Sucky and Super...just a tad late

Eventually, I'll get a Sucky and Super actually posted on a Sunday. I blame the holidays.

Sucky:

• My bad leg has been absolutely atrocious, to the point of me legit sobbing every time something hits it. The only thing that helps with the itchiness and sensitivity of the veins is an herbal supplement Hawthorn berries. With my financial situation, I can't afford them. So I don't buy them. Christmas day a bag had hit it and I was crying so hard my mom offered to buy me a bottle to help with the pain.
• Friday night my favorite bar closed. It's been kind of a stomping ground for my friends and myself and I'll really miss it. There have been so many memories and great nights, and let's face it, days, spent there in the last year and a half and I'm so bummed to see it shut down.

Super:

• Friday night my dad and stepmom came over to see my house/our Packer themed Christmas decorations. Dad hasn't seen my house yet in the eight months I've lived there (whoops) so I invited them over. I really enjoyed hanging out.
• Christmas Eve/Day/Monday after celebrations were all wonderful. There was no arguing between my sisters, I got some great presents that I'm really excited about (Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell, some work out stuff I wanted, cooking stuff, gift cards and a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives book to name a few) and gorged for three days straight.
• Thursday, I got to spend one last night at previously mentioned bar. Every Thursday there's a drink special/DJ and I used to go every week for many months. I stopped going for a while, but this week was my friend's birthday. Right before his party, we all found out the bar was closing, so it was perfect timing to say goodbye and have one more night of fun. It was hard to go home early, but I just can't be exhausted at work.
• The Packer game on Sunday was just great. They were finally playing like they were actually trying (I guess the loss actually did them some good), it was really fun to watch (scoring helps that), and of course they won. That puts their record at 14-1 and clinched home field advantage. It was a good day for Packer fan.

Here's to hoping 2012 is better than '11

Today I looked through some old Facebook notes and found my list of goals for 2011.

• Getting a full-time, permanent job in my field
• Moving out of my mom's house
• Getting to a weight I'm happy with
• Getting my fiction piece published
• Get my credit card and the debt to my cousin paid off

I have accomplished one of these. And that's moving out....as a 23 year old, college graduate should be. Only took me a year after graduating to actually do so.

Which makes my 2012 goals as follows:

• Get a full-time permanent job, preferably in my field, but I'll take what I can get
• Get to a weight I'm happy with - and finally get my belly button repierced as a reward
• Get my fiction piece published
• Get more followers on this blog
• Get my debt paid off and put a dent into my student loans and car payment

Some of these goals can be accomplished with plenty of hard work...others may have to rely on a little luck, and/or other people taking a chance on me. Maybe a combination of the two. Consider my fingers crossed and my motivation listed.

I'm not gunna waste this, this opportunity's mine*

Sucky and Super, week 3

Sucky:

• A former classmate from high school passed away. I was never close with him, but it was such a terrible happening. Even worse, not very many people from our graduating class showed up for the services. If any of his family or friends are reading this, again, my deepest sympathies.
• Even though we were not very close, I made sure to attend his wake to pay my last respects. My funeral attendance is taking quite the toll on me lately. They're never easy to deal with and, unfortunately, I feel like I've been experiencing so many in the last few years. I'm up to 9 in the last 5 years.

Well, after that first note, nothing else seems worthy of noting. I had a few minor annoyances this week, but nothing serious. After putting those inconveniences after such a tragic death, none of them seem so bad anymore, so I'm skipping to some Super updates.

Super:

• My skin is clearing up (for now at least). I've had problems with acne since 6th grade, and I'm slowly starting to accept it's just going to be something I deal with for the rest of my life. I've tried every product known to man. for about two years in college, my face was actually remarkably clear, but since then, it's back to break outs. Right now I seem to be on a good streak, luckily just in time for the holidays.
• I have just about all my Christmas shopping done. I only need to buy one more present, and I'm going halvsies with my sister for our not-so-baby-anymore sister. Now just to wrap it all...
• Tuesday I had an interview! It wasn't for anything in my field, just a receptionist position, but it's close to home, full-time/permanent and the interview actually went really smoothly. I have a good feeling about it.
• Friday I had another ugly sweater party. It was with a  group of friends that I've had since middle and high school. We always have so much fun together and this was no different. We played the new Logo board game, which turned out to be a blast, but significantly harder than any of us expected. We also exchanged Secret Santa gifts. I got a gas card, which is splendid for commuting 45 minutes each way to work.

*Tonight, Tonight by Seether

Sucky and Super Sunday...a day late

Life has been a tad hectic lately, so Sucky and Super Sunday is a day late this week. At least it's only a day late.

Sucky:

• My bad leg has really been flaring up. I have 85 year old woman legs, and have varicose veins coming in. The doctors can't do anything about it, and it hurts wicked bad. The last few days have been terribly painful...and people keep accidentally bumping into it, making it significantly worse.
• I've had a headache every day for at least a week. I've had a problem with headaches since I was in about 4th grade, so I'm pretty used to them. Lately, though, it's been worse. I know they're mostly stress-induced because they're not like my typical aches. Sometimes I worry my body will become immune to Aleve.
• Nothing, really. Aside from feeling like I'm physically falling apart at the seams, it's been a pretty decent week.

Super:

• Tuesday my man friend and I decorated Christmas cookies. We're experiencing a lot of firsts together as the holidays approach, and I couldn't be happier to be spending them with him.
• Saturday was the last day I got to spend with my GNO girls. We went up to a camp about an hour away where they played games, learned how to build a fire and did some team-building exercises. It was actually quite a bit more fun than several of the weekly sessions.

• Saturday was the first of the two ugly Christmas sweater parties I have this year. It was so much fun, and everyone looked so ridiculous! My sister, cousin and I all rocked matching sweater vests, turtlenecks and knee high socks.
• Sunday I got to actually watch the Packer game. I missed the last two because of work, so I was really excited to see it this week. It was a great game to catch: an easy 46-16 win against the Raiders, putting us at a 13-0 record so far.

Sucky and Super Sunday

Inspired by reading my friend's weekly Awkward and Awesome posts, you can check out her page here, I have decided to (try to) do a weekly Sucky and Super post. Here's this week.

Sucky:

• Still no news on the job search.
• Contacts are expensive as shit. I bought my first year's supply this week and had to put $250 on my credit card. I'm hoping my dad can pay for part of it as my Christmas gift.
• My back is in so much pain it's unbearable. I have a bad back in general, but I carry my stress inbetween my shoulders, making it much worse lately.




Her name is Lucy, but we just call her our nugget.


• Found out my roomie's dog was diagnosed with a muscle disease that's going to kill her. I've never liked animals, ever. This is the first dog I've grown attached to in my life and then I got this news and it just about broke my heart. Luckily, she's not in pain yet and it'll take a few years to show signs.

Super:

• Despite not having any luck thus far in the job search, I applied to five really great jobs this week, three of which would be using my degrees. One of which would be absolutely phenomenal, and my fingers couldn't be crossed any harder.
• I got to see a good friend for the first time in two years. He's stationed in Germany with the Air Force and only comes home once a year for hunting season. Last year I wasn't able to see him, which made this year's visit even better.
• Friday was one of the best days I've had in months. Spent the afternoon bumming/Christmas shopping with my manfriend, got a ton of free kitchen stuff from my mom (she's moving out of state next month to live with her manfriend and won't need as many pots/pans/dishes, etc) and ended the night at a stand-up comedy show at which I laughed so hard I cried.

• My roomie and I put up our Christmas decorations, which turned out to be a lot of fun. Especially because our tree is entirely Packer themed.

Of all the aspects of social misery, nothing is so heartbreaking as unemployment*

Unemployment sucks.

I contemplated letting that one single sentence be my entire blog post...but decided against it. I don't have much to update, but I'll fill you in on the little I've got.

I, thankfully, had two interviews in the last week. They were both for receptionist/clerical work positions within (long) walking distance or a very short drive of my house. Nothing glamorous, but permanent positions, which is really what matters. I was really excited to get some call backs for those interviews. Almost every position I've applied for has been filled, or they're looking for someone more qualified for the position, or I don't hear back and they have no contact number available. Although nervous, I was ready for the interviews and had my fingers crossed. Both interviews were a little awkward, rather short and I have no idea what to really make of them. The first of the two started off by the interviewer sitting down and saying, "So, do you have any questions for me?" ....Um what? Don't you get paid to ask ME questions first? So I asked my questions, she asked about my previous job history, asked me salary expectations and that was basically it. Interview #2 was even more awkward. The interviewer asked how familiar I was with the company and the position, what I like to do in my free time, why they should hire me and if I had any questions for him. I was out of the office in ten minutes. Fifteen, tops, but that's pushing it.

I have been working the last two weeks, so at least I'm not completely bored out of my skull. The job that let me go called  me back for a two and a half week assignment. Since I had nothing better to do and needed any extra money I can get, I agreed to it. I was hired for a special project taking sample request calls. It's super easy and I actually really like it....here comes the "but." But I'm not really taking those calls like they said I was supposed to. Conveniently, I wasn't taken off the diaper line, so I'm still taking the stressful, aggravating diaper calls all day. I'm the only one who was called back who hasn't been taken off the diapers line. It's actually even more stressful than it was before I was let go because it's so much busier. After letting go so many people, the hold times are astronomical and the volume is just nuts. So not only am I taking calls I hate, I'm taking about 65 of them a day. Swell.

That's all for now. Maybe some day I'll have something more interesting happen in my life to update you on. Until then, job searching will consume my soul.

*from Jane Addams

A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately, they don't have a J.O.B.*

So...it was been some time in between posts. Sorry for the delay, but frankly, writing about my life was pretty much the last thing on my to-do list. Reason being, I lost my job. And it's the shittiest feeling in the world. Being unemployed was/is pretty hard to admit to, much less write about. The only thing I could think to say was "I suck. Job searching sucks. The end." However, lucky for you, I have gotten past being mopey so stay tuned for the last two and a half weeks to be thrown at you.

Losing my job sucked. It still sucks. Knowing it was a temporary position, I was trying everything I could so that I didn't end up like this. I had been applying for jobs in my field for two months, and got nowhere. I updated my LinkedIn profile, followed up with jobs, and scoured every job site I could think of. I had no idea how long this temp position was going to last, but I had hoped I would get more notice than I did. I got an e-mail on a Thursday that in 45 minutes I had a meeting with the director of the department and one of my managers. I knew it was either really good news or really awful news to have a meeting scheduled with them. I hoped they were going to say I was hired on, and tried to focus on that, knowing deep down that's not what the meeting was for. My anxiety was running so high I could barely focus on my calls...or anything for that matter. I somehow managed to make it through the next 45 minutes until the meeting started. I was told that my position (as well as about 20 others) was up and that I had until Monday (the end of the month). My fears had been confirmed. A whirlwind of emotions hit me and I didn't know what to feel, aside from wanting to vomit. The Waterworks started almost immediately, but I forced myself to hold it together until I had left the conference room. Now what the hell was I supposed to do? I have a car payment, three student loan payments, not to mention rent and the cost of staying alive. You know, that pesky cost of food.

As soon as I got home that night, I called the unemployment office. I wasn't sure what my options were as a temp working for a staffing agency. Was I even eligible? Would I have to get another assignment through the agency? If that was the case, I might as well throw in the towel. If I ever had to rely on that useless office, I would go hungry and my car would get repo'd. I have more confidence in my 14 year old sister finding me a job than that company. Luckily for me, I know how to get things done on my own. Also luckily for me, I was eligible for unemployment. Unfortunately, unemployment is only about 60% of your paycheck and I was already cutting it pretty close. But I had to think on the bright side. At least I was getting something. Without that 60%, I'd be fucked. I'm surviving, barely, but I'm surviving. The biggest problem is my bruised ego. Having to file for unemployment was one of the most embarrassing situations I've ever had to experience. Not having a job is such a helpless, exhausting feeling. I didn't want to run into anyone I knew. I didn't want to talk to friends. I didn't want to see the look on their faces when I said I didn't have a job. I didn't want judgemental stares from people thinking I'm a low-life doing nothing for myself. Trust me, I already feel that enough without anyone else adding to it.

So where does that leave me now? Bored. Not working was great for a few days. It gave me a chance to get a bunch of errands and laundry done. The first few days I was a job searching machine. I applied for a few more jobs in my field, or close to it. I applied for a bunch of receptionist and administrative assistant positions.  After those first few days, though, job postings became slim pickins. Not much is really being posted. Every day at most and every other day at least, I spend time on Careerbuilder, SimplyHired, Indeed, jobcenterofwisconsin, jobsingreenbay, craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I search proofreading, editing, public relations, social media, publishing, nonprofit, marketing communications, receptionist and administrative assistant and at most find two jobs a day to apply for. As for the jobs in my field, or "real jobs" as I call them, I continue to get the same old song and dance that I don't have enough experience. I did hear back from a receptionist job that actually sounds rather promising. I'm supposed to get a call to set up an interview today, and if I don't hear from the hiring manager today, I'm supposed to call the corporate HR office. That's actually really helpful. I have an e-mail and a direct extension for the corporate HR lady who originally called me, and she only gave a two day window. That feels promising at least. Keep your fingers crossed for me, because right now, it's the only option I've got.

*quote from "Fats" Domino