Existential Vacuuming

So I got a job at overstock.com through SOS Staffing. Seems third time is a charm. It's been going pretty good for two weeks now, but another snag has appeared. Erin and I are supposed to close on our mortgage streamline today. Originally we were under the impression that it would be in the morning so I secured tha few hours off in the morning to attend to it. This just turned into me asking for the day off as, after talking to the bank on the phone, the appointment was moved to 3:30 suddenly. Normally that wouldn't be a problem. Just take the few hours off in the middle of the day instead, but the situation is complicated by my not having a working car and having to rely on the kindness of those who do (none of which are available today) and my manager at Overstock.com being out of the office as well. So, I've contacted the next people down on the totem pole, let SOS know and am hoping everything turns out ok in the end.
God, I hate being jerked around. Especially since I consider myself to be, and have the experience to assume, that I'm a generally responsible person who, for the most part, has my shit together. It's definitely been an interesting first few months of this year, for sure. I hope this doesn't blossom into some new challenge as well.

The show last night with Kinski went pretty well (San Franciscans, they'll be there in a few days, I suggest you go!). There were only a few dozen people in the crowd at most due to it being a late show (we went on at eleven, after a first act), it being a Sunday evening and it being in the middle of a big snow storm. Still, all in all, I think it was pretty successful. The crowd was pretty favorable to our set and we got a request from another band to do a show together.
The opening act, Stag Hare was, in my opinion, really amazing. Probably one of the best things I've heard in a while. I had heard their name when westwardairways mentioned that they were going on before us but I expected something completely different than what I got. It was really a treat to listen to them, even though they only did one song... a thirty minute long song, but still. I would almost have been happy listening to their stuff all night.
Kinski was awesome. And loud. So loud, in fact, that I still have ringing in my ears. Being in a band you always go "yeah, yeah, loud noises, hearing loss" and brush it off, or at least I did, but last night really drove home that I need to wear ear plugs more often. Which is to say, at all, despite how much I dislike them. At any rate, it was worth getting home at two in the morning for such a good show.

Also, thanks to apexsensation and jamayia for coming last night. It was good to have friends that weren't in the band be there. Thanks for your support.

In other less inspiring news I'm pretty sure that SOS Staffing has washed their hands of me and moved on. I haven't heard from them in weeks and after the two massive failures they delivered I don't expect I'll be working with them again.
I heard back from the company I interviewed with a week or so ago but only for them to tell me that they had "found someone who would better suit the needs of their office". Hmm... It isn't as if I'd said that I'd be willing to learn whatever they needed and take on any job they might have. It is as if they'd said they were in the process of some big changes, needed a bunch of people and generally thought that I'd be a great fit for their company. Ah well. Moving on. I've applied to a number of other places that I think might be good possibilities so we'll see I guess. I guess.

Seems I have a job interview on Monday afternoon at this place. Data entry, I don't remember how much money it would be. Anything is better than nothing. Ironically it is located almost exactly where MarketStar used to be so I'd have a half hour drive to work once again. Still, if it pays the bills...

I didn't know who Louis CK was before this, but I think he's got a good point here. He's summed up my arguments in a much funnier manner than I ever would:



Yes, your welcome to disagree, but I do think we need a world with donkeys hauling our pots and pans around... so to speak.

Also, assuming this is authentic, yikes:

Job Losses in Recent Recessions

I liked this. It sort of reminds me of Doctor Who (generally) summarized:



But it gets you thinking. What about the 9th, 10th or 24th dimesion? And prove to me that they don't exist.

Apparently my parents aren't divorcing now. They were just flirting with the idea, it seems. I think flirting is a good way to put it as they've threatened to do so a few times before and this bout apparently only lasted a week or two. Frankly, I'm a bit annoyed at the whole matter and basically told them "great, but do it or don't because I've quit worrying about it". They're in their fifties/sixties so I expect that they've lived enough life to sort it out themselves. I'm done.

My dad still has his court date to deal with. It's looking like he didn't do what he is being accused of doing and I hope it all unravels in court. Bleh.

In other news I dropped off power of attorney papers at the patent lawyer's office. We're so very close to getting this thing submitted. The drawings should be finished within the next few days and then it's off to the races. After three years of work and/or worry I'm really excited to finally be moving on with the process. Here's hoping.

I sent off my unemployment insurance papers today. Even though I've been paying for it with my wages I'm kind of bummed that I have to rely on it now. Nevertheless, I'd rather keep my house. Hopefully something will come up soon from a company who knows how to cross its t's, dot its i's and mind its p's and q's.

What's this? Nathan Filian? Finding himself in the hallowed halls of the murder mystery? Rubbing elbows with the likes of Angela Lansbury and that incorrigible David Caruso? No, no, no. I'm not sure I'm sold on the notion yet.

"My theory is that when it comes to important subjects, there are only two ways a person can answer. Which way they chose, tells you who that person is. For instance, there are only two kinds of people in the world, Odin people and Thor people. Now Odin people can like Thor and Thor people can like Odin, but nobody likes them both equally. Somewhere you have to make a choice. And that choice, tells you who you are."



I think I heard someone say something like that once...

I intended to put more energy into this post but I realize that I have none. Thus:

The penal system in the Philippines isn't afraid to try experimental approaches to prisoner rehabilitation.



First day of work went ok. Apparently they didn't know I was coming in today but I stuck around for most of the day and observed. I didn't realize, and noticed with not a small amount of joy, that I work just a block or two away from Vertical Diner. That couldn't have worked out better. Also, my commute went from thirty to fifteen to five minutes over the course of the last two months, so that's also a definite plus. The people seem generally interested in assuming that I'll be sticking around for a while, too, which is also an encouraging sign.

I tried getting a hold of my mom to see how she was doing and she hasn't picked up all day. I don't know what that means in relation to current events, but I'm not particularly worried.

UPDATE:

I got sacked again! As of about four thirty mountain time I don't have a job anymore. One day this time instead of nine.

They reassured me that I had done a wonderful job and that I was phenomenal but apparently they are downsizing at the same time that they are HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES and needed to staff my position with an employee from a department that they had downsized.

So... seriously... you tell me. Happy Friday the 13th.

And the wheel turns...

I may have a job lined up. It requires a background check so I'm just waiting for that to get done. It'd be doing customer service for a genetic profiling place, which is sort of cool. I guess I'd be telling people whether their tests were yay or nay, something like that. We'll see.

And then more of the bad. I had a small struggle with myself as to whether or not I should post about this but I felt that ultimately I should get it out. I found out first thing this morning that, apparently, my dad was arrested and went to jail for something I don't really want to go into, think about or otherwise involve myself with right now. This coming from a guy who has spent a sizable portion of his life in service to the community and his church and has had an untarnished record up to this point in his life, about five plus decades. My mother is declaring this a last straw and is taking the necessary steps for divorcing him today. She's also looking at what her options are regarding the sale of their home.

I have to wonder if perhaps my entire life with my family has been comprised of a series of only half truths. Apparently they've had problems for some time and I had no idea. I know that no one can ever know the whole story about others' lives and experiences, no matter how close they may be to them, but this certainly came out of left field.

And that's that.

For some time now I haven't really felt like I've had much time to focus on starting and/or finishing many personal creative projects, especially those related to drawing. I feel like my creativity has largely suffered over the course of more months than I care to consider as I've been occupied with many other unrelated things and haven't been giving a lot of energy to using my imagination, at least not to any tangible effect. This was illustrated very starkly yesterday when I opened up one of my notebooks and decided that I'd try my hand at sketching for a while. It ended in horrible failure, my putting the notebook down and needing to leave the room. Also, I think I clenched my teeth and/or fists. Given that I chose my major to be Illustration it's a pretty unnerving thing to realize that what I considered a talent has atrophied more than I had anticipated and will take some work to get back into shape. Hopefully school will do that, assuming I am even able to go this year. Still, I'll do my damnedest.

Speaking of drawing and other creative feats, I really like this guy's work and the ideas he seems to spew at random with far less effort than it seems to take me lately:

Niklas Jansson, Swede

Mr. Jansson also did the art for this awesome game:

Cortex Command

It's kind of like watching a guy totally shred on a guitar while I'm trying to re-learn the basics. Still, onward and upward.

Here's a tip: If you ever apply for a job and they make you take one of those personality surveys (ala PetSmart, etc.), when they ask the question "You don't work too hard because it doesn't pay off anyway" DO NOT click "Strongly Agree". Methinks they're testing me...