On the Market

In two weeks, I'll be needing a new job.



Everybody: panic.

Job

Apparently I'll find out tomorrow.

Or, rather, I will be meeting with my boss to discuss "position updates and freelance options and yeah", as I recollect.








So. The next 20 hours will be devoted to interpreting that vague statement in the worst imaginable way; To assume i get fired, humiliated, and die.






See...that's how your brain works when you're chock-full of crazy. Fun, no?

It's a month away from my next birthday, and I'm looking forward to it. The weather will be warmer, the days will be longer...I'll hear back about my job by then, hopefully...I'll take the dog for a walk long enough to tire him out without freezing my cute booty off....

April 26th, the actual Birth Day, Kendra (awesome roomie, see blog to left) is taking me as a guest to a college friend's wedding. L, the bride to be, knows me a bit from my year as a theater major, and is good friends with Kendra. Basically, we're going to pretend the wedding is all for me, and the toasts are just a bit obscure in metephorically wishing me a happy birthday. I better catch that mother-lovin bouquet.

Alan is painting me a scene of my choice for my birthday, so i think I'll have him either do the picture above (from my England days) or another picture I have, of the Chicago skyline as seen from the lakeshore near Belmont. It's lovely, summery, a perfect reminder of why I love Chicago so.

Mom is coming into town the following weekend, so we can have a Birthday/Mothersday Weekend Fantastico. We plan to giggle, get our nails done, shop, and sip strawberry lemonade whilst strolling down Michigan Avenue. We're going to be those women you freakin HATE. So..yeah...prep yourselves for that.





Also, please, please don't hesitate to ask what I want for my birthday. I'll have a list compiled soon...I've learned the hard way that it's not always best to bank on 'surprise me!' as a reply.

Birdhouse House

Alan's neighborhood reminds me of the area around Highland High School in SLC, and I love the actual houses. Owned by people for years on end. There's a lot of turnover in Chicago, mostly because apartments are rediculously expensive, hard to find, and turning into condos all over the cutest neighborhoods. Kendra and my apartment, for example, was newly rehabbed and rented out at about 1800 a month, i believe. So we would have had to move even if she didn't go back to Cleveland. Damn.

My lease is up in June, and although I love my place, there's a few issues that may never be resolved. Living on the ground floor. The front elevator being constantly broken, meaning the entire building passes my door, LOUDLY, to use the back elevator every day. A big hole in my wall, due to faulty plumbing, that hasn't been fixed for months. The construction next door on a resturant build by the same people who own my building...because god knows they really should refinished and open a bar in the adjacent space before, say, fixing the BIG ASS HOLE IN MY WALL. The rent, which is high now, and likely to go higher when/if I renew my lease. The laundry room, in the basement, with a pacman machine (nice) and dryers that blow gently on the clothing, but fail to, you know, dry them (not so nice).

I'm going to start looking soon. For now, however, I'm just jealous of people who own houses; thus having the freedom to be crazy and hang up twenty birdhouses in their yard. Lucky bastards.

Fin. Al. Ly.

ok, got a battery charger, and started to DL my pictures from the last month or so. Many of these are from the zoo, since thjere were few kids around and lots of free, scream-less space to take pictures I can't take in the thick of stroller season. Tell me what you think.




Plotting evil...did you know the meerkat is second only to dolphins in fascinating playfulness? I took about 600 pictures of these guys, but he (above) is the only one who took me seriously. And I mean deadly serious.



Fish eating...lettuce? Mmm, strange feeding habits. Photoshop a human head in there for bonus points.



Hands down the coolest graffiti I've seen in real life.



EEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! NO WORDS TO EXPRESS!!!!!!


A proud day for my Irish heritage.



Just TRY to tell me they're not secretly in love...



Reason #608 why I love this city.



This family had a wish...a polar bear sort of wish. But can polar bears touch our hearts without ripping them from our ribcages? Coming to theaters this Christmas.....



I was about 10 feet away. That spider was freakin' huge. Holy. Crap. Nightmare fodder.



Pygmy hippo action! I promise you this creature is fully natural and not anime-enhanced in any way.

Jess!!!

This is Jess, my best friend. What a picture, huh? Isn't he just the cutest? Don't you just want to pinch him and blow raspberries on his tummy? Wouldn't he just be darling all tucked into a pram with glitter-glue anoiting his various tattoos? Awww. I don't think I'll ever be mature enough to stop teasing him about this headshot, God willing.

Jess has been traveling across the country for a few years, teaching and performing improv, making more friends than I could conciously tolerate. He's friendly. (I know, right? Human connection. gross.)

He also competed in a slam poetry contest this weekend, and won 1st place,m a spot on the Utah Slam Poetry team, and is now officially Grand Slam Champion. I think this means he's on boxes of cereal or something.

Well, Jess, I'm incredibly proud of you. You've been there for the most important moments of my life, you've helped me through a lot of hard, crazy noise and silly, weird incidents, and I love you. I knew him when, people. That's right. Suck it.

Friday Day

Sorry for the lack of new pictures (this is another from Kendra's album), but my camera is out of battery. Simple to fix, you say? Well, the battery is actually so fantastic, I've never had to charge it, not since I got the camera for xmas. SO, naturally, I've lost the charger. As Alan would say, it's a good problem to have.

Still. Have to buy a new charger. Then pictures will flow like honey.

*after lunchtime shopping*

I have earring and new shirts to wear, green hairties to rock, and a battery charger.

Now where is that bloody job?

Changeover

I'm still waiting to hear back about the job, and trying my darnest to be non-paranoid. In a perfect world, the interviews would have ended with a 'Welcome to Your Awesome, Secure, Totally All-Yours Job' cake and party. In this reality, they're still interviewing (so they say) and I'm wondering how bad the job market can be that countless people are considered. Countless in my imagination, yes, but countless nevertheless.

When did getting a job become as unlikely as winning the lottery? *sigh* That's my job, other interviewees. Back the f*ck off. Also, die.

The silver lining, i suppose, is that I've taken the time to evaluate my status, and I'm fairly pleased. Observe:

1. A is for age: I'm 22, 23 on April 26th. Still feels odd to be within the 'adult' demographic, but getting more comfortable saying things like 'goddamn kids today! I don't understand 'em. Grumble!'

2. B is for beer of choice: Still Newcastle. Brown, strong, sweet and delicious. Like me.

3. C is for what you can't wait for right now: JOB!!! Also, nice weather. Being able to go for pleasant walks with the pup, open the windows and enjoy the spring, if indeed it still exists.

4. D is for your dog's name: Cormac McCarthy...also a good reminded to finish reading Blood Merridian.

5. E is for essential item you use everyday: Recently got a Brita filter for water; It came with a free Nalgene bottle, so I'm taking the hint and drinking water daily. I feel like I've been dehydrated for, say, the last year or so.

6. F is for favorite TV show at the moment: South Park, which I'm watching since I don't have the scheduling skills just yet to keep track of a sitcom or non-syndicated show. I simply don't have the patience...not even for American Idol.

7. G is for favorite game: Poker, as always, when i get a chance to go.

8. H is for Home town: Missoula, MT. Last year i was getting a job and keeping a terrible work schedule, so i missed two family weddings. I miss those people.

9. I is for instruments you play: Um. I can usually get mad beats out of my knees, when I've a mind to slap 'em.

10. J is for favorite juice: Grapefruit. They're in season, so I went on a bit of a spree...eating 6 in two nights, getting more, eating them, getting more...mmm....nearly as fun as pomegranate season, less danger of dying my hands pink.

11. K is for whose butt you'd like to kick: Hahahahahaahaha...oh, the usual. Lots of people need a good kick in the teeth. But i see them less, and therefore hate them with less passion. I need to kick my own ass into shape and start working out.

12. L is for last food you ate: Special K mixed with Frosted Flakes....that counts as healthy if I used skim milk, right?

13. M is for marriage: Despite my wedding dress post, no, not anytime soon. Recently broke up with Cute Boyfriend, who i dated for nearly a year, and seeing someone else for a few weeks...so if anyone I know proposed, I'd have to lecture them on their timing. Oh, except Ted Raimi. And possibly Nathan Fillion.

14. N is for your name: Jady. Also Yessica, Woman, Lady, Angel, and Proxy. Also Crazy McLotsofnames.

15. O is for overnight hospital stays: None! I'm not even crying everyday. It's a freakin' miracle...but I'm enjoying myself, AND don't feel guilty for enjoying myself. I'm a world away from where I was.

16. P is for people you can't live without: They should know who they are.

17. Q is for quote: "Live a life you want to tell your children about."

18. R is for Biggest Regret: Getting too caught up in myself to keep my loved ones in my life happy and close.

19. S is for status: Happy and hopeful. Hate the weather.

20. T is for time you woke up today: 6:30-ish, with a puppy licking my hand and nosing my face. *sigh*

21. U is for underwear you have on now: Obligatory. Sorry, but it's Thursday and this week has gone on for at least a month.

22. V is for vegetable you love: Mmm, I would kill for some delicious tomatoes right now. I know they're not technically a veggie, but I'm just craving one that isn't mealy or flavorless.

23. W is for worst habit: Ahem. Working on it.

24. X is for x-rays you've had: What???? None lately. Too many in the past to count.

25. Y is for yummy food you ate today? That cereal was pretty good, but I'm getting a salad later that may kick its ass.

26. Z is for the zodiac sign: Taurus. Just on the horizon. I'll totally owns the place.

Still Waiting...

But as I quiver with antici.........pation, you may ENJOY, in his Featuring Role on, SATURDAY NIGHT LIIIIIVE, CORMAC MCCARTHY!





hee.

I Hate The Waiting Game

I'm a very impatient person. *sigh* I've been guzzling tea like a maniac because I can't stop fidgeting; then at least my hands are busy. With tea. I guess. argh.

My biggest pet peeve in the world is people who can't make up their minds, and just slowly shuffle towards an eventual choice. They order slow, talk slow, respond slow, and here i am all ready to take the next step. I've made up my mind. I rarely back-step, and I usually regret relenting. (say that ten times fast)

I've been having a bittersweet week; I was offered an internal interview at my company for a full-time position. Alone, this is great news...it's what I was hoping for all along with my freelance project, and it reflects quite well on me. The real heck of it is that they're apparently interviewing other people from outside the company as well. This puts me in an awkward position.

1) I was interviewed by three people on my floor. I see these people every day, and frankly, I can even see them now, discussing resumes. It's kinda weird to walk over to your bosses desk to ask about a database while they're deciding if you get a real job or not. Very weird, actually.

2) IF, and god forbid, IF someone else gets the job, that'll be a newer employee working over me, and I may cry/hate them/feel almightily cheated.

I really hope they make up their minds soon. I'm the best choice, people...geeze, you already hired me, so clearly you're...um...ok with hiring me, eh?

Red Dress

I've said for a long time that I want a red wedding dress (because, *ignore this, Family*: white is a lie) Never really found one the right color and elegance, apart from Nicole Kidman's dress in Moulin Rouge. But this one is pretty damn close.

Here Thar Be Dragons

Kendra came to visit a week ago, returning to Chicago for the first time since her graduating and moving home to Cleveland. (the above pic is pre-graduation, I just love it soo. Me over-dramatic and pale, Kendra pretty and direct...that's pretty much us in a nutshell) Kendra looks great, she seems happy, and we had a hell of a fun time shopping, going to a strangely non-affecting play, and drinking absinthe/beer/that alcohol the server put on the table because it's there on the table and that's what you do with drinks unless you want an over-loaded table and a dangerously non-existant buzz.

The puppy and kitty remembered their favorite aunt and clung to her like lint; Dante even confiscated her suitcase for use as a throne and Cormac drew himself up as tall as could be (to impress her). Needless to say she's the cool aunt, lets them smoke in her car, and rolls her eyes to them every time I discuss chores. BAH!


She seems so much happier than before, although she misses chicago. She has a great job, looks hot as hell, and hasn't aged a day. If she's reading this, she also totally should buy me a trench knife and smuggle it over state lines into trench-free illinois. Shhh. Do it, Kendra. but Shhhh.