Continuing to Avoid the Too Traumatic - More Updates

Simply a Girl, Job Hunter

Well, the job search is continuing to suck. I met with a recruiter today who is hoping to get me a 6 month contract gig that would pay $30/hour. Why is everything contracted out now? I understand the idea of doing a contract to hire - a la temp to hire - but you don’t get a feel that they are looking for that. The $30/hour is because they know contractors have to pay for their own health benefits these days.

One thing that is super special about this job search is that I get contacted by people about contract positions in technical writing and the contractors either have really heavy accents so you can’t make out the voicemail or else they email you in broken English. I get that they are just the recruiters, but still… how are they supposed to make the best determination about candidates if they, themselves, do not have the best verbal and written abilities? But whatev, I’ll talk to all of them in desperate hope that something will pan out. There are also a few jobs within my company I can apply for, which would prevent a gap in insurance, but ideally, I’ll find a fantastic job outside this place.

Order in the Court

Yours truly had jury duty finally. Back in Ohio, I twice had to fill out a juror questionnaire/survey thing but it never went any further. Then, about a month ago, I received a summons to appear before a civil court in Dallas as a potential juror. So yesterday - tax day - I turned up, had my bug spray taken away, signed in, and sat in an auditorium known as the central jury room. We sat through an orientation video, which was basically the paperwork we’d already received being read to us, and a video on how courts work.
 

I literally thought “dude, who here has not seen an episode of any variation of Law & Order”? But I guess it was nice for the people in the video to do their part and get their 15 minutes of regional fame. I don’t know, it was annoying. Then a judge got up and talked to us about how we were great citizens for turning out and how important it is to have a voice. And other stuff. I don’t know, I was texting BFF and trying not to fall asleep.
 

Finally, a young man came up and talked to us some more about getting parking validation (I didn’t park in the right place so I was out $15) and return public transportation passes. And then! He called 20 numbers and names and sent them off with a bailiff to go to the 5th floor for actual selection. This concluded by about 9:45 and we were released on a break until 10:20. I went to the cafeteria, got some fruit and a soda, then read my book. I returned in due time, continued reading and texting, and then realized it was 10:40 and dude had not returned. He did at around 11:15 to let us know no more jurors were needed for the day. Then he read off our names and numbers to release us (I was in the 800’s so had to wait awhile) and I got to go wait in line for a document for work, and then back to the parking lot.
 

Where I spent 20 minutes just sitting there because I’d parked near the exit by mistake and had to wait for every other motherfucker to get out before I could. When I finally did, I got all turned around and damn near plowed into a whole mess of people because I didn’t realize the light was red and the bus had just unloaded.

I hate being downtown.
 

But I got home, cleaned my apartment (I’d had Spectero over the evening before for girls’ night and that always ends with a mess) and ran out to put a printer on my credit card. Now I can print out resumes and cover letters left and right without having to do it at work or bothering someone else. I’ve needed a printer for awhile now and this is a printer, scanner, copier combo so score.

Now let’s just hope I get a third interview soon and possibly that $30/hour contracting gig.