Lastborn Jack

It's been a long time!

Wow. A lot–and I mean A LOT–can happen in two months.

I got a job and have had some interesting experiences. That's the short version. The long version could take an entire day to write about, so I will merely state it in list form.

August 7 - First day of work. I am dog-sitting for a friend in the morning and working a part-time job at night the entire week.
August 24 - My car fails the emissions test
August 28 - Broke my right foot
August 31 - My license plate expires
September 1 - Pre-Busy season starts at work
September 8 - While out painting pottery with a friend, I lock my keys in my car. We wait until nearly midnight for the locksmith. The good pottery people wait with us.
September 15 - My brakes make horrific grinding noise ... I take my car to the shop and convince my brother to let me borrow his Civic while he rides his motorcycle for a week.
September 18 - Busy season starts at work
September 21 - Get my car back from the shop.
September 22 - My Check Battery light goes on. I can't figure out why. After work, I go to Autozone and ask the guy to check my battery. It has full charge. My pottery-painting friend and myself decide to go to a movie in Nashville. Half-way there, my alternator dies. I have just enough charge to cross from the HOV lane to the side of the road. We wait two hours for the wrecker and then squeeze into it with two slightly scary truck operators we later nickname Chris Rock and Skanky Boy. We decide that we shouldn't hang out together on Friday nights anymore!
September 23 - My car died with the windows and moonroof open. It pours that night and morning. I still have damp carpets to this day. I get a rental car.
September 29 - I get my car back. It drives, but it stinks.
September 30 - I take the rental car back. And go to a kid's movie with my pottery-painting friend. We figure we're safe since it's a Saturday. The movie projector breaks twice during the film (of course!), but we score free tickets.
October 2 - The Official CRAZY Season starts at work. I need to figure out how to clone myself.

Which brings us to today, in which the most eventful thing that happens is I woke up an hour later than usual ... which would normally mean I would be late, but for me, who has been going in two hours early every day, it only means that I am a mere 30 minutes early, which I choose to use blogging for the first time in over a month, instead of prepping for the day. Hey, a girl can only handle so much.

But I still have to figure out how to squeeze three weeks worth of work into the next four days. We're THAT busy. You can't produce 80+ catalogs in a single month without being, well, swamped.

So, I'll write again later. But for now, I have to get back to work.

Hah!

Laugh's on you, Human Resources. I already got an equitable job ... with the exact same credentials you found lacking. So there.

----
Thank you for applying for the position of Editorial Assistant. All the applications received have been reviewed and evaluated. We took care to review your credentials thoroughly and have come to the difficult decision that your candidacy is no longer under consideration. Determining a small group of finalists was a difficult and lengthy process. Those who have emerged are considered to have the skills, knowledge and experience that more closely meet the needs of the department.

Again, thank you for your interest in employment at ____________. I hope there may be other employment opportunities of interest to you in the future.

Sincerely,
Human Resources
----

Actual, factual ultra-personal (hah!) e-mail received today. Honestly, though the job looked good, I wasn't holding my breath.

Who am I?

Just a little existential question for the day. Nothing major.

Well, actually, it was the question for yesterday, and I got the answer today. Boy, that was quick! My manager didn't know my official title, so I think he made one up. This is because I am the first person to be full-time in the position.

Are you ready for this? I am (at work) an Assistant Account Executive.

That sounds so important.

I've been hard at work for two days now, and I think I'm getting the hang of my basic tasks. Of course, once I master those, they're going to fling a few dozen more at me. I say bring it on!

Career advice for college students

Me, Myself, & I
Wow, this feels so weirdly familiar. Didn't I just do this two years ago?

I start my new job as an assistant at an advertising agency on Monday morning in Nashville. 8 a.m. sharp. Please, oh, please, don't let there be any wrecks on 24 or 65!

Two years ago, I was as green and fresh-faced out of college as they get. I had full faith that graduating magna cum laude was a good sign I'd succeed. Today, I'm older (sshhh!) and wiser (hah!) and a wee bit more cynical (how could you tell?), but I am still experiencing those pre-first-day jitters.

I really think I should remind myself that I am an old pro at starting new jobs by now. After all, I've done that four times in the past year-and-a-half alone! I didn't die of misery or mortification then, and I won't now. I even made it through my 1040 without a hitch, thanks to the folks at H&R Block online--despite my 4 W-2's and unemployment benefits.

So, anyways, about that advice ...

College + Good Resume = Job? Sorry, No.
For the record, college is a mere stepping stone in the path to a good career. Actually, it's more like a pebble. The employers of today want you to have a degree--that's a no-brainer--but they don't necessarily care if you were a great student. The question they have is "are you a great worker?". In other words, will you be an asset or a liability? They don't want to train you. Nobody has the time in today's corporate world, so you'd better be sure you learn fast. Your salary is meant to get them the best cubicle-dweller for their big-money buck; benefits are the bait that trick unsuspecting little college graduates into getting hooked into workaholism, unproductive activity, and stressful lifestyles. They need you to slave away so they can enjoy the profits, and you need their money to enjoy a semblance of a life. It's called co-dependency, folks.

Welcome to the Real World (No, I don't mean MTV!)
So what do you need to succeed?

The Basics
- Determination
- Thick skin
- Organization (see below)

The Good
- Ability to follow-through on ALL commitments
- A great professional phone voice
- A phone-call log
- A well-kept Rolodex (hint: this isn't a fancy watch).

The Better
- A "tickler" file
- A planner/PalmPilot/Blackberry - whatever.
- Common sense. Lots and lots and LOTS of common sense.

The Best
- Ability to multi-task (while doing the seemingly impossible of FOCUSING on one at a time despite being required to do at least 5 unrelated tasks simultaneously).
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication skills
- LISTENING skills
- Impeccable customer service

The Personal
- Good health/exercise habits (this includes a well-balanced diet. No. French frys are not a vegetable!)
- A sense of humor
- A good memory (remembering somebody's name, favorite sports teams, and birthday are all great ways to make friends).
- A sense of style. Have you ever noticed how people tend to compartmentalize people and label them? It might feel like high school, but that's how it works. Be remembered for something good and only (maybe) slightly controversial. At least they'll know who you are and it's a great conversation starter. "Have you met Sara Beth? She's our resident Cubs fan/art collector/Scrabble champion/gourmet chef."

The Best Resource
People. It's not what you know, it's who you know and where you knew them. The best part of a college education is maintaining good relationships with professors, mentors, advisors, and fellow students. You never know who might know the CEO of that dream company.

This is not to say you should abuse your friendships by using them to get to someone else, but it is never a bad thing to have a network of friends, family, and acquaintances that has a favorable opinion of you and your abilities.

Which brings up an excellent point ...

The Second Best Thing
The second best thing is to use your free time wisely. Choose activities not only for entertainment or financial benefit, but also for their ability to provide invaluable hands-on experience or educational opportunities directly related to helping you develop good job skills.

Great extra-curricular activities include:
- internships at noteworthy institutions
- joining an industry organization
- attending industry-specific classes or events
- volunteering

Finally, Take a Test Drive
Take a PART TIME job either on or off campus that will give you the opportunity to learn from trial and error doing the small things that you will then have perfected by the time you land your first big professional job. If you get the foundations down before hand, you can spend your time and energy learning the bigger, more important aspects of your new job from day one, instead of day 91 (like I did, unfortunately). This cuts down on a significant amount of unnecessary stress. Trust me.

one little ... two little ... three little resumes

I'm shooting out the resumes left and right, folks. I even spur-of-the-momented an online form for a company that handles ticket sales and event management for a certain nearby city.

Before the day is through, I will have applied to 5 jobs--with the potential for 2-3 more. I might even call up the place I dread applying to (it's a call center) and do a phone interview for good measure. Maybe. I haven't decided yet.

In other news, I dropped off my interview suit to be dry cleaned today.

And I ate leftover Papa John's pizza for breakfast. Nothin' better!

r and r at the lake

My singles group at church is heading out to the lake tonight for a long weekend. Mmmmm. Nice! A million thank yous in advance to the super-nice family who is letting us use their "cabin" (a.k.a. really nice second home) and boat.

I'm excited to be leaving late this afternoon with 20 others--many of whom are good friends I haven't spent time with in months. I'm looking forward to the company and the down-time even more than the lake itself. We're going to have a few Bible study sessions and a steak cookout and just some good old-fashioned fun. And the best part? It's FREE!

I needed this.

i'm hot!

More correctly, I'm sweating. Or is it glowing? Wait a sec--let me check. Hmmm ... OK ... nope. Definitely sweat.

Drove around in the car lots and lots today. I'm getting worried about how close that indicator is to the "E" on my gas tank gauge. I really don't have the money to fill up at close to $3/gallon right now.

By the way, whoever it was that said looking for a job WAS a full-time job? They're right. I woke up bright and early this morning, turned on the good ol' iMac, and set to work on my resumes. Yes, I have many. Each one I turn in is tailored to the job and company to which I apply. I never, EVER hand out a generic resume. (OK, so yes, the temp agency got one. But that's IT).
So, last night I had a mini-episode of panicked discouragement when I thought that I had missed by just a few hours the deadline for an absolutely sweet little job at a college.

Then, to my delight, I found out that I was a day ahead mentally somehow (probably all this heat), and, whaddaya know? TODAY was the deadline. Yippee! I typed-typed-typed and fiddled with the design and font to meet uploading specifications for the PDFs, and then, at 1:30 this afternoon, I submitted the completed online application right on time. This job, folks, is right up my alley. Even more so than pretty much any other job I've applied to in quite awhile. If the faculty and God decide I'm the girl for the job, I'll probably hoot an' holler and maybe turn a few celebratory cartwheels for good measure.

Sadly, my transfer to the Big Retail Store did not go as planned today, so I am once again without any form of income this week. I am still going to transfer, but it will not be until Saturday or Monday that the process will be complete. The reason? Despite my persistent calling and reminding and questioning, my employee file was not mailed to my new store, and I am still not in the system. Hence, I can't log into my register or clock in to get paid. Hence, I can't work. Hence, I am still very, very poor right now.

But all is not lost! I took the opportunity to canvass the town today, stopping in at every restaraunt I deemed worthy to pick up an application and maybe a to-go menu (to study, of course. I can't afford to-go).

Then I dragged my sweaty little self into the local Career and Umployment Center and sat in blessed air-conditioning while I waited for my turn, which was a surprisingly short wait. Job hunters take note: 3:30 pm is a good time to go to the dreaded Career Center! I scanned the list of available positions, wrote down my selections, and then was ushered into a tiny, paper-packed cubicle to update my address information and have the assistant look up my selections. No luck, I'm afraid. One was too far away, and two were at a restaurant a few weeks ago that had already opened and was running with a full staff, but had neglected to remove their listing.
Then I hopped over to the college library computer lab once more for some more free T1 internet access and free printing. I did the online job listing circuit, and that brings me to this point where I am blogging to relieve stress.

Next up: fill out all of those applications. Turn the best choices in, check out a few part-time listings I found, including a little local sign and advertising shop that has a big HIRING sign out front of their store.

And then there is nothing else I can do until more listings turn up. In the space of three blisteringly hot days, I have almost exhausted my options.

new timezone, new life

Well, I made it. I've moved 90% of my things to the new house, none of which is really quite unpacked at the moment. I have piles of clothing spilling out of trash bags (really, that's the best way to move clothes, I've found. You can shove the bags into the strangest spots, thereby increasing your car's load capacity!). I have books on the floor, important papers in numerous RubberMaid containers, and job hunt stuff everywhere.

I did manage to take the time last night to clean up the kitchen. I love my brother, but he just doesn't seem to grasp the concept of "you take it out, you put it back." So I bought dish detergent for the dishwasher (which he forgot we had), did the dishes, wiped down the countertops, and bagged the trash. The rest of the house can stay disorganized for the time being, but I absolutely must have the kitchen and living room in order. We've already had several friends over to hang out at the "new pad", and I just think the place should look, if not presentable, then at least as neat as possible under the circumstances.

This morning I got a visitor's parking pass to my alma mater, so I can abuse the FREE printing privileges at the college library! I got to park in the faculty lot directly behind the library, and I felt so smug. So, right now, I'm typing this blog post in the computer lab. Soon, I will print out the pages of job listings and company research I've done in the past hour.

Next up, I'm debating whether to call the HR department of a job lead I got from a friend, or to just go ahead and walk into the office with my resume. Then, I'm going to trek over to the local employment office and see what's listed there. Finally, I'm going to drop off a generic administrative resume at the temp agency to which I applied a couple of weeks ago, though I doubt I will get any positive leads from them.

But first: an early lunch. Then, I'll change into my suit, just in case the resume drop off at the bank results in an interview. This afternoon, I might even pick up a few applications to restaurants or PT retail positions.

Thank goodness, I got my transfer completed yesterday to the local branch of my Big Retail Store. I start work tomorrow, so at least I'll have a little money coming in.

This evening, folks, I plan to rest. Maybe unpack and clean a little.

By the way--it is HOT out Nashville way. The heat index is in the 100's, and my poor car's air conditioning is on the fritz ... I never get more than 30 minutes of cold air, so I have to use it wisely. Needless to say, I've been sweating more than my fair share.

as southern as pecan pie

So I guess it's official now: I'm a Southern girl. I made my first-ever chocolate pecan pies today at the tea room, and I must say, they were purty!

Sadly, as it was also my last day working at my beloved tea room, there will not be an encore performance. I guess next I'll have to try my hand at banana pudding ('Nanner Puddin' to the enlightend) or perhaps gravy and biscuits--then my transformation will be complete.

In other news, tomorrow I am moving. I can't believe all of my hoping and dreaming and fretting has come to fruition. It's exciting and terrifying all at once. Exciting, because I can't wait to see friends and places I've missed. Terrifying, because I fear the consequences to my paltry bank account if I do not find a good-paying job in the next two weeks. Exciting, because I have a new chance to make positive changes in my lifestyle. Terrifying, because I'm afraid the changes will not happen. But that is where faith comes in, and I am just going to have to trust God that it will all work out like I know it will.

breaking news

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Andregirl, of Ruby Red Begins, has launched a new venture: ispystyle.com. With domain registration and hosting setup freshly behind her, and the inaugural content yet to be uploaded, this entrepreneurial blogger has big dreams for the up-and-coming site.

"The website is going to be an online resource dedicated to the thrill of the hunt for elegant, eclectic, vintage, and indie products," andregirl said in a recent interview. "It's all about the right mix."

According to this new style spy, the rise of the indie craft movement, along with an enduring affection among the design-conscious for antique, vintage, or retro items, has highlighted the need for a more personalized and whimsical take on style--whether found in the closet, around the home, or on the go.

iSpyStyle.com will fill that need by highlighting the work of indie artists and hunting down style bargains at flea markets or antique stores, as well as introducing new products that exemplify the iSpyStyle.com values.

When asked why she chose the name, Andregirl laughed. "I've always been fascinated by the investigative process," she said. "Nancy Drew was my hero. Now's my turn to be a private investigator or secret agent!"

Get briefed at http://ispystyle.com, or ask for more information.

hear, hear!

This article might be a year old and a continent away, but it still rings true. America, are you listening? Be unique! Wear something, carry something, decorate with something that doesn't sport a trendy label.

Because who wants to look like a walking billboard anyway?

you CAN do this on television!

I love a good documentary, don't you? You get to take a look into other people's lives, be entertained, and learn something to boot. It's a win-win situation.

Which is why I'm interested in a project that is in the works (right now! this very minute!) featuring the phenomena of the indie craft movement. Faythe Levine of Flying Fish Design and the Paper Boat Boutique & Gallery, and Micaela O'Herlihy, a film artist whose work has been featured in galleries and the Sundance Film Festival, have combined forces to film the world of indie crafting. They will be filming until the end of December of 2006, and you can check out their progress at their official website, http://indiecraftdocumentary.com.

feeling better

I had a heart to heart with my mother last night (yes, you! I know you read this, Mom!) and a few things she said to me really wiggled down deep and made me think. Specifically, she emphasized that it is easy to believe lies about ourselves. I never really thought about that.

How often do I believe the lie that I am not "good enough" at what I do or who I am? Much, much too often. That lie gets me down in the dumps, so to speak, and keeps me mired in the past when I should be standing in the present and preparing to soar into the future.

Do you ever believe that lie? That dirty, filthy, stinking lie?

Don't.

make that nine

When I first started blogging, waaaaayyy back in the dark ages of 2005 (remember them?), I had a countdown from leaving my job to move.

Hmmm. Something sounds familiar here.

This is day nine of ten. It was long, and tiring, and made my feet hurt. Funny how standing on your tootsies for ten hours straight while worrying about the next week and a half will do that to you.

Called my brother, got the good ol' little bro pep talk which consisted of the usual "so what's so stressful about that?" speech. If you have a popular, athletic, counter-culture, nerdy-but-cool genius for a brother like I do, then you know what I mean. If you don't: trust me on this one.

Oh, I found a great job to apply for in Nashville. The commute would be yucky, but the pay is liveable and it's in my field. Don't know how I'll approach the possibility. I mean, I'd be silly not to go ahead and send a resume and some design samples, but I'm not sure how my limited experience in professional design will convince them that I'm the perfect gal for the job, especially since it's been a year since I've done any serious, 40-hrs a week kind of design work. I'll think on it.

But here's the good news: I'm desperate for success, and still itchin' to start my own biz. I'm not KO'd yet!

ten days

Ten days? Can it be? In ten days I will be moved into my new home.

I almost can't believe it is really happening. I'm excited, but scared stiff at the same time. Funny how money just seems to fly out the window in times like this ... and I don't even have a real job out there yet! Oh, what on earth am I thinking? I must be insane. Didn't I say all along I couldn't move unless I had a job? So what am I doing now? (Insert silent scream here!)

I have to call the store I'm transferring to out there and let the manager know the transfer is complete and then beg for hours. Then I have to get out there and knock on doors until I get permenant employment somewhere.

Meanwhile, I've been so distracted and frazzled and tired (all these trips out to the new house to move things little by little are starting to fatigue me) that I've missed the deadline for two bills by a few days (aaaaack!) and I've done little but operate on automatic survival mode. No blogging, no forum chats, no email conversations with old friends. Not even phone calls to more than a couple of people! It's crazy.

I'm crazy?

Dunno. But I do know this: the next couple of weeks are going to be nerve-wracking!

just what you've always wanted ...

Remember the family who was hiring themselves out to the highest (non-existent) bidder on eBay? Well, folks, this one is even better; you can hire your very own, bonified, certifiable Redneck to spend the ultimate Redneck Vacation with.

Goody! Sign me up for that thar gen-you-ine experience!

(Oh, dear).

they don't want me,

but that's okay. I got a politely distant email from the place I interviewed saying they had chosen another applicant after a "difficult decision making process."

Oh, yeah, like I haven't heard that one before. And I'm not sure how I feel about an HR email, anyway. Is that professional now? I guess I'm glad it was a "quick" (two weeks later) reply, but I've at least gotten typed, hand-signed letters from previous no-goes.

So, now I have to find a job in two weeks or less. I should write an article about this for a woman's magazine or something. It sounds like a movie plot.

Ummmm. The problem with having left my publishing job last February, and then having been laid off from my real-estate advertising job last July, is that I have been segregated from professional company since that time, which doesn't look to great on a resume, if you know what I mean. On the other hand, I have gained invaluable experience in making split-second decisions while "improvising" at the tea room and have also learned how to smile and speak in a quiet, professionally polite tone while inwardly screaming at the idiots who come up to me at customer service at the Big Retail Store.

I'm confident that I have a good selection of skills to offer at least the food service/catering and retail industries, I'm just worried I won't make enough $$$ to make ends meet. Therein lies the challenge! Find a job that a) pays the bills, and b) gives me time to start my business. Plus there are all those pesky moving expenses . . .

So, since I don't really want to pack all that stuff up anyway . . . I'm thinking maybe "liquidating my assets" on eBay???? Has anyone ever done that?

now that's what i'm talkin' about

Unh-huh, ohhhh yeah.

Can I just say: zoning change?

Yep. The government has relented, and the house is no longer in the "flood plain." No insurance needed, my friends!

Now . . . if I can just get a grrrrrreat job!

(and, BTW, the closing date is now officially next Monday. I'm gonna move stuff in next week!)

25 + 1 = ?

Well, folks, I'm officially over the quarter-century mark today. Who knows what my 26th year will hold. Today, though, I am going to relish birthday-girl status and let my parents take me out to P. F. Chang's for lunch after strolling together through an antique store or two and my favorite bookstores.

House drama: FEMA seems to think we're in the 100 year flood-plain for a nearby creek/river. This means flood insurance at the cool tune of $1,300/yr. Yuck. We're trying to work our way around that, but my parents have not had much luck so far, and we have to close in the next week.

Ruby Red: still not up and running. Actually, I've been kind of sort of cheating on it with another business idea. It involves retail, a shop of my own, and vintage stuff. But ... one day doing letterpress cards is still very much in the picture.

I'm incorrigible.