The Office

Season Premiere Tonight on NBC! No idea what time. Maybe 8 out here? Don't miss it! If you do, you won't get my jokes anymore.

On a side note, I had a chair and a piece of rope out and tied across our driveway to keep the movie people out. We left it out overnight and then while I went to the woods. Now it is not there. Someone stole our chair and rope from next to our driveway. What kind of neighbors do we have?

Yesterday I Went to the Woods...

to take pictures of dead trees. Seriously. I took about 50. I did this for an article I wrote for a community newspaper. The article took me about 2 hours. My foray into the forest took about 4. He will probably give me $10 or something crappy. But I had nothing better to do. Do you think I should run from a paper that lets me take pictures? I mean, one of these is going in a paper. That's messed up.



While I was on the mountain, I decided I would play. So I did some hiking on the crest. And I had a picnic lunch. And I thought, wow, sometimes being unemployed is great. Unfortunately it doesn't pay the bills. Who knows what kind of job I can get in Albuquerque where all I have to do is go hiking all day?

Dead tree on the Crest. Not part of my assignment.


Hut built by the CCC on the Crest.


Fossils!


Turkeys!

PARK(ing) Day

I am sad to say that I missed this wonderful little event last Friday. PARK(ing) Day started in San Francisco, and the idea is to build a little park in a designated parking space, while feeding the meter of course. This demonstrates how much more open space we might have if not for all the cars everywhere! Of course in San Francisco, even the Mayor was into it, allowing his personal parking space to be filled.

Inhabitat documents many clever spaces.

I particularly like this video of a pedal-powered park:


People are so clever. I wish I were more activist and less blogivist. Cheers to those who participated!

What's Going Down In the Hood

1) "The War Boys" is filming a scene across the street and lighting up the neighborhood. The only person in this movie that I've heard of is Peter Gallagher. Remember him from While You Were Sleeping? He was the oh so vain Peter Callaghan who Sandra Bullock dumped for his on-screen brother Jack, played by Bill Pullman. Good choice. Great movie. I actually did a comedic analysis on it in high school. Netflix it. (Picture taken by MB.)


2) A roadrunner (center of photo) was chillin' in the yard earlier this week.

Professional Freelancer

I got paid to write an article for the Los Angeles Times Health desk. See it here. Also see the sidebar, on the web as "Related Stories." It's about artificial lungs and was super fun to write. Hopefully it is also interesting to read. Hopefully I get paid again sometime to write. Then maybe I could pay the bills.

UNM Football

So this Saturday I was at the UNM Lobos football game. Strangely enough, they have a little paw for a symbol and their colors are red and black. Eerily similar to Arizona. I think they are copycats, actually. (Hah, I didn't even mean to do that.)

Anyway, I didn't actually see the game. Any of it. Although I hear they won something like 44-0. How could I be at the game and not see any of it, you might ask? (Other than being my usual self and people-watching instead of game-watching.) I was catering. And the buffet and bar were both strategically placed so we could not see the game. It was unfortunate. And boring. And I have bruises all over my arms and legs from carrying stuff up several flights of stairs. So I have decided I don't need to go to the gym because I cater. Not that I was going to the gym. But you know what I mean. At least it wasn't raining this time!

Also, I have discovered that I work for the most expensive catering company in Albuquerque, but I think it is several leagues away from the company KGS works for in Santa Fe. Like not even on the same playing field. And I guess that is the difference between the Burque and Fanta Se. Because I went to a rich person's house here Thursday night but there wasn't a pig in the kitchen. Or a French chef.

Register to Vote!

If you have never registered to vote before, or if your address is out of date as mine was, you should click on the widget on the sidebar.

Rock the vote will ask you some questions, and then fill out a voter registration form for you that is ready to be mailed to the correct address for your state. All you have to do is print, sign, fold, and stamp!

This is the easiest way ever to register to vote. It prevents you from having to go to the DMV, the Secretary of State, the County Clerk, or whatever location your state requires you to go to for voter registration.

Just do it!

Rock the vote!

Late Night Musings

I have decided that maybe I should go to Vermont Law School and get a Master of Science in Environmental Law. Everyone tells me I should go to law school, but I don't really want to learn boring stuff. Just environmental stuff.

So...

Who thinks $30,000 for a one year education is a good investment? I think this time I really need to get a degree that will get me a job. Maybe this won't. Maybe I have to get a real law degree to get a job. Maybe I have to wait until my husband makes enough money to pay my tuition. Maybe...

The Life of an Unemployed Woman, or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Live Like My Sister. Only Without a Gainfully Employed Husband.

You might be wondering what it is I do all day. I wonder that too. And yet I feel like I am always busy.

Matt beat me to the post about my parents' visit. See it here.

Since my last post I have received two more rejections - one from the CDL camp and one from an engineering company that apparently discriminates against hydrologists. I've also applied to about 20 other jobs. That brings the total up to at least 65 in Albuquerque alone. I have lost count. No joke.

I have an article going in the LA Times health section this Monday (and hopefully they will give me another assignment despite my need for extensive editing). I have a story lined up for High Country News if I can get Duncan Hunter (California Congressman running for President) to speak with me. I might also have an article with Plenty or This Old House. So at least there is some money coming in. Maybe. Eventually. Certainly not enough to pay the bills.

My lovely sister and her husband sent me a natural food gift basket to feed me in the hard times. Aren't they sweet? I am particularly excited about the cookies. And the cheese puffs. Luckily Matt will be gone for three days so I don't have to share with him.

In other news, I have to iron a tuxedo shirt tonight. I don't think I have ironed since I left my parents' house. Any tips?

I'm not very smart

I wrote a whole blog yesterday detailing how my company was screwing everyone out of their 401k matching funds, but it turns out it's just me. Matching funds are dispersed in January and June, and you have to have worked 1000 hours to receive them and be working on the dates of disbursement. So since I started last July, I did not start accruing matching funds until January. As it turns out, however, you have to work 1000 hours during every 6 month period. I was told that if I was on leave in June, I would still receive my disbursement. However, because of my leave (and my 20 hours of LWOP on my honeymoon), I only worked 978 hours and therefore was not eligible for disbursement. I think if someone had told me that earlier I would have figured out how to get that extra 22 hours. And thus be over a thousand dollars richer. But alas.

(In case you were wondering how I first thought this screwed everyone, it goes as follows. 40 hours x 26 weeks = 1040 hours. 5.86 hours PTO per pay period = 76 ish. 1040 - 76 =964 <1000. As it turns out PTO hours count for hours worked. The only thing that doesn't count is leave without pay.)

So basically because I took a honeymoon, I did not get my 401k. Bastards. That oughta be some sort of discrimination.

Job Search Update

Yesterday my mom suggested that I go down to the unemployment office and see if I can collect. I had never thought of it before. I still haven't gone in the hopes that I will soon have a job. Let me review my interviews dating back to last April:

1. April - Taschek Environmental Consulting - sent me a letter saying they had already hired one person but would like to talk to me about a job in a couple of months. They never followed up on it or responded to two emails.
2. June 1 - DB Stephens - rejected me for the litigation group but the water resources guy said they would hire me if they got enough money. He never followed up on it or responded to my phone call.
3. August 14 - The Pinchot Institute in Washington DC - seemed to really like me but I never sent a writing sample since Matt decided to stay in school. They never followed up on it.
4. September 5 - Excel Staffing Agency - temp agency - They have not followed up with me or returned my email. Seriously? I can't even get a temp job?
5. September 7 - Albuquerque Catering Company - never actually got an interview because of a tent emergency. I filled out an application and left. Called on September 11 to follow up and had a short phone interview. Called on September 13 to report my acquisition of alcohol certification. Was offered a job starting at $9/hr. Will start September 20.
6. September 7 - Target - had two interviews and was told by the manager that I would be given a job offer. Received a rejection note in the mail on September 11. Said manager did not return my phone call.
7. September 11 - Village of Corrales - one question was whether I had a CDL. Turns out job description (recycling coordinator) includes driving multiple-ton trucks across town. Was told by my father, "beggars can't be choosers."
8. September 12 - Campfire After School Program - offered me an interview after I called to follow up and they told me I probably hadn't been selected. Told me over the phone positions were open, but claimed during the interview the following day that there weren't really any open. Apparently did not care that I have experience.
9. September 14 - National Atomic Museum - offered me an interview after I made two follow up calls. Suspect they interviewed me after not liking the first people they chose to interview. Seemed to really like me. We shall see.
10. September 14 - The Princeton Review - these stellar folks didn't tell me until I showed up that there are no classes in Albuquerque and there might not be for 6 months. Also forgot to bring the content test.

I am not even going to bring up how many jobs I have applied to since April. I haven't been keeping track. But seriously, I never knew how hard it was to get a job. I have gotten rejection letters from a few, but most apparently don't even have that small amount of courtesy. Even Target won't hire me. Although they did write a note at least. The catering company will be a bit of spending money, but my next several weekends are booked up so I won't get many shifts. Maybe I should have gone to school for a marketable degree.

What the hell happened to technology?

Matt and I went to Target today to purchase an answering machine for our home phone. We lived for a year in Socorro without one, and for two years before that without a home phone at all, but now I am using the home phone for freelance-related calls and it is sort of crucial that people be able to leave messages. Turns out Target sells only one answering machine that is not attached to a phone. One. And it's not very exciting. So I decided to upgrade my $5 phone from Family Dollar to a cordless phone/answering machine all-in-one. It cost 1/8 of the payment for my current article. So ridiculous. I hope a lot of people leave me messages. And I even more hope this isn't the last article I do, because then it really would have been a waste. Seriously, whatever happened to a plain old answering machine? Is this a function that some Apple product now supersedes? On the plus side, I did buy an Energy Star phone that is made without some harmful metals including mercury and lead. So if I eat it maybe it won't be that bad.

I was wrong

We do have NBC. I found it on Channel 4. It is almost watchable.

On a side note, I am looking into making these throw pillows out of shredded plastic bags, but it requires batting. Buying organic batting would amount to about $12 per pillow, which is pretty ridiculous for something that is supposed to be ecofriendly and a hobby. So anyway, does anyone know where I can get batting that has maybe already been used or is considered scrap or something of that nature. I know there's crafty people out there. And this is not a rhetorical question :).

I had an interview today for a job that would apparently require a CDL. Who knew. Who wants to. This is my life.

Oh yeah, and check out my poll.

Speaking of my blog title

The Office Season Three came out on DVD September 4th (also Matt's birthday. Unfortunately no one got it for me for his birthday. For him I mean.). I managed to wait until September 7th to pick it up at Target, as a reward for my successful interviews. At Target. For the sales floor, making $7.50/hr. They are supposedly trying to find a better job for me - one where they don't think I will leave quickly.

I have an interview for a slightly higher paying, albeit part-time, job tomorrow. Cross your fingers for me! But don't jinx it.

But oh yeah, The Office. So funny! I love it. I actually lent out Seasons 1 and 2. Can you believe the trust I have to have to let go of my favorite possessions. I finished Season 3 last night, but there are many hours of rewatching still available. The actual season starts September 27th, but we don't get NBC. I may cry.

Praying Mantis

I picked up this little guy somewhere on the Rio Grande Bike Path and transported him to Sonic. I think. First he really liked me. then he really liked my bike.

Baltimore Part 2, a little late

I just discovered pictures from my second trip to Baltimore/DC this past August.





Believe it or not, we rented a paddle boat. Ah, memories.

Bird Shit is Good Luck (or so I heard)

Labor Day

We headed back up to Santa Fe for some mountain playing with KG and PS today. (or maybe KS. ) We drove up to the bottom of the ski area and hiked up a picnic to one of the peaks (not the highest). Matt and I nearly died of altitude out-of-shapeness. Matt had a 6 pack in his backpack. It was gorgeous and delicious. The beer and the mountain. Although I was sipping Pinot. Thanks for providing us some fun guys!

Getting Around the ABQ

Matt and I moved to our current location in order to facilitate walking, biking, and mass transportation. Matt rides his bike about 2 miles to the van stop every day. In order to do my part, I set out on my job search by foot today.

First I walked over to the Post Office near Old Town and near the Old Town Rapid Ride Station. This is about a mile walk according to MapQuest and .7 mile walk according to the USPS. I then took the Rapid Ride to the end of the line at the Uptown Transportation Center, where I would have about a 1 mile walk to the temporary staffing agency that was my goal. Folks, this Ride was not Rapid. It took well over 40 minutes to get there. No idea why. So over an hour including my walking. And I have a big, honking blister on my toe from walking in dress shoes. Meanwhile, my walk involved a bridge over the Interstate, where apparently it is cumbersome to place pedestrian buttons close to the actual crosswalk. By the time you press the button, the walk man comes on with 17 seconds, and you have to walk back to the crosswalk and across several lanes of traffic before time runs out. Its like a game. An annoying game. There are four of these crosswalks across the interstate, and they all go on for the same 17 seconds. There is no way you can get across more than one walking, and more than two running. This city is not set up for pedestrians.

Oh also on the bus, there were a bunch of homeless guys who all knew each other and were talking about what parks let you sleep in them, which is apparently now none. It was tragic and depressing. In LA, people that rode my bus were going to work. Although I generally didn't ride in the middle of the day.

I will spare you the details of my visit to the temp agency except to say that it was pathetic, humbling, and I got 73% on an Access test when I have possibly never used it in my life.

The return bus trip took only 30 minutes for some reason. Not that I'm complaining. It was much more Rapid of a Ride. And to my surprise, it was fairly busy, especially around UNM. Then I walked my mile home.

Later on I decided to go back to Old Town to drop off an application at a hotel, and then take the Rapid Ride downtown to go check out this Cafe that was looking for help. Upon reaching said cafe, I discovered that the owner goes home at 1pm. Couldn't you put this in your ad? I was planning to walk back home, just over a mile, but I decided to take a slight detour to Bank of America to get my accounts and my pin number taken care of. All set. Then I walked home. I finally stopped at a 7-11 to get a Gatorade. I am tired. And I smell. But at least I got exercise. And I only got yelled at a couple times.

Maybe, just maybe, alternative transportation will catch on in this town.

Happy Labor Day!

Under the guise of unemployment, I actually have Labor Day off. Isn't it ironic though that so many laborers have to work today?

Matt's parents came to visit us this weekend, bringing with them mint cake for Matt's birthday. This meant that 1) I don't have to bake a cake and 2) I got to eat ice cream. Yum.

On Saturday we went to the Old Town Plaza, the Albuquerque Museum, and about 4 innings of a really crappy Isotopes game which was rained/lightninged out.

On Sunday Matt made french toast and scrambled eggs. Then we went to the Santa Fe Plaza, took a nap, and visited Buca for dinner with Arun. And we played Yahtzee.

I am still on a job search. My plan for tomorrow involves paying $30 to attend an alcohol certification class so I can maybe be a server. That's just the update. I'll try to start actually blogging again soon.