Emailed C today concerning the work she had mentioned to me. Turns out while she was on vacation last week, a meeting was held and her budget was cut. So instead of getting to overhire 4-5 people for a staggered amount of time, she gets to do it with just her usual assistant. No cut in workload, just in budget. Cuntmuffins.

Had an interview with MRT today for the Prop Master post. I've worked for them before. J said he was torn between interviewing a bunch of people and just plain hiring me, since he knows me and knows I have the skill set, connections, and work ethic to do the job. But there is a bit of a glut of skilled people in the neighborhood right now, and he said he couldn't in good conscience at least talk to some of them. Which I totally understand - you want the best possible person for the job. I'm a known commodity, but...
The good news is, though it IS seasonal, it's 9 month full time with benefits.
The REALLY good news is MRT is one of only 10% of theaters in the US to finish IN THE BLACK last season. No promises for this season, but there is also no real chance that the organization will fold any time soon.
The funny part? J said to me "Oh, by the way, you were a reference for another person I interviewed for this job." One of my cohorts at NSMT, it turns out. She'd actually do VERY well in the position, as they need someone with developed carpentry skills (along with sourcing, borrowing, upholstering, and all the other proppy skills).

No word yet from the interview with Chamber, nor any word from either of the 'out there' jobs.

We'll see.

QotD: "There's weird French clowns in there. They're in waiter outfits." - Lars N.

Tags: job, quote

Latisse.

Are you f*cking SERIOUS?!?!?!?

Ladies and gentleman, I fully understand Rx meds for severe skin issues. Your skin is the largest organ of the body, it blocks a large amount of the surrounding planetary cooties from entering your system, and when it begins to break down in any fashion it can easily affect many more parts of your well-being.

There are numerous Rx products which are, when it comes down to it, aesthetic in nature. Whatever. You want to pay $700/month to think you are staving off wrinkles for an extra year, go right ahead.

But a prescription product to grow your eyelashes?!?!

Now I am not unaware that those who go through chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and several other forms of toxic treatments to address cancers (as well as parasitic infections) are prone to losing hair. Which can include eyebrows and eyelashes. Which sometimes choose not to grow back well, or at all in some cases.

But this product is NOT being geared to that. That is a VERY small audience. This is a multi-nationally advertised product to be used in place of mascara. Okay? The most expensive mascara I ever purchased cost me about $12. I know there are some really high-end ones which cost around $45. Probably someone makes one with organic otter testicle extract and botanical butterfly jizz guaranteed to quintuple the length, breadth and heights your soul can reach and charges you $286 for the priviledge of owning one of the 1000 vials produced annually.
But any douche with more money than brains can get it.

This new banana oil is still banana oil. Only requires a prescription from your doctor, will turn your eyelids darker temporarily, and may very well cause your irises to brown. Your irises, people. The iris is an internal muscle, surrounded by your eyelids, cornea, and aqueous humor. And this shit can change its color (which is normally pretty much set by the time you reach the age of 2). It also may cause itching, burning, and eye pressure problems. And other "eye problems". Right on their website, http://www.latisse.com/Latisse.aspx?state=10, it also states:
"You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA."
What a ringing endorsement!

Well I'm so glad we have a cure for the common cold, cancer has been wiped out, we have universal effective healthcare, and no child anywhere is going hungry. Billions of dollars spent on research, testing, and clinical panels to clear it for FDA approval. Not to mention those dollars spent on advertising.

Oh, but if you go to the website, http://www.latisse.com/Latisse.aspx?state=10, and you sign up for Latisse LashPerks, Allergan (the mooks who made this stuff [who also make Juvederm and Clinique Medical, btw]) will donate $5 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Well, thank goodness.

Is anyone else pissed off by this as much as I am?

Tags: rant, soapbox

There's a bunch of things swirling in my brain, but none of them seem really important enough to commit to paper...er, cyber-paper?

Here are some fragments from my earlier days of writing:

THINGS TO DO ON A RAINY DAY (created October 11, 1994)
-Watch new paint dry
-Watch old pait flake
-Watch linoleum curl
-Count the number of raindrops hitting a 1ft sq. area of your driveway
-Get a radar gun and, clocking the rate at which a psrticular rain drop is falling, the size and approximate weight of the drop - use the equation for terminal velocity combined with relative gravitational force and barometric pressure to determine the likely height from which thei particular drop fell. Remember to account for wind speed and direction, relative humidity, and elevation above sea level.
-refine your couch potato skills
-make lists
-draw on the driveway in sidewalk chalk and get mad as it rapidly dissappears
-read a book upside down
-put all your clothes on inside-out an backwards
-see how long you can smile before you get a charlie horse in your face
-bake something
-eat what you baked
-build card houses
-play in puddles
-write a letter to the Poet Laureate attempting to convince him/her that with all the exceptions to rules in English, "Orange" and "Elbow" should be made rhyming words by an Act of Congress. Cite their former valuable use of time declaring the tomato the legal status of vegetable in the United States.
-make a sculpture out of bubblegum and Rice Crispies
-see how long it takes to puree a whole carrot using the lowest speed on your blender
-take a bubble bath
-give yourself a bad hairstyle with bad makeup to match (or clash, as you see fit)
-see how many times you can blink in a second
-find your breathing rate
-build a bookshelf out of real books
-clean the house
-repair clothes
-draw
-watch the brown come out on banana skins
-see how many times the phone rings before the person calling gives up
-try to burn a candle at both ends
-nap (preferably with a cat)

(Nov 18 1994)
The basement is scary-
Dark
like a
BLACK CAT
in a
COAL BIN
eating
LICORICE
at
MIDNIGHT.

With cobwebs.

(Nov 23 1994)
Molly [my sister] has discovered Ultimate Fun: She blew soap bubbles while skipping through the snow!

Poem: A STRANGE DIET (Nov 28 1994)
Crumbs and crackers,
popcorn, books,
a dozen marbles,
some chessgame rooks,
A wallet, make-up,
lots of money,
Several toys-
my stuffed pink bunny!
A pair of pants?!
a bunch of socks
a set of keys-
and yet no locks...
a pile of Leggos,
some knitting stuff,
six old earrings,
some soft couch fluff;
Perfume bottles,
dirt and sand,
scissors, thread,
and rubber bands.
Removed them all
From the lining pouch-
this undigested
diet of couch.

And finally-
FIRST LINE OF WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN INTERESTING STORY (Dec 2 1994)
"Never one to give up a chance at a quick comeback, Mr. Chang reminded Morty of HIS failure to bring the bananas."

Tags: list, poems, writing

Recent recap:

SATURDAY
Slept in, did nothing much, and went to a little birthday shindig that was full of of pretty snazzy people.

SUNDAY
Morning email brought me news that BlueMan Las Vegas wants my references! (I applied to the props dept on a whim). List was created and emailed, and potential references contacted to remind them that they love me. Then ventured out to Auburn for Jessie's baby shower, much girly fun was had.

MONDAY
Morning interview for APM position; the job may or may not exist, and may or may not be part time/temporary, and there is no nailed-down pay rate yet. The good side is my PM is awesome, she seemed to think I was cool, and the interview was a good mix of 'formal' interview stuff and just swapping war stories.
Got out of interview to voicemail from Boston Casting asking if I could extra for a day. So I did. The film, or TV show, is either called "Joanna Trollope's World", or "Two Sisters", though it would actually be called whatever the equivalent would be in German, since it was a German show/movie. I stood on steps, and walked up and down steps, and spent time getting to know some fellow extras. *ping* to pamlin, I ran into Lara yesterday at this gig. It took us a couple of hours, be we realized we knew eachother because of you.

TODAY:
Received notification that I made the 'short list' for a wardrobe position on an international tour (this was yet another whim application). I'm one of 5 (out of a large bunch, I was informed) who made the list, which now goes on to the Big Cheese (the guy I've been talking to is the resume weeder/tour manager) And even better: since the emails I've sent him (the TM) have been snarky but honest and well written, he's decided he likes me and asked if I'd be interested in crewing for him. He's based in GA but works all over the place...this is a good thing.
Today I also made lemon bars, which are nearly perfectly chilled in the fridge.
Also cleaned the bathroom VERY thoroughly, and even managed to make some extra storage room. I tweaked the position of the TP holder, thus allowing me to nudge over the free-standing shelf unit, and leaving enough space to add in a small rolling drawer stack. Go me!
Isaac was having a very slow day at work, so we went for lunch at Kebab Corner. Indian Buffet.
And we completed grocery shopping after he got out of work.

Such an accomplished kind of day!

And now, since I did work so hard today and my back is letting me know it, a tasty sammich and some ibuprofen.

Quotes of the Day:

"Where do you come up with this stuff? I just need to start a dictionary of your phrases!" -Jessie, to me...I don't recall why

"It has to be a German goat, or it just won't work." -Lara, concerning a sacrifice to appease the weather gods

Tags: job, quotes, update

I made a graph a GraphJam:


moar funny pictures

I'd love it if you actually went to the page and voted, too!

Tags: link, pic

barbie_toes posted an entry about magicians, which got me thinking about the best magic trick I never got to see:

My grandad was (among other things) a magician. Close-up magic, AKA table magic. He never did a show bigger than the VFW or ITAM. He never kept lions in the basement. But he did patent several of his own rigs and gaffs, and he did earn The Right Of Excalibur in The Magic Circle. To keep up dexterity, he rolled coins accross his fingers while he watched the news. He would often roll a quarter ABOVE his fingers and a half-doller BELOW, in opposing directions. He taught me to stack a deck by feel - start by cutting precisely in half. Then by 10. Then by 19. Then by alternating even numbers.

Anyhow, he often went to local New England get-togethers to shoot the shit and see his buddies and maybe share a new card trick.

So one fine summer day, one of his buddies says he's got a new trick. He opens a new pack of Bicycles (yes, an actual new pack - no way was he getting a loaded deck past this crowd), has a few different people cut the cards, make sure he only has 52, all the right suits were there, etc. And he does some standard "Is this your card?" schtick. Then he asks one of the guys to count the cards. There's only 47. Someone else counts. 47 cards. He does a few more tricks, "Count 'em again", he says. 51 cards. A few more tricks, now there's only 40 cards. The guy is in swim trunks and sandals, no shirt, not even a watch band. No hat. At a glass-top patio table. Where the hell are the cards going? He finishes his last trick, the card count is now 45. Everyone claps him on the back, laughs, applauds, and begin to drift off. Except my grandad. Who waits until everyone else is gone, and says "Alright, where the hell are you putting those damn cards?" His buddy stands up - and the missing 7 cards fall out from under his gut. He'd been tucking the 'missing' cards in his belly. Everyone was watching his hands, no one watched to see him back-deal; no one expected to! How can you possiblt drop cards when there's nowhere for them to go?

Now THAT, to me, is a good magician. You have a room full of guys who KNOW what you're doing, who KNOW where to look, and they still can't catch you doing it.

It's one of the reasons I love Penn and Teller - even when the SHOW you how the trick is done, you're so busy paying attention that you can't pay attention and you still don't really see how they pulled it off.

Tags: magic

Still peddling my resumes to anyone who has a job even remotely related to what I can do. Signed on with a temp agency. Still need a real job. Anyone? Bueller?

In gooder news, tomorrow we are venturing up to ME to see Big Brother and associated peoples for the Summer solstice Shindig. I made some REALLY kick-ass lemon squares, recipe below.

There is Bacardi in the house. I will be enjoying some of it shortly.

And my show for tonight was cancelled. *sigh*

RECIPE FOR SUPER-LEMONY LEMON BARS

CRUST:
1 1/2 C. AP flour
2/3 C. confectioner's sugar
3/4 C. unsalted butter (room temp)
1/4 tsp. salt [if using salted butter, omit salt]

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine sugar, flour, and salt in mixing bowl. Cut in butter w/pastry cutter until dough is evenly crumbed. Pat into well greased 9x13x2 pan to cover bottom. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the FILLING:
6 whole eggs
6 Tbls AP flour
1 C FRESH lemon juice
1 3/4 C. sugar
1 Tble lemon zest (optional)

Mix all filling ingredients in large bowl, using wire whisk, until frothy. Pour over hot crust, and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until filling is set. Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes, then cut into squares (I cut 6x4 for a total of 24 bars). Remove from pan with spatula and set squares on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar once cooled.

This is a VERY tangy bar.

Tags: recipe

"Honey, would you take care of the porn chops? I mean, PORN cho- PORK chops!"
-me

In other news, I had an interview with Adecco today. Doing an interesting job for them on Thursday: Calling on my North Carolina time to do voice recognition work. We'll see how it goes.

Also had an email from one of the local theater's prop masters, asking me what I was up to until September. *hopehopehope*

And now, my hubby is taking me for ice cream. At Rancatore's. For those of you in greater Boston who DON'T know, they are a little mom-and-pop place on Belmont St. in Belmont. Their coffee ice cream is the PERFECT balance of coffee and cream. Like you took coffee I brewed and added a bunch of cream and sugar and froze it into a velvety vat of delectableness. They also make a KILLER coconut. For you WoTowners, if the Java Hut had a fraternal twin that was an ice-cream place, this would be it.

Tags: ice cream, quote

So this coming week I have an interview at a staffing firm, in preparation for a job on Thursday. And hopefully getting me some more work somewhere along the line.

Yesterday was a baby shower for my cousin Lauren; she and her hubby are expecting their first (a boy). Got to visit with a bunch of family I don't get to see too often, wear a skirt, and eat cute little sammiches while watching Lauren open PILES of goodies. Lots of crafty people in this group: 4 knitted/crocheted baby blankets, 2 quilts, a sweater, a hat, and little blue bootie favors. (Many of these were made by Nanny, a woman who is, bless her soul, 90% blind and crochets by MUSCLE MEMORY alone. And if THAT doesn't make you cry, consider this: she is making blankets ahead - she knows eventually the blindness and arthritis will keep her from doing anything - so she constantly makes things so that when she can't anymore she can still give gifts. Are you weepy yet?) 2 hand-painted decorations from my cousin Lisa's daughters. Oh, and I hand-decorated some bibs and did a painting of a monkey family to match her decor.

Anyhow, it was a very nice time and though I am not a church person, I love the North Uxbridge Baptist Church ladies (where the shower was held). Bless all of them.

In the social news section, I am going to be a very social bee for the next several weekends:

19th - CladdaghBing!
20th - Solstice party at Big Brother's
27th - possible BBQ at Isaac's coworker's place
28th - Jessie's baby shower
4th - possible visit from J&A; if they can't make it up, visiting grandma Natalie.
11th - FFF!
25th - BBQ in NH at J's.

Quote of the Day is a conversation from the showere yeaterday. Ellie is Lisa's daughter, and she averages 1 new question every 2.7 seconds. Eventually, things like this get said:

ELLIE: So what's THEIR prize?
LISA: A box of asparagus!

"A box of asparagus" will now be my stock response to ridiculous questions.

Tags: girlpost, quote

If only I got paid for the amount of time I devote to searching for work. The thing that sucks the most is applying for jobs for which I KNOW I don't really qualify in order to meet the minimum "weekly worksearch" requirements of Unemployment.

I did work yesterday for ART; a good crew of good people working well together. I'm sore today, but in that "I did a really good job yesterday" kind of way...aches that I'll stretch out on my walk this afternoon. Well, and my back griping at me, but when isn't that the case these days.

Saturday I have a baby shower to attend, my cousin will be having her first! *squee* I got some blank bibs and some baby-safe fabric markers and customized. My favorite is one on which I wrote "WARNING! Contents prone to exit at high velocity". I hope she appreciates this. I'm sure her husband will, at least. I'm really glad my family has good taste in spouses! (For the record, she is carrying on the family tradition of girls marrying "up" - she's 5'4" and he's 6'4"). I'm excited to see all the folks I only get to see once in a blue moon - plus I get to be girly all day. I'm even planning to wear a skirt! Which reminds me, I need to iron...Me and my penchant for actual linen. One of these days I'll actually save up to get my own Jiffy steamer.

Your Quote of the Day is the textversation I had with my friend Sam this morning:

SAM: I am such a ninny! I forgot to send you a happy birthday on your birthday!!! So happy belated birthday.
ME: Thanks my darlin. No worries, I've been somewhat forgetful lately myself. *hug*
SAM: I am so swamped. When I tuck Braydan in for bed I end up falling asleep with him.
ME: You poor thing! You need a pedicure and a cabana boy to bring you a drink with an umbrella.
SAM: Ur tellin me!!! I think we girls just need to run away to an island full of naked financially stable good looking men who can't speak.
ME: You're on!!! And I almost snarfed coffee out my nose.
SAM: And my job here is done.

(This, btw, is my best friend of - dare I say it - more than 25 years. Any wonder we're still talking?)

Tags: baby, job, quote

Had to get up early for a gig today, and turned on the local news channel to catch weather and traffic. Instead, I go Obama's address in Cairo. I watched it.

Now, most of you know that I haven't been able to watch/listen to a presidential address/speech/presentation since...well, ever. That whole thing I have against listening to the same 12 platitudes repeated in various forms for 45 minutes. But after about 15 seconds, I decided NOT to change the channel. I WANTED to listen to this man. Not only do I remember the gist of his speech, I can even QUOTE parts of it.

I'm pretty sure that neither President Obama, nor any of his aides, secretaries, interns, advisors, and/or other cohorts will ever read this. But I would like whomever DOES read this to know that I thank him for being bold enough to make actual statements, formed in paragraphs and not soundbites. For MEANING what he says. For putting actual intent behind his words and plans. For speaking and actually saying something.
And I cannot thank him enough for repeating The Golden Rule (and its variant forms). There's a reason they teach that in Kindergarten classes: It's supposed to be the basis of everything else we learn (socially speaking). We all need that reminder from time to time.

Anywhat, the work call was easy and only lasted a couple of hours. I also managed to get some laundry done, shuffle some paperwork, and send out some more please-for-the-love-of-the-FSM-hire-me-already letters.

Your Quotes of the Day are some recent brainworms:
"Clubbing Baby Seals" - little fur seals in fantastic make-up dancing with glow-sticks

"Go With God" - a church sanctioned laxative (Isaac helped with that one)

And finally, would giving a priest money for new ceremonial robes be good in-vestments?

Tags: politics, quote, update

So, after many many attempts, I FINALLY got through to the healthcare department of Unemployment. When I opened my new claim earlier this year, I went on the paid-in-full-by-the-state-plan (never mind the fact that I didn't receive my "Yes" determination for it until 3 weeks after I went OFF unemployment - then got my "we received notice that you are no longer collecting unemployment" notice the day after - and didn't get my insurance CARD until a week after THAT). So, it's been less than 90 days since I went off, so I can go back on without reapplying - however, in the meantime, I bought my own policy. So now that I am BACK on unemployment, I want to go on the we-pay-80%-of-your-policy-plan, since I don't want to keep ping-ponging back and forth. However, there are NO forms on the website (despite the fact that the lady on the recording repeatedly told me while I was on hold for 47 minutes that there WERE forms to download). And the guy I finally talked to told me all I have to do is send in a letter saying I want to go from one to the other and to include a copy of a bill/statement of charges from my healthcare. And it could take up to 5 weeks for me to receive a determination letter.

So why do I suspect that in 6 weeks time I'll have a letter from DUA healthcare division saying I need to fill out the following form, which is not included in the envelope, but can easily be downloaded from the website?

Wish me luck.

Feelin'...: frustrated

If you don't know him, you need to!

http://www.ashleighbrilliant.com/

I thought I was big on the quotes...

(if you've ever been to Despair, Inc.'s website, a number of the Demotivation posters credit Ashleigh)

I'm trying to be more proactive in my poetry endeavors, so I am attempting the following: snipping out some of the better phrases in older poems, and making them into haiku.

PANTHER
Shadows learned to creep
By watching her liquid paws
Steal silence from night

Tags: link, poem, quote

Well, she Stays Productive!

Yesterday was a MUCH needed cleaning day, with all floors and rugs vaccuumed, and hardwood cleaned properly. Quick kitchen wipe-down as well.

Today I managed to book a gig with Port, go 'idea shopping' at Home Depot for my steampunk project, confirm when/where I am meeting Lunde on Friday, made my packing list for the trip, and I currently have chicken wings crispifying in my oven. Also made 2 trips to Shaws, first for Blue Cheese dressing (to go with the 1/2 of the wings which will be buffalo-style), and then for cold medicine and tissues for my poor hubby, who has yet another nasty head cold.

Tomorrow will be packing, and possibly sketching out the steampunk ideas more fully. Anyone with an old clock or watches that they want to send me? I need gears of all sizes. Also optics pieces. And general small brass fittings. Will trade for cookies. Or a meal. Or...well, make me a reasonable offer of trade that wouldn't offend my grandmother and we'll talk.

And now, to make some sauces and cut up some celery.

QotD:
"If he wasn't our Lord and Savoir, I'd swear Jesus was a pantywaist!" -some good ol' boy

Tags: quote

It hasn't started raining yet, but I smell wet sidewalk on the breeze...oops, there's the rain!

I think one of my fellow Twits for this:
http://www.empowerthyself.com/tacticalcorsets/
Go drool.

In the past 48 hours, I have:
1. Received an initial reply from a hardware store to which I applied
2. Had to turn down an offer of prop work with Tiff up at MSMT (since it pays less than unemployment...she could only pay me intern rate).
3. Applied for work as a "technical assistant", where the listing said "foundry/casting experience a plus"
4. Applied for Administrative work
5. Applied for work in a sign fabrication shop (vinyl lettering, mostly)

Also updated 4 of my 7 resumes.

The birthday shin-dig for ted_badger was utterly wonderful. I <3 my friends so much!

Today we went grocery shopping. Got some REALLY good looking pork ribs on super-sale (hooray barbecues!). Also got a nice big seedless watermelon (also on super-sale), which has been cut up and put into the fridge for ready consumption. Hubby is currently dealing with laundry, and I should vacuum in a bit. And I think there may be cornbread in the near future...I'm feeling bake-y.

And to my darling dear interfecta, Happy happy happy to you! Sorry we couldn't be there in person, but we hope you had a fan-freakin'-tastic party!

Your Quote of the Day comes from my dear friend Angela's adventures in babysitting:

ANGELA: I need you girls to go clean your room.
GIRL 1: We don't want to.
ANGELA: It doesn't matter if you WANT to, you still need to do it.
GIRL 2: Nuh-uh!
GIRL 1: Right! Majority rules!
ANGELA: Majority rules?
GIRLS: Yeah!
ANGELA: OK, fine. What does 'majority' mean?
GIRL 1: Majority means the biggest part!
ANGELA: That's right!
GIRL 2: See?
ANGELA: Yup. I'm the gornw-up, I have the biggest parts, I AM majority, and I'M ruling, so go clean your room.
GIRLS: But...you...um...
ANGELA: Yes?
GIRL 1: *sigh* Ok. [both trudge off to room]

Tags: link, quote