My current fixation is this: ;)
The winking smiley! I'm putting Mr. Winky on almost every e-mail, every message, every comment on a blog/profile/guestbook/etc. He just seems to apply to everything whereas before I was never so bold as to *wink* in my text. Is it flirty? Is it sassy? I'm not sure.
Beyond that I've just discovered that my parents have something called "On Demand" cable WHICH means that I can't watch all of the Season 2 L-Word's in a row and actually get caught up to current! Unfortunately I've just figured this out in the last couple of days so I don't have as much time and can't explore the other On Demand things like Queer as Folk, Deadwood, and etc.
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Alias
Erin's Aliases |
Your movie star name: Marzipan Hal |
Your fashion designer name is Erin Prague |
Your socialite name is Airhead Boston |
Your fly girl / guy name is E Lil |
Your detective name is Wolf Notre Dame Academy |
Your barfly name is Green Tea Pocky Stick Mudslide |
Your soap opera name is Brenna Armacost |
Your rock star name is Marzipan Monorail |
Your star wars name is Erifro Lilsha |
Your punk rock band name is The Punchy Wood Foot |
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Yeah I know
So I have my first fan. Well, not my first fan but my first "writing" fan. Last Monday this girl, we'll call her Pleather Star, comes up to me at the beginning of class and starts telling me about how she's been in this really funky place because of this class and that she's e-mailed the teacher about her funky place and she's in a funky place about her story and also in a funky place because she's just quit smoking. She said she resolved that she would come to the first class after Spring Break (which was last Monday) and "make a friend." So I was the friend she decided to make. In the process of friend-making she told me about how much she *loved* my piece she'd read in the last workshop we'd done. (Which was the first workshop that she'd worked with me on.) (The piece, FYI, was an assignment in which we were to use the weather as an oppresive force that was also symbolical of the relationship between two characters. My story was about these two gay guys going through a sexual drought while there was a real drought happening in the desert city they lived in. Pleather Star loved the story because I used a lot of water words.) So I, of course, told her how much I loved her story about the "icy fog"... which I did in actuality. So we spent our chatter forming the mutual admiration society.
Then in class the teacher read some more pieces out loud - which is kept anonymous for the most part. During this section he read aloud a piece I'd written for the "character description" assignment in which I was writing as Lucifer, the snake, watching Adam being formed. (Here I think I'm incredibly clever because I was writing AS Lucifer while PHYSICALLY describing Adam and in turn CHARACTERISTICALLY describing God AND THEN telling you that Lucifer and God are TWINS so really I was PHYSICALLY describing all THREE of them and giving you PYSCHOLOGICAL insight into Lucifer!) (As I mentioned before... I'm still working on "dumbing it down.")
So ANYWAY - Pleather Star says that she really wants to workshop with me again so will I please sit with her on Wednesday when we are to workshop our 2500 word story.
Wednesday comes and I end up in a workshop group with Pleather Star (who smells heavily of smoke), the novelist (he's just so sickenly good at everything) and Chemmy (I'm calling him Chemmy because I have no idea what his real name is and we can't understand what he says because of his thick Chinese accent and apparent lock-jaw). (Also - Pleather can't stand working with Chemmy because his English is so bad and because everything he writes is sci fi or horror.... so he writes things like the "he prodded the hearth right before the Aborghoiabat monster broke along the door.") Then the teacher decided to join our group as well.
So Pleather reads my story (I'm actually writing a Fried Green Tomatoes fanfiction) which is in the voice of a 12 yr old, southern hobo girl and of course loves it and gushes about how she loves the "voice" and then talks to the teacher about it. The teacher agrees and says that he loved the Snake piece voice as well. Pleather then turned to me and said, "YOU WROTE THE SNAKE PIECE??" Um - yeah. "OH MY GOD - YOU'RE A LITERARY GENIUS!!"
Epilogue:
In the last half of the class the teacher asked for people to read aloud a page or two from the story so Pleather grabbed my paper and read MY two pages aloud. Then this last Monday she asked me if she could have a copy of the snake piece because she wants to frame it and give it to her friend that likes snakes. (Apparently she'd been looking for a prose snake-related piece for a while and she was thrilled to learn that I, her new friend, had written the one she'd liked.)
Just wait until we start poetry - I'll knock her socks off!
Then in class the teacher read some more pieces out loud - which is kept anonymous for the most part. During this section he read aloud a piece I'd written for the "character description" assignment in which I was writing as Lucifer, the snake, watching Adam being formed. (Here I think I'm incredibly clever because I was writing AS Lucifer while PHYSICALLY describing Adam and in turn CHARACTERISTICALLY describing God AND THEN telling you that Lucifer and God are TWINS so really I was PHYSICALLY describing all THREE of them and giving you PYSCHOLOGICAL insight into Lucifer!) (As I mentioned before... I'm still working on "dumbing it down.")
So ANYWAY - Pleather Star says that she really wants to workshop with me again so will I please sit with her on Wednesday when we are to workshop our 2500 word story.
Wednesday comes and I end up in a workshop group with Pleather Star (who smells heavily of smoke), the novelist (he's just so sickenly good at everything) and Chemmy (I'm calling him Chemmy because I have no idea what his real name is and we can't understand what he says because of his thick Chinese accent and apparent lock-jaw). (Also - Pleather can't stand working with Chemmy because his English is so bad and because everything he writes is sci fi or horror.... so he writes things like the "he prodded the hearth right before the Aborghoiabat monster broke along the door.") Then the teacher decided to join our group as well.
So Pleather reads my story (I'm actually writing a Fried Green Tomatoes fanfiction) which is in the voice of a 12 yr old, southern hobo girl and of course loves it and gushes about how she loves the "voice" and then talks to the teacher about it. The teacher agrees and says that he loved the Snake piece voice as well. Pleather then turned to me and said, "YOU WROTE THE SNAKE PIECE??" Um - yeah. "OH MY GOD - YOU'RE A LITERARY GENIUS!!"
Epilogue:
In the last half of the class the teacher asked for people to read aloud a page or two from the story so Pleather grabbed my paper and read MY two pages aloud. Then this last Monday she asked me if she could have a copy of the snake piece because she wants to frame it and give it to her friend that likes snakes. (Apparently she'd been looking for a prose snake-related piece for a while and she was thrilled to learn that I, her new friend, had written the one she'd liked.)
Just wait until we start poetry - I'll knock her socks off!
Friday, April 22, 2005
Monday, April 18, 2005
To answer comments:
1) Marble Match - I found it in MySpace's "Games" section along with a bunch of other Tetris/Bubble Puzzle type games which are loaded on the site. (But I can't stand Tetris because that involves geometry.) But you can also find it here: http://www.trygames.com
2) White Streak - Yes it is real. (Though actually the picture is a photoshop composition of two pictures of the white streak but all of the individual strands are real.)
2) White Streak - Yes it is real. (Though actually the picture is a photoshop composition of two pictures of the white streak but all of the individual strands are real.)
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
So I've been feeling like I've been wasting away the days... and I'm sick now and considering using that as an excuse. I haven't been sick in about two years so I do not think that it is any coincidence that I am suddenly flu-ish.
I managed to complete the entire season of the L Word and several movies so that should give you some hint as to how I've been slacking.
But on the other hand I've actually been doing my assigned tasks for every day and at the end of today I saw that I was a full week ahead in my Monster book. I mentioned previously that the Monster book suggested that the job search prep would take two weeks and I've actually just finished all the prep. So really I have been working really hard and thought I was behind.
So Wednesday I completed all of the documents in the "Job Portfolio" chapter AND I also completed my entire first draft of my short fiction story which is not due for another two weeks. Go me! Took a walk to 7-11 and bought Mac & Cheese and Chocolate Milk. No, actually that was Tuesday. Wednesday I just took a walk and made the mental note to wark when it is lighter out because the cockroaches make me squeamish. (Actually, they make me scream like a girl.) (Jobs Applied to: Zeeerooo)
Thursday was the "Create a Pitch" chapter. I finished half of that before falling into a coma on my couch and then waking up just in time to go to a presentation at World Group Financial (Monica's boyfriend's thingamajig). Later that night I convinced Miriam that she needed coffee and walked to 7-11 with her. I ended up not being able to fall asleep until 2 something and using half of a Tylenol PM to aid me in that much. (Its amazing how quickly I can slip back into my nightowl habits.) (Jobs Applied to: Two)
Friday I started out bummed because I didn't complete Thursday's chapter. Watched the last L word episode (while eating my one meal of Chef Boy.R.D) and am now left in cliffhanger-dom. Decided I couldn't stand my apartment anymore, packed up my school homework and Monster book and went to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. There I consumed a White Chocolate Dream Ice Blended and finished the Pitch chapter, the Resume chapter and the Cover letter chapter (putting me a day ahead). Then I went to do my school homework and realized there wasn't any so I went home. Then I walked a friggin' mile I think. Got home and read my new Strangers in Paradise comic book! Then I drafted and revamped my resume to make it Monster-style text and Monster-style "presentation." I still need to type up my "pitch" and "cover message" documents but its 1:40am now and I'm past the "reward yourself" period.
(Jobs Applied to: Zilch)
I managed to complete the entire season of the L Word and several movies so that should give you some hint as to how I've been slacking.
But on the other hand I've actually been doing my assigned tasks for every day and at the end of today I saw that I was a full week ahead in my Monster book. I mentioned previously that the Monster book suggested that the job search prep would take two weeks and I've actually just finished all the prep. So really I have been working really hard and thought I was behind.
So Wednesday I completed all of the documents in the "Job Portfolio" chapter AND I also completed my entire first draft of my short fiction story which is not due for another two weeks. Go me! Took a walk to 7-11 and bought Mac & Cheese and Chocolate Milk. No, actually that was Tuesday. Wednesday I just took a walk and made the mental note to wark when it is lighter out because the cockroaches make me squeamish. (Actually, they make me scream like a girl.) (Jobs Applied to: Zeeerooo)
Thursday was the "Create a Pitch" chapter. I finished half of that before falling into a coma on my couch and then waking up just in time to go to a presentation at World Group Financial (Monica's boyfriend's thingamajig). Later that night I convinced Miriam that she needed coffee and walked to 7-11 with her. I ended up not being able to fall asleep until 2 something and using half of a Tylenol PM to aid me in that much. (Its amazing how quickly I can slip back into my nightowl habits.) (Jobs Applied to: Two)
Friday I started out bummed because I didn't complete Thursday's chapter. Watched the last L word episode (while eating my one meal of Chef Boy.R.D) and am now left in cliffhanger-dom. Decided I couldn't stand my apartment anymore, packed up my school homework and Monster book and went to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. There I consumed a White Chocolate Dream Ice Blended and finished the Pitch chapter, the Resume chapter and the Cover letter chapter (putting me a day ahead). Then I went to do my school homework and realized there wasn't any so I went home. Then I walked a friggin' mile I think. Got home and read my new Strangers in Paradise comic book! Then I drafted and revamped my resume to make it Monster-style text and Monster-style "presentation." I still need to type up my "pitch" and "cover message" documents but its 1:40am now and I'm past the "reward yourself" period.
(Jobs Applied to: Zilch)
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Job Hunting
I figured I could use this blog now as a resource to keep me to my word (to myself at least).
Realizing that my job hunting skills from my previous bout of unemployment (which was like a year and a half or more) were not going to work this time I've made some immediate determinations.
1) I'm going to ask for help. (Last time I was going to "do it all myself - leave me the frik alone!")
2) I'm going to make lists. (I hear this is useful for attention defecit folks... and I'm convinced I'm attention deficit.)
3) I'm going to do it as it was meant to be done (and use the rest of my Landmark "Performance Triangle" skills which I keep posted next to my desk).
4) I'm going to try and talk about my insecurities out loud to someone instead of just butchering myself on the inside.
So JoB hunting day 1 was Friday night (after the layoff). I'd actually sent out a couple of resumes during the day (after realizing my rent check had bounced and knowing I needed a new job that paid more) . That night I sent out a couple more. I also sent e-mails to friends and acquaintances to keep their eyes open for me. Jobs applied to - 4.
JoB hunting day 2 - Monday - I woke up and made a list of things to do that day. I planned out all the physical stuff for the morning (folding laundry, making beds) because I knew I'd piss my day away if I got on the computer. One of the things on my list to do was to read a chapter of my Monster.com Job Hunting book which I'd received as a free gift at about the time I started my last job. This will be my "doing it as it was meant to be done" guide. The book says it may take about two weeks to get everything in order before I can officially begin full force looking. Meanwhile I intend to look a little at least every day. I filed for unemployment. This will take a bit to kick in. I checked the e-mails from friends and was led to Countrywide and Target's sites. Both sites had nothing I could conceivably qualify for so nothing there. There are still a couple I need to follow up on. Per the Monster book I made a "jobs applied to" notebook. Jobs applied to - 0. Tasks completed - 21 (out of 24)
JoB hunting day 3 - Tuesday - I completed the Monster book's personal assessment quizzes today. All of them sorta led in the direction of "being a writer" as a career which probably means taking what they call a "Plan C" job. I also worked on my next Creative Writing assignment which is a 2500 word "character driven" story. I've decided to kill two birds with one stone. Bird 1) Character driven story; Bird 2) Fanfiction for my FGT site. Sooo my story is going to be about a hobo girl that is involved peripherally in the FGT story. I took a walk (and went to 7-11 because I wasn't really sure where to walk to). I watched two movies. I sent two notes to two former employers (including the last one) requesting reference letters for a "brag book" which the Monster book suggested. The Hollywood Boss sent me a notice asking me if I was available to help her with something. I hadn't told her about the layoff yet because I knew she was going through a tough time - her new boyfriend was dying of cancer. Well it turns out that he did die and she is planning a "celebration of life" and could use some support with that. This would be paying something I suppose but a little SAD! I'd do it for free since I have the time but I probably can't be that generous. Jobs applied to - 0. Tasks completed - 12 out of 14
Realizing that my job hunting skills from my previous bout of unemployment (which was like a year and a half or more) were not going to work this time I've made some immediate determinations.
1) I'm going to ask for help. (Last time I was going to "do it all myself - leave me the frik alone!")
2) I'm going to make lists. (I hear this is useful for attention defecit folks... and I'm convinced I'm attention deficit.)
3) I'm going to do it as it was meant to be done (and use the rest of my Landmark "Performance Triangle" skills which I keep posted next to my desk).
4) I'm going to try and talk about my insecurities out loud to someone instead of just butchering myself on the inside.
So JoB hunting day 1 was Friday night (after the layoff). I'd actually sent out a couple of resumes during the day (after realizing my rent check had bounced and knowing I needed a new job that paid more) . That night I sent out a couple more. I also sent e-mails to friends and acquaintances to keep their eyes open for me. Jobs applied to - 4.
JoB hunting day 2 - Monday - I woke up and made a list of things to do that day. I planned out all the physical stuff for the morning (folding laundry, making beds) because I knew I'd piss my day away if I got on the computer. One of the things on my list to do was to read a chapter of my Monster.com Job Hunting book which I'd received as a free gift at about the time I started my last job. This will be my "doing it as it was meant to be done" guide. The book says it may take about two weeks to get everything in order before I can officially begin full force looking. Meanwhile I intend to look a little at least every day. I filed for unemployment. This will take a bit to kick in. I checked the e-mails from friends and was led to Countrywide and Target's sites. Both sites had nothing I could conceivably qualify for so nothing there. There are still a couple I need to follow up on. Per the Monster book I made a "jobs applied to" notebook. Jobs applied to - 0. Tasks completed - 21 (out of 24)
JoB hunting day 3 - Tuesday - I completed the Monster book's personal assessment quizzes today. All of them sorta led in the direction of "being a writer" as a career which probably means taking what they call a "Plan C" job. I also worked on my next Creative Writing assignment which is a 2500 word "character driven" story. I've decided to kill two birds with one stone. Bird 1) Character driven story; Bird 2) Fanfiction for my FGT site. Sooo my story is going to be about a hobo girl that is involved peripherally in the FGT story. I took a walk (and went to 7-11 because I wasn't really sure where to walk to). I watched two movies. I sent two notes to two former employers (including the last one) requesting reference letters for a "brag book" which the Monster book suggested. The Hollywood Boss sent me a notice asking me if I was available to help her with something. I hadn't told her about the layoff yet because I knew she was going through a tough time - her new boyfriend was dying of cancer. Well it turns out that he did die and she is planning a "celebration of life" and could use some support with that. This would be paying something I suppose but a little SAD! I'd do it for free since I have the time but I probably can't be that generous. Jobs applied to - 0. Tasks completed - 12 out of 14
SO I've been laid off
Anyone following the work blog will notice that I've been laid off (and I moved the work blog to avoid accidental discovery because I forgot to clear the history cache at "work" before I left on Friday). (The link on the right should be updated now.)
It was sudden news and I'm now sitting around wondering what the hell to do with myself....
Saturday night I was treated to many beverages and I became inebriated to the extent of actually throwing up. This was a first! Considering I'm 26 you'd think I might have had this experience before but alas... no. I was also inebriated to the extent of having fuzzy memories - also a first!
Here are some things I do remember:
1) Writing my name with pizza. (At the time it made sense - I wanted the people following me to the pizza box to know that the partially eaten piece of pizza was in fact - mine.) "Sleepy Boy" seemed very entertained.
2) Toppling into board games. (It was very hard to navigate between the people on the floor playing games... it was easy to lose my balance!)
3) Mango Chili Pop shat mango smelling poo. (????)
4) Apparently I was inadvertently mocking Wade's accent because he asked me where I was from. (This really would have happened anyway because I do slip into accents when talking to people... especially anything remotely southern... but I didn't realize I was doing it until he asked. Then he had a discussion about being south of the Mason Dixon line which I didn't quite follow... but that's because I'm stupid at geography and history.)
5) Blurting some things out that may still need explaining.
6) Going off to be alone like a cat waiting to die....
7) An amazingly short car ride to my parents house where I was dropped off by T without toiletries. (The "black bag" I was referring to, T, was in my car on the floor.)
But the thing I can't figure out is whey I found sand in my shoes the next morning. Any insight??
Sunday afternoon I spent with Marci by the pool of her new apartment complex in a new city called "South West Metro"... which is basically in Orange County...near Irvine (??) She remained in bikini while I, anti pool and sun, remained in jeans and t-shirt. (I didn't go swimming of course.) She informed me that I had to keep drinking but didn't enforce it. HOWEVER, it was hard not to because she had two groupies who kept chatting her up and offering us alcohol. She eventually caused drama when Eminem (groupie 1) fell in love with her and got upset because Tony (groupie 2) was paying too much attention to her. After Eminem left in a hissy we left and got mexican from a hole in the wall. We came back to play pool and of course Eminem and Tony were just WAITING for her to return to the complex social area. So I say I spent the afternoon with Marci but really I spent the afternoon with Eminem and Tony and Marci.
(Meanwhile Miriam drove to San Diego and the tire on my car blew and her aunt had to buy two new tires for my car which I will have to pay back with NO income.)
I'll need some money and fast!
*** "Sleepy Boy," "Wade," and "Mango Chili Pop" are characters that appear courtesy of Taysha's "Tea & Toast" blog.
It was sudden news and I'm now sitting around wondering what the hell to do with myself....
Saturday night I was treated to many beverages and I became inebriated to the extent of actually throwing up. This was a first! Considering I'm 26 you'd think I might have had this experience before but alas... no. I was also inebriated to the extent of having fuzzy memories - also a first!
Here are some things I do remember:
1) Writing my name with pizza. (At the time it made sense - I wanted the people following me to the pizza box to know that the partially eaten piece of pizza was in fact - mine.) "Sleepy Boy" seemed very entertained.
2) Toppling into board games. (It was very hard to navigate between the people on the floor playing games... it was easy to lose my balance!)
3) Mango Chili Pop shat mango smelling poo. (????)
4) Apparently I was inadvertently mocking Wade's accent because he asked me where I was from. (This really would have happened anyway because I do slip into accents when talking to people... especially anything remotely southern... but I didn't realize I was doing it until he asked. Then he had a discussion about being south of the Mason Dixon line which I didn't quite follow... but that's because I'm stupid at geography and history.)
5) Blurting some things out that may still need explaining.
6) Going off to be alone like a cat waiting to die....
7) An amazingly short car ride to my parents house where I was dropped off by T without toiletries. (The "black bag" I was referring to, T, was in my car on the floor.)
But the thing I can't figure out is whey I found sand in my shoes the next morning. Any insight??
Sunday afternoon I spent with Marci by the pool of her new apartment complex in a new city called "South West Metro"... which is basically in Orange County...near Irvine (??) She remained in bikini while I, anti pool and sun, remained in jeans and t-shirt. (I didn't go swimming of course.) She informed me that I had to keep drinking but didn't enforce it. HOWEVER, it was hard not to because she had two groupies who kept chatting her up and offering us alcohol. She eventually caused drama when Eminem (groupie 1) fell in love with her and got upset because Tony (groupie 2) was paying too much attention to her. After Eminem left in a hissy we left and got mexican from a hole in the wall. We came back to play pool and of course Eminem and Tony were just WAITING for her to return to the complex social area. So I say I spent the afternoon with Marci but really I spent the afternoon with Eminem and Tony and Marci.
(Meanwhile Miriam drove to San Diego and the tire on my car blew and her aunt had to buy two new tires for my car which I will have to pay back with NO income.)
I'll need some money and fast!
*** "Sleepy Boy," "Wade," and "Mango Chili Pop" are characters that appear courtesy of Taysha's "Tea & Toast" blog.
Monday, April 04, 2005
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