Everything is Alright
Oh goodness me, I'm turning into one of those LJ people who randomly appears and disappears. I am so very, very sorry. I do miss posting regularly, but ever since I moved back at the end of May my life hasn't belonged to me, it has belonged to the people around me. Aggravating, but that's what happens when you can't find work.
Not for lack of searching. I have officially sent out over 200 job applications and have not recieved a single call about any of them. I really think the internet doesn't work and I would be better off driving to these places and handing them my resume and cover letter in person. I know better, though, and am sure I would be turned away at each place because how dare people be rude and impose on their day looking for work when there is a job posting online. I have tried calling to follow up, like some people have suggested, but of the 10+ places I have called, at least 2 didn't even bothered to answer, and the rest spoke to me like I was an idiot. Most of them told me a variation of "If we were interested, we would have called you" with as much distaste and bitterness as they could muster. I'm pretty sure I could hear them tossing my application into the virtual fire in their computer's recycling bin as they hung up on me.
In case you couldn't tell, the depression is going in and out. For my own mental health, I try not to job hunt more than 3 days a week now. Any more than that and I come within inches of literally walking out to the reservoir behind my house and sacrificing myself to the wildlife. At least I'd be of use to someone/something at that point. I have also been trying to stay busy, which is no easy feat for someone who doesn't have an income.
I have taken up helping a friend with her novel. She asked me to be "critique partners" (a new term to me, but it sounds helpful), so she sends me a few chapters at a time and I read them, comment, check for minor grammar errors, look out for loopholes, etc. The fun and very important things about writing. In return, she does the same for me. I don't have a finished novel, though, so I send her either short pieces I have, or new chapters of my scifi story as I finish them. All in all, our arrangement is more for her benefit, but I am more than happy to lend a set of eyes. Plus, I like getting feedback and actually having someone to write for now. I have managed to crank out a few new chapters of my own story in the past couple of weeks. I don't write every day, but I do write at least a few times a week. I am not looking to turn my writing into my job (thought it would be cool to be published some day), but she does want to turn her writing into a career. Props to her, and if I can help her achieve her goal then I am more than happy to help!
I've caught another bug. Not sure if it is strep or a sinus infection, since it can't seem to make up its mind. Started taking some antibiotics a couple of days ago, so hopefully they kick in soon. Trying to function liike this has been terrible. This is the third round of antibiotics I've had to do since last Christmas. Less than a year. I'm chalking it up to all of the contanst moving, stress, and depression obliterating any form of an immune system I had.
I have been pretty busy for the past couple of months, house and pet sitting for people. I do like the work. I get paid fairly decently to care for people's pets and work on my hobbies. For instance, I wrote three more chapters and edited 5 of my friend's chapters while I was house sitting at the last place. Now, if I could get a job editing, I would be thrilled. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure you need a Masters in English for most places to even consider looking at your application. I have toyed with the idea of making my name into an LLC or even starting up a new one entirely, to formally work as a sitter, but that leads to a whole host of legal concerns and I don't know any lawyers who would give me free advice. The business courses I took for my degree focused on huge agricultural businesses, not small-town low-expenses single-employee businesses. Basically, I can build a giant barn from scratch, but don't know the first step to starting a pet sitting side-business.
Books: I have recently started reading Armada (Ernest Cline). It is a scifi story about aliens invading Earth. As it turns out, popular movies and video games have all secretly been propoganda and training simulations to prepare humanity for an incoming alien attack that a secret coalition has known about for forty years. Basically, there was life found on Europa and we screwed up by desecrating their temple when we drilled for ice samples. Shame on us. Just like Ready Player One, the story moves pretty quickly. I'm 150 pages in, almost halfway, and the action is just beginning. Cline definitely has a certain unique style to his writing and his stories, which is nice because it is recognizable, but I won't lie that at times I feel like I'm rereading parts of his previous novel. Anyway, if I remember I will write when I finish to go over my final impressions.
Games: Guess what I am SUPER EXCITED about!!! Hint: I've been more hyped for this than I have for just about anything in the past few years. That's right, I'm talking about Destiny 2! I preordered it a few months back, and it drops on Wed Sept 6! I can pick it up Tuesday night at 11pm. I am assuming they are doing a launch party at just about every GameStop that night, so if I am feeling up to it I may try to swing by. That is after Trivia, so I may be too exhausted if I am still feeling sick x.x I am super excited to kick Gary's behind back to the far edge of outer space where it belongs. If you have not seen the live action Destiny 2 trailer, you should totally check it out, even if you're not a gamer. I would link it, but I am paranoid about the whole "LJ delets accounts who link outside of LJ" thing from earlier in the year. Type "Destiny 2 LIve Action Trailer" into youtube. It's fantastic. It got me super hyped to go play the game... FOR THE PUPPIES!!!
Trivia counts as games, right? I mean, it's in person at a restaurant, but it counts! It's my LJ, so I'm counting it. I don't remember if I mentioned it, but I joined a trivia team. My friend and his family have been participating in a local trvivia circuit for several years. I have dropped by a few times over the years, but now that I am back in town they formally invited me to join. We are pretty good! We placed third overall in the last season (out of I think 12 active teams). I was originally nervous because I don't think that I know that much, but I have surprised myself. I have also earned my keep with some questions no one else knew the answer to, that it was cool to feel like I helped.
I hope that everyone had an awesome summer! Again, I'm super sorry I went MIA and I will try to be better. I miss the community here <3
Not for lack of searching. I have officially sent out over 200 job applications and have not recieved a single call about any of them. I really think the internet doesn't work and I would be better off driving to these places and handing them my resume and cover letter in person. I know better, though, and am sure I would be turned away at each place because how dare people be rude and impose on their day looking for work when there is a job posting online. I have tried calling to follow up, like some people have suggested, but of the 10+ places I have called, at least 2 didn't even bothered to answer, and the rest spoke to me like I was an idiot. Most of them told me a variation of "If we were interested, we would have called you" with as much distaste and bitterness as they could muster. I'm pretty sure I could hear them tossing my application into the virtual fire in their computer's recycling bin as they hung up on me.
In case you couldn't tell, the depression is going in and out. For my own mental health, I try not to job hunt more than 3 days a week now. Any more than that and I come within inches of literally walking out to the reservoir behind my house and sacrificing myself to the wildlife. At least I'd be of use to someone/something at that point. I have also been trying to stay busy, which is no easy feat for someone who doesn't have an income.
I have taken up helping a friend with her novel. She asked me to be "critique partners" (a new term to me, but it sounds helpful), so she sends me a few chapters at a time and I read them, comment, check for minor grammar errors, look out for loopholes, etc. The fun and very important things about writing. In return, she does the same for me. I don't have a finished novel, though, so I send her either short pieces I have, or new chapters of my scifi story as I finish them. All in all, our arrangement is more for her benefit, but I am more than happy to lend a set of eyes. Plus, I like getting feedback and actually having someone to write for now. I have managed to crank out a few new chapters of my own story in the past couple of weeks. I don't write every day, but I do write at least a few times a week. I am not looking to turn my writing into my job (thought it would be cool to be published some day), but she does want to turn her writing into a career. Props to her, and if I can help her achieve her goal then I am more than happy to help!
I've caught another bug. Not sure if it is strep or a sinus infection, since it can't seem to make up its mind. Started taking some antibiotics a couple of days ago, so hopefully they kick in soon. Trying to function liike this has been terrible. This is the third round of antibiotics I've had to do since last Christmas. Less than a year. I'm chalking it up to all of the contanst moving, stress, and depression obliterating any form of an immune system I had.
I have been pretty busy for the past couple of months, house and pet sitting for people. I do like the work. I get paid fairly decently to care for people's pets and work on my hobbies. For instance, I wrote three more chapters and edited 5 of my friend's chapters while I was house sitting at the last place. Now, if I could get a job editing, I would be thrilled. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure you need a Masters in English for most places to even consider looking at your application. I have toyed with the idea of making my name into an LLC or even starting up a new one entirely, to formally work as a sitter, but that leads to a whole host of legal concerns and I don't know any lawyers who would give me free advice. The business courses I took for my degree focused on huge agricultural businesses, not small-town low-expenses single-employee businesses. Basically, I can build a giant barn from scratch, but don't know the first step to starting a pet sitting side-business.
Books: I have recently started reading Armada (Ernest Cline). It is a scifi story about aliens invading Earth. As it turns out, popular movies and video games have all secretly been propoganda and training simulations to prepare humanity for an incoming alien attack that a secret coalition has known about for forty years. Basically, there was life found on Europa and we screwed up by desecrating their temple when we drilled for ice samples. Shame on us. Just like Ready Player One, the story moves pretty quickly. I'm 150 pages in, almost halfway, and the action is just beginning. Cline definitely has a certain unique style to his writing and his stories, which is nice because it is recognizable, but I won't lie that at times I feel like I'm rereading parts of his previous novel. Anyway, if I remember I will write when I finish to go over my final impressions.
Games: Guess what I am SUPER EXCITED about!!! Hint: I've been more hyped for this than I have for just about anything in the past few years. That's right, I'm talking about Destiny 2! I preordered it a few months back, and it drops on Wed Sept 6! I can pick it up Tuesday night at 11pm. I am assuming they are doing a launch party at just about every GameStop that night, so if I am feeling up to it I may try to swing by. That is after Trivia, so I may be too exhausted if I am still feeling sick x.x I am super excited to kick Gary's behind back to the far edge of outer space where it belongs. If you have not seen the live action Destiny 2 trailer, you should totally check it out, even if you're not a gamer. I would link it, but I am paranoid about the whole "LJ delets accounts who link outside of LJ" thing from earlier in the year. Type "Destiny 2 LIve Action Trailer" into youtube. It's fantastic. It got me super hyped to go play the game... FOR THE PUPPIES!!!
Trivia counts as games, right? I mean, it's in person at a restaurant, but it counts! It's my LJ, so I'm counting it. I don't remember if I mentioned it, but I joined a trivia team. My friend and his family have been participating in a local trvivia circuit for several years. I have dropped by a few times over the years, but now that I am back in town they formally invited me to join. We are pretty good! We placed third overall in the last season (out of I think 12 active teams). I was originally nervous because I don't think that I know that much, but I have surprised myself. I have also earned my keep with some questions no one else knew the answer to, that it was cool to feel like I helped.
I hope that everyone had an awesome summer! Again, I'm super sorry I went MIA and I will try to be better. I miss the community here <3