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What I Learned This Week – 4/28/13

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This week I learned that Crystal Bowersox is really nice. Last weekend I happened to be in Blissfield, Michigan (my hometown) for Railroad Days, and Crystal, whose hometown is Toledo, Ohio (very close proximity), happened to be dining at the same restaurant as my family. It was Lena’s Italian Restaurant. (Their pizza rocks. If you are ever in the neighborhood, check them out!)

Adrian & Blissfield Railroad, Railroad Days, Blissfield, MI

Adrian & Blissfield Railroad, Railroad Days, Blissfield, MI

RAILROAD DAYS, you might ask? I know it sounds dorky, but if you are interested in trains, then it is not. I was raised by a mother that when she rode me around on the back of her bike, we would stop for the train and wave at the engineer. When we were riding around in the car out in the country, she would race to the tracks for the train.

NO, SHE WOULDN’T TRY TO CROSS THE TRACKS IN FRONT OF IT!

She would race up to the crossing, and then we would stop and watch the train go buy.

I do similar things for my 2 year old son, M, who is very interested in Thomas, and can identify most of the major parts of a steam engine.

Anyway, Miss Bowersox was eating with her family, including her son, who seemed very interested in my son. My family and her family chatted and she was nice enough to give me an autograph. I TOTALLY wanted to get a picture with her, especially since I had my brand new higher megapixel camera with me. But I was too chicken.  (Check out my new page of Celebrities I have met, called When Stars Align.)

It was totally awesome that she was there, because, well, no one famous EVER comes to Blissfield. I think the last time was when Little Texas stopped at the Blissfield McDonald’s in the mid 90′s.

Crystal Bowersox Autograph, 4/20/13

Crystal Bowersox Autograph, 4/20/13

I also learned this week that I am employable. I HAVE A JOB! It is only part-time, only pays half of what I used to make at my previous job, has no benefits, and is a further commute (by like 3 minutes). But, it is also only part-time, so maybe if my husband gets a full time job, I can still fit this job around his. And I don’t have to clean any bathrooms. And the button-down uniform shirt actually fits me better than my own button-down shirt I wear for interviews-go figure.

PARKER UPDATE: The Vet says he had good healing tissue, and she is no longer going to check his progress every week. We are putting prescription cream and aloe (alternating days) on his wound right now. After two times sewing up the wound (and it coming back apart both times), she is just going to let it grow back together on its own. Which means there is a big hole in his doggy armpit still, which I try not to look at. If we put a T-shirt on him, he can roam around the house (supervised) without his cone collar on.

Q.  What do you call a Pointer wearing a cone collar and a major injury?

A. Still a flight risk!

What I Learned This Week – 4/14/13

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This week I may have learned what my perfect job might be. I had an interview at a local botanical spot. It was only part-time, and the hours would have been perfect for my husband to work a 2nd shift job. (Alas, the new job he started a few weeks ago just didn’t work out, for multiple reasons. He really did try. Poor baby.) Lots of time to still spend with my son and not have to mess with daycare. It didn’t pay much, but it also would have been pretty low-stress work as well. I liked the boss and she seemed to like me a lot. But, the catch is that there is actually NO POSITION OPEN right now. She just suspects one of her employees is going to possibly quit soon. Ugh. Frustrating.

My favorite Olivia & Peter kiss-the first one, Season 2 Finale in the alternate universe. Photo: nypost.com

My favorite Olivia & Peter kiss-the first one, Season 2 Finale in the alternate universe.
Photo: nypost.com

The other thing I learned this week is that Fringe is highly addictive. I watched the series during it’s regular run. I missed very few episodes. It was “Must-See TV” for me. (I know, wrong network!) Today the SCI channel (who knew that even existed?) was running a marathon. I watched like 6 hours of Season 3 straight through. I was not fond of the final season of Fringe. It was very depressing. But while watching those doomsday episodes, I had forgot how much I had enjoyed all the earlier episodes. And how watching Peter, Walter, Olivia, and Astrid become a deeply caring family really was a joy for the first four seasons.

And as a chronic shipper, it was amazing for me to actually be delightfully surprised when Peter and Olivia got together.

What I Learned This Week – 3/24/13

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This week I learned that my husband starts a new job–yaaaa!  It is a factory job and he really did not enjoy the one he had before.  So, here is to hoping he can get a little enjoyment out of it while making money to pay the bills.

Personally, I learned that employers want you to have giant windows of availability. I happened to get an interview last week for a place that I submitted an application to in December. At that time, I told them I could work any of the 18hrs that the store is open. This was true for the past 3 months since then. Of course, 6 hours after they call me for an interview, my husband gets the call about his job. Which, it turns out, he won’t find out what shift he will be on until Wednesday. At my interview, it turns out I need to be available to work 10am-10pm Monday through Sunday to be hired. We left it at “I would get back to him” if my husband’s schedule turns out favorable. That might be a great schedule if I had like a 12 year old who could take care of themselves. Not so great for the mother of a two-year old who most likely could not afford daycare on that salary.

Today (which should really go on next week’s post–deal with it) I learned that actor Billy Burke, Charlie Swan from the Twilight movies and currently starring on NBC’s Revolution, sings. As in, records songs and videos and stuff. Heh, who knew? Check him out here: www.billyburke.net/

And finally, cleaning up leftovers from like two weeks ago, here are further duct tape projects I made after the tote bag, before becoming distracted by a much larger creative project.

Domo Wallet, made from duct tape, outside

Domo Wallet, made from duct tape, outside

Domo Wallet, made from duct tape, 3 pocket interior

Domo Wallet, made from duct tape, 3 pocket interior

Domo drum, made from duct tape and a toddler snack can

Domo drum, made from duct tape and a toddler snack can

Job Applications: To Be Me or Not To Be Me?

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JOB-flowers

I applied to work at a local flower shop last week. The last page of the job application was what I refer to as “essay questions”.

They were actually appropriate for the position I was applying for, but I just automatically think up creative answers. And it took me a few minutes to come up with answers to them, so I am glad that they were written and not part of the interview!

Here are a few below and how I answered them. Would you hire me?

This is a fast paced job, dealing with lots of different emotions. What can you do to provide the customer with top quality service?

WHAT I ACTUALLY PUT: Sometimes I worry that my customer service might not be good enough. Then I realize that is that will set me apart from those giving me minimal service at big chain stores. I care about the experience I will provide to someone else. At [Local Convenience Store], I provided excellent customer service every day. When I gave my notice, they begged me to stay and become an Assistant Manager.

MY EXPLANATION TO DEAR READERS: I was trying to turn a negative into a positive. And I have been trying to brag about when I left my job and they begged me to stay for years, but I can never work it into an interview. I wouldn’t mention it, but they actually tried to get me back twice–once when I gave my notice, and once while I was at the laundromat a few months later. (Hmmm. Maybe I should cut to the chase and just apply there again! I would like to think my skills have advanced a little since then, though:(

What is one thing you look forward to doing if hired?

REAL ANSWER: Buying groceries, getting a haircut, buying new underwear.

WHAT I ACTUALLY PUT: I look forward to participating as a part of a team to provide the best products and service to the customer.

I have been trying to “be myself” lately during interviews and filling out applications.  Or maybe it is that I can’t help BUT to be myself.  But, alas, as I still do not have a job, maybe employers just don’t GET the real me.

Ugh!  It is like high school all over again.

What I Learned This Week – 1/6/2013

This week I learned that taxes are all about rules (I LOVE rules!)…except for the exceptions (I HATE exceptions!).

For the last five days (including this morning) I took a 20 hour free tax class (i.e. unpaid training) for a potential tax preparation job (that I have to test high enough to get).

The media has banged the drum this week that employment is up. I think the 15 strangers sitting in a room for four hours a day on their own time for a 50/50 chance at a job shows that there is no improvement in my area of the country.

I also learned that in cases of divorced parents, if the child is treated as the qualifying child of the noncustodial parent, the noncustodial parent can claim an exemption and the child tax credit for the child, and the custodial parent can claim the child as a qualifying child for head of household filing status, the credit for child and dependent care expenses, and the earned income credit.

Did your head explode yet?

I am thankful for this potential job opportunity. But it totally drives me nuts to be learning this huge wealth of knowledge and not know whether I will actually be able to put it to use or not.

What I Learned This Week – 10/28/12

The finished product: Spaghetti Squash with Spaghetti Sauce and Cheese

This week I learned that spaghetti squash is pretty good. My friend cooked some up using a Rachael Ray recipe. I found a recipe of Ms. Ray’s (not sure if it was the same recipe) and bastardized the hell out of it. I really only used the recipe to know how to prepare the squash. For final touches, I just put Ragu spaghetti sauce and an italian shredded four cheese blend on it. My husband liked it. My toddler son LOVED it. I thought it was kind of “eh”. But if it isn’t chocolate-coated, that is often my response.

A satisfied customer (And using a fork! So advanced.)


I also learned this week that I don’t seem to be qualified to work as a part time bank teller. It appealed to me because I thought I would still have some time every week to spend with my son and keep the house clean. I interviewed at two different branches. One went with someone with 20 years of teller experience. (My experience in banking? None.) I can’t compete with that.

I haven’t heard back on the second interview yet, but the job description and the manager made it pretty clear that they wanted someone who spoke Spanish. (Alas, more skills I lack.) The recruiter didn’t seemed as concerned by my lack of this skill.

Spaghetti squash have seeds?! But Rachael didn’t say anything about what to do with seeds!


I’m not stalking you. is NOW ON FACEBOOK! “Like” that I’m not stalking you and get an update when there is a new post to read. (It is sort of like YOU are stalking ME.)

Shoulda been a writer.

As I am in the middle of job hunting, networking, perfecting my resume, a very dear former co-worker of mine complimented my writing skills on a Linkedin recommendation I wrote for another former collegue. She had no idea (well, maybe a little idea) that I have all these creative juices that can, at times, flow all over the place (In the words of Summer Roberts on The O.C. “Ew.).

I liked writing in school. Out of gym, math, and science, it was the least henious. My asbestos friend (I’ll explain it someday, promise) and I used to skip lunch in high school to go to the computer lab and work on personal stories. It seemed like a much more pleasant experience to escape into my creative dreamland than to negotiate the impending embaressment that is the high school lunch room.

I think I always thought I would be a writer someday. Of novels or poetry or TV scripts or newspaper articles. When I got my first grown-up job, I shelled out big bucks to buy a word processor (I know, lame. Even lamer, it was the year 2000!). I sat down one uneventful evening to begin my career as a writer. Then I realized it was work like everything else. That night is sort of when I let my writing dream die. But then…

THE BLOG WAS BORN!!!

The Internet created these things called blogs, where you didn’t have to have someone else “publish” your thoughts–you could just puke them out of yourself for your closest friends to read! Of course, the disadvantage is no marketing support and no paycheck for them. That is why I need everyone who reads this blog to send it to one other person, and so on. So that someday my words might support me afterall. Getting paid just to be me wouldn’t really be work at all.

An Epiphany

I had an epiphany the other day. Unemployment is the new retirement.* Think about it. Ponder the deepness of my thought.

Now, past generations had pensions from their companies to provide them income in their retirement years. Gone. Social Security was always standby monetary security (it is in the name, afterall). Social Security will be gone sooner, rather than later. 401ks are a good idea, if your employer puts in contributions (mine stopped several years ago) and the stock market doesn’t take any giant nosedives. Oh, right.

So, from the unscientific examples above, you will see that people will have to continue working longer. This will cause them to miss out on those “Golden Years”, of providing free daycare to their grandkids, going on casino trips, and spending winters in warmer climates.

But, think about it. Retirement was at the end of your life! You had to WORK for 65 years (or 66, or 67,…) to get there. I don’t know about you, but 8 hours a day seems like a long time to me, let alone 8 x 5 x 52 x 65! And you could be in bad shape physically or mentally by then, and not be able to enjoy retirement. Or, the worse, YOU COULD BE DEAD BY THEN!

Now, think about this. In this economy, it seems as though everyone gets a year (or more!) to be unemployed. Hopefully congress keeps passing bills to keep the unemployment beneftis coming as well (fingers-crossed). This has become my current state of affairs. And I swear I am truthfully doing a dilligent job hunt. But I am also going to enjoy my time off. While I am young. While I am healthy. While I can watch my son master the art of crawling and buy him cute things at garage sales. I want to reconnect with my husband again. I want to shop at Ikea with my asbestos friend. I want to take a breath. I was at my last job for 12 years. In another 12 years I will be 47. Whoa. See, I need to take a breath.

I realize I should be worried. But I just am not. I had little control over my company liquidating and laying me off. While I look for my dream job or my next job to pay the bills, I am going to enjoy a little of my retirement now.

*NOTE: funnygurl2 is not a moneyologist and you should always make all money and life decisions for yourself.

My company is dead.

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My company is dead. They are finally going to close. I am relieved. Everyone else seemed stunned. I’m not sure what world they live in. The company has had a string of bad CEOs since I started in 1999. As a company, we did crazy things, like cut all our ordering by 30% for the holiday season, when the holidays are when we would have the highest sales. We also ignored a sector of the business that was high margin & high sales.

When I applied for jobs or went on interviews, I was always worried they would offer me the job, then I would have to make a decision if I should take a job with less pay and benefits, or stay with a job that could end any day or move 20 miles further from my home. See, a relief.

Now I will have to go all-out job hunting. I am ready for it. I think. Much more ready than all the previous times my company had layoffs in the past. Hopefully my new job will not have a 50 minute commute.

My Real Resume

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ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Wife
-Population Control
-Domestic Administrator
-Chef
-Personal Shopper
-Budget Overlord
-Time Management
-Scheduler
-Zookeeper
-Records Archive Director
-Historian
-Psychic
-Hair Stylist
-Concubine
-Closet Organizer

Mom
-Part-time Nanny
-Teacher
-Nurturer
-Photographer
-Diaper Quality Inspector

Daughter
-Chauffeur
-Technology Expert
-Furniture Mover
-Entertainment Committee
-Slave

Homeowner
-Wildlife Relocation Specialist

Asbestos Friend
-Thrower of Baby BBQs
-Accomplished email time suck

SPECIALTIES

Specializing in entertainment trivia, offbeat humor, & good hygiene.

Skills
-10 key calculator
-Disaster preparedness
-First Aid administrator
-Amateur weather prediction
-American Red Cross Dog First Aid certified
-Blogger Extraordinaire

Education
-Was on high school honor roll 22 of 24 marking periods.
-Accomplished this while watching 58 hrs of television a week.
-Graduated .03 GPA from a summa cum laude in college.
-Learned not to be different in any way thanks to Middle School.
-Only missed one word all year in 4th grade spelling (stupid “Caynon”. I MEAN CANYON!!!).
-Co-Editor of high school newspaper.

Desired Salary
$2,000,000 the first year, and $1,000,000 each year thereafter, plus a $1,000,000 signing bonus.
Fame to go with my fortune would be considered a bonus.

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