h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh Gawd. BUT at least you know for sure.

Try & keep thinking "One door closes so another one opens;" plus it was a s**t job anyway & becoming more so since you & K had stuff outside work.

So now all opportunities time; no ties, no limitations, get your CV's & references sorted & photocopied & keep your options open; exciting stuff!

If you want to try France, email me with CV's. I mean it. NO promises but at least you would have somewhere to stay while you investigate.

zdt

Thanks, guys. I am hoping that perhaps I'll line something up even before this position terminates. I'll have some good references, and have acquired skills here that I didn't have previously: accounts receivable, shipping/receiving, operating a switchboard, and using the Oracle system. K has been marking ads in the classifieds for me for weeks, he's such an . Hopefully we'll both find better opportunities (and not with conflicting schedules, with luck) soon. It's tough here right now, unemployment's already on the high side in Illinois, and here's another 100+ people about to lose their jobs. And this time of year isn't always good for job searching, either: many companies hold off on hiring near the end of the fiscal year (usually end of February). Unemployment benefits usually last for six months, if one is eligible (which I will be), but the benefit amount varies greatly depending on how much you've paid into it, and it's usually a good 20% or more less than your salary was.

K and I need to get together in the spring and pool our resources, I think- one more benefit of sharing living quarters and stuff, I say. We shall see.

So, I anticipate that the next several weeks will be a bit stressful around here. I beg everyone's pardon in advance if I get moody or withdrawn or anything. My most likely reaction will be sleepiness and perhaps an occasional overindulgence in the .

And I can save almost $50 US a week if I can give up the ciggies. needed!

Well, it's off to work to see what the day holds. I'm still reconciling a large account to try to collect $100,00+ owed us (not that I care anymore, but I still need to work as long as I can), so hopefully I won't be in the plant packing dusty inventory. (I wonder if asthma will excuse me from that?)

That amount above should have read $100,000.00. I'm not used to typing that many zeroes!

Shame you can't filter that elsewhere....

*opps did I say that?*

I'm so bad...

with the job hunting, I'm sure you'll find something really soon. Fingers crossed for you.

Heya Psychocandy and everyone else! Psychocandy, best of with the job hunting and the giving up the cigs! And please try to remain mentally serene. You *are* a person qualified in many ways, and you most certainly will be able to be a valuable 'asset' somewhere else! I'm crossing fingers for you too, but I must say I'm not very worried, I'm sure you'll find something good.

I'm not getting too upset just yet. I feel a lot more confident now than I did before I got this job: I've not only acquired new skills desirable in an office environment and have numerous people happy to give me a reference, but I have gained more pride and confidence in myself, my abilities, and the conscientious person I am.

Yesterday afternoon I sent an email to my old employment agency (the one that found me my current job), and they left a message today asking me to call and schedule an appointment. So, worst come to worst, I can always line up a contract position here and there to tide me over, provided it pays more than my unemployment benefits would be.

As a sort of therapy, I went and did some grocery shopping. I got guacamole, black olives, red onion, and sliced cheese with rolls for sandwiches (to bring for lunch next week), a butternut squash, some tomato soup, and a lovely brick of Fontinella cheese. I also got stuff to make a pizza for dinner tonight- a nice crust, spinach, green pepper, mushrooms, black olives grated mozzarella, asiago, parmesan and romano. I have enough sauce, crust, olives, and mushrooms to make another one next week if I wish. Pizza's done in the oven already, I'm just letting it sit till I can slice it. There will be enough for tomorrow's breakfast, too! Cooking always makes me feel better.

I'll keep you all posted as to how the job search goes. If I get any interviews, I'll likely post asking for more , finger-crossings, and a bit of . Thanks bunches, all!

I'm planning to stay up till at least 9:00 (my time) if anyone fancies a chat (hopefully I'll run into JEllen, finally). Off to catch up some more on the other convos. to you all!

I'm up for MSN, not phone though, RK has to be up early tomorrow & us chatting & giggling will not be conducive to his beauty sleep, the garret isn't far from the phone (hah! Note singular phone, Mooon has eaten cable of the downstairs one!)

zdt

No worries, MSN is fine. I oughtn't run up too many phone bills until I find another job, anyway, as much as it pains me to have to say that. I've logged on, so if and when you're available, give a holler!

And so here I am, into my third glass of cheapie and listening to my "new" Alex Chilton CD. Can I tell you all how effing it is, how long I've been looking for it, and how much I enjoy it? God, I needed it tonight!!

Meh, no replies, whatever... I have less time to spend here, no surprise less people show up.

But anyway... I'm looking for a copy of the Effigies' "Ink", if anyone comes across one, make me an offer and see how badly I want that album!

Otherwise chatting to Terri and heading to bed soon... see y'all next week sometime, eh?

Great chat, sweet dreams of lovely chateaux & happy endings m'dear!

Will email, *bisouuus* to all, especially Herman, poor babe!

Er...Mooon has just flung my h2g2 pen to the floor & also your email adress; maybe she is in cosmic mischevious communication with Herman?

zdt

Thanks for that lovely chat last night, it was fun to talk about the dream hotel. It might not happen, but it's still cool to explore the idea, and it helps me keep my sights high in my current job hunt.

I'll give Herman a big bisou for you, hopefully I won't wind up with claws in my scalp. He just tries to play really hard, and his claws haven't been trimmed in ages, so they get in the way. But I love the fuzzy little guy to bits.

So, I'm going to take a nap now (slept like a rock last night but only for a few hours, so I've been sleepy all day). Enjoy the weekend, all, and I'll see you Monday afternoon. I'm taking my last personal day this coming Tuesday, as is K, so we'll be out pounding the pavement and perusing the want ads. (I get loads of time off this month- the 23rd, 24th, 30th and 31st for the holidays, and I'm taking the 27th, 28th and 29th to use up my vacation time. Woo hoo!)

See y'all later. s and bisous!

Are you really gonna give up smoking?

Hi, all. I've got a bit of catching up to do, but won't have time before work! Just popping by to check in, everything looks okay...

Can't wait to see what everyone got up to this past weekend. Mine was nice and relaxing. Saturday we went out for breakfast, did a bit of shopping for K's kick drum spurs (didn't find the right ones yet, but we're going tomorrow on our day off work), watched a movie and also a documentary called "Schlock!", about the history of "Exploitation" films, which had quite decent coverage of Herschell Gordon Lewis and Russ Meyer films, among others. Yesterday we hung out with his folks for the bowling/ dinner thing. K's mom wanted him to help decorate their tree, I stuck a few balls and some tinsel on to help him out. It was actually kind of nice, in the right context and with the right person. (He didn't ask or expect me to help, he understands all too well my dislike of Xmas. But I think this year will be a bit less irritating. And I won't be asked to eat meat. )

That's it, really: nice and restful. I'm going to finish dressing for work now, and find my umbrella- it's really coming down out there! I'll check everyone's journals when I get home: no work tomorrow, no laundry to do, and grocery shopping is done, so I can spend some time online this evening!

Have a great day, everyone!

ooh, and yes, HB, I *would* love to *try* to quit smoking (again!). I think I will wait till after Xmas, since it does make me mildy grumpy at times, and I'm a little too stressed between that and being laid off next month to quit "cold turkey". I am trying to cut down now, though. Wish me luck.

Slow day today, I see.

Home from work at last, didn't feel like being there and didn't accomplish much. K's practice for tonight's been cancelled, so we're going for wings before splitting up due to DJ duty. Then, tomorrow it's Xmas shopping & stuff. I'll most likely be on in the morning sometime till he gets up and over here.

So, I got K two DVDs ("Carnival of Souls", a favorite film of both of ours, and "Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Triumph the Insult Comic Dog") and a CD called "Bummed out Christmas", which is a collection of depressing Xmas songs. All's left is the kick drum legs and some toys & treats for Herman, and to post parcels to everyone here I've got stuff for. Hopefully I can get them posted this weekend.

Found about two dozen ads in the Career Builder listings today, so I'm off to send out some resumes before dinner.

Mmmmmm, wings!

Hi all. Guess who was on Oprah yesterday? LEO! Yay! Drool!

Too bad the Aviator doesn't open here till the 24th.

JEllen

Hey guys!

JEllen, I'll bet you really enjoyed *that* show!

So, Monday night's wing thing was fun, and then I accompanied K to the club where he DJ'd. I was WAY overserved with Red Bull & vodka, and wound up REALLY sick. So needless to say, we didn't actually get up till around 1:00 yesterday afternoon.

K took me to my doctor's appointment. It was okay, except for my blood pressure, which was astronomically high: so high, in fact, that I have to go back in four weeks and have it re-tested. If it's not down, he's putting me on blood pressure meds.

So anyway, after that we went to the music store and ordered some kick drum spurs for K, he picked out nice ones in a middle price range. His roommate made pasta with veggie marinara sauce for dinner, we watched episode #3 of "The History of Rock 'n' Roll", then I came home and crashed. Tonight's movie night, can't wait to see what we'll watch- possibly "Children of Paradise" at last.

That's about all for now... sent out some resumes at work today and have had a couple of nibbles. I'll keep you all posted how that goes.

Off now for a quick lie down. Everyone, tell me what *you're* doing.

Hi!

Since Netflix was mentioned here a short while ago, and some of my compatriots expressed puzzlement...you can find something similar in the UK by googling UK Online DVD Rental. There's quite a few, and they all have a decent range that includes foreign/independent films. The cheapest seems to be Tesco. (Jaysus! They're getting into everything these days, aren't they?)