From the Depths

Fall out

2009-11-06T21:28:59Z

Lots of wind in the last 24 hours. I have always believed that this was Mother Nature's way of cleaning off the trees from a majority of leaves.

Next week is Veterans Day, sort of the official start to the Christmas shopping season.

Things are starting to look up on the employment front. I am seeing jobs in my sphere of influence, so hopefully, someone will realize that I am worth hiring. I have this small suspicion that one of my references is not giving out a good picture of me. So let's see if changing who I use for a reference will help.

Because my talent hasn't changed.

Elections in Bellingham

2009-11-04T18:55:04Z

Looks like a friend of mine is about to lose in her election to be a Bellingham alderman. The fellow running against her had significant amounts of money backing his candidacy.

She also failed to pay a traffic ticket at the wrong time. Not that that should make any difference to people voting.

Looks like R71, the partnership amendment is passing. I-1033 is failing, which is good.

I missed my usual first Tuesday activity for a friend's party. The party was a touch on the disappointing side -- I probably would have been happier with my usual activity. Oh, well, there's always the munch at the end of the month and the post-fun.

Happy

2009-10-30T19:18:41Z

Happy to have made it through another birthday. It was fun to have dinner with several friends.

Since the party that I had with my stepchildren and spouses three years ago, this was the most fun one could have. We enjoyed each other's company.

it was the last party that we had as a family -- Susan and I parted ways about a year afterwards. She moved to Bellingham. I followed several months afterward. and then she discovered that she had cancer. Her son took her into his house and she left us about a month ago.

The bad memories we had are gone now. I only remember the positive things now.

And so life goes on.

for those of you paying attention

2009-10-27T20:09:59Z

including katy at the drop....tomorrow, yes, is my 56th birthday. Ah, to remember when my hair was brown and not mostly gray.

The plans for the day call for a dinner with four or five of my closest friends at a local eatery which offers free food on one's birthday.

Happy Friday!

2009-10-23T22:07:05Z

Smile -- made it to Friday again.

A few changes -- I manage a mailing list. I need to tell my subscribers that they need to get their act together. I send them a message telling them how to unsubscribe, yet I get too many emails saying that they want to unsubscribe.

Hmmm.....who do I need to beat to get them to behave?

the job front continues to suck. My job with a local insurance agent ended as the economy has resulted in very few taking me up on the free quote. Oh, well. At least I am on UI yet and money continues to come in. My food stamps also. The State of Washington says I continue to qualify.

Hope your weekend is a good one.

13 days

2009-10-15T19:13:38Z

The title seems like a horror movie, but I guess birthdays are like that. Especially those in this neck of the woods.

But having resided up here in Bellingham for the better part of three years, my last birthday has been a real pleasure to celebrate. I have a great friend who sat down with me and we celebrated my 55th by gorging myself with coconut cream pie. I remember it fondly.

And from the scary department, a lady I know and admire from a group I am involved in shares my birthday. She's quite preggers with child. Do wish her a good birthday and much luck with her expansion plans up there in Burnaby, BC.

She, I and Bill Gates -- who woula thunk?

Moving on

2009-10-09T21:31:18Z

From those of you reading this blog, life's moved on. My lovely so of 18 years has been memorialized by her children/my friends on a blog of their own making. I enjoyed reading all of the joyous reminders of her. One of the things I remember is the times we would go shopping and she would pick up all the colors of something she got for cheap.

She'd tell me that we saved enough to pay for it retail. No matter that we didn't need twelve of the item, she triumphed that she saved money in buying something for a really cheap price. She would go to Target for its 75% off clearance at the end of Halloween or Christmas seasons.

Our shopping excursions were times we really enjoyed together.

the end of 18 years

2009-09-28T17:42:00Z

You don't make a commitment of 18 years and end it without caring for someone in some way. Many readers of this blog do not know that I was married for 18 years. She and I ended that 18 years in 2007 on somewhat of an amicable level. Her children and I still communicate to this day -- it was her son who called me at about 5:13pm yesterday with the news.
"She's gone," he said when I answered my cell yesterday. I asked whether he had told his sister first. "She was in the room when Mom died." he said tearfully.

She passed away....painlessly, which made all of us very happy to hear. She had been battling with fibromyalgia along with other things, including a stroke. We knew her days were numbered, glad the waiting was over for all of us.

There will be tears, but life will go on. I went to Job Club this morning as she would have me do. Of anyone in my life she always thought I deserved more, because of the skillset I posessed. So very few recognize that, I hope more will, even in this job market.

Why I like my volunteer gig

2009-09-14T23:22:51Z

I was sitting in the Worksource computer lab and one of the faciitators came in, saying he had a lady who needs help with a resume. She had a deadline of that afternoon. We sat at a terminal and wrote a resume for her that should get her a job.

The lady had significant background in the skills being sought by the employer and had no gaps in work history. So we wrote her a good chronological resume that should get her an interview.

Now if only I could get a full-time job with benefits!

second session

2009-09-10T20:14:46Z

I am teaching all about basic computers at Worksource this afternoon for the first time.

This will be interesting -- hopefully, I will guide my students who know little or nothing about computers down the path they should go.

EDIT: I was so nervous, but the Worksource person who sat in the back said I did well.

The second day was so much better. I took charge and helped a lot of folks figure out computers.

Teaching my first class today

2009-09-08T18:22:23Z

on the news front....

2009-09-03T21:02:54Z

The interview yesterday went well....I think I surprised myself with how I talked about my skills to the lady at the medical clinic.

EDIT: 9/11/09 10:45 am I was called in for a second "working" interview at FHA -- they called a few seconds ago and said they had gone with someone who was more cost effective. Oh, well. There will be other opportunities.

I did not get the job at Western, sadly. So what else is new?

The Drop is in the running for the Best Coffee Shop at the king5 Best of Western Washington competition, and You (yes, You) are ordered to go give them a well-deserved vote. I think they were the first coffee shop I walked into who took an interest in who I was and what I liked to drink.

EDIT: the drop is in second place at the moment. They were pleased to hear that their customers thought they were worthy of consideration against all the big Seattle coffeehouses. Me, I'd love to see them win anyway.

update

2009-09-02T17:10:19Z

Things are picking up -- I have yet another interview this afternoon. This one came up very quickly. I applied for a job at a local clinic yesterday morning and they called me that afternoon for an interview. It amused me that they called me in the bathroom at the Drop. Thank God for good acoustics.

Although I have money coming in from UI, they are still sending me odd questionnaires about my part-time work. I thought I had told them about it in enough detail, but it seems not. I hope this will resolve things. Happily, I have a pay stub to give them the information they requested. Can this stop now?

UI process

2009-08-26T22:54:53Z

With all the phone calling and messages going back and forth, I have been impressed and disappointed similtaneously with the process of reentering the UI system.

It didn't take long for them to realize that they made a mistake in not letting me back on the rolls, once I called. But here was the disappointment. they didn't realize that I am paid through a separate organization for my current job until 48 hours after they approved my return. hmmm.

Well, things are back on schedule. I will eventually be able to pay my rent this week. The claim is being backdated to July. so they owe me like about 6 weeks of UIC. Which will put me into the extended benefits. So I have roughly 16 weeks to find a full-time job now.

EDIT: Just got two letters from UIC -- they want to know why I didnt submit something I did. ???
EDIT2: The other indicates I will receive $200 a week plus another $25 from the feds. So that will be okay, I guess. Just want them to do it NOW! I like paying rent....so do my landlords.

Update

2009-08-24T20:15:21Z

Smiling this afternoon -- After the Job Club meeting this morning, I spent an hour on the phone talking to the Unemployment folks -- the person I communicated with did some research and told me that the state had made a mistake. I qualified for a return to UI!

So money is headed back to my bank account! Yay! So I should get a check enough to cover my rent for this month and next month!

And I could qualify for extended benefits! Smiles.

EDIT: I Do qualify for extended benefits.

EDIT2: Haven't heard from WWU yet, but I am going to gently noodge the ladies in the coming 24 hours to see how their decision process is going and remind them of what they are missing by not hiring me.

Surprises

2009-08-21T17:49:33Z

The last two days have had a lot of surprises for me. I am scheduled for a job interview this afternoon (Friday) at a place where I expected I would never ever be again. The university here has had budget and staff cutbacks. As I recall from a job club, even places experiencing cutbacks need essential personnel. This seems to be the case. And normally, they screen via telephone. But I am being brought in without one of those screens.

I participated in a job skills workshop over at Worksource this week and last -- my interview was horri ble, but that could have been from the fact that there was a video camera stuck in my face. The questions were ones I am familiar with. On playback I hemmed and hawwed, and looked like I could never get a job. I think I am better for the workshop. Timing is good -- I got the message about the interview Wednesday afternoon. Grins.

And the final surprise of the week is that someone (although I have a guess) put $20 on My card at the Black Drop. I think I know who did that and I appreciate it.

Shortcomings and successes

2009-08-20T19:51:17Z

This week has been an interesting one for me. I continue to work part-time for a local insurance agent, seeking quotes from homeowners as a telemarketer. Not being too successful with that, sadly.

I thought I might be able to get at least three people to say yes each evening, but I seem to be fighting good summer weather and an early evening schedule. People have no compunction about slamming their phones down on me. I have accepted that. But, hey, if you are interested in shopping around for car or home insurance, give Chris a call at 360-734-2880 and tell him Bruce sent you. Please?

B ut as I have a part-time job, I seem to be more successful in getting responses from other employers. I have an interview in the Purchasing Department at WWU tomorrow -- this will be the third such interview in that department. Fingers crossed. I am hopeful, considering the fact that I did a test interview earlier this week where I stumbled and fumbled before a video camera. This interview should be good. I have been very thoughtful about what might be asked there. The plan is to provide short answers to any and all questions and not uh and ah so much.

So many people have been supportive of my efforts -- i do want to thank all of them here.

job stuff

2009-08-06T22:20:29Z

For those of you keeping up with what is happening with me.

1.) I managed to convince one person to accept an insurance quote yesterday. The guy who hired me is being patient. We celebrated that little activity. But I would like to get him some more people to talk to... after all, he gave me this job.

2) I did have an interview over at the hospital yesterday. St. Joseph's has a system of oncall folks they term "perdiem." Hoping they liked what I said, I hope to hear from them in a couple of weeks.

It was a good day yesterday.

Day 1

2009-08-04T17:31:00Z

The first day of the new part time job is proving to be a busy one -- I have to sit in the lab for three hours at Worksource, starting at noon.

Work starts at 4 pm. Guard your telephones and daughters!

Weather-wise, it is so nice out, Just want to sit on my bed and chat the afternoon away. But the only chatting I will be doing is with prospective clients for my boss' insurance agency.

It's Friday

2009-07-31T17:04:20Z

This has been one of the better weeks in a while, hot weather notwithstanding.

I have an interview at one of the local healthcare facilities -- not saying which until I find out whether or not I have the job or not.

Feeling positive but a touch superstitious....

Checking the mail

2009-07-22T01:56:55Z

Well, since I wrote that entry earlier, I had a chance to check the mail.

I think I have to wait a week before I see any money, which could suck as I sent a rent check out without having the money in the bank.

Ugh

Better now, thanks

2009-07-21T17:17:23Z

I am feeling a whole lot better now, thank you very much for asking.

My outlook on life has improved, thanks to the State of Washington. They let me back on the unemployment rolls as of this week, so money is once more coming in. Smile.

I have an interview for a part-time job this afternoon, so that is good as well.

So how are you, gentle reader?

??

2009-07-02T17:35:22Z

I seem to be on my last legs -- starting to sell things I would like to keep. If you are interested in having a Blu-Ray player or Microsoft Office 2007 and can come up with about $500 cash immediately, I want to talk with you. Otherwise, I am out on the street in about a week.

Optimistically Pessimistic

2009-06-26T19:01:09Z

Okay, so I don't know when and where this next month's rent is coming from.

For some reason, I think my changes of getting hired is improving.

Not really based on fact, just have an idea it might happen.

Slowly I turn....

2009-06-25T18:17:41Z

After going to the resume workshop Tuesday afternoon, I think I see my problem. Just too many bullets and my resumes are not exactly targeted to jobs I am applying for -- that's the reasons I see my resumes are headed for the garbage bin.

I helped someone figure out how to get her Elevate America voucher cashed in today...it is not exactly the easiest thing to do, but I got her in and set up. Smiles.