One Horrible Job Interview

Wow, this is a first for me. My interviewer showed up late and in a velour jumpsuit. She didn't ask me a single question about my experience but she did ask me my age and how much I owe for grad school. Class act! I also loved how she assumed that I had no experience by not asking a single question about my experience.

The lesson plan I spent hours working on yesterday was not delivered because when I started, she interrupted me with, "What is this? Why are you talking about this?" I explained and got about 3 pages in when she interrupted and completely stopped me by saying, "So, what is the point of this lesson? What problem are you trying to solve." I was ready to throttle her but it turns out there was a mis-communication about the whole lesson plan thing.

I need a job so if they want me, I'd take it. If they don't want me, no big loss.

Moving with the Cat, Rasputin

Day 1
Sniffing around and hiding in basement under the old oil tank. No eating, pooping or peeing.

Day 2
Still frozen under the oil tank with no food in or out. I make a point to pet, hold, and reassure him.

Day 3
Hiding in the living room media center squished between VHS tapes. Definitely eating and eliminating.

Day 4
Up and about. Still doesn't like loud noises. Eating a lot.

Day 5
Made it to the second floor, my bedroom, on his own. Very relaxed and around a lot. Adjusting fine.

Moved In

Well, I'm moved into my parent's house. In fact, it went very well! Yesterday between 9AM and 1PM I was loaded up, shipped, unloaded, and settled. Intelligent Labor & Moving were fabulous. Great rates, very efficient, and helpful.

Plus, on the awesome side, my landlord was really impressed with the cleaning job I did on my apartment. I really have to give my mom her due. She was a total dynamo in the cleaning zone, on her hands and knees scrubbing earlier this week. I learned a lot from her like how Spic and Span is the ultimate bathroom cleanser. How do de-cat hair my sofas. And the joyous smell of a Murphy's Oil clean room.

Speaking of cat, Rasputin has been adjusting to the move gradually. He hid in the basement for two days behind an old dusty oil tank. Ironically, that is exactly where our departed family cat, Max, used to hide. Maybe there's still cat smell back there? To my everlasting joy, he wound up venturing upstairs this morning. My mom found him in a corner behind an end table. He did a little inspection. I got to pet him and relax a little. His heart isn't pounding, he's just really rigid and hyper-aware. So, I'm hoping that by Monday he'll be a bit more relaxed. At least he emerged! He still hasn't eaten or used his litter box yet...

Adieu Battlestar Galactica

You had a lot of amazing episodes over the years but your series finale SUCKED! Almost X-Files bad. I can ignore the finale and enjoy everything else.

Packing, Cleaning, Applying, Rinse and Repeat

This is my last week in my good old apartment. I've been living here for almost 7 years so there is a lot of cleaning and packing needed! Murphy's Oil liquid soap is an amazing cleanser BTW. The dining room was thoroughly cleaned today with parts of my living room. In the next two days, I will be cleaning the kitchen and the bathroom. Then, on Thursday it's my bedroom and the rest of the living room. I'm moving Friday morning thanks to these guys. They have an excellent rate and rave reviews from yelp so we'll see how it goes!

In the midst of all this work, I am still looking for a job. I had heard that it was bad out there but man... Even those lame sales job offers that used to be blasted through Monster, are not being sent out. I haven't had a single interview or call back yet. I don't think it's time to panic yet - it has been only a month but come May, I will be in full panic mode if I've had no leads.

Rasputin is being moved a day earlier than I so he can get used to our new home before the madness starts. Right now he's a bit overwhelmed by all the boxes and clean new smells. I'm not a complete scrub but this place hasn't been thoroughly cleaned for a while so lots of dust bunnies, cat hair, and grime. I better get most of my security deposit back!

Watchmen Review

I know you have probably been wondering how, with my tremendous geek cred, did I feel about the Watchmen movie. Okay, a confession. I just read the graphic novel after seeing the movie trailer before Dark Knight last summer. Since I was only 10 when the comic originally came out, I'm sure most of it would have gone over my head. As an adult, I enjoyed the graphic novel but found The Black Freighter story distracting and incredibly gory.

So, how's the movie? I'd say it's a mixed bag. I didn't mind the change in the ending. Also, I cannot imagine how a lay person, who had never read the graphic novel, could last an hour into the movie. I think it would be easier to break the movie down by characters and their portrayers.

Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) - hands down amazing and awesome. He completely carried the movie and made Rorschach incredibly real.

The Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) - very good and close to how I imagined The Comedian. But I don't know if it's because I know the actor from Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy, I didn't see the level of sleaze and despair that The Comedian needed.

Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson) - very blah. Not the right type of actor to play Nite Owl (way too young). Some very laughable acting choices.

Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) - A lot of blue penis shots. He did well considering that all we had from him was his voice attached to a CGI blue guy.

Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) - Way too frail looking and had a bizarre Elmer Fudd speech issue. Didn't fit the part at all but can be a good actor.

Silk Spectre II (Malin Akerman) - I leave the bottom of the barrel for the last. Very stilted, horribly mis-cast, and way too young for the part. Granted, her part in the graphic novel wasn't so great anyways but great actresses can take crummy material and make it memorable. Congrats honey on being cast because you look good in a vinyl suit.

The movie is almost verbatim graphic novel up until Rorschach's prison break. After that, if you are a tender hearted fanboy, leave.

Healthcare Headaches

Since I was laid off Feb. 27, I don't have health care this month. Trying to figure out my health care options is giving me vertigo. First off, I need to have health care because 1) it's the law 2) I don't want a tax penalty 3) I have pre-existing conditions that I need medication for.

My first option is COBRA. It is insanely expensive, over $400 per month. Plus, I didn't really like my health care anyways so this option doesn't look so great. But there is this reimbursement program offered that will reimburse up to $440 per month which technically could reduce my health care expenses a lot. But that also means I will have to depend on timely reimbursements from the state - something that I completely don't trust.

There is also the option of getting free health care since I'm so poor. My concern with that option is the quality of care I'd get and prescription co-pays. I'm betting low and sky-high.

MA Health Connector has a plan where I could pay $39. So, as you can see, I am completely turned around by all my options and I really need to get some coverage ASAP! It is very odd to be so immediately impacted by legislation coming out of DC. Odd and a bit scary.

The Survivors Club

There is a book out there about different types of survivors. And you can take a quiz here. I am a realist. How about you?

What Time Is It?

Yesterday, me and the world operated on a different clock. Why? Because I am so unplugged from normal life, I didn't know it was Daylight Savings Sunday morning. I finally clued in when I was watching the news last night.

Why It's Good That I'm Moving

My landlord has been a holy terror for the past couple of weeks so I am very happy that I am moving in 23 days.

The first example of his terror was when he was renovating my apartment last week. I asked him to make sure my cat doesn't get into paint or anything harmful. I tried to clear out/off the areas I thought he was working on. I forgot/he didn't tell me about the work he was doing in the bathroom so I didn't clear that out. Did he wait a day and ask me to move me stuff? Nope! He threw all my bath supplies in the hallway which wound up coated in plaster dust. Also, he ruined my Ikea shower curtains. On top of that, he tried to move my dish rack in the kitchen and wound up breaking about 5 mugs and glasses. One was a memento mug from Senior Night from my high school. I am deducting from my rent for damages. Oh yeah, he left an open paint bucket in my apartment so my cat got paint on his paws and chin. Nice!

Today, as we were discussing my move, he told me that I needed to clean my apartment or he'd deduct from my security (durr). I told him not to worry about it and then he mentioned how filthy my stove, tub, and toilet are. Guess what I have been doing all evening? Cleaning like a madwoman. I know it's a bit early but I can definitely say that I won't be baking/cooking in the next couple of weeks. I am not a dirty person but I do let things slide when I am working full-time. I clean up for company! God, he is such an asshole...

So, I will be leaving this impatient, critical, and unhelpful landlord for off-street parking, 1.5 baths, a dishwasher, and garbage disposal. SHEER HEAVEN!

Amazing Generosity

Wow, being laid off now is so much different than the last time I was laid off. It's a mixed bag of positives (a lot of people in the same boat so less social stigma) and negatives (filing unemployment takes forever). I'd like to focus on particular positive. I lost my health insurance so I had to cancel an upcoming dentist appt. Check out this email I got from my dentist's office:

"Good Morning Anna,
We understand in this economy we all need to work together.
I wanted to take a moment to let you know that I spoke with Dr. XXX
and in our efforts to keep you not only happy but healthy, he'd like to
offer this one time fee of $ 50.00 to come in and have your teeth
cleaned.
Kindly let me know if this would work for you, and if so please feel
free to call to set up an appointment to accommodate your schedule.

Sincerely,"

Isn't that amazingly awesome? It is so appreciated and generous.

World of Warcrafting Unemployment

This is how I imagine the current economic climate in WoW-verse


This first guy, Unemployment, is an Undead warlock. As a warlock, it can suck an enemy dry while getting stronger. Need I explain more?



Layoff here is a Night Elf Rogue with the ability to stealth, pickpocket and lockpick. Cause layoffs sneak up on you and empty your pockets.



Here is poor little Job Seeker, a gnome mage. Homeless and lots of ingenuity and lots of healing.