The 3 P's of Unemployment (And How to Make Them Work For You)

When I got back from my internship (and then again apparently at the beginning of this year according to my last post) I figured I would get a part time job, then a full time job, work all the time, make lots of money, and be completely fabulous. Apparently, things do always go as planned...

I'm still convinced that this is going to be the year big things happen, mostly because some of them already have. I moved into my first apartment (well my first grownup apartment where I have to pay all my bills on time) on February first.  I would post pictures, but the place is laid out a little funny and it's hard to get a good angle in a small space.  It's an old building, and by old I mean we have radiators instead of central heating, but Beth and I love it.  We knew it from the moment we found it.  We happened to be in the area and stopped in the hour the apartment became available.  During our first visit five people called in to ask about it.  Did I mention it's within walking distance of 2 colleges and a very popular series of bars in an area that's usually $2000 a month? Well, there it is. Not only that...the first apartment building we looked at had one bathroom with a standup shower and a broken elevator that smelled like fish.  The second building was at least $100 more a month (not including utilities) and would require a cab to and from the bar. Obviously unacceptable. When we walked out of what we immediately referred to as "our apartment" we looked at each other, held a telepathic conversation, and sat down to put down a deposit before consulting anyone (I know you don't believe it but I didn't even call my mom...I swear!).

As everyone knows, I've been trying to find full time employment.  After a couple more months of being rejected by every business in St. Louis I went back to the 3 P's of unemployment I cultivated throughout the summer months on break from school.  Prostitution. Panhandling. Plasma Donation. I started with plasma donation.  You can make up to $60 your first time, and I produce this stuff for free which makes that straight profit.  Also, you can donate up to 2 times a week.  That pays for cable. So after careful consideration, I got up early one morning to make it to my nearest blood bank before the rush.  Cute little pink coffee cup in hand, I followed my GPS which surprisingly lead me to a not so great part of town.  And the place was PACKED.  There was no way I was heading in there with my pink coffee cup and my brand new copy of InStyle, so I just kept on driving. On my way home, I noticed a coffeehouse that had a Now Hiring sign outside (who knows how long it had been up) and I figured pouring fluids had to be more respectable than donating them. So I applied. And got a job.  All in the same day! 

I just started last week.  Now beware folks, this next part may shock you....I have to be at work at 5:30. In the morning. When it's still dark. Before anyone in the world anywhere is even thinking about coffee. As it turns out, I'm a morning person (well, I'm a morning person after about 3 very strong lattes.) Still, I'm enjoying working with adults again and really what else was I doing at 5:30? Sleeping? Ugh. So last week!

I'm still nannying, and even added a couple days so I sit everyday but Monday.  I work for Laura when she needs help.  I also got a "job" as a freelance writer with a woman who helps companies write business plans and articles ( job's in quotations because I've really only written one article).  But my biggest job, as my parents always remind me, is still job hunting. How ironic is that?

Upcoming excitement? The UNI games and lots of family fun this weekend, a short trip to Chi-town next week, then finally a trip to Hotlanta and Oxford for Double Decker.  I guess I'm a work hard, play harder sorta girl.

I'm off to bed because I have to get up at 4 tomorrow morning.  If anyone's still at the bar at that time give me a call!

LOVES! E

According to the Chinese calender....

2010 is the year of the Erin. My mission? A job and an apartment.  Hopefully in that order so I can pay rent.  

Of course, 2009 wasn't all that bad, I guess.  I graduated from college...which is generally looked at as a positive unless you're the grad who is no longer in school.... and I went on a life altering, three month adventure to Ireland. 

The last couple weeks of last year were pretty hectic.  As most of you know, my best friend Nicole got engaged right before Thanksgiving and her wedding was at the end of December, so we were pretty wedding crazed for those 6 or so weeks (He fiance...ohmygosh husband now....is in the army and is being sent to Fort Hood at the beginning of February so logistically speaking it was now or....well not never, but a long time.) There were invitations to decide on, music to pick, bridal showers to be had, and bachelorette parties to throw. I even got to help her register which was really fun.  Also, my other bff's Ryan and Beth graduated from Webter at the beginning of December, so we celebrated with grad parties and grad dinners and lots of grad cocktails.  There was also Christmas dinner with the Perry's, where I had what I consider the best meal of my life so far (if you ever get the opportunity to order steak with crab on top, do it unconditionally.) Somewhere in between all that excitement I still found time to babysit and buy Christmas presents, but that's about it. 

Though I wanted to celebrate New Years by sitting at my house with a entire pizza and bottle of wine, supplemented only by sappy romantic comedies, my friends basically told me I was lame and that wasn't happening. So I was forcefully persuaded into a traditional new years celebration downtown at Bar Louie.  It was all you can eat (the buffet was fabulous and had queso AND hot spinach and artichoke dip) and all you can drink and it all worked out really well....until we tried to find a cab back to our hotel and we ended up stalking around the Chase in the freezing cold trying to find anyone or anything that would pick us up and take us home.  Other than that it was definitely a successful New Years in the Lou.

2010 has somehow found it's way into the present, and I just helped Ry celebrate his 23rd birthday last night with a fabulous family dinner and yet even more birthday cocktails. Beth's birthday is in about a week...and then soon (hopefully)...it will be moving time when their lease goes up at the end of February. If anyone knows of a hip place to live in downtown STL let me know. Considering neither one of us has a full time job, a high crime area may be our best bet but we'll see how that goes.

As for now? I'm enjoying the beginning of a snow day and hoping ya'll are enjoying the beginning of a new year. The year of Erin, to be exact. 

Updates to follow soon. Love to all. E

A Foreward: My Life After

Its been awhile since Dublin and I thought after a much needed break I would try to start up again. Although, decidedly, my life is not all that interesting anymore. I'm looking for work. still. A news reporter today just informed me that "the economy is in a jobless recovery from the recession." Well thanks for the red hot update. I could have told you that...if those people would give me job that is.  I mean seriously, I've posted my resume on every website known to the professional world and have only gotten responses from a company that wanted me to sell car wax. At Nascar events. And told me he hated all Virgos when I told him it was my birthday. Rough.

Not that I'm really being that picky. Seriously, but if you're a "big name agency that works with top billed clients worldwide" and you don't have a website? Or samples of the "top notch work" you've accomplished? And you're offices are located in a strip mall in Des Peres? Sketch. For the right company (which could be almost anyone at this point - I'm even rethinking the car wax offer) I'm willing to be completely flexible.  I'm luxuriously low budget and I'll do anything - read intern, bottom of the barrel, ready and eager to pick up your dry cleaning and your spilled coffee - that you would need.  That sounds desperate, and I wish I could say that it wasn't but hey, here we are. Still I understand that's where you have to start and I'm totally fine with that...as long as your company has some basic draws like a name and an address not located 5 minutes from my house because I know West County ain't the up and coming hub of the advertising industry.

For now, I'm babysitting for 3 boys a couple days a week and on the weekends. Hanging out with little boys is completely different than any situation I've ever been in, and in more ways than one it really helps me sharpen up my workplace skills like time management and conflict resolution.  Though I'm sure all offices have problems, I doubt they will be harder to resolve than when 2 boys are trying to kill each other and 1 is trying to climb out the window of the backseat of your moving car. Still, they're really funny and they definitely make life interesting and fun. I get to do things I forgot I love to do like draw on the driveway with chalk and build elaborate forts in the basement.  And the other day when I left one of the boys hugged me and invited me to his soccer game, so the job comes with great fringe benefits on a good day. But then again I'm unprepared to have to outwardly state rules like "Everyone of you will have to keep your pants on today or we are going home" so kids will have to wait until I am infinitely more patient. 

I also work for my Aunt Laura helping make Chambeeze (visit YoungTraditions.com and order yours today!) I used to be a model for the line back in the 80's so I figured I owe some dues. I sort and glue and we chat about everything. Plus, I get to go over in sweatpants so it's really an ideal job. Also, she feeds me lunch which rocks.

I'm going back down to school this weekend which should be exciting.  I haven't been to a single Grove yet so I really can't wait. Lee still lives there and it's nice because I always have a place to stay...I even get my own room so I can spread my stuff out everywhere and be as messy as I'd like... but usually by the end of the weekend were about ready to kill each other which is probably not a good sign if we ever want to seriously cohabitate. Still it's nice to see everyone and catch up on all the gossip I've missed.  To bad we just got our butts handed to us by Bama last weekend...Hotty Toddy.

I loved getting to see my friend Maria a couple weekends ago when he sister got married in St. Louis.  Beth and I attended the reception, which was beautiful, down in the Forrest Park Visitors Center.  Turns out at a wedding where you have no date and know anybody, alcohol fills the void perfectly, and we visited the bar quite frequently whenever it appeared to be a slow song. That is until this small midget of a Mexican man attached himself to me. I couldn't even tell you his name but he wanted my whole life story, even while I was trying to do the Cha Cha slide and conversation is totally inappropriate. It all started when this girl came up and scouted my age and I thought alright, this could work. Now I'll have someone to dance with, or at least someone to go to the bar for me. That is until this short guy appeared from, well probably from behind someone of normal height, and proceeded to badger me across the dance floor until I made Maria's boyfriend, Brad, come sweep me away and pretend we were dating.  Maria's aunt drove us from the reception to a hotel close by and Beth, Maria, and I got to stay in a 6 person suite that the bridesmaids had stayed in the night before.  There was even complementary breakfast. Classy.

I've kept in touch with a lot some people from Dublin.  I still talk to Kaitie and Ben pretty regularly, and of course Lana and Thomas and Charles and all those guys that I see in Oxford.  It was fun have Kaitie and Ben in Memphis, and I'm hopefully planning a trip in the spring to South Carolina to visit Kaitie, Hunter, and their new puppy Chevy! 

Hope all is well. Love, E 

London and the Last Goodbye...

We did so much better in London. We got in super late and took a cab to our hotel (our correct hotel mind you which is always a good start).  The lobby was nice but the halls and our room was so tiny we could barely get our luggage through.  We literally checked in and went to bed. We got up early again on Tuesday.  Beth was the first to shower, and that's when we realized we couldn't turn the water temperature lower than 20*C (or about 90*F).  After that was fixed, we both got ready and headed out, prepared for a full day of sightseeing.  

Luckily, Beth is a planner and we had a whole list of things to accomplish, all arranged geographically.  First, we hit up Kensington Gardens and the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain.  Then Hyde Park and Hyde Park Corner (the busiest traffic corner in London).  Then Buckingham Palace (where we didn't see the changing of the guards...we actually didn't see any guards at all. And the Queen wasn't home which was weird because she definitely knew I was coming but whatever.) We stopped and had breakfast then headed to Queen Victoria Station (the biggest tube station in London) and bought day passes. We took the tube to The Eye (the giant ferris wheel) and waited in line until our time to ride.  There was a couple moments of panic when we thought we weren't going to actually get on since we bought our tickets from this really shady street vendor and they had Flight time: 2:30 on July 30th stamped on the back, but all was well and the "flight" took about an hour.  Next we went to Big Ben and House of Parliament, where my camera conveniently died. Then off for a really interesting tour of Westminster Abbey.  We took the tube over to St. Paul's Cathedral (which is HUGE) then walked across Millennium Bridge to the Globe Theater and the Tate Modern Art Museum. Then on the tube again to Piccadilly Circus, where we had drinks and appetizers.  And finally the tube back to our hotel.

We took a nap, and had dinner at a cute little Italian place right down the street from our hotel. After all our travels, we realized we could take the tube from right outside our hotel all the way to the train station where we caught the Express (the 45 minute train that runs from the city to the airport) back to London Stansted. Our plane left at 9:30, so to be there 2 hours early we had to be at the train station at 6:30 to catch the Express which means it was another early morning. But we made the plane with (surprisingly) no problems and we were off to our final day in Dublin.

We picked up my checked bag at lost luggage, and skipped a much needed nap in favor of shopping and doing the Jameson tour (which is way better than the Guinness factory by the way if you ever have to choose).  We ate dinner near our hotel and indulged in a final pint of Hooker (Galway, that is). Then at my mother's insistence we had a drink at the actual Temple Bar (which amazingly I had never been too...at least I don't think I'd ever been there).  Encouraged  by the 2 (or 3) previous pints we headed to Fitzsimmon's Bar down the street and had another pint while listening to this guy with a great voice singing all sorts of American songs. Then back home for a final pint in the hotel bar, and therefor I blame my mother for my slight hangover on the flight home.  

Which seemed way longer (and actually was an hour longer) then the flight there, especially since my sleeping meds didn't work.  I had a small incident at the airport. I almost cried when the airline attendant told me my checked bag was 3 lbs. to heavy. She was so surprised when I just whipped open my bag at the desk (no lock to mess with this time) and just started throwing things out that when I stood back up she just told me it was fine without even checking the weight. We made it to O'Hare just before a bomb threat was called in, but finally made it on our plane to St. Louis, and finally HOME.

It was a long summer. It was kind of cold and my job kind of sucked, but I met really great people and had the time of my life traveling around and going out like crazy.  Everyone asks me if I'm glad I did it, but I can't even think of a reason I wouldn't be.  I learned a lot. I had a lot of fun. And now...I have to look for a job and try to grow up but it was a hell of a way to end my college career.  

Love to all, and thanks to anyone whose read this and finds it the least bit interesting.....E

Croatia a.k.a The Most Stressed Anyone Has Ever Been On Their Way To The Beach.

So by now most of you who read that have already heard all this...but I figured now that I have the time I might as well officially wrap things up. 

My friend Beth finally made it to Dublin after being delayed in London over and hour.  She was a real trooper, and we spent the whole day (literally all day) walking and walking and she didn't even complain.   She ended up getting in around 10 am and after a quick shower we went downtown for lunch to our favorite place, Bewley's.  It took FOREVER...but after lunch we went all over the place.  We took the Trinity tour (which walks you all around the campus and tells you about all its history).  It ends in the Book of Kells, which, by the way, is kind of a let down. You can't read any of it, and the tour guide doesn't actually take you inside so you're on your own to figure out what exactly is going on, and then of course you end up in the bookstore.  

Then we walked up to St. Patrick's, and it was closed.  Then we walked all the way over to the Jameson Factory, and it was closed. And by that time all my friends were coming downtown for our last dinner together, so we hiked it all the way back to O'Connell to meet them. We had a real Irish dinner down in the Temple Bar.  By then Beth was getting tired, so we skipped out when everyone went to the Comet and headed back to the apartments.  Everyone started drifting back home and we all sat up chatting and laughing for a while. Finally, the last goodbyes were said and we all went to bed.

Saturday started early.  I was up at 5 to shower, finish packing, close up my room, and say goodbyes to my roommates before the taxi picked us up at 6:50 am (the driver was actually 15 minutes early which started the stressfulness since I had 2 months worth of crap to haul down the stairs in a hurry, along with an overflowing trash bag.) We made it to the airport and I was pretty nervous considering I'd spent the last week worrying about my luggage and now it was judgement time....

To help you understand, I will explain a little bit about RyanAir...the airline we were flying with for all of our subsequent travel locations.  You are only allowed 15 kilos (33 lbs.) in your checked bag, but for a small fee (20 euros a kilo) you can check whatever you want. You are also only allowed 10 (22 lbs) kilos in your carry on (and, if you were wondering as many people apparently are since I found this information in the frequently asked questions, you are not allowed to carry on a parachute, avalanche travel kit, or your own life vest or raft.  Luckily, passable items include babies and golf clubs). I crossed my fingers and just tried to casually throw my bag on the check table.  It was 9 kilos over (I had Beth stand pretty far away with my carry on so they wouldn't ask any questions).  The airline representative started adding up the total on her fingers so I figured it couldn't be that bad...130 EUROS. THEY WANTED ME TO PAY 130 EUROS--OR NEARLY 250 USD--- PER FLIGHT TO HAUL ALL MY STUFF AROUND WITH ME. I laughed. There was no way that was happening. 

Here's where we encounter our next problem. When attempting to find a way to cram more stuff into my already packed carry on, I realized I had locked the keys to my luggage lock inside my actual luggage. Awesome. To make it worse, turns out the Irish aren't invasive and don't riffle through any checked bags, nor do they have bolt cutters to break into suspicious luggage. The one time I really wanted my civil liberties to be violated and nothing.  So I'm running all around the airport until someone sends me to airport police. I make friends with the chief after he hears my sob story, and he convinces the valets to knock my lock off with a hammer.  On our way back to the station I find out that I can check unwanted bags at lost luggage for the duration of my trip.  So I whip out my trusty backpack and Beth and I take over the Airport Police Station lobby to repack my bag.  To give you a mental picture, my stuff is spread out all over the floor and on top of my open checked bag.  Beth is throwing things into my now empty carry on as I fling them out of my now disorganized check bag. We stuff a couple things in my backpack, she sits on my suitcase as I zip up the leftover contents, we drop the bag at left luggage, and off we go.  The airline worker is amazed that my bag is now online 10 kilos. 

You would think that this would be the end of our drama...but no. We land in Zadar, Croatia and grab some kunas (Croatian currency) and a cab to our hotel.  I'm a little bit suspicious when the cabdriver doesn't know where our hotel is.  But I say Falkenstiener and he hands the sheet back to me and heads out.  When we go to check in the desk clerk keeps saying things like "You flew into this airport?" and "Do you have a car here?" which are never comforting signs. Finally they inform us that our hotel is a complete other part of the city and proceeds to pull out a map of the entire country.  Turns out, OUR HOTEL WAS 5 HOURS AWAY. In a completely other city serviced by an entirely different airport.  This could be a bit of an issue.

Luckily, the desk clerk was possibly the nicest human being on the face of the planet and found a way to transfer our entire reservation (including our reduced price) to their hotel since they were a chain.  The problem? It was a family resort that especially catered to children and Beth and I spend the next couple of days looking like drunk, incompetent mothers. But our room was nice, and more importantly it wasn't 5 hours away, so we made it work. 

We had drinks that afternoon, then took a long nap before dinner, and then enjoyed all inclusive drinks that evening.  Sunday, the second day we were there, we got up and took the train (which was actually a tractor pulling a cart ) into town to catch the ferry to the islands.  We got tickets to the closest one since that was the easiest to pronounce, and were disappointed not to find the beautiful sandy beaches we thought were awaiting, but giant concrete slabs instead.  Still, we got a lot of sun, had a lot of fun, and swam in the Adriatic Sea. Monday we had to check out at 10 am, so we took the tractor back into town for a bit of shopping, then went back and laid out all day at our hotel.  We hosed off in the beach shower, and changed clothes.  We grabbed our last free dinner before catching a cab back to the airport.

I promise promise promise to post pictures soon....E

Oh yeah, I saw him. In Scotland. At the British Open. No Big Deal.

I've been waiting for this past weekend to come for what seems like years now. I remember when we booked the trip I didn't know Kaitie or Andrea very well, but I knew I was going to the British Open. Now we've all become good friends and I can't believe our trip has come and gone already.

Friday I waited. I did my laundry. Waited. Took a nap. Waited. Called Kaitie and begged her to leave early. Waited....she got home around 5:30 and we all took off for the airport to catch our bus. After returning to the apartments so Corrie could get her passport (which we didn't even need by the way) we were left with about 10 minutes to get from our apartment to the bus. Lets just say we had a great cab driver and we made it just before the bus left. It was a 3 hour ride that dropped us off right at the hotel. There were about 13 of us all together and 9 of us were going to the Open on Saturday so we just went to dinner at the really great Italian place and then called it a night around 11.

We had to be checked into the ferry by 6:30 am, so my day started around 4:30. I was the first one up and showered, and was coffee in hand when the cab came to pick us up at 6 (I guess I take more after my mother than I thought). The ferry port was only about 5 miles from our hotel, so we got there early enough to check in and have breakfast. The ferry wasn't a normal ferry, it was a freaking cruise ship...we spent the first 15 minutes of our trip (before they started the movie we viewed from stadium seats) learning all the amenities the ship had to offer including a casino (No Eric, I didn't play Blackjack), a children's playground, and a full service nail salon. We all watched parts of Bedtime Stories..an appropriate choice since most of us slept through the entire film...for most of the 2 hours it took our ship to cover the 8 miles between Ireland and Scotland. From there we went straight to an hour bus ride...again mostly spent napping...until we finally arrived at Turnberry!

The security check in was surprisingly casual, and Kaitie easily snuck in her camera (don't get too excited, we only used it before and after the actual tournament for fear we'd end up in golf jail). Of course we all headed straight to the "Official Merchandise Pavilion", lists in hand prepared to buy gifts for everyone we knew (Kaitie's list was at least a page long). We were there for a good hour and half and since the boys all ditched us in favor of food I found myself asking a lot of random strangers "If you were my Dad, do you think you would like this shirt?" and begging them to try things on.

We made it over to the food pavilion and ate quickly to make John Daly's tee off a little after 12. It just so happened that we were walking over just as he was walking out and we ended up being right on the ropes so I got to shake his hand. Luckily before hand I had dutifully applied lip gloss, knowing that if my mother saw me on TV with John Daly without any on...she'd kill me. Lana kept yelling "Hey John, I'm from Tennessee." while I just sat in awe...

We walked around for a while just looking at the course and watching bits and pieces of play until we found a sunny spot on the 5th green. We watched John (I can call him John now because we're obviously great friends after the handshake business) come through again, along with Sergio Garcia, Ernie Ells, some cute guy in a turquoise sweater and another French guy in tight pants who does one handed push ups on the green while lifting his leg like he's about to water the grass. We got up for beer and obviously lost our spots so we walked around for a while until we found another nice spot right off the 14th green.

We hadn't been there more than 10 minutes when the French guy hit a ball right off Lana's foot. We had to move back to he could play through right in front of us. We were all so excited we were going to be on TV (check your Tivo or YouTube for footage of the 14th green...I'm probably there) we probably looked like huge tools smiling nervously and acting all interested in the ball angle and the club number, and then finally nodding our approval when he hit a good shot.

We left grudgingly to pick up our purchases and make the bus on time. This is when Kaitie and I realize that we think we've bought the wrong size shirts for our respective Dads, and so ensues panic, nail biting, and wine drinking the whole ferry ride home. This was followed by an endless fashion show starring every boy on our trip who had to try on said shirts while we made comments like "Well he's a little bigger than you considering he's about a foot taller, but since it comes down to your knees, being a boy, do you think this would fit?" Until everyone got so sick of our worrying they went to bed (or maybe it was we got so tired of worrying that we went to bed....either way it turns out I got the right size. So no worries...)

Sunday we slept in a little bit and had breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Most everyone else went home, but Kaitie, Corrie, Andrea, William, and I decided to stay and do a Black Cab Tour. The tour takes you through the major points of The Troubles. The hotel recommended a balanced cab company (some only take you through the Catholic side while others only take you through the Protestant) so ours included major points of both. It was eye-opening, to say the very least, and very informative. We saw the murals that are painted along the giant 48ft wall that divides the city and our cab driver got out and explained everything in detail, taking time to answer even the most basic of questions. We saw memorials, churches, and political buildings that still house killings and hatred. Ya'll will be very happy to know that we learned that the hotel right across the street from ours is the most frequently bombed in the entire city (going on 32 times now)...I saved that little tidbit from my mom until we got home. We took pictures, but respectfully decided against smiling in a sorority squat in front of some of the more horrific things we had ever seen (so basically our pictures are just of things....monuments and murals...instead of people). I honestly have never wanted to go to church so bad in my life.

Finally we grabbed the bus home and were back in time for Sunday Night Dinner and a Movie (featuring mexican and Juno this week) at Kaitie's. This past weekend was easily one of my favorites. Being so anticipated I figured it couldn't possibly turn out as great as we imagined, but it definitely did.

Fortunately we found out over the weekend that our website finally launched...just in time for our last week of work. GREAT.

Cheers, E

Ohmygosh...

I LEAVE FOR BELFAST TODAY...TOMORROW I WILL BE AT THE BRITISH OPEN!!!!!!!