14:07 - 25.04.08
Help!
On Sunday, the 7th, the woman who I had met on the weekend about consolidating my finances asked if my youngest would be willing to work with her group. You see, he's been taking financial courses for a while and is just waiting to earn enough money so that he can pay for his licence and other paperwork to go ahead full bore on that career path. When they had talked earlier, she apparently decided he was quite knowledgable so she invited him to one of their company meetings on the Tuesday. He didn't take up with her group after all, since another competing agency has been fostering him through the educational part, but one of the other participants in the meeting offered him part-time work that paid more than he was earning at the tech support agency. That would free him up to concentrate on developing the other finance work - clients - which is what he really wants to do. On the Friday was the first assignment downtown. Mostly physical labour, but there is nothing wrong with that. My first job, other than babysitting, was as a maid in a local motel. I wanted contact lenses and had to buy them myself, you see. I wasn't old enough to qualify for a retail position under child labour laws, so that was the one thing I could do that paid me more than the 50 cents an hour that my babysitting was bringing in. I still kept up the baby-sitting though, because I was very fond of some of the children I cared for. Anyway, packed him up a lunch and off he went on Friday the 11th. Arrived back home about 2 in the am Saturday. That's when they finally finished what they were doing.
The 12th was the day I had worked out with my second son and my friend to meet at her Mom's apartment during their openhouse/estate sale to pick up the treasures that I had been given. When I arrived, I found that she and her family had added even more to take with me. My second son also bought a television and mini-freezer from them. His mother-in-law is the one who had a stroke. Her television in the nursing home had stopped working, so this was a perfect way to replace it for very little cost. My daughter-in-law had really been wanting a freezer for some time too, so the time that she gave up of my son's day was rewarded in two unexpected and happy ways. My youngest had agreed to come help carry the heavy things, so that is how our afternoon was spent. My friend and her family looked quite distressed and I am guessing that the condition of their Mom was not good. My friend mentioned that her Mom's new roommate was the nastiest person she had ever met. Given some of the situations that my friend has dealt with over the years I have known her, that is saying quite a lot. I felt really badly for them, but I didn't really know how to offer comfort when I didn't know for certain what was going on. We left after saying our good-byes with my second son making arrangements to return to pick up the additional material on a second visit later in the afternoon since his van simply couldn't hold all those treasures in one trip.
My youngest and I spent the balance of the afternoon unpacking and placing all those treasures where they seemed best to fit. It was amazing how profoundly comforting it was seeing the things that were so much like my Mom and Grandmother's taking pride of place in my own home. After my second son had picked up and dropped off the televison for his mother-in-law, he returned with his wife and my grand-daughter for a visit. I had packed all the stuffed toys in one of the pantries sitting in my living room that another friend had given me a couple of years ago when she moved away from this community. My grand-daughter kept taking the toys over to her Dad to show him the newest discoveries. Alternating with that activity was visits with our family of cats. They really enjoyed her attention until she tried to pick Ms Kitty up by the tail. The felines all stayed nearby after that, but out of reach. We explained to my grand-daughter that they weren't part of the toys. She hasn't really been exposed to any pets since learning how to walk well and just didn't know better with respect to pet protocols. She was content with the explanation and went back to the stuffed toys - especially pleased with the puppets her Dad used to love too. Winnie the Pooh and Grover seemed to be her favourites. After they left, we found that Mr Melchizedek had adopted Cookie Monster as his nap time buddy. He curled around that stuffed toy as though he was in cat heaven. He and Mr Boots seem to think that poor old dilapidated, but well-loved, toy is one of them. Maybe they are picking up on the pleasure it gave my sons and me over all these past years.
The week following, my youngest and I continued tearing out more cupboards, replacing the lost storage space with the treasures given to me by my various friends, as well as moving and restocking the pantries I had purchased a few years ago. The working sewing machine from my friend allowed me to start going through all my clothes, now that I could make the decision about whether they were reparable and usable, as well as whether they fit or whether they should be given away. I have lost more weight, you see, and can now fit into things I haven't been able to wear for the past eight years. Most of what I had then would be deemed "classic" in terms of style, so the passage of time doesn't matter all that much. I've even been able to add some of my favourite purple clothes back into my wardrobe - yay! The strangest thing was that when I started going through my shoes, I found that one of each of the casual/flip-flop pairs was missing even though I know they were there earlier in the year. The only missing shoe that really bothers me is one of a pair of open-toed high heels that fit and would look great with a lot of those clothes I was given by my friend last year. I just can't figure it out. The cats have been known to steal my clothes in order to play with them, but that one shoe is pretty solid being made of real leather. Grant you, they do love my moccasins, but that is because the rawhide really seems to feel good on their gums. Hmmm.
The past week was of waiting to hear whether any of the interviews I had attended had resulted in an assignment. One response was a no, one I heard nothing and one - the one I really wanted - stated that they were still trying to decide and it would be at least another week before they would be able to tell me anything. What kept me going through the week was a story by one of my favourite local columnists, a trip to the library and a phone call from one friend. The columnist is an internationally produced playwright who has won a number of awards. He has also taught in a variety of situations that would be challenging, you know, working with wannabe writers, like me, but those who can afford to pay for the privilege of extra tutoring. He applied for a job that he knew he could do. The employer didn't even check his references before rejecting him. So much for the myth about not being able to find workers with the skills needed. My guess would be that they didn't want to pay him the wage he deserved. He posted that he was thinking of running away to Europe where they appreciate creative people, but I noticed he is now in another city probably interviewing for work there. What a terrible loss to this city, that is sometimes deemed culturally backward to begin with. Why not drive out those who care enough to try to change things for the better.
My friend who called, works to place certain types of professionals in jobs. She noted that my job search troubles were very much like those of the people who she was paid to assist. She wasn't at all surprised that I had been searching and interviewing for as long as I have. The truth is that in the local labour market it's all about hiring people for the lowest wage/benefits possible as far as employers are concerned. To add insult to injury, I received an email invitation from one of those groups asking me to attend a workshop on how to import third world workers to avoid labour issues that local workers present - you know like expecting to be treated fairly. Uh huh. Your taxpayer dollars at work, dear diary.
The walk three communities over to pick up library books was therapeutic, even though the weather/wind was dreadful again. No point hiding inside in this country or one might be housebound for months on end. At least the air was fresh. The book I chose was deeply absorbing and seemed to address the issues I am facing almost as though it had been written for me. Reminding me what is really important, instead of just what is of the material world. Balance Grasshopper.
I did attend the one interview on Tuesday this week, but the position is still in the developmental stage and hinges on the company getting a big contract that they bid on. The work would be absolutely fascinating and I dearly hope they get the bid, with the hope that they will also take me on to work on it. Reza por me, dear diary. Right now any one of the pending jobs would be something I would be ecstatic to have. After that interview I travelled back to the library to return the movies we also borrowed - old Dr Who episodes. Remember, humour is therapeutic too.
Anyway, time to go do my yoga - something to calm me down and hopefully draw the "right" employment vibes to me.
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