Who the heck do I think I am?

This is the first year I've been on Facebook for my birthday. So many people "wrote" on my "wall" - I feel a little lame about it. Is there some kind of rule that says you have to wish everyone on FB a happy birthday? Do I now "owe" all those people birthday greetings?

I'm not good at that. That's a tremendous amount of pressure! There's a reason I don't send Christmas cards or give presents at the office (when I have one). It's not that I don't appreciate it, but I'm bad at reciprocating. And furthermore, I'm just not sure how to deal with that kind of attention.

It's quite a contrast to the year when I was in a new job, so no one knew it was my birthday, I had a rehearsal that night and no one there knew it was my birthday, and I got stopped on the way home for speeding. I didn't say anything to the cop, either, but he can't have failed to see from my license that it was, in fact, my birthday. In fact, I think that's the only reason he made it a warning instead of a ticket. As he handed my my license and registration and the paperwork back, he said, "Happy Birthday" - and as I drove away, that's when I started getting misty. It was 11:30 PM on my birthday and he was the first person all day to acknowledge it.

Not that I make a habit of feeling sorry for myself on birthdays. My family really just doesn't make a big deal out of them. From the time I was about 13, my idea of a birthday celebration was to go out with family friends and maybe have cheesecake for dessert. I didn't have big parties, because among other things, in Rochester in February, you've got a high probability that everyone you invite will be sick, or the weather will be so bad you have to cancel. And nowadays I'm nearly always in a rehearsal on my birthday (at least the last 4 years!), so making plans is just not big on the list.

OTOH, I'm still having a little trouble with this birthday just passed. I know I'd have less of an issue if my job situation were not what it is. But even without that... I never thought I'd be my age and still so far behind on everything. I found out the other day that at least two people in the show, whom I thought were older (not by much, but a little bit!) than I am, are actually younger - one by a year and one by four years. Yikes. It makes me feel rather pessimistic.

I have received one very odd present... One of my birthday twins sent a DVD because, as he put it, even though he's also out of work and shouldn't be spending the money, this was "a gem" that I would "appreciate." It's called The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra. Apparently it's a spoof of B movies. Er. Okay....


Meanwhile, I have to take action tomorrow with the temp agency because my W-2 was supposedly mailed on 1/21 and I still haven't received it. I also want to follow-up on the jobs I interviewed for - I think a week is a good length of time to wait without making contact - and gently push to see if I can make sure they know I'm still very interested. I'm also planning to call Unemployment on Wednesday and see if I can file a claim for the temp stint. Even if it's only a few buck a week, it's something.

I've been working at the theatre (and will continue to do so next week) building sets. Yesterday we had to clean the place because they're renting it tonight - so we had to put all the set-building stuff onstage behind the traveler curtain and completely clean / reset the house for the event, clean the bathrooms, etc. And it turns out that the older gentleman who does most of their set-building and maintenance used to work for Universal! We got into a long discussion about the parks and the rides. He was there for 10 years - though I don't know if anyone he knew there still works there. I'd still like to work there, dangit. I wish there were a tailor-made job for me.... Maybe it's time to check in on that again, too.

In other news, the computer is still hanging in there (knock wood), although the case is now really pulling apart at the seam. There's a strip of plastic that's supposed to sit between the top of the case and the DVD-ROM drive that is now free-floating. The DVD still works, but it rattles while the disc is turning. But I'm glad it still works because I've got 4 more episodes of Doctor Who (series 5) still to watch (and they don't work in the DVD player in the TV)....

Speaking of watching things, Netflix brought me Ponyo this weekend. Adorable! And so definitely Miyazaki. But that song at the end? ROTFL. And all I could think was that it is quintessentially Japanese, somehow. These are the same people who brought the world Sushi TV.

Yes, my life is Soooo Exciting, everyone!

Okay, so....

First off, I have purchased a knock-off brand of toning trainers for only $30 (instead of $80-100 for name brands). I have tried on virtually every trainer on the market that offers this technology, that doesn't have a mesh fabric (because going into autumn, I don't want a trainer that's going to soak through). I even got a blister from tightening shoelaces. But hey, $30 and new trainers and (one hopes) they will do what they're supposed to do as I walk.

Also, Bad-Ass Faeries now has a website, so watch for more information about that soon.

Also, FictionAlley needs money. We're looking into grant opportunities but we could use donations to tide us over (and if we don't get a grant soon), so go to FA and donate or at least use our Google Ads and links when you shop on Amazon and so on, so we'll get kickbacks.

Next, I finally received "Brotherhood of the Wolf" from Netflix. It wasn't in their library when I first requested it three years ago; they finally added it and I watched it this afternoon. Really rather good, though not particularly pithy. It's French (subtitled) and watching subtitled movies is always tricky owing to the lack of multitasking. My French is way rusty, so without the subtitles I'd catch about every third word. It's also notable because it features Marc Dacascos, better known as the Iron Chef America Chairman, in a super-hawt role. I kinda want this movie, though I'm not anxious to add it to the collection. Someday. It's not even that expensive - just not a necessary acquisition at this time.

I also recently watched "In the Bedroom" - Wow. That's a powerful film. Deceptively simple. Tom Wilkinson is in everything, man. And he's always fabulous.

Still nothing on the job front. I just need to keep applying.

And last but totally not least, etakyma and I went up to Manchester last week to have dinner with bekkio. We went up early to check out the Currier Museum of Art, which is quite a respectable little collection. They had three changing exhibits, the best of which was a kinetic sculptor named George Sherwood (www.georgesherwood.com). Wicked cool. And a retrospective on photographer Jerome Liebling, also impressive, but not as "woah" as the sculpture. It was a fun day.

I have some auditions coming up, have to prepare for those. And...I dunno. I guess that's it. Holiday weekends - pretty much the same for me as any other day. Only in some ways more boring.

I'm back and on the way to recovery from Infinitus. It was a long week, a long drive home, and I dunno, I'm still kinda living in a fog. So here's a random list:

- I really hate silverfish. I also really hate spiders in the bathtub when I'm set to shower. (Yes, grouchyoldcoot, we jinxed it. There was one in there this morning.)

- Watching 'Rizzoli and Isles' - the establishing shots of Boston include the CLS building! (Also Charles Malik Whitfield is in this episode.) (I haven't watched this before so it's on trial.)

- I won one of the copies of naominovik's new book! It was waiting when I got home.

- I'm sort of living in my bedroom because that's where the A/C unit is.

- I caved. I joined Facebook. I'm going to hate this. Fuck. etakyma is not allowed to go away again.

- Fiddler got nominated for 13 DASH awards. None of them my personal nomination, but best musical ensemble - that's cool.

- Alternity continues to be awesome.

- I finished Nameless. I enjoyed it.

- I've been on a very strange sleep / wake schedule since getting back Thursday. I think I'm finally on an even keel. Well, I woke up at 8 AM and it's 10 and I haven't napped yet. So I'll go to bed in a while and hopefully this will trend, instead of waking, napping for an hour or two every few hours, and getting in about 16 hours of sleep during the course of the day but at very odd intervals (like, 2:30-7 PM and 9-11:30 AM. ACK.)


- OMG I have so much BOOZE. Gang, everyone knew I was driving home so they gave me all their alcohol. And their food. So much food! So much alcohol! Unemployed me is grateful but the booze is more than I'll probably drink in two years. So it'll come to Pennsic with me. I hope the pre-mixed V/T doesn't go completely utterly flat and nasty (it's in the fridge to help guard against that). So... yeah. thanks. But wow, LOTS of booze.


- I still love the movie "Far from Heaven" - it was on last night and it's still beautiful. Sad, and difficult and terrible, but gorgeous.

- I'm still unemployed. I wonder how long it will take for the new extended benefits to get paid? I did motivate myself to apply for a job today, so that's a positive sign.

- Must work on lines! Must make more chemises. Must MOTIVATE.

- I need to finish unpacking and do laundry. Bleah.

- I made it to the grocery store! More milk. Bananas, cheese, bread. I have more than junk food, yay!

- I have a small rant, but I will refrain for now. It's really nothing important.

- Oh, and I forgot: I now have a light sabre on my phone. It's not the best app, but my phone is now complete. :)

Yeah. I'm really going to regret signing on to Facebook. I can tell. I hate it already.

So I went downtown today to fill out paperwork and test and interview with yet another staffing agency - one can never be enrolled with too many. But I didn't want to take the T because dude, my back is still not up to walking or standing as long as it would take to go via public transit.

However, I should have done it anyway.

I drove around and around and around hoping to find a lucky parking spot. All the garages had their "full day" rate signs up and I balked: $23 or $26??? For like, an hour? How much is just an HOUR?

But finally, it was after the time I was supposed to be there, I'd gone around the block(s) about 4 times in different directions, got stuck on one-ways taking me *away* from the target, u-turned to get back without running into more one-ways, and called to let them know I was just looking for parking.... and as I came around the corner, the garage in the same building as the place was taking down the all-day parking sign and putting up its hourly sign: $6 for the first half-hour. Great!

I pulled in and gave the car to the valets (yeah, but the rate was still $12 for the hour), and made it to the appointment.

Where they ran me through MS Office testing, typing test, and then I had to wait a good 10 minutes for a room to open up. (During this time, btw, I realized that this agency's "gimmick" for team-building is that when someone successfully places an employee, the agent rings a bell - and the other hiring agents applaud. All I could think was "How...Pavlovian.")

Anyway, so I'm already over the hour-mark and then we get into the interview. And I probably talked too much, but she wanted me to "take her through" my positions, which is understandable, because my work history is a little wonky. And then she asked if I could meet with a couple other agents in the various arms of their organization (e.g. "creative" vs. "administrative") - and I looked at my phone (which doubles as my watch). EEK. I was 3 minutes shy of two hours on the car.

So I said, "Actually, if you don't mind, if I go right now, I'll make it within two hours" and she was very understanding and I rushed to the garage... Where I realized that between one and two hours, the price JUMPED from $12... to $28.

Thirty bucks to park!!! $15 an HOUR. I almost should have stayed, because the *next* hour was only $34 - at which point, who cares?

But YIKES. Okay, the T would have taken 2 hours of travel, and I certainly would have had to be really careful walking, but YIKES. In retrospect, I should have just gone in at the day rate!!!

I hope it pays off.

Meanwhile, I'm doing the exercise that the chiropractor prescribed. My father had also recommended a particular brand of adhesive "hot" patch, which happens to be relatively inexpensive (especially compared to the thermacare patches), so I tried that during the brush-up tonight.

OMG. No. First off, I'm glad a. they're cheap and b. I got two, because the first one folded onto itself and got all stuck to itself and had to be sacrificed. The second one still got stuck to itself, but in a more wrinkled than folded way, and I was still able to stick it on, albeit kind of at a weird angle. Second, the "heat" it generates is from capzaisin, so it's more of a "spicy" heat than an actual warmth...and it burned more like a chemical burn than a radiating heat. I wound up ripping it off on the way home, because when I was sitting in the car, and couldn't get away from it, it felt like it was flaying my back.

So, yeah. Not doing that again, but at least it was only a couple bucks' worth of experimentation, and certainly not another $30 mistake!

Argh.

So. Get the back back in shape. Then the next order of business is to get ME back in shape - walking and more. Zoicks, I'm gaining weight like whoa.

And lastly, unfortunately, a quick check of my odometer from last year confirms that I will not qualify for the "low mileage" discount with my insurance company. Which is a pain, because apparently I have to suffer another year of surcharge due to the accident in '07, because while the anniversary date of the accident is coming up in a couple weeks, the surcharge wasn't actually applied until January '08. Sigh. So my rates don't drop for another 8 months.

I can haz new life now?

Okay, a few good things so I'm not all about the bitchy.

Alternity continues to rock hard.

I should be able to sweet-talk my family photographer into new headshots when I go to Rochester, which I'll be doing on the way to Crown (along with a haircut at my old hairdresser's). This means I'll have really good professional headshots again, that aren't 20 years out of date, in time for the big StageSource auditions (in early June). Now I need to choose a monologue and song, always an agonizing process, but something that I just have to DO and then not worry about. Whatever - as long as it's memorable, and I do it well, that's the point.

Only two more performances and then I can really focus on the summer shows.

I finished the first draft of my sci-fi story, though I haven't read it over to begin editing it. I fear it is more lame and simplified than I intended when I was outlining, but it's also short, so I have a little room to expand if necessary.

BAF3 is gonna be awesome - it's set to launch at Balticon, where I probably won't be, but that's okay. The book will launch and maybe a few of 1 and 2 will sell, too.

Oh - I almost forgot! There's a new episode of SpellCast out! Actually, it's not new, because I recorded it in December, but it's finally out!

The first three performances are in the bag. It's come together to be a great show; I'm scoring points with the director (yay) and with a couple exceptions I really enjoy the cast. (And almost everyone is agreed on the exceptions.)

My cold cleared up (mostly) by opening night and completely by yesterday. And it's stopped raining!

On the downside, OMG I had insomnia on Saturday night. By 5 AM I gave UP on lying in bed not sleeping and decided to turn on the TV and hopefully go to sleep to a movie (which is a fallback for me when all else fails). Unfortunately, I chose a movie I like that I hadn't seen in a long, long time (The Sixth Sense) and got completely engrossed and didn't fall asleep the whole time.

So at 7 when it was over, I tried the process again, only this time in the living room, in my chair, with my afghans, and an older movie, one I've seen much more often and don't need to "watch" to know what's on the screen (Labyrinth). I listened from the beginning through about the point where Sara was talking to the worm and then was out. I did wake up enough to hear the end of "As the World Falls Down" and a bit of the conversation with the trash lady, and a bit of the battle for the goblin city (since that part gets loud), but that was it. Next time I woke up the movie had ended and was back on the DVD menu. I tried to repeat the process with The Last Unicorn but was less successful. I heard every scene almost up until they got to King Haggard's castle, and woke again only about 20 minutes later, when they were tricking the skeleton (Rene Auberjenois!) into telling them how to find the Red Bull. By that time I had to get up, anyway, to make breakfast and wake up enough to go to the theatre for the Sunday matinee.

Sunday night, thankfully, I got to bed around 9. Not to repeat the night before, I turned on HBO since they were showing Apollo 13 (another film I know by heart), set the "Sleep" function on the TV, and don't remember it turning itself off. Woke up at 8:30, yay.

Meanwhile, my face is still very chapped from the makeup and makeup removal process. Ouch. No matter how mild the moisturizer I use, the shit burns like acid when I put it on. It's better than not using anything, but yeeps. Ouch.

I got my census, filled it out, took it and two bills to the post office, returned my OCLC library loan book to the library and picked up Massachusetts tax forms. I also signed up for information about working for the census. I figured out that I'm "earning" about $14/hour on Unemployment, so if they're paying nearly $20 that's better. The question is can I go back on Unemployment after the census work is over? Will I have to? Oy. I dunno.

Waltham had a LOT of flooding - in fact, nearly everywhere I had to go today I had to take detours to avoid flooded areas. Concord, too. Pain in the butt, especially at 3:30 when school traffic and the detours combined to slow everything down to a crawl. And man, are other drivers ever STUPID in the rain. I'm kinda glad I don't have to go out tomorrow unless I really want to. Give the ground some time to clear itself up.

Um. That's about it. Tomorrow I will get to the taxes and some Fleur business and oh, yes, laundry.

My days are so exciting.

This has been a rather intense week. And no, I'm not cutting it. So there.

A short while ago, I offered to record a bunch of audio narration files for a pervasive game that flourish and a friend of hers were working on, called Civilite. The narratives took several locations around the MIT campus and transformed them into 19th-C. Parisian locations. It was so cool-sounding that I asked if I could play in the play-test.

And I did.

But it came on perhaps the busiest week I've had since I've been back after Christmas. Arisia was last weekend - convenient, in one sense, as it was just up the street from MIT, but also resulting in much walking and many late nights. Then this week, I had rehearsals every night, including two for the Weston gala performance last night, plus the gala itself, and plus there was voting this week (which did, like, no good, of course), and a few other miscellaneous errands (groceries, etc.).

On the upside, I did a LOT of walking this week, so it was good for me to get out and be active.

On the downside, it sapped a lot of energy.

I didn't suck at the game, but it was hard to not have easy access to the campus at all hours, as some of the other players did. I at least managed my planned double-cross expertly, though it's interesting that the character's post-game story included some negative consequences, though the character still survived and managed to escape to a less illustrious existence. That's not so surprising, though, considering some of the goals of the research study component of the play-test. Ethical choices and pressures, indeed. I am not really all that burdened with those. ;^D


I also did really well all week with the dieting - mostly because I was out and didn't spend money on any food while I was out, and didn't have time for anything more than micromeals before going out again - and then of course, this weekend. Blown. Spent a lot of money going out with the cast of the gala, too, but well, that was social, at least. Must get back out of the habit of drinking, as it more than doubles the bill. Diet Coke is just fine without that shot of Jack in. I don't need a margarita, either. (Although I *WAS* good Friday and had a salad instead of dessert, but Saturday we had cheesecake and brownies and I split chicken fingers with another cast member. Today? Leftover cake, sigh. Cheese and crackers for dinner. then a piece of cheescake for dessert. Must resist the tray of goodies leftover from the show!)

(There's a fun story about Victoria's Secret in here, too. I tried to find a better undergarment for my dress, being nearly backless. And Amy and I took one look at VS's "solution" and proceeded to construct one... for about $2.25 in materials and five minutes' sewing, instead of the $50 it would have cost for a bra and this little halter thing! Yeah.)


I had to make a mad dash to rehearsal tonight. For the second time since we started! Oy. I swear I read the schedule, but all I saw for tonight was "Russians and Bottle dancers." I didn't see the "Work Scenes 1-6 with principals" that was written *ABOVE* "Russians and Bottle Dancers". Oops. Luckily I screamed out there and made it in about 20 minutes. Narg.


But I got some interesting news today, too. Two of my SPN stories have been nominated for "No Rest for the Wicked" awards. I'm not sure what that is, but there are some cool folks nominated in various categories, like musesfool and copperbadge so I guess I'm in good company. The fics are Sometimes a Day Goes By for angst and The Children's Hour for best gen. And that's really interesting, because a. they're both older stories, and b. I don't even think TCH is my best gen fic. I don't know if there's a word limit, though, and most of my better stuff is longer.

I also don't know what I'm supposed to do, other than respond to "accept" the nomination. I'm a little new at this, getting recognized for writing, that is. It doesn't happen often.


Alternity continues to be awesome, if a little slowish. I know that events will pick up soon, though, so keep reading it, if you are! (And if you are, let us know? What do you think of how we're doing? We'll keep going, but a little feedback does help on occasion....)



Job search is nowhere. It's hard to stay motivated. I have callbacks for "The Final Battle" to prep this week (due the 30th!) and I dunno. Other stuff.

I guess that's pretty much the state of the Gwen right now.

So, I'm in Pittsburgh, a week early because grouchyoldcoot's mum passed away this weekend. We'd been planning to visit her and her husband for Christmas - now that's up in the air. I'm not even sure how long I'll wind up visiting - whether it will be through Christmas as planned, or longer, or what. I may or may not pass back through Rochester on the way home; this is also unknown at this time.

Of course, I had about 8 hours between when we decided I would come and when I left, so my hasty departure meant that a few things were not packed (nothing I can't replace), and a few things were not done (like running the garbage disposal to get rid of the eggshells), and a few things were done ahead of time (like leaving a note and rent check for January for the landlord) and a few things will have to sit until I get back (like my severance check, Dad's SS check, and any bills that come in). I should be able to pay the bills I've received out of what's in the checkbook, no problem, and a lot of my bills are autopay - cable, electric, phone, insurance - so that'll all take care of itself.

I didn't get to clean the house yet (that was a this-week project), and I haven't made room for the other sewing machine. Though I may be able to put it in the car if I do go back through Rochester.

I postponed the lunch I had planned with my friends at the vendor, the ones I worked with closely, and we'll reschedule in January.

Meanwhile, I called unemployment for the first time today to report no earnings. Man, I need to actually get back to looking for work!

One interesting thing was that on a lark, I brought the radar detector out with me, figuring that I could call the company if it still didn't work. But it worked! I don't know why it didn't all the times before when I tried to restore it, but this time, yay. And it's been working, yay. Of course, I didn't know that in the meantime NY passed a ban on them. Luckily, so far, I haven't been stopped (knock wood!). Of course, speeding is also illegal, so... in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess. But I don't need to be caught, in either case. My dad got a ticket in Georgia a couple weeks ago. Bastard got off with only a $75 fine. I've already had two tickets in NY, neither for actually speeding (they were both downgraded), but even without the points or anything, they were over $200 each. No, thank you! There's no need to speed that badly.

As etakyma posted, we went back to HP: The Exhibition on Friday and took our sweet time walking through it. The names are WHACKED. I don't think very many of them were ever meant to be seen close-up, because they are really totally made up, Monty Python types of names (no, there's no throat-warbler-mangrove, but some come close). The frustration of the day was not being able to look at some of the costumes in 360 degrees - which we knew would be the case, the way things are setup - but I think we can look for screencaps of some of the angles we wanted to see. I should have brought a mirror, really. The silly moment of the day came right near the end. We were looking in detail at McG's and Sirius's costumes - they are two of the last things on display - and trying to make out the back of Sirius, to see if it has a riding slit up the back of the coat, or not. We each had mini-mag-lites, though the battery in mine needs to be changed. We were using A's light to try to get a better look at the construction. One of the docents asked what we were doing. We explained ("No, we're not taking photographs, we're not touching, we're just looking with a mini-flashlight"). Where all the other docents had been happy to let us do our thing, once they figured out that we weren't disturbing anything, this guy had a problem. With a 10-watt pocket torch. A few minutes later a security guy comes over and tells us that we can't use the light. Whatever - it was the *last* costume. We'd been in the exhibit for 3 hours already, dude. What on earth is the objection to a teeny flashlight that can't possibly cause fading?

Anyway. Lots of sketches, lots of names and titles and little details. I totally forgot to copy out Umbridge's questionnaire for the teachers, and the O.W.L. papers, but that's okay. There were so many little things on the Common Room notice board that you couldn't read. Man, I'd love to have some time to throw on protective gloves and actually manipulate some of the artifacts.

We each bought a program guide (more reminders than anything), and I replaced my Nimbus hat with an HP: The Exhibition cap, and I also got a wicked cool mug that is heat activated. With hot liquid inside it, a Marauders' Map shows up on the outside. Very nifty. Also noticed HP music boxes from SF Music Box Company, very expensive in the gift shop but very *not* expensive on the SF Music Box Co's website. Not for buying right now, though.


Sunday, while J's mother was busy dying (wah), went to the Wellesley holiday party. Interesting confirmation that my audition for Hodel was *not* pointless, but that there weren't enough other people auditioning within the same age range, so that they had to cast everything younger. Still, I know I'll have fun with the role and was assured by many that I'll be great. Whee.

Monday, when I got in to Mom's, we went out to her pastor's house. It's her pastor's 53rd birthday, but she cooked dinner for 15 people - because she loves to cook. Okay by me! We had salad, beef burgundy over noodles, butternut squash risotto, and two kinds of cake and two kinds of ice cream. Yum, yum, yum. Also, although these are 'church' people, they are the least churchy group I've ever known. Even when I lived in Rochester, I can say definitively that these folks do not shy away from the innuendo and the double entendre. Much blushing was done by nearly everyone as we all embarrassed ourselves and each other. Very fun. (The topics included how quickly one can get drunk on champagne, first experiences with marijuana, the effect of long nails on certain parts of anatomy, etc. You get the picture. Christians with dirty minds!)


Ah. J is now done for the time being so we are going to get dinner. YAY. Food.

First off, pursuant to my post about upcoming movies, there's this piece from A.O. Scott in today's NYT:

Screen Memories - in which he actually has kind of a meta discussion about movie-viewing and personal canon.


Second, in my ranting about SPN last night, I forgot a mini-rant about Top Chef this week. I'm not sure this counts as a spoiler - so without revealing the outcome, I'll just say that Tom Colicchio FAILS at Food History 101. He actually criticized one of the chefs Wednesday by saying, "I don't know how much you know about Medieval food, but basically, meat was so rank back then that they spiced everything really really heavily to cover up for it."

NO, Tom. That's a myth. Granted, I pretty much agree that the chef didn't show any understanding of medieval food, or any creativity, but they did NOT spice things because they were eating rotten meat. Thanks for setting cultural anthropology back again - on national TV. No Love, Gwen.


Third, sigh. I was really hoping she'd be out today.


Fourth, Project Runway: Um... Why am I not thrilled with any of these collections - and honestly, I really don't care for any of the models who are still in the competition. Tanisha is a great model but really vain. I don't like Kalyn at all. Lisa annoys me. Oh, and Irina? Get over yourself, honey.


Fifth, Job search: I had an interview yesterday (oh, and must write thank-you note to her), but it's for a job that I would not accept. It's within the Medical Center, but it's a serious step *backward* - and not with any sort of path that would open up. Basically it's what I was doing at Mt Auburn, only within Nursing Quality, which means it's actually a level *down* because I'd be doing it for the director of nursing and not the director of quality for the whole medical center. It's also down a paygrade, which would mean a minimum of a $6,000/year cut. Now, maybe if I'd been out of work for 6 months already and wasn't finding anything, I'd consider it just to get working again. But at this point, I don't think it's the right move at all.

But on that note, when I talked with the HR person about the job search and other positions to which I'd applied, I got some of the same crap I've been getting all along. HOW in the FUCK is anyone supposed to get supervisory experience - by which they mean, professional *direct* reports over whom one has the power to hire, discipline, and fire - unless you can get a job that involves supervision?? I mean, shit, at this point, I'd be doing better if I'd gone into retail full-time. The problem with that (aside from the obvious Retail Sucks!) is that it's all nights and weekends. Which means theatre takes a swan dive. But seriously - SERIOUSLY - I can hire people. I can interview. I can fire people - it's not comfortable to do and it sucks, but dude, there are procedures and guidelines in almost any professional organization. It may be hard, but it's not *difficult*.

ARGH. I've got to find something this time that is not completely independent, that involves leading groups and/or managing other people. That's just all there is to it. Even if it's ONE other person - it's the gap I have to figure out how to close.


And speaking of theatre (I really was, didn't you see it in there?), Sixth: Auditions for "Musical of Musicals". They added a third night of auditions (which I may or may not have blogged about. I meant to, if I didn't), but even then, they could not cast the male lead. Which means they have scrapped the show - but they've asked everyone who auditioned to participate in a more traditional "gala" performance with concert-style presentations of numbers from popular shows - I believe popular shows they've done, but I'm really not sure. Don't care - I'm in, and it means I might get some good showcasing.

And auditions for "Fiddler" are coming up and I have to figure out what to do. Must go read the notice again.

Also need to check some job boards.

Bleh. I really, really hate looking for work. I kinda hate working, which doesn't help at all.

Okay, so this week was absolutely CRAZY-busy. I logged 52.5 hours at work, including 12.5 in a single day, trying to finish all my chores before going to the ball, er, conference.

No IMAX for the movie (boo) but we have tickets (yay) for the rest.

rani23, you'll be happy to know that the ticket you can't use is already claimed by a staff member who needed one.

I've been to the bank, I paid my bills, I've done my laundry (except for ONE SOCK that was hiding until the load was done)... I'm 80% packed, though I suspect one bag is too heavy and may need some rearranging. Luckily, there is presently a lot of room in the other checked bag. Huzzah! I forced myself to sit down and think through what - exactly - I'll wear each day, which allowed me to cut back significantly on the "oh, I might want this" over-packing.

Astonishingly, I will definitely not need my rollerboard carry-on. (I also mailed a box of stuff Priority - 6 lbs. of stuff, in fact - and although it was expensive, it was less than the overweight charges would have been on the luggage.)

Today I have a hair appointment, then I'll go in to work to do a few things more easily accomplished without anyone around, and then I'll hit Target for the last few items I need. Apparently I lost my travel toothbrush on the Midrealm trip (and the toothbrush *cover*, which annoys me more than the toothbrush itself).

I also was apparently not SMRT about where I put the BART card from last time. Hey, I wonder if I made a note to myself in my LJ? Nah, I'm probably not that SMRT. But it wasn't in the three or four places I would have put it had I been wise. Oh, well.


Palm Pre update: I need to spend a little more quality time with the manual to better understand my notification and sound options. Missed a few phone calls yesterday because the phone was in the bedroom on the charger and I didn't hear it ring. But I also don't want noise overnight when I'm trying to sleep. Difficult to balance. Still, the apps are win, and while it's still not a perfect phone, I'm definitely feeling the love. (I discovered two new things about the actual voice phone features yesterday. Surprise!)


I'm pretty much down to my last nerve, but I'll fix that before the conference starts. I've put in a reservation for the cab for Tuesday morning (6:25 ACK), and will take out the trash and recycling Monday night even though pickup isn't until Thursday. I've got meals in the house to get me through the next couple days.

Three more episodes of SPN to watch to get through the 4th season. (Yes, I just watched Jump the Shark. Yes, I have thoughts, but no time to really express them.)

Still need to pack carry-ons and chargers and all the tech....


Sheesh. Final details galore!

(Oh, and was anyone reading hpalternity last night? Alice had the baby! SO MUCH FUN!)

I missed the second-to-last train out of South Station because I had to take the lift with both bags. But I caught the *very last* train and made it to Harvard Square. I'm glad I had already planned to take a cab from there because the buses had stopped running (I think, anyway).

Collapsed about 1:00 AM. Woke up about 9:30. Starting to catch up on emails and LJ, gah. (Monica where's that shortcut you mentioned? I have filters but - flail.)

Gulf Wars was fun. In some ways more fun than last time; in others not so much. ( Now I shall enumerate. )

I'm sure everyone who posts about GW will have a lot to say about Josie, packing dirty elephants and other toddler pronouncements, and I'm no exception. She really is the cutest cherub EVAR OMG, hours of entertainment and scary-smart. Possibly even smarter than I was (although my dad assures me this cannot be so). I will confine my Josie-tales here to one, because this post is getting long.

I wore boy-garb on Friday and my coif blew off in the yard while chasing the child. I didn't notice it until inside the cabin getting ready to go back out. After coming up empty inside, I borrowed Josie's coif (because yes, it FITS, my head is that small). (I did find the coif later - but that't not important.) I asked her whose coif I was wearing: "Brandubh." No, Josie's coif! I told her. Who's wearing Josie's coif? "Brandubh." What? Who am I? "Brandubh." I took off the coif. Who am I? "Gwendolyn." Coif on: "Brandubh." Coif off: "Gwen." About three times. Interestingly, there was no similar confusion over Erin in boy garb. She's still Erin.

LMAO.

So that's one of what I know will be many Josie-stories to come. For now, suffice to say: I feel an urge to watch "Finding Nemo" (her favourite movie currently) and also, I know that for the foreseeable future, I shall occasionally find myself signifying my desires per the following construction: "Diet Coke, okay!" or "Cereal, okay." (The proper inflection here, is to use "okay" as the operative substitute for "Please" and/or "Now" - half-demand, half-request.)

Yeah. She rules our world. I'm okay with that.