Currently...

I think this is the one we call Chester (we've got about 7 orange cats running around here).

I'm pretty sure my main purpose in life is to feed my neighborhood strays. And you know what? I feel so unappreciated in general (mostly by people who could give me a job) that seeing them run out of their hiding places to greet me really makes my day most times. Especially when I don't even have food for them.

Yeah. Especially then.

Opportunities: All Dried Up

I've had a long and stressful two weeks since HUBS' birthday. Let's start with the first issue, shall we?

By Friday the 13th I was dangerously close to my unemployment running out and not knowing yet if I was getting another extension. (The geniuses at the Missouri unemployment office refuse to tell you if you get an extension until your current balance runs out. So, if you, like I did, have $64 left in your account, you won't be able to find out if you get more help until that pitiful-non-bill-paying money has been given to you, leaving no time to scramble for anything that pays. Fuckers.)

I decided to use my ace-in-the-hole and called the temp agency I signed up with in November. Here's how that went:

citygirl: I signed with you a couple months ago and wanted to start working.

agency chick: Ok. What kind of salary were you looking for?

citygirl: Fifteen dollars an hour.

agency chick: Oh, well, we don't have anything at that rate right now.

citygirl: Alright. What do you have now?

agency chick: We've got customer service jobs for $8 an hour.

citygirl: Oh...Uh...Well...Wow...That's less than I get from unemployment...And I can barely pay my bills now...(has stroke, panic attack and wets herself simultaneously)

I think I managed to finish with something about calling them back if I change my mind and hanging up quickly. What the fuck, y'all? I started shaking and began to cry hysterically. What the hell do I do now?

I called HUBS at work, still crying. He tried to calm me down, like always, but it didn't work. All I could think was, I had a job and left it, what the shit did I do to myself?

The following Monday I applied for a bunch of jobs through Office Team. They called me in for their testapalooza which lasted for 2 or 3 hours just like at the other temp agency. I lowered my asking price to $10 an hour, the equivalent of my unemployment. Again, I did good on everything. I called this Monday to get work. They said they'd call when they had something for me.

It's Friday at 3:47 pm. Guess who hasn't gotten a call fucking yet?

Luckily, I did get a 13 week unemployment extension.

Every time I have hope it just blows away in the winter wind.