After reading Minna’s post today (actually written a few days ago ) I had an inspiration for a blog. Misery loves company, right? So, here’s my tirade:

I finally found a job. It’s at Hollister, unfortunately. It’s the only place I could find (aside from Bath & Bodyworks but more on that later…)

Here’s how my first few days at Hollister started:

4 May 08: They wanted me in at 10am for orientation. Unfortunately I had to meet my East Asian Art History class at The Freer Gallery of Art in DC at the same time. Fine. I was told to come in Monday as soon as I was free.
5 May 08: I go in for orientation. The assistant manager tells me that the district manager is using the office so I should watch a movie about loss prevention (people stealing stuff). Once that’s over she says that I should call Wednesday for the schedule and to finish orientation. Fine.
7 May 08: I call Wednesday morning but apparently the manager is out until Friday so I am told to call back then.
9 May 08: I call Friday morning and the Manager in Training tells me to come in whenever I feel like it so I head there around noon. He can’t find me in the system and says the store manager will be in at 1pm so I should come back then. I come back around 2pm to give them time to switch everything over. The manager says he can’t find me in the system either and I should come back the next day. He says I should work from 1pm until 6pm so I say fine and leave.
10 May 08: I go in at 1pm and fill in some forms and start folding clothes. After about 45 minutes of doing this they tell me to greet people. I ended up standing at the front of the store, straightening things for the next 4 hours and shouting HI HOW ARE YOU?!? at incoming customers. I didn’t even get a break.
I finally leave and notice they didn’t count some of my time. They counted me at working 4.75 hours when it should have been 5. I am told as I am leaving to call the next day about my hours.
11 May 08: I call in at noon and am told by the Manager in Training (MiT) that I was supposed to be there at 10 and work until 3. I tell him that I put in that I can’t work before 2pm Sundays (I usually go to church with Gael) and I’m supposed to be heading out to my parents’ house for Mother’s Day. He begs me to come in and says he’ll let me off early. He also says he wants to train me on register. Register sounds a hell of a lot better to me than greeting or folding clothes.
When I get in, I inform him of the discrepancy in my hours. He says he’ll clock me in as coming in 15 minutes earlier than I actually did because he already sent the time sheets in to payroll. I also inform him that he has my address wrong so we change that and finish filling out my forms.
He has me restock the store because apparently when people are closing they don’t do that. The place is a wreck to I try my best to figure out where things go. I don’t get to leave early.
When the manager gets in I talk to him about my pay because the assistant manager had told me that if I have more retail experience, I can get a higher pay. The manager says that’s not true and he has no control over pay- corporate sets all that. When I go to leave I ask him when I should come in next because I didn’t see my name on the schedule and he says the schedule is already made for the week and I should call on Wednesday to tell them what hours I can work.

I’m beginning to think I should have gone with Bath and Bodyworks. I didn’t because I didn’t want to work with all women and they said that one week I might not work, the next 1 day, the next 5 days… I didn’t want to have to deal with that. Hollister had said I could basically work whenever I wanted but the pay is 36 cents less. I thought the amount I worked would make up for the discrepancy in pay rate. I’m wishing they were a little more competent and had their shit together. I’m still applying like crazy to part time office jobs but nothing has come up so far.

Other things stressing me out?

Last night I had the pleasure of glancing upon the countenance of Kate Moss not once, but twice…

The Kills were playing in DC at the Black Cat and, as friend M properly guessed, Kate Moss was in tow. The first time we saw her, she came out from backstage and played a few games of pinball. She was tinier than I thought she would be though I have to admit she does not look scrawny or malnutritioned at all. She’s small- boned and slight and looks perfectly proportioned for her body size.
M wanted a picture but froze and by the time she gave me the go- ahead to ask for a picture she was headed backstage. Oooh well!

After a few hours we left, bored. We made our way to a pizza shop for snacks and lo and behold, there was Miss Moss again! She was with her boyfriend ordering some pizzas. He left her there, waiting for the pizzas after a few minutes and I closed in for the kill approached her for a picture with M.
Before I barely had the words out, she sank into her scarf and mumbled “Sorry, no.” I said okay and walked back to M. About 5 minutes later she had her pizzas and rushed out.

My overall impression of Kate Moss? She seemed timid around strangers and wont to talk to anyone. Not in a snooty or lofty way, though. She seemed like she didn’t really want to be noticed (though both times no one really did notice her) but I can’t guess why she wouldn’t take the picture. It’s not like there were paps around or anything… Guess she just wasn’t “in the mood” or something…
In terms of looks, as I stated above, she doesn’t look unhealthy or anything. Her clothes were okay but kind of like something from the hipster section of H&M.

Degrassi on the CW (formerly the WB).

I’m procrastinating on doing my French 102 (first college level is 101 so I’m second semester) homework so I thought I’d write a blog to feel less… “guilty” about it… *cough*
The last day of school this semester is 12th May 2008. On 19th May I start my summer semester. That’s right- no break for me this year! Here’s my schedule from 19th May to 11th August.

Art 101 (History of Western Art)
Tuesdays & Thursdays
19/5/2008- 25/7/2008 (10 week class instead of full 12 weeks)
9.30am- 11.50am
Alexandria (click for map in relation to where I live!)

Biology 101 (lecture & lab)
Tuesdays & Thursdays
19/5/08- 11/8/08
Lecture- 6.30pm- 8.20pm
Lab- 8.30pm- 10.20pm
Woodbridge (location is marked the map above )

I’m not sure when the fall 2008 semester starts, but I’m guessing it’s a week or so after the summer on ends. (I’m assuming that since I have a week between spring and summer semesters.)

In a few months, I have to apply for transfer to a 4- year university. (I think I’ve mentioned already that I’m in a community college right now…) The one I want to go to is Virginia Commonwealth University. I’m sure I can get into it but the question is… can I qualify for the Photography program? You have to send in a portfolio (which I won’t actually be doing until fall 2009, probably) and grades to qualify. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for me because if I don’t, I have no idea what I’m going to do.

Antiques Roadshow on PBS.

PS: Happy Earth Day!

Saturday, 12 April 2008 was my 3rd time going to the Japanese street festival known as Sakura Matsuri. Every year my time there gets progressively better and they get more crowded. I know it’s all those damn tourists. I suppose they’re “good for the economy” but they sure are annoying.
I thought I’d show you some pictures I took (but please also check here and here for more pictures as well!) of the things I got. Check below the cut

Whoa, what’s with the new layout here for WordPress? They’ve changed things and I’m confused.

Anyways, I thought I’d make a quick post & share with you the dirtiness that is Gael’s house. This house is actually his dad’s. His dad moved in with with my (ex?) aunt when they got married. (If you’ve forgotten, Gael’s dad met my mother’s brother’s ex- wife at church about a year ago and they got married in July 2007.) This house hasn’t been cleaned in probably… 3 or 4 years (Gael’s mom passed away a few years ago and there were only boys living here- with the exception of Gael who was in Norfolk in the Navy until early July 2007).

Anyways, since we’ve started going out (8 months on 6 April! ) I’ve been helping him clean the house. It’s difficult to get a whole lot done what with being really busy with school and me running around trying to find a job (that’s right, I’m still looking for a job ). A few weeks ago I was doing the dishes when I noticed the door to the backyard next to me. It was horrific. Covered in dirt and God- knows- what. Here’s some pictures I took: