Girl Friday's Adventures in the 'Real' World

I've mentioned here before that even though I have always lived in Canada I am also an American citizen.  Because of that I have always filed a U.S. tax return as well as a Canadian one.  This isn't a big deal as I just send them a piece of paper saying I am living and earning money in a different country and that I will be paying my income tax there.

So I was a bit surprised to see a letter from the IRS in my mailbox this morning.  I check back in my memory.  Did I sign and send that form in on time this year?  Yes, I remember mailing it.  So confusion continuing I open the letter.

Apparently despite the fact that I paid zero income tax this year or, in fact in any year of my life, and that I haven't lived in the U.S. for more then 25 years, as a U.S. citizen who filed a tax return I am eligible for a Economic Stimulus Payment. 

That's right the U.S. government wants to give me $300!

I think its only right that I spend this money on a frivolous purpose, as that is what it was intended for.  But on what I have yet to decide. 

So as the title of my post says this is definitely the first time it has PAID to be a U.S. citizen!

I may have only been doing my new job for a few weeks but I have been absorbing the collected wisdom of all of my trainers years in the business so here are some does and don'ts of going to get your, or most especially your child's, portrait taken.

DO           dress up and make it a fun experience
DON'T      force your child to wear something uncomfortable, binding and annoying to them they will only be unhappy because of it and melt downs will quickly ensue
DO           be discerning in what photos you approve its your child and we are here to make you happy so if you don't like something let us know.
DON'T       be unrealistic.  1 month olds are not going to be able to hold their head up or sit up in that pose you think is so cute on our wall, that child is at least a year old and no matter how cute it looks I can't get your child to do it.  You live with them, if they have never in their short life been able to hold their head up or sit up on their own why do you think that the first time is going to be in front of bright lights on a table with a strange woman shaking a rattle in their face to get their attention.
DO           try to help get your child smiling for the picture, you know what makes them laugh and you are the one who knows their personality and different smiles best
DON'T      get in my way or get between the child and the camera, you'd think since you are there to get a picture taken you would remember where the camera is and not block it but you don't and if you are between the film and the camera it won't show up in the digital display (because of the angle) but it will show up in your prints and you will be pissed at me when you were the one blocking the camera so just don't.  Also, while I appreciate your help if 5 people are trying to get little Jimmy's attention by calling his name and such the chances that he will actually be looking at ME and the camera when I take my shot are about nil

And just one further don't, I know that this is a stressful experience and that you want your children to be displayed to their best advantage but yelling at them to smile is the most unproductive thing I can think of.  No not only are they in strange situation, but you are yelling at them and this is not a situation that is going to end well.

Also, on behalf of anyone in retail, yes our job is to help you.  We are happy to do so.  This does not mean we should be treated as inferior beings beneath your notice and of no value or worth.  Yes I work as a portrait photographer, no that is not the sum total of my being, I am someone's sister, someone's daughter, girlfriend and friend, I am someone who has hopes and dreams,  so yelling at me that I am a minimum wage monkey and that I am worthless is not only inaccurate it is appropriate and inconsiderate.

Basically treat other people as people and be a bit more self aware and the whole world would spin a lot smoother.

I got the link for this quiz off my boyfriend's blog and its actually a pretty cute test.  Although I'm unclear if its a good thing to be told one's seduction style is that of a basket full of kittens ;)  but kittens are super cute!

Well, I was up front with the company and I feel good about it.  I told them that I was going to be going back to school in September.  They didn't end up interviewing me so its too bad to lose out on the money but I got the interview through a friend of mine who works there and I really didn't want her to get in trouble for recommending someone who bailed and all in all I feel good about my decision.

I may have more debt at the end of next year but I wouldn't have liked the person I was if I had lied to get the job.

I'm sending in my acceptance letter today and then I'll start figuring out how to get some scholarships or a job as a TA etc and I'll figure out the money situation. 

All in all its a good day and I don't have to work so I think I'm going to get outside and enjoy a bit of spring for a bit.  I hope everyone else is having a good day too.

So I've made it through the first two days of my new job.  And because the universe likes to keep me on my toes each of those days has also included a bonus surprise that is really good but also places me in an awkward situation.

The job is alright.  The training is not very helpful due to the fact that everyone who usually works at this location quit over a two week period. One has agreed to stay on until the end of the month to help get the 2 new hires (so far) trained.  This means that I am on the fast track since they need me to be taking family and kid portraits yesterday to fill in and because they have co-opted several people to cover the store while the newbies are being trained.

I am supposed to be able to solo shoot by next week as well as open and close the store with all the attendant end of day/week paperwork on my own.  So its been a crash course to say the least.  I would say that my co-workers are 50/50 on the likablilty scale but with the stress level being so high its hard to tell what things will be like when the settle down.  Since I don't know which of them I will actually be working with and how much of the attitude is just from stress.

As if that wasn't enough to keep things interesting, I received a call Wednesday afternoon from a company that I had applied to about a month ago looking for a job.  It is a waaaay more interesting and better paying job then the one I have ended up taking out of necessity.  Also, it is a permanent position.

Thus the battle begins.  Is it unethical to go on this interview? No.  Would I feel bad quitting this job if I was offered this better one?  Only slightly.  Would I look forward to moving back to live near this job?  No.  If I go back to school I will have to quit in 3 - 4 months, I would feel guilty leaving a well paying/respected job that quickly.  I decide that since I don't officially know if/when I am going back to school I can be honest at the interview and not feel guilty.

All of which equals, I book the interview and decide to hope for the best.

Having solved that equation the next day decides to through me a new one.  I receive my acceptance to grad school!  This is weeks and weeks earlier then the said I would get it and it appears from the date on the letter that they sent it merely 2 days after receiving my application.  It is good to feel wanted.  After doing a little dance in my car after my family called me with the news it sinks in that I will no longer have my easy out for my interview next week.

So the question becomes:  Is it unethical to not mention my plans to go to grad school in September when on an interview for a position that I know is permanent?

My gut reaction is that it is unethical but I am not sure.  I don't want to screw anyone over.  Especially a company that I really like/wanted to work for.

Anyone else have any ideas?

(P.S.  I'm the only person in the world who can turn a job offer into a negative event.)

Just wanted to let you know that I got the photographer job!  I'm off to run around rearranging things so that I can start work tomorrow morning.  Once I've actually had a shift I'll let you all know how it goes. 

Thanks for everyone who was so supportive during this rough time, it always cheered me up to see your messages of encouragement or commiseration.  But I sure am glad to be getting a paycheque again soon.

So I had an interview on Friday.  I'm supposed to hear back about whether or not I got it by Tuesday at the latest.  I am torn though.  It was a good interview.  I feel confident that I can do the job.  But its not what I was looking for, ie not an office job at all but moving back to retail.

Basically I would be working in a portrait studio, taking family photos and kids' pictures.

As far as joe jobs go this one sounds pretty decent, except the pay which is a more then $5/hour decrease from my last job.  But it would be income and the sort of job that I wouldn't feel extremely guilty leaving in September if I should get into grad school.

With all of these major pluses why am I feeling torn?  Because it hurts to know that all my work for the last 6 years is irrelevant.  That the most employable skill I have is my retail experience from high school.  That I spent thousands upon thousands of dollars, time, and effort on a degree that does nothing for me in the job market.

So in conclusion, if I am offered this job I will take it.  I will learn how to make little kiddies smile for the camera and I will probably enjoy it.  I'm just going to have to bury the snobby part of my inner narrative that insists that people with university degrees don't work at Wal-Mart.

It was my birthday on Friday.  The day didn't start out well as I realized that my previous employer had short-changed me on money that was owed to me (ie about 80% of my final paycheque), we were only paid once a month for the month previously worked so I should've been paid for almost the entire month of March plus my 2 weeks and vacation days at the end of April.  This didn't happen.  I've e-mailed my old boss to let her know that I know what has happened and I expect the rest of my money soon.  If not I guess I will have to bite the bullet and go see a lawyer.

After that though the day was good.  I had dinner with my extended family.  It was fun to see my little cousins, they're 8 and 6 1/2, little blonde blue eyed heartbreakers, they are going to cause a ruckus when they get a bit older.  After the good clean family fun, a group of friends went with me to a karoake bar and we had a lot of fun both singing and wincing at some of the other singers and just generally enjoyed the evening.

Then it was back to reality.  Its hard to not feel like a failure as I enter my second month of unemployment.  But I get up everyday and apply for more jobs,  contact various people about jobs I've heard about or already applied for and in general make a pain of myself.  I'm sort of torn applying for full time permanent jobs since I plan on going back to school in September.  But I haven't heard back from the university yet so I don't KNOW that I will be accepted and if I'm not I will need to continue working until I can figure out where else I'm going to apply to.  Anyway, I try to stay positive in various ways and I'm trying to get back into a pattern of going to the gym so that I have a reason to get out of the house each day.   Hopefully things will be looking up in May.

Been a strange couple of days.  The interview yesterday turned into a temp job.  But the recruiter didn't tell me that, just told the company that I was available and ready to work.  And that I was bilingual, which I'm not.  So I show up for an interview, the whole thing turns into a comedy of errors with HR believing the recruiter that they told me this that or the other and that I "claimed" to be bilingual (which would be a stupid thing to claim since it could so easily be disproven)  Anyway the whole thing turned into a massive crapfest and I still am unemployed and now am even more frustrated.

Today, I swung in the opposite direction applying for all sorts of minimum wage type jobs in an attempt to feel hirable and have progress.  Only to end up feeling annoyed that I was either over or under qualified for jobs that high school students would usually be doing.

Its starting to feel like depression again.  But job hunting and uncertain academic future are real enough reasons to be upset and sad so I'm pretending that it isn't for now anyway.  I'll keep fighting.  But its getting harder.

I was tagged by a bunch of folks so here's my 8 list:

The rules:

1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
3. At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment on their blog and tell them they’ve been tagged, and to come back and read your blog for the whole story.

1.   My dad is an Anglican priest. Being the child of a priest confuses many as they aren't used to priests who can get married but Anglican's are like Catholic Lite and the whole marriage and female priest things have been going on with us for ages.  It was good training in manners and how to sit quietly through anything for hours.
2.   I have a rather extensive collection of stuffed animals, mostly from my boyfriend and despite turning 25 later this week I still sleep with at least one bear.
3.   I love Europe.  I've been twice in my life and would love to go again.  Especially to France or Germany.
4.   My parent's used to call me a woodsprite.  I would go outside of our church and sit and stare at the cows in the farmer's field next door and that was how I would pray.  (I was about 5 or 6 at the time but I'm still a nature lover).
5.   I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I've watched it right from the start and can quote episodes at random.
6.   When I was a kid I was convinced, by an older friend, that swallowing tooth paste would kill me and despite this I brushed my teeth everyday but lived in fear of not spitting and rinsing fast enough.
7.   I was a preemie and all of the bones from my waist down are "hung together loosely" that was the doctor's technical term for it.  This causes my knees to dislocate randomly and my ankles to do odd things too.  All in all I'm glad I can walk and that its not more serious then it is.
8.   My younger sister was a biter when we were kids.  And she used to bite me all the time if I thwarted her in her plans for world domination (or stealing toys from the kids down the street).  I don't mean little love taps either I'm talking broke the skin through clothing, bactine disinfectant kind of bites. 

Well there they are I don't know if they help any but I've shared some odd tidbits! 

I tag anyone else who hasn't done this and is bored.