Journal Entries
No wonder the Thingites call today Sodit
Posted Jul 9, 2007
Let's see, how many ways can today be crummy?
Now mind you, I am a 45-year-old happily married woman, I've got my health, a university education, a roof over my head, food, clothes, a husband who loves me, two cats one of whom loves me, two ponds full of fish none of whom love me, in short, I'm whining here, and I know it.
But, Friday evening, I got a call from the company that had two interviews with me. They offered me $10/hour. I was stunned. For those who don't know due to exchange rates, that's well below a living wage.
Now, this is the same company that says they want someone to stay with them, one interviewer acted surprised as she related the story of a fellow they hired who left after two days for a better paying job. Hours later, she offered me $10/hour.
Wow. Well, good for him. This morning, I dropped by the employment office to talk to someone. And the employment officer, said, yes, we've been talking to employers trying to get them to understand that the reason they can't find anyone who will stay is because they need to bring their wages up. He let me print off a report stating that 6 years ago (before the housing crunch) this job paid $13/hour in poor counties, and $26/hour in rich counties.
Armed with that, I countered their offer. And they raised theirs to $11/hour.
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Latest reply: Jul 9, 2007
Second Interview
Posted Jul 6, 2007
Today I went for a second interview. This job would be an entry level job with an environmental lab. I'd be making just over 1/4 what I had been. In short, I'd be starting all over, it's as if my professional career never happened.
And yet, if they do offer me the job, I guess I would have to count myself as lucky. One of the few people who survive a big corporate layoff, and actually end up with a job with less bad karma and a much shorter commute. And they don't seem to be upset in the slightest about my proposed use of flex time to work on my nascent side business. In fact the interviewers expressed a lot of interest in it, took my prototype business card, asked if they could sample my products.
In any case, Dora 
and I are discussing it now, and my husband and I will discuss it when he gets home.
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Latest reply: Jul 6, 2007
All About Dora
Posted Jun 27, 2007
My cat Dora has a lot to say. Of all the cats I've had over the years, I have never had such a vocally expressive cat. She makes so many different sounds - maybe I'm anthropomorphising here - but it's very obvious to me what she wants. For example, she has managed to make me understand that when she's outside and I'm inside, and she moews in a certain and rather loud way, she doesn't want in. She wants me to come out. I can putter in the garden, I can sit on the step and pet her, I can stand around sipping my coffee, but I should be outside, according to Dora.
I've had cats over the years come to greet me at the door when I come home, but Dora is the only one who seems to want to tell me about day.
Today I had a job interview, and it went rather well I thought. Oddly I really don't want a job, because I'm trying to start my own business. Starting one's own business may be rewarding but it doesn't pay the rent. Keeping a roof over Dora's head, at least when she wants in, keeping her bowl full of kibble, and the occasional trip to the vet, these things take money.
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Latest reply: Jun 27, 2007
Anoia, goddess of things stuck in drawers
Posted Jun 15, 2007
There are those who believe nerds should stay in their cubicles and not venture out except when escorted by the more worldly or socially skilled. The nerd should work for the corporation, protected by the layers of management from any real interference, and get on with whatever technical work makes fat paychecks for all those layers of management and dividend checks for stockholders. Under no circumstances should the nerd act on dreams of starting his own business, least of all a business unrelated to the technical work so necessary to the corporation.
Maybe they're right.
But I have a strange compulsion, so I'm going forward with it anyway.
My paper business files are now in a used 4-drawer filing cabinet that undoubtedly brings much pleasure to Anoia, goddess of things stuck in drawers. I'm still setting up Quickbooks, because I have to look up everything. I have one more government form to fill out. Well, one more that I know about, there may be others.
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Latest reply: Jun 15, 2007
Mind-Numbing Chores
Posted Jun 13, 2007
When I was a teenager, a classmate asked me why I came to school in rumpled shirts. I explained that life was too short for ironing. Now, I'm wasting a lovely spring evening filing. Rather sad in a way.
I'm trying to get a bit organized in preparation for starting a business. Because I was on the road a lot for my last job, bits of research, receipts, and important documents all ended in piles and boxes along with journals and shopping lists. Now I am sorting the important from the recycling and trying to make sense of this. This is my last excuse to avoid writing a business plan. Ah, that is, this is the last necessary task before writing my business plan. There, that sounds better. Actually I found what looks like a draft of a good-sized chunk of a business plan, so maybe the draft won't be that hard after all.
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Latest reply: Jun 13, 2007
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