Kevin's Watch

The medieval colloquium was awesome. Everyone there was a history student, and most of them were postgrads. That meant that anywhere I went people were talking shop, and interested in hearing about each other's work. I met a few people from other universities and made some new friends from my own.

Honestly, I could live at that event. A room in that huge, confusing house; catered food; sprawling grounds; lots of history talk. Weirdly, after I got home I felt like going home. After less than three days, I felt like Gregynog had become home.

Kind of the way I felt after WFC. Going back to the day job was soooo depressing.

Glad you had a good time, CovJr.

$240 poorer. electrician replaced the bad wiring in the attic.

but i have my computer back.

It was easier to get my job than rent this cottage. Jeeeez, I have to go for a third interview on Saturday, my only day off. 5 hours of driving so the landlord can decide if I'm good enough to rent this itsy bitsy house. He doesnt believe my dog can be alone for 8 hours without destroying the house. I mean, really, I leave her for 12 hours every day. She gets two one hour walks a day. I am offering him one month security, one month damage deposit, and 6 months rent in advance (and the realtor fee) My hole damn life savings to rent a place. It doesn't seem to matter that I have worked at the same job for 16 years. My salary doesn't seem to matter. Nothing but the dog seems to matter to him. Not even my bad credit.

Everyone says I should get rid of the dog. I just cant do that. This has been such a year of loss, I dont want to put her in a shelter. It would break my heart. I know no one would adopt her.

Do you think I am wrong? Have I lost perspective and made a pet too important? Do I need to get a life?

No, I think you're right. While I've never really been a pet person myself, I can understand the emotional attachment and I don't think it's unreasonable to want to be able to keep your dog in your life.

I don't know what to suggest as a solution, but I certainly don't think getting rid of your dog is the answer.

lorin wrote:It was easier to get my job than rent this cottage. Jeeeez, I have to go for a third interview on Saturday, my only day off. 5 hours of driving so the landlord can decide if I'm good enough to rent this itsy bitsy house. He doesnt believe my dog can be alone for 8 hours without destroying the house. I mean, really, I leave her for 12 hours every day. She gets two one hour walks a day. I am offering him one month security, one month damage deposit, and 6 months rent in advance (and the realtor fee) My hole damn life savings to rent a place. It doesn't seem to matter that I have worked at the same job for 16 years. My salary doesn't seem to matter. Nothing but the dog seems to matter to him. Not even my bad credit.

Everyone says I should get rid of the dog. I just cant do that. This has been such a year of loss, I dont want to put her in a shelter. It would break my heart. I know no one would adopt her.

Do you think I am wrong? Have I lost perspective and made a pet too important? Do I need to get a life?

Don't do it. Just, don't. It may sound crazy, but if the landlord doesn't feel you can be responsible enough with a pet, let alone how much money you're shelling out, it's not worth it.

Of course, I suppose a roof over your head is most important, but I wouldn't go where my pets are unwanted. I am a HUGE animal lover, so I am a bit biased.

When I was living on my own I had a cat. I rescued her after Katrina. I paid $500 I didn't have just for the cat to be there, legally. Crazy? Yes. But when I got pregnant and almost lost my son, she was there to comfort me. I was still living on my own when I was put on bed rest. When I got home from the hospital I was weak from losing a lot of blood. Doing dishes with hot water made me dizzy, and one time I guess I blacked out and woke up on the floor to her licking my face. I really don't know what I would have done if it weren't for that cat.

I also had a friend who became paraplegic after falling off some steps on his front porch. It was about 40 degrees outside, and his dog kept him warm for 6 hours until his roommate found him outside. That dog literally kept him alive. He was an amazing dog.

I wouldn't get rid of my dog if I couldn't help it. That's just me, though.

lorin wrote:Do you think I am wrong? Have I lost perspective and made a pet too important? Do I need to get a life?

You're not wrong. Dogs are family, and I'd never be able to just give mine up for any reason. Perhaps you could hire a dog walker to come and take your dog out halfway through the day? Maybe that would appease the owner?

Regardless, you're not nuts. Pets ARE important, good for you for recognizing that.

Edit:

vvv I like your style, Jaz.

So...tomorrow is my big test. I am freaking out. Chance of failing? 100%. I am so not ready for this.

Mardi Gras is this weekend. I feel bummed. I wish I were back in Louisiana so I could go! Bloody Marys with extra Tabasco? Check. Delicious King Cake? Check. Fighting with old ladies over some cheap beads and nearly getting punched in the face? Check!

Good times.

Gonna go freak out more about this test. Holy crap.

Good luck. Think positive damn it.

--A

I don't know what it is about the Berkeley store and defecation. Twice in two weeks a human has taken a crap on the floor in the store. The first time was some woman who exploded on her way to the restroom and then exploded even more inside the stall. Then apparently on Monday when I was off work some drunk guy left a trail of poo piles all around the store and then went in the bathroom and left his underwear on the floor. Then today someone stepped in a pile of dog waste and tracked it all around the store. How do you NOT know you have a big stinky two inch thick piece of poop stuck on the bottom of your shoe? (I found the chunk at the end of the trail outside of binders and filing) Am I the only one who has a conscious awareness of how my feet/shoes feel when they touch the floor and so can sense when I've stepped in something? I just don't understand. After I cleaned up the dog poo I went up to Nate and told him that he needed to cover for me for a bit because I had to take a hefty dump so I was going to go over to Staples and use their sales floor. Then I was telling the employees later that the restroom has been relocated to the sales floor at Office Max. Seriously though, Berkeley is soooo weird.

I guess I was ready! I passed! HAPPY DANCE

Unfortunately, I have to wait 8 weeks until I get my certification. And I can't even apply to any jobs as a Certified Medical Assistant in the meantime. Lame.

I'll probably go pass out now. I watched every hour on the clock last night.

That's great, Jaz!

If you get a job in eight weeks, you then have six weeks to save up $ to join us at Elohimfest. Keep your priorities straight!

JazFusion wrote:I guess I was ready! I passed! HAPPY DANCE

Unfortunately, I have to wait 8 weeks until I get my certification. And I can't even apply to any jobs as a Certified Medical Assistant in the meantime. Lame.

Congrats!

And did they say you couldn't claim to be certified until you receive your certification or are you just assuming? I certainly said I was certified after I passed the A+ computer certification thingy. They gave me my passing score and some other something in email that I could use in the meantime. I can't imagine you'd not be able to claim that until you physically receive your document. Hell, you could at least put it on a resume, no?

Conga rats, Jaz!

I'm sick and in bed, hence my constant posting on the forums (don't judge me, you guys are all I have!). I feel bad because my doggy wants to play, but every time I stand up I feel light headed.

I think that tomorrow I will send the boy to pick up the latest Malazan book so I can spend all weekend bummin it up.

Ali! I didn't know you had a book! I'm gonna buy it and reeeeeeeeed it!

Waddley Hasselhoff wrote:Ali! I didn't know you had a book! I'm gonna buy it and reeeeeeeeed it!

I read it, and from what little I know of you, I think you will like it.

sick as a sick dog. blah. stomach virus.

need comic books to feel better. mom would do that for me as a kid when i was sick.

Cagliostro wrote:

JazFusion wrote:I guess I was ready! I passed! HAPPY DANCE

Unfortunately, I have to wait 8 weeks until I get my certification. And I can't even apply to any jobs as a Certified Medical Assistant in the meantime. Lame.

Congrats!

And did they say you couldn't claim to be certified until you receive your certification or are you just assuming? I certainly said I was certified after I passed the A+ computer certification thingy. They gave me my passing score and some other something in email that I could use in the meantime. I can't imagine you'd not be able to claim that until you physically receive your document. Hell, you could at least put it on a resume, no?

No, it specifically says employers can't verify my certification status until 8 weeks from yesterday; as well as not having any physical proof that I am certified. I was handed a piece of paper after the exam, congratulating me on passing, but then it goes on to say it doesn't mean I'm actually certified. I won't know until 8 weeks! but then it was notarized.

So many mixed signals.

Anyways, I will try my damndest to make it to Elohimfest!! Truly. Somehow have to come up with $800 by May. I can do that. Maybe.

See, told you not to be negative.

--A

JazFusion wrote:

Cagliostro wrote:

JazFusion wrote:I guess I was ready! I passed! HAPPY DANCE

Unfortunately, I have to wait 8 weeks until I get my certification. And I can't even apply to any jobs as a Certified Medical Assistant in the meantime. Lame.

Congrats!

And did they say you couldn't claim to be certified until you receive your certification or are you just assuming? I certainly said I was certified after I passed the A+ computer certification thingy. They gave me my passing score and some other something in email that I could use in the meantime. I can't imagine you'd not be able to claim that until you physically receive your document. Hell, you could at least put it on a resume, no?

No, it specifically says employers can't verify my certification status until 8 weeks from yesterday; as well as not having any physical proof that I am certified. I was handed a piece of paper after the exam, congratulating me on passing, but then it goes on to say it doesn't mean I'm actually certified. I won't know until 8 weeks! but then it was notarized.

So many mixed signals.

Anyways, I will try my damndest to make it to Elohimfest!! Truly. Somehow have to come up with $800 by May. I can do that. Maybe.

I would start applying now anyhow, and put on your app and/or in your cover letter that you passed the certification test on X date. They're in the business so they'll know the drill, that it takes 8 weeks for the certification to come through. If you figure at least a couple of weeks for the employer to go through the hiring process, and another couple of weeks for in-house training, that's about the right time frame.

In other words, I wouldn't keep the lack of certification from applying for anything at this point.

And -- see ya in Albuquerque.