I'm Alive

Wow, it's already ten days into 2010.  Needless to say I've been busy, you know with the whole trip to Pensacola and then to Nawlins, but Honey I'm back.

First up, my trip back to P'cola was great.  I love getting to see my grandparents down there, and as a bonus my aunt and cousins got to see my mother can't stand up drunk.  Luckily my stay only overlapped with my mother's stay for two days and one of those days I took the car and left for two hours and then went over to my aunts for dinner to minimize the overlap.

Then I rented a car and drove to Nawlins.  It was a wonderfully pleasant drive, oh how I miss the south and can't wait to get back down there in May.  I stayed the same place I stayed last New Year's and as always it was wonderful to be a block from Canal St.  I rented a moped and drove over to Metairie to do some apartment hunting.

Seeing the studios in person really helped me to see where I can make more reductions in my life and even though I thought I was done decluttering, I'm happy to have a renewed spirit for my move which does include more reductions (hey, less stuff means an easier move, right?).  Sadly it was raining while I was apartment hunting and had a minor wipe out.  Thankfully it was just my pride that took the biggest injury.  I was more worried about whether or not my jeans where ripped than the fact that my knee was skid.  Since I only have one pair of jeans I need them for waitressing it was a very good thing that they weren't ripped.

I had to cut my Nawlins trip short since I'm waiting tables and couldn't get away with missing Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day, so I flew back on New Year's Eve, which really isn't a big deal for me since I'm not a big partier nor do I live for fireworks (though they are fun if I'm not too close that they booms hurt).  I made it back to my apartment about 30 minutes before the ball dropped for the east cost.

While I was away I got two calls for interviews which I wrapped up on Friday.  The first interview was for CBP as government position.  It was actually with a bunch of people that I know so I feel really good about it.  I should hear back from that one in two weeks with a tentative selection offer.  The other interview was for Catherine's (same parent company as Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Petite Sophisticate).  I got the call yesterday and I got the job.  It's only part time, but they don't have a full staff at the moment.  I start training next week up in Springfield while the new store is being renovated from a Petite Sophisticate to a Catherine's.

Also one of the guys I'm waiting tables with is going to move into the master bedroom as soon as he gets his second job.  He's coming over today to look at it, but basically said he need to get out from his mother's and it's just a matter of getting the second job.

So while things are still going to be tough for the next month or so there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Wrapping up 2009

Well 2009 is on it's way out the door and 2010 is promising to be filled with BIG adventures.  After spending a few days in (not so) sunny Florida, I'm relaxing (and job/apartment hunting) over in the Big Easy.  My parents dropped in on grandparents and greeted lots of DRAMA.  My mother made a fool out of herself getting piss ass drunk on her first night.  At least the family down here got to see it first hand and know how much my brother, sister and I weren't blowing it out of proportion.  Today I rented a moped and went looking at apartments.  Everything went well, despite the rain and my wipe out.  I'm still bruising at the moments, but only got minor raspberries on my knee and some scratches on my thigh.

Before heading off to the airport I did finally run out of deodorant and made my own solid using coconut oil.  The jury is still out on it's effectiveness, some days good, some days not so good.

I got a text from one of the waiters at the cafe and they're interested in renting out my master bedroom.  Hopefully this doesn't fall through, cause I could really use the help.

Sadly my dad has yet to come pick up the dresser out of my living room.  I did corner him and get him to commit to doing it some time in the near future.  I'll just have to harass him until it gets done.

On Monday I got a call for an interview.  So next Friday I'll be re-interviewing for a new position with Customs and Border Protection.  It's not really what I want to be doing, but I need some money until I get out of Virginia.

I Got a Job!!!

I got hired on the spot today at a local bar/restaurant/pool hall.  I start work tomorrow.  I'm so excited to have a job that will not force me to sit behind a desk all day.  I loved waitressing in college because I get to interact with so many different people.  As shy as I may come off at first in person, I really love being around people.  I still need a second job, but I've got lots of applications out there and I'll continue to stalk apply for retail jobs locally.

In the mean time, I did the very scary thing of cashing out my 401k. 0.o  Considering I'm still waiting on money from my unemployment claims and my bank account was to the point where I could pay any bills this month something had to be done.  So as soon as the check comes, the car will be sold and the moped purchased.  I've got the moped all scoped out and am anxiously checking the mail already for the cash so I can put my plan into action.

In paper news, I'm currently at 39 pages.  Just one page short of the 40 page minimum and I've still got three and roughly a quarter chapters left to finish editing/expanding.

So today is definitely a day for celebration.  Things are going good.  I'm gonna survive!

An Extra Week

Well, that burning question for me finally has an answer. So "Will Hope have a job on Oct. 1st?" Why, yes for exactly seven more days in fact. My contract was extended seven days, though it doesn't look like it will be extended any further than that. But I'm still awaiting confirmation on that.

After having 40+ applications in and two dead-end interviews I have come to terms with the fact that I'm supposed to finish my masters. I'm one scary 80 paper away from it, so I'm gonna take the plunge, cross my fingers and hope come January I've received at least an interview or two that has lead to a job offer. Really with only 11 even weeks to write 80 pages for someone who doesn't write fluff I would be hard pressed to managed with a full time job so I'm going to look at it as a blessing. Even when I thought the class was going to start is a week later so tagging on an extra seven days will leave me with exactly four days to relax before jumping into the scary world of my Directed Research Project.

Good Bye TV Stand

Though I would have loved to have spent the entire weekend decluttering my apartment, I have to say I did not. Instead I had a movie feast in bed most of the weekend with a major headache and then insomnia.

I did however manage to wash a load of dishes, and do three loads of laundry. And I managed to sell my empty TV stand. I also pulled a few things out of the spare bedroom for the living room. The cat tree is finally in use again by the cats (much to their excitement) and I pulled out my rocking chair. This opened up a bit more space in the over crowded second bedroom and allowed me to be able to open the closets in there.

I applied for a government job on Friday, and discovered that I needed a copy of the transcripts and spend most of Friday running around trying to get a fax of the transcript sent in, but no such luck apparently transcripts aren’t fax by any school which kinda sucks because the transcript had to be faxed in for the application and they wouldn’t except a mailed copy. The announcement closes today so I’m hoping an unofficial copy of the transcript will be ok and I can fax the official transcript when it arrives later this week.

One of my former co-works is looking for a mattress and box spring set, and I’m thinking of selling mine and just sleeping on the futon sofa. I had been planning on getting rid of the mattress anyway when I move (be in overseas or when my lease is up). I have until the end of the month to make the decisions. I’d like to get some more cleaning/decluttering done before I make that final decision.

It's that time again...

As the month creeps on, I figured it was time for another “Is Hope gonna have a job come Oct. 1?” updates. The short answer is I don’t know. But here’s the shorter version of the long version: My boss doesn’t know. The bean counters don’t know. The contractor doesn’t know. It all comes down to $$ and like all government run programs everyone is point their fingers at each other to place the blame. Come on people all I want is a job and the client (who happens to be my current boss) want me to continue working for her. This should be a no brainer. Her team requires so many people; she wants me to fill one of those slots. It’s not like she’s asking for a new spot that they had no idea about. *cough*my old boss*cough cough*

The end result: a lot of frustration on all parts.

ETA on budget blunder resolution: Last week, it was last week; this week is ummmm…errrr…can I get back to you?

So my stress levels are through the roof, and I can’t seem to quiet my brain to sleep so I’m still staying up watching movies on my iMac until all hours of the night. Even when I’m dead tired, I don’t want to stop the movies because that little nagging voice that goes “you’re not gonna be able to survive” “you’ll be forced into bankruptcy” etc. sets in and my anxiety gets even worse. Damn you Netflix and your Watch Instantly selections. So I’m gonna have to dig my heals in a little harder and be more persistent with when the script starts, the computers is shut down end of story no matter where I am in the movie or episode. If I manage to fail at this by next Friday, the script gets edited to go off an hour earlier. Sleep is important. I must have sleep in order to be a polite functioning human and not a grumpy holograph of a humanoid.

In lighter news I managed to remove the cat pee soaked sofa (sorry Aizawa but Oscar ruined it beyond repair even by the amazing Nature’s Miracle Odor Remove Oxy-stuff) all by myself. Considering it took my best friend, her dad, sister and then boyfriend (did I forget anyone?) to get the couch into the apartment it’s a minor miracle that I was able to remove by myself. I might just need to borrow some paint from maintenance to fix the wall. It was quiet a feat and there were many points along the way where I thought there was no way I was going to be able to get it out the door, but with my stubbornness I was able to conquer the challenge.

With the couch and TV gone (and the TV stand on the way out) the living room is looking empty, but that just means that I need to drag out stuff from the over stuffed spare bedroom. When it comes time to bring out the futon, I’m not sure how I’m going to manage that one: it came in pieces and I didn’t put it together. Hopefully the manual is helpful?

Back at things

I’m back after a glorious four-day weekend, yes I said four-day weekend thanks to taking Friday off. After getting some much-needed rest, my apartment finally got some much-needed attention/cleaning. For once the laundry got done before the workweek started and I managed to find the kitchen counters again. I finally finished the dishwasher detergent and replaced is with Seventh Generation’s lemon liquid dishwasher detergent. So far I like it, but I’ve really cut down on my dishwasher use so it may take some time to really form an opinion. The highlight of my weekend was getting to spend the day with my best friend and her family at the Maryland Renaissance Faire. Be proud everyone, I didn't purchase anything at the Faire other than some fries.

The “interview” was today, but it was like the project manager chatting with me to find out what I was doing on the team and claiming he didn’t know I’d been added to the team and saying he’d have to check the budget before he could tell me whether or not they would be able to find me a place. I didn’t leave it with warm fuzzy, he basically told me that I was too expensive for his budget plus he was completely unprepared to interview me. It was not an interview it was a chat with a current employee.

Still sneezy, but rested

I’m alive, still stuffy, but enjoyed the start to my holiday weekend. After a night a sneezing, I was thankful not to have to go into work today. Instead I started catching up on my much-needed sleep. And that’s the plan for the rest of the weekend, with some apartment cleaning.

I finally got the interview set up with the new contractor at work. It’s for Tuesday. I was supposed to have it before the week was out, but they took their time in getting back to me with a date and time. I also got some face time in with my current bosses and they gave me a create project to work on with the possibility to take on some more technical web admin type work. Hopefully the new contractor will make me a nice offer and I can give my notice. It’s not really the job I want, but at this point my job is up at the end of the month and I have to pay my bills until I get my dream job or what I really want is just a job away from the area. It’s one step at a time, a little job security while I’m waiting is a nice advantage.

New Month, Feels Like New Beginnings

It’s only day two, but I’ve got a good feeling about this month’s challenges. Despite having a sever sinus infection (I finally went to the doctor yesterday), I feel like things are going well. I’ve been doing the Five Tibetan Rites every morning this week, even though I really would have loved to stay in bed for a few more minutes. I also moved my iMac off the desk in the living room so that I can resume clearing it off in preparation to sale/get rid of it. I also shut down and unplugged my iBook last night, and turned off the iMac before heading off to work this morning (I went to bed watching a movie).

And the biggest news from the 1st day of this new month is that I finally got a call from the new contractor taking over the contract at work. It’s not what I want, but will definitely hold over until I get the call from overseas. I’ve got to pay bills until I get that call, so I’ll take this. An interview will be set up for sometime before the week is out and then in two weeks I can officially start working for the new company, which really means the only change will be from where my pay check comes and possibly new insurance (which means that hopefully I can get my new bridge within a few months…stupid dental insurance now won’t pay for it because they gave me a new one last year even though that one broke my tooth when it feel out).

This week...

I'm alive, but haven't been feeling too grand lately. I'm still not feeling too good today, but I finally got some much needed sleep last night which will hopefully help me kick whatever has infected my body. Due to my illness I feel like I've fallen off the Buy Nothing Challenge bandwagon with my over consumption of fast food this week.  I had manage to go the entire Buy Nothing Challenge without my beloved fast food breakfast, but said illness made me crumble and I bought breakfast two or three times this week, plus fast food for diner/lunch at least another three times, and then there was my pizza extravaganza on Friday night.  The only non food purchase I made this week was a trip to the movie theatre last night after I gave my cat Oscar to my parents for good.  I was very upset because Oscar is my first cat, but since the last time he spent a week at my parents' house he's been peeing on my furniture.  So he is the first of my cats to be rehomed before I hear about a new job.  I am confident that I'm going to hear something soon, it just sucks not hearing.  I really would like to hear soon, but I've got around 40 applications in so something got to come up sooner or later.

Day 6 and Food is Going to be the Problem

Alright, so it's day 6 and I've caved three times already for fast food. I see a pattern and I'm gonna try to tackle it. I can do this. I will do this. Yes food is important, but fast food is not. I knew this was going to be challenging, I just didn't realize how challenging. One idea for tackling this that I'm going to start implementing next week, is to go to the grocery store and buy just what I need for the next day. (I have, lets just call them, food issues.) This challenge is highlighting where I need to work a little harder than I have been.

In other news, the universe must be aligning in preparation for me to hear about a job as my mother and grandma are both in full on freak out about me possibly working overseas. I'm calm and waaay more collected than I ever thought possible about the opportunity to go and learn (and grow). I have arrangements for my car if I can't sale it before I leave, I'm desperately trying to find foster homes for my kitties, and I'm feeling good about the decluttering and lightening efforts (even though I keep finding more stuff...I think it's multiplying while I sleep).

I got compliments on my hair today, so the no 'poo must not look as bad as it feels to me. My hair is oilier than when I was using the LUSH shampoo bar. But the ends have a cute little curl/wave to them that I could get used to if the top didn't look so oily to me.

I also finally finished my beret I have been working on for a few weeks. It of course is way to big, but that's what I get for attempting to adjust a pattern for size 10 and 12 needles for a size 13 needle. The pattern was supposed to be a super easy beginner's pattern, but it totally baffled me. I am proud that I got something that looks close to a beret, even if it doesn't really fit. I've learned a valuable lesson and got to work on my purling in the process.

I started a few cloth produce bag tonight as well from some fabric that I had been saving. I cut a bunch more out, so once I have the collection a picture will follow.

52 Weeks

So I’ve several lists to the right hand side of my page that I've added over the last couple of days. They include positive/green changes I’ve made, am in the mist of making, and want to make. The idea is to come up with 52 positive changes for my new phase of life (I have a job for now, but it’s only until September) that will hopefully springboard me into my future in the computer industry. By why wait to make a big commitment until I have that ever elusive job? So starting next month I want to be able to come back on August 1st, 2010 and see that I’ve made 52 weeks of positive changes that are going to stay with me.

Why 52? Well I read somewhere that it takes doing something seven times to make it a lasting habit (and 365 small changes seams a little too intimidating to me). I’m currently reading “Sleeping Naked is Green”* and applaud Vanessa from Green as a Thistle for taking up her challenge; I’m not that brave yet (maybe one day I will be). Another reason is that if I do go overseas, I can use a “stock” of positive changes I’ve already made to stay in the green during that transition phase. While there are certain things that may end up in a “holding queue” such has no bottled water (it’s not optionally according to my friend in Afghanistan unless I want the runs permanently) that I’ll have to back peddle on, but I will hopefully be able to balance the list out with other positive changes (like getting into shape, i.e. being able to walk 1 mile without wheezing).

*On a side note, once people get over the shock of seeing me reading and realize that it's not for grad school they immdeiately read the title and think it's porn. I've gotten numerous response like, "Hope, how dare you read that in public/at the doctor's office/in your cube." Once I let them read the back cover or the first page they blush and scurry off to let me to read my book in peace.

No 'Poo Progress Report

Week one was ok.
Week two the tangles were bad and the gressies started to bother me but not as much as the feeling that there was something still in my hair despite a good rinse. Usually a water only wash helped clear that up.
Now at week three I'm attempting to cut back the baking soda washes from three times a week to twice a week. Still dealing with not quiet feeling clean after a baking soda wash but it's now not better better after a water only wash. Tried cutting down amount of tea used in tea rinse; made the problem worse. 0.o It's just become a huge tangled mess that feels like its got some sort of waxy build up and I don't use any product on my hair.

In the two and a half weeks that I've been doing no poo the texture of my hair has completely changed. I have two medical conditions which cause me to have some hair loss (nothing noticeable just an excess of shedding). I have a lot of hair so the shedding has never been an issue. My hair has always been baby fine, but just a ton of it (it has deceived numerous hairdressers). Now my hair has become much coarser, or maybe just each individual hair has become thicker (and this I notice on days when I don't feel like I have some sort of left over build up).

So after a little more research and a little begging for help it turns out the 1 part BS to any parts water just isn't sufficient directions. I used a 1 to 3 part mix that was recommended in several location when I made my first batch (that how I got to the messurments listed in my original no 'poo post). So I've mixed up another batch with the newly recommended 1 tablespoon BS to 1 1/2 cups water (as my bottle hold just under 2 cups of water). I couldn't find my lavender oil tonight so I'll have to add a few drops in once I finally locate where I put it. I'll give it a couple of weeks to adjust and then report on the new and improved (hopefully) progress.

On another hair related note, I decided to trim my hair in the middle of the night last night. I guess what happens with insomnia (the night before I managed to clean my bathroom). I've been growing my hair out for over a year now, probably closer to two years come to think of it. The last time I got it trimmed the hairdresser insisted on cutting in some layers but refused to part my hair at it's natural part. The result was uneven layers as my hair refuses to hold any part of than a deep side part, grrr I told her that she was screwing up my hair but she kept insisting that she knew what she was doing and it would all even out after she parted it on the side and cleaned it up. Can you tell I've had this mistake happen more than once? Probably what I get for going to the cheapy salon most of the time, but I've had them do it to me at expensive salons too. Anyhoo, I wasn't brave enough to cut the three to five inches needed to give me a bob as it would be nearly to my chinn, but I did manage to cut about an inch off and not make it look disastrous and could probably go another inch and still have it around my collar bone.

Job/lessness update: My company has been a infuriating about actually attempt to find me a position. They fell back on the slap in the face offer and stopped looking, even though I wouldn't be getting away from my mother (even though everyone agrees that's what I need to do...funny how they can't seem to help make that happen due to their laziness). My dad passed my resume on to one of the contractors at his off, exactly two miles from my apartment, that is in need of people with clearances, but they haven't called. The job I interviewed for two weeks ago never called me back, and if you don't get a call back from them within seven days it's their polite way of telling you that you didn't get the job. I'm still holding out that Afghanistan/Iraq will come thru for me in the next month, two more weeks and they will have officially had my resume for two months and I can reach out to my friend over in Afghanistan to see if we can work these from all angels.

An Interview, HR, and Buy Nothing Challenge

Well I've had my first interview since finding out I was getting sack at the end of the month. The interview was last Friday and I felt like it went really well, but I haven't heard anything back yet and it's been six days.

The HR department is finally starting to look for positions for me internal to the company. Yep, they've known since the first week of June and it's now the second week of July. Real encouraging folks. After meeting with HR yesterday the plan is to find me an internal job using my connections from my first job with the company, help desk, as many of my help desk co-workers have moved on to different technical jobs and I'm desperate to get back into the technical work (though graphic design, when I go a chance to really sit and do it, was way more technical than anything else I have done over the last two years). If they are unsuccessful in finding a position by the 31st I will be officially laid off with a severance package while they continue to look for a position for me.

So really August is the perfect time for Crunchy Chicken's

I can continue to declutter my apartment and will have to officially break my fast food breakfast addiction (which I've been really good about this week, but that's probably because my bridge fell out Saturday and I ended up having a root canal on Monday). I'll have pictures soon to show my progress of decluttering my desk and hutch in my bedroom. The hutch is officially empty now, and the only things that don't currently have a "home" are three things that need to be framed. Not bad. Now just to get my dad to come by and get it and the chest of draws that I managed to empty.

I'm off to the 'Noke this weekend to see my best friend, Laura, and destress. I was supposed to go down over the Fourth but was sick and in bed the first two days with the exception of getting up to get pizza (which was delivered, bad me on so many levels) and then I managed to make it from my bed to the couch on that Sunday. I come bearing gift on this trip: Christmas/Yule in July little presents and kitchenwares for Laura and Sarah's house. Oo, I've got to pack the car and my overnight bag tonight since I'm leaving after work tomorrow (goes and writes self a note).