Good News? I Could Use Some Right Now

I wish I was writing this with better news about my life right now. Please don't be alarmed, nothing horrible has happened. In fact, nothing has happened at all, which is why I'm feeling completely helpless and on the verge of tears all the time lately.

My computer is still not fixed. I can't remember if I posted since I got it back, but I ended up taking it back from the repair shop without them fixing it because it had been almost a month since I took it there and nothing was being done to fix it. I had called three times and by the last call found out that the part had been ordered, but then canceled for some unknown reason. Why unknown? Because the guy who orders the parts AND does the internal repairs of the computers was on vacation in Canada with no cell service, and his brother/business partner has no clue about how to do any of that side of the business. I know that more than two people work there and you're telling me that the only guy who can do ANYTHING that's supposed to be done in a COMPUTER REPAIR SHOP is on vacation for two weeks? Why bother staying open at all while he's gone if nothing can apparently get done? So I picked it up and I've just forgotten to call anywhere else for pricing on repairs.

In the meantime I have been looking to see if I can get any deals on refurbished laptops or maybe open a credit line to get one through Toshiba or HP or whatnot, but since Apple refused me just to see if I could get an iPod, I doubt they'll give me anything for a computer.

As far as the job search? I keep applying all over the state, and even out of state, and nothing. I get an email from my former cooperating teacher (and number one reference on my applications) asking me if I've applied for any jobs. What does that tell me? No one I've applied to has even been interested enough to contact my references for the possibility of hiring me. I tell her that I've been applying and I'm getting really worried, and she tells me that I can always sub if no one hires me. I know I can sub teach again, but I didn't want to have to do that for another year if at all possible because no one respects a substitute teacher unless it's elementary school kids. I mean, come on, don't you remember being all excited about having a sub in school and trying to get away with stuff you can't normally get away with? Especially after the last high school I subbed for where the entire class just up and left for the cafe (which they KNOW they aren't supposed to go to under penalty of punishment by the principal if caught) and then had the nerve to get pissed at me because I reported them to their teacher, who took my side of the whole thing.

So anyway, I keep trying and hope that I get a last minute job or something. I know that's extra stress, but it's a job. It's difficult getting a summer job as well, because I have too much education and scare off employers because they don't want to pay someone more money because they have more education, or want to hire someone who's only had one job (in my defense I worked there for six years) and hasn't worked for four years (again, my defense is that with school, it was impossible to work). It's a very frustrating time for me, and others in my situation right now. My old roommate, who also graduated with me in the same career field, managed to get two interviews, but hasn't been hired either. Same deal with a friend of mine who student taught after me at the same district I'd been at. We picked an ever shrinking field and it's alarming that we may not have careers soon. It's also very difficult when schools want teachers with experience but no one will hire newbies to get any experience so they can get their foot in the door.

My ultimate back-up plan is that if I can get financial aid (which I doubt with the amount of student loans I owe) or an assistantship somewhere, I want to go to graduate school for special education. I've been interested since before I graduated with my bachelor's, but not enough to abandon music completely and switch over, and I KNOW that schools ALL OVER the place are always looking for special ed teachers or intervention specialists. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway, I have the computer, unhindered, all this week since my parents are out of town for the week to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary, so MAYBE I can convince myself to write out at least chapter 11. I haven't outlined anymore chapters, but I have discussed a new plot bunny with my buddy Jayne_Rulis that I might turn into something when things are more settled and on the up-and-up for me. I'm sorry for the wait and I thank you guys so much for understanding. If I do get the chapter written this week, there are no guarantees it will be beta'd quickly, as Feisty is experiencing her own real life problems. Her housing situation has suddenly changed and she's dealing with the clean-up and moving process, so I won't harass her if I can help it.

Any good news with you guys? I do hope that things are going well for you and if not, I hope they get better for you soon. *HUGS*

 

computer update

stupid fucker who was supposed to be working on my computer is on vacation this week or something & no one else knows what the fuck is going on with what's supposed to happen with the reairs. I went with this repair place cause of the positive reviews, but this is becoming ridiculous.

oh & to top of this awesome news, apparently my car is beyond fixable, so now I have no car & no way to get to a job should I get one. Or get to the interview to get a job. FML. Hopefully my parents' truck will be fixed before any of that happens, but god knows.

So. That's my week. Hope yours was better.

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Quick Update

Fuckers at the computer shop haven't fixed my computer yet. The first guy who I talked to about the problem and told me he fixed it never ordered the part and no one knew. I called last week about it and another guy told me the first guy didn't even write down what he was going to do to fix it and never told anyone to order the part. So now I have to wait like and extra week or two before getting it back. I am SO pissed right now.

On the bright side, I have a nice general outline for the next three chapters of Someone to Watch Over Me. I know what's going to happen in all three, I just need to get rough drafts written and some details worked out so that I can get them beta'd and posted. I thank you guys for being so patient with me on this whole thing and I hope to have my computer back soon so I can get them written before I lose anything and change my mind on things in the story. Lol.

To make matters worse on the writing front, I COULD have written something for today and saved it to my USB drive, but since my parents' only had the trial version of Microsoft Office 2007 on their computer and it expired recently, I was totally fucked. They're out right now purchasing the key code to upgrade to the full version of MSOffice 2010, so maybe when I can get another day like this on the computer (assuming I don't get my computer back first) I can try to write something.

On the job front I haven't heard anything. Good side: no rejection emails. Bad side: Still no calls for interviews, despite friends of mine in the same field and on the same level as me getting interviews. I've sent out a crapton of applications, both online and hard copy, so I'm hoping next month will be busy for me on the job front. As I type this I have filled out three applications online today alone, as well as getting four hard copies ready to mail out tomorrow for schools in Ohio alone. The whole MSOffice issue hindered me as well, since I couldn't edit my cover letters to tailor them for each school I was applying to, and I don't feel comfortable sending out the generic one I attach to my online applications. I couldn't even type them out individually with the correct information as it wouldn't let me do anything but open previously saved documents and print them. I couldn't edit them, I couldn't even type a new document. ARG.

Pray for me, if any of you are the praying type. Or wish good luck for me or something. If I don't hear anything from anyone by August I am going to be one pissed off person. My back-up plan is to sub for another year in my county and find a part time evening job, but I don't want to resort to that. If I don't have a real teaching job, that screws up my licensure after next June and I don't want to piss around with that.

::GIANT HUGS:: to you all, thanks so much for putting up with me. :)

(Oh yeah, I catered a graduation party with my dad this past weekend, and I had to hand make 200 fucking cannoli for this spoiled brat. Only about 50 got eaten and I was a little upset about it, but I did get paid $200 for all the work for it. Part of that is going on the debt I owe my parents, the rest on my computer repair fees. Woo! No stealing from my last sub paycheck!)

Updates and Chapter 11 Notes

So today I downloaded an app to my phone that will let me write up and organize better memos to my phone than the Memo app that came standard on the phone to begin with. Once it was installed, I opened it up and started outlining Chapter 11 (which will be posted as Chapter 12). I've pretty much got the entire chapter outlined, I just need either the time to write it on my parents' computer, or get my laptop back to write it out.

Speaking of my laptop, I called the computer place I took it to and he said he could fix the fan. He said I should be able to have it by mid-week this week, but I obviously do not, since it's Friday and I'm typing this on my parents' machine. I'll call either tomorrow or Monday for an update, and I'm REALLY hoping that he's not going to say something about my motherboard needing fixed, because I do NOT have the money for that (yeah, still no calls about jobs yet. I'm trying to stay positive). We'll see.

Back to the story. There are still a few minor details that need to be hashed out for the chapter, but the skeleton is there.

It deals with the upcoming holiday, which is Thanksgiving, and what Bella and Emmett decide to do with their situation, since it's the first without their parents, while figuring out how to have Thanksgiving together, Emmett and Rosalie spending time with Rosalie's family, and figuring out how EmRo will explain James and Victoria's presence at a family event. That's one of the details I'm still chewing on.

A few questions you might have:

What's going on in the BellWard end of things? Good question. I know, but it's some good stuff I'm not ready to spoil yet. Maybe when I can get a draft of the chapter I can post a teaser.

Will there be any Jalice? A little mention or two, for now. ;) Tidying up what's going on for the holiday.

Will you stop it with the stupid, cutesy couple names already? Sure, for now. It saves time from having to type out their names, and those who know me know I'm lazy, so it's perfect. Plus initials only can get confusing after a while.

What about the Francis family? You've only mentioned them a couple of times and aren't they kind of important to this story? I mean, aren't they the reason BellWard are stuck in her house all the time with Jasper a witness to their naughty handshakes? They're still there, faithful readers, and they'll have a bigger part soon, as will the Volturi family. I figure I'd take some time to develop the BellWard (oops!) relationship a little, which is slow going when I have no idea how that kind of relationship develops. Anywho, I think things will pick up in general and a lot of what is introduced will get more face time.

How long will this story be? Beats me. However long my befuddled mind can make it. I'm not going for length really, just trying to get the story stuck in my head out.

Really, how can Jake afford this private security for TWO households? Not telling. Nyah, nyah.

What's Pete up to? Ooo, wouldn't you like to know.

Was Charlie into some bad mojo that got him and Renee killed? Not necessarily. You know how bad people are. They get paranoid and decide killing people makes them feel better. I suppose it's cheaper than a therapist, but definitely messier.

When will Bella and Edward HAVE SEX already?! Soon, grasshopper. I have to psych myself up for that lemon, seeing as it will be both their first time doing it and my first time writing a full fledged lemon. Don't look for the nitty-gritty, I'm going for tasteful. I'm really nervous about it, so deal with it, mkay?

How many more effing questions are you going to make me sit through? No more today, but if you have any you'd like to ask, just ask me. :)