Getting used to the routine

Three days of work down, and I think I'm getting less achy now. I'm doing a fair amount of lifting, bending, crouching and the like, and while it doesn't usually hurt while I'm doing it all, once I stop I get stiff and sore. I finally have been getting some sleep, and that helps a lot. Now if I can just settle my dreams down a bit...
I'm still rather stressed over my finances, of course. My cell phone's off since I couldn't pay the bill, the rent's going to be very late, and I don't want to think about my student loans, cable tv and phone/internet. I'm explaining the situation to them all, but that doesn't mean they will be nice about it. I'll get a tiny check on Friday, and then I should start seeing money next week from the full-time gig. If I can just keep my energy levels up and work my ass off, I should be able to catch up eventually. Eventually.
I won't deny that I'm still very frustrated. I really wanted a different lifestyle out here, not working my ass off just to catch up and keep up. I am going to try my best to get involved socially and have a life outside of work. I'm making friends, which is a great help, even though they're in Abq and Denver. When I've got some money, I'll be able to go out to some local places here, too.
Time to get cleaned up for bed. More when I get a chance.

Can I rest a bit now?

Seriously, I'm tired!!
Got a call Friday evening from Home Depot....Orientation is this weekend, be in Abq tomorrow morning at 8. Uhh, okay....
So my weekend got very busy, very fast. Saturday was also a friend's birthday party, and I ended up being able to stay over at her place that night to save gasoline. Of course, since the party crew was all our friends from the con...we were up way too late talking! Sunday, more orientation, then the Con-Com meeting. That's short for Convention Committee, the people that actually run Bubonicon. After the meeting, some of us went to dinner (thanks, Dante!) and so I got home about 10 p.m. Too tired to do much more than open a can of food for the cats, and head for bed.

Today was my first day at Herbs, Etc. (www.herbsetc.com) I'll be in shipping on Mondays and Tuesdays at least, and then in production on the other days. We had some really big orders to process today, and I was picking product most of the day. Sure got my exercise! The people at work are nice, and I enjoy it. We can have a radio on, which really is nice after the silence of the Woodwind.
So there ya go, a quick catch up. Now if I can just come up with enough energy to make myself some dinner, I'll be all set!

Work at last!

Yep, I gots me a job!
I start Monday, temp-to-hire, at a place called Herbs, Etc. I'll be doing shipping and production, and the company makes herbal and homeopathic remedies. I'm a potionmaker! lol
Got the job through a contact at the job fair today. Got several other good leads, too, but first come, first serve.
It's not as much money as I'd have hoped, but it's a decent enough wage. I can get by on that if I combine it with the other things I'm trying to do. I'll still be on a tight budget for a while, but that's a darn sight better than no budget at all!

My toothache is a bit better today. Still swollen and tender, but not the harsh pain of yesterday. It should be over in another day or two. My appetite's back, so that means the fever is gone. I made bean burritos tonight, yum. I'm not sure if I'm still hungry or not, so I'm waiting a bit before I have anything else.

Glimmers of hope

Wow, I actually had a couple of job interviews today! This morning I talked to a catering company (cook/driver position), and this afternoon a costume shop (seamstress position). I also am to call the library tomorrow! Yay!
My toothache is still hurting, but I've got a few ways to cope with it now, so should be better soon. I find that having something else to focus on helps, too. I even made it out to the library to pick up my interlibrary loan books.
I'm probably going to call it an early night tonight. I didn't sleep well last night, and am really feeling wiped out from the pain. There's a big job fair tomorrow, and I need to be in good shape to go to that.

Ouch

Toothaches suck. I know it's just a minor infection and swelling from getting a piece of popcorn husk stuck, but it hurts, dammit! I've got some liquid anesthetic stuff, but it doesn't get to the place where the pressure hurts. It's pretty much killed my appetite for today, which is okay because I can't chew on that side right now. Therefore, in order to at least get some nutrition into my system, I'm drinking a Guinness. Liquid Bread, gotta love it. Hopefully it will help me sleep tonight, as well.
The rest of today was pretty routine. I did take my bike in to get the tire fixed, so that'll help me get out of the apartment more often. In order to get out for a bit today, I sat at my favorite cafe for a while to work on job apps and read the want ads. A bit of a scenery change, at least. I do have some more places to go tomorrow, so maybe I'll have good news soon.
I can definitely tell that the seasons are changing. The days are shorter and cooler, and the rain doesn't come as often. It's good weather for walking or biking, too. I'll keep from using the truck as much as possible, not only to conserve gasoline, but also for the exercise.
It's getting harder to stay positive, and the physical pain right now isn't helping. Looking forward to my trips helps, but I still don't quite know how I'm going to manage them. Just gotta trust that it'll all work out right.

Taking the plunge.

I finally did it. I went down and got my NM driver's license. If that doesn't convince everyone that I'm here for the duration, I guess nothing will. I'll get my license plates and registration in a few weeks, when they get my title info from Indiana. By then I darn well better be working!!
Found more jobs to apply for, and I'm working on the forms for those. I hate filling out applications, but it's got to be done, especially when going after governmental jobs. But that's where the money seems to be, so that's where I'm going.
After all the running around, I came back home to re-organize myself. Sometimes I just need to think about other things, too. Watched another episode of The Dresden Files. I am really liking this show! Did some more planning and thinking about MileHiCon next month. It's gonna be fun, I'm sure. Of course, I'm thinking ahead to my Yule trip, too! Even when I'm broke, I can scout out things that would make good gifts for my friends.
Guess I'd better get back to paperwork.

Geeking out

I am a happy little geekgrrl today. Someone on one of my email lists posted a link to a fantastic website. http://tv-links.co.uk This place has tv shows, movies, anime, music videos and documentaries from all over the world, and many timeframes. I got to watch Adam-12, the Banana Splits, The Dresden Files, Babylon 5, and there's simply tons of stuff on here! Most of it's in DivX format, so can be saved to your PC. Tomorrow, I'm gonna watch The Lone Gunmen, Animaniacs and who knows what else. What started it all was a link to a BBC show on Wild Foods.
Other than that, it was a nice lazy Sunday. I did go to Goodwill, but only got a couple of little necessary items. I did some laundry, but still need to do the dishes up. I did work on some online job applications and the like. Tomorrow I've got a couple of places to go to in person, and a couple of phone calls to make. It'll go a lot faster without having to walk everywhere.
I didn't sleep very well last night. I know part of that was from having a caffeinated soda. I've been away from the stuff so long, that it really got to me. I won't make that mistake tonight! I have enough trouble getting my mind to slow down without the added caffeine!

WTF, Notre Dame??

I think this is the one thing that could make me glad *not* to be in South Bend these days. It's bad enough that the Irish are making noises that Mr. Oreck and Mr. Hoover would envy, but the thought of being around all those drunken, disappointed Alumni and wannabe-alumni fills me with dread. Seriously, there's nothing worse than a bunch of angry middle-aged men in bad plaid pants bemoaning their team's loss, except maybe the same bunch of guys gloating over a victory. I truly feel for anyone who's working at any of the bars or restaurants in the area.
Some improvement in my life today. Got a bit of money, so now there's gas in the truck and food in the pantry and fridge. Yay. My cats are much happier now that they have gooshyfood and a clean catbox!
I went up to the mall to check the postbox today, and it was also the big scooter giveaway day. No, I didn't win the scooter, but that's okay. I don't know where I'd park it, and it's...pink. Ew. I'd have had to repaint it! I did win one of the smaller door prizes, though, and it'll be a nice Yule gift for someone.
While I was hanging out at the mall, I got to talking with the radio station people. Once a DJ, always a DJ, y'know? Well, the first fellow I talked to looks at me, and asked my name. I told him, and he said, I thought so! I went to school with your brother Frank! Holy Crap!!! I didn't really recognize him, since he was about a foot and a half shorter back then...but once I got his name, I did remember him. Talk about a small planet! Of course, I had to call Frank and Mom and tell them I'd run into Todd. Pretty cool. Out of a town of maybe 2000 people, I run into one clear out here in Santa Fe.
After the mall, I went grocery shopping. Stocked up on staples, mainly, and of course cat necessities. A few cleaning supplies, too, that I've been lacking. Tried to stick to sale and discounted items, but it still adds up too fast. I should be okay for another month now, though, with the exception of getting fresh perishable items. I tried to stay away from processed and convenience food, too.
I'm debating whether or not to treat myself to a dinner out or take-out. I would like to get out and about, but am still hesitant to spend the money. I'm not really hungry yet, so I'll think about it. Luckily, it's Saturday, so things will be open late enough if I do decide to get pizza or sushi or the like.
I finished the book "A Pagan's Nightmare". It was interesting, and the end did leave room for a sequel. A nice light read for a rainy afternoon or a day at the beach/park. Finished all my books, really, so Monday will be a library day. Now that I can drive again, I'll combine that trip with a couple of job application stops. No sense wasting gas!
It felt a bit odd to drive again, after not doing so for so long. I will probably continue to walk when I can. I am certainly going to get my bike tire fixed. There's a local bike shop that'll do it for a very reasonable rate, and with it being the rear wheel, I'd rather have someone with the proper tools take care of it this time. The whole bike needs some adjustment, too, so if I take it in, it can all get done at the same time.
Guess that's all for now!

Friday...whoop-de-doo.

A diverse day today.
Started off by waiting for the Comcast guy to stop by. My cable box has been acting up, not letting me scroll all the menus. He tried many things to get it to work, but eventually had to swap out the box. The new one works fine. Stormy was being quite friendly to him, and even Ghost came out to have a look at what was going on. Frankly, I think they just wanted to make sure we could still get Animal Planet. ;-)
I spent the morning fighting my scanner, and never could get the thing to install. So I finished off an inked version of my entry for the SF 400th anniversary logo by hand. Still wish I could have done it with the computer, but at least I did it. After the cable guy left, I loaded the backpack and walked up to the Plaza to turn in my entry. BTW, I checked the mileage, and it's about 3 miles one-way.
On the way there, I found the unemployment office. I had time after dropping off my entry to stop by on the way back. I got registered to look for work, and now have 3 more places to apply to. One's online, one's not too far from here, and the third is out on the edge of town. I also found a voicemail from Wells Fargo when I got home, but it was too late to call back tonight. I will call back on Monday for that one. Didn't get a chance to call Home Depot, either, so that's on the list, too.
Didn't get to go down to Albuquerque for the ASFA meeting, darn it. That's Abq. Science Fiction Assn. , the folks who put on Bubonicon among other things. Good people. Hopefully I'll have gas money by next weekend so I can go to one of the gals' birthday party.
A nice note, I was checking my bank statement from my TCU account in IN, and I've earned a rebate on my check card. It won't get deposited till 10/31, unfortunately, but it's there. Not a lot of money of course, but it'll be a bit of spare cash when I make my Yule trip.
I've been looking at tickets for that trip, and I am very close to having earned enough miles for a ticket on American! That will be a great help for getting me there! I'm certain I can earn the rest of the miles I need in time to book my trip. Still haven't decided whether it'd be easier to fly into Chicago or Indy, but I'm leaning toward Chicago, simply because I know I can catch the South Shore and use public transport to get to it if I need to. Familiarity is nice, sometimes, and might be less stressful. Of course, Indy does have its....attractions..... *evil grin* Oh, well, I've got time to figure it all out.
I guess it boils down to my reluctance to impose on any of my friends. I know, they'd say it wasn't imposing on them, but sometimes my independence and self-sufficiency is all I have. If I don't depend on someone else, then they can't let me down. Anything that goes wrong is either my fault or my responsibility to take care of, and nobody gets hurt or inconvenienced but me.
Maybe that's why this stretch of unemployment is getting me down so much. I've temporarily lost my self-sufficiency. I can manage, of course, but it's the non-material things that I'm really feeling the lack of. And it's frustrating to realize how much I need the social contact that I'm accustomed to. It felt so good to get some friendly hugs at the con a few weeks ago. Gods, I really miss hugs. When I get a chance to make up for what I've missed, it may take a while!
I'm going to bed before I get maudlin. G'night.

Rough day

Don't know why, exactly, but today I just couldn't get out of the mental funk I was in. I slept late, didn't feel like doing anything, and just generally moped. I hate when I do that! It was a real effort to do anything constructive, and I kept hitting snags when I did. Argh.
Oddly enough, things did seem to improve this evening. I got a call from the fellow from Marriage Makers, and that was good. Again, it's not going to be immediate income, but I think it'll be something good to build on.
I've been chatting online with one of my dear "sisters". She's been checking on me nearly every day, bless her. She's a long way from home, too, so we keep each other from getting too homesick.
Then, I got chatting with another SCA pal of mine, and he called to talk on the phone. Poor lad just had to bury his grandma, and he needed an ear. We gabbed for almost 45 minutes!
I did manage to make myself a late dinner, and of course the cats had to check it out. I guess they like bean and cheese quesadillas. Ghost was quite intrigued by the salsa. Come to think of it, she used to live in a Hispanic household, so maybe she really does like the stuff! Hope I can get the kitties some gooshyfood soon. I wouldn't want to be on a kibble-only diet!
I've been catching up on some reading, too. Tonight I started a book called "A Pagan's Nightmare" by Ray Blackston. Interesting bit of speculative fiction. Basic premise is a "reverse rapture" - all but a handful of non-evangelicals have suddenly disappeared. The 'Zealots' have changed everything; song lyrics, fast food, etc. They are hunting down the remaining 'Unfortunate ones'. Oddly enough, the book has some rather comic moments, especially since the parallel plot is what happens to the agent who's trying to marked the book you're reading... I'm only halfway through, so I don't know how it ends! Read it yourself!
Other books lately are "Sex with Kings" and "Sex with the Queen", a pair of historical non-fiction books about the infidelities of royalty through the centuries. Mostly European, from medieval to modern. Very well written, and not tawdry at all.
I'm also working my way through a book called "Listen to the Drum: Blackwolf Shares His Medicine" by Blackwolf Jones. Interesting, but definitely a participation book. Not sure yet if it's going to be a good fit for me, but it's worth looking into.
Other than that, no developments. I'm gonna have to call Home Depot if I don't hear from them soon. I'm still trying to figure out how to get some immediate income. I'd really like to be able to go to the ASFA meeting tomorrow night, but unless I can come up with some gas money, it's not going to happen. Wish me luck!

Midweek

Wow, Wednesday already. Half the week gone.
I haven't been idle, but it's getting hard to keep track of the days. I am trying to make sure that I get outside as much as possible. My calves are aching from all the walking I've been doing!!
Yesterday I actually used some of my precious gasoline fumes to go up to one of the local food banks and get some much needed supplies. The fresh produce was really welcome; a large quarter-head of cabbage, a couple of big onions, two red bell peppers, some apples and pears, and a couple of pounds of fingerling potatoes. Some canned veggies, a loaf of spelt bread (!), and some roasted tomatoes, too. Add that stuff to the rice and pasta I had, and my other carbs, and I'm good to go! Wish I could have gotten some butter, though.
Today's walk took me up to Walgreens, as they were running a free inkjet cartridge refill day. Got my color cartridge refilled. I've burned an MP3 disk for my little player with some of my favorite energy music on it. I call it my "walkabout disc". The only drawback is that the disc lasts longer than my last set of cheap batteries...
I got a form from the IN unemployment office on Monday. Wouldn't have been so bad, except the darn thing said it had to be in the next day!!! It took over a week for it to even get to me! So I called the office, and of course the gal whose name is on the form is out for the week. Called the generic number, and they said I could fax it in. Great...where am I going to find a place to fax this that won't charge me?? I thought about it, and decided to try my bank. So, Tuesday morning, I go to the bank, and a very helpful gal not only faxed my form for me, but she also gave me her name as a referral for their job website. They have openings for tellers, and personal bankers (they train, and it pays more). So there's another job possibility!
Still waiting to hear on my other possibilities. Till then, I'll try to enjoy the free time as much as possible. I haven't gone to any of the Fiesta activities, honestly, since most things cost money. Plus, most things are just too far for me to walk to.
I'm still making plans in my head for going to MileHiCon in late October, and of course for Yule. I know I'll be okay by then, and I do need something to look forward to.
Hope to have good news soon!

Rainy Sunday

Well, I didn't get out much today. I had thought about walking uptown, but the rain was a bit too much for me. So I stayed in and did some cleaning, played with the cats, and chatted online to some friends.
I think that if someone asked me how I was doing, I'd have to say that "I haven't hit bottom yet, but I can see it from here." Hope the bungee cord kicks in soon! I'm sure it will, just don't know when. My last dollar went towards getting a bag of cheap kibble so the kitties have something to eat. I still have food for myself, luckily. If the Asians can survive on rice, then so can I. I'm thinking of making a batch of pancakes tomorrow, since the mix only needs water. Yum.
Found a neat money-earner today, though, so I'm working on getting that started up. It's with a company called Marriage Makers, and they do weddings and other ceremonies for people. Non/Pan-denominational, they call themselves. With the clergy training I've gotten through Live Oak, this is right up my alley! The website is www.marriagemakers.net, if you want to look it up. This is something I can do in addition to a day job, and have a lot of fun doing.
I'm still waiting to hear back from Avon, but that's another thing I can do in addition to a day job.
Home Depot should have my drug test results sometime this week, and then they can get me into orientation by next weekend, I hope. And of course, I'm still waiting to hear back about the library job.
So, really, things are looking up. It's just the immediate cash flow (and serious lack thereof) that have me a bit stressed. I still have hopes for fixing that, but it's out of my hands at the moment. My biggest worry is losing my phone/internet service. Granted, I can always get wi-fi at a cafe, but having a local phone number is a good thing when one is looking for work. Plus, I've been using the email address that came with the DSL for my work search, so I can keep things sorted.
If I do get the gas money, I think I will take a couple of days soon and run up to see the folks. When Papa mentions installing gutters, and 'could use help' in the same sentence, I get nervous. Papa is in his late 70s, and recently diagnosed with diabetes. I don't like the thought of him being up a ladder, especially since his feet are a bit wobbly lately. Besides, if I go up, I can show them that I'm okay.
I picked up a couple of books last week, in the dime bin. The Mother Earth News Almanac, 1973 edition, and How To Stay Alive In The Woods by Bradford Angier, 1984 edition of a 1956-62 book. Angier is apparently Canadian, judging by his geography, but he includes information good for desert climates, too. Good reading, both of them, and excellent additions to my library.
If you're in need of a good laugh, or some serious cuteness, may I recommend www.icanhascheezburger.com ? Lots of lolcats, funny captioned pics of critters, and general 'awwww..." factor. It sure helps me smile when I need it!

Crash recovery

I swear, if I get a desktop PC again, I'm going back to Linux.
I got majorly virused this week. And of course, all my discs and stuff are out of date. Worst part is, I was trying to update the virus program at the time... Long story short, I had to take my laptop to the shop. I know, I'm supposed to be the help desk, geek grrl, etc. Well, there's only so much I can do without the proper tools. But I'm finally back up and running. Thank heavens!
Let's catch up a bit. I'm still not working, but should be in at Home Depot by next weekend. Not the greatest, but it's work, full-time, and they are cool with me dropping back to part-time when I get the job I really want. Still waiting to hear back from the library, but since it's a City job, I know there's a lot of red tape to get through for that.
I'm still getting encouragement from my friends, and that has really helped this week. When I was offline, I even got some phone calls. Very cool.
I've been doing a lot of walking this week. The patch kit I got for my bike tire doesn't help, because I can't get the bloomin' tyre off!! I know it's a tube tire, but it's like it's glued in or something. And of course it's the rear tire, and I don't have a way to take the wheel off..... So I walk. It's not too bad, really, as the weather is nice. Most everything I'd need is within walking distance, luckily. I think I have just enough gas to get to the gas station eventually, so I'm saving it till then.
I think I figured out why I felt so woozy on Sunday at the museum. I should have realized that I was PMSing! Takes it right out of me, that time does, and since I've been out of meds for it, I forgot it was coming! Duhhh! I'm okay now, just waiting for it all to end. Maybe it's a good thing not to ride bike this week?
Been having interesting dreams this week. I think I've actually slept better this last couple of weeks than I was for a while. Maybe it's the change in stress level? I thought I'd be more stressed now. Maybe I am, and my body is trying to make up for it with sleep? Hard to say. Either way, I'm not telling you what I've been dreaming! I might incriminate myself! LOL

Worn out!

I made it to the museum today. The bike ride and walk must have taken more out of me than I thought, because I kept getting light-headed at the museum and eventually had to sit down for about 15 minutes with my bottle of water, a food bar, and a cold paper towel on my neck. After that I was fine, but toward the end of my visit, I started getting cold! Too strange! Made it home alright, but didn't feel like doing much of anything for the rest of the day.
The Museum of Fine Art is surprisingly small to me. True, both sculpture gardens are closed while work is being done, so maybe it's bigger when everything is open. I did go ahead and spend the $5 to go through the 'Excavating Egypt' exhibit. It was worth it. Some very nice pieces, both large and small, and well presented. There was also information on how the excavations were done, and the historical context of the discoveries as well as of the artifacts. It was funny to me that I actually recognized a few of the displayed pieces from books I'd read! I didn't take any sketches, though, since the lighting was dim and I was still feeling a bit wonky.
I'm sure glad I made it home when I did - it started raining buckets about half an hour later! I curled up with my laptop and did some writing, then made myself some dinner. I'm still not sure whether it was my blood pressure or my blood sugar that crashed earlier, but I made sure to drink plenty of water and eat something tonight.
I think I'll go to bed a bit early, too. Tomorrow's pretty much a 'nothing-to-do' day, so it's a good time to clean house and try to organize my stuff a bit more.

Lazy day

It's Saturday. A holiday weekend, to boot. Whoop-de-do.
On the bright side, I do have some Boca Burgers, even if I can't exactly grill them!

Spent part of the morning working on an art project. Santa Fe is celebrating its 400th birthday this year and next. The actual date's a bit fuzzy, but as near as we can tell... ;-) There's a contest for the logo for the celebrations. Deadline is Sept. 15th, and I'm working up the idea that popped into my head. It can't hurt to enter the contest, and that $2000 prize is mighty attractive!
I'm also getting some more ideas of how to make my art more unique for the art show at MileHiCon. No, I'm not going to spill the beans yet.
I've also got some writing I may do. Right now, it's just fragments, though.

Stopped by the local Home Depot. Their HR guy is out till Tuesday, so I'll go back then and see about getting work there. Had fun poking around their garden section, seeing what plants are there, and getting IDs on some I'd seen growing in medians.
Also stopped up at the mall, and put in an app at the cooking/fancy food store. Hey, I watch Food Network, I can sell this stuff!
Tomorrow and Monday are pretty much going to be washouts for job hunting, so I'll use that time to research more places to apply to. Thank goodness for online papers! Saves me a buck that I don't have, at least.

Speaking of cheap/free... On Sundays the Museum of Fine Arts is free to NM residents. They just opened an exhibit on the Egyptian excavations of Wm. Flinders Petrie! I'm hoping that's included in the free admission, because I really want to see it. If not, there's still the rest of the museum. I can bike up there and have a nice afternoon. Might take the sketchbook and see what I can do, too.