I haven’t written much about my life lately so I thought I’d do that. I have the perfect thing to complain about, too!

I’ve always hated working but known that it is necessary to one’s survival. Living in a country that is 99.5% based in pure, undiluted capitalism, it’s pretty much everyone for himself. You rarely have the government helping out. In fact, you have to be in pretty dire straits to get a hold of the money that you’ve been giving to the government in the form of taxes every year.
I am no exception. The only time I’ve ever received money without working was from fall 2004 to spring 2005 when I worked for FedEx Ground. A guard was not properly placed on a conveyor belt and my right hand got sucked into it. It skinned my pinky finger raw and slit my ring finger nearly down to the bone. I was placed not on disability (though now that I think about it, I probably would have qualified) but on worker’s compensation which was funded by the company. I received 2/3 of my regular wages. I ended up having to drain all my money my parents had saved for me for school (not a whole lot, actually) just to pay my bills.

But this isn’t a post about my dissatisfaction with the government and/ or it’s policies, it’s about my job.

I am finding my paychecks dwindling. It’s not so much because of the economic slowdown, either. I work for this man who owns a restaurant, a catering business, 2 picnic places that are several acres large to accommodate huge corporate gatherings, a marina, and apparently a small real estate business. My job is to help out with basically everything. The only thing I’ve never seen evidence of is the real estate business. I gather and enter invoices from vendors, cut checks, file, enter inventory in the system, reprice all the inventory, etc. With the winter season upon us, the 2 picnic places are closed and thus a large chunk of my work is gone.
When I first started, I thought I would be moving to Richmond, VA at the end of the year. I was also enrolled in school & only able to work 3 days of the week. Now that school is over, I am able to work full time. Unfortunately, as business slows down, so does the amount of work I have to do. First, they cut me down from 3 days to 2. Now, I fear, I am down to 1 day a week. Barely enough to pay my bills!

Why not get another job? you say. Well simple! I am waiting to hear about Andy’s job prospects out in California. The man he had the phone interview with nearly 3 weeks ago has still not gotten back to him. I understand he was busy because 1 week he was in another state opening a new power plant & then there was the Christmas & New Year’s holidays. Apparently now the head hunter says it’s no worry that he hasn’t contacted Andy yet as there is budget review at the beginning of the year. Okay…
I just need to know “yay” or “nay” on the job so I know if I should look for another job or not. If he got the job, then I will just put up with being incredibly broke until we can skedattle on out west. If not, then I can start sending out résumés.
Also, with the lack of work and the fact that I had said I would quit around the end of 2008, I fear getting laid off. They don’t really need me & I feel like they’re doing me a favour by not letting me go.

I’m stressed but trying not to be. I’m trying to distract myself with other things but my winter depression is in full swing and I find myself sitting around, on my laptop and watching TV all day. It’s raining and gray and I just want to stare off into space.

I’ve taken some Adderall to pep myself & try and get some organising done of my incredibly messy and disorganised room but alas, all I feel is a little high and lots of thoughts on what I can do to get organised. Give it some time, I guess…

Helen of Troy on PBS

So, I’m currently getting the pictures ready for viewing from 2 of the 2.5 rolls of 35mm film but I thought I’d do a more current update on my life.

For some time now I’ve been planning on going to VCU for photography school. I know that VCU has the #1 arts program in the country for public schools and the #3rd or something for Photography majors. I didn’t really think that was a big deal. So, I was advised to do the “art foundation” courses at my community college since it would be cheaper. What no one told me is that the art foundation is actually a sub school of the School of the Arts! And, since VCU is such a “top school”, you not only have to submit a portfolio to get into the Art School (expected) you have to submit one to get into their prep classes! I was perusing the website and it said to submit 2D & 3D artwork. I was a little confused. Am I supposed to already be a potter or sculptor before I get into school? So I emailed them:

Subject: Art Foundation Question
Body:
Hello,
I looked around their website but I couldn’t find the answer to my question…

I am currently attending NOVA and I was hoping to transfer to VCU in the spring. I see for the Art Foundation portfolio you need 2D & 3D work. I’m not entirely sure what 3D would consist of. Would it be some kind of sculpture? I am hoping to accepted into the Photography major but all I have is examples of that. I am not very adept at drawing or painting or making sculpture. I am unsure of what to do.

Thank you,

Genevieve

& I got a reply last night with:

Dear Genevieve,

Thank you for your interest in VCUarts!
3D work means any type of work that is not 2D (flat). 3D work can include sculpture out of a variety of media, furniture, ceramics, etc.
While you do not have to have 3D work in your portfolio, you should definitely have a variety of media. Your portfolio should include more than just photographs.
You should include drawings done from observation. Try to show us the breadth of what you can do – if you are only doing photography right now, then you should try to take an art class where you will have the opportunity to explore different media, or try exploring these things on your own.

Please let me know if I can help you in any way!

Best regards,
Erin

Yes! I should already be an art genius before I attempt to get into their glorious art program. So, knowing that this was an incredibly competitive program & I am not I decided to forgo yet another dream of mine (after high school I wanted to go to film school but that didn’t work out, for example). That’s not to say I would stop photography but it is to say that I’m giving VCU and their elite art program the finger and moving on.
Gael and I have been talking about possibly moving out west- maybe San Diego. We could work for a year and once we get resident status, enroll in school there. I’ve also been considering a major in Asian Studies. I mean, if we move out there it’s likely quite a few of my credits I’ve taken so far won’t transfer so I’ll practically be back at square one anyways.

Who knows if this will actually work out, I mean none of the plans I’ve made since high school have actually worked out so this could end up just them same. *shrugs* Just a little bud of a thought now. It really depends on Gael finding a good enough job for us to live on for a year and then some while we finish up school. If this happens, it probably will happen around the same time we would have moved to Richmond- sometime in late December to mid January. Keep your fingers crossed for me! I’ve always wanted to move to California & it seems like this could be my opportunity

Degrassi, the Next Generation on The CW

There isn’t much to report these days. Gael and I have moved into my grandma’s house with everything except the bed. There’s already a bed in here and nowhere to put it until next week. After that we’ll fetch his bed from the old house.
There’s no wireless here because nothing would work with the damn DSL modem so I have a long cable running from my grandma’s room into here until she returns home & wants to use the internet. So my times online might not be that often, unfortunately.

School started on Tuesday and my classes seem okay. I still haven’t bought my math book, though & I have homework due Thursday.

Today we went to the Renaissance Festival in Maryland. I only took a few pictures but but they were all of flowers and leaves (except for one of me and Gael, lol). After that we went to my favourite Japanese restaurant for dinner. Now we’re chilling and watching TV.

Last, but definitely not least, I got 2 things I ordered from Yes Asia in a few days ago. Unfortunately, the handles broke on one side of the bag today at the Festival…

(it’s much smaller than i thought it would be. holds not much more than a digital camera.)

(came with a dvd with crazy music videos ♥)

Newsline on NHK World.