I Am Employed!!

The best part is, I don't start until March, so since I have guaranteed employment I can fully enjoy not working and having "vacation" until then, without the stress of wondering if I'm going to have to sell plasma/eggs/hair for money!

Hey, life? Thanks for being a pal and being awesome. Now just don't let me get cancer and spoil all the fun, ok? Ok.

Jobs and Jobs and Jobs

After almost 5 months of relatively comfortable unemployment (seriously, pay off all of your debt and save money, you never know what can happen!) I have had three interviews in the last two weeks, after no interviews the previous 4 and a half months. All of the hundreds and hundreds of resumes and job searches and calls are finally paying off. Plus, there is still a chance I'll be able to do the U.S. Census job! And once you do one project for them, and do it well, they call you back for other projects, so this could be an ongoing cyclical part time gig. And it ranges from $17.50 an hour to $20.00 an hour, so for a part time job that's awesome.

The interviews went well and I find out on Monday if I got the job. I won't start until mid-March, but this weekend I'm moving *back* into my new/old apartment that I sublet when I was laid off. And guess what? It's maybe, oh, 4 miles from this job that I'm hoping to get. Let me tell you, I hate commutes more than hamburgers.

Here's hoping I'll have not one, but two jobs within the next month!

Relationships are Hard

Why is it that the people who love us the most, who are legitimately concerned about us and worried for us, always seem to go about telling us so in the most hurtful, tactless ways?

Just because someone is family or a close and trusted friend doesn't mean they can express their feelings in hateful ways. Feelings shouldn't be ignored, concerns should be raised, there should be open communication, by ALL means families and friends will and do quarrel and disagree, but when it devolves into ineffective and negative methods that are confrontational, accusatory, and often selfish, the whole system just breaks down. And the worst part is that usually such pain and suffering is caused by those who genuinely feel like they are doing the right thing, and who are genuinely worried and upset.

But just because you're upset and feel like you're doing the right thing doesn't give one a free pass to say and do whatever you feel like doing. It is shocking to me when friends and families extend more common courtesy to their co-workers or strangers in day to day life than they do to one another. We take advantage of the intimacy, and feel we can say and do as we please, because family will always be there for you, or your friends should see the real you. No, that's taking advantage of other people to justify your own needs and desires to express your feelings however you want to, regardless of the pain you inflict. And that's not only not fair, but it's largely ineffective and often completely counterproductive.

Why is it that people take one of two tacks- they bury their head in the sand and say nothing, or they confront one another aggressively? Why are we not taught how to deal with conflict and strong emotion like ADULTS, adults that should care and respect one another? There has to be a better way than these two extremes of not talking or exploding on one another. I have to believe that.

Grateful

Lots of things have happened in the last 6 months, but overall, things are going pretty well. It could have gone much worse, that's for sure. Potential job two exits ups the highway from my new/old apartment I'm moving back in to, great cheap new gym with yoga classes two times a day, lots of cooking and hanging out with friends lately, some friends are getting married, others are having babies... good things are happening :)

Caught.. Well, Maybe Not

You know how sometimes someone passive aggressively insults you, and you absolutely know it's you, but they didn't actually call you out, so then you can't take it into adult-talking-land and say "Hey, why did you say that about me? What are you mad about?" because then suddenly *you're* the crazy one? Because you know, they just wanted to be passive aggressive and say whatever they wanted, and not really resolve anything? So then you just have to sit on it, and tell yourself that person has their own issues, and that's fine.

Yeah. That situation stinks. Because I am *all about* honesty. I LOVE honesty. Being honest and dealing openly with other people is probably my number one life rule. And it makes me uncomfortable when other people are uncomfortable with honesty, because then we are both caught in this trap where my being honest turns me into the bad guy, because I'd rather talk about it, and get the truth out in the open, and guess what? Sometimes the truth is really, really hard to hear when someone has created an entirely fictional, made up story in their head about you.

Which brings me to my last point- it is so, so frustrating to tell the absolute, God's honest truth, and have something still think something completely false, hateful, and derogatory about you. But, what I've learned is that if I know what I'm about, and what I did, and what I think, I could actually give two shits and a handclap about what other people think. So, I guess that's the best way of getting out of the trap- you tell the truth, and you just don't care whether or not people believe it or not. You've done your part. That's all you can do.

Hate for Haiti, Straight from Pat Robertson (I don't know why I'm surprised)

Haiti, for those who are living blissfully under a rock with nothing to worry about other than what color their new i-phone cover will be, has been devastated by an earthquake. While worldwide organizations rush to access this country and give as much aid as possible, Pat Robertson, with the love of Christ in his overflowing heart, offered this illuminating reason for why the earthquake struck. Scientists might cite the earth's shifting plates, and Haiti's precarious position over them, but nay, Pat Robertson has the answer!

Apparently, Haiti made a pact with the devil back in the 1700's to get rid of the French. "True story" Robertson says. Watch for yourself!

Follow this link and you'll be enlightened...

Pat Robertson is a Moron- Here's Proof!

Today...

I'm making Kate Bunny a quilt for her birthday, working on my scarf, and doing some coupon deals. Then to the gym for my favorite yoga class of the week with Puppy Bob, and some biking and running. I'm trying to keep busy while I wait on the edge of my chair about a job I applied for that I'm supposed to be hearing back on this week... fingers crossed!

Also, the nicknames I give my friends and partners make my life sound like a Lambchop special. I'm ok with that.

Divorce and Kids, or, How Not to Use Your Kids like Chess Pieces

You want to know the truth? I firmly believe that at least 80% of the problems children of divorce have are a direct result of PETTY, SELFISH, MANIPULATIVE parents, desperate to hurt one another and using their children as pawns. In fact, sometimes I think that one parent purposefully makes situations worse for their children, makes it harder on their ex, so they can point to the other parent and say "See?? I TOLD you it would ruin their lives if you left, I was RIGHT!"

No, you're just confirming your spouse was right in leaving you, because clearly you are so wrapped up in your own head that you can't put your children above your own personal vendettas. I understand that mommies and daddies have personal needs, and of course those need to be addressed and taken care of, but when it comes to divorce, you are a mommy or a daddy first because your children are depending on you to be responsible. So regardless of how mad you are at each other, or how justified you feel, if your spouse has not been abusive, isn't doing drugs or drinking themselves to death, how you feel about he or she should have... oh... yeah zero to do with your decisions regarding the kids. Can you be totally pissed at your ex, hate their guts, wish you had never married them? Of course you can, you have every right. Hell, tell him or her that to his or her face, in private, not in front of the kids or anyone else for that matter. You can hate your ex all you want, but you better have the sense to check yourself before you let that mentality have anything, not even one iota, to do with any decision you make about your children. Your kids shouldn't have to pay twice for your mistakes.

Seriously. People need to grow up before they have kids. I know my parents had lots of issues with one another when they split up, but they never acted like selfish brats when it came to me and my brother and sister. They were able to put our needs above their own, and I am so grateful and respect them for that.

Veganomicon, You Rock My Life

Tonight I made Spaghetti Squash Mexicana with Avocado Salsa Fresca. It. Was. Awesome. The spaghetti squash is tossed with black beans (I only had purple hull peas, it worked fine) onions, roasted green bell pepper (recipe called for frozen corn...no) jalapenos, and garlic, all of which are simmered in a sauce of red wine spiced with ground coriander, cinnamon, chili powder, salt, and hot sauce. Then, the salsa on top is mango, avocado, and tomato mixed with some lime juice and cilantro. Seriously. Google this recipe, or buy the book, and make this. You won't regret it, and you won't notice it's vegan if you're not vegan. Unless you're one of those asses who has to point out how fill-in-the-blank vegan dish would be "great with fill-in-the-blank dead animal". Thanks jerk. Way to miss the point. Oh, right, pictures. I served it with totally boring canned vegetarian refried beans, spiced with lime and green chiles...

Oh Yeah, I Graduated! Here Are Some Pictures

A few things- the time stamp is clearly totally wrong, I graduated in December 2009. Also, how absurd is my wizard getup? The sleeves had those creepy dangly dudes hanging off of them, and my striped hood had a sassy little flippy upturned tail situation going on. Lastly, I tried to upload a few group family photos, and blogger flat out said "eff you, it's Sunday, that's all you get, I'm gonna go to Denny's and get pancakes and then take a nap". Thanks Blogger. You're a real peach.

So, yeah. I'm a Master of Something!! Two years full time school and full time work, my G.P.A. was right at 3.8 or so, and I have less than half of the student loan debt the average student has after their *undergraduate* degree, so I'm very happy with that. Now I just need a job to go with my wizard cape and master's degree, and I'll be all set.

Wow. Ignorance Never Fails to Surprise Me.

I happened upon a blog by swinging from another blog from another blog... you know how it goes. Anyway, there was a thoughtful post regarding marriage, and the author was exploring her guilt that her gay and lesbian friends couldn't get married, while she can.

90% of the comments were understanding and supportive. Then one girl said---

"I never thought of marriage as a legal thing. Marriage is a covenant, not a legal certificate. Isn’t it more about making a lifelong commitment in front of those who are most important to the wedding couple? Government shouldn’t be mandating marriage, as it was originally set up as an institution of the church. I’m not sure when the switch occurred!"

Ok, cool, so we have to live by your religious persuasion, and also somehow this erases inequality? What? How does her comment even make sense?

Oh, but wait, WAIT! Apparently her comment made perfect, AWESOME sense to another girl, who offered the following insights because she "totally" agrees. Note how compassionate she is towards the plight of homosexual citizens who are barred from marriage. She gives Mother Theresa a run for her money, read and learn!

"you’re totally right! It’s really weird to see people getting all bent out of shape about it. Like it just KILLS them that they can’t get a piece of paper. Do we really think that marriage is something a bureaucrat can call into being with a swipe of the pen? Something you can get by filling out a form?"

Wow.

What.

The...

Seriously??

This woman is so detached from her own heterosexual privilege that she is seemingly unaware of the fact that the "piece of paper" she can get just by strolling down to the local City Hall with a Person With a Penis gives her over ONE THOUSAND federal rights, benefits, and protections. She actually thinks that gay and lesbians are mad because they can't get a "piece of paper" to validate their marriage. She is exhorting us to stop worrying about labels and petty superficial things, and understand the real meaning of marriage- love, commitment, fidelity, puppies, rainbows, maybe some background music from a Kay Jeweler's commercial, you know. Well, that's all well and good Princess, but you get to self righteously turn your nose up at the paper chasers while simultaneously having access to rights other tax paying citizens of this nation are fighting for. While your waxing poetic about how you don't need a piece of paper to justify your love, other people are worried about things like parental rights, adoption, being able to visit a sick partner in the hospital, health and pension benefits, tax benefits, the list goes on.

You know, all those things you don't have to worry about while you're thinking about how much you love the partner you can marry at any time.

Just. Please. Read. A. Book. Or the news. Or anything to do with something before you post such ignorant, hateful, insensitive things.

Mona Lisa Squinchy Smirk Sideways Pout Smile

Go with me, to a time pre-myspace and vintagey dressed screamo "punky" weird "artsy" girls flooding its channels with pictures...

Am I the only soul living in existence who remembers that it was once possible to take a picture without squinching one's lips into a pretentious sideways pucker while casting one's eyes in the opposite direction of the jutting pursed lips, creating that completely put on face that is meant to engender feelings of "awwww, cute, she's all little and precocious!"

I think it's that, as we approach 2012 and the end of existence, self consciousness is raised to dizzying new heights, and it's impossible to simply bare one's teeth in the traditional lip configuration previously referred to as a "smile"- alternatively a "grin" or sometimes a "smirk". Maybe I'm just getting too old for these new facial moves. Who can say. Or maybe I remember when making a face in a picture was making a mother fuckin' face- you tried to make yourself look as disgusting as possible, really warp the facial planes into a twisted wreck of grotesque expression, elastic skin, bugged out eyes.

Hmmm... .nope, it's really just that this lip pursed squinchy sideways mouth "tee hee, I'm adorably cute!" thing just pisses me off. I don't know why. It just always has, and maybe it always will. That's all.

Ok, ok, wait- I should say, though, before I go- we all have at least one of these pictures, but it was an accident, or was meant to be funny. I'm more referring to people who seem physically incapable of simply *being* in a picture, without throwing up a facial expression that has become the universal gang sign for "I'm interesting and artsy and wear weird clothes and make mustaches with my fingers and am fundamentally defined by my pencil jeans and ironic mullets and 80's throwback neon purses and Bon Jovi headbands and my inability to ponder anything more than what color socks I'm going to wear to go with that new band I discovered".

The end.

The Aforementioned Pink/Red/Orange Hair

Yes, I realize I'm looking to the side on purpose. It's to get the full effect of my awesome dye job. I'm aware I look self-consciously thoughtful, don't rub it in.

The "tricking the universe into giving me a job interview the day after dying my hair inappropriate colors" plan didn't work. Or hasn't worked yet *optimism hurrah!*

Um, I've gone to yoga three days in a row. I am le sore. But I made a really awesome roasted eggplant, garlic, and red bell pepper stew with chickpeas and tomatoes. The two have nothing to do with one another, and certainly nothing to do with my hair...

time to take a shower and go scam CVS with my old lady coupon shenanigans. Then it's quilt makin' and scarf crochetin' time tonight in Texas. It is below 25 degrees. That warrants old school down home craftiness.

Love is in the Air

One of my favorite girls recently got engaged to a really great Norwegian Viking Man from... um... yeah Norway.

The point is, they are wonderful and happy and oh so cute together, so I'm very, very happy for them. Oh love. Great news to bring in the New Year :)