Let the Games Begin

Today was the first day of interviewing in the lovely process of trying to find a job. It was very simple, since I was only interviewing with a job placement rep.

Simple and lengthy.

If you have never used one of these services before and expect it to take the normal amount of time an interview might take, you would find yourself sorely behind in your plans for the day. So for the benefit of those who may find themselves in a position where they need to avail themselves of such a service, let me walk you through my "appointment".

Arrive early. Not that this gets me started earlier on anything. It just looks good.

Expect to wait a little while before they hand me a very large stack of documents to fill out/read/sign. Upon completion of this stack, wait some more.

Sit down in a really warm room, place some headphones on head, and prepare to be bored for 15 minutes. This is an introduction to the company that is working to place me. They tell me interesting things, like how to lift a heavy box. They also tell me not to lift anything heavy unless you have express permission from them. Here I pretend to be confused for the fun of it. Horseplay, violence, weapons or any other illegal activity are prohibited in the workplace. I begin to wonder when horseplay became illegal, and think back fondly on office horseplay I have been involved in. They flash the number for HR several times. Being sexually harassed? Call this number. Concerned about your benefits? Call this number. Thirsty? Call this number.

After spending 15 minutes wondering how many people have worn these headphones before me, and consequently having the urge to vigorously scratch my scalp, I move on to a computer where I take a safety exam. The safety questions are based on the video. I begin to worry that I should have paid better attention to the video, and not to whether or not I could catch bird flu from a pair of headphones. Then I realize that it is multiple choice, and the wrong answers are ridiculous. I answer one wrong, just for sport. I finish the "test", quicker than was anticipated by the staff, as no one is ready to talk to me yet.

"Would you like to take some more tests?"

I struggle not to answer smartly, and smile pleasantly and nod.

I am set before another computer. The monitor looks similar to one I used when I was in fifth grade. Awesome. I am set up to take a Word, Excel, and typing test.

The Word and Excel tests don't always like my answers, because they are designed to do things the long way. I have to stop thinking like someone who actually knows how to use the program in order to pass. The typing test goes ok, but I am slowed by people talking right next to me as I type. I am slowed to 55 wpm though, so no one questions the results.

Finished with the tests, I sit down in the reception area once again to wait. I have run out of things to look at, as I have read all the OSHA posters on the wall, and the fixed asset barcodes on all the equipment close by.

Finally, I am greeted by the "interviewer" or Account Executive who will be responsible for placing me. She is very bubbly, but not overly so. I am pleased. She looks over my resume and test results. She is pleased.

We discuss my experience, what I would like to do, and then she asks me a question I was not prepared for.

"Give me your Top 5 companies you would like to work for in this area."

Hmmm...I give her my Top 1, as it is the only one that comes to mind. She happens to be meeting with them on Thursday and will talk me up while she is there. Score.

She tells me that I remind her of her best friend who moved to Seattle, so she feels like she must find me something great, and she already has a couple of things in mind. Double score.

So as you can see, these sort of interviews can take much time, and for someone like myself who can, on occasion, be somewhat snarky, much control. But, you never know what the end result may be.

On a sad note, it looks like my days of horseplay may be over.


Listening to: Hey Ya by JD Natasha
Current Mood: Hopeful...and I also feel the need to wash my hands

BONUS!! 10 points to anyone who can figure out who the "Top 1" company was. (My sister is automatically disqualified from guessing)

Irish, eh?

I took one of those tests that people always put on blogs...which I usually find cheesy. But job search boredom has led to this....

Your Inner European is Irish!

Sprited and boisterous! You drink everyone under the table.

Who's" Your Inner European?

Hmmm...considering that in reality, when it comes to being European, I should probably fall under Italian or Spanish, I thought this was kind of funny. Last I checked, I can't drink anyone under a table, or any other piece of furniture. Spirited? Perhaps yes. Boisterous? Sometimes. According to the picture, I also enjoy knee socks and colorful printed skirts.

So since I have now subjected you all to such cheesy blog fare, you also must take the test, to make me feel less loser-y for having posted this nonsense.

Listening to: Delicate (Live in Dublin) by Damien Rice (Yes, coincidently, I am listening to someone Irish singing in Ireland)
Current Mood: wistful

Back on the Wagon

Or is it off the wagon?

Aside from updating you all on the latest going-ons in my life, I am also sitting in front of the computer job searching. After a lovely stint of being happily jobless, it is sadly time to get back to work.

My husband's job is currently in danger, as the people who own his company contemplate selling it or merging it with another company. This means that anytime in the very near future, he may be let go. As unemployment doesn't pay all of the bills, I am preemptively job searching in hopes of finding work before things go downhill.

I hate job searching. Not so much the not knowing what will happen part. I am cool with all of that - I can be low stress when I want to (read: need to) be. However, I HATE composing cover letters. Which is odd. Considering how much I enjoy expressing myself in writing, one would think that the cover letter would be a piece of cake for me. Nope. Not at all.

So that is what I will be up to for the next couple of days/weeks. Which also means there is a decent chance I will be visiting the blog a little more, to stave off the boredom of job hunting.


Listening to: The Ballad of Booth from The Assasins
Current Mood: appreciating launchcast's need to cheer me up through Broadway musicals

Hijacked!

As I sat in front of the computer, poised to finally update the blog, I typed in the address, only to be asked if I was ready to meet Jesus. Wah?

Evidently, I had typed in the address incorrectly. Rather than verstand-y.blogspot.com I typed verstand-y.blogpsot.com. Multiple times. I was beginning to think that my blog had been hijacked by someone that, evidently, wanted me to immediately get down on my knees and pray for forgiveness of my sins.

After all those years, my first grade teacher was right. Spelling IS important.

Next post: We learn that reading actually is fundamental.


Listening to: We're Not Sorry from The Broadway Musical Urinetown
Current Mood: scattered

That's Love

Warning: The following entry may contain graphic descriptions. Reader discretion is advised.


This morning I took my husband to the dentist, to take care of some terrible tooth pain he has been experiencing lately. The dentist was able to identify the problem, but it will be several days before the pain will subside. So, a prescription of Vicoprofen was given, and off we went.

As the hours passed after the first dose, with no relief for him, I decided to play pharmacist and recommend that he take some Tylenol (acetaminophen) with his next dosage. This goes directly against the instructions given with the drug when you pick it up at the pharmacy. Right after the sticker saying you shouldn't drink with the drug, it specifically says no acetaminophen. That is because Vicoprofen is simply a combination of hydrocodone and ibuprofen. Hydrocodone is one of the things that makes up Vicodin. The other is, you guessed it, acetaminophen. Since Vicodin is an addictive narcotic, they don't exactly want you messing with it on your own. The conclusion I came to, however, was that Vicodin is great at killing pain. So let's make some.

Before I continue, I would like to make it clear that the man was in a great deal of pain, and I made him fully aware of the fact that some people (like myself) have unpleasant reactions to Vicodin. Like vomiting. He was willing to take that risk.

So, first dose from my at home pharmacy was successful. As the hours wore by and it was time for the next dose, he complained of being nauseous. I warned him that there was a good chance if he took another dose, he would be revisiting the can of soup he had earlier in a not so pleasant manner. The pain of his tooth won out though, so he took the dose.

Within minutes, he left the room.

And then there was the sound.

It is a horrible sound, one that usually makes you want to move as far away from it as possible. But my wifely instincts kicked in, and I headed for the bathroom, patting him on the back as he kneeled before the toilet. The vomiting was violent, but only lasted a few minutes. In his attempt to be considerate and turn on the bathroom fan (in hopes that I wouldn't hear him and get sick) he was unable to keep the vomit completely contained in one area.

(If you are now thinking, "Ew. That was entirely too much information," all I have to say is a) there was a warning at the beginning and b) I didn't even get into what it smelled and looked like, so stop complaining.)

Here is where the love kicks in. I can't leave the bathroom that way all night, and I can't possibly make the poor guy clean up when he just went through the Vicodin pukes (they aren't fun...if you have never had the misfortune of having them, they control you). So I just finished cleaning the toilet, floor, and wall of my bathroom.

It is amazing how long you can hold your breath when you really need to.

Listening to: The sweet sweet sounds of no more puking
Current Mood: I feel the need to wash my hands again...

Phew!

You will all be pleased to know that I am able to breathe normally again. Thanks to the best chiropractor in the world, I am back to almost normal. (Still not able to sneeze, but all else is good.)

I was even well enough to try out my latest purchase, MTV Pilates Mix. Ow. Ow. Ow.

Spending my time this week plotting out our Nicaragua trip, and searching for a reasonably priced digital camera to purchase and take with us on the trip (then I can show you all my adventures). I will be keeping a paper journal while I am there and will throw some of it on the blog when I get back. ("Finally, we were hoping you would have something interesting to talk about sometime soon!")

Any of you have suggestions on a decent digital camera?



Listening to: Hey Ya by J D Natasha
Current Mood:excited about my friend's new apartment

Progress Report

Typing is one of the many activities which cause me pain at the moment, so this will be brief.

Since the last post, the pain increased, making it impossible to function. I basically just sit in an awkward position watching the DVD collection of The Gilmore Girls (perhaps not the wisest choice, as they often make me laugh, which is excruciating).

The pain has let up slightly, as I visited my chiropractor again today. Hopefully the progress will continue.

Currently Watching: Old Felicity reruns
Current Mood: In pain, and getting sick of being stuck on the couch.