Tales of the Unemployed

Well, I'm finally ready to come out to the world: I'm unemployed! Yep, you read right, this girl from Park Heights, who had been working steady since 1995, lost her job right before Xmas 2008. Sad but true. It took me some time to really come out to others for a number of reasons. But mainly, it just took some adjusting and I had to spend some time making peace with my new situation and grieve a bit. It's hard (out here for a pimp) right now and I don't deal with dissappointment that well.

So I've been pounding the pavement hard, which translates to hitting the keyboard seriously hard as in hunting down jobs online, networking, and reconnecting with people. Also been spending time reevaluating my skills, positive and negative to see what needs to be improved and if my talents can be better utilized in new and different area. It's been a weird month and a half but I resolved to start the new year off on a good note, proceeding forward with a vengence on my new future. And the feedback, so far has been very good.

And I'm not going to focus on the boo-hoo-hoos of being jobless but share with you the more interesting observations I've had being income-challenged:

• the less you do during the day, the later you stay up at night. I have to force myself to bed before 1am and that gets harder and harder
• Aflac are a bunch of assholes! I've told those fools at least 4 times I am not interested and they keep calling and emailing. Must be the suckiest job in the world.
• my cats really act like fools half the time
• Recruiters who call are more serious, recruiters who email are usually full of BS.
• there is NOTHING on TV during the day. That is motivation enough to keep a day job.
• my cats Muffin growls every single time the mail lady comes. Everyday. I wonder if she's been doing this for the 3 years she's been living here. Everyday??
• Craigslist is hit or miss for finding jobs. Many scammers there, though they haven't fooled this one!

I also have to mention there are a few times when being job-impaired has its positives:

• when the weather is crappy, I can decide whether to leave the house or not and usually that decision is a fat no.
• sleeping in til 11 or noon daily aint half busy. When most are busting butts at work., I'm fixing eggs & bacon and checking into my Facebook.
• there's no shame in wearing PJs and sweats most days. Or showering every other day. Why waste good soap?
• I'm getting a lot of reading done.
• If my mom wants to pass me a 5 for giving her a ride from work. Cha-ching!
• the work stress that was causing me to lose my hair and consider a career in hardcore porn is OVER! And I never have to see my old supervisor again! Peace bitaaaaaaach!

I'll be back in the grind again one day. And when I do, folks better break out cause I'll be coming through like a true foo schnick!

Farewell President Bush, and Oh Yeah, Good Riddance

Yep, folks, this is it, Bush's big curtain call and not a moment too soon. And according to opinion polls, 75% of Americans surveyed say a big fat "good riddance" and are glad he's leaving.

Kinda sad. For him anyway.

And I almost feel sorry for him. A bit. I mean when I mess up or screw up, I can at least grieve in private, with few people knowing and quickly move on as if nothing happened. But can you imagine, your failures being so public, so great, affecting so many people and leaving so many disgusted and disappointed? I couldn't.

In fact, I've been wondering for the past month (as I've watched people excitedly plan their Obama inauguration plans), what must be going through Bush's head? Knowing or at least being known as one of the worst (if not worst) president's in US history. To see so many people dancing in the streets over the new elected president and awaiting new change. How does one deal with these kind of grandiose shortcomings:

• only 45% of people believe Bush was a strong leader (down from 60%)
  


• only 25% view him as managing the government effectively



• only 17% believe he united the country



• 40% believes he leaves a negative legacy

I mean damn! Those are some tough numbers to swallow.

And so it is done. His term is wrapping up and America is finally getting the new president we'd been praying for. But I gotta admit, he was good for a few laughs and had me cracking up a couple times with his "Bushisms".

But alas, we must say goodbye to this 'error' in time. I'll leave you with a few funnies, from our former ( YES!) leader and president of the United States.

PEACE OUT!!!!!!!

Friend Request Be Damned

Why? Why do people I have never heard of in life and have no friends in common with, request my friendship on either Facebook or Myspace? Myspace I can kinda understand cause its so freaking ghetto and peeps on there don't care but Facebook too?

One, if you know me, why not send a message along jogging my memory (and I have a pretty good memory of people I used to know). Second, if I don't know you why the hell would I add you based on nothing? That's not how it works in my book. I have no interest in adding someone I don't know for the purpose of getting to know them. Don't work that way. Honestly, the best thing is to at least send a message first, see what I am and if there is any interest to learn more about each other. I'm getting tired of ignoring random mofos on Facebook on the daily.

Seriously!

Mayor Sheila Dixon Indicted, Another Setback?

Anyone in Baltimore has probably heard the news of Mayor Sheila Dixon being indicted on 12 counts of felony theft, perjury, fraud and misconduct. No, she has been found guilty of these charges just yet but here's what really disappoints and pisses me off about these cases.

I will never understand why it is that when people rise up to this level of success, particularly black people, with all the struggle it took for us to even get these seats, then get there and can't keep their noses clean! I mean, anyone who watches the news and the way public figures' lives are scrutinized and examined should know there will always be someone in your business, someone trying to find the dirt on you, trying to bring you down. There are always people digging in your past and just waiting, with baiting breath for you to fail. Why give them what they are looking for!? Why not, keep your shit on the straight and narrow so that when your time has come to an end, they will have nothing to say except what an excellent mayor, athlete, actor or what have you, you were? Don't people get that these things are not easily overcome and that people will forever remember them for the bad, not good. Why not look at yourself as a model of how far we can go and keep your record clean!

It pisses me off because I feel when a black person messes up, it sets us as a whole back. When we go out here in the world and get the privilege of doing things and making changes, let's do it better. Make the naysayers look foolish, not yourself! Make it easier for the next black person striving to get where you are. Make it so there is nothing but good coming out of this.

Because we are still being judged by the color of our skin, though it may not be put out like that. Your failure is our failure. And I'm talking to the Kobe Bryant's, the OJ Simpsons, the Micheal Vicks, the Marion Berrys. There are still people out there (maybe right next door to you) that think we as a racial group are low-class, are golddiggers, are ignorant, are of lower intelligence. Make them say "wow!" not "well they did some good things BUT!" Cause like it or not, you represent us all when you go out in the world.

K, getting off my soapbox on this Monday morning. Have a good one ya'll.