Archive for the ‘Life’ Category

Sales Pitches: We need a STOP button

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

I think we’ve all had this happen: You call up a service-oriented business just looking for a quote. They give their whole spiel and you have that sinking feeling that this is more expensive than you bargained for. On they go, promising the best service available and competitive rates and all the bells and whistles.

And whammo! It’s not only more expensive, but they’ve smashed it out of the ballpark and through your windshield. You’re gasping for breath… it’s not just sticker shock, it’s shell-shock. And their sales pitch… just keeps going…

You manage to get out that its expensive and the sales pitch continues, undaunted. You need this and they’re willing to talk to their managers to make it happen. You try to say “No, thank you” and they can get you a lower rate that’s only slightly less shocking than the original quote. They want this sale and they’re willing to sacrifice a few first born sons to do it.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a “STOP” button? A nice, big red one the size of a house.

Your company is out of my league, sweetheart. You can stop your pitch now. kthxbai

Dilemma: What Now?

Friday, November 13th, 2009

The bookshelves just marched out the door with Neil and his brother to help fill their homes. I am so lucky I have such easy-going cats… I guess Echo has more or less accepted things marching out the door as the new normal. She’s turning in circles in front of me getting ear scratches.

I refused to go with my grandparents down to defraud get food from the church the church. I shouldn’t be this satisfied by the hurt in their voices with my curt “Nope” in regards to them asking if I was coming. But I am.

We have only a few days left to make up our mind where we’re going. Tuesday, the park is taking us to court again to have us evicted, which my mom has no plans to attend since its way at the south end of the county. (They closed the northern courthouse to “save money” after a length political melodrama that had nothing to do with saving money.)

Which will likely give us until the 27th to pack up and leave. Not like that’s a hard thing. We’re mostly packed. But that leaves us with a few quandaries that — in our usual style — are working themselves out.

Fishwife (our next-door neighbor who likes to screech at all hours of the day and night) sent her youngest son over with her cell number and a note to call her. Apparently she knows someone who is buying trailers. I thanked her and saved it for mom for later. (Not without screeching at her kids and damn near breaking my eardrum.) So that might solve the issue of the trailer.

So that leaves: Where do we go?

Do we go to a local apartment? I got an e-mail requesting my resume for a possible SQL Help Desk job from a local recruiter/headhunter, but none of their leads have ever panned out.

Do we move out of state? Where out of state? Virginia? Maryland? DC?

If we move out of state, we’ll have enough money to get there, but no money to come back if it doesn’t work out. But I think Neil summed it up best with “But what would you have to come back to?”

Basically all that’s holding us in the state is fear. We wax and wane between determination and paralyzing fear without much of anything between those two poles. I’m sick to death of my family treating us like crap, but this silence is about all I have to fight them with.

All that leaves is how to get where-ever we’re going. The hows will present themselves, like they always do.

Single; Not Available

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

Five days ago, I posted a private entry of the same name on my Livejournal so now I think its time to post this publicly and put this to rest.

I am a single woman; that does not mean I am available.

No, I am not available to be your Fuck Stop.

No, I am not available for your Mid-life Crisis.

No, this is not a challenge for you to get with me.

No, this is not a challenge for you to set me up.

No, I am not playing hard to get.

No, I am not some angry bitch queen.

No, I do not need to be “fixed” or “repaired.”

No, my vagina does not have an “open for business” sign on it.

I shouldn’t have to explain that I’m quite content being single and why I have never married. I was complete the day I was born, I don’t need a penis between my legs to be complete. I will not be measured by the male I am able to attract. I am more than my sex.

So stop. Just stop.

This is a lifestyle choice. My choice. I would rather be happy and single than with a man and miserable.

I really don’t have the right personality for being someone’s little wife. I am so much more fulfilled by the friends I make than any man I have ever been with.

Guys get their little Male-PMS thing going and all I want is to thrash them with a rolled up newspaper. I won’t stay quiet and let them take it out on me. I’m more likely to pelt them with eggs than walk on egg-shells. I’m more likely to walk out and let him stew in an empty house for the night. I’m more likely to divorce him and be done with it.

I’ve heard that verbal and emotional abuse after marriage is so common that some marriage counselors are telling their patients its normal. That is utter bull. But yet… I have heard woman after woman tell me that she got so she could tell by the way her husband drove, walked, or whatever coming up the street to their home what kind of an evening they were going to have. He seethes with an inexplicable and generic rage. And since he’d get his ass kicked if he did it in public… he’s about to take it out on his family. And she’s having to run interference to protect the kids from the wrath of his man-tantrum.

It’s a sad and darkly funny commentary in a way. We women will share stories and information regarding our families and our own health… right now to the color, volume, and consistency of the bodily fluids involved. But do we compare notes and kick his ass like he really needs? No. Most women stay quiet, try to ignore it, and hope it gets better. All the while feeling torn. They love him deeply but resent – just as deeply – the way they are being treated. Only when they feel like they’re going to explode do they come to a close friend to let it out. But should he be confronted he either minimizes it or acts remorseful just long enough…

I’m choosing to say no. I don’t want to deal with it. My heart and my ears are still open to my friends. But I’m not interested in bringing it into my own life.

Whew. Now that I have that off my chest. It’s not easy convincing people of my choice either.

I’ve had people come right out and demand to know if I’m a lesbian because somehow I’m nearly 30 and not married and haven’t squeezed out a few kids. I guess there’s some unwritten rule that women should get married, have 2.5 kids, and perform wifely duties or else there’s something wrong with them. I’ve literally had people damn near spittle-shrieking over my decision.

It’s crazy, but so many people find it inconceivable that I could think this way.

So, here comes the endless parade of people trying to set me up.

Here’s the wolves sniffing my crotch and howling at my door. It gets so old so fast when somehow me being nice, friendly, and approachable equates to “ZOMG HAVE SEX WITH ME!”

It’s like “Me Male, you Female! We’re compatible!” They put far more effort into learning about who is servicing their car than the cunny they’re looking to plunder.

No one has actually ever come out and asked what I want.

In the end, it boils down to me making a lifestyle choice. This is my official announcement that I have made it.

Resume Writing and Business Metaphysical

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Trying to rewrite my resume again, this time to send to employers in the Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland areas. The fact is, an entry level resume isn’t that exciting.

It’s not so much an issue of confidence. I have complete faith I could do the jobs I’m applying for; but, it’s convincing a total stranger of that. Yes, they might have to train me… but I’ve had the honor of pleasantly surprising every employer I’ve worked for at the speed I can learn and apply the skills they give me. It’s also convincing them that while I’m not local yet, I want to move to their area.

So, off to the internet I go. Some of the stuff regarding job searching is amazingly… metaphysical sounding. Almost like religious writings. If they were using other language, they might sound exactly like some of the new age metaphysical stuff. Or maybe crazy cult writing. Just without the heavy incense. And suits instead of strange robes. Some of this stuff you probably need a degree program just to learn how to translate and apply it.

I’m kind of jealous of anyone who went to a college and got realistic resume and job search help. After my classes with Baker, I’m still stumped on how to write effective resumes and cover letters. Not understanding how to write an objective / summary, I completely omitted one. Nothing I write is considered “strong” despite straight A’s in my traditional writing classes. It’s obviously a different language, totally different syntax… despite looking like English.

Posted to as many career and lifestyle forums as I could, asking for advice on how to sell myself to out-of-state employers. I’m trying things first with just my e-mail and portfolio address. If that doesn’t work, I’ll see about a virtual PO box and a virtual phone number from Vonage.

And if all else fails: screw it. I’ll just take the leap of faith and hope I land on something soft.

Why the Internet broke?

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

For some reason nothing on the internet likes me today. Facebook says there’s a problem in the AJAX that controls the notes, my blog says Akismet Antispam is being blocked by a firewall. Another site is slow to load and another doesn’t seem to exist right now. (Of course I’m connected to the internet!)

Trying to clean up an RSS feed parser I wrote; right now it’s nowhere near as clean as it should be. I didn’t think of it as a portfolio project when I made it until Jeremy pointed that out. Tempted to trash it and just make my second attempt cleaner from the start. Right now it gets the job done, but doesn’t look pretty.

Packing and downsizing is still going nicely. The shed is completely done, the house getting there. Still working on jobs and housing, but those will come in time. :-)

I had a breakthrough when it comes to my mom, which is allowing us to get rid of some super bulky things. We ended up being the designated family storage place at some point, which means we had things given to us that the family didn’t want anymore but couldn’t part with. Growing up, we had huge piles of junk in our basement. All things actually belonging to our family. At one point, we were even storing a boat. We managed to get rid of most of it over the years, but there’s still some things.

One of the big things are 1000 – 2000 photo slides. I remember being just utterly dismayed when the first load came in and utterly furious when the second load arrived. In addition to the slides, there’s the screen, projector, lightbox, lights, and more. While I totally understand the importance of all those family photos… holy crap, that’s a lot of junk. Trying to figure out a compromise, I discovered this little gem. And mom happily agreed to part with all the slide equipment so long as we got her the converter someday.

She also has an old microfiche reader and a collection of the actual microfiche. Some of the collection was old genealogy books, which I was able to find and download from Google books. Missing just one book, but I think once we’re more financially secure I’ll start watching eBay and Amazon for it. The rest of the records can all be found on Ancestry.com, which made for one happy lady. (And ecstatic daughter when I saw everything going into the “get rid of” pile!)

So anyway, we have another car- or truck-load of stuff to go to the consignment shop and we’re getting rid of more junk. Letting go has never felt so good.

The Death of Infatuation

Saturday, May 23rd, 2009

Dear Neil,
I have had a hopeless crush on you since I was 14. For a while, I honestly thought I loved you.

You were my friend back when it was socially undesirable to be my friend. Our friendship was intense and I actually did fantasize about a distant future with you someday.

Today, though, I realize that all I had was a crush. An infatuation.

We don’t understand each other and can’t relate anymore. For a while, you’ve been against me entering into computers. Today, when you blatantly told me to give up my dreams and become a truck driver… the distance between us became clear.

Thank you for being my friend. For that, I will be always thankful. I wish nothing but the best for you.

Goodbye.

Simply yours,
- Sally

Tell Me About Richmond, Dallas

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

We’ve narrowed down the two areas we think we want to move to:

  • Richmond, VA
  • Dallas, TX

Without going into a lot of details regarding our reasons, please tell us about them. We want the good, the bad, the ugly. Even a “WTF are you looking there…?!” with your reasoning would be appreciated.

Help me out here!

Michigan Could Reach 20% Unemployment

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

They had this interview with David Littman on the news yesterday and lets just say I’m more convinced than ever that relocating is probably the best idea at this point.  (Warning, this video is fairly long.)

The Economic Impact of the Auto Crisis on Michigan from Mackinac Center on Vimeo.

In a nutshell, Michigan unemployment could reach 20% by the end of the year.  Mr. Littman also touches on some of the policies he thinks contributed to Michigan’s failing economy.

All-in-all, it’s very frightening.

I’ve had the opinion for a while that Michigan has been mismanaged for decades; certain government policy sounds more like it came out of the 1970s.

A good chunk of our manufacturing supports or supported the automotive industry.  I remember some classmates back in High School saying they were skipping college because their parents could get them into their workplace… usually a factory supporting the automotive industry.  Back a few months ago (before the bailouts and talk of Chapter 11), one local commercial for GM trucks depicted romanticized views of people working on a farm with the tagline “There’s nothing like a classic.”

Why in the world has Michigan been allowed to remain stagnant?  We’ve been allowed to be nothing but manufacturing.  Many Michigan towns and cities only have one major employer, with larger ones having maybe 2 or 3.  Didn’t they ever ask what would happen if something happened to that employer?

Some of these employers paid ridiculous amounts of money for overly simple jobs.  But yet over and over, I see people who were completely unprepared for when they couldn’t be paid that much.

Few went to college with their money and if they did, they went for degrees with very little demand or chose a popular one that now has left the market for that degree saturated.  (Really, how many daycares and preschools does a town of 7000 need?)

Yeah, I need to move.  *hops off her soapbox*

Stop Psychoanalyzing Me!

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

I seem to invite people to psychoanalyze me. The simplest things I say or do seem to indicate some deep psychological thing ™ I’m apparently not aware of or am deluding myself over.

I can’t figure out why the heck people keep doing this to me. It’s so annoying. For example:

  • “Oh, I enjoy Japanese Animation — Anime.” Two types of analysis comes from this: A.) I am some poor idiot who was ill-prepared for adulthood and thus cling to my cartoons like a life-preserver. B.) I’m some kind of repressed nymphomaniac who gets off on animated porn. (It all depends on whether they think anime is all kid’s stuff or all porn.)

  • “I play World of Warcraft.” Psychoanalysis: I’m a raging video game addict. Apparently I’m at high risk for skipping work to play the game or even trying to play it while I’m at work. Even worse is when someone drops by unannounced, catch me playing, and a simple “Yes” to “Playing World of Warcraft?” and it somehow implicates me for a raging addiction.
  • “I have allergies to most soaps, so I don’t do the dishes.” Psychoanalysis: I’m lazy.

    Explanation: I get allergic contact dermatitis from most liquid soaps if I have to be in contact with them for longer than it takes to wash my hands. I get similar reactions to certain brands of triple antibiotic ointment and certain molds found on Oak leaves. Several skin reactions have had to be treated with rather unpleasant injections.

How exactly am I supposed to respond to this sort of thing? Seriously. Most of the time any effort made to refute, defend, or absorb/deflect winds up somehow further proving their analysis. Even silence or walking away seems to support their stance. They’re either Dr. Phil or they think any possible reaction I give is completely uproarious. Even a facepalm or rolled eyes.

Unfortunately, I’ve even developed the habit of attempting to “pre-defend” myself… which makes it even worse. That is, I try to explain my reasoning when I present the issue at hand. (Especially on message boards.)

A good, recent example of that: I posted on Monster.com, asking for advice on whether mentioning I play World of Warcraft on my blogs and Facebook could actually hurt my chances for hiring. For some stupid reason, I felt I had to pre-defend myself. I got my answer from one of their career coaches and I’m satisfied, but now it’s attracted someone who’s doing the psychoanalysis thing again. (e.g. “ZOMG! Because you said the game isn’t a problem and you have a full social life you’re a raging addict!”) *facepalm*

While I know I shouldn’t care about what they say (I have no intention of even bothering to reply to the bozo on Monster.com)… for once! Just for once! I’d like to do something novel and have what I say taken at face value. Just for once.

Pretty please?

Laid Off

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Wednesday, mom became the latest victim of the economy when she was laid off from Kalfact / Klein Plastics.

Overall, it’s a relief, since she no longer has to worry about that place anymore, but now we’re in even more dire financial straights than ever. We’ll be fine for this month, but I have no idea how we’ll do beyond this.

Woke up at 6:30am with another of my anxiety attacks. I keep telling myself it’s just my PMS again, but I can’t seem to calm down.

I completely anticipate being told yet again to get rid of my animals and more abuse from my extended family if we reach out for help. So I guess this is crunch time: Find a job or move.

Moving to a more economically diverse and stable area is winning so far.