Just For Scuz

In celebration of NaBloPoMo, I am posting all of my thoughts in Just for Scuz. See link to the right for the month of November if you want to know what I am thinking about.

Posts I can't seem to finish:

I know I said the reason why I haven't written anything is because I have nothing interesting to say. Well, I am a very interesting person, and it turns out it is less about having nothing to say and more about having things to say but being incapable of writing complete posts about them. I am going to steal a little trick from 2 Birds, 1 Blog and write a post about the posts I can't seem to complete. Here they are:

(1) Am I a robot? Lately, I've been wondering if maybe I am a robot. When I used to work at the place that sucked out my soul and spit it out into a cold abyss called Boston in the winter, I was never allowed to interact with people. This I found to be quite boggling considering normally I am fairly social and most people seem to like me. I used to joke that I was a robot and could only communicate with people over email or with computer programs. Now, it seems Google thinks I am a robot. I won't deny the fact I have about 3000 email addresses with gmail. What can I say, I am one of those people who thinks of a good email address and so I sign up and take it before anyone else can. I also tend to sign up for website alerts and instead of putting in my real email address, I make one up especially for the occassion. I know, I might be insane... but the question isn't my sanity, it's whether or not I am indeed a real person. More recently, Google has denied me opening new email accounts for weeks at a time, because as it tells me, "The answers you have given are very similar to spam robots and therefor we are cutting you off." Okay, Googs doesn't really say that, but that's what they meant when I got the error message. I admit, Google McGoogley has some valid points. All of my email addresses have the same password and verification question answers, which does seem suspicious. I also have a lot of trouble with that goofy looking jumble of letters that you are supposed to type (correctly) into the field in order to authenticate your answers. Does anyone else find those troublesome? The letters are all squiggly and I'm telling you, b's could be b's, or they could be a combination of an l and an o. How do you tell the difference? I can't be the only one with this problem.

(2)Miley Cyrus. Okay, Hannah Montana, I am not a big fan. A few months back (maybe more than a few), Miley appeared on the cover of Glamour magazine and this was honestly the first time I really became irked by her. First of all, she was way too young to be on a women's magazine such as Glamour. She is a child star produced by the Disney Channel and she cannot be taken seriously until she leaves the world of Disney and at least moves up into ABC Family. Hello. Second, she's one of those people who I look at and just don't like her face. Miley, if you are reading this, I am not calling you ugly nor do I want you to develop low self-esteem. I realize you are still in your formative years. However, I just don't like the expression on your face. It's a combination of "aw shucks" and confusion. I hope you grow out of it. Third, and last point in the Anti-Miley tirade this is becoming, what the heck is with that Party in the USA song. Since it is on the radio pretty much every second of the day, I have been forced to listen to it regularly. I get that it is a catchy tune, but why is it called Party in the USA? My understanding of the lyrics is that it is about a girl (cough-Miley-cough) who lives in Nashville and goes to LA (to escalate her music career? Fame? To get out of the Disney shadow? The reasons aren't clarified although we can guess at the options). Upon arriving, she is nervous and butterflies are flying around in her stomach, but fortunately, she hears a familiar song on the radio and feels more comfortable and can let loose and dance around. Okay, cute. But, can I remind everyone here that yes, she is in the USA, and yes she is partying (in the car, in the club, etc). But.... she is an American citizen. She came from Nashville (also part of the USA) and is now in LA. It's not like she is a foreigner and it's her first time in the US. This one little detail annoys me. Also, does anyone else kind of want to say to Miley Cyrus.... maybe you don't belong? Sorry, kid, go back to Nashville and the Disney Channel and stay out of my local radio stations, dumb song and all.

(3) "I've got a crush"--- since I've spent most of my afternoons with high schoolers, I've started picking up their lingo. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, except that the rest of my day needs to be spent writing incredibly smart, concise, and informative cover letters that clarify why a prospective employer should hire me. The issue is that after you've spent an afternoon with a JV field hockey team, not only are you tired when you get home and need to lay on the couch and watch two hours of Dancing with the Stars (with your mom) while eating handfuls of special dark chocolate hershey kisses, you also cannot form proper sentences. In fact, I can't even count the number of times I've wished I could use the phrase "I've got a crush" in my cover letters. It works out so nicely and so perfectly explains how I am feeling. For instance, "I've got a crush on the Slow Food Movement. I've had it ever since I read Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and the September 2008 National Geographic. For this reason, I would love to be part of Slow Food USA in the role of the Special Assistant to the President." I mean, if you think about it, having a crush on something is the perfect expression of blind adoration that every employer should be looking for in future employees, am I right or am I right?

(4) After reading a really stupid Yahoo! article on inconclusive scientific research, I wrote the beginning of a fake news article:

Scientists do research, No conclusions drawn
EVERYWHERE, THE UNIVERSE- It has recently come to the awareness of the Associated press that all across the universe, scientists are out there doing research but no relevant conclusions have been concluded as of this date.

I think we all can see why that one fizzled.


Well, that's it from me. Hopefully I will be able to come up with some complete posts for your entertainment at a later date.

Woah

So, I haven't written in this in a while, largely because I have nothing interesting to say. I know, I know, when has that ever stopped me in the past? But, aside from getting into daily fights with Comcast about the equipment I have yet to return (I'm trying to get them to cover shipping to a payment center, meanwhile I am holding my cable box and remote hostage), nothing is really going on.

Except that fairly random people are finding my blog. I love that. You know, this started out as a blog almost no one knew about, then my mom found it and sent it to all of her friends, and now my blog is famous. If you do a google searches about various topics like cargo pants, you will get my blog. If you input, "Horatio Caine vs. Chuck Norris," my post is the VERY FIRST RESULT. How cool is that?

Clearly, I am awesome and I write about topics people want to read about.

In other random news, there are two new video clips on the right hand side of this website. How did they get there? That wasn't the kind of question I normally ask and then answer myself. I really want to know. The only one I posted was the one with Miss Piggy roller skating through Central Park. Now there are two other muppet related youtubes hanging out with Miss P. I love muppets, so I am not going to remove them, but seriously, how did that happen? Did someone hack in and add more youtubes? Did youtube take it upon itself to add more content to my blog? I am boggled.

Also, if you are a new reader to this blog because you stumbled upon it accidently, don't read the most recent posts-- they are dullsville. Skip ahead (or skip back?) to some of the earlier ones.

That's it from me today-- catch ya on the flip side.

P.S.

If anyone has ever had to sit through an exit interview and the situation is such that you are being terminated.... it pretty much sucks. You basically have an HR doofus (I know, it is not his fault he has the worst job in the universe) reading a letter aloud to you about how you lost your job and you better be nice to "The Company" and he knows this is confusing but "we" just have to get through it together.

My thoughts on that are:

(1) I can read
(2) I don't think this is confusing
(3) If you think this is confusing, maybe I should be the one doing your job
(4) I am not an idiot
(5) Stop looking at me like you feel bad for me. I feel bad for you, because you have to run this pointless meeting about how I no longer work here.


To make the 20 minutes go by even faster... I decided to make the meeting as awkward and as uncomfortable as possible.


When he said: Do you understand you need to turn in all property and information you have on "The Company" by the end of the day?
I said: The only property I have is my ID (here it is) but the information is in my head... soooo, I am not sure what you want me to do.

When he said: Do you know what COBRA is?
And after I explained it perfectly succinctly,
he said: Okay, well it sounds like you know exactly what COBRA is! But, let me just read this aloud to you anyway so we make sure this part is covered.

When he said: Can I verify this is your current address?
I said: Yes, until August 30. After that I am homeless.

AWESOME. I love being laid off. Except for the fact I don't get my severence check for 10 days. 10 MORE DAYS until I can apply for my Australia Visa. (Yes, it is still on the table. It is just waylaid until I get that check, unless I get a job in the meantime).

Wait for it... wait for it...

I finally got contacted about a job. And it wasn't just any job.... it was the one I called my Dream Job (in a previous post but I am way too lazy to link to that right now. If you are reading this and there is a link, then I can pat myself on the back for getting over the fact I have to navigate away from one page to get the address and then come back in order to link it up).

Anyway, I didn't get an interview, but they did ask for more information about my perspective on things... You know, the read this and respond and then we will decide if we like you. Which I was completely fine with because I actually like getting assignments and completing them. If I could have printed it out on pink paper and submitted it in one of those plastic report folders I would have been a happy camper. I also sort of wish I could have made it a multimedia report, but we'll save that for another time I guess. Nerd Alert.

I turned that in and am waiting to hear if I get a call for an interview. In the meantime..... I have already started researching apartments in New York City. Because you know, why not? It's clear they are going to hire me and I am going to move there, so I am just preparing for the inevitable. Not jumping the gun at all.

My number 1 (and only) place to find apartments is Craigslist. It serves me well in Boston. I know which ones are the scams and which places are legit. I know the neighborhoods. I know if you find a really cheap apartment in Back Bay it's actually in Framingham.

New York city apartment searching via Craigslist is a lot trickier. I put in "Chelsea" and got places in Harlem. Then I tried "Brooklyn" and I got New Jersey, Bridgeport, and even New Haven.

Okay, I am not sure where this story is going. END SCENE. Shut it down.

Insanity Part 2--- Keeping Organized

One of the most stressful parts of looking for a job is keeping track of things during the application process. Every place these days seems to have their own systems of accepting applications. Some ask you to email an HR type inbox (after which you immediately receive a form response with the details of their hiring process or a basic thank you and we’ll get back to you- maybe). Others will ask you to fill out a form online and upload attachments for your cover letter and resume… or worse, make you copy and paste your resume and cover letter into the dreaded text box. As much as I’d love to give you a world of tips on how to navigate through those systems, I can’t… you just have to suffer through it and do it. But, I can help you stay on top of your applications so you know who you have already applied to, who you need to follow up with, and applications you still have pending. Read on.

When I want to stay organized in life, I have two main methods. Since so much of applying these days is via the internet, your inbox can be a great way to keep a handle on everything that is going out and coming in. Another way is to set up some sort of what I like to call a “Tracker.” This is an external database that you create and maintain to hold all of the information on every job to which you have applied or want to apply. I will outline both ways below and you can choose what makes sense for your personal style; I typically do a combo of the two.

Make your Inbox work for you
I am a huge fan of Gmail (you know, the email system provided for free by Google). If you have something else, what I mention here will still apply, but you might need to make minor adjustments.

Since I submit almost all applications electronically, I’ve devised a system to keep track of all of the emails I am sending out and receiving back. It’s pretty basic:

• While searching: I don’t search for jobs and when I find one apply for it right then and there (unless I am extremely excited and cannot wait even a second to begin my cover letter and update my resume). Instead, I copy and paste the posting into the body of the email (including web links, who needs to get this email, and notes to myself on the opening and what I might write in my cover letter), enter the subject line as the job opening and the company, and save it as a draft. I DO NOT enter anything in the “To” field. Doing that would probably result in a slip of the hand and the hiring manager reading my notes on the job posting which could say something like: “Might be way under-qualified but highlight college experience working in the writing center.” At the end of every day, I can look at my drafts and see how many jobs are out there waiting for my application.

• The initial application: Once I am in the mood to hammer out some cover letters and play around with resume formats (again), I go to my drafts and start working. When I have stuff ready to send out, I simply email the hiring manager with my attached documents and BCC myself on the email. I blind carbon copy myself because I think CCing yourself looks weird. I’d rather they not know I am including myself on the email. Then again, maybe I am just a secretive person and like to be stealth. Your call. Anyway, this just keeps a copy in my inbox with all of the relevant documents relating to that position, to which I can then attach a label.

• Application Statuses: To keep track of where each job stands, I attach a label to it. This is the Gmail version of a folder, so if you use Outlook or Hotmail or Yahoo or whathaveyou, you can use folders to do this very same form of organization. The labels I use are: Application Sent, Follow Up Call, 1st Interview, 2nd Interview, etc. When I am bored and I need something to do, I can click on Application Sent and see if any of them have been pending for more than a week and then I will do some sort of follow up call on those and switch their label. You can also have multiple labels on them, so you can keep everything in Application Sent and have the full list there.

• Threads: Since Gmail is brilliant, anything with the same subject heading will stick together in one long email thread. So, if I get a phone call from someone, I usually reply to my own email (just to myself) with notes on the phone call. Example: Spoke to Edith, had brief phone interview. Scheduled meeting with Jack for blank date, blank time. By doing this, I am keeping all records related to the job in one place.

That’s the basic system. If you are looking for something more detailed, then think about:

The Tracker
If you are the sort of person who likes to check things off as they get done, this kind of system is for you. You can tailor it to fit exactly your needs and at the end of everyday you can look back on your accomplishments and feel proud of yourself, which might be just the thing you need to feel if you are struggling through unemployment. It can be as simple as a word document or an excel sheet, or if you are super technologically savvy you could even set something up in Access or another Database application. That’s your call.

My personal favorite form of a tracker is in Excel (Spreadsheet if you are a Mac user). In my current job I practically live and breathe Excel trackers. I love them because you can add and remove columns (categories) with ease and you can filter and sort based on what you want to see. You can include links to websites or documents for easy reference. It’s a great way to keep everything in one place.

My basic tracker would include the following columns:

• Date Updated: Under this column you can keep track of when you last worked on this job opening. Don’t disregard keeping track of the date. You’d be surprised how fast the week goes by so you want to keep a record of when you last checked in on this job. Maybe you applied for it and haven’t heard anything and it has been a couple of weeks. That could be an indicator you need to check in. Maybe you have done all of your follow up and it has been a couple of months. Maybe it’s time to make this job inactive. Keeping track of the dates is a good reality check.

• Company: This one is pretty obvious. You need to know what company the job that you applied for is in… but, make sure to take this to the next level. The company name should be a link to the company website so you can easily access information on that organization if they call you and you need to jog your memory on who they are and why they applied.

• Open Position: Again, hello Captain Obvious. Enter the job you applied for in here and link it to the job posting/description. Why do you need to keep track of specific jobs/postings? (A) You might need to access the job description in a pinch and this will make it easier (B) These companies are probably posting multiple jobs and you might be interested in more than one. (C) They also might post it, remove it (either they filled it or decided not to hire at that time) and then post it again later on (maybe their new hire didn’t work out, maybe there are multiple people in that role and it opened up again). If you see the same posting later on that you’ve already applied for, you don’t want to send out the exact same application. What you want to do is write a follow up email or give a phone call and express something along the lines of: “I applied for this job back in April and I noticed you posted it as available again. I am still interested in this opening and would love to discuss my qualifications in person.” This shows that you are committed to their organization and the opening, and you will likely get an interview. (True story, this happened to me).

• Status: Where are you in the process? Here is where you can make note of whether you submitted your application yet, did the follow up (if possible), got an interview, had a second interview, etc.

• Resume Sent: Enter a link here to the copy of a resume that you sent out. If you are like me you have upwards of 10 versions of your resume. It’s always good to bring the same resume to your interview that you sent with your application (unless you have an improved version, in which case bring that).

• Cover Letter Sent: Enter the link to the cover letter you included. Sometimes I write silly little cover letters and I just like to read them to myself before I go to bed. Kidding. (A) It’s good to refresh yourself on all of the materials you sent to an organization before you go on your interview. That way, you can reiterate those main points and if they compliment you on your cover letter you know what they are talking about. (B) If you are applying for similar positions in multiple organizations, you can use the same basic cover letter tweaked with specifics that their organization might find applicable. If you have them all linked up here in this tracker, it’s easier to find and makes the application process that much easier. No one likes to write cover letters, so this way you have access to all of yours in one spot, linked up to job titles that they were used for.

• Other Notes: Here’s the place where you write all of the things you want to remember about a job. Maybe there was a concerning salary range you will need to know to address in case they give you an offer. Maybe you are bad with names and want to keep track of all of the people in the organization you have spoken with—Phone interview with Edith, Face-to-Face scheduled with Jack, etc. Anything you want to keep track of that can be useful down the road can be stored here.
  

The reason why Excel/Spreadsheet works so great is because you can filter. Depending on what aspect of your job search you are looking to focus on in that particular day, you can pull up your tracker and get the information you need. Maybe you are not in the mood to search new jobs that day. You can use this tracker to see which jobs you still need to apply for and make sure none fall through the cracks (I always think the fresher a posting is when you apply, the more likely you will get an interview). Or, you can see what jobs need follow up. Maybe there are jobs you haven't checked in on in a while and haven't heard back from them. See if they are still posted and if so, give that company a call.

**I realize this is a lot of info and it might seem like too much work to set up and maintain. I promise you it is not. And I truly believe if you have an organized system, eventually you will have success in your search. And if you don't, at least you will have a record of all of the jobs you have applied for and you can print out all of the cover letters and resumes you've sent, all of the email correspondance between you and corporations, all of the rejection letters.. and use them to wallpaper your bathroom as a last resort to curb boredom while unemployed. Happy hunting!**

The new dream... AUSTRALIA

So, in my warped sense of twisted logic... I think I need to move to Australia. Let me outline my points here and you can be the judge.

Point 1: I think I am done with Boston. To take one of my favorite phrases (taken from a short story by Haruki Marukami) and reshape it to explain what I mean--- Boston for me is a marriage of convenience, not an act of love. I do really like Boston. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here now. I came up to this city because a lot of my college friends were in and around here, and let's be real, I am definitely more of a city girl these days than anything. But, it was about convenience in the end. Not too far from home with lots of people I knew. I love the city, but I am not in love with the city. Maybe that's why I have applied for more jobs (in total) outside of Boston than in Boston. So... I hate to say it Beantown... I think we need to part ways for a while. It might not be permanent, but, I need to try out new cities before I can come back to you.

Point 2: I am not a quitter, but there aren't a lot of jobs around. I am pretty positive I am not going to find a dream job at this time. I am not, in fact, quite sure if I know what my dream job is-- it is still up in the air, just a glimmer in my eye, but not a reality yet. My potential dream jobs likely live in non-profits and have to do with Art... not exactly growth markets that thrive in poor economic times. So... I could take a job that is nothing I really want to do, suffer through the bad times with it, want to poke my eyes out every single day, get little to no vacation time, and cry on my couch every night. Or... I could go to Australia. Dramatic? Maybe. But read on.

Point 3: I've talked to both of my recruiters (they don't know about eachother... shhhh! don't tell) and they have individually mentioned that I should consider temping for a while and hopefully one of the temp jobs will become permanent. Initially, I thought this was brilliant. I am an excellent employee. I can pretty much do any job and am a reputable Jill of all trades. I have health insurance until November, so I don't have to worry about that-- why not temp and hope it is temp to perm and then perm? Then I remembered.... I am not trapped in Boston. I don't have a husband. I don't have children. I don't have a mortgage. I don't have a dog. All I really have is a couch that I adore, some unfinished art on the walls, a really comfortable bed, and a whole lot of shoes (and coats and clothes in general). All of these items are happy to go whereever I go without complaint, or sit in a storage unit for months and blissfully await my return. It's true. I can see sticking out a temp job hoping it becomes permanent if I needed to stay in this city (or wanted to)... but it is hard for me to stay here and do a mindless temp job when I can be doing a mindless temp job elsewhere.

Point 4: If I am planning on moving away anyway... it should be somewhere cool and interesting. BUT, it's costly to move across country or to a new city without having a job. It's also scary. So, if you are going to move somewhere brand new and embark on an adventure (maybe your last big adventure)... it should be a good one, right? This is where Australia comes in.

Point 5: Australia has a Work and Holiday Visa that was essentially created for wandering souls like myself.. those of us who are only truly happy when they are out in the world. You can enter Australia and work for up to a year on this visa. This means you can pick up temp jobs along your travels to make some money and experience a new city, culture, continent. You need to be 18 years to 30 to partake in this Visa and have a certain amount of money in the bank. I qualify. I am not sure if I will ever qualify for this Visa again. This really truly could be my only chance to take this oppportunity.

Point 6: Australia is very very far away and I have never gone there because the flight can be $$$ and once you are there, you want to see it all and 2 weeks (the average American holiday) won't get you far. I have been spoiled at this job with vacation time, getting upwards 4 weeks a year since I started. Taking an Australian vacation was always an option, provided I had the money for a plane ticket. Once I get a new job... I might not get 4-6 weeks of vacation time a year. I might only get 2 weeks (THE HORROR).

Point 7: Have I mentioned in this blog that I am soon to be unemployed with no prospects of a new job? Have I mentioned I have applied for over 30 such new opportunities in 10 plus industries with the hopes of finding one and have 2 lovely recruiters looking as well and nothing has come along? In my world... this is what we'd call lemons, people. LEMONS.

Point 8: I'd like to take these lemons I have been dealt (small, non-juicy, Market Basket lemons, shipped in from CA... not large Sorrento lemons fresh from a market stall) and make lemonade. Doesn't Australia seem like the most refreshing lemonade? I think it does.

IN SUMMATION:
I think all the stars have aligned: (1) I am unemployed as of August 1 (2) A severence check will fully stock my previously lacking bank account (3) No jobs in sight... except for temping. (4) I hear about the Australian Work Visa thing (5) I qualify for the Australia Work Visa

How is this not FATE? I happened to talk to a girl I went to Stonehill with about her Australian husband/fiancee and how she moved to Australia for a few months an how easy it was right at the time in my life when I was going to be unemployed, severed from my job by a hefty check, no jobs in site, floundering in the pool of "what am I going to do next" and am not yet 30. Right? How can I avoid these signs....

NOT TO MENTION: My horoscope has been telling me to throw caution to the wind, take chances, and abandon my nature to over plan things.

The 5%:
I have been saying I am 95% sure about Australia. This means I 100% want to go to Australia, but 5% panic about the future. If I go, can I really afford it? Will I spend all of my savings? Will I come back to the States unemployed, broke, and no way to make money because there are still no jobs in sight? These are the scary questions lurking in the back of my brain.

Then I tell myself, Jenn, you are pretty responsible and smart, and a fairly good planner. While I am in Australia, I can continue the job search and keep things on my radar. I've been wanting to do something with writing for a while now... freelance writing doesn't have an office. It doesn't have a cubicle in East Bum US office park to report to Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm. Maybe whilst I am living up the Aussie dream, I can pursue my real dream: to have someone pay me to write by first doing it for free to get some clips together. Maybe, this crazy opportunity will open up doors that I would have never known existed had I not gone to Australia....Maybe I will meet someone who wants to give me a job when I get back. Who knows! I certainly don't, and maybe that's for the best.

So, do you agree or disagree. Anyone? Anyone?

I will take comments now, please.

(Post Script: I will continue the post about Job Searching--The next steps, Keeping organized, Etc, shortly.)

How I feel at my job right now

This is extra funny because I have been a temporary vegetarian (which means I ate chicken at my parents house on Sunday-- but haven't eaten any other meat since last time I was home).

Insanity? (Part 1--- Job Search Tips)

Apparently the fact I have applied to over 30 jobs so far is insane. I don't think so. I think I am just extremely good at finding jobs and I have a very organized system so I can apply to EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. It's called my "No Job Left Behind" Act.

Since there are tons of job seekers out there... I figured I'd share my secrets on how to find new job postings and how to stay organized when applying for them.

THE SEARCH

Get your feet wet with the basics: I start out using sites like Craigslist, Idealist (for non-profit opps), Monster, CareerBuilder, Indeed and Simply Hired.

• Craigslist: Craigslist is where I start when I am looking to see what is going on for jobs in different cities. It's mostly a time passer when I am at work... plus you can find lots of random local part-time opportunities from smaller business. For instance, I found a marketing assistant job (designing posters) for a local food restaurant/ market. Those are the types of opportunities that are a hidden gem on this site--- you probably won't find your next big career opportunity on this site, but you might find some good networking opportunities or basic administrative jobs to pass the time for now.

• Idealist: I signed up to recieve the daily alerts. You can select the states you want to be alerted about (right now mine are MA, CA, NY, and Washington DC) and they email you all of the new job postings. This is alot easier than checking Idealist daily. I set it up so my email account automatically filters all emails from Idealist into its own folder so I don't feel like I am cluttering up my inbox. Not only do I receive job postings from them, but I also ask for local Events and Volunteer opportunities. Sometimes the events are job fairs or interesting (and free) workshops that you can attend. And the volunteer opportunities are good to see because you might find a new organization you are interested in (which during your free time you can volunteer at) and maybe get a paying job from there.

• Monster and Careerbuilder: I find these sites mostly useless, but I consider them my "back pocket" sites. I have my resume posted on both of these and get alerts from them about new openings that I can pretty much take or leave. It's mostly recruiters from large corporations that will contact you, but it is still good to know what may or may not be out there (watch out for scams). I figure, if I am desperate down the road, I will use this more.

• Indeed & SimplyHired: Both of these search engines have the same general idea that you can search all job boards at once. I started out using Indeed, but SimplyHired has more filter options which are very handy when you want to narrow it down. For instance, if you search SimplyHired for jobs in publishing, then you can narrow it down by job title, salary, full time, experience level, degrees required, etc. I usually start out with a broad search and then narrow it down accordingly. You don't want to start too small, and a job posting might ask for a certain experience level but also think a combination of experience and education is okay. So don't sell yourself short by searching for only the opportunities you are qualified for-- you want to have stretch opportunities, too.

Branching out: Once you've done your basic search, you've hopefully found some jobs to apply for and gotten ideas for new searches you might want to do.

• From SimplyHired & Indeed: Since these sites are directing you to new job boards... take the time to search those as well. For example, I went on a publishing kick the other day and searched these sites for Editorial Assistant jobs across the US. One of the postings was listed on a website called journalismjobs.com. I then did a search on that website to see what else was out there (I started out very broad just to see what types of jobs were on there). From there I was able to see what other entry-level and mid-level job openings tend to be available in the field of journalism. Obviously, Editorial Assistant isn't the only way you can get your foot in the door in that field. If you have background in Marketing, that could be the way to go. Even Sales-- every publication needs people with Sales background and if that is the experience you have that is the way you can more readily transition to a new field.

• Local Job Boards: It's important to move beyond Craigslist when you are looking for local jobs. One of my favorite local boards is hireculture.com, which focuses on jobs in the Arts. It's updated daily and covers all of MA. You might think-- why do I care about MA jobs? Even if that isn't your location or your interest... you'd be surprised what finding sites like that can lead you to. For example, almost every site like this has a Resources page (or Links, or Related Links, it could be called several different things). On the Mass hireculture site, I was able to tap into the New York Foundation for the Arts job board. That led me to my dream job (below) and all of the resources on that site, which led me to Americans for the Arts job board... as well as various Museum opening job boards. Then, I googled "Cultural Councils California" and found another job board. This is just the route I took. You might have done the same thing and ended up on a completely different trail of sites, but I promise you will find something new every day.

• Do research to find a company you'd actually want to work for: Job search engines are only going to take you so far. Yeah, you will find everything that has posted out into the world wide web... but, that is only a percent of the number of jobs that are available. A lot of companies have recruitment departments within their HR team that serve the purpose of scouting out new talent. This means they don't neccessarily wait for prospective employees to contact them, they spend more time looking for you. What if you are not on their radar? You have to go onto their website to find them. How do you find these companies? A lot of publications keep lists of the Best Companies to Work For, Top Growing Small Business, Top Non-Profits etc. You just need to find the list. So instead of hanging out on Job boards... google Top Business in your area, or Top Non-Profits, and I guarentee you will find a list. (Newsweek.com, Inc.com, FastCompany.com all have such lists, for starters). From that list, go ointo each site individually to see how they do recruitment at their corporation and apply.

• Recruiters/ Headhunters: It never hurts to go to a recruiter. Right now I have two people from different agencies who are working to find me a job. How do you find a recruiter? This is where Monster and CareerBuilder can actually help you. Take a second to do a search for a job you'd want. From those results, at least half of them will be posted by staffing agencies. I don't recommend applying for the job right then and there (think about how many people are replying to that ad, and what kind of email inbox is it really going to? This is just the way they generate new leads).... Instead, go to the staffing agency website and look up what their company is about, what kind of jobs they usually have in their database, and if it seems like they could help you with more than just what they have posted. If they seem like a good fit, contact them through their website (don't go through Monster or CareerBuilder, and honestly, you don't even need to mention the job that you found and are interested in unless you think it could help them see what what type of job you are looking for. Those posted jobs are usually just generalizations or examples of types of jobs they have available and aren't usually specific openings) OR ask your friends if they have ever used that staffing agency. If you can get a name of a recruiter and contact them directly, that is far better than going through the form on the website. They are 100% more likely to get in touch with in 24 hours and will be more helpful down the road because they know you will report back to your friend (who could need them again in the future) and pass on their names to someone else.

The next steps: If you are doing all of this, you are probably generating tons new leads of jobs a day. Searching for a job IS a full time job... and you don't want to get yourself overwhelmed or confused (although I can imagine the tips above are both of those things).

• Focus: If you are unsure of what your next career move will be (but have a few ideas in mind) start by keeping a running list of the types of jobs that interest you as you find them. Then, you can do focused job searches by referring to that list. Each day, pick a focus and pursue it to its fullest to find all of the opportunities out there. Once you've gone through your full list, start from the beginning again and see what is new.

• Set up a schedule: Depending on the other things going on in your life, you will want to set up a schedule that you can stick to so you make sure you don't lose momentum. Maybe you are busy during the day, but have time to search while watching TV in the evenings. Maybe it makes sense for you to search for jobs during the day, keep a list, and then apply at night or the following morning. Maybe you can only commit to searching for jobs on the weekends, or a couple of times a week. You don't need to be strict, but definitely come up with some sort of a system or block of time that you can devote just to the job search. It will help in the long run.

• Be patient: Your dream job might not be out there today... but don't worry. Maybe you will find a good stepping stone job that will help you get to your dream job. Maybe in a few weeks your dream job will be posted somewhere. There is no sense in getting frustrated or upset during the search... you never know where life will lead you! Hang in there.

Those are all of the searching tips I can think of for now... Later on I will post more on how I keep organized when applying for all of these openings!

My dream job lives in NYC

Do you believe in fate? I do. Which is why when I saw this recent posting- Jenn's Dream Job- It was as though this job was not posted for the greater masses looking for careers in the arts, but gift wrapped in the most delicate layers of tissue paper, tied up with golden ribbons and delivered by a fairy godmother with gossamer wings to me personally (via my computer screen)to read this morning as I checked the job boards for the 37th time in the past 2 weeks. Shockingly, I am not being remotely sarcastic. Apparently, finding the description of my dream career (the answer to the question of where I want to be TOMORROW) turns me into a rose-colored glasses wearing idealist.

Not only is this a really neat organization (www.arttable.org) but the actual job seems perfect for me. Event planning and fundraising- that's the kind of stuff I want to do with the rest of my life, because it is just as fun as it is challenging. Even more surprising-- the start date range is exactly when I want my new job to start and the salary range is within what I make now.

The perfection of this opening can only mean one thing--- Too good to be true AKA You will never even get called for an interview, Jenn. HOWEVER-- if anyone out there has any connections with the NYC and BEYOND women-in-arts world and can help me snag an interview, please be sure to let me know.

Updates on the job hunt

I may not be getting a ton of responses, but that's not for lack of trying. Here are the positions I have applied to so far:

Administrative Assistant in various industries (10)
Floral Design Trainee/Sales Associate (1)
Editorial Assistant (4)---> Latest idea was to get into Publishing. I LOVE READING!! Can you imagine if I got to read for a job?
Executive Assistant (3)
Sales Coordinator (1)
Special Events/Promotions (1)
College Writing Consultant (1)
Gallery Assistant (3)
Gallery Sales Consultant (2)
Museum Development (2)

I am not sure why I am trying so hard to be honest. I have also posted my resume on Monster and CareerBuilder and I have gotten more than enough gems to pick from just from that, including:

• A Boston company that said I could make up to 100k 'Honest Dollars' in one year, 250k for 'Top Producers'. I have to wonder if the top producers aren't honest
• 2 Financial Services firms located in east bum Ohio
• An Admissions Advisor for an unnamed online university, in a confidential location. The mystery is obviously enough to draw me in.

Granted, it is only the first day of having those posted, so maybe something good will come of it in the future. My philosophy is--- it can't hurt to try.

.....21 Days Until Unemployment

What do I do?

Since I have been asking everyone and anyone to help me with my job search (AKA Operation Find Me a New Job by August 1), it's only right that I actually tell you what I actually want... right?

At first, I was going to give you a bit of background on what I've done, what my skills are, my present position within the company.... but that got complicated. I currently work in the travel industry liaising between our sales team in Boston and our Operational team abroad. That's really all I can say without starting to sound like Charlie Brown's mom: WAH WAH WAH. If you've ever tried to explain your job to someone, you probably know what I mean.

Since that method is a complete wash, what I can do is tell you a little bit about what I want in my dream job... and maybe you can help me get there. Maybe it won't be in this next form of employment, but hopefully my next role will get me closer to where I want to be in the future.

So, here goes. Ideally-- I want to work for myself either in the form of a freelance writer, art/textile maker, or hot chocolate shop owner. Even more ideally, a combination of those three things would really make me as happy as a clam. In addition, I'd like my future to involve supporting charitable causes. Basically, I want to live in a world with rainbows and sunshine and unicorns and be my own boss.

I've been trying to think about how exactly to get there. In order to run my own business of a hot chocolate shop that doubles as a gallery/studio space and still allow time for writing on the side... I have a feeling I need to save some money. The only way to save money is to actually make money, and with my ridiculous Boston rent and only average paying job, that just hasn't been happening for me.

This means I have two choices. I can get a higher paying job that does not interest me in the slightest but allows me to check in at nine and check out at five and reap the benefits of a decent paycheck and pursue my artistic dreams on the side. OR-- I can worry about the money side of things later and get a job in a non-profit arts organization to gain experience and learn a little something about how to potentially run my own show one day. Either of these would work for me.

To give you even more background on what I am looking for (aside from anything, as the case may be) there have been particular things that have piqued my interest while scrolling through pages and pages of job postings on 10+ different job search engines.

(1) Interesting organizations: I don't mind being an administrative assistant in an organization that I consider cool. Zipcar is one of these such organizations. Young, hip, and such a neat idea (car sharing for the carless city dwellers like myself)-- I'd love to work there.

(2) Firms that deal with the creative side of things: Even though it has been fun to be a jet setter the past four plus years working in the travel industry, that job sector just isn't hiring right now. My skills are pretty transferrable, though, and if I am going to continue to work for "the man" I'd like it to be in a slightly more creative field. I always tell people, "I speak creative." This means, I can communicate with artists, graphic designers, musicians, floral designers, etc... and translate it over to what the rest of you speak. I can do this because I am half creative. So-- if you know anyone who works for an Art school, an Interior design firm, Publishing company, Events Management or PR firm, etc, I want to know about it.

(3) Non-profits with missions I can stand behind (and understand). I'm not really an activist type person who goes out and pickets in front of the state house. However, I do like to support causes in more subtle ways. Examples of non-profits that have missions I like: Reach Out and Read (gets books to underpriviliged children through their local pediatrician), Americans for Arts (top non-profit that promotes Arts organizations), and really anything that involves the Arts or reading or writing or Vespas.

(4) Location, Location, Location. Yes, I live in Boston. But, I don't consider myself stuck here. I've been looking for jobs in New York City, Washington DC, Savannah, Philly, coastal California, Seattle... and would be happy to consider other locations that have a neat art scene and preferably don't require a car (unless the job pays well).

That's really all of the criteria I can come up with at this stage. But will post more as I think of them. In the meantime-- if anyone out there thinks of any place I should be looking at... please continue to send them along. Thanks ahead!

Savannah Love

You might know this already but I have this tendency to prematurely jump ahead to the end result before even completing step 1 in real life. I did this while in the midst of applying for a job at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Now, I have only been to Savannah twice, but I do love it there. It is a pretty little city that is super artsy and very Jenn.

Here I am, plugging away at the clunky online application system when I start daydreaming about my new life located in Savannah, GA. So, I take a pause to search for my new home (I will need a place to live, right). Lo and behold I find approximately 30 million places that all cost half or less than what I pay for my current apartment in Boston, are two to three to five times the size, and, the frosting on the cake, almost all of them allow dogs.

In my head, I have fallen in love with Savannah and planned our future life together (I will live in a 2+ bedroom apartment/house with wraparound porch and adorable dog name Mr. McRuffington) and I haven't even finished applying for the job.


Right.

So---- here's where you come in. Anyone know of any job openings in Savannah? I think I need to go to there. Now.

Rejecting Rejection

So, it's been only a couple of days since I actively started the job search. I've applied to 10 open positions thus far. Two of those have already rejected me. Over email. Without giving me the courtesy of an interview. This makes me feel really positive and motivated... and spiteful.

Here is the first rejection email I got:

Jennifer,
Thanks for sending your resume our way. While we've opted to interview other candidates for this position, we do sincerely thank you for your interest and wish you success in your job search. We will keep your resume on file, and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to send us an email.
Recruiting Department

A few comments:

• Are you really sincerely thankful that I sent you my resume?
• Who are these other candidates, and what makes them better than me?
• And, I've heard the "we will keep your resume on file" before and I am pretty sure it means "we've permanently deleted your resume from our inbox and have shredded any hard copies we may or may not have printed."

So... I fought back. And by "fought" I mean I wrote a sassy little response. They said to contact them with questions-- I did not hesitate:

Hi,

Thank you for keeping me in the loop (and so quickly) on the status of my application.

I realize my cover letter probably lacked the necessary punch that would be required of someone to work at your organization, but if you have any other constructive feedback about my application and had a moment, would it be possible to send it along?

I am new to the job search after working at the same company for 4+ years, and, quite frankly, can use all of the help I can get.

Also, if you change your mind about the interview, I am still available and I don't think you'd be disappointed. I realize my background in Art/Art History and my experience in Educational Travel doesn't directly correlate to Healthcare Software, but I am still confident I could make it work for the Sales Coordinator position.

Best,

Jennifer

The second rejection letter went like this:

Dear Jennifer,

Thank you for your interest in the Administrator role in our American Paintings department.

After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that you have not been successful on this occasion. We will keep your application on file should an opportunity arise that fits your skills and experience. Also please keep an eye on our website as we post all of our new opportunities there.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your time and wish you every success in your future career.

Kind Regards
Christie’s HR


My thoughts:

• I've seen this rejection letter before. It comes across as nice, but it really means... we didn't even read your resume because we got 1.5 million responses and our boss's daughter's best friend's cousin applied so she got it. She just graduated from NYU and has a nose ring.
• "You have not been successful on this occasion": Please, could you describe my unsuccessfulness a little bit more thoroughly. I am not sure how to be successful when I was forced to upload and edit my resume in your online application system and write my cover letter in a text box.
• They will also keep my application on file. How sweet of them.
• I do appreciate them taking the time to thank me for my time and wish me success. I mean, not everyone realizes how much time and energy it takes to apply for these jobs! If only I could be more successful at it.

Unfortunately, that little gem of a rejection email came from a Do Not Reply email address, so I couldn't send a response.

Until next time....

EF that-- The world is now my oyster!

I found out I am being laid off. After a month of my company hemming and hawing about whether or not I fit in the new structure, they finally made the decision that I did not (never had, really) and are terminating my employment at the end of July. I don't know whether to be grateful that I get an extra paycheck because they are 'letting me stay on' through the end of the month or annoyed because clearly I am just being used for my exemplary training skills and prowess of knowledge. I have decided not to think about it (too much) and instead end my career at the company (that doubles as a fraternity/sorority/NYC Prep School/insert applicable analogy about clique-y places here) with class and grace and not as much spite as I would typically like to employ.

In the meantime, I am going to do a countdown of sorts by writing in this blog (in between cover letters) as I scramble to find something new by mid- August so I can be the only person turning a profit in this poor economy.

Since I saw this coming, I have been doing some soul searching for the past month or so, or maybe since forever but we'll pretend it is something that only started recently for this post's sake. For most, this would be a good thing. But, as an overanalytical, overachieving, and an increasingly oversensitive late-20s female.... the type of soul searching I do typically starts with beers and ends in tears. I become so incapacitated by the fear of moving forward, that I just lay on my couch and catch up on HBO series like True Blood and Entourage, since I know I will never find another job and will be forced to cancel cable at the end of the month in order to save a buck. Sigh.

In between panic attacks, phone calls from friends, cocktails and FoodTV marathons, I did come up with some semblance of a plan. Since I am getting a fair severance, I realized I had til end of September to find a job where I make the same amount of money as I do now. And if I find a job sooner than that, I can take a paycut and still break even at the end of the year. It's simple math. Thus, I have the very strategic plan of applying to (1) anything and (b) everything in the hopes I get at least a few offers to think about (read: accept immediately in desperation).

And, although I would love to find 'the perfect job,' I realize that is just as likely as finding a boyfriend in Boston (for those of you not familiar with the area or my previous posts on the subject, that would be like finding a unicorn in a desert), so I am perfectly okay with taking a job that I can check in at 9 and check out at 5 and then do all of the other stuff I want with my life on the side (like becoming a freelance writer and upcycled clothing refurbisher).

If anyone has any suggestions for me in regards to my future as an employed individual, please drop me a line in the form of a comment (I am willing to relocate). And check in for updates, as I am positive they will get funnier. Or, at least more bitterly sarcastic as the days continue.

Updates (It's a long one and not very funny)

I haven't posted here in a while. It seems that I may have too many blogs to keep up with but I am going to plug along. I thought I would take a second to give an update on some of the things I have been working on. This is the year about being a grownup and not in the bad way. I just have been feeling like I am in a rut and for all of the big ideas I have I don't actually do anything. I decided I wanted to form good habits that would make my life more manageable and still get everything I want done in a day. The way to do that was through exercise in the AM and creative pursuits in the PM (my work day sandwiched in the middle).

I am on the right track with creative pursuits. For those of you who are unsure if cooking is creative-- it is. Most of the recipes I have posted on my newest blog, Adventures in a Tiny Kitchen, are things I have come up with myself or modifications of dishes I have eaten out or seen in recipe magazines/blogs. I cook the way I sew-- I start with an idea, I get some instructions, and then I change it around to make it how I want it. So I definitely think I have been flexing my creative brain on that project.

My second creative project has been to make and sell things on Etsy.com. For those of you who don't know about Etsy, it is actually an amazing little website that makes it easy to sell homemade products. For a small fee per item you sell you can set up your own webshop that is easy to navigate and searchable. I love this site because you can do your own PR to spread the word about your shop, but you can also tag your items with key words, so if someone is looking for, say, placemats, they can search the Esty site for them and your listing will come up. It's basically an online craft fair.

My etsy shop is going to have the them of upcycling-- taking otherwise unusable things and making them usable again in a new way. I just came up with the name and logo design yesterday (after spending consideral time on another name previous and having a friend work in vain on another logo). The shop address is www.growlgrowl.etsy.com and if you go there you won't see any items for sale but you will see my logo. The growl growl doesn't actually refer to a grumbling dog-- but actually two different descriptions of an owl: green owl and grumpy owl-- gr_owl. Growl. I realize this is quite the breadcrumb to follow and it might be proof I am a little crazy in the head, but once the growl came to fruition I really loved it. I am not going to get into the details about what it all means right now, but check out the site to see my banner logo (still working on a condensed version for business cards/ icons/ etc).

On to exercising: I have done more thinking about exercising than actually exercising. That is all going to change, because I think I might run the Hartford Half Marathon and I need a full 7 months to train for it. Chris thinks he is going to do the full marathon and I have a few other people who might do the full/ half, so I think that is enough motivation for me to do it. In the meantime, I am going to try to sneak in a few other shorter races (with friends/ family) which will help me along that path.

I've also decided I want to take up Yoga. I am not ready to commit to classes yet (1 month membership at a Yoga studio is twice as much as a gym membership) but I have been doing this semi-cheesey workout called Yamaste Yoga and on FitTV. I didn't even know I got FitTV, but I started DVRing Namaste Yoga and I sort of like it. So--- running and Yoga, look out world, I'm going to be a changed person soon enough.

So I realize these were boring updates, but I needed to post them here so I could get all of that out of my system and actually make this stuff happen. Wish me luck!

Best job in the world

On Diane's blog, I saw this link.

Basically, you can live on the Great Barrier Reef for 6 months, get paid more than I make in a year, and you are living on the Great Barrier Reef.

I am going to apply, because I have recently discovered I HATE WINTER.

It has been so cold I just can't stand it. I will even get over my fear of snorkeling/ scuba diving for this opportunity. So. I need help. Who wants to take a video of me pleading my case? I am going to research the Great Barrier Reef and I think it will be best if we video me out in Boston shivering in my one million layers saying "Please, pick me to live on your beautiful island, otherwise I will suffer here. We only get one month of summer every year." I just realized they will probably pick someone from Alaska or Siberia.

My only concern is flying out there for the interview process. But, if it came to that, I feel like I'd have to go, you know?

Weirdo 7: I'm so vain, I think this post is about me

Oh, wait. It is.

I'm a blog junkie. I now have 3 blogs--- two that are all me, and one I am contributing to. Why? It's not just because I like to write. I was never a journal keeper growing up. Well, I was a journal keeper because I had many, but you'd find that most of them were only half full. I just love journals because they were usually pretty and they held secrets. But, as I'd try to write in them I felt my secrets weren't worthy of containment.

Thus, the blog was born. First, Livejournal, which I used to write into the wee hours while living at home. Now, blogspot. There is something about sharing your thoughts with the anonymous world that is thrilling. The place where you can dangle prepositions out in the open. It's fun. Fun is fun. You can write gibberish in here and no one would care. No one has to read it. But the idea that someone could read it and think that your thoughts matter how silly are something worth reading or worth laughing at, is what I like. Sure, I should be building up a portfolio of clips so I could one day live my dream as a freelance writer and art maker (there are more details to that dream that I am holding back revealing... for now). But for some reason this hits the spot for now. That's all.

And that is the end of my weird facts, however weird or unweird they may be.

Number 6: I make lists/ Don't complete

I love making lists. I just recently picked up my new weekly planner for the year, and I purposely picked the red moleskine that has is a datebook and a journal... meaning, after every week there is a blank page for thoughts, ideas, and lists.

Everyday when I get into work I make a list. Halfway through the day, I make a second list. During meetings in between doodling and listening, I make another list of all the things I should be doing instead of sitting in a pointless meeting. I have a notepad that is devoted to listmaking and divided into sections like Tasks, Correspondence, Errands. I have a second notepad for list making that includes a section for Time Wasters and has an image of Dwight Shrute in the upper left corner.

Before I leave for the day, I consult all my lists and make a new list of all the things I didn't do but should do tomorrow. Then I make a shopping list on a post-it and attach it to my wallet. For the last 3 days this shopping list has said "Toothpaste, toilet paper, shampoo." Fortunately for me, I have a stock pile of travel gear, which includes mini tubes of toothpaste, mini bottles of shampoo, and even mini packs of toilet paper a friend gave me before I went to Costa Rica, because even though my "wallet list" is there stating exactly what I need, I haven't stopped at the store on the way from work, except for the day I thought I needed Worcestershire's sauce but then didn't.

My list on the side bar has several incomplete items, and that has been existent for a year. My to-do lists at work contain projects that eventually become obsolete, so I convert these projects into "ideas" and write them on J-shaped post its that I attach to my computer only to watch them fall off 4 hours later and collect in a pile in the spot between my keyboard and my monitor, to be sorted through weeks later and thrown in the trash, likely to be resurrected later on a future to-do list. It's a vicious cycle.

Here's the weird part: Most people who are list makers are list makers because they like the satisfaction of a crossing items off the list and the feeling of productivity that comes with throwing out a piece of paper riddled with words and check marks. Me, I like lists because I just like finding order in a chaotic world, for the findings sake alone. It gives me such satisfaction in making a list, making a plan, that I don't actually need to complete it to feel good about myself.

Truth is, I am never going to become the kind of grown up that follows a strict pattern and routine like I mentioned in a previous post. And it isn't because I don't know how or don't know what needs to get done, it's because just knowing is enough for me. I don't need to actually do the things on there. Sure, there are the rare occasions when I have a list and everything on it is crossed off at the end of the day and that's when I squeal in excitement and show everyone proof of my completed tasks. But, the rarity of those days is what makes them special, and I'd like to keep it that way.

Weirdness #5: The Marriage Problem

I am the kind of person who upon meeting someone immediately imagines myself married to him. Sure, I consider dating first, imagine what that would be like, where we’d go on our first date, what we’d eat for dinner on Wednesdays and the conversations we’d have over breakfast. The details are different for each person, and I weigh the pros and cons of this imaginary relationship that likely will never come to be.

I never knew this was odd, until I compared fantasy notes with my friends and realized that most people do not do this. I’m not sure what fantasies are normal, but it isn’t about marriage, that’s for sure. What’s weird, is I don’t even think I am obsessed with marriage the way some people are (random flashback to my semester abroad when one of my roommates told me about “Senior Panic” at her college when all of the girls in their senior year who don't have boyfriends panic and scramble for the last eligible bachelors because the only reason a woman would go to college would be to find a husband). Sure, I like weddings and all, because they are pretty and involve white dresses and flowers and Japanese lanterns and floating tea lights and rose petals strewn along the aisle, but not to the point where I’d need to think about it all the time. Maybe I am just forward thinking and like to plan ahead to the point where I don’t even need to date people since I’ve got the relationship figured out in my head within 5 minutes of the first introductions.

Anyway, as much as I think about the kind of pancakes my imaginary husband and I’d both prefer (blueberry and chocolate chip), I’ve never considered what this guy would do for a living. It came to my attention that in between playing MASH (Mansion Apartment Shack House)and passing notes in study hall, everyone has imagined the perfect profession for them to marry. And people’s moms have piped in on the subject as well. I have friends whose parents picture them with doctors or teachers, architects or photographers. Apparently everyone has thought about this but me.

And although I’d like to think that it is because I am so open minded I could be happy with a person of any trade, the real truth I haven’t factored employment into the marriage equation is because my secret (not so secret) dream is to marry someone independently wealthy. Then we could travel around, buy the island next to Diane’s, and support charities by throwing galas and donate our time through volunteering and make the world a better place.

But, since that is fairly unlikely, curiosity got the best of me and I asked my mom and sisters who they’d thought I’d be good with, profession wise. The results were mixed. My younger sister couldn’t come up with a profession, but thought I needed someone who liked to travel. My older sister thought I’d be good with some kind of professional, but could also see me with a carpenter. My mom of course had a lot of options-- including engineer, writer, a chef but then I’d become overweight in a “messy kitchen,” and she vetoed people like rockstars, jugglers, and escape artists. A doctor was a definite no, architect was a maybe, a lawyer was questionable.

What did all of this tell me? That although it was interesting to hear what my family had to say, in the end everyone’s two cents added up to a whole lot of nothing. It’s fun to think about who I might end up with, but I have to meet someone first. In the meantime, I will keep dreaming of my knight in shining armor who is going to whisk me away to Italy at which time I will become bilingual and eat lots of pasta. We will get married on Cinque Terre and have a cake with a thick layer of snow white frosting and we will serve pesto foccacia on silver plates to our guests, as the sun sets over the turquoise waters of the rocky coastline.

Quirk #4: Disorganized Organization/ New Year's Resolutions

My life can be a bit of a disaster at times. Not that I am a screw up... but that I am not the neatest of people. Part of me doesn't like that about me and wishes I could change, but the other part of me finds it endearing. I've also always heard that geniuses thrive on clutter... so it goes without saying why that makes me feel good.

However, despite the fact I can make a mess in the guest bedroom within five minutes of being in my parents' home, I do prefer a clean, organized, environment. At work we have a clean desk policy. And though sometimes I don't abide by it, but I usually do enjoy taking the last five minutes of my day to go through the papers on my desk and file or recycle as necessary. Yesterday I was at work, bored out of my skull because everyone is on vacation, so I decided to clean out my desk. And you know what I found-- it didn't need to be cleaned! What! I don't think I ever had a desk that didn't require a good 2-day dosage of organization at some point or another. Maybe I am changing.


Anyway, this post is kind of going off on tangents, but here's the point. I have a new resolution for the year. To get it together. I am going to try my damnedest to be a grownup. You heard me. Of course, there will be the list that haunts me on the sidebar (and I will continue to work on those items as well) but I will also try to be more responsible on a regular basis.

You are probably wondering how I am going to achieve this productive responsibility nonsense I am going on about--- and it all comes down to time management. I am probably one of the best people in my office when it comes to time management. Give me thirty projects and deadlines and I promise you I will get them all done on time with limited long hour days. I am not sure why I haven't applied this skill to my personal life yet. I think what it comes down to is I like to be considered spontaneous and fun and always up for adventure, and for some reason I had this idea responsible people don't get to be like that. I think I am wrong on that point. So--- I am going to create a routine. I already know what I should be doing, but I am going to actually do it. It is all the stuff normal people do without thinking about, but people like me need to write it down and tell people about it so they can be held accountable.

Here's my routine I plan on implementing for 2009:

(1) Plan the week's meals ahead so I can be a smart grocery shopper
(2) Pick out clothes and make lunch the night before
(3) Never leave dirty dishes in the sink unless unavoidable
(4) Work out in AM; pursue the creative in the evening

That's all I am going to put on the list, because it is just a general guideline I am going to start following. To motivate me on the food one; I have set up a food blog about cooking for one. Because honestly, I am a good cook, and I need to force myself to cook more. Here's the link (Adventures in A Tiny Kitchen), check it for updates if you are curious on that front.

For the creative pursuits- I've also just set up my Etsy shop. It is going to focus on goods created from things that would be otherwise thrown out (i.e. jeans and khakis that have rips and cannot be donated, dead christmas tree lights, broken dishes, etc). I am not ready to post that website here yet, but I will as soon as I have some things made.

Today's project is getting my apartment in order for the new year so I can start off with a clean slate. No more cluttered desk, no more unfinished curtains and pillows. Time to be a grownup.