Friday, July 30, 2010

Just another bored Photoshopping moment! LOL!!

    When I'm on SL burnout mode, and the addictive little games on FB get annoying as well, I play in photoshop, always trying to improve my skills until the day that I think I'm good enough to actually either make textures or (dream of dreams) my own SL clothing (which would save me THOUSANDS in Lindens each year!!).  Not at either outcome's level yet, according to my OCD... lol!  (Although, I do think I'm getting rather good again with "adjusted photography".  Maybe I just need to go back into the portrait business again... ).

My contribution to LolCatz insanity!  I figured Glenn Beck was perfect for ANY contribution to insanity, right?

Random RL Silliness

New Profile shot to be, I think.

Yeah, I think I'll actually frame this one for my SL home.  I love nudes, not particularly into porn, though.  You'll never see a photo of me or my boys in "action", or even ready for it that I post on here! LOL!!



On the RL job front, I applied for an opening at the "almost local" casino about 25-30 miles from my house, for a buffet line cook's job.  Pay is ok, for a starting position, and since I used to manage/lead cook for the largest buffet restaurant here in town for 11 1/2 years, I hope they think that I'm as qualified for this one as I do!  LOL!!!


*Peace and Eventual Employment*
Tel

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Hoping Mad!

   Ha!  You thought the king of typos messed up his headline, didn't ya?  LOL!  Nope, actually, it's spelled for just it stands for... Hope and insanity. 
    It's been a strange weekend.  I had out of town company show up unannounced, (a relationship issue, so of course I opened my door to an old friend in need) and staying off of SL for the most part.  My friend isn't on SL, has no interest in it, so out of respect, I haven't been on except a coupla times while he was either out of the house, or asleep.  *There's a correlative point here in a minute, just you wait!*  We spent most of the last couple of days on FB playing games etc., while talking about his "problems".  It feels good to be able to help someone else, especially when you are a bit down yourself.  I don't know if it's the distraction from the madness of your own life, or a human need we have to just be wanted/needed/helpful.  Either way, that was the *madness* part!
    On to the *hoping* part.... I have had two job interviews this week already, the second this morning, and have a third tomorrow morning.  The first was in a totally different field, non-restaurant, is a middle management job, and involves little physical labor. (The arthritis in the feet loves that part!)  The pay is OK, but nothing to brag about, and there are limited benefits.  A good point about it is that it's a third shift job, and I would only have to deal with four "underlings" who would be out on assignment most of the night while I did paperwork.  As I'm a night owl anyway, not too bad of a deal.
     The second IS in the food service industry, but in an institutional setting, so it is not as high stress as dealing with the public, the bosses, the underlings, the food reps, the drivers... on and on and on.  The excellent part is the insurance.  As it's a State job, there are pretty decent benefits, not like there were when I worked for the State back in the 80's for a bit, but vision/dental and health.  Paid days off, sick days, vacation etc. are all included.  Unfortunately, it comes at a price... the starting pay is barely above minimum wage, but there are a few chances for advancement based on my years in the field.... with no additional schooling required and some of that paid by them should I choose to ever go back to college.
    The one tomorrow is kind of a "dream job" for me.  It is in the foods industry still, but in a customer liaison department of a major food supplier.  It is an office/travel to locations job, but with no sales..... kind of a "trouble shooting" position, with industry standard or slightly above pay, good benefits, bonuses etc.  The bad thing about this one is that they wanted someone with a business management degree at the minimum, but had a lot of trouble finding someone for the pay involved.  It's good pay, but not SO good that someone employed already would leave another long term job for. (Even the interviewer told me this on the phone in our initial conversation... it's less than I was making at my last job, but decent for starting pay in this area.)  He was interested in my well over two decades of hands on customer experience and people skills (thank you professional friends that were references!!!!! Muahs!)  Unfortunately, he's already told me before I even interview that his boss has instructed him to hire a "diploma person" (his words) if one comes along before the position actually comes open in two weeks.  Crossing fingers on this one!!!!!
    The best part of all for ALL of these positions...... They all know my last employer, know his ways, and have told me that even if they are required by protocol to call him for a reference, no matter WHAT he says, it will be disregarded!  Yay!!!!                                                                                                    
    So, there ya have it..... Hoping Mad!  Hope for a job, and the usual madness that is the RL of Teleny Macarthur!  Love y'all!


*Insanity Rulz!*
      Tel

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Just bored and playing around......

    I was on SL earlier, but we've got some hellacious weather brewing around us, and I wanted to pay attention to the weather reports, so I opted for Photoshop instead, while the radio was goin' in the background, and the weather radar was runnin' on the 'puter. Oh, and don't forget the weather updates on the cellphone.  (Can you say "technogeek" boys and girls?)  LOL!!
   Anyway, here's the results.   Few of my current friends know this, or probably have forgotten, but Tel actually started life as a hairy blond, which is one of my personal favorite flavors, so I've been playing with that look again a bit, with the better skins that are out there now, and hair.  As I said, been bored a lot lately. Ha!

And then there was this little incident.  I swear, anytime that I have two of my "critters" on, and go AFK for more than five minutes, they manage to get themselves into all sorts of trouble.  You'd think, being adults, that they wouldn't need such close supervision.  I just wish they'd learn to play nice together!  *grins*
(That's Dead and Tel, btw)

On the job front...... I had one lead for a management position in a totally unrelated to cooking field, which I hope pans out.  We'll see.  Would be nice to have a semi desk job environment, with decent clothes, and off my feet for a change.  I will, at this point, though, take ANYTHING!!!!  At least, until something else comes along. 


*Peace and Photoshop*
             Tel

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Damn straight I am!

    A friend of mine posted this on FB, and it just sang to me.... straight to the soul.  Good tune.  Sometimes, amidst all the grief, or perhaps because of it, we ALL need to find our "happy place".



*Peace and optimism*
           Tel

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

If you want it done right........

Do it yourself!  Yeah, this is a "pat yourself on the back" post! 
     I fired the idjit contractor, and tackled the rest of the front porch project myself, and I'm rather proud of what I accomplished, in spite of some health issues, and so on.  He left a mess the last day he worked, leaving and telling a neighbor that he'd "be back when he has the paint".  A: I had most of it already.  and B: It wasn't ready for painting yet, ANYWAY!!!  I spent three days caulking, sanding, replacing poor quality work/materials and general sloppiness.  I had to spend another almost 200$ out of my own pocket, which finished emptying my savings.  This morning, I got my LAST unemployment check, and may have to sell the house if either Congress doesn't approve extensions in the next vote, or I don't find a job by the end of the month.  I'm already behind on the house payment, because of this jackass and a couple of other reasons, and can't let them take both properties.  I only had a window of 7 days to get the funding to buy this, back when I was renting it, and the only way to insure that was to use Mom's house (which was paid off) to get a home equity loan to cover this one.  (My bank's Board of Directors that decide such things only meets once a month.... and that was three weeks away.)  We tied the two property titles together in both names by doing that, and I will NOT let her lose her home because I'm unemployed.  That would hardly be fair, nor could I live with myself.
    Anyway, on the job situation, I had a couple of REALLY strong leads yesterday for 2 full time jobs yesterday, and on four part time ones.  I also (GODS, I hope I find something else first!) have a couple of friends in management at the local WalMart, who told me to fill out the online application (45 minutes!   My goodness, that thing is LONG!!!!!! *which is usually a good thing, but NOT in applications !  ;-)  *  Keep your fingers crossed, pray to your Gods, or to Ceiling Cat, or to the Flying Spaghetti Monster , or whatever you do for me!  LOL!!
     Just a coupla pics of the house.... I still need to restain the front door, rebuild the railings that the contractor didn't, clean the lead paint that he heat stripped off the skirt out of the flowerbeds (idiot... and it wasn't even necessary, that part just needed another coat of paint to "freshen" the color like the rest of the house! *shakes head*), and replant the flowerbeds, but, I AM rather proud to see the old girl looking happy again!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Still alive, barely!

   I hate paint.  More specifically, I hate climbing on ladders to paint.  Last week, I fired the lazy ass contractor that has been working on my house since DECEMBER last year, and decided to finish it all up myself.  He was sloppy (left scraped paint chips everywhere), didn't finish jobs (I had to caulk the entire porch area, because he kept insisting that it was ready to paint.... it wasn't.  I don't want to have to replace the damned thing from rot, after just having it rebuilt from a fire!) , he was lazy (a three hour work day?  must be nice!), and he was inconsistant (um... dood, you need to come work on this more than two or three days a week, mkay?).   I have gotten more done in the past five days, than he did in the last two months.  The day that he crushed and Oxy and snorted it in front of me, then tried to climb the ladder was the LAST straw, as you can well imagine...... So.... let the insurance adjustor and their legal department deal with it.  There is a plus side... it gives me a project, takes my mind off the "what the hell am I gonna do if Congress doesn't eventually pass the unemployment extensions... oh, yeah, sell the house I love" scenarios in my head, and I actually enjoy painting, now that the carpentry work HE was paid to do is done (by me!).  Anyway, I'll be back inworld more next week, as I should have this all done but a little touch up by this evening.  I hope.  My feet and back hope.  Ladders are NOT their friend, trust me.  LOL!!!
     Been spending a LOT of time with RL friends from the past lately, of an evening.  Just here recently, several old (and I DO mean old!  They aged, I didn't... imagine that!   ROFL!!!) High School classmates have found me on Facebook, and have been stopping by the house, some helping a while... some bringing their laptops and we get online together and chat with other friends that aren't to close to here.  One even took me out for ice cream the other day!   (Ice cream kidnappings.... SOOO much different from the way we USED to get random....*sigh*... does that mean I'm growing up, or growing old?  LOL!!!!)  I haven't done anything that random in ages.... we sat and talked for three hours, catching up the better part of the last thirty years..... I didn't realize how much I missed some of these people.  Life is good, for the most part...... now if I can just find a job this next week... at least my frame of mind is better with all of their support!  Love you guys!
      I miss my SL buddies.  I wish I had more time to spend online right now, but gotta get the RL situated first, of course.  Many of you I have contact with through other venues, so that helps, but it's not the same.  I miss seeing the "old familiar places, and old familiar faces".... but soon, my dearies... soon!  *huggleglomps!*

Found this SWEEEEEEEET video the other day..... Love eeeet!   I honestly can't remember what led me to it, but if it was posted on one of the blogs I follow, and I stole yer post, I'm sorry.  I  have been having some problems remembering stuff like that a bit lately, as there is a LOT going on in my mind.....A very well done piece of claymation, and steampunk.... good combo!  Enjoy!


*grumbles, heads back to reality, and climbs that damned ladder for hopefully the final time!*
        Tel

Thursday, July 8, 2010

EEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!!

    I've been painting on the house IRL.  ALMOST finished!  Pics to be forthcoming, as soon as I can force the aching feet and back up on the ladder again.....LOL!!!
     In response to an internet survey that is sweeping the blog rolls... ok, I saw it on Jordyn and Franzi's, but two so far IS a viral event, right?  Heehee!..... I so far have the most ebil kitteh out there!  No surprise.. I've lived in fear of her for years now......   

Is your cat plotting to kill you?

Providing I actually DO live to see the work finished on the house, I look forward to a little SL relaxation time this weekend!  Y'all take care!


*Peace and watching over my shoulder.......*
        Tel

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!!!!!

     On this day, we set aside our differences:  color/politics/gender/sexual orientation/religious/age: and celebrate our great Nation.  While we have a way to go yet, we are learning. 
     "I pledge allegience, to the Flag, of the United States of America.... and to the Republic, for which it stands, one Nation, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for ALL!"  (pre-Mccarthy era format of the Pledge.)




*Peace and Patriotism*
Tel