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