There's still no new interviews or even potential interview contact. I've applied at several locations, both large and small companies. Since most of these applications were submitted on Friday or over the weekend, I don't anticipate hearing from any of them for another day or so.
Some good out of this? I'm getting a good amount of writing done. This is extremely difficult for me as it is dredging up memories that I had pushed down 3 years ago. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Eventually, they start oozing back up and popping into your head. I've suffered from PTSD from Cameron's accident, but never dealt with it with a professional. Now I am, especially now that those memories aren't cooperating like they had for the past few years.
The writing is for a book. It's written from my perspective and begins the day I receive notice of the accident. I don't exactly know where it will stop, but I'm getting it all down on paper. Like throwing up that poisoned food that is only making you miserable while in your stomach, I'm regurgitating the minutes, hours, days , and weeks of a time that I felt more fear and helplessness than anyone should ever experience.
My therapist says it will be a healthy undertaking. I'm not sure I'm 100% with him on this, now that I'm into it. My anxiety levels have increased and I tear-up frequently, especially when I'm writing. I feel moodier and more exhausted than usual. I'm only 50 pages into it, with many more to go. One thing is good. Cameron is glad that I'm doing this. It might be because it helps him to understand what was going on while he was not himself or just happy that I am writing. He's always loved my writing and encouraged me to write. It was always hard to find the time, since I tend to get engulfed in my subject.
I may post some of it here and there, or may send hard copies to those who are interested. I don't know what I'll do with it when it's finished, so would rather not make it available to just anyone who happens upon my blog. That's to be worked out later, I guess. For now, it's been a long day. My allergies have made it difficult to sleep some nights. Last night was one of those, hopefully, tonight will bring me deep, restful, sleep.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Zozobra opens Fiestas de Santa Fe
The following is from the local paper. This is an annual tradition here and very popular. Unfortunately, they increased the cost to attend, and we really don't like crowds, so we were not present for the festivities. I thought you might be interested in the cultural aspect of it.
[Photo Gallery] Old Man Gloom meets fiery doom - The Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.zozobra.com/history.html This link will take you to information on the history of Zozobra.
[Photo Gallery] Old Man Gloom meets fiery doom - The Santa Fe New Mexican
http://www.zozobra.com/history.html This link will take you to information on the history of Zozobra.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
It Just Keeps Going and Going
The first of September was both wrenching and mind-boggling.
That great job I got a few weeks ago, ended. It was decided that I just wasn't right for the position.
Our lease on our apartment is up at the end of the month and the great move-in special we got last year, ends then, as well. This means our rent will go up $200 on October first. If one month's notice is required to move, I had to decide whether we would be staying here or moving somewhere cheaper. Since I couldn't get a hold of Cameron, I gave notice, with the understanding that I could cancel it. This would be the only opportunity to do so.
I spent the next day checking out potential future homes, but the costs involved in moving would be hard to come by if I have difficulty finding employment. So, after discussing it, we decided to cancel our notice and take the lesser of the two evils. The management company is offering one month of free rent that can be credited to our account and used as needed. That helps a little since, if necessary, we can take what we can't afford to pay next month out of the credit allowance.
OK, so here I am, again, searching for a job.
Wednesday, I applied for a job with an organization that works with at-risk youth and their families. It's similar to another position I had several years ago and I had planned to apply there the same day I was hired for my former position.
Thursday, I got a phone call from that organization, requesting that I come in for an interview on Tuesday. That was fast! I've continued to apply for other jobs, but don't expect to hear from anyone until after the holiday.
This "break" is giving me the opportunity to take care of long-overdue cleaning projects. I also, have an hour long podcast interview to edit down to 20-25 minutes by the 15th, so am working on that as well. The interview is with Paul Krassner, the satirist. He's a very interesting person. I enjoyed talking with him, as is evident from the length of the discussion/interview. If you're interested in listening to it, it will be posted on iTunes sometime on the 15th of September, under the podcast name of "The WildO Network".
Cameron is doing well and getting a better handle on the stress of his job. There's been some personnel changes there, so that shakes up the "norm". I'm not sure how the winter will be handled this year as everyone on the service side of the dealership's pay is dependent on a constant influx of customers. That's something we saw greatly lacking our first winter here.
It's looking like we may have some rough months ahead, but we could, also, be pleasantly surprised. I'm feeling a little more positive at the moment and anticipate a surprise or two. Paul (Krassner) is going to be using part of the unused interview to glean some quotes from me, and will be calling me in the coming weeks for more information. It seems that he is working on an article that may put my business in a very visible position.
Like I said, there may be some surprises ahead.
That great job I got a few weeks ago, ended. It was decided that I just wasn't right for the position.
Our lease on our apartment is up at the end of the month and the great move-in special we got last year, ends then, as well. This means our rent will go up $200 on October first. If one month's notice is required to move, I had to decide whether we would be staying here or moving somewhere cheaper. Since I couldn't get a hold of Cameron, I gave notice, with the understanding that I could cancel it. This would be the only opportunity to do so.
I spent the next day checking out potential future homes, but the costs involved in moving would be hard to come by if I have difficulty finding employment. So, after discussing it, we decided to cancel our notice and take the lesser of the two evils. The management company is offering one month of free rent that can be credited to our account and used as needed. That helps a little since, if necessary, we can take what we can't afford to pay next month out of the credit allowance.
OK, so here I am, again, searching for a job.
Wednesday, I applied for a job with an organization that works with at-risk youth and their families. It's similar to another position I had several years ago and I had planned to apply there the same day I was hired for my former position.
Thursday, I got a phone call from that organization, requesting that I come in for an interview on Tuesday. That was fast! I've continued to apply for other jobs, but don't expect to hear from anyone until after the holiday.
This "break" is giving me the opportunity to take care of long-overdue cleaning projects. I also, have an hour long podcast interview to edit down to 20-25 minutes by the 15th, so am working on that as well. The interview is with Paul Krassner, the satirist. He's a very interesting person. I enjoyed talking with him, as is evident from the length of the discussion/interview. If you're interested in listening to it, it will be posted on iTunes sometime on the 15th of September, under the podcast name of "The WildO Network".
Cameron is doing well and getting a better handle on the stress of his job. There's been some personnel changes there, so that shakes up the "norm". I'm not sure how the winter will be handled this year as everyone on the service side of the dealership's pay is dependent on a constant influx of customers. That's something we saw greatly lacking our first winter here.
It's looking like we may have some rough months ahead, but we could, also, be pleasantly surprised. I'm feeling a little more positive at the moment and anticipate a surprise or two. Paul (Krassner) is going to be using part of the unused interview to glean some quotes from me, and will be calling me in the coming weeks for more information. It seems that he is working on an article that may put my business in a very visible position.
Like I said, there may be some surprises ahead.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Talk About a Steep Learning Curve!
Wow! Today was my second day at my new job and it was exhausting! There is soooo much to learn-names of instruments, cleaning methods for exam rooms, organization of all supply cabinets and drawers (there's lots!), the doctor's preferences in instrument arrangement, the color-coding of the schedule that is displayed on a monitor that tells everything about each exam and, thus, what items will be needed for it...
I'm so burned out at the end of the day, but still have "homework" to do-as in studying supply catalogs to get to know all the instruments, their uses and names, and all the other stuff that is used in exams and restorative procedures.
There's a big rush because the other person who works this position is going back to school on Tuesday. So that means I will be flying solo for 3-4 hours a day, while she's in class. Talk about a crash course in dental office work! I was supposed to have another day to learn, Monday, but a prior employee's funeral was then so they closed the office.
I only wish the person who is training me knew how to teach. The office manager keeps trying to offer suggestions to her, but she is so nervous about me learning everything in time that she is just throwing it all at me. (She really needs a lesson plan!) So all day I'm told to do this, then do another thing, before I've completed the first, then she complains that I do it too slow. This was day 2, I only got my feet wet yesterday. (Oh, she's terribly OCD, too)
So, I'll probably be spending the weekend studying photos I've taken of all the drawers and cabinets so I can memorize where everything is and how it's supposed to go. Thank goodness for digital cameras! I'm going to take some more tomorrow of the instrument cases and their layouts so I make sure I know where each one goes for the different exams.
As for other happenings in our lives, Cameron went to a jam session tonight. Apparently, there's some guys that heard some of his music and are wanting to get a new band together. So, they asked him to play with them tonight. I wish I could have gone with him, but this chaos of a job isn't going to kick my butt for too long. I know I'll get to know everything, then it will be like any other job and I'll have more energy when I get home.
A little later...
Tuesday and I just came back from a little walk. It's very nice out tonight and lots of other tenants were out, too. Unfortunately, so were the mosquitoes! They seem to find me quite tasty and they are rather small here, so it's hard to see them coming. Dastardly little blood-suckers!
I was just looking for the photos we took of our little prairie dog colony and realized I don't think I ever posted the pictures from our Las Vegas (NM) trip. So, here they are: Overnighter in Las Vegas
I need to get some studying done, then off to bed!
I'm so burned out at the end of the day, but still have "homework" to do-as in studying supply catalogs to get to know all the instruments, their uses and names, and all the other stuff that is used in exams and restorative procedures.
There's a big rush because the other person who works this position is going back to school on Tuesday. So that means I will be flying solo for 3-4 hours a day, while she's in class. Talk about a crash course in dental office work! I was supposed to have another day to learn, Monday, but a prior employee's funeral was then so they closed the office.
I only wish the person who is training me knew how to teach. The office manager keeps trying to offer suggestions to her, but she is so nervous about me learning everything in time that she is just throwing it all at me. (She really needs a lesson plan!) So all day I'm told to do this, then do another thing, before I've completed the first, then she complains that I do it too slow. This was day 2, I only got my feet wet yesterday. (Oh, she's terribly OCD, too)
So, I'll probably be spending the weekend studying photos I've taken of all the drawers and cabinets so I can memorize where everything is and how it's supposed to go. Thank goodness for digital cameras! I'm going to take some more tomorrow of the instrument cases and their layouts so I make sure I know where each one goes for the different exams.
As for other happenings in our lives, Cameron went to a jam session tonight. Apparently, there's some guys that heard some of his music and are wanting to get a new band together. So, they asked him to play with them tonight. I wish I could have gone with him, but this chaos of a job isn't going to kick my butt for too long. I know I'll get to know everything, then it will be like any other job and I'll have more energy when I get home.
A little later...
Tuesday and I just came back from a little walk. It's very nice out tonight and lots of other tenants were out, too. Unfortunately, so were the mosquitoes! They seem to find me quite tasty and they are rather small here, so it's hard to see them coming. Dastardly little blood-suckers!
I was just looking for the photos we took of our little prairie dog colony and realized I don't think I ever posted the pictures from our Las Vegas (NM) trip. So, here they are: Overnighter in Las Vegas
I need to get some studying done, then off to bed!
Friday, July 16, 2010
What a last couple of weeks!
We've been going through a lot of just plain stuff. A large part of that has been being sick, both of us.
When I finally got to my first psych. appt. (took 3 months for an opening), the doctor prescribed me a new medication and started my doses low and gradually, over 1 month's time, I got to the maintenance dose. Nothing like being a guinea pig! I didn't really realize that the crazy things that were happening with me were due to the meds. until I took my first full dose. I had noticed things like my memory getting worse, disorientation that worsened, and my typing got weird. I usually can type 50wpm-corrected as I go along, but I began typing very phonetically, then just random letters would show up in words. By the time I was at the full dose, I was seeing at least 2 letters randomly in each word, without my noticing until I looked up at my typing. My final awakening to this happening came when my manager (yes, the same manager) showed me some paperwork that I had completed during the previous week. All I can say is that it looked totally different when I was filling it out. I was getting alternate realities. That scared me ALOT! I called the dr. office and was told my doctor was on vacation for 3 weeks, but I could see the one on call next week. So I cut my dose in half and waited the 3 days to see him. Now I'm on a different medication, but was told it would take a week for the other to be out of my system. I guess I have another day or two, but don't feel anything near 100%. I guess time will tell. Too bad they don't have some sort of blood test that can determine what chemicals are off in your brain so they can concoct an appropriate medication and be done with it. For now, they try different ones until they find the one that does the trick. UGH! Also, during all that I came down with some sort of sinus bug that's been going around.
Now on to Cameron. He really needs to get a new office chair-while working at his desk, he reached back to get something behind him and when the chair tipped back, it didn't stop-it just kept going over. So, he landed on his back, hitting his head on his amplifier. He immediately got up and threw up. Like most guys, he refused to go to the doctor. He ended up being very ill for a few days, and then got my bug, which went into his chest and gave him bronchitis. He then got a stomach bug that's also going around. Finally giving in, he went to the doctor a couple of days ago and got some medication and is now doing much better.
Last Sunday/Monday we rode to historic Las Vegas, New Mexico. Yes, we were both sick, but I had made the reservations in advance and they weren't refundable. We got a little exploring done both days, but spent the majority of the time enjoying cable TV in our hotel room and trying to feel better. We took lots of pictures-I'll try to put them up soon.
I'm still job hunting. I have sent out far more resumes than I care to add up and gone on close to a dozen interviews. Competition is fierce and they are telling me that as soon as the ad goes up they get upwards of 60+ applicants. It's an insane process of elimination. I feel that I need the job even more, now as I think my mental condition over the past few weeks has strained my situation at my present job. I made far too many mistakes, and now I'm feeling unsure of my abilities and don't trust myself. I double check everything, which takes more time. It feels as if it's only a matter of days before they let me go, but I could, also, be a little paranoid after the weird things that happened before.
My business has been laying there, flopping on the floor like a dying fish, so to speak. Santa Fe is a weird place and none of the marketing techniques that would work in CA, work here. So, I'm crossing my fingers that the 5 people I've spoken to, that asked if I do parties, will host some. I figure, why not try that? I haven't had much luck any other way. So I've been in contact with my wonderful person at my distributors about what products would be good sellers. I have a list, now I just have to purchase sample items. (I'm having flashbacks to long ago Tupperware selling.) My timeline for getting that going is the end of August. I think I should be able to spread out my purchases and have them by then. I've purchase some of my own items in bulk and put together combinations that will carry a 400% mark-up and still be below other companies' retail prices for similar items.
My podcast is going really well. I find alot of my authors on Facebook and have gotten to know several of them pretty well. I just posted my 4th one and the interview for the 5th will be done in a couple of weeks. I have the following one already lined up, as well. It's interesting talking with these authors. They are writers of various genres. I enjoy conversing with them, both on Facebook and while I'm interviewing them. It's great fun to talk with them. I've learned to do my own editing, so Cameron doesn't have to do it for me. If interested, the podcasts are on iTunes under The WildO Network, or on my website http://www.thewildo.com/twn.html
Business has picked up considerably at the dealership Cameron works at. As soon as the warm weather stabilized, the bikers came out of the woodwork. This is good for the business as the winter was especially severe this year and kept most of them off the road the entire season. They cut back on personnel to survive winter and now are working with a skeleton crew. It gets stressful trying to get all the customers' bikes fixed within their time frame and the mechanics' without upsetting either side in the process. Cameron is getting better at dealing with this "dance" between service and customers, without getting himself pinched in the middle. Everyone wants it done NOW, but doesn't want to pay for the service. It's a terrible contradiction that he faces daily.
Santa Fe is gorgeous. Even when it's hot, it doesn't compare to the heat in Phoenix or Bakersfield. Hot, here, means upper 80's. Usually there's a breeze, though we have had a couple of days without it and it seems much hotter then. I guess it's because we're so high up that the sun's intensity is more pronounced. I keep the 90-100 spf sunscreen on as the UV ratings here are very high. It's 7000ft. higher here than where we lived before. You can definitely feel the difference. I found out (not from experience) that alcohol has twice the effect here. I was speaking with a promoter and he said he tries to warn bands, that come here to play, but they don't listen. They go out to have a couple of drinks and find themselves barely able to walk. Then he gets the job of trying to sober them up for the concert. It's amazing what happens to you once you go over 5500ft.
Well, I have a full day's work tomorrow, that I'm not looking forward to, so I'd better be off to bed. Cameron is still fighting all his ails so went to bed shortly after supper. I think I've been trying to stall the inevitable arrival of Saturday morning. I usually only work for a few hours in the afternoon so an 8 hour shift on a busy Saturday is not exactly my favorite thing to do. So, Good Night, until next time.
When I finally got to my first psych. appt. (took 3 months for an opening), the doctor prescribed me a new medication and started my doses low and gradually, over 1 month's time, I got to the maintenance dose. Nothing like being a guinea pig! I didn't really realize that the crazy things that were happening with me were due to the meds. until I took my first full dose. I had noticed things like my memory getting worse, disorientation that worsened, and my typing got weird. I usually can type 50wpm-corrected as I go along, but I began typing very phonetically, then just random letters would show up in words. By the time I was at the full dose, I was seeing at least 2 letters randomly in each word, without my noticing until I looked up at my typing. My final awakening to this happening came when my manager (yes, the same manager) showed me some paperwork that I had completed during the previous week. All I can say is that it looked totally different when I was filling it out. I was getting alternate realities. That scared me ALOT! I called the dr. office and was told my doctor was on vacation for 3 weeks, but I could see the one on call next week. So I cut my dose in half and waited the 3 days to see him. Now I'm on a different medication, but was told it would take a week for the other to be out of my system. I guess I have another day or two, but don't feel anything near 100%. I guess time will tell. Too bad they don't have some sort of blood test that can determine what chemicals are off in your brain so they can concoct an appropriate medication and be done with it. For now, they try different ones until they find the one that does the trick. UGH! Also, during all that I came down with some sort of sinus bug that's been going around.
Now on to Cameron. He really needs to get a new office chair-while working at his desk, he reached back to get something behind him and when the chair tipped back, it didn't stop-it just kept going over. So, he landed on his back, hitting his head on his amplifier. He immediately got up and threw up. Like most guys, he refused to go to the doctor. He ended up being very ill for a few days, and then got my bug, which went into his chest and gave him bronchitis. He then got a stomach bug that's also going around. Finally giving in, he went to the doctor a couple of days ago and got some medication and is now doing much better.
Last Sunday/Monday we rode to historic Las Vegas, New Mexico. Yes, we were both sick, but I had made the reservations in advance and they weren't refundable. We got a little exploring done both days, but spent the majority of the time enjoying cable TV in our hotel room and trying to feel better. We took lots of pictures-I'll try to put them up soon.
I'm still job hunting. I have sent out far more resumes than I care to add up and gone on close to a dozen interviews. Competition is fierce and they are telling me that as soon as the ad goes up they get upwards of 60+ applicants. It's an insane process of elimination. I feel that I need the job even more, now as I think my mental condition over the past few weeks has strained my situation at my present job. I made far too many mistakes, and now I'm feeling unsure of my abilities and don't trust myself. I double check everything, which takes more time. It feels as if it's only a matter of days before they let me go, but I could, also, be a little paranoid after the weird things that happened before.
My business has been laying there, flopping on the floor like a dying fish, so to speak. Santa Fe is a weird place and none of the marketing techniques that would work in CA, work here. So, I'm crossing my fingers that the 5 people I've spoken to, that asked if I do parties, will host some. I figure, why not try that? I haven't had much luck any other way. So I've been in contact with my wonderful person at my distributors about what products would be good sellers. I have a list, now I just have to purchase sample items. (I'm having flashbacks to long ago Tupperware selling.) My timeline for getting that going is the end of August. I think I should be able to spread out my purchases and have them by then. I've purchase some of my own items in bulk and put together combinations that will carry a 400% mark-up and still be below other companies' retail prices for similar items.
My podcast is going really well. I find alot of my authors on Facebook and have gotten to know several of them pretty well. I just posted my 4th one and the interview for the 5th will be done in a couple of weeks. I have the following one already lined up, as well. It's interesting talking with these authors. They are writers of various genres. I enjoy conversing with them, both on Facebook and while I'm interviewing them. It's great fun to talk with them. I've learned to do my own editing, so Cameron doesn't have to do it for me. If interested, the podcasts are on iTunes under The WildO Network, or on my website http://www.thewildo.com/twn.html
Business has picked up considerably at the dealership Cameron works at. As soon as the warm weather stabilized, the bikers came out of the woodwork. This is good for the business as the winter was especially severe this year and kept most of them off the road the entire season. They cut back on personnel to survive winter and now are working with a skeleton crew. It gets stressful trying to get all the customers' bikes fixed within their time frame and the mechanics' without upsetting either side in the process. Cameron is getting better at dealing with this "dance" between service and customers, without getting himself pinched in the middle. Everyone wants it done NOW, but doesn't want to pay for the service. It's a terrible contradiction that he faces daily.
Santa Fe is gorgeous. Even when it's hot, it doesn't compare to the heat in Phoenix or Bakersfield. Hot, here, means upper 80's. Usually there's a breeze, though we have had a couple of days without it and it seems much hotter then. I guess it's because we're so high up that the sun's intensity is more pronounced. I keep the 90-100 spf sunscreen on as the UV ratings here are very high. It's 7000ft. higher here than where we lived before. You can definitely feel the difference. I found out (not from experience) that alcohol has twice the effect here. I was speaking with a promoter and he said he tries to warn bands, that come here to play, but they don't listen. They go out to have a couple of drinks and find themselves barely able to walk. Then he gets the job of trying to sober them up for the concert. It's amazing what happens to you once you go over 5500ft.
Well, I have a full day's work tomorrow, that I'm not looking forward to, so I'd better be off to bed. Cameron is still fighting all his ails so went to bed shortly after supper. I think I've been trying to stall the inevitable arrival of Saturday morning. I usually only work for a few hours in the afternoon so an 8 hour shift on a busy Saturday is not exactly my favorite thing to do. So, Good Night, until next time.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Insomnia and Restless Legs
This is getting to be a habit. Watching the clock move slowly, hour by hour...doze for a bit...then more watching. Then, as if that weren't enough, the legs start up. Aching...moving...discomfort...moving...turn over...moving...
It's 4:00am and I can't stand fighting it anymore, so I get up. Ah, 6 hours "sleep", as usual. Hmm...no one's on Facebook. Could it be they're sleeping!?
And so the day begins.
It's Mother's Day, so happy Mother's Day to everyone who has little and grown kids. My baby is back in California, but one of our furry "children" has just joined me at my computer for some petting and cuddling. Hopefully, he won't get the desire to do a little blogging, himself. He's notorious for diving in and "helping" me write.
Today, Cameron is taking me for a ride into the Pecos Wilderness for a picnic in a wooded area north of Pecos. He went on a solo ride last weekend and found the place teeming with wildlife. It will be a very nice way to spend Mother's Day. I'm planning on taking lots of pictures.
Let's see, what have we been up to for the past couple of months? The job searching continues with several interviews under my belt, but no responses. It seems so rude, especially in this age of e-mail, that prospective employers don't inform everyone that interviews of their status. A simple, impersonal, mass e-mail would suffice and allow interviewees to briefly mourn their loss and move on to other possibilities.
Well, JarJar left and now I have the company of Tuesday. I figured she'd stay in the cozy bed with Cameron, but she's on the prowl to tease the kitties! The chair by my desk, comfy with fuzzy blanket on top, makes for a nice vantage point to watch for passing felines.
Back to what's been going on. We've joined a few social groups and will go to our first event in a couple of weeks. One of the members of the women's group is hosting a brunch at her house on the 23rd and spouses are invited. Then on the 25th, the first meeting of the newly formed book club will be meeting to discuss Robert Goolrick's "A Reliable Wife". (By the way, I'm not sure I would recommend the book. The writing is excellent, but the story is terribly tragic. It took a while to shake it off after I finished the book.) Cameron joined a sport touring motorcycle group, but he has not gone on any rides with them, yet, so I don't know what they are like. There is, also, a couples group, but so far, the events haven't been our cup of tea.
Trying to get my little business off the ground has been frustrating, at best. I've been given quite a few suggestions for marketing it, from local people I've spoken with. I,also, have an appointment with a counselor at the Santa Fe Business Development Center, located at the community college. I've heard great things about their program so hopefully they can get me up to speed with how to make it work in this "city different", as it is known. So far, there's a big event in June that I'm thinking about setting up a booth at. From what I've been told, it's a great way to double my investment and create a customer base as attendees are always anxious to buy from the vendors. I'm still researching it, though I am running out of time to make my final decision.
Ah, here comes my snuggly boy to "assist" me, again. Tuesday must have gone back to bed as she's nowhere in sight.
Cameron is learning a lot about the temperament of local BMW owners, as well as how to temper his temperament when they begin acting in character. Not all of them are proctological specimens. He has some very nice and friendly customers who break up the tide of other, less amicable ones. These are the joys of being the front line man-buffering the distance between the customer and the technician. It's a skill that is good to learn, though frustrating in the process. I have seen him grow and improve considerably over the past few months, so hats off to Cameron for his persistence and patience.
My podcast is slowly coming along. The first one was not to great, due largely to audio problems. The next one should be much better, though I didn't watch the time as well as I should have so the interview ran way over the target 20 minutes. That means I'm spending a lot of time editing it to bring it down to the right length. I'm learning quite a bit about doing audio production as I want to be able to do most of it myself, rather than have to rely on Cameron to pull my show together. He has his own projects that he's focusing on. Thankfully, he's a patient teacher.
My stomach has woken up and is growling fiercely. I think it's time to feed it. So, I will close this and try to keep you better informed, as there's going to be a lot happening in the coming weeks. Spring is in Santa Fe, finally, and the tourists are beginning to stream into the city. That means many events are scheduled and the drivers are getting crazier, trying to navigate the bizarre layout of the streets. So, have a great Mother's Day and watch out for the party-hardy drivers.
It's 4:00am and I can't stand fighting it anymore, so I get up. Ah, 6 hours "sleep", as usual. Hmm...no one's on Facebook. Could it be they're sleeping!?
And so the day begins.
It's Mother's Day, so happy Mother's Day to everyone who has little and grown kids. My baby is back in California, but one of our furry "children" has just joined me at my computer for some petting and cuddling. Hopefully, he won't get the desire to do a little blogging, himself. He's notorious for diving in and "helping" me write.
Today, Cameron is taking me for a ride into the Pecos Wilderness for a picnic in a wooded area north of Pecos. He went on a solo ride last weekend and found the place teeming with wildlife. It will be a very nice way to spend Mother's Day. I'm planning on taking lots of pictures.
Let's see, what have we been up to for the past couple of months? The job searching continues with several interviews under my belt, but no responses. It seems so rude, especially in this age of e-mail, that prospective employers don't inform everyone that interviews of their status. A simple, impersonal, mass e-mail would suffice and allow interviewees to briefly mourn their loss and move on to other possibilities.
Well, JarJar left and now I have the company of Tuesday. I figured she'd stay in the cozy bed with Cameron, but she's on the prowl to tease the kitties! The chair by my desk, comfy with fuzzy blanket on top, makes for a nice vantage point to watch for passing felines.
Back to what's been going on. We've joined a few social groups and will go to our first event in a couple of weeks. One of the members of the women's group is hosting a brunch at her house on the 23rd and spouses are invited. Then on the 25th, the first meeting of the newly formed book club will be meeting to discuss Robert Goolrick's "A Reliable Wife". (By the way, I'm not sure I would recommend the book. The writing is excellent, but the story is terribly tragic. It took a while to shake it off after I finished the book.) Cameron joined a sport touring motorcycle group, but he has not gone on any rides with them, yet, so I don't know what they are like. There is, also, a couples group, but so far, the events haven't been our cup of tea.
Trying to get my little business off the ground has been frustrating, at best. I've been given quite a few suggestions for marketing it, from local people I've spoken with. I,also, have an appointment with a counselor at the Santa Fe Business Development Center, located at the community college. I've heard great things about their program so hopefully they can get me up to speed with how to make it work in this "city different", as it is known. So far, there's a big event in June that I'm thinking about setting up a booth at. From what I've been told, it's a great way to double my investment and create a customer base as attendees are always anxious to buy from the vendors. I'm still researching it, though I am running out of time to make my final decision.
Ah, here comes my snuggly boy to "assist" me, again. Tuesday must have gone back to bed as she's nowhere in sight.
Cameron is learning a lot about the temperament of local BMW owners, as well as how to temper his temperament when they begin acting in character. Not all of them are proctological specimens. He has some very nice and friendly customers who break up the tide of other, less amicable ones. These are the joys of being the front line man-buffering the distance between the customer and the technician. It's a skill that is good to learn, though frustrating in the process. I have seen him grow and improve considerably over the past few months, so hats off to Cameron for his persistence and patience.
My podcast is slowly coming along. The first one was not to great, due largely to audio problems. The next one should be much better, though I didn't watch the time as well as I should have so the interview ran way over the target 20 minutes. That means I'm spending a lot of time editing it to bring it down to the right length. I'm learning quite a bit about doing audio production as I want to be able to do most of it myself, rather than have to rely on Cameron to pull my show together. He has his own projects that he's focusing on. Thankfully, he's a patient teacher.
My stomach has woken up and is growling fiercely. I think it's time to feed it. So, I will close this and try to keep you better informed, as there's going to be a lot happening in the coming weeks. Spring is in Santa Fe, finally, and the tourists are beginning to stream into the city. That means many events are scheduled and the drivers are getting crazier, trying to navigate the bizarre layout of the streets. So, have a great Mother's Day and watch out for the party-hardy drivers.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Very Busy Times
Let's see...
It's been quite a while since I last posted anything. I got my website up and running and have had numerous friends go through it for errors and consistency and I think everything is in good shape.
I am working on a podcast in which I interview authors and review books. Since books are so expensive, I've contacted at least 20 publishers to request review copies and already have 3 on the way and 2 authors scheduled for interviews. I should have my first podcast up by the end of April.
Work is so-so. I really don't like working at the mall. When it gets busy, it feels claustrophobic since the kiosk that I work at is right in the middle of the walkway at a busy intersection. I'm not much of a mall person, either.
Cameron and I are working on building a website for a local tattoo artist. It's a little slow going as he is very busy and is having a hard time going through his portfolio pictures and reducing them to a post-able number. I think he said he has over 500, and we have asked him to bring it down to 250 for both his tattoos and piercings. Cameron is, also, going to interview him for his podcast and we'll do a little biography to post on his Examiner page.
All this work, and our finances are not doing much better. The site for the tattoo artist is a paid job, but since we don't have as much experience with it, we are charging far less than a professional web designer would get. It's, also, a very simple site.
The podcasts and my website are not bringing in anything yet, so it's just a waiting game for now. It takes a while for search engines to find you, and that's what brings people in to look at it. Ah, that whole patience thing again. We should be experts at it by now.
The critters are very happy these days. Maintenance finally came and screened in our patio so they can go out and lay in the sun and watch the birds. We put the doggie door, we've been carrying around with us since moving from Bakersfield, in the sliding door and now they can go out whenever they want. JarJar loves to sit out there at night. I finally got Tuesday current on her shots so now we can do a little more exploring on our walks. So everyone is happy.
Cameron is doing great at his new job. He's happy to go to work, now, and his pain is managed. I'm glad he's found a place for himself.
I'm having some good troubles. I've lost a bunch of weight and am having troubles finding things to wear in my current wardrobe, that aren't baggy and/or need a belt to hold them up. I'm going to check out Goodwill for some clothes, today, as trying to get a new wardrobe is going to get expensive. I already found a pair of nice dress slacks for interviews, there, and you can't beat $6.50 at a department store!
JarJar has just joined me at my desk to "help" me with my writing. Unfortunately, he likes to walk across the keyboard. I need to get myself moving in the direction of running errands and such. Hope you have a nice week!
It's been quite a while since I last posted anything. I got my website up and running and have had numerous friends go through it for errors and consistency and I think everything is in good shape.
I am working on a podcast in which I interview authors and review books. Since books are so expensive, I've contacted at least 20 publishers to request review copies and already have 3 on the way and 2 authors scheduled for interviews. I should have my first podcast up by the end of April.
Work is so-so. I really don't like working at the mall. When it gets busy, it feels claustrophobic since the kiosk that I work at is right in the middle of the walkway at a busy intersection. I'm not much of a mall person, either.
Cameron and I are working on building a website for a local tattoo artist. It's a little slow going as he is very busy and is having a hard time going through his portfolio pictures and reducing them to a post-able number. I think he said he has over 500, and we have asked him to bring it down to 250 for both his tattoos and piercings. Cameron is, also, going to interview him for his podcast and we'll do a little biography to post on his Examiner page.
All this work, and our finances are not doing much better. The site for the tattoo artist is a paid job, but since we don't have as much experience with it, we are charging far less than a professional web designer would get. It's, also, a very simple site.
The podcasts and my website are not bringing in anything yet, so it's just a waiting game for now. It takes a while for search engines to find you, and that's what brings people in to look at it. Ah, that whole patience thing again. We should be experts at it by now.
The critters are very happy these days. Maintenance finally came and screened in our patio so they can go out and lay in the sun and watch the birds. We put the doggie door, we've been carrying around with us since moving from Bakersfield, in the sliding door and now they can go out whenever they want. JarJar loves to sit out there at night. I finally got Tuesday current on her shots so now we can do a little more exploring on our walks. So everyone is happy.
Cameron is doing great at his new job. He's happy to go to work, now, and his pain is managed. I'm glad he's found a place for himself.
I'm having some good troubles. I've lost a bunch of weight and am having troubles finding things to wear in my current wardrobe, that aren't baggy and/or need a belt to hold them up. I'm going to check out Goodwill for some clothes, today, as trying to get a new wardrobe is going to get expensive. I already found a pair of nice dress slacks for interviews, there, and you can't beat $6.50 at a department store!
JarJar has just joined me at my desk to "help" me with my writing. Unfortunately, he likes to walk across the keyboard. I need to get myself moving in the direction of running errands and such. Hope you have a nice week!
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