Keep on Trying

Well, roommate suggested I take a customer service job where I can work from home. No, the last thing I want is a job where I have to deal with people's complaints for 8 hours a day. He is nervous that my Pilates Instructor path won't work out, and I won't find a job. Yes, well, that is the risk I take in changing careers. I have no guarantee that everything will work out. I can't get interviews for office jobs, so what am I supposed to do? I can't retire or go on disability, so I need to find something I am good at. I was forced to close my online shop. I am good at training people. An Indian intern at a hotel job was sad I was leaving cause I was her favorite trainer cause I was patient and repeated things until she got it. I always enjoyed exercising and went for an hour and a half yesterday. 1 hour moving my equipment and a half hour of stretching. Don't know anything about Pilates, but I will learn. It resembles Yoga with movement. I have to try new things to find ways to make money. I can always take the self-employment route if necessary, trying to find clients for personalized training if I have to. What else am I supposed to do? I have to keep trying.

Who should be hired? Workshop

Today's workshop consisted of mock interviews, and the audience provided comments on which candidate they thought should be hired. Clearly, one was how not to act in an interview, and the other was the professional who gave all the right answers. The professional one was explained to be the correct choice and why. I didn't pay attention to it and played on my phone while the workshop ran on my laptop. I did make a comment about how you should always ask a question at the end of an interview to display your interest. They gave us examples of questions to ask. BTW, my camera and microphone are turned off by the presenters for the webinar, and we speak through chat.

Once a former manager hired someone cause they loved their energy. They fired them after 3 weeks when they realized this Wonderful Energy couldn't do the job and was working off the clock to get their work done on time. They were from another country and didn't know it was illegal to work off the clock. The manager and supervisor repeatedly told them to finish the work the next workday, but they couldn't handle that concept. Oh, if you wondered, they did speak English very well, so no language barrier.

President came to town

President graced us with his presence today. News had a photo of about 700 people in the event room where he spoke with a few politicians. He stopped at a nearby restaurant too. News also interviewed protesters that numbered about 2000 outside. Special section for protesters was roped off by event center. Protesters were peaceful.

I took my roommate to take his driver's license written exam. 4th time is a charm, he passed this time. He has to go back to get the permit to practice driving before taking driving test with my car. Which means I have to fix my front bumper cause car has to be in working order to take the test.

Bad Dog

Cat Rosie leaped off the end table and knocked a bunch on items off in her acrobatic performance. Picked up coasters, papers, and remotes. Soon after, heard my dog Anna chewing something on the floor. I check to see what she is chewing on. It was a plastic coaster with cork in the center. Bad dog. Tossed in the trash.

The unemployment office never answered my email about my missing checks, but my bank account finally showed the deposits. Hooray.

Bad news for roommate

Well, roommate is devastated again. The Mary Jane he orders online from California is now adding fees to verify the signatures of delivery to prove the recipient is over 21. So, no more Mary Jane for him. I told him he has to be sober like me. Then again, there are CBD gummies he loves so he can still buy those.

More Workshops

Wow, I have 2 meetings with Career Counselors in 1 week. And I have to attend or I will be denied benefits. 1 is on the phone, and 1 is in person. In person, I have to present my job application list, which I have to type in their system every week, my resume that is required in their system, and my ID, which I uploaded to prove I am a citizen. I feel like a poodle jumping through hoops at a circus to receive my treat. The 1st career counselor actually asked me if I was interested in nursing cause they have a program to train me. No, not interested in nursing. If I were interested in nursing or any medical-related job, I would have studied it the 1st time I went to college. I am studying to be a Pilates instructor.

Well, my unemployment checks were direct deposited days ago, but they are not in my bank account. I go into my profile, and I can't find the direct deposit information to verify where they sent the money. Have to send them an email asking for help. I hate the unemployment office.

I did a Site Map check and found the place to change my payment method. It said the bank name, but the account number was blocked, so I don't know which account received the money. I called the bank, and they don't have a record of my checks being deposited into my account. Hopefully, the unemployment office will answer my email.

Today's workshops include Essential Job Seeking Tools, which was a tour of all their programs from workshops, apprenticeships (paid to learn), job training programs (there is a semi-truck driving program we could do), and receive a certificate from a community college (free education). There is a job training program for people on food stamps.

The next required workshop was How to File the Weekly Claim and requirements, which I already know how to do, so I played on my phone while the virtual call ran on my laptop.

Last workshop today was Develop a Career Plan. They spoke about all the assessments and tests, like a typing test to figure out words per minute, that we can do. They spoke about changing careers, and they have programs for career counselors to help with the transition. If we are living on disability, they have a program to help disabled people re-enter the job force and be self-sufficient again. I'm like: Do you know how hard it is to get approved for disability in the first place? Why would anyone living off of disability be putting in the effort to be self-sufficient again? Do they understand what disability is? Yes, I know they can have part-time jobs without affecting benefits, but anyone who can handle a full-time self-sufficient job is not going on disability in the first place.

Snow and Ice

To the South, Ice Storms. To the East, Snow storms. Us, dusting of snow about an inch plu below 0 temperatures. Skipping the food delivery, my roommates refuse to weae coats I gave them and were sweatshirts. Then complain it is freezing outside. I reply, That's why I am wear a winter coat and gloves. Snow about an inch was on the pavement, but very little on the grass. Getting work done on the computer and drinking hot cocoa.

Career Counselor Appointment

Wake to find Rufus and Rosie in my bed. Start petting them and soon Goldie and Anna needed pets too. I only have 2 hands.

Took pets outside for their fresh air and Rosie refused to go outside. She sat at the threshold and turned around.

Call with career counselor finished. Next month have another one. They just ask your progress on finding a job and sign me up for required workshops. Workshop she signed me up for was "How to complete your weekly claim". This is my 5th time dealing with the unemployment office and I filed 2 weeks already and 3rd will be Sunday. Workshop is Monday and it's required cause part of career counseling program. Whatever.

Interesting. After my career counselor phone call, I received an email with 5 PDFs of requirements to continue receiving benefits. PDF 1 was that I am now required by the Federal Government to prove I am a citizen or legal permanent resident to receive benefits. Good thing I have a passport, or I would have to go to the county clerk's office to get a copy of my birth certificate (which I do have a copy of to obtain the passport). I guess social security cards prove work authorization, but non-citizens can get those too so they don't prove citizenship. For unemployment benefits, social security numbers can be used. PDF 2 was job search requirements (3 job applications plus 1 job app or 1 reemployment activity like talking to my career counselor). PDF 3 is Reemployment Activities that count, such as an interview, taking a civil service exam, registering for an education program, attending a job fair, or a mock interview. PDF 4 is how to file your weekly claim (and I am required to take a workshop on this process, too). PDF 5 was my next career counselor appointment, which happens to be around the same time as my dentist appointment. I guess I will reschedule the dentist.

Received an email from Pilates people. There are 12 students in this training. Better get working on anatomy course today. No food delivery in this -12 weather.

Neverending workshops

Today's workshops were on interviewing and applying for state jobs. Interviewing was a cookie-cutter presentation of the same things that internet articles say: Dress Up (Hygiene), No Strong Perfume, No Spicy Lunch Before Interview, If Dropped Off Then Driver Needs to Stay in the Parking Lot, Firm Handshake, Bring a Copy of your Resume, Be Positive, Watch Your Body Language (more important that what you actually say), No Badmouthing Former Employers, and Common Questions. Then they included a PDF of what to say if you were fired or laid off. Learned nothing new.

State Jobs was pretty much navigating the website, making a profile, job search, paygrades, etc. I felt tired, so I listened more than watched. It was boring anyway.

White as Paper

Interesting. I dislike something for being too spicy, and I get called "White as Paper". What the hell does that mean? I had to ask them if that was meant to be an insult. They said no, I just can't handle anything spicier than salt.