job hunting

sucks.

On the other hand, mandatory vacation as a result of not having a job to go to is AWESOME.

productivity

I have just had 2 very productive days in a row. It's amazing. So amazing, in fact, that I feel the need to tell the world.

Yesterday, I worked for 2 hours in the morning, then I drove down to Temple to have an interview. The interview was very short, but my first one since August. It made me feel like I'm progressing a little in the job hunt area. The interview seemed to be more like a screening process, which could be why it was so short. They will be having a second round of interviews next week, so I should know by Friday or Monday if I'm invited back or not.

I left there around 1:50 and called Rod to see if he was free or not. He had nothing to do between then and going to work, which starts at 2:45, so I drove to Belton. We sat in his car at a park by Nolan Creek while I ate the ham & cheese sandwich I had brought with me for lunch. The plan had been to eat it while driving, but I wasn't hungry till about 1, and then I was nearly to the place for the interview at 1:30...and just hadn't eaten lunch yet. So we talked and he watched me eat my lunch. Then he went to work.

A while back I received a UMHB Alumni benefits card. One such benefit is an alumni parking decal. I had never gone by the PD on campus to pick it up, so I decided to do that next. 

After that, I went to the Quix on 31st Street in Temple. I bought gas there on Sunday, with a car wash. However, the car wash was broken. So they told me the car wash would be fixed on Monday. We had entered the code for the car wash before realizing it was broken, but they said it would work once the thing was fixed. It didn't, so I had to go inside and get a new code, which they gave me no trouble about. Then I got my car washed, for the first time since I bought it...

Then, I drove over to The Bridge. When I got out of the car, I stuck the parking sticker to my newly-cleaned rear windshield. I had applied for an apartment online, but wanted to make sure everything was in order. I also had to pay the application fee and deposit. So we took care of all that. The only thing I need in order for the application to be fully processed is proof of employment or a co-signer. I'd prefer the proof of employment, so I'm holding out for that.

Then, I drove home, exhausted, and arrived at the time I usually arrive on a normal work day.

Today was also productive. I left work at 4:30 and went across the street to the Bob Duncan Center, where I voted, for the first time ever. It wasn't as scary or confusing as I thought it might be. There were about 20-30 people in line when I arrived, but it didn't take very long. I was done by 5.

Then, I went to my storage unit. I picked up my big suitcase so that I can pack all my clothes this weekend, when I leave Arlington for good , or at least until I have to come back and collect all my stuff from the storage unit, when it's time to move into my apartment on November 8. I also decided to take all the crap that I had left right in front of the door, intending to donate to charity/thrift store. I loaded all that up, and took it over to Goodwill, which apparently has recently opened a drive-up, quick donation delivery on the back of the building. I don't remember seeing the sign for it before, and the sign implied that it was new. I gave them all that stuff and drove away feeling very accomplished.

Now there's plenty of room in the storage unit for all the furniture people are planning to give me and for the stuff that I'll have to take over there this weekend because everything I have in this room won't fit in my car all at once.

The end.

and another cake stand

They seem so expensive...This one is pretty nice, and usually runs cheaper than the other one.

I like this one because there's good space between the cakes. I would have to look more into the dimensions of it to make sure there's enough room on top for my topper.

But, the possibility also exists to borrow someone else's cake stand, rather than buying one, using it, and selling it again. 

a good point

Progress is good.

Rorschach

I almost never read email forwards when they come to my inbox, unless they come from my mother because she is sensible and only sends good ones. I stay current on what forwards are going around by reading about them on snopes.com. Some of them, I can see how people may think that it's real. Some of them, I can see how people are really stupid and might believe it. But this one...REALLY?!

It doesn't say it's an email forward, but people are "reporting" that a Fisher-Price doll says "Islam is the light" and "Satan is king." It just made me giggle. Fisher-Price isn't going to make a doll that says that. Plus, I'm sure their QA department doesn't want to lose their jobs, and wouldn't let something like this slip. PLUS, if someone were to tamper with what the dolls are saying, I doubt they would be both Muslim and Satanic. 

People these days are just looking for something to be offended by. But, if you think a babbling-baby-talk doll is saying pro-Islam and pro-Satan things, when it's obviously just gibberish, maybe you're the Muslim/Satanist. It's like an audio Rorschach test. The person you should really be offended by is yourself. Ever thought about that?

finalizing the invitation

Last weekend, I got Rod to pose his hand with mine so I could take pictures for our invitation. I really like it:

something weird just happened

Today, I wore my pink top with my orange and brown skirt. I love wearing my orange and brown bead necklace with this outfit for two reasons. One, it matches the skirt. Two, it looks great with the pink top. But as I was fastening it, the string pulled loose from the clasp. The necklace fell off, all the beans scattering. I found most of them on the floor, one fell in my candle, a few landed on the dresser. I decided to wear my blue and brown necklace instead and thought no more of it.

So just now, I was stretching, thinking about taking a shower. The dogs slobbered all over me while I was watching The Office. Funny thing, now that they like me, they are incredibly obnoxious. They fight for attention, which results in drool and licking my arms. Ick. But anyway, as I was stretching my back, I put my hands on my waist, kind of towards my back, so I could stretch it well. I felt something on my back under my shirt. 

I freaked out for a second. How could something be under my shirt? What is it? Is it a bug? How could I not notice it there? How long has it been there?

Then, I did the logical thing and retrieved it. You guessed it: it was a bead from my orange and brown necklace. It had been there all day. Just hanging out. Inside my shirt. All day long. Weird.

Tuesday afternoon pick-me-up

I think there are more music videos of this song on You Tube than any other song. But this one - the Lego Man stop motion - is my favorite. I especially love the break dancing parts. 

If you're really into Lego Men, there's also the classic Lego Men singing "Camelot." My unprofessional impression of this one is that it's computer generated, not stop motion.

Andy, You're a Star

As there is no The Office tonight, because of the VP debate, here is a little something to hold us over till next week. It combines The Office with my favorite The Killers song. A tribute to Andy Bernard, who went to Cornell. If you haven't watched seasons 3 and 4 of The Office and don't know who Andy Bernard is, then you'll miss most of the fun of this video. It took a while for it to load with my internet, but it was worth it!