The Rants and Raves of a Monster: February 2008

Thursday, February 28, 2008

I am now a whore

For my Derby League.

I realized the other day that a great way to help out my Roller Derby League would be to accept all those friend invites from random people I don't know so that I can post info on the bouts and stuff. And no, that doesn't mean I actually have to meet those people. Prior to this, i have only added as friends people I actually consider friends. with a couple of exceptions. I deleted most of those. This means that i don't have any MySpace friends in Reno.

I've decided to change that. For the good of my League.

I am now a whore.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Thinking outside the box

It has now been um, several days since I embarked on my journey of unemployment. Today, as I was showering, it occurred to me that not too long ago, I had a great idea for a small business. Since now may not be the time to be starting new businesses, (Still working on getting the soap back on line. AND not losing out on that house) I decided to curtail my business plan while still making use of the overall idea.

Basically, instead of JUST looking for jobs, I decided to try letting the jobs look for me. The following was recently posted on Craigslist. No, I did not actually post my resume. No, I did not give out my email address. Neither did I give my phone number. This might shoot me in the foot, but it also keeps the creepies from getting too close. And really, I'm trying to think out of the box, which is always a good idea even if it doesn't come out he way you thought.

Hey, whatever it takes. Plus, Seester says I many NOT go be a massage girl in a strip club because it will eat my soul. I'm pretty sure i want to keep that.

Girl Friday looking for a business in Need!

Multi talented, highly professional individual looking for someone to make use of and appreciate my skills. I am computer literate with 4+ years experience in Word, Excel, Outlook, and Project. My organizational skills and multitasking abilities are excellent. I take pride in excellent customer service whether my "customer" is public or professional. Experience in construction industries, healthcare, and food service among others.

I'm looking for something permanent in a setting where I can find satisfaction in a job well done. My resume is available upon request.

Please do not contact me with business opportunities, investment opportunities, or questionable moral hi-jinks.

Monday, February 25, 2008

This made me laugh. A lot

http://boobsinjuriesanddrpepper.blogspot.com/2008/02/better-left-unsaid.html#comments

Go there and read it before you continue. And the comments too.

So, one day, I was at the grocery with my mom, and we were in the hygiene aisle. and I looked up to the top shelf and asked very loudly, "Momi, what's a doo-che?"

After quickly hushing me she explained that a douche was something you clean yourself with. Then I got the explanation on how they aren't really very good for you and all that. My mother held very little back, especially when it came to personal cleanliness and how to maintain our nether regions.

So I think I knew deep down inside exactly what the strange rubber bag was when I saw it in my grandmother's shower. And thankfully I was smart enough not to touch it.

Findings

I am finding that I'm not altogether good at this whole job search thing. But I know I will learn and I will get better!

Had a good trip to San Francisco. I don't really like the city, but I had the my best trip yet. Wish I could have not worried about money, but that is a lesson I am learning right now. And really? I don't need more crap.

Actually, I am figuring out how the crap I have can make me some cash. I don't REALLY want to take the suggestion of one of the roller girls and go be a massage girl in a strip club. Even for $20 a song. But I'll do it if I need to, it's not like I'd have to take my clothes off or anything. I think...I wouldn't do that. ick.

Other thank that, things are good. I'll be picking up a little "side work" which will help while I find something permanent. And my Realtor says not to worry about anything right now. I'm glad he's willing to wait to jump off any bridges. We're all pooling our resources (I gave up my drum carder fund so that we have household money for food and stuff) and that's how it will be for a little while.

Poo and I are feeling confident in our futures. Cowboy is being very supportive. So is the rest of my friends and family.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Be careful what you wish for

Over the last six months, there have been times where I have been so frustrated at work that I have nearly walked out. Walked away and not looked back.

Responsibility has kept me there. The understanding that it is a means to an end kept me there. the concern over disappointing Poo kept me there. I even worked for free sometimes, clocking out and returning to work when there was a lot to do. Giving my all and everything every day. I was reminded a couple of weeks ago that I am foolish for skipping lunches, and for working over. "They", I was told, "will fire you in a second"

And today they did. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail because I don't want to bad mouth my former employer, but it was decided that I "don't know my ass from a hole in the ground" and off I went.

I don't tend to agree, but I accept the decision. It frees me to find something more suitable to me. A better fit. Something unrelated to the industry I was in. Because I don't think that industry is where I want to be anymore. I've been saying I want out. That this would be my last job in this industry. Even though that's where the money is, I'm not going back there. Not if I have a choice. But I'm not going to say never.

I'm free.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

The story continues

If you didn't read the story from a couple of days ago, then go read that and come back. Unless you are my seester, in which case, seester, just read this part.

Yesterday, Poo called Carpet Guy's boss. Then he put me on the phone.

I told my story the best that I could. The boss was very apologetic. He assured me that Carpet Guy was not acting on his behalf. I tried to reassure him that I didn't figure that he was. He said it sounded like Carpet Guy had been drinking. (The general consensus is that he was doing something a little stronger. maybe Meth?) He said he would likely fire Carpet Guy today. He said, "I don't know what Carpet Guy was thinking, he's married!"

And I thought, wow. not only was he asking my to do something unethical, but something immoral too. Today, I scraped the stickers off my car to make it a little less "mine". (well, most of them. I only got half of one of them off before I lost my scraper. Thankfully it still makes sense) I will have to be very diligent now, not just in my professional dealings, but my personal ones too. I have to wonder how long it will be before I forget to look over my shoulder when I leave work. Before I stop checking over my car for key marks or worse.

And I was a lucky one.

The fact that there is a serial rapist and murderer running around my town affects me more than I ever thought it would. This is a pretty small town. Small enough that everyone is in everyone else's business. Small enough that it's not that far from where he picked up his last victim and where he left her. In a snowy field. All alone.

And I am here, all warm in my home. Planning for life.

Must be careful. If the rest of my life is as fantastic as it is right now, I don't want to miss it!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

I was on the Tee Vee

So, I don't really know how to download this and post it on YouTube as Jestertunes requested, but I am providing a link to the video on the News Channel's website:

KREN

On the site, click on the "Rollergirls" link. If you watch carefully, I am wearing a black, short sleeve shirt with a white tank top over it. The tank top covers my red shorts. You will see those clearly at the end. I am one of the few girls in a white helmet too. There is proof here that I actually do push ups.

Missing in action

I don't think I have ever been absent for this long! And I have stories! Stories of the chupacabra. And a neglected life. but all that must be pushed aside for a story that will make you go, Wha? and for my Seester to get really upset. So Seester, don't read because I had another adventure the other day and you aren't going to like it.

Friday afternoon as I was counting down the minutes until I could wander off happily into the sunset on my way to Sacramento for a weekend of family goodness, I got a strange phone call. It went something like this

Man's Voice: Hi this is (garbled) with (garbled) and I would really like to meet with you after work to go over the numbers. Maybe dinner, are you hungry?maybe we could have lunch or a drink or just meet after work...

Me: no, I'm not hungry I had a big lunch, which numbers are those? (my sneaky attempt at figuring out who was on the phone. I knew it was either the carpet guy or my loan guy.)

voice: you know, the numbers, so can I pick you up after work...

at this point, I tried to explain that I was going out of town this weekend and I was not available to go out after work. Nevertheless, my conversation was insignificant as he continued to talk at me until I agreed to have him pick me up at work when I got off and have a quick drink to go over the numbers.

After I got off the phone, I went in to the girls and told them I had agreed to go for a drink but I didn't know with whom. Vicki made me comb my hair.

The person called back and I was able to discover that it was the carpet guy who said he made reservations at Outback Steakhouse (Right across the street. Last I checked, they don't take reservations, but they have changed ownership so that may have changed as well) and that he was running a little late. I reminded him that I was on a tight time schedule.

After giving Vic all his info, I went out to wait. While outside I learned that they had found a body which might be the girl that had been missing for several weeks in the area (yes, it was her. Please shed a tear for the theft of a life that had just begun. She was 19) He arrived about 20 minutes late. Yes, I should have just left. I did call to see where he was but there was no answer.

I climb into his truck and we head off. And he turns the opposite direction from Outback. Apparently, he decided to take me to a different restaurant. About 2 blocks down the road, I considered jumping out of the truck. He was driving me crazy.

Conversation bounced around from questions about me (apparently I am different from other girls around here and he is facinated with my green eyes. ick) to discussion about work. He asked me a lot of questions I couldn't answer, and a lot of questions I didn't want to answer. Inside information about other contractor's bids so that he could lowball the competititon. Totally not ok. Meanwhile, we are getting further and further from my car.

He turns up the road where I got my ticket. then turns down another road. I ask where we are going. Once again, he has changed the plans and we are on out way to his "step grandparents house. they are really rich, I will love it there. We'll just have one drink. they are out of town." I remind him that I need to get going. That I don't have time for a sit down meal, or for a visit. That I need to get back.

He's talking a mile a minute, we're heading down a dirt road in an exclusive neighborhood. He can't find the house and I am wondering how close he is to these grandparents if he doesn't know precisely where they live. He blames the snow and the recent development in the area. After he gives up on finding it and we turn around, it comes out that these people are actually an ex girlfriends grandparents but they are all still friends.

His stories keep changing.

He asks why I don't have a boyfriend. I pause, blinking twice to gather my thoughts

"Don't roll your eyes"

"I didn't. I was composing my answer. I don't have a boyfriend because sometimes that's how it is. I have someone I date. If it turns serious, great. If not, that's how it happens sometimes" (by the way, when I told Cowboy that part of the story he got very quiet. I didn't mention the "get serious part")

Apparently he would like to date me. We stopped at a gas station and I ducked into the bathroom (it was sheer force of will that I didn't pee on his car seat. full bladder, bumpy road.) I pondered whether I should come out. I thought about calling Vic.

On the way back to my work place,, he continued to scheme ways to get work from us. All of it included me giving him inside information. Some of it included undercutting his boss. It also included NOT telling Poo we had gone out and about or had those conversations.

He tried to suggest coming to Sac with me but I told him no. That I had plans while I was there and would be spending time with my family. (If I won't ask my cousin if she will put up a roller girl or two, why the hell would I ask her to host some guy?)

We hopped on the free way and I noticed his car was acting funny. We pulled over and found that his gas pedal was sticking. It was getting caught in the carpet. He broke it off. This did not fix the problem. Earlier, he told me he had the truck for a couple of months. At this point, he revealed it to be a couple of years.

He approached me again about dating. I took the diplomatic route and told him he was too high energy for me. (I'm really quite mellow. I couldn't get a word in edgewise) we agreed to be friends. He said that he was nervous because he likes me and that because he is nervous, he had a couple of drinks before he came and picked me up. (I did not smell alcohol on him but wondered if he wasn't on some sort of drug. The couple of drinks story did not match the story he told me earlier about being at a job site) I was shocked that a man would drink and then pick someone up for a business meeting. But then, we know now that it wasn't strictly business, don't we? He dropped me off at my car and went on his way. I went home and promptly told Poo the whole story. He informed me that a coworker got fired for dating a contractor at her last job. There is now a policy about dating contractors. If not a work policy, a personal one. Poo said he would take care of it.

I don't want to get the guy fired or anything, but he was asking me to do unethical things. Things that could get ME fired. And he was asking me to hide things. I tend to believe that if I have to hide something, I shouldn't be doing it. Plus, I was VERY uncomfortable.

I called Vic when I got back in my car and told her the whole story. She wonders if he isn't a possible suspect in Brianna's disappearance. Her ex husband, the Marshal wondered the same. I just learned that the suspect targets women with long hair who are in good shape. I also learned that the carpet guy does not match the description of the offender.

Regardless, I am reminded that I am blessed and protected. That sometimes I make decisions that are not for the best (I had met this guy before and did not get a weird feeling from him. He seemed very normal and professional) and that I thought I was done having those adventures. I am reminded that I need to be ever vigilant.

I won't be having off site meetings with contractors anymore. I realized that there aren't any numbers to be discussed that can't be discussed at my desk or with my boss. There is no meeting that can't wait until Monday.

Be safe.

The rest of my weekend was blessedly uneventful.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Ah, memories

Remember how when you were a kid, all the cool kids have their own skates? All white and pristine, they could twirl and skate backwards. they could skate much faster than you could on your rental skates. But your own skates were out of the question because you didn't really go to the rink that often.

Well now I DO go to the rink that often. And I'm a grown up so I can buy myself the GOOD skates. Not the best. But good enough. For me. Even though I'm supposed to be saving for a down payment. But I paid CASH damnit, and I work hard. And I have a lot of frustrations to take to the rink.

And why am I explaining myself to you?

I'm one of the cool kids now. Or, at least, I would be if I weren't such a geek. I already ran into the kitchen cabinets and over an oreo.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

It all happened so rapidly!

This weekend went by in kind of a blur.
Friday night, Cowboy was busy so I headed down to the Zephyr for some Rockabilly fun. Here's what I found:

Bands:

Mosquito Bandito
A one man band. Played the drums, guitar,and sang. In the words of a fellow Roller Girl, "Who told him he sounded good?"

Another band
I don't know their name. But they were a lot more Rock than a billy. I mean, they had the stand up bass and the boufonted lead singer/guitarist, but I have never experienced Rockabilly with so much screaming. The bass player (the bass was held together with duct tape) looked and dressed a lot like Tom Green in Charlie's Angels. The drummer had wild crazy eyes like Pete Dougherty. And then, there was the guy with the washboard. Or at least the metal part of it. Hanging around his neck. And a cowbell hanging from that. I knew he was skinny because his jeans were fitted enough to show hie spindly legs. Then he took his shirt off. Heroin Chic. Put that shit back on. really.

Xenophobes
I need to look that up because it's a real word and I don't know what they were afraid of. But they were pretty good.

Roller Girls:
They were crazy. It was like wrestlemania in there. I didn't join in per say, but I did push back a little. and, came out with a cigarette burn on my arm. Now, those who have seen it tell me it's not a big deal, but I really think that seeing burning embers on your arm constitutes a war wound. burning embers, damnit. No, I wasn't pissed. I thought it was kind of funny, but I can say that it was a strange experience for this California Girl to be in a bar where they were smoking. And apparently, there's no last call here. Not that I was out that late, I went home about midnight, but no. last. call. wow.

Went and looked at houses. I liked one. a lot. cross your fingers.

Hung out with Cowboy Saturday night. It was a good thing. and I was able to avoid Clint who still has not gone home.

today was quiet. i spent a lot of time in my room.