Happy Halloween

Have a great Halloween. Saw a witch and Superman pass by as I walked Precious last night.

I hate my clothes

Tried on clothes I bought yesterday before washing. I know I should do this after washing but was eager to try them to see if they fit. I don't try on thngs at the store anymore from invading security cameras. Jeans are a little tight (how tight will they get after washing), but at least I could squeeze into them.  I know supertight is the thing so get use it. Shirts were horrible. Hard to get on and off from being so tight. Then even worse if I'm wearing a lace bra, everybody can see the pattern on the lace. I guess the prostitute fad of sheer and supertight fabrics is still in fashion. Shame on me for having a job that demands I look professional, like a lady instead of the mistress. The long shirt I got to go under Ms Britney Spears for Candies crochet shirt was a nightmare. Sheer, except the line wear the buttons were, the pockets that stood out, and I guessing military stripe on the shoulder could be seen. Went online to fine a better shirt to go underneath. I do like this crochet shirt that much. Had to get shoes too so here's hoping this is the end of my shopping for work clothes. The only positive thing is the shirts are longer and tuckable. I have waited years for this to appear. My boss never liked my midriff revealed every time I reached for a pen, but had justify my short waist shirts as being the only thing in the store. Now boss can complain my bra is showing.   

Born to shop

To use gift card and coupons, I went shopping for clothes and other things. I ended up in the Junior's Section b/c clothes were just prettier and guess the new fashion is long sweaters that cover my butt. I despise showing people my underwear when bending down. I bought a Britney Spears by Candies crochet sweater. Too bad it didn't come with a long shirt underneath so had to search for one. Found tapered jeans. I was so happy. Guess destructed jeans are going out of fashion or they were bought up. Found nice gray suits, but not in my size or they had pants instead of my desired skirt. Every jacket I saw had open sleeve cuff and despise cold drafts up my arm. Made somebody excessively honk their horn, but I found a close to the door parking space and not about to lose it. Somebody can honk all they want.



Saw shoes I liked but none in my size of course. One store had shoes thrown all over I ran over them with my shopping cart. I heard one lady whine had rude it is to make such a mess. And I bet she is one of those ladies who leave right shoes all the same size in a straight line marking the path they tried on shoes. Complainers are always the worst offenders. Nice people who put shoes back where they found them, pick up shoes in their way. Which I found myself doing when got tired of running over them at the risk of people thinking I work here and call me a bitch when I explain I don't.



Stopped at a grocery store I hadn't visited before. Gave myself a tour while looking for things. Gir asked if I needed help and asked for crackers. Told her, Oh good haven't passed by them. Then I leave a sack behind and the cashier chases me down as I am driving away. I need to pay more attention. Another grocery store, bagger put the little things in first and separate bag for large things. Who teaches these people? Big items go first, so small things go in the cracks. Plus eggs go on top.

Babysitting adventures

Went over to sister's house for laundry as usual. Except we have a pumpkin to carve after supper. Niece drew the face and then got back on her YouTube videos. Nephew and I removed the gunk and seeds. I carved the face and then placed it outside. Niece got off the YouTube grudgenly to see the lighted jack-o-latern. Then back to YouTube. Sister made her get off to color in her book while nephew works on his writing homework. The reason for so much homework is b/c he refuses to do it at school. Sister reminds herself niece neds new winter things so she goes shopping and I babysit. We sang songs as they watched me color in the book. Taught them new ones. Nephew made up his own words following the same tune. I was so proud. All was wonderful, until I checked laundry.



Nephew and niece had to help me fold my clothes. "I" fold my clothes. Nephew gets on a stool and turns on the washer. I shut it off and scold him that we do not turn on the washer when there are no clothes inside. Then they watch me finish folding my clothes and nephew takes out my socks. Niece requests a movie. No, it's time for bed.



Get their snack and he finishes first. He locks niece out of the bathrom and I threatened no stories. He opens the door. Then while brushing their teeth, nephew tosses a cup full of water at niece. No stories for nephew. Niece picks 2 stories to read and nephew sits on my lap. Sister comes home with new coat and scarf for niece to try on. Couldn't find the right size for snowpants. Explain nephew gets no stories and later w/ kids in bed tell sister why. In front of kids just said we sang songs together.



Then after babysit report, went home.

Amusing

I find it amusing that some people refuse to celebrate Halloween for being a pagan holiday and there many Christian churches that have Halloween parties. Ironic, don't ya think?




In other news start 1st day of the cash register. I did quite well despite confusing the order the steps. A computer prompt is always helps.

Quite a day

Heard the smoke detector from the neighbor. I knew those suckers were loud.


Got a call to babysit tonight so sister can get work done (I missed her email). This time I get to buy a pumpkin and carve it for them. Hope there are some left at the grocery store.



Later sister came home to discover her husband is there tonight. So don't need me for babysitting. Oh well, carve pumpkin later when I come for laundry Wednesday.


Tonight Precious chased a rabbit which crossed the street and I screamed as P approached the road. He stopped on the sidewalk and looked a me. Whew. Frodo got hungry for my chicken lunchmeat I nuked in the microwave and grabbed a few pieces for himself. Yes he had to share with P who also smelled meat. Now F is chasing his tail. He is so cute, I have to play with him.

Now off to bed.

Newsflash

The people who started the grease fire a couple weeks or so ago are out. Saw a new guy move in, college age I guess. Hope this doesn't mean insane loud music in the middle of the night. Cats don't like loud noises, it hurts their supersonic ears.

Interesting sister

Get a message yesterday on my email from my sister stating she needs babysitting last night because she is attending a show with a friend. Ok, she didn't know before now that she was going to a show. Sister never plans ahead driving me crazy stopping my life to help her constantly. I even developed the habit of yelling "no more babysitting" everytime the phone rings. I visited my niece and nephew 4 times last week, they wore my welcome mat out. Just because I'm not busy doesn't mean I want to babysit and run errands for her at the drop of a hat.

Ok, enough complaining. So I email her back saying sure I can babysit and tell her when I will come by. Go out shopping and come back to 2 mesages on my machine. Sister didn't bother to check her email and wants to know if I am coming or not. Call her back and she is not going to the event because she couldn't get anyone to go with her. Alright.

Continue talking how I saw a child laptop with games to teach computers to children, but held back getting an early xmas gift because they watch so much TV and play on the family computer I doubted if they would play on it much. We get into a discussion how her children are dysfunctional when not watching TV or YouTube videos. I don't recall us acting like this and we had TV in color then later a VCR. I know my other nieces were dysfunctional at a house w/out cable and we had to force teach them to play. I will always remember a niece asking what does she do with a doll. They see toys on these videos and want them, but they don't play with the toys they have already. Niece and nephew interrupt the conversation so we end the call.

I have plenty time for xmas shopping.

2nd day

Went through the computer training episodes. The ear phones were murder. One ear worked and if move the cord around the other ear will sorta work. Plus I had ear damage when the airport replaced their speaker system and PA's came out booming so very sensitive to high volumes. I got the volume down as low as I could, but still a little loud for my ears. But got through it. Saftey, loss prevention, smile at customers and how great this store is were the topics. My Mom can't comprehend people stealing, but from my retail experience I say people will steal anything not nailed to the floor. A manager said they had a lady who tried to walk out with a cart full of stuff this week and luckily she was stopped.




Then afterwards my fellow trainee and I went to the cash registers in training. Had to tell everyone who wanted rung up that we were training. Then I had to stop to help my fellow trainee not as used to cash registers (modern computerized ones). Yes, she is much older than me. I zipped right through it until time to go.



Next week get to follow a fellow employee learning my section of the store training.

Employee Orientation

Went to employee orientation tonight. 5 of us filled out paperwork, got the dress code, and got a tour of offices and stockroom. We met the store manager who on vacation when we interviewed last week. I get to do 4 hour Train on a computer this week and then 4 hours Shadow Training where we follow an employee in our duties next week. Then week after that we get more of a schedule. It's a start.

To the park

Sister calls me up at the last minute (sister never plans in advance) to babysit her kids so she can get her house clean. She can't clean well with them there. Gee, did my Fall Cleaning announcements rub off onto others. Well, I was intending to finish my cleaning with the master bedroom and bath today, but it wait til tomorrow (I'm in no hurry to clean). So say yes. This will be the 4th visit this week.




So they arrive and nephew wants to go to the park. Later. Play with toys first. He don't want to play, he wants to turn on all the lights. It's daytime so don't need lights. He wants to push all the buttons and open every drawer he finds in the apartment. No, play with toys in the guest room. Niece has a ball changing doll clothes and see what I grabbed from Grandma's house. Niece asks which grandma's house. Which one do you think? My mother, her grandma. I didn't grow up in my brother-in-law's house so nothing of mine there.



After play, when nephew is getting antsy about the park. We take Precious for his walk outside. Nephew is bored and so is niece. They take turns holding P's leash. Then nephew starts trying to open car doors, open trunks, and gas tank covers. I yelled at him for releasing a truck door on the back and what does he do after standing terrified of me. He tries to open car doors, trunk doors, and gas tank covers. I keep yelling at him through the whole walk not to touch other people's cars. He recognizes my car and tries to open it so he can go to park. Door is locked. Then Nephew gets the idea to drop a pile of leaves on niece's head. So when she does the same to him, he cries and runs to me. If he gets to toss leaves at niece, then she can do the same to him. They both drop leaves on me holding P and I return the favor to both. P gets tired of leaves being dropped on him and goes inside. Nephew cries he don't want to go inside. Too bad.



Have a snack and off to the park. Drive around trying to find it and when we get there, nephew wants to go home, eat supper, and Mom will come back. Mom ain't coming for hours so go play. He bugged me to death to come here so we are playing. He clings to me as niece runs amok. Slides, swings, and steps/ ladders we clown around until I need to go fix our supper. Nephew throws a fit the whole time wanting to go home to Mommy, wants a snack, wants water, just because he is bored from not playing. Not yet. So it gets late and we return to my place to eat. I refused to let them watch any TV until they started playing. They got exercise so they have a movie while I get theire meal cooked.

I gave niece more ice cream because she ate more supper. Eat, put away toys, and call Mommy to see when she is coming. She just said after supper.



So sister comes and picks them up. Niece and nephew couldn't wait to tell her what we did.

Errands with Mom

Went out with Mom to the realtor to fill out paperwork to finalize listing my childhood home up for sale. The signs will be in the yard by tomorrow. Sure it is sad to say good-bye, but got plenty of pictures to show future children what it looked like. Then off to inspect the paint job and house cleanimg service. We noticed they took out the master bedroom rug, there is space between the trim and floor to show it was there.




Then off to bank, insurance company, post office, charity, and grocery store. Then took Mom to her apartment.



Later.

Pumpkin party

Had sister, niece, and nephew here to help carve pumpkins. It is Nephew's 1st Halloween. We ate supper of KFC 1st and had to ask not to drop food all over the floor cause I just vacuumed recently. Nephew is learning manners like not to open every drawer and door in someone else's home. I had the place dark to show off my Halloween tree lights and light up witch crashing in the wall decoration. Nephew had to turn all the lights on. I'm getting use to saying "Paws off" and "No" when ruining his exploration. Nephew loves pointing out my cats. He calls cats Sammie, which is their cat's name. Big cat meowing to go out is Precious and one running away under the couch is Frodo. In the bathroom, Nephew keeps dropping my hand towels on the floor when he is down with them.




After table cleared, I ask Niece to get a towel since sister forgot the newspaper. She gets my bath towel from the bathroom. I meant my makeshift linen closet of open shelves in the hallway. Niece draws a face on one pumpkin and I do the other. I do jig-jag design at the top to their amazement. I'm not Daddy who does a straight circle. Daddy also carves 1st, scoop out later. I scoop first and carve later. I explain again that I'm not Daddy and sister explains people do things their own way, just differently. That's okay. Then the kids don't want to get their hands dirty and icky. Niece wants to draw all over the pumpkins cause she's bored, and wants to watch a movie instead of this. My sister says she did not drive clear across town to watch movies. Nephew enjoys the scoop and shares with Niece. We try to say It's fun to get dirty and messy. Nephew wants to carve instead of scoop. I sharply say no. We get most of them done when time to go. Bedtime is soon. I finish up and stand proud of my pumpkins.

New job

Got a new job at a retail store. Yippee! It's pays 50 cents above minimum wage, but better than starving. Provided nothing goes wrong I start week.

Pumpkin patch

Sister called today to announce they are going to a pumpking patch and I am welcome to come along. I have never seen children so terrified of hay bales, vines on the ground, or getting dirty.I told my niece, next time wear pants when walking through a prickly pumpking patch. We got a large pumpkin and some squash. After sitting on a hay bale dressed up to resemble a horse, niece got on to pose for a picture. They had another hay bale dressed as a catepillar. The barn had a big hay pile and a loft the kids could jump off into the hay. Niece refused to jump down with the rest of the kids. She just stood there in terror watching the other kids having fun. We saw goats with a mini horse. The baby goat was held back from approaching us by the mother goat. They had toddler yard toys niece and nephew enjoyed though they were too big for them. They had battery cars w/out the batteries so brother-in-law and I pushed them until we became tired. Then it was time to go home.

Adventure day

Wake up, feed the cats, and call the store again to set up my interview to find the guy is in a meeting. Lady will give him a message when he comes out. Minutes later the phone rings and it is a company I never heard of who pulled my name off the internet. Set up an phone interview for a job lacking a description. Take a shower with the handset on the toliet so I don't to miss Mr Interview's call. Reading email, I get a horrible smell in my apartment and can't find the source. It is like plastic burning. I live near railroad tracks so maybe there is a chemical fire. Look out the windows and step on the balcony to find nothing. Now my cat Frodo is wheezing. He never wheezes. I'm choking with a rag over my face from the smell that has filled my apartment. The spray air freshner is not working. Thinking maybe something outside is burning so close the windows as I hear neighbors doing and turn on the A/C to recycle the air.



Sirens are wailing outside. Aha there is something going on. Then they park in my parking lot. I see people outside so shout down if they are here for that awful smell. The fire department tells me to get out of my apartment. I explain I have cats. Chase Frodo from behind the couch, under the cat tower, and outside to the balcony. Frodo then jumps through the railing, lands on the roof above the door, and jumps downs to run up a tree. I manage to get Precious into his carrier and carry him outside into the fresh air. Fire apartment set up fans to get rid of the smoke. Ask a few people to help me get Frodo out of the tree. Later, their concern is the grease fire they just put out. Funny, I don't recall a smoke detector going off. Oh, they were smoking a cigarette when cooking so they probably had the batteries removed from the smoke detectors. Ok, we will wait. Ask again as a truck leaves about help with my cat. Guy is afraid he will climb higher if they try so leave me to coax him down myself. Frodo can climb down, he just refuses to. And he is like handling a tiger.



All this time, I am holding my handset making sure it works at this distance. Mr Interview never calls. I ask if it is safe to return to my apartment. Bring in Precious and put carrier away so Frodo will come down. He won't come down and turns around to place his butt towards me. I have to get to an interview. SO get ready and hope I don't stink. Frodo still won't come down and now a lawn mower is making the rounds so he won't come with all that noise. Call the store again and get my interview scheduled. Finally.



Go to interview and do an assessment test. Do 2 interviews and hope for the best. I swear more and more companies demand drug tests as a condition of employment along with the threat of a background check. Excuse me, but wouldn't a background check show drug use better than a drug test. Drugs leave the system after so many hours. I gues they don't want anyone with an ounce of self respect who would refuse one even she has never taken drugs beyond Advil and Benedryl. Why? It is a bad sign of a rotten employer with high turn over rate. I'll be jobless forever.



So come home and Frodo is out of the tree, but where is he. He answers me with his squeak, but I can't see him. Finally find him on the ground by a tree trunk. Pet him and he rubs against me. Then runs away. He is not escaping me again. Grab him and carry him to the door. He runs upstairs and jumps into the apartment. Precious doesn't want his daily walk even though I got the harness on him. Oh well. My eyes and nose still burn.



How is your day?

Another call

Call back the store back to hear Mr Interview is not at the store today. Will call tomorrow. Receive a call from another store and set up interview tomorrow. Have to do a personality test first before the interview. Is this a test to see if I answer the test the same as I did before. Or maybe a more lengthy one. Here's hoping good things.

Yippee!

Went to sister's to have her vent frustration at my lack of progress getting a job and now have no more unemployment benefits. She gets on the internet looking for career advice on my behalf. I have read many job advice columns and call them "Worthless babble from rich people who have never been fired, broke, or homeless". The mental breakdown from shock and then deep depression that follows making you numb to all the trauma around you is never addressed in these get a job you lazy bum articles.



She concludes these internet articles from company consultants are no help at all. She checks in to get me food stamps. I didn't qualify to get them with unemployment so why should I think I would receive them now. Too many rules so she gives up. She even went so far as to ask advice from her facebook friends (I know because I'm on her friend list). I think my sister is breaking under the strain of my failure to get another job. Shame on me for walking around like a zombie with a negative attitude when I relay my struggles to her. I shall keep things to myself from now on.



Now for the Yippee in my entry title. I come home to a message on the machine from a store I applied to last night. That was fast. Will call tomorrow to make my interview for Friday. I have hope again. It's all I have but I will take it.

Interesting app

From the impending Christmas season hiring more employees in stores, I started applying at different stores' websites hoping for something to turn up. One store app hit me with 10 advertisements and asked me if I already had life insurance. Another store signed me up for a job search site. I thought I hit skip, but I guess that is not allowed. Naturally every store threatens a drug test as a requirement for store and asked at least 3 times if I am a convicted felon. Plus the more then once question asking if I am in this country legally and be able to prove if hired that I can work in this country legally. Are they trying to tell me that their company sucks so bad that only drug addicts, convicted felons, and illegal immigrants would want this job.



Yesterday I get a call from sister asking to pick up her kids and take to McDonald's so she can get things done. No problem. Picked them up, take to get their supper with ice cream, and allowed extra time in the playroom. There was a boy there tossing his Happy Meal skateboard up the tunnel slide to the displeasure of my niece getting hit with it. Next they wanted to toss down their toys down the slide. No, they will break or lose it. They had a good time. When we made it home, nephew pouted cause we were not going to the park. They spent about 30 mins in the playroom, we are not going to the park. We watched my Halloween special loans until my sister came home. It was bathtime for kids so I came home.

Add more

I can add 2 more companies to the list of Can't apply to. I get email after email stating from one company how my app is still unfinished and need to finish it in 3 days if I want a job with them. After the 4th email and 3 attempts of finishing my app I said to hell with it. Is it my fault their stupid program refuses to remember the 2nd half of my app after 3 times of typing it in.



Then I get a company who demands my Social Security# and agree to a background check before I even get to the work history part of the app. Even better, I have to complete a quiz on taxes and must remove the pop up blocker to complete it. And BTW if the pop up blocker blocks it, you are tossed back to the beginning of the app process. I don't know how to remove the pop up blocker until it blocks something, so I get tossed back to the beginning. I click to allow pop ups temporarily to have it disappear by the time I log back in and get back to where I was and pop temp allow is gone and tossed back to the beginning. Though I question all this trying to apply for the 3rd time why I have to provide my SS#. I always read to NEVER give out your SS# until their is a job offer on the table in the interview. 3rd time is not a charm since the pop up has been blocked once, I'm not allowed to continue to education, work history, and references. So elect to quit to take a survey on why I gave up. Any bets I get a nasty email demanding I finish my app today or won't be considered to be hired. If I don't know how to remove my pop up blcokers before it blocks their tax quiz, then I guess I'm too stupid to work for their company.



It is amazing how Mom has to tell everybody how much I love computers and play on it all day long. Anyone who hears has to ask why I don't get a job working with computers. Doing what? I have used a computer at every job I've had. Oh secretary, they mean. I don't type 90 words per minute so that will not be happening. Actually, I hate computers and wish they were more resistant to the pounding frustration of my mouse not working after the computer has been on more than 15 minutes. Actually when I say play on the computer, I mean getting on the internet to read email, jot in my blogs, check the want ads, apply for jobs, and read articles on weather, world events, and celebrities. Plus any apply for job interview I can find which is never helpful when actually interviewing for jobs.But how do you explain that to people over 60 who never explored the internet.

Staking claims

Y is there 8 places the cats like to nap in the living room and they have to fight over the same one. They are like children fighting over the red game piece.



Cats are staking their claims on the new cat tower rubbing their cheeks on their chosen platform. They like to scratch their claws on the fake fur (Thank goodness they like it) though only once did Precious scratch his claws on the rope. They love the view out the window.

Lovely evening

Had a lovely supper at sister's house with aunt and Mom. Had to explain again how nephew fell out of his swing and smashed his fnger in a car door yesterday. Nephew says, All better. Niece showed her cowgirl costume and then got back on the computer watching Thomas the Train amusement park in Japan. She can't understand why we want to talk to her. Nephew watched a Halloween cartoon to learn what this holiday is all about. They showed off the Halloween cards I made for them. Then went home when bedtime came. They will never go bed if exciting people are there.