oh my goodness

I left work and saw the new price of gas. $2.09. I had to do a double take to make sure I was seeing right. Yep, I was. I can't remember when it was ever that low. What happened? and why did it take so long?

Oh, I have been researching ancient technology for my nieces' fairytales. It is set as the shift between bronze and iron ages when much empire building started. Anyhow, I read that part of the reason iron became so popular even though it was weaker than bronze in the beginning of its manufacture, was the sudden scarcity of tin supplies required to make bronze. This drove the price of bronze into the sky, and iron daggers were transformed into swords and plate armor. Hundreds of years later iron helmets (iron is heavy on the head) started being made crudely since it is hard to work with once they figured out how to make iron harder with wood ashes (charcoal) or lesser metals to make steele. My, how that translate into our times.

Later.

Shopping excursion

Went out shopping for new shoes. I visited 8 stores in 2 malls. One type of boot I'm trying to replace has a worn heel. The style is no longer made, not even anything similar. As usual, all the boots I saw look exactly alike. Black or brown tall, shiny smooth leather/vinyl, 2-3 inch heel, with side zipper. Then a shorter version of said boot style. I saw a few flat heel boots in leather and suede with the push down look (I like the push down look). I did get excited over a purple suede knee-high flat heel slide-on boot that I saw in a magazine (rarely do I find shoes in magazines in my part of the country since we are always behind in fashion trends) also coming in other colors, but I don't wear the knee-high boots I have now so I passed them by. Knee-high boots don't wear well with jeans, it needs a short skirt that I hardly have reason to wear.

I saw very colorful snowboots that mostly looked alike in style, like Uggs. I did see a few different styles in snowboots, zipper, slide-on, tie-on, and various colors in pastels and winter color palettes. Youth women's snowboots looked like wrong colored animal skin patterns (like pink crocodile) or abstract art. I thought they were very cute, for my nieces.

The dress shoes were dull vinyl/leather black, brown, red, toe cover with exposed strappy heel, and 2-3 inch inch heels. I style I like but I have enough dress shoes at the moment. One cute shoe I almost bought until I saw the price. Too high for me. I saw a few sandal-like short heel strappy dress shoes in silver and white for formal school dances, but not very many. Someone must have taken climate lessons in shoes fashion school, we like our feet covered in winter snow and refuse to walk in 3 inch heels on slick ice.

Sneakers were mostly white with color spots, except for the youth women's shoes that had wild abtract art splashed on. Converse and slip-on styles were popular sight. One converse I saw had wool padding inside.

Casual shoes were more varied. There were clogs of smooth leather or wool padded inside. I actually saw Crocs with wool padding inside. I saw smooth leather slip-on shoes resembling the boots in their plain look. I saw oxfords in the same style of the boots plain look. I bought a pair of oxford black shoes to replace the other oxford black shoes that has worn toe. But the first pair I saw was too highly priced so I got the knock offs at another store. Then got the store credit card and got them half off.

Later, Bye!

Frustrations of a cat owner

Precious meowed his head off to go outside while I was changing his water bowl, etc. and when I open the door to go out, he is on top of the cupboards napping. He napped for an hour before meowing to go outside again. After a brief struggle with the harness he hates, we made it outside. It was very nice out with only a small breeze.

Yesterday, when we went outside he parked his butt on a step on the staircase. After 10 minutes of sitting there, I decided to go back inside the apartment and Precious did not object. It must have been the wind cause they didn't go out on the balcony either.

In other news, I went to the apartment gym and worked out on the ellipical and bicycle. My legs were so numb that I lifted the 5 lbs weights and stretched out on a mat. Then some sit ups and push ups on the ball. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow.

I got an absentee ballot and mailed it yesterday. My coworker said he voted at the local library. He didn't care who was president, he just wanted to vote for the winner. Yes, well, those people who win the elections are the ones who determine your taxes, laws, our enemy of the month, and appoint government officials and judges. I care a bit more who is in office. Popularity isn't everything in my opinion cause it swings both ways. A hero today can be a villian tomorrow. Though I still don't get why every election Iowa is always a battleground state, cuz Democrats usually win.
Later.

Good story

I saw a girl that use to work for a car rental next door and moved to another location working for another company as a car jockey (the outdoor people who clean and shuttle cars). That is a big step down (counter people earn more money) so I asked what happened.

Her manager told whomever that she didn't show up for work when she called in to ask the day off. That pissed her off to quit since this company hires such shady people and as she left she spoke to a Human Resource person about this guy's shady practices. So they did an audit and discovered this guy stole $29,000 from their client using a dummy account. The company has this accountto make dummy (fake) reservations and money from the client went into the account, which didn't show up in car rental's accounting records since it is a dummy account and this guy pocketed the money. He got fired and a lawsuit will be brought against him. Isn't that called embezzlement and you go to jail for that?

Moral of the story is to be careful who you piss off.

I just got another notice from Younkers, from the other mall stating that it was so wonderful to interview me, but they are unable to give me a position. This letter didn't put a name at the bottom, just Human Resources. Weirdoes. You know, the way they sugarcoat the harsh truth reminds me of those the rejection letters I got from publishers. It makes me ask myself, What am I, 4?" But I know, they must be polite and gentle when refusing applicants, not responding until the applicant gets the message they ain't calling is not good enough. The applicant might call asking if the position has been filled, how traumatic that would be.

Anyway, no kitten for me. The lady from the car rental next door who wanted to get rid of her terror from hell kitten and later decided to keep it quit. One night she didn't show up for work, no phone call or anything, and then later turned in her uniforms. The poor worker that night had to work by herself constantly being screamed at for her long lines as if she had control over that. But then some people are like that. I'm guessing she got another job. Nothing else to report. Later.

Forgot

I forgot in last night's email that I got Frodo out yesterday. I finally got the harness around his head when I was doing laundry. I carried him downstairs since he walks like a weasel and he mostly laid down outside. He moved around a few times, looked at the dragging harness, and I picked it up for him. It has been weeks since he has been outside. He won't let me put on his harness.

Then my niece said the funniest thing last night. We polished off all the food I prepared for our supper and I said we were out of food. Niece says, You have to go to the grocery store and get some more.

My brother-in-law picked up niece today. Niece was not happy, but didn't cry either. We hugged and kissed good-bye, then took Precious for his walk. Frodo hid from my brother-in-law. Later.

Overnight with niece

This week I had 2 job interviews with 2 Younkers stores, in different malls. The first one went badly with the people not knowing I was coming and I had to wait 15 minutes for them to obtain a person to interview me. Then she read questions off a sheet instead asking questions from my apllication, and I got impression they already hired somebody. But then it would be rude to cancel an interview. The 2nd went better, though the people still didn't know I was coming, but found someone faster to interview me. She read my application and asked more questions about me and my make-up knowledge (what's the difference between camera and everyday make-up was one question). She got excited that I just moved here from Burbank. No, I said, I went to school in Burbank and came back. I've lived in Iowa my whole life, except the two college years in Wisconsin. One problem will be that the full-time position I thought I was applying for is really part-time. Meaning they have to work around my other schedule. I just got a letter from the 1st interview written and mailed the day after the interview stating they are inable to hire me, hence hired someone else. We shall see if the 2nd person responds. Usually people respond when they want to hire you, not discard you. Got a money order for my pics and sent it to the teacher. Hopefully they come soon so I can apply for better jobs.

Picked up my niece from daycare and she is now is the bedroom sleeping. I made her put on her Barbie clothes cuz she is a big girl and big girls put on their own Barbie clothes. She cried that she couldn't do it, it's hard (ok sometimes Barbie's butt was a little big for her tight dress so I helped pull), and had trouble with the velco snapping, but she needs to learn to do this and won't learn if I'm always doing it for her. We watched a rented movie from her house, but it kept pausing and skipping so she wanted a different moive. I explained DVD's can be like that. She played with the cats calling them baby like me. We read stories and Precious had to get under the blanket to niece's dismay. Well, email when I have more to email about.

Pictures are here

I just got my pics in the mail today. Now I need to find a magnifying glass to see them better. I bet my friends at work will be excited to see what I did for a week in California. One friend told me that Younkers is hiring cosmetics people so I applied online. It was easy until their personality assessment included math problems. I don't do math well in my head. The question, What is half of 2/3?, I had to get paper and try to recall how to multiply fractions. I mentioned this to someone at work all exicted about doing make-up full time and she was insulted that I would lower myself to selling cosmetics, that's not what I went to school for. Actually it is what I went to school for. I fail to see the difference between putting on make-up on a model verses a shopper. I'm suppose to put make-up on celebrities in movies, that is the only job a make-up artist can have, she says. Changing the subject, she is uptight and confused that I only went to school for week, what can I learn in a week. I didn't learn all the bones in the face (actually the skull and jaw bone are the only bones in the face), didn't learn all the muscles in the face, and I have to be licensed too like a hair dresser in a salon. Actually, you don't need a license to put on camera make-up. In fact 2 make-up artists profiled in Vogue never went to school, then learned tips from an artist and built their experience on that. I know what is really pissing her off, the thought of my leaving. I finally asked her, You really didn't expect me to work here the rest of my life? Some people do, she answered. Yes there are a few that work here until retirement and there are many more who get better jobs elsewhere.

Let's see, I lost my sunglasses again. This time I took them off when I arrived at work, then my coworker leaves me by myself with customer after customer coming up, so I can't recall where they ended up. I thought I put them in my bag pocket. Now, I can't find them anywhere.

Picked up niece from preschool and watched Bambi. The whole movie she asked questions (What is a meadow, Why do he do that) and I ask her to name the animals. I added the animal behavior/human emotion link to the scenes (Bambi is scared, Bambi is hurt, Bambi is happy) and had to explain what happened to Bambi's mother and what the gunshot noises she didn't understand meant. Then had to explain the forest fire, the hunters scaring the animals, the hunting dogs chasing Feline, and why the animals are running from all this. I did I my best with 4-year-old language. I didn't get to the part of why Daddy deer don't raise their babies with the Mommy deer, that is later conversation.

Cats are fine. Getting agressive when I'm on the computer about paying attention to them. Frodo is more apt to eat his treats before Precious grabs them now. Though he still needs to be petted before he comes in from the hallway when I come home, hence why Precious is grabbing his treats. The weather keeps bouncing from warm to cold. That's Fall for ya in Iowa. Well, better go. Frodo just dragged a toy to me. Later.

Warm day, cold day

I got my director's chair assembled, w/out directions attached to it. The screw holes for the foot rest were in the wrong place so had to use a pair of scissors to make the holes bigger. I hammered the metal pieces down to open the chair in its sitting position to atttach the foot rest, now they won't bend to close the chair when I hit them with a hammer so it sits ready for sitting against the wall. I hope it fits in the back seat of my car. Cats like to hide under it.

It was nice and warm yesterday and had to drag the shorts back out of the drawers, then it rain last night to cool it down to wear sweatshirts. Rained all this morning and half the afternoon. It finally stopped a couple hours ago. Kitties got wet.

Been busy checking out websites to see who has jobs available and where, and how much they pay so I get an idea where to place my listing begging for jobs. Though teacher said the web is not a great place to find jobs, but it doesn't hurt either. I found this Iowa Film site with all the rules of filming in Iowa (No taxes to the state if you hire local people) and a page to find people to work the crew, wardrobe, and food supplies. There are not a lot of make-up artists listed and only one other listed in Des Moines. Hooray, I might get a shot. Apparently they just finished a movie on the Villisca axe murders. 1912 or whatever and now they make a movie about it. Damn, that would have been so cool to work on. The website said the make-up artists were great. I wonder if it will be horror like Amityville or mystery like The Black Dahlia. Elsewhere they are having casting calls for extras in Davenport and Omaha/Council Bluffs areas.

Anyhoo, Frodo took a nap on my lap while I watched TV. Now I have to shop for groceries. Later.

Ouch!!

I reheated my chicken strips in the microwave last night and when I grabbed the container the steam burnt me. I've never been burned by steam before. Grease jumping out of a skillet, yes. Windshield de-icer, yes (and it took almost a year for my finger to feel normal again). But never steam. My thumb is all pink now and still hurts a little and really aches when anything touches it. I keep running cold water and hold an ice cube in a rag to it to calm it. Aspirin doesn't work. I know, Aloe vera for burns. Anyhow, I'm getting Precious all excited with visitors knocking on the door and Frodo jumps on top of the cupboards in fear. I got my director's chair for outdoor shoots. It came assembly required. Wish me luck. Post later.

I'm so tired

Sorry I haven't written for a few days. I'm very tired. Unpacked, shopped for make up supplies, emailed new California friends, ordered stuff I couldn't find online, argue with Mom over my rental car in California and why didn't I take cash with me to CA to pay for a cab like I intended, argue with Mom over Yes I have to buy supplies now or I won't get a job (would you hire a plumber who asked to borrow your tools cuz he just graduated and is broke), did 3 loads of laundry, find out the ground floor dog moved out and the owner left her couch behind that was torn to shreds with stuffing sticking out, picked up niece from preschool (kids were outside and niece shouted 'There's my Aunt') and babysat til my sister came home, Precious met a neighbor's new puppy and slashed at him when he got too close and puppy whimpered as he scampered to its owner (I apologized), find out a guy at work quit and another was fired (nobody from my company), there is a new janitor, explain to everyone I'm not moving to California (Mom would have a full blown panic attack if I did), explain I have to wait for my pics to come in before applying for jobs and if I got hired today I have to wait 3 months or more to get paid (so no I'm not quitting in the near future), practice putting on make up, show my cell phone pics to anyone who cares, and get my kitty report from my manager. Precious was well behaved while Frodo hid. Her daughters wanted to take Precious home cuz he is so sweet and played with them. Manager said No, she has 2 cats already and doesn't need a 3rd (besides that would break my heart and Frodo's). Think I covered everything this week. Later.

Home again

Sorry I have not written for so long. I had trouble connecting to the site via my cell phone while I was in California at my make-up school. I had a good time and learned a lot. Perhaps I made a new friend, a model who gave me his email address and myspace page. And if he was just being nice, I am use to my email pals not writing me even though I practically email every day. Then I'm flat broke with credit cards earning interest and people think I'm rich because I paid $5000 to go to school. Actually some old bonds from grandpa, my stimulus check, and my credit cards are paying for all my supplies and school, I just pay what I can to the credit cards every month and empty my savings account little by little paying for my rent. But people want to believe I have it all and have a wonderful life, with no probelms at all. Some people just want to believe in fantasies.

Anyhow, I'm back home spending a fortune buying supplies so I'm ready when I get my pictures in. Nobody is going to pay money without seeing examples of your work. I hope this is all worth it so Mom will get off my back. I had to tell her unless she is going to hand over a couple thousand dollars, I'm going to be poor for a while. She broke too. Post later.