible and adult. Skirt and a blouse sort of thing.
So I've officially applied at Shaw's and I got applications from Partyrama (it's like iParty only smaller), Hannaford's, and McDonald's, though I've had three or four people tell me that fast food is shitty, low-paying and dangerous, and I honestly don't feel like loitering around grease all day anyway, so I don't think I'll apply there. It seems like lots of places are hiring, at least. I intend to fill out an application to Home Depot tomorrow. I was going to go in today, and then I realized it was a hardware store and I was wearing a skirt, which was probably NOT the proper impression.
I hate this. I hate being petrified of not getting summer employment. I really don't want to spend another summer at home doing nothing but working out and watching TV, bored out of my skull. I need to interact with people. I can't spend too much time alone, I get depressed.
It's also the Feriae Volcano, which were rites in honor of Vulcan and Maia.
I had plans to meet KTMack and another friend from high school, who I will call Primaevus ("youthful," he can be a bit immature at times, but he's okay as long as I tell him when he needs to shut up) at 11:30 at the 99 for lunch. This was all well and good, but I woke up at 11:45. I got a querying phone call as I hurried about, trying to NOT resemble a she-beast of the planet Kromulon, but I made it only about forty minutes late so I figured it was okay... sorta...
Oh well. They waited, and it was cool, we got to catch up. I was actually concerned that it might be weird with KTMack, since I haven't really talked to him much except for the occasional wall note on Facebook since we broke up. But you know, it really wasn't. I think the fact that we were always better at being friends than significant others made the transition back a little smoother. I mean, us dating was like three months of frustrated awkwardness, and yet, he's an awesome friend and not the sort of person I'd want to lose touch with. He didn't even bat an eye when I talked about Ryter (I didn't bring it up, Primaevus did). Things are cool. Which is very, very cool.
After catching up for a bit I swung by TJ Maxx to figure out what my manager's name was, stopped in at Curves, which is in the same mall, to ask about summer membership, and then went home to shower and get dressed in my huntin' clothes.
Job hunting clothes, that is. As in, stuff that makes me look mildly responsible and adult. Skirt and a blouse sort of thing.
So I've officially applied at Shaw's and I got applications from Partyrama (it's like iParty only smaller), Hannaford's, and McDonald's, though I've had three or four people tell me that fast food is shitty, low-paying and dangerous, and I honestly don't feel like loitering around grease all day anyway, so I don't think I'll apply there. It seems like lots of places are hiring, at least. I intend to fill out an application to Home Depot tomorrow. I was going to go in today, and then I realized it was a hardware store and I was wearing a skirt, which was probably NOT the proper impression.
I hate this. I hate being petrified of not getting summer employment. I really don't want to spend another summer at home doing nothing but working out and watching TV, bored out of my skull. I need to interact with people. I can't spend too much time alone, I get depressed.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
"Are you just going to keep adding on to that nickname until it is as emasculating as possible?"
I didn't get any studying done today, because the Internet was down, and then Mistake and I went to the mall instead to do some Christmas shopping, then we watched High School Musical (good) and The Perfect Score (meh) with Closer, and then sat around and were bored... Generally just didn't study.
During the "bored" time, we played Truth or Dare, a game which my mother banned me from playing ever again when I was in middle school, on account of my being really, really good at it, and consequently making the other girls do/say stuff that they later regretted, or immediately regretted, and then there was crying and complaining calls to mothers. But don't worry, no one cried tonight, at least not because of me; Closer's eyes could have welled up when Mistake hit him in the groin, but that had absolutely no Basiorana involvement.
I will recommend not playing Truth or Dare with dating couples. "Truth or Dare?" "Dare." "Kiss me." *kiss* "Truth or Dare." "Dare." "Kiss me back." *kiss*... Mistake has installed Christmas lights, which at least gives me something to look at when I examine the ceiling in an attempt to ignore the lovey-dovey nonsense in front of me. Especially when there was pantsing involved, because honestly, there's a limit to how well you want to know your friends. And that's WAY past the limit.
Walking out of their dorm, I passed a cop car, then a fire truck, then an ambulance, all headed into Stoke. I've decided that it was Mistake and Closer's fault, though I'm not sure HOW yet.
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Last night was the Stress Fair, which was cool; we got cotton candy and played True Colors with Tibicina ("flute-player"), a girl we knew in high school. We also made stress balls by putting flour into balloons; I should say, I did, as I was the only one patient enough to finish the flouring. However, I was playing with the stress ball during the movie we went to see afterwards (Employee of the Month, pretty funny), and it broke and exploded flour all over my lap. I sat like that for the rest of the movie and then afterwards raced to the bathroom to deflour myself.
That's NOT the same as deflowering myself. Primarily because "deflowering" implies a "deflowerer" who is not the same person as the "deflowered."
Anyway. We played True Colors until Cocky Guy showed up (Cocky Guy is a guy Mistake met at orientation. We hung out with him a little at the beginning of the year, but he was apparently a bit of an ass to her and really offended her, and she always describes him as "cocky" or "jerky asshole who's so damn full of himself." Cocky is the nicer of the two [and I don't really know him so I feel bad being mean], and works as a double entendre that's almost as good as his real name, so we'll go with that). Then Tibicina and I ran through the giant blow-up obstacle course (I won both times, I am the giant blow-up obstacle course champion) while Closer and Mistake went to get movie tickets so Mistake could avoid Cocky Guy. She's pretty lucky he declined to join us when Tibicina invited him.
I know what Mistake told me about what the kid did to piss her off, but honestly, sometimes I wish she'd just let him know that she dislikes him, rather than making him think it's her being a jerk. Because honestly, if she told him "I was really offended when you did _______, and that's why I've been avoiding you" he'd probably get mad at her and stop trying to contact her, thus making her life easier, or he'd realize she had a point, apologize, and maybe try to be better about it in the future, or, more likely, somewhere in between. But honestly, she doesn't need his friendship, so what could it hurt to give him a little constructive criticism?
-----------------------------
Anyway, Tibicina works for Vector and she and I talked about it; she's actually quitting soon, though she still defended it a lot. They get some devoted people there, you know. I think it's the water, though there might be some nifty air-vent chemical-release program they've got set up.
----------------------------
But it's 2 AM, so... tired.
During the "bored" time, we played Truth or Dare, a game which my mother banned me from playing ever again when I was in middle school, on account of my being really, really good at it, and consequently making the other girls do/say stuff that they later regretted, or immediately regretted, and then there was crying and complaining calls to mothers. But don't worry, no one cried tonight, at least not because of me; Closer's eyes could have welled up when Mistake hit him in the groin, but that had absolutely no Basiorana involvement.
I will recommend not playing Truth or Dare with dating couples. "Truth or Dare?" "Dare." "Kiss me." *kiss* "Truth or Dare." "Dare." "Kiss me back." *kiss*... Mistake has installed Christmas lights, which at least gives me something to look at when I examine the ceiling in an attempt to ignore the lovey-dovey nonsense in front of me. Especially when there was pantsing involved, because honestly, there's a limit to how well you want to know your friends. And that's WAY past the limit.
Walking out of their dorm, I passed a cop car, then a fire truck, then an ambulance, all headed into Stoke. I've decided that it was Mistake and Closer's fault, though I'm not sure HOW yet.
----------------------------
Last night was the Stress Fair, which was cool; we got cotton candy and played True Colors with Tibicina ("flute-player"), a girl we knew in high school. We also made stress balls by putting flour into balloons; I should say, I did, as I was the only one patient enough to finish the flouring. However, I was playing with the stress ball during the movie we went to see afterwards (Employee of the Month, pretty funny), and it broke and exploded flour all over my lap. I sat like that for the rest of the movie and then afterwards raced to the bathroom to deflour myself.
That's NOT the same as deflowering myself. Primarily because "deflowering" implies a "deflowerer" who is not the same person as the "deflowered."
Anyway. We played True Colors until Cocky Guy showed up (Cocky Guy is a guy Mistake met at orientation. We hung out with him a little at the beginning of the year, but he was apparently a bit of an ass to her and really offended her, and she always describes him as "cocky" or "jerky asshole who's so damn full of himself." Cocky is the nicer of the two [and I don't really know him so I feel bad being mean], and works as a double entendre that's almost as good as his real name, so we'll go with that). Then Tibicina and I ran through the giant blow-up obstacle course (I won both times, I am the giant blow-up obstacle course champion) while Closer and Mistake went to get movie tickets so Mistake could avoid Cocky Guy. She's pretty lucky he declined to join us when Tibicina invited him.
I know what Mistake told me about what the kid did to piss her off, but honestly, sometimes I wish she'd just let him know that she dislikes him, rather than making him think it's her being a jerk. Because honestly, if she told him "I was really offended when you did _______, and that's why I've been avoiding you" he'd probably get mad at her and stop trying to contact her, thus making her life easier, or he'd realize she had a point, apologize, and maybe try to be better about it in the future, or, more likely, somewhere in between. But honestly, she doesn't need his friendship, so what could it hurt to give him a little constructive criticism?
-----------------------------
Anyway, Tibicina works for Vector and she and I talked about it; she's actually quitting soon, though she still defended it a lot. They get some devoted people there, you know. I think it's the water, though there might be some nifty air-vent chemical-release program they've got set up.
----------------------------
But it's 2 AM, so... tired.
Friday, December 8, 2006
The Snow Dance Worked, The Ground Is White!
I was wondering if I should change my blog name. I mean, sure, it's catchy and cute and goes well with "Basiorana," meaning "I kiss the frog" or, if you want to be literal, "I, the frog, kiss" which is not nearly as cool, but to translate directly involves the insertion of an "m" at the end and "Basioranam" is not nearly as rad as "Basiorana."
BUT I digress. Despite the high quality name I have for this here blog, the name is not really accurate. I mean, sure, it speaks of my pathetic desperation, but it implies that I actually am kissing people. Which is inaccurate, as the only frogs I have kissed are the amphibious sort that don't change into anything cool when you kiss them, much to my seven-year-old chagrin. The only human I've kissed was not actually a frog, but in fact a prince, if by prince you mean "Kal-El, Prince of the Planet Krypton" since I'm still pretty sure he's Superman and hasn't told us yet.
Actually, I don't know if Superman was a prince on his home planet... Hang on while I check Wikipedia... Oh. Nope, not a prince, just the "Last Son of Krypton." Bummer. Anyway, mild-mannered Clark Kent aside, there is still the matter of the name. So I think I need a disclaimer on the top of the page: "The Amphibious Sort."
----------------------
Thanks to doing some online research, I'm starting to worry about the Vector job. People have had bad experiences, it seems; first a guy in Group mentioned that his friend had a bad experience, and then there's a blog that contains lots of negative (and some positive) information: Cutco Complaints. Like the claim that you have to sell to husband and wife at the same time (absolutely MORONIC, if there's one thing Girl Scouts have taught me it's that people buy more without their spouse to criticize), or that employers try to make employees feel ashamed about asking for base pay.
And there's talk about them not giving you any referrals- making you get all your own from family and friends. Well, I can think of maybe, uh, three couples that fit the demographic and that it wouldn't be a total waste of time to go to. Since I don't expect to get commission for those sales- I mean, I might be able to convince, say, Mistake's folks to sit down and listen to the presentation, but I'm not gonna expect them to actually buy anything. Same for my folks, even though Mummy needs knives. I might convince her to buy the $135 knife set from me afterwards, but I doubt I'd get her to pay $500 for knives. So if they don't give me referrals, there wasn't much point in hiring me.
Plus, you know, there was a lot of complaint about pushy salespeople, despite what they said in the interview about that being a good way to get fired. I was gonna e-mail my questions to the manager, but he doesn't have an address available. So I was going to call him, but I'm really uncomfortable confronting him over the phone.
You know what? I was thinking I'd go with the job anyway, since I didn't have another choice and all, but honestly, I should not feel uncomfortable about a job. If it's making me uneasy, I shouldn't do it. And I got a call from TJ Maxx today saying that I got that job, he just has to check my references. Plus I'll have full-time work at a company that I haven't heard anything bad about. So as soon as he confirms next week that my references are sound and I can have the job, I'm calling Vector and telling them that I changed my mind.
But man, was I panicking last night, when I thought I had to take the Vector job or not have anything to put on my resume for the summer. I felt kinda crappy and down before I went to bed, and my chest hurt like it does when I get anxious. When I finally fell asleep, I dreamed about stripping.
----------------------
So I never did mention what I did last Sunday. Well, my family went to this Cultural Bazaar down at Harvard. They have merchants selling for lots of money things you can get for pennies overseas, but a percentage of it goes to help indigenous tribes, so I didn't mind too much. There was an Indian dancer who performed with bells on her feet, that was cool, and there was good Indian food, and all kinds of cool stuff, like a Native American man who sold gorgeous dream catchers and a Thai man with cool hair sticks. I bought some Christmas presents.
Anyway, that's only mildly interesting and has little or no continuing importance on my life. More important is that while we were taking the red line into Boston I happened to see a poster advertising this study they're doing at Harvard, on personality and family. They were looking for volunteers and promised $275 for three hours of questioning and 20 ml of blood (meh, I'm not really using that stuff anyway). You have to sign up two family members as well and they have to undergo the same thing and get paid the same. Other requirement, for anyone who's thinking this sounds like a good thing to sign up for, is that everyone must be over 18 and one must have a history of depression (me, I've got all three with a history of depression, between my sister and mom, but that's a different problem).
I called and the woman in charge gave me a quick interview to see if I qualify; suggestion: never agree to an interview regarding your psychiatric health while in a dorm room with your roommates and the door open; and then once she confirmed that I was, in fact, quite insane, she arranged for me to come in on the first Friday in January at 1:00, at which time I hope that the TJ Maxx hours will be calming down. She said that they call the family members and have them come in at different times, later on, so Shrewd and Mummy can pick whatever time works best for them.
So yes. Basio is selling her body for science. I have ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS. There is quite a lot you can consequently say about my personality because of this, but let's not go there.
---------------------
There was a news article on CNN during breakfast today about those Wii game controllers that came out recently. You hold the controller and move your hand, and then your movement is picked up by the thing and translated into your video game character. Problem is, people get a little over-energetic, and the things fly out of their hands and into lamps/windows/plasma screen TVs. Oops.
This is hilarious to me. Besides the image of somebody explaining to their landlord why they put a hole through their glass window with a game controller, the very idea that you'd have a Wii is kinda pointless. I mean, you want to move around? GO OUTSIDE. Or to the gym, if it's a day like today. Or SOMETHING, I mean, they've got like fantasy tennis and stuff, and you can be just as active playing fantasy tennis as real tennis, and honestly, that's like the most ridiculous idea ever.
I guess it's like DDR- designed to be played in the privacy of your own home, so you don't embarrass yourself with your terrible skills. I dunno. I like computer games well enough, but I mostly like cheat codes so I can annihilate the ancient Romans with rocket-launchers on my cars. And Sims amuses me because it's essentially social interaction without the actual social interaction.
I can't wait until we develop HoloDeck technology, and people can immerse themselves in a fantasy world. Give them a world with cool weaponry and hot girls and feed them. Next thing you know, the population will decrease drastically. OO! New plan for world domination! TO THE WAR ROOM!
---------------------
That funeral I mentioned earlier this week, in Somerville, is on Monday, so I can't go. Finals. The wake is Sunday night, though, and I can't decide if I should go or not. On the one hand, I'd like to pay my respects; on the other, no one will judge me if I don't go since it's finals week, and it would consume all of Sunday afternoon. I have to think.
---------------------
Today was the last day of class for the semester. Tonight Mistake, Closer and I are going to this Stress Fair thing, which is not, apparently, a fair where you go to get stressed, but rather a fair to address the problem of stress. Only mildly disappointing. Then tomorrow I may or may not be going to a frat party, depending on the final verdict from Mistake and Closer and their gang, which is not actually a gang, because they don't wear bandannas. Most of the time. Then it's study, study, study, test, study, test, study, test, study, test, home. Fun and exciting, no?
BUT I digress. Despite the high quality name I have for this here blog, the name is not really accurate. I mean, sure, it speaks of my pathetic desperation, but it implies that I actually am kissing people. Which is inaccurate, as the only frogs I have kissed are the amphibious sort that don't change into anything cool when you kiss them, much to my seven-year-old chagrin. The only human I've kissed was not actually a frog, but in fact a prince, if by prince you mean "Kal-El, Prince of the Planet Krypton" since I'm still pretty sure he's Superman and hasn't told us yet.
Actually, I don't know if Superman was a prince on his home planet... Hang on while I check Wikipedia... Oh. Nope, not a prince, just the "Last Son of Krypton." Bummer. Anyway, mild-mannered Clark Kent aside, there is still the matter of the name. So I think I need a disclaimer on the top of the page: "The Amphibious Sort."
----------------------
Thanks to doing some online research, I'm starting to worry about the Vector job. People have had bad experiences, it seems; first a guy in Group mentioned that his friend had a bad experience, and then there's a blog that contains lots of negative (and some positive) information: Cutco Complaints. Like the claim that you have to sell to husband and wife at the same time (absolutely MORONIC, if there's one thing Girl Scouts have taught me it's that people buy more without their spouse to criticize), or that employers try to make employees feel ashamed about asking for base pay.
And there's talk about them not giving you any referrals- making you get all your own from family and friends. Well, I can think of maybe, uh, three couples that fit the demographic and that it wouldn't be a total waste of time to go to. Since I don't expect to get commission for those sales- I mean, I might be able to convince, say, Mistake's folks to sit down and listen to the presentation, but I'm not gonna expect them to actually buy anything. Same for my folks, even though Mummy needs knives. I might convince her to buy the $135 knife set from me afterwards, but I doubt I'd get her to pay $500 for knives. So if they don't give me referrals, there wasn't much point in hiring me.
Plus, you know, there was a lot of complaint about pushy salespeople, despite what they said in the interview about that being a good way to get fired. I was gonna e-mail my questions to the manager, but he doesn't have an address available. So I was going to call him, but I'm really uncomfortable confronting him over the phone.
You know what? I was thinking I'd go with the job anyway, since I didn't have another choice and all, but honestly, I should not feel uncomfortable about a job. If it's making me uneasy, I shouldn't do it. And I got a call from TJ Maxx today saying that I got that job, he just has to check my references. Plus I'll have full-time work at a company that I haven't heard anything bad about. So as soon as he confirms next week that my references are sound and I can have the job, I'm calling Vector and telling them that I changed my mind.
But man, was I panicking last night, when I thought I had to take the Vector job or not have anything to put on my resume for the summer. I felt kinda crappy and down before I went to bed, and my chest hurt like it does when I get anxious. When I finally fell asleep, I dreamed about stripping.
----------------------
So I never did mention what I did last Sunday. Well, my family went to this Cultural Bazaar down at Harvard. They have merchants selling for lots of money things you can get for pennies overseas, but a percentage of it goes to help indigenous tribes, so I didn't mind too much. There was an Indian dancer who performed with bells on her feet, that was cool, and there was good Indian food, and all kinds of cool stuff, like a Native American man who sold gorgeous dream catchers and a Thai man with cool hair sticks. I bought some Christmas presents.
Anyway, that's only mildly interesting and has little or no continuing importance on my life. More important is that while we were taking the red line into Boston I happened to see a poster advertising this study they're doing at Harvard, on personality and family. They were looking for volunteers and promised $275 for three hours of questioning and 20 ml of blood (meh, I'm not really using that stuff anyway). You have to sign up two family members as well and they have to undergo the same thing and get paid the same. Other requirement, for anyone who's thinking this sounds like a good thing to sign up for, is that everyone must be over 18 and one must have a history of depression (me, I've got all three with a history of depression, between my sister and mom, but that's a different problem).
I called and the woman in charge gave me a quick interview to see if I qualify; suggestion: never agree to an interview regarding your psychiatric health while in a dorm room with your roommates and the door open; and then once she confirmed that I was, in fact, quite insane, she arranged for me to come in on the first Friday in January at 1:00, at which time I hope that the TJ Maxx hours will be calming down. She said that they call the family members and have them come in at different times, later on, so Shrewd and Mummy can pick whatever time works best for them.
So yes. Basio is selling her body for science. I have ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THIS. There is quite a lot you can consequently say about my personality because of this, but let's not go there.
---------------------
There was a news article on CNN during breakfast today about those Wii game controllers that came out recently. You hold the controller and move your hand, and then your movement is picked up by the thing and translated into your video game character. Problem is, people get a little over-energetic, and the things fly out of their hands and into lamps/windows/plasma screen TVs. Oops.
This is hilarious to me. Besides the image of somebody explaining to their landlord why they put a hole through their glass window with a game controller, the very idea that you'd have a Wii is kinda pointless. I mean, you want to move around? GO OUTSIDE. Or to the gym, if it's a day like today. Or SOMETHING, I mean, they've got like fantasy tennis and stuff, and you can be just as active playing fantasy tennis as real tennis, and honestly, that's like the most ridiculous idea ever.
I guess it's like DDR- designed to be played in the privacy of your own home, so you don't embarrass yourself with your terrible skills. I dunno. I like computer games well enough, but I mostly like cheat codes so I can annihilate the ancient Romans with rocket-launchers on my cars. And Sims amuses me because it's essentially social interaction without the actual social interaction.
I can't wait until we develop HoloDeck technology, and people can immerse themselves in a fantasy world. Give them a world with cool weaponry and hot girls and feed them. Next thing you know, the population will decrease drastically. OO! New plan for world domination! TO THE WAR ROOM!
---------------------
That funeral I mentioned earlier this week, in Somerville, is on Monday, so I can't go. Finals. The wake is Sunday night, though, and I can't decide if I should go or not. On the one hand, I'd like to pay my respects; on the other, no one will judge me if I don't go since it's finals week, and it would consume all of Sunday afternoon. I have to think.
---------------------
Today was the last day of class for the semester. Tonight Mistake, Closer and I are going to this Stress Fair thing, which is not, apparently, a fair where you go to get stressed, but rather a fair to address the problem of stress. Only mildly disappointing. Then tomorrow I may or may not be going to a frat party, depending on the final verdict from Mistake and Closer and their gang, which is not actually a gang, because they don't wear bandannas. Most of the time. Then it's study, study, study, test, study, test, study, test, study, test, home. Fun and exciting, no?
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Chinese moratorium begins! No Chinese food until Dec. 24th!
I'm currently at home... again. I feel so weird coming back two weekends in a row, especially right after Thanksgiving... But I have a job! And it's at Vector... which is totally unexpected...
OKay, here's the thing. Vector isn't really door-to-door sales. What they do is they have these knives, by a company called Cutco, that are really, really cool and very high quality, but cost less than the top quality knives. But they don't advertise the knives on TV or in magazines, and they don't put them in stores. Instead, they operate completely by word of mouth. See, a customer hears about the knives from someone who's already bought them. If he expresses an interest, Vector sends out a representative- that's me- to their house at a pre-arranged appointment time. The representative has a display set, they show off the product and demonstrate how cool they are- kitchen shears that can cut through a penny, pretty sweet- and then, if the customer is interested, they buy something. If not, the representative still gets paid $16.50 just for making an effort. Either way, the representative asks the customer if he or she knows of anyone else who might be interested in the knives, and if they can think of a few, the representative asks if they wouldn't mind letting those people know about the product, and that they can expect a call from Vector. Then the representative waits a few days, to let the customer make some calls or something, and calls up the referrals, and asks if they'd like to have a representative come out for an appointment. Usually you get a few people interested enough at least for you to come out.
But unlike regular door-to-door sales, the people are expecting you- it's by appointment only. So you're not going to be interrupting them in the middle of something, and they won't sic their dogs on you. Hopefully. And some other pluses include the fact that I'l get paid even if I sell absolutely nothing. I'll also get paid if I make appointments with family members- they expect you to do that for the first couple appointments. The only rules are that you can't make an appointment to someone under 25- so like, friends and stuff don't count, which is a bummer because I think Shrewd might want to buy something- you can't make and appointment with someone who you know isn't employed, because why would they be buying knives, and you have to go one-on-one with the customer.
Plus, they offer pay incentives if I sell over certain amounts, so if I wind up being any good at this salesman gig, I can make quite a bit of extra money. However, that doesn't mean I'm supposed to pressure people into buying stuff. Actually, that's the fastest way to get fired- a customer reporting that you were pushy. We're just supposed to be friendly, personable, and knowledgable, and let the products sell themselves.
The base rate is really good, considering that the average appointment is a half hour to forty-five minutes. I figure I'll try to schedule 5 or 6 appointments a day, which would be the same as working at a minimum wage job for 13 hours a day; or a 48-hour workweek for $12 an hour.
And don't worry. They train you. For three days. Some of which is actually teaching you about the product, but most of which is teaching you how to make a good impression on people.
And honestly, I think that the training will be a much greater advantage to me than the money...
THe only major flaw is that the job starts the day AFTER Christmas. Apparently people buy knives after they cooked over the holidays and realized that theirs sucked. I kinda wish I could start earlier, but the training begins Dec. 26. I dunno. Maybe I could get a job at another store, one that doesn't need post-holiday help, until Christmas.
-----------------------------
The other interveiws went okay. Macy's was looking for help more immediately, but asked me to call on the 13th to see if they still needed assistance. I don't think they want help after the holidays, though. It might work. TJ Maxx is calling me back later this week- but they're doing lots of post-Christmas work, so that's probably a no-go.
-----------------------------
So I came home, all excited because I had the job at Vector and all. And what do Daddy and Mummy do but start telling me all these horror stories about sales experience and pyramid companies and frauding poor college students out of training fees and buying the product, and Daddy starts talking about how I need to go with someone or I'll be attacked, and that confidence wave I was riding kinda flopped. But I spent the next couple hours getting valuable experience as a salesperson by trying to sell the idea of this job to my folks. Meanwhile they're making me all nervous about having finally taken the initiative to go outside my comfort zone and do a job that will teach me a great deal and give me something very, very good to pad my resume with.
So I promised Daddy I'll carry mace in my purse and I explained to Mummy that all I pay is a security deposit of $135 on the knives that I can get back at any time if I return the knives. Or I can keep the whole $517 set for the cost of the security deposit, if I want. There's no training fees or anything. Absolute worst comes to worst, I don't make any money over break and I leave with some sales skills and something else to stick on my future job applications.
Unfortunately, Mummy and Daddy basically destroyed any self-confidence I gained from beating out like seven other applicants who were at the interview with me as the best candidate for the job. Now, I'm petrified. Gee. Thanks, guys. Way to be supportive and encouraging...
OKay, here's the thing. Vector isn't really door-to-door sales. What they do is they have these knives, by a company called Cutco, that are really, really cool and very high quality, but cost less than the top quality knives. But they don't advertise the knives on TV or in magazines, and they don't put them in stores. Instead, they operate completely by word of mouth. See, a customer hears about the knives from someone who's already bought them. If he expresses an interest, Vector sends out a representative- that's me- to their house at a pre-arranged appointment time. The representative has a display set, they show off the product and demonstrate how cool they are- kitchen shears that can cut through a penny, pretty sweet- and then, if the customer is interested, they buy something. If not, the representative still gets paid $16.50 just for making an effort. Either way, the representative asks the customer if he or she knows of anyone else who might be interested in the knives, and if they can think of a few, the representative asks if they wouldn't mind letting those people know about the product, and that they can expect a call from Vector. Then the representative waits a few days, to let the customer make some calls or something, and calls up the referrals, and asks if they'd like to have a representative come out for an appointment. Usually you get a few people interested enough at least for you to come out.
But unlike regular door-to-door sales, the people are expecting you- it's by appointment only. So you're not going to be interrupting them in the middle of something, and they won't sic their dogs on you. Hopefully. And some other pluses include the fact that I'l get paid even if I sell absolutely nothing. I'll also get paid if I make appointments with family members- they expect you to do that for the first couple appointments. The only rules are that you can't make an appointment to someone under 25- so like, friends and stuff don't count, which is a bummer because I think Shrewd might want to buy something- you can't make and appointment with someone who you know isn't employed, because why would they be buying knives, and you have to go one-on-one with the customer.
Plus, they offer pay incentives if I sell over certain amounts, so if I wind up being any good at this salesman gig, I can make quite a bit of extra money. However, that doesn't mean I'm supposed to pressure people into buying stuff. Actually, that's the fastest way to get fired- a customer reporting that you were pushy. We're just supposed to be friendly, personable, and knowledgable, and let the products sell themselves.
The base rate is really good, considering that the average appointment is a half hour to forty-five minutes. I figure I'll try to schedule 5 or 6 appointments a day, which would be the same as working at a minimum wage job for 13 hours a day; or a 48-hour workweek for $12 an hour.
And don't worry. They train you. For three days. Some of which is actually teaching you about the product, but most of which is teaching you how to make a good impression on people.
And honestly, I think that the training will be a much greater advantage to me than the money...
THe only major flaw is that the job starts the day AFTER Christmas. Apparently people buy knives after they cooked over the holidays and realized that theirs sucked. I kinda wish I could start earlier, but the training begins Dec. 26. I dunno. Maybe I could get a job at another store, one that doesn't need post-holiday help, until Christmas.
-----------------------------
The other interveiws went okay. Macy's was looking for help more immediately, but asked me to call on the 13th to see if they still needed assistance. I don't think they want help after the holidays, though. It might work. TJ Maxx is calling me back later this week- but they're doing lots of post-Christmas work, so that's probably a no-go.
-----------------------------
So I came home, all excited because I had the job at Vector and all. And what do Daddy and Mummy do but start telling me all these horror stories about sales experience and pyramid companies and frauding poor college students out of training fees and buying the product, and Daddy starts talking about how I need to go with someone or I'll be attacked, and that confidence wave I was riding kinda flopped. But I spent the next couple hours getting valuable experience as a salesperson by trying to sell the idea of this job to my folks. Meanwhile they're making me all nervous about having finally taken the initiative to go outside my comfort zone and do a job that will teach me a great deal and give me something very, very good to pad my resume with.
So I promised Daddy I'll carry mace in my purse and I explained to Mummy that all I pay is a security deposit of $135 on the knives that I can get back at any time if I return the knives. Or I can keep the whole $517 set for the cost of the security deposit, if I want. There's no training fees or anything. Absolute worst comes to worst, I don't make any money over break and I leave with some sales skills and something else to stick on my future job applications.
Unfortunately, Mummy and Daddy basically destroyed any self-confidence I gained from beating out like seven other applicants who were at the interview with me as the best candidate for the job. Now, I'm petrified. Gee. Thanks, guys. Way to be supportive and encouraging...
Thursday, November 30, 2006
"Blessed is That Man Who Has Found His Work"
Today is the Feast of Adonis. For those unaware, Adonis' mother, Smyrna, tricked her own father into sleeping with her, and then when he figured out and she ran, a god turned her into a tree. Nine months later, the bark on the tree peeled back and a baby emerged. That's Adonis. Aphrodite took the baby and asked Persephone to raise him, and he grew up to be so beautiful that Aphrodite wanted him back and Persephone, in a weird Oedipal moment, wanted to keep him. They fought and then brought the matter to Zeus, who decided that Adonis could spend a third of the year with each goddess and the last third with whichever of the two he preferred. He naturally preferred Aphrodite (Persephone was like his MOM). He and Aphrodite had a daughter but then he died because he was attacked by a boar, and Aphrodite turned him into an anenome.
Moral of this story: Beautiful people have weird family situations and die young, the Greeks liked the idea of sleeping with their mothers, and all problems can be solved by turning into a plant.
------------------------
I met with my therapist today. She gave me an assignment, like usual. Luckily this homework is easier than last session's assignment, "Have a conversation with Incredibly Hot Guy, even if it's just three sentences"- I didn't accomplish this. The conversation was two sentences. This is not to say that this new assignment is easy. It is "list all your positive qualities." This is impossible, naturally, because to list all the ways I am awesome would take years.
No, not really. It's actually hard because I feel like I'm bragging every time I say something nice about myself. Thus, here is my list:
1. I have, thus far, not killed anything larger than a guinea pig (a duckling is smaller than a guinea pig, right?)
2. Cameras and mirrors have never broken when looking at me. Cameras break when I point them at other stuff.
3. I am not allergic to peas.
4. If I'm ever cornered by a mad ax murderer (as opposed to the sane ax murderers that wander around), and they say, "I'll let you live- if you answer one question: How much does Jean Grey weigh?" I'll be able to say, "115 lbs!" and save myself. I expect this to happen at least three times next week.
5. I could write a book on Greek mythology. No one would read it. It would sit on a shelf in a library and/or my friends' coffee tables and collect dust. It would, however, be an excellent conversation piece and/or paperweight. I would get to act all snooty, like "I've written a book" and my friends would have to make sure it was out when I came over, or I'd get all insulted...
(Don't worry, that's not what I'm telling her. You just don't want to hear me try to be nice to myself. Or maybe you do. I'll stick the real list in my LJ later tonight.)
------------------------
In other news, I was getting into the cab to come back from the therapist's office today when I got a call from TJ Maxx asking me to come in for an interview. Nice. That's 11 AM on Saturday. Less than an hour later- I kid you not- someone from Vector Marketing, a company I know nothing about except that they're hiring students and I applied, called and asked to set up an appointment. The caller was somewhat pushy and the next thing I knew I had a ninety-minute appointment interview at 2:30, meaning it will end right at four. That was when I was supposed to go to Macy's for that interview. One somewhat frantic call to Macy's later, I had a completely booked Saturday, from 11:00 to 6:00.
I mentioned that I had job interviews coming up in Group today and they kinda walked me through questions I should ask, which was good, because I so need a job. And only partially because I'm broke. In large part it is because my mother was incredibly disapproving of my lack of a summer job. I believe my not having a Christmas job would result in immediate banishment from her presence.
------------------------
Speaking of disapproving: Disapproving Rabbits. Very amusing. Kept me occupied for a whole half hour or so.
There is other stuff to do now.
Moral of this story: Beautiful people have weird family situations and die young, the Greeks liked the idea of sleeping with their mothers, and all problems can be solved by turning into a plant.
------------------------
I met with my therapist today. She gave me an assignment, like usual. Luckily this homework is easier than last session's assignment, "Have a conversation with Incredibly Hot Guy, even if it's just three sentences"- I didn't accomplish this. The conversation was two sentences. This is not to say that this new assignment is easy. It is "list all your positive qualities." This is impossible, naturally, because to list all the ways I am awesome would take years.
No, not really. It's actually hard because I feel like I'm bragging every time I say something nice about myself. Thus, here is my list:
1. I have, thus far, not killed anything larger than a guinea pig (a duckling is smaller than a guinea pig, right?)
2. Cameras and mirrors have never broken when looking at me. Cameras break when I point them at other stuff.
3. I am not allergic to peas.
4. If I'm ever cornered by a mad ax murderer (as opposed to the sane ax murderers that wander around), and they say, "I'll let you live- if you answer one question: How much does Jean Grey weigh?" I'll be able to say, "115 lbs!" and save myself. I expect this to happen at least three times next week.
5. I could write a book on Greek mythology. No one would read it. It would sit on a shelf in a library and/or my friends' coffee tables and collect dust. It would, however, be an excellent conversation piece and/or paperweight. I would get to act all snooty, like "I've written a book" and my friends would have to make sure it was out when I came over, or I'd get all insulted...
(Don't worry, that's not what I'm telling her. You just don't want to hear me try to be nice to myself. Or maybe you do. I'll stick the real list in my LJ later tonight.)
------------------------
In other news, I was getting into the cab to come back from the therapist's office today when I got a call from TJ Maxx asking me to come in for an interview. Nice. That's 11 AM on Saturday. Less than an hour later- I kid you not- someone from Vector Marketing, a company I know nothing about except that they're hiring students and I applied, called and asked to set up an appointment. The caller was somewhat pushy and the next thing I knew I had a ninety-minute appointment interview at 2:30, meaning it will end right at four. That was when I was supposed to go to Macy's for that interview. One somewhat frantic call to Macy's later, I had a completely booked Saturday, from 11:00 to 6:00.
I mentioned that I had job interviews coming up in Group today and they kinda walked me through questions I should ask, which was good, because I so need a job. And only partially because I'm broke. In large part it is because my mother was incredibly disapproving of my lack of a summer job. I believe my not having a Christmas job would result in immediate banishment from her presence.
------------------------
Speaking of disapproving: Disapproving Rabbits. Very amusing. Kept me occupied for a whole half hour or so.
There is other stuff to do now.
Monday, November 27, 2006
"You Will Be Blessed With Longevity"
Well, it's official. Loquatia's moving out. She's moving a whole three doors down the hall. You know, for the change of scenery.
No word on Tacita's plans yet- she might still be leaving the hall. But she might not. I wouldn't mind horribly, though, if she stayed. Tacita's nice, she's quiet, and she goes to bed early, doesn't get drunk, and goes home on the weekends a lot. We're not close friends but we get along. At least that's my veiw of it; I could be her Seabass for all I know.
Of course, if she IS planning on moving out, to join her friends at Englehardt, some advance notice would be nice, so I could actually meet my roommate-to-be before January. I'm just saying.
-------------------------
Anyway... the school year's winding down. Next week I turn in my last assignment for the Biology Careers lecture; there's obviously no exam in there. My lab practicals are next week too. Then the week after next is Finals: Latin and Biology on Tuesday, one right after another; then Chem on Thursday at EIGHT IN THE MORNING, an ungodly hour I have been avoiding all semester. Wrap it up with Mythology on Friday, only that one isn't in the morning as would be advantageous (so I could go home); no, it ends at three. Great.
Countdown to Christmas Break: 18 Days.
-------------------------
I am, apparently, the awesomeness, due to my mastery of the art of procrastination. This was stated by Libentra when she complained about freshman who feel the need to get work done weeks in advance. She's got a kinda sucky situation with her lab group, who insisted that since they had started to work on the lab weeks in advance, long before the TA
-------------------------
Me: I hope we don't start studying DNA in Bio. I hate DNA.
Libentra: Yes, well, maybe DNA hates you too. *Pause* I mean, obviously.
Me: Okay, yeah, I knew THAT was coming....
-------------------------
Oh, and remember how last night Mummy and I had to turn around on the road and go back to get something I forgot? Well, I didn't get everything I forgot. Because there is this law that says Basio must forget one important thing every time she leaves the house. Last time it was my sneakers and my wallet. This time it's my mouth guard. Which is much worse, because I'm so used to wearing it that I can't fall asleep without it. And unlike most things I could have left behind, it's not easily replaceable. Grr.
This has caused me to add "proximity tags" to my Christmas list. Daddy was talking about them- they keep you from loosing stuff, like cell phones and wallets and keys and poorly attached heads...
-------------------------
Guess what? Macy's wants me to interview! As in, I might get the job! As in, I might get a job! This is good!
I have to go back this weekend to interview. This is not so good. Not entirely sure how that's gonna work out. But oh well. I'm still glad they liked me enough to call me back.
No word on Tacita's plans yet- she might still be leaving the hall. But she might not. I wouldn't mind horribly, though, if she stayed. Tacita's nice, she's quiet, and she goes to bed early, doesn't get drunk, and goes home on the weekends a lot. We're not close friends but we get along. At least that's my veiw of it; I could be her Seabass for all I know.
Of course, if she IS planning on moving out, to join her friends at Englehardt, some advance notice would be nice, so I could actually meet my roommate-to-be before January. I'm just saying.
-------------------------
Anyway... the school year's winding down. Next week I turn in my last assignment for the Biology Careers lecture; there's obviously no exam in there. My lab practicals are next week too. Then the week after next is Finals: Latin and Biology on Tuesday, one right after another; then Chem on Thursday at EIGHT IN THE MORNING, an ungodly hour I have been avoiding all semester. Wrap it up with Mythology on Friday, only that one isn't in the morning as would be advantageous (so I could go home); no, it ends at three. Great.
Countdown to Christmas Break: 18 Days.
-------------------------
I am, apparently, the awesomeness, due to my mastery of the art of procrastination. This was stated by Libentra when she complained about freshman who feel the need to get work done weeks in advance. She's got a kinda sucky situation with her lab group, who insisted that since they had started to work on the lab weeks in advance, long before the TA
-------------------------
Me: I hope we don't start studying DNA in Bio. I hate DNA.
Libentra: Yes, well, maybe DNA hates you too. *Pause* I mean, obviously.
Me: Okay, yeah, I knew THAT was coming....
-------------------------
Oh, and remember how last night Mummy and I had to turn around on the road and go back to get something I forgot? Well, I didn't get everything I forgot. Because there is this law that says Basio must forget one important thing every time she leaves the house. Last time it was my sneakers and my wallet. This time it's my mouth guard. Which is much worse, because I'm so used to wearing it that I can't fall asleep without it. And unlike most things I could have left behind, it's not easily replaceable. Grr.
This has caused me to add "proximity tags" to my Christmas list. Daddy was talking about them- they keep you from loosing stuff, like cell phones and wallets and keys and poorly attached heads...
-------------------------
Guess what? Macy's wants me to interview! As in, I might get the job! As in, I might get a job! This is good!
I have to go back this weekend to interview. This is not so good. Not entirely sure how that's gonna work out. But oh well. I'm still glad they liked me enough to call me back.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
I did have a fortune, from the sushi place, but I forgot it
Well, Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Few days late or not. I was going to post something Thursday, but honestly, there's not that much of interest to say about Thanksgiving. Much of the day was spent alternating between watching the Eureka marathon on the SciFi channel and setting the table, eating, clearing the table, and forcing the boys to help me clean so Mummy didn't have to do all the work after cooking.
Daddy spent most of the day watching football with Grandpa, an activity he only does with Grandpa. Because he's really not that into football, at least not watching other people play it. My dad's a bit of a geek. So whatever he might claim, I could totally see that he'd infinitely prefer to be watching science fiction with his daughter than football with his father. Oh well. He took a break in the afternoon to watch a few episodes of the marathon.
Poor Daddy. He's trying so hard.
-----------------------
Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, The Shrewd One let me play The Sims 2 on her computer in exchange for internet access on mine. We had a bit off a party on the living room floor. I have determined this: I should not play the Sims 2, because I get too upset when I hit the wrong button and my Sim hugs the wrong Sim and her Sim-boyfriend is mad for like FOREVER and cries all the time like a computer-generated nancy-boy. I, of course, feel horribly upset despite the fact that they are slightly creepy looking people on a computer screen.
But she let me keep playing until I fixed the problem, and as of last night, when I last played, my Sims were engaged to be married. Nice. I think I need to get that game.
Quote: "I think I know how God feels." ~Me, when my sister turned off the Free Will option on the game and asked me if I preferred it that way
-----------------------
Friday I was going to job-hunt, starting at like noon, then as soon as I finished eating, then as soon as I finished reading my book that I got distracted by, then as soon as I finished helping Mummy load the Christmas dishes into the hutch, then as soon as I could find someone to go with me, because I freak out in crowds and I really didn't want to go alone. But Grandpa can't walk very well and wouldn't want to go anyway, and Mummy was working- she's ALWAYS working- and The Shrewd One was entertaining Grandpa and Daddy wanted me to see who else was going.
And when I told Shrewd that I was asking her along because I was concerned about having a panic attack, she rolled her eyes at me, which made me feel fabulous.
I know, that sounds kinda selfish- I'm tearing them away from what they're doing to help me. But I really, really don't want to deal with day-after-Thanksgiving crowds at the malls without at least one familiar face around...
And in the end, I didn't even wind up going to the mall, I just went to one of the local strip malls and applied at TJ Maxx. I was gonna apply at Lindt but they weren't hiring any more. Saturday I checked a bunch of places but only wound up applying to Sears, Macy's, and JC Penney's. I wanted to apply to Old Navy but their computer thing was being weird, and the application for Bath and Body Works is sitting at home where it is absolutely useless...
-----------------------
I didn't spend nearly enough time with my grandfather over Thanksgiving, because I've got a sore throat and random headaches, and I was concerned about transmitting them. Also because the sore throat meant I couldn't talk loud enough for him to hear me.
So... Saturday after job-hunting The Shrewd and I got sushi and then picked up Candida, a mutual friend whom both of us know from Girl Scouts ("Candida" means honest and straightforward, which she is, and it also means white, which she definitely is. Lots of Nordic heritage in that one). With her in tow we went to see Happy Feet, a cute movie with plenty of good music, which made up for it's totally illogical nature. Then on the way out, who did we run into but Mistake, Closer, and KT Mack, off to see the new Bond movie. Go figure.
-----------------------
Today, pretty much all I did was laundry and the homework needed for my group lab report. We were really late getting off, first because I confused the times and thought my dorm wasn't opening until five, when in fact it was open much earlier- like one or so. So my dad couldn't take me to get here at five because he had to drop off The Shrewd and my grandfather in their respective Massachusetts locations and then drive to Connecticut for a week-long business thing. Then I was going to hitch a ride with Mistake's family but I had a lot of stuff, having done a lot of laundry, and I was concerned that they'd be leaving so early that I'd have to stash my junk in Mistake's room or something and haul it across campus later. So Mummy took me back here.
But in the end it was probably for the best, because I think it would have been a pain for Mistake's family to deal with all my junk anyway. Especially Ajax and Deiphobus, who came home with me.
Anyway, we were intending to leave at 4:00 to get here at five, but The Brother was late getting back, and then we were going to leave without him but he swore it would only be a half-hour and Mummy wanted to touch base with him. But it was not a half-hour. It was like an hour. We finally left, and then I realized a few minutes into the drive that I was missing something, and we turned around and went to get it- and then his girlfriend dropped him off at last.
Turns out they went for a walk. Without warning Mummy. Grr.
OH! But I know her! The girlfriend, that is. She was a sorta-friend of mine back in high school- I hung out with her before school. She knew Mistake through the band. She used to complain to me that my brother was annoying, like kicking the back of her seat on the band bus or drumming or sticking stuff in her hair. Guess that was flirting.
Boys are weird.
-------------------------
And guess what?
I FOUND THE PHONE.
As in, that stupid goddamn cell phone that I got to replace the one I lost, and then I lost the new one, and in looking for the new one found the old one. Now, I have both the new one and the old one, which I've been using.
My reaction when I found it was something along the lines of: "Oh, you have GOT to be KIDDING me! I can't BELIEVE this! All this time in the goddamn SOFA cushions! You- I- it- ARGH! ARGHY ARGH ARGH!"
-------------------------
Oh well. I have to go study or unpack or something....
Daddy spent most of the day watching football with Grandpa, an activity he only does with Grandpa. Because he's really not that into football, at least not watching other people play it. My dad's a bit of a geek. So whatever he might claim, I could totally see that he'd infinitely prefer to be watching science fiction with his daughter than football with his father. Oh well. He took a break in the afternoon to watch a few episodes of the marathon.
Poor Daddy. He's trying so hard.
-----------------------
Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, The Shrewd One let me play The Sims 2 on her computer in exchange for internet access on mine. We had a bit off a party on the living room floor. I have determined this: I should not play the Sims 2, because I get too upset when I hit the wrong button and my Sim hugs the wrong Sim and her Sim-boyfriend is mad for like FOREVER and cries all the time like a computer-generated nancy-boy. I, of course, feel horribly upset despite the fact that they are slightly creepy looking people on a computer screen.
But she let me keep playing until I fixed the problem, and as of last night, when I last played, my Sims were engaged to be married. Nice. I think I need to get that game.
Quote: "I think I know how God feels." ~Me, when my sister turned off the Free Will option on the game and asked me if I preferred it that way
-----------------------
Friday I was going to job-hunt, starting at like noon, then as soon as I finished eating, then as soon as I finished reading my book that I got distracted by, then as soon as I finished helping Mummy load the Christmas dishes into the hutch, then as soon as I could find someone to go with me, because I freak out in crowds and I really didn't want to go alone. But Grandpa can't walk very well and wouldn't want to go anyway, and Mummy was working- she's ALWAYS working- and The Shrewd One was entertaining Grandpa and Daddy wanted me to see who else was going.
And when I told Shrewd that I was asking her along because I was concerned about having a panic attack, she rolled her eyes at me, which made me feel fabulous.
I know, that sounds kinda selfish- I'm tearing them away from what they're doing to help me. But I really, really don't want to deal with day-after-Thanksgiving crowds at the malls without at least one familiar face around...
And in the end, I didn't even wind up going to the mall, I just went to one of the local strip malls and applied at TJ Maxx. I was gonna apply at Lindt but they weren't hiring any more. Saturday I checked a bunch of places but only wound up applying to Sears, Macy's, and JC Penney's. I wanted to apply to Old Navy but their computer thing was being weird, and the application for Bath and Body Works is sitting at home where it is absolutely useless...
-----------------------
I didn't spend nearly enough time with my grandfather over Thanksgiving, because I've got a sore throat and random headaches, and I was concerned about transmitting them. Also because the sore throat meant I couldn't talk loud enough for him to hear me.
So... Saturday after job-hunting The Shrewd and I got sushi and then picked up Candida, a mutual friend whom both of us know from Girl Scouts ("Candida" means honest and straightforward, which she is, and it also means white, which she definitely is. Lots of Nordic heritage in that one). With her in tow we went to see Happy Feet, a cute movie with plenty of good music, which made up for it's totally illogical nature. Then on the way out, who did we run into but Mistake, Closer, and KT Mack, off to see the new Bond movie. Go figure.
-----------------------
Today, pretty much all I did was laundry and the homework needed for my group lab report. We were really late getting off, first because I confused the times and thought my dorm wasn't opening until five, when in fact it was open much earlier- like one or so. So my dad couldn't take me to get here at five because he had to drop off The Shrewd and my grandfather in their respective Massachusetts locations and then drive to Connecticut for a week-long business thing. Then I was going to hitch a ride with Mistake's family but I had a lot of stuff, having done a lot of laundry, and I was concerned that they'd be leaving so early that I'd have to stash my junk in Mistake's room or something and haul it across campus later. So Mummy took me back here.
But in the end it was probably for the best, because I think it would have been a pain for Mistake's family to deal with all my junk anyway. Especially Ajax and Deiphobus, who came home with me.
Anyway, we were intending to leave at 4:00 to get here at five, but The Brother was late getting back, and then we were going to leave without him but he swore it would only be a half-hour and Mummy wanted to touch base with him. But it was not a half-hour. It was like an hour. We finally left, and then I realized a few minutes into the drive that I was missing something, and we turned around and went to get it- and then his girlfriend dropped him off at last.
Turns out they went for a walk. Without warning Mummy. Grr.
OH! But I know her! The girlfriend, that is. She was a sorta-friend of mine back in high school- I hung out with her before school. She knew Mistake through the band. She used to complain to me that my brother was annoying, like kicking the back of her seat on the band bus or drumming or sticking stuff in her hair. Guess that was flirting.
Boys are weird.
-------------------------
And guess what?
I FOUND THE PHONE.
As in, that stupid goddamn cell phone that I got to replace the one I lost, and then I lost the new one, and in looking for the new one found the old one. Now, I have both the new one and the old one, which I've been using.
My reaction when I found it was something along the lines of: "Oh, you have GOT to be KIDDING me! I can't BELIEVE this! All this time in the goddamn SOFA cushions! You- I- it- ARGH! ARGHY ARGH ARGH!"
-------------------------
Oh well. I have to go study or unpack or something....
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