Bloggy

Sheesh! It's like everyone wants a piece of my misery... Well, here you go. This is the result of two unskilled scissorbitches hacking away at my shoulder length hair, and another semi-skilled one coming in to "fix it." Terrible, yes? If you're perhaps thinking "Oh, it doesn't look that bad," consider that I don't want to look like Nancy Pelosi. And, I am wearing extra makeup to disguise its hideousness. Also consider that the sides are shorter than the back, making it nearly impossible to grow this 'do out into a normal girly style. It even looks stupid under a beanie. Basically, I am wearing a shaggy helmet with fuzz around the edges. Notice the side part? That was Sarah's invention. "Your hair is not that bad," she said. "But you should try a side part since you kind of have a long forehead." So, we went with it. Sarah has been my friend and stylist since 2nd grade. She was the one to tell me in 7th grade that I neede...

AAAAAHH!!! I am suffering my 3rd bad hair week. It's incredible what a terrible haircut can do for your outlook on life. Not to mention grey days and rain. What happened to my personality? The bitch at the barber shop cut it off and swept it up and threw it away. I look like I am going to a job interview. Meaning, I look like an unhip, frumpy woman, 10 years older than I am. At least, that's how I feel. I won't even go into the mean things I have been imagining doing to that so-called stylist that came at me with the razor. She shouldn't be allowed to collect money for what she does, and I should do something about it! Can I? It's Bishops on Alberta in Portland... avoid it at all costs. I need to stage a protest. On one hand, I feel shallow for letting it ruin my days (weeks) but then again, every time I pass a mirror I cringe. It's terrible, I'm telling you. In the mornings it's not even worth it to style it, but I try anyway, and it always puts me in a...

This article, called "legendary" by salon.com, has been circulating around the Internet for some time, and has resurfaced in news and blogs all over this week. I clicked on it, (had to keep the momentum going!) and am inspired to try some of the tricks on my own man. The New York Times article called "What Shamu Taught me About a Happy Marriage" is about a woman who learned to train her husband using wild animal training techniques. I thought the chips and salsa maneuver in the kitchen was brilliant... and can't wait to try it! So simple, but so effective. Why didn't we think of this sooner?

The "hiring climate" in my industry, and my town right now is such that any respectable paper around here would hire someone with 10 years of experience rather than someone like me. And, chances are, they are going to pay this person what they normally reserve for the interns. I've heard this now from not one, not two, but three newspapers. The first was the biz journal, which I stormed back in April. The editor was kind enough to sit with me and explain everything. What's interesting is that he apologized, and seemed very regretful and sincere. He later called and offered me some freelance work. The next was a colorful weekly paper. The editor I spoke with had come from the east coast 10 years ago, and said she'd taken a huge pay cut just to live and work in Portland. She's not the only one. She said there are plenty more people like her looking for jobs... and they'd get one there before the likes of me. Last week I had a meeting with the recruiter for t...

for another super-week o' school-n-work, they shut it all down! Our 4 inches of snow has school closed for yet another day and evening... and today I was supposed to have my first test! And, without public school being open, the assigned stories are sitting still too. Oh well... nothing left to do but blog, surf the net and knit all day today. Not too bad...

I met the coolest lady ever in my statistics class. She's 50, and is taking statistics to get into the masters of nursing program--she's a nurse, and wants to become a nurse practitioner. At 50. That's rad. She was embarrased the other day because we were all exchanging email, and she said she doesn't have one. We're going to change that. Anyway, she started out in the ARMY as a linguist back in the late '70s. She got out, and didn't know what to do with herself, so she got a degree in political science. She still didn't know what to do, so she got a law degree, and practiced law for 2 years. She said she hated every minute of it. So, she went back to school to become a nurse. Is she indecisive? Maybe. But everyone's got a different path, and I respect her for not settling in something that didn't work for her. She's obviously got no problem with working on herself, and I am happy to see there are people out there like that. I asked her what...

This weekend was better than many I've had recently. I worked 2 12-hour days as a home care aid, helping this elderly lady. Sunday, I had the most restful day off I've had in a long time. I earned it! For months I have been feeling anxious, like I am not doing enough. I could be doing some thing else, makign more money, looking for more jobs, somehow, making ends meet. I haven't given up on freelancing, or on journalism. Though I did finally tell my editor that I was headed back to school. She wished me luck at this other paper that's hiring. She said many reporters had "cut their teeth" there before coming to work for them. That's fine and good, but this paper pays less than half of what they do for freelance stories, so I know that won't translate to riches for full-time work either. My mind is made up, and I see this as another big step toward the next phase of my life. Good for me!

SNOW! We got a surprise storm overnight that dropped 3 inches of snow, and it's still going. Portland life grinds to a halt... Brandon took a 30 minute stop-n-go trip about 8 blocks this morning before he turned around and came home. His work called and said don't bother coming. My school was cancelled. There are jacknifed trucks stopping up the freeways, and people backing up the on ramps. Mass confusion! So we're headed to Freddy's to stock up for the following rain that's supposed to bury us under an inch of ice! Yay winter!!! I'm so thankful I'm not one of the hundreds stuck on the freeways in an emergency or having to pee. Other than that, this winter wonderland is totally exciting for me, and totally boring for snow boy Brandon.

Can you believe Portland Schools cancelled all classes because of this? A light dusting of powder fell over night that doesn't even stick to the roads. Not only that, but it's sunny outside right now! Yay for wimpy school administrators!

Oh, happiest of new years! -It's dark outside, and it's 11 a.m. -Hair appointment at 3 p.m. The third in 3 weeks, after two crappy haircuts left me with a lopsided chin-length hairdo, and bangs. -Possible drug test scheduled tomorrow for a possible job* that pays $9.50/hr., no benefits. -Monday, school starts. Put it on the credit card. -Getting work done is nearly impossible thanks to loss of voice from leftover cold. -Gained 5 fat holiday pounds. Reality: Now, not only am I partially employed and broke, I am fat and ugly, too. 2007 is going to rock! *The ONLY job I have even been semi-offered in months. And I've called this place 4 times now, reminding them that I exist, and should be hired.