Okay, so, I lied

It's Tuesday. Well, what can I tell you? I was busy yesterday.

As is typical in my family, I spent the whole day with relatives at a Memorial Day BBQ thing in our back yard. And, like always, I had to keep the young ones entertained. Probably the first time in a while that I've played catch, volleyball, badminton, bocci, and Mario Party all in the same day. Luckily, I still had energy left for smores and fireworks last night.

Now, for the news you've all been waiting for: Price Chopper and I have parted ways. I sat down with my supervisor, and we came to the agreement that this job was definitely not bringing out the best in me. So, I was dissmissed/quit. I don't care what you call it, but they still like me enough to let me use them as a reference, so it's not like I pushed over the bottle machines and stormed out the front door.

So, I'm an unemployed bum again. I'm going to try to use my newfound free time to finish up my novel manuscript, and make plans to go back to school. Right now, I'm thinking about spending a semester or two at SUNYIT, but it's not set in stone yet.

I'm also doing a little more reading. I'm almost done with a little paperback called The Boy Who Couldn't Die by William Sleator. It's not exactly the most original story ever written, but it's pretty creepy. I'm enjoying it. My next piece of summer reading will be Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. If you've read it, don't spoil it for me.

That's about it for now. Now go do something productive.

Stayin' Alive

So, after six months of collecting dust, I finally started playing Primal, which I bought back in '07 for about $5. The game's actually kind of cool. I have some issues with the camera and combat systems, and the AI is a bit flawed at times, but otherwise it makes for a unique and enjoyable action/adventure experience. Plus, for five bucks, how can I complain?



In work news, I'm not sure yet, but I think I might have just gotten myself fired from P-Chop. Gory details will follow on Monday.

So, I restarted my job search today. I was quickly reminded of what a pain applying online for a position can be. CVS and Hollywood Video both use the same online system, including a 20-page psychological evaluation that somehow expects to determine your suitability for a job based on your friends, your personality, and your general outlook on life (in the form of standard agree/disagree questions). Actual questions include such oddities as "It is maddening when the courts let guilty criminals go free," "There is no point in having close friends. They'll just let you down in the end," and the ever-popular "You are angry more often than nervous."

The other one was Wal-mart. Normally I'd never consider such a thing, but they have a photo department, and the last job that didn't make my eyes melt was in that field, so I thought it could work out. I think I have a good chance with this one, since I'm actually reasonably qualified for it, and I passed the entrance exam. Yes, Wal-mart has an entrance exam to screen applicants. And I failed it last time I took it. Take a moment to let that sink in.

That's about it for now. Until next time, readers. Viva la Revolucion!

Good Post Titles Are Hard To Come By

My first day off from the job at P-Chop since last Tuesday. I'm gonna spend most of it on the couch. Just thought I'd churn out a post before I crash for the afternoon.

So, it turns out I'm still in the running for this job at IZEA. Fingers crossed, people. If this works out, I could have a whole new career on my hands. Well, a career.

At any rate, it's pretty sweet. I mean, what nerd doesn't dream of having a job where they're payed to sit on their ass typing? Plus, the whole work from home thing would save me a lot on gasoline. I'd talk about gas prices, but that's a topic I don't have the fiery passion to talk about right now. I had a decent night's sleep for the first time in weeks. The fire's just not there today.

Anyway, the only fly in the oinment is that I'm not sure yet if I'd still be allowed to use sponsored posts or not. I know a few people (lookin' at you, Jordan) weren't too pleased with them, but I think a few now and then can't hurt, and I'd hate to lose the chance. It probably says somewhere in the site's ULA whether employees can use the site. But, come on. Have you seen the length of that document? Who can actually read those things, right? It's like homework or something.

...Man, I hope Gordon from IZEA doesn't read this.

That song by Poison is stuck in my head

Did I mention how much I hate my job? Well, I might as well put it out there again. I realize that many people don't like there job, but as for me, when I find myself going in to work at a place where

• A) I'm surrounded by people I don't know, and often don't like


• B) I'm forced to engage in mindless repetitive tasks for hours at a time


• C) I'm forced to remain standing in one place until
  
  1. I get a break
  2. My spine gives out from the strain and I collapse, or
  3. I jump over the counter and kill someone for trying to use a coupon for a product they didn't even buy
  (whichever occurs first)

So, while many people may claim to "hate" their jobs, I do it with a commitment and flair that most bitter cynics could only hope to match. I am easily the best disgruntled employee the service industry has seen in years. Hell, I'd even have been promoted to cashier by now, if it weren't for the fact that I was changing meds that week.

(Effexor XR, for anyone who cares. It's pretty cool right now, but the transition was a bitch. I was an emotional car wreck all week. On the bright side, I can now honestly say I know what it's like to be a girl getting her period. Aside from the bleeding part.)

The only reason I still work there is because I can't get a job anywhere else. Apparently, there's a memo going around about me (Only good things, I hope), and Neil Golub is the only guy who didn't get it. Either that, or they just didn't care, which is entirely possible. Hell, they've hired every other circus freak and mental defect who's walked through their front door. Why stop now?

Anyway, I'm still working on trying to land another job, I'm writing whenever I can find the time, and I've got a knot in my neck that's really irritating me, so I won't be able to finish that thought I was in the middle of. Sorry. Maybe next time.

Oh yeah, and before I forget, August 29th at SPAC: Cruefest. If anyone wants to go with me, say so. We will have tickets to this thing. Trust me. Where have I steered you wrong?

No News is Good News

Jordan and/or Schunk, if you're reading this, I fuckin' miss you guys. I haven't been online in weeks because I've been busy with work and crap. I swear I'm gonna take a drive out to Poughkeepsie sometime before finals start. At least, I'll sure as hell try to. Anyway, I'm just making a little update for anyone who's been wondering where I've been.

In psychiatric news, I'm on Cymbalta now. Not loving it, but not hating it either. Also, it seems I may be slightly OCD. This came as something of a surprise to me, but it does explain a few things, like the hand-washing.

Still doesn't explain why I seem to have latent packrat tendencies. For those who haven't heard, there's a large black chair in my room now that wasn't there before. I took it off someone's lawn after being struck by how cool it looked. However, I didn't realize until I picked it up just how large it is. I couldn't actually fit it in my car. I ended up driving home at about 20mph with the thing hanging out the back of my trunk. It's now sitting in the middle of my room, and despite its apparent comfiness, I have yet to actually sit in it. I've kind of been using it as another table.

On the writing front, I've gotten back to work on my novel and have been making good progress. I have my heart set on a June publishing date, but I don't know yet if I'll have it done by then. Part of the problem is that one of the publishers I was looking at won't accept any manuscript short of 80,000 words, and at present my manuscript falls just short of 50,000. Plus, I'm still not sure how I want to finish the thing. Endings are a bitch, man.

Also, working at Price Chopper still sucks balls. I'm sore and miserable all day, and they don't pay me enough for this shit. It's also a bad environment for me, considering my seething hatred for old people. I don't mind some old people as long as they're still pretty alert, but I have zero patience for the senile. If I ever get that old and my mind starts to go, just kill me. I'd rather be dead than exist like that. My mind is my livelihood.

Well, on that cheery note, I'm signing off. Later, my loyal readers. Snooch to the muthafuckin' dudes.

-untitled-

You know, I really wish I wasn't so braindead. Anyway, I don't have much to talk about, but I'll say what I will.

First of all, it probably won't surprise Jordan to find out that I'm playing Baten Kaitos Origins again. The funny thing about that game is that, while it can probably be beaten in a day, it has a good hundred and fifty hours of sidequests and crap to do. I'm playing a little Killer7, too. Despite getting a Wii for Christmas, I'm trying to appreciate the classics.

I'm still on the Urban Dead forum, even though I haven't played the game in months. The role-play board makes for great writing practice. Sadly, this also means I haven't been working on my novel(s) much lately, and due to technology issues, my series is still on hold. I'm going to put some more time aside this week to try to crack this writer's block I'm getting.

I've got a lot of reading to do, too. Aside from all the books I had at Christmas, I just picked up the fourth and fifth books in Garth Nix' Keys to the Kingdom series. I started reading this thing years ago, then it seemed like he must have given up on it, so I did, too. Now, some 5ish years later, I find not one but two new books to sink my teeth into. And I haven't even finished the Mammoth Book of Comic Fantasy yet. Damn, I've got a lot to do.

Oh, and I'm still working at Price Chopper at $7.15 an hour. And it still sucks hard.

That's all for now. Peace, love and harmony, bitches.