Still no pics!

I was really hoping to post pictures today, but MW still isn't feeling well so she hasn't been over here with Rufina. I'm not feeling so great myself- a sort of ears, nose, throat and weird cough thing. I hope it goes away soon. As I mentioned in an earlier post "At least I have my health". I hope I didn't speak too soon.

So... what did I do today? I talked to Chigger and Coriel for a while, which was very nice, got to catch up with them. Then I went into town with B's former roomie PW and applied for a job at the print shop. The lady said that she had fifteen applicants for the job, though she dismissed some of them out of hand. I apparently look younger than 16 because she asked how old I was... That was kind of strange. What else? I followed up on the job at Martin's. That was interesting. Here follows a dialogue-

Me: Hi, I applied for a job here a week and a half ago, I haven't heard anything. 

ShopLady: Oh. What job did you apply for?

Me: The application only let me tick one box, so I ticked 'cashier' because that's what I have experience with, but I'll do ANYTHING.

SL: 'Cause I think they're only hiring baggers right now.

Me: I'll take it.

SL: Write your name, ssn and phone number down and we'll get back to you in a day or two.

What a dumb application! Why couldn't I just put down 'any/all' positions? Argh!

On a plus side, the RPG tonight was fun- for me anyway. I'm not sure about the players...

On a negative side, I'm sleeping on the sofa tonight. And there are loads of flies in St. T's because no one believes in shutting doors.

Another point for the plus side- I have my dictionaries on hand so tomorrow I can work on translating a poem. So far all I know about it is that it's probably iambic... I think.

What else? I'm forgetting something, I'm sure.... Argh. Oh well. If I remember it, I'll post it tomorrow, whatever it was. It's really annoying...

Still at loose ends...

Today I woke up late, but this was not terribly important. I spent the day reading fanfic and writing some of my own. And waiting for a phone call. It finally came, about two hours late. I told the lady in Colorado to call between 4-5 EST because I was hoping the house would be quieter- the employed members would all be out of the house. So when she called at 6, everyone was at home, trying to make dinner. I felt awful, asking them all to be quiet so I could have this phone interview at a time that was really inconvenient to them...

And I don't think that the interview went really well either. I told her I was willing to work long hours, despite the fact that most, if not all of my previous experience has been 6 hours or less. What I'm afraid is more of a sticking point is that provided all goes well, I can't stay until the end of August, I have to be overseas. It was sort of difficult trying to explain that all to her, and she's worried she'd have a gap between me coming and the next aupair. She told me she's doing phone interviews all this week and will get back to me on Friday. Just from the short length of our phone conversation and the hesitation she had when I explained about my projected end of August plans, I don't think it went over well.

Job-hunt wise, I'm going on the van run tomorrow, first to drop off some more of my stuff with the CC-Girls and second to check back at Martin's, and the print shop, at least. Especially the print shop. I will tell the woman who owns it that I have little to no experience, but I am reliable, honest and desperate for a job. We'll see what happens.

On a lighter note, there is another session of the RPG tonight, if my other two players show up.

Hopefully I'll be able to post the pics tomorrow- this is one of the disadvantages of having to rely on the digital cameras of one's friends and not having one's own... Oh well. Speaking of cameras, I have about five that I have to get developed if I ever get money again...

On a tangentially related note, I am hoping to head home this Saturday to pick up some stuff to yardsale. I've probably mentioned this before. Prayers all around for a safe round trip and no damage to JC's van...

>goes off to plan the coming game, and a yardsale for the purposes of getting money<

Getting in game!

Well, I still don't have the cookout pictures. I'll hopefully be able to get them up tomorrow, if I can get MW and Rufina to the Student Center at the same time as MacAlister and me... My jumpdrive seems to be missing. This is truly most annoying. I've decided not to move in to with the CC Girls until Wednesday- basically until HK comes back to room with K-ski. Then I'll no longer have a place to sleep. Two things have decided this for me. One, St. T's has a landline, which I will need for my phone interview with the family in Colorado. That's tomorrow between 4-5, so if my readers (all two- three? four?- of you) are so inclined, please pray extra hard then!:)

Speaking of praying extra hard- this morning I woke up to a phone call from the adoration coordinator who kindly reminded me that I'd agreed to adoration today at 11 AM, I was just fervently grateful I hadn't agreed to 8AM, because I'd completely forgotten I'd signed up for it at all... Did I ever feel stupid... I'd signed up for it because I thought I'd be living with the CC Girls by now, but I'm not yet. I need to call them and tell them it'll be Wednesday, because I really feel bad that I haven't moved in by now.

Two reasons- right, the one I mentioned earlier was the landline. The other is the rather spontaneous SW RPG we've finally started up. We had our first session today and I think it went rather well. No one fell asleep or poked gigantic holes in the plot, so I was pleased. It entertained me too, although I still infinitely prefer being a player than Games-Mistress. So we had this session today, we'll have one tomorrow and maybe one Wednesday night if JC will drive me home afterwards and the CC Girls don't mind me coming home 'late'. 

What else? I talked to JPost today (I think I gave her a different designator earlier) and she told me that TBro is meeting with a recruiter tomorrow about joining the Air Guard. She's really pushing for me to just get it over with and join the AF, have some direction in life. Direction would be nice. And PeaceCorps makes you wait between 6mons. and a year to process your application with no guarantee that you'll get to do what you want to do.

Why doesn't anyone just get it that I want to start teaching this fall? I know you can't always do what you want, but I still think that this is one of those happy coincidences where what I want is also what God wants for me. I hope. I guess I'll find out. I prayed for a lot of things today in the adoration chapel during my Holy Hour. One of them was that I'd have a better sense of gratitude when things work out smoothly. I definitely think that if nothing else, coming out of this experience as a whole, I ought to have that. This is a great opportunity for me to grow.

So why does it seem like I'm doing a lot of whinging about everything?

I guess it's growing pains. I don't remember them very much, but I do remember the first time I 'clicked' my knee. It really hurt! But it's just part of getting older. So is out-growing one's favourite shirts and trousers- that I really do remember. It occasioned a yardsale.

Speaking of yardsales, I have a fair amount of work to do on that. I think I'll head home this Saturday, unless I've managed to land a job between now and then that requires Saturday work. I'm still out of work. That's depressing. At least I have good food for now, TBro's stockpile of soup has definitely come in handy, as have JPost's odds and ends.

So like I said earlier, I'll try to post pictures soon. B, I have some very amusing ones of your former roomies! J-chan, MW managed to get a few amusing ones of me. Anyone else reading this- I don't know what you'll make of the craziness but I hope you'll enjoy it!

Corpus Christi Procession and Memorial Day Cookout!

Today was busy and fun for the most part. It's late (not quite late, late, but pretty late) and I'm kind of tired. I went to the 12.30 Mass, and the Corpus Christi procession- I wish I had pictures of it, it was really cool! All the townies stared and we had a good time processing, except for not being able to hear the choir. They really should have been dispersed throughout the crowd instead of all at the front. But it was really great anyway. And then Mom called during benediction. I had turned off the ringer for the procession, but like an idiot I turned it back on again when we got back to St. J's. Oh well. So I wanted to make sure the house hadn't burned down in my absence and returned her call. I talked to her for less than two minutes but it was sufficient to take away (nearly) all peace of mind and happiness that I had only a few minutes prior. I need to work on that. I know I do. It's just incredibly frustrating that such a short conversation can be so upsetting...

Oh well.

Coffee and icecream was just what I needed after that conversation and I had both- with caramel! Much happiness! Then we headed back and lots of other things happened, which I shall recount tomorrow.

There was a lot of other people complaining about jobs/coworkers and I must admit I did my best not to listen too hard in those parts... A few more people have said they'll pray for me and at least one person is going to see if they can find someone who has a job that they'd give me. Still need to email the lady in Colorado again. And contact my loan company first thing on Tuesday to see what things they'll allow me to defer payment for.

The Dignity of Work

So I've prayed, and I've applied, and I've waited and I've blogged. In short, I've done everything I can think of short of standing in downtown FR with a sign saying "Will work for minimum wage". So I'll blog some more in hopes that if I go on enough about the dignity of work, I'll end up getting some completely boring, menial job that I'll hate with every fiber of my being and be able to write another blog post recanting everything I'll write below. Let's see what happens.

The Dignity of Work

Work has dignity. Man is made to work. God didn't tell Adam to just lounge around the Garden of Eden, I'm sure God gave him a 'To Do' list. And I'm equally sure that Adam appreciated it. Because really there are few things more satisfying than being able to say you've managed to do everything you planned to and needed to in a day. But there are different degrees of satisfaction of course. There's the satisfaction of having finally finished a 10.5 hour day at a factory and being able to sit down and not think about parts any more, to be done, and to not give a darn about seeing anything work related for at least another twelve hours.

There's the satisfaction of cleaning out a drawer, or a room in your house that really needs an overhaul- throwing out the rubbish, organising the stuff you want to keep, and pruning the bookshelf, if absolutely necessary. That's the sort of satisfaction you get as you look around your cleaned up room and know where absolutely everything is.... only to know that by the end of the month, you will definitely have to tidy up again- at least if you're anything like me.

And there's the satisfaction of doing something you really enjoy for about eight hours, and coming back to a place that is home (home for me is qualified as anywhere I will be living for 90 days or more) and making yourself dinner and knowing that you'll meet your loan payment and the rent.

Yeah. This last kind of satisfaction that has to do with the dignity of work is going to be the hardest to obtain.

JC (who is not the same as J-chan, by the way) suggests that I join the PeaceCorps. I thought about that in August last year. And truth be told, I'm still thinking about it, but only if all of my other options really run out. It is, however, currently higher on my list than joining the AF. Even though I really won't be making money, they give you 6,000 at the end and you can frequently defer your loan.

Anyway... 

Work has dignity. Even lousy 9-5 bean-counting or burger-frying. It's still better than being unemployed.

I have somewhere to live for the coming month, and I have my health. Both of these are important assets.

I will try to post something more cheerful on this blog, eventually. JC says if I just make it through this next month, things will be better. I'm not entirely convinced but I'll do my best. I just need something to work out. I've been saying this for a while now. It's still true.

Non nobis Domine.

Moving Day- and waiting for the phone to ring...

So today I boxed up everything that I had at the flat. K-jski has kindly offered me the loan of her room, so if I don't get the job, I'll stay with her until Monday, just to make sure that I'll only be paying a month's rent at the new place. I left my essential stuff and some food in her room. Everything else went to the new room at the CC-girls' house by the church. Later today I'll move the futon and my dresser there. It will be nice to not have to pay (anything beyond utilities) to do laundry in the comparative comfort of an actual home. And that will be nice, living in a home-like place. It's a nice little house. If I can borrow MW's camera, I might post some pics of it.

On a slightly alarming note, I can't seem to find my earphones... This is not good. I really hope I didn't leave a pocket in my backpack unzipped and they fell out!! Argh...

Oh well.

I emailed home too, thought I might as well keep them posted as to my whereabouts/ job-searching. T-bro goes offline on FB every time I try to talk to him. Maybe it just seems like that... 

I saw Dr. K today and talked to her briefly. I told her my situation and she had promised her prayers. I don't know if she quite understood exactly how unexpected and out-of-whack things have been for me, but that's okay. She promised me her adoration hour today, for my intentions, and I really appreciate it!

I have just been not-invited somewhere. It's awkward, I guess. I'm sitting here like the ghost of a senior who hasn't graduated, and life goes on around me. Admittedly the girls in question don't know me very well/at all. But they invited someone who I do know, who's sitting right across from me and even though I do look like I'm completely busy with MacAlister, I still possess a keen sense of hearing. I really hope I haven't done anything like that recently- I know it wasn't intentional, but it still is awkward when there's someone who isn't getting the invite that everyone else is. I know it's nothing personal.

Resolution- I will try to make sure that I never do this. I know I'm being hyper-sensitive because I'm uncertain about my plans for the future and I'm a bit lonely. But I shouldn't be. I can always talk to MW when she's off work and I had a great time last night with some of the workstudy students. All right. End of topic!

In other news:

Today is a really nice day! It's finally stopped raining around here! Wow, what an original change of topic... 

Maybe I'll post something later today/tonight if I get the job.

Thursday- Job Interview!

So, today I got up (after much insistent and repetitive piano-playing upstairs- won't miss that at all!), ate breakfast and started walking to campus. As I started to pray my rosary, my cellphone rang- it was the guy from Radio Shack calling to schedule a 'preliminary interview' thing. So I set that for 5.30, then arrived on campus, and checked my email. I had another offer for a summer aupair job, but it was only 200/wk. So on the advice of those better at maths than I am, I declined. I will know by 3-ish tomorrow afternoon whether or not I have a job at Radio Shack. To hedge my bets, I turned in my applications for all the other places, the applications I picked up yesterday. But I really hope I get the job at Radio Shack, I'd infinitely prefer that to some of the other options (Dollar Store, K-Mart, BK)! Prefer, yes, but I wouldn't turn those other options down if they were all that stood between me and having to move back home.

I'm compiling a list of things I left behind that I really need to get eventually. Among them- my blankets/pillows, a portable tape-player, a full-sized towel, and a few more tee-shirts. I might try to make a trip out there. Maybe... We'll see. Depends. Gas prices being what they are, that might not happen. I need more people I know with cars.

Oh yes, and my new word- bizalom- is actually quite a familiar one, trust! Thanks for the new vocabulary, B!:)

So things might be a bit tight for the month of June, but it looks like I'll make it. If I don't get the Radio Shack job, there are always the half-dozen other places I applied to. Things will work out. Somehow.

FB chat is good, I've been able to talk to J-chan and Sophomore Year Roomie (SYR)

Oh, and at the earlier suggestion of B, I shall include the saint of the day! For about 53 more minutes, the saint of the day is ...

St. Rita of Cascia!

!!!

Wow! Talk about timing! She's the patroness of hopeless causes, co-patroness of St. Jude... This will teach me to leave off looking up such things (and posting on my blog) at the last possible minute!

Wow... This is special. This is one of those moments where I really feel like I'm getting some direction, or at least some extra attention from Upstairs. :) I'll do my best to hold onto this and the other times that things like this have happened. I don't know exactly what it means or how it all fits together, but I do know that it means something.

Sorry that's all so vague, but it makes sense to me. Kind of...

Pax et bonum