Cheerio! (and probably Cheerios too)

So, unemployment has been treating me well. After a wonderful week at the lake with LC and EA, I've come back to the real world of working out, watching television, throwing dinner parties, and applying to jobs that sound oh-so-good only to be completely ignored (think, admissions counselor at your alma mater and a entry level advertising job at the biggest and the best ad firm on the west coast.) Even so, I am irrepressible.

In the midst of all this, I got a visit that shook up my daily routine. Enter, my favorite uncle, his wife, and their two children. They are coming to stay with my family for a month while they prepare to move for my uncle's job. The kids are absolutely beautiful, tri-lingual (English, Italian, and German) and they are a 100% certified handful. If I could bottle the energy they exude, I would not only have a job, but also be running a small country. So for the past week or so, my days have been consumed with splashing around a baby pool, chasing children around the house, changing diapers, trips to the ER for ear infections, making snacks, packing strollers, trips to yogurtland (but that's more for me) and lots and lots of telling stories. Now, by no means am I a nanny, but I am an older sister, so this isn't too new of an experience for me.

Still, imagine my surprise when I woke up this morning to find my uncle saying to my mother, "Well if you would pay for the airfare with your miles, we could feasibly pay, oh $100-$200 a day, and she could live with us and help out with the kids, and after a while, she could see if something else strikes her fancy, or I could help her find a job."

Now, before you say "Ugh, a nanny job, really?" keep in mind, we are related so the kids like me well enough, they are moving to a pretty sizeable house where I would live for free....and it's in ENGLAND. (All of my friends know that in addition to my love of travel, tea, and scarves, I have a very acute weakness for boys with British accents. Bonus.)

$100 to watch kids I like in a foreign country, while finding a job? Um, yes please.
So it's not for sure, just like any other job opportunity I've had in the past year, but it's definitely a tempting option, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Perhaps the unemployment blues are at an end??? We'll see.

~JR

Faking How the Other Half Lives

Good Morning, minimum-wage slaves to an economy that won't allow you a "real" job! Look, there is no reason why we can't experience some of the finer things, too. I've just unearthed something magical. The lovelies over at http://www.fancyfastfood.com/ have developed a method to allow even the most impoverished individual to feel like they are livin' the good life. Think Creme Brulee made out of Dunkin' Donuts or Fancy Corn Chowder made out of a KFC Family meal. Pure and utter brilliance.

(Beware: No one's promising health-conciousness here. A Big Mac by any other name is still...well, you know.)

Stay Fancy!
LC
(Courtesy of fancyfastfood.com)

I take it back.

Oh, hey there, Mr. Rejection Letter.



That is all.




I'm going to go work on my new cardboard-box home under the pier.
I suspect it's going to come in handy soon.

LC

I KNEW going to high school would come in handy!

Finally! The perfect job for me...one I'm COMPLETELY qualified for, is exciting, and suits me perfectly. It's a stretch to say it's what I majored in, but in my current situation, this is the best I've seen.

Okay, it's a staff position at the high school I graduated from. But I'd be wrangling alumni, covering events, designing year-end report materials...AND I'm an alumni! So perfect. Granted, every alumni since the school opened will probably be applying, along with whoever else is qualified and unemployed in the area. I had to submit an application, resume, three essays, and four letters of rec (including school affiliates), though...maybe they're just weeding out the people who REALLY want it?

I have a good feeling, kids.

LC

A Little Whine and a Tip

It's been a quite a discouraging day of applying for the perfect job. For starters, it's at my alma matar, which I love, with people I know, in a department I completely embodied as an undergrad. I spent 4 hours perfecting my application, resume, and cover letter, only to recieve a message at the end of all of it saying "Thank you for you interest in this position. Based upon your response to the supplementary application questionnaire, you do not meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Please do not let this discourage you from applying for other positions that interest you."

Translation: Sorry, on the question where it asked if you have a master's or are enrolled in a master's program, you clicked 'no'. So nope, we're not even gonna look at your application.

Let's just say, a great amount of patience is the reason I still have a computer to post this blog update on. It was almost out the window.

At any rate, that's not what today's post is about. No friends, instead I am here with a fUN-employment tip! That's right, a fun thing to keep you busy when you aren't banging your head against the wall of jobs that you can't get!

So here it is: In So-Cal there are a million aspiring photographers, because there are so many pretty people and things to take pictures of. Chances are, you're pals with one of these friendly photogs. Enter fUN-employment tip- Trade your photographer friend a free meal (or other legal service) in exchange for having them do your pictures. It's fun, you get dressed up, you pick a cool location, they get food and experience, and it's free!

Also, if you live in the LA/or Hollywierd scene like some of us RamenDiary gals, they're asking you to send a headshot with almost all of your resumes these days. While I personally think it's bizarre to submit a full body shot of myself to be able to sell vacuum cleaners, or make a venti chai latte, you're one step ahead of the game if you've already got some great professional pictures on hand.

Best of all, if they're really good, or you're really good-looking, maybe one of you gets famous!

Word to the wise though, be careful how much creative direction your artsy photographer friend gets with the pics. I recently vetoed a request to do a shoot wearing fishnets. Remember, pictures say a thousand words. And usually, pictures of you in fishnets don't say the words "I'm responsible, smart and hardworking, so hire me."

~JR