The Employee is a Lonely Hunter

I have had a devil of a time finding a job! It would probably be easier for me to get hired as an ex-con or high school dropout than as a college graduate with 5 years of non-managerial experience. The jobs that require experience are going to those who have 10 or more years experience and the jobs that require no experience are going to those without college degrees because they’re cheaper to hire. I’m seriously considering setting up shop on a street corner.

One glimmer of hope – I had a very positive interview with a temp agency this morning. Fingers crossed that they’ll send me on a job soon.  I sure would hate to spend my days digging through Clark Street trash cans and pushing a grocery cart down the sidewalk.

I’ve also applied for a number of dog walking/sitting jobs and various and sundry waitressing and retail positions.  If you have any other suggestions for where I can find work in Chicago (without a car) I’d LOVE to hear them! In the meantime, I’ll continue to survive on gruel and rusty tap water. :)

What a professional!

Here’s Something Neat

Preface: I try not to talk about weight because it’s a very off-putting topic but it will occasionally sneak in. If you’d like to maintain the illusion that I’m super tiny and cute, please keep scrolling and don’t read this.

I had an interview at Bath & Body Works today (that’s right, a Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of PR experience have potentially qualified me to sell moderately-priced lotion and shower gel gift sets to people who don’t know what to give as gifts) and I had a devil of a time finding something to wear. All of my pants and skirts were at least 2 sizes too big and the only way I can keep them on is to cinch up my belt as tight as it will go in a very Huck Finn fashion. Why are all my clothes too big?

• I do not have a job, therefore, I do not have much money
• Since I do not have much money, I can’t afford more than 2 meals a day
• Since I do not have much money, I can’t afford public transportation so I walk everywhere

While this is fantastic news for my health and waistline, it’s not great news for trying to look professional. My pencil skirt looks like a zippered pencil bag and my tops all billow and bag in a very unflattering fashion. It’s a vicious cycle: I need new clothes that fit properly in order to get a job but I can’t buy new clothes (or have the existing ones tailored) until I have a job that provides me with money. Woe is me!

I realize this is all very silly and petty compared to most of the world’s problems but if I can’t complain on the internet to strangers, where can I complain?

Thai-ing something new or It really IS windy in the Windy City!

Cut me some slack on my terrible title, I’ve only got two weeks worth of writing classes under my belt.

Let me first apologize for not posting more often but do you have any idea how many episodes of Pit Boss are broadcast each week? Just try to resist precious pit bulls and costumed Little People. I dare you.  Somehow I managed to tear myself away from the television yesterday afternoon and take a nice walk around town.  I bought two books on clearance from Urban Outfitters (they were each $10 and I’ve wanted this one for a while. This one was written by a couple whose wedding was featured by Martha Stewart), perused the overpriced stuff at Anthropologie and successfully avoided a GreenPeace worker on the sidewalk.

All that walking built up a thirst so I stopped in a Starbucks for an overpriced glass of tea. I whipped out my notebook and recorded the people and atmosphere. To the untrained eye, I probably looked like every other pretentious writer who goes to Starbucks to be seen writing but the careful observer could discern that I am actually a pretentious writer who goes to Starbucks to be seen writing.

After thoroughly recording my subjects, it was time for supper. Since I was already out, I decided to Thai out Garlic & Chili, the tiny Thai kitchen just a half block from my apartment.  Garlic & Chili is located in the bottom of a transient motel so it isn’t exactly fine dining but the staff was super friendly and quick. I took my chicken pad Thai and spring rolls to go and they did not disappoint. While the pad Thai recipe was very different from the dish I loved in Augusta, it was still delicious. So delicious that I spent the rest of the night prostrate on the sofa, bemoaning the fact that I ate the whole thing.

Later that night, I was startled awake by a high-pitched howling and loud smacking noises. These noises were very different from the loud clunking my living room radiator makes so it was slightly concerning. Turns out, they don’t call it the Windy City for nothing – the wind was whipping and it hasn’t stopped all day.  The sun has finally come out now so I think I’ll go out for another walk. Just as soon as I watch 5 more episodes of Pit Boss.

Shorty and Hercules photo from here.

Groceries

I”m not promising that these Chicago posts are going to be funny or even interesting, I’m just writing them to avoid job searching, dish washing and laundry. Hopefully I’ll have some colorful and or interesting stories to share soon.

The biggest difference I’ve noticed between North and South (or at least Chicago and Augusta) over the last five days is the  grocery shopping.

1. Groceries are so expensive here!! A rotisserie chicken that would cost $5.99 at Kroger costs $10 at Jewel-Osco. (I almost choked to death when I saw the prices at Treasure Island. I quickly put my cart away and ran out without buying anything.)  I could easily go broke cooking all of the delicious things I want to fix so I have to be smart about buying multi-use ingredients.

2. They sell liquor in the grocery stores! I’ve seen this on the Food Network but it still shocked me to see a gallon jug of Bacardi at the end of the bread aisle. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they even sold liquor, wine and beer on Sundays.

3. The stores, aisles and buggies (or grocery carts) are so tiny compared to home. Both the Jewel-Osco and Treasure Island stores could fit inside the local Augusta Publix with room to spare. And at home, three extra-wide carts could fit in each aisle, here two extra skinny carts can barely squeeze by one another.

The end. See? I told you that wasn’t going to be funny or interesting. Maybe I’ll just start making stuff up for the sake of keeping readers.

Bleh.

Be Back Soon

I’m trying to keep from vomiting my feelings all over the place since friends and acquaintances read this. So while I collect my thoughts and emotions (and work on 275 wedding programs) and come up with something clever, enjoy this prettiness from Green Wedding Shoes.

Adjusting

It hasn’t even been a week since the car accident but life has drastically changed.  For the time being, I’m living with my parents, showering in a plastic folding chair, carrying cans of ginger ale in my waistband and depending entirely on the kindness of friends and family members for transportation and meals.

Normally I would never go out in public without my make up on and a half-way decent outfit. However, last night I left the house, thanks to my friend Sarah, looking like I’d just been picked up from the group home. I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to get to and from work each day and I have no idea what I’m going to wear when I do go back. I’ve gotten a little better at my crutches but after a pain pill, I’m still pretty wobbly.

I had a CT scan this morning to determine whether or not I’ll need surgery to fix my heel bone.  The scan itself was no sweat but getting inside the outpatient center and up to the second floor was a different story. The woman (I don’ t know if she was a nurse or CT tech or what) who administered the scan told me that there’s a waterproof cast on the market called Gore-Tex.  I sure wish I’d known that on Tuesday! Maybe when I visit the Orthopedist on Tuesday, he’ll swap my cast out for one of those.  Suiting up with rubber bands, a Bed, Bath & Beyond bag and a Hefty bag every time I’d like to shower is getting old.

I’d like to apologize for the lack of interesting posts.  Maybe once the pain subsides and I stop taking my meds, I’ll be a little more lucid and able to post about pretty or fun things.

Coming soon…

I’ll come up for air in a few days… until then, enjoy these yummy pictures

The Royal Sweet

From Coastal Living

A boring post about lunch

I stopped by Fresh Market today for lunch and got a turkey, apple and brie wrap (yum!) and the most delicious beverage! I’m considering ordering a lifetime supply.