cold and damp

Okay, the weather outside is cold and damp but it's pretty warm, dry, and comfortable at el Rancho de WereMonster. My biggest problem is I am feeling extremely poor today - too poor to buy art supplies or groceries to cook dinner with tonight. It's one of those days where there only person to talk to other than the clerk at the Post Office is my cat and, really, she has no news for me today. I made the rounds of emails to prospective employers and follow-up calls and notes. I read just a bit on Monster.com about the most common interview questions and how easily I can screw up any chance I have to work for a business with just the wrong choice of words and started putting myself to sleep at my desk. I also sent out prospective emails to other unemployed friends to get together for lunch during the week so maybe I will have more going on in the next few days. Companionship and conversation are good for the mind and soul in a lot of ways.

spending and not earning

The only thing I did to day was spend $137 at the dentist office making sure there was nothing - no impending doom - wrong with my teeth. This seemed necessary after the toothache I had while traveling to Alabama with MonsterMustDie last Friday. The fact that it was on a long holiday weekend and I was traveling out of state added to my anxiety over it. All I could think of was what bad timing it could be if I were to have any medical emergency on a weekend in the next month. Got it checked. Turns out, there is nothing to worry about. Maybe the throbbing tooth during a large part of last Friday was from grinding in my sleep or popcorn or shifting caused by the cleaning I had the week before.

Made calls in to all the temp agencies and friends this morning. Everyone was still scrambling to catch up with the backlog from the holiday weekend and there was nothing for me yet. I'll probably call again tomorrow.

I found a couple of items for xmas gifts for my niece and nephew while shopping online.

I feel a need to be out and active tomorrow.

last warm day before colder weather

The weatherman was saying that temperatures will begin to drop to highs in the 60's and below next week. It looks like we might finally be getting something like winter weather soon. With that in mind, I raked what leaves I had bags for off the sidewalk and driveway while it is still pleasantly warm and dry.

Tonight, I will be outdoors with friends at the Botanical Gardens. Should be a nice evening and not a moment too soon if night time temperatures will be dropping dramatically after tonight.

Post-Thankgiving Friday

I don't do Black Friday sales I still ended up on the road most of today with the lot of shoppers.

Funny how some folks bear such a striking resemblance to each other that it makes you look twice. I saw someone who looked so much like a friend of mine today at the veterinary office when I took my cat in for her pedicure (clipping - not declawing) that I feel I must check in with them to see how they are doing. The person was an alternate universe rendition of someone I know down to the casual outfit that looked like he was out in his plaid pajamas and slippers taking a dog in early this morning.

Today was the trip to Pell City, Alabama to visit MonsterMustDie's mother, with stops at various antique malls on the way. He made one find that might pay for the gas there and back today. His mother was in good spirits and seemed well, despite the Alzheimer's disease that is slowly causing her disintegration. We went out to lunch, looked at old photos, and went over the relics in his mother's house including a childhood toy chimp, in great condition, dressed in a red jumper that was his as an infant.

Today, I have a worrisome sensitive tooth that I hope is nothing more than a bit of tenderness brought on possibly by grinding my teeth at night. I've got a call in to my dentist, just in case. Hoping it disappears by morning, especially because I am joining friends for a chick-night gathering for the Holiday Lights at the Botanical gardens.

Thanksgiving Holiday

We spent Thanksgiving with Fun Lisa and the Hagley family in Suwannee, Georgia. As usual, it was a very good day filled with great food and lively discussion. The day ended with Lisa, myself, and her mom chatting around the table while MonsterMustDie and her dad discussed selling collectibles on eBay, antiques, and politics. Then, it was back home to watch Pirates, Monsters, and Wizards with Ellie cat on the sofa.

Thanksgiving Holiday

Getting my Thanksgiving Holiday together.
Thursday = a Hagley Thanksgiving
Friday - Holiday in Pell City, Alabama
Saturday = chick night with good friends at the Botanical Gardens Holiday Lights
Sunday = will my brother have a post Thanksgiving gathering for the Perry Family? Stay tuned.

Next - prepping the house and pantry for our annual Winter Solstice Party, one of my favorite events of the year.

jobs

I have been getting on average one interview every 10 days. I am still looking for anything I can do at any pay available.

I get very little sympathy around here.

Someone suggested I look for a job at Slanket, Tempur-Pedic, or Lazy Boy.
Well, Lazy Boy has not even sent me a response to my resume and cover letter. Slanket and Tempur-Pedic immediately told me they are not hiring.


Begin forwarded message:

From: Jeff
Date: November 8, 2011 5:52:06 PM EST
Subject: Re: Slanket Contact Us Form

Thanks. Sorry but we aren't hiring right now.

Jeff

On 11/8/2011 3:42 PM, jules@mindspring.com wrote:
I am looking for any job.


On Nov 8, 2011, at 2:43 PM, Jeff wrote:

Hi Jules-

Thanks for your email. Unfortunately we are not hiring anyone at this time.

Thanks

Jeff

On 11/8/2011 12:14 PM:
I am always interested in adding to my skill set and working in new areas. I have some retail experience from working in a camera shop & studio and gift shops when I was in college. I am willing to do anything.
I am a graphic artist building on 20 years experience in both traditional and digital production and have worked in every aspect of print media short of running a press.


Begin forwarded message:

From: TempurCareers
Date: November 8, 2011 11:05:34 AM EST
Subject: Resume Receipt

Thank you for your interest in Tempur-Pedic International! We received your resume and will evaluate it for openings that match your qualifications. Your resume will be kept active for six months, during which time it will be reviewed against available positions. Unfortunately, we cannot respond individually to all inquiries. Individuals selected for interviews will be contacted by telephone or email. We appreciate your interest in Tempur-Pedic and wish you the best of luck in your job search.

www.tempurpedic.com/careers

eye delicate flower

Friday evening, I met up with some of the Grateful Gluttons to test the floating lotus lights for the lantern parade the next night. I had to get some guidance from Joy on how to find the Old Fourth Ward Park. It not exactly on any maps yet. The giant lotus blossom torches that Chantelle made are beautiful. It took some figuring out how to best get them into and out of the water but it was all done quickly and safely with lines, weights, and tossing rocks.

Afterwards, we went to the Euclid Avenue Yacht Club to hang out for a bit. Got to witness the chase that ensued after someone's iPhone was snatched at the bar. The phone snatching had become a very regular thing in Little Five Points. Guys will walk up and grab it out of your hands and run off. It was one of the first very cold nights of the season and the EAYC was especially smokey. I made it home, checked email, and had a little cup of hot sake before calling it a night.

Saturday morning, I woke up with a headache and itchy eyes. My eyes were red and felt like there was a foreign object in them all morning. I put in eyedrops, showered, and got on with what was going to be an easy day but by the afternoon, I had what looked like a large blister in the white of my left eye. I have never had anything like that before. I found the business card of the doctor I was referred to when I was at an Urgent Care clinic months ago and went in to have my eyes looked at. The doctor said it was most likely an allergic reaction. He said my eyes are extremely irritated and inflamed. Then he prescribed two types of drops to use several times during the day for a week. I guess my smoke sensitivity went from bad to awful.
No more nights at the EAYC for me.

Then, as if the medical visit had not sucked up enough unexpected time out of my day, I spent the next two hours going from pharmacy to pharmacy to find the medicated eye drops he prescribed before asking a pharmacist to phone the office and see if another medication would do. They changed the prescription over the phone to something in stock there and I put in my first dose before heading out immediately, at that point, to the lantern parade site in the Old Fourth Ward park. I still managed to arrive before the parade started. The lotus lanterns were already in the water. Photographed the parade. Met up with Kim & Harris and Bridget & Nelson. Said hello to Mr Epsten, who was playing violin in the Opa Orcherstra. Then I did what I could to help with breakdown and clean up before heading over to Chez Ayer for Cam & Joy's home-made chili, chicken soup from Thomas, sweet cornbread with honey butter and other healing comfort foods. My headache finally began to lessen as I was eating hot chili. I stayed until everyone went outside to hang out by the fire - I did not want to be around smoke again this week. Joy sent a large container of chili home with me. I don't see them as much as I'd like to.

Lantern-Parade_65, a photo by weremonkey on Flickr.

Lantern Parade at Old Fourth Ward Park

Lantern-Parade_09, a photo by weremonkey on Flickr.

Lantern-Parade_46, a photo by weremonkey on Flickr.

Lantern-Parade_65, a photo by weremonkey on Flickr.

Lantern Parade at Old Fourth Ward Park

no sympathy. no prisoners.

So many people, including myself, have been without steady work for too long - years, even. I've tried to get minimum wage jobs too and guess what - they will not even talk to me because I'm over qualified.
Yet, this is the message the keeps being repeated by EVERYONE I know under 45 years old. We might as well just shoot ourselves in the head and get it over with. Over 50 years old? Your expiration date is up.


Status Update
Dear Occupy Atlanta,
Your original intentions may have been all well and good in the beginning. Plus I know that jobs are scarce and things are tough. But the rest of us are a little busy working, paying off bills/loans while you guys play hide and seek, tag, and go camping in areas that are paid for with our tax dollars. Crying and whining for someone to pay your bills and give you a job pitching a fit for what you want hasn't worked since kindergarten. When you get dragged of in handcuffs, you resemble a toddler having a fit in a toy store.
Grow up. Work your ass off like the rest of us. And get off my lawn.

Kiera and Abraham’s wedding

My youngest first cousin, Kiera, married her sweetheart Abraham at Le Bam in Midtown. Le Bam is a magic space created by Whimble art studio. The Whimbles left years ago but the space still has plenty of magic and fairies. They wanted a romantic wedding in a space where they could dance. Next, its off to Peru for the BIG ceremony at his father's church where they intend to spend their lives together.

looking for signs of life

Wednesday was a near total loss. I got one email with changes on a freelance job that took me an hour a that I am only making $25 on. I could not get motivated to shower or dress until I sent the last email at 5p.m., when I looked at the time and realized that I had missed going to the post office before closing.

The bright spot of the day was dinner in good company with the GilliMonster and Kisa_Bastet at Moshe in Dunwoody. The food was good. The service, not so much, but there were only two guys working - one waiting tables and one in the kitchen. I had to send my first glass of wine back because it was apparently already half way to being vinegar but he apologized and opened a new bottle for a fresh pour, which was good. The girls liked their salad sampler plates and fresh pita bread. I had the mediterranean tilapia, which was zingy with lots of lemon, capers, and garlic.

I went for a walk around the neighborhood when I first arrived home but didn't sleep well after eating so late with little activity afterwards. It was a fitful night that I kept getting up, but didn't have much to do that would not wake up a sleeping room mate. So I'd get up, have a glass of water, decide not to turn on the computer, and go back to bed for another hour.

Tonight's plan is dinner out with friends again and now I am thinking I need to find something to do afterwards. Pondering what possibilities there might be after 9p.m.

departures

Long day yesterday helping with the memorial for a friend's brother. The reception was at here house. While the family was at services, her husband and I made several stops for money, groceries, drinks, ice, etc. etc. We had the house set up just in time for family and friends to start arriving. A death can sometimes have a very surreal effect on the psyche. Reality is changed in a way that is too fast to fathom when someone is suddenly gone without warning. One day they're here with you, the next they don't exist any more and there is the strange silence or void for a moment where someone once stood.

I suppose in a certain way we are all ghosts wondering around here.