first day at work!

First day of work! Boy howdy! I am tired! Looking forward to crawling into bed and dozing. Glad I have a slow start that ramps up. There's a lot to learn. Today I learned how to fluff a room, basically tidying up a room people are staying multiple days in, and to do a full turn with new sheets and towels and cleaning the bathroom. And vacuuming the hallways and stairs and mopping the hardwood. Lots of cleaning. There's laundry washing to learn and some other things. But there's also check lists! I should get a fit bit to track all my movement, because it's going to be a lot!

I cleaned up my purple Roos. They weren't that dirty to start with, a bit dusty. But not thrashed like my black Roos. So I cleaned the bottoms and designated them indoors shoes. Don't want to track in dirty that I'll just have to clean! Working just under five hours was really tuckering! I think I'll be doing a lot of 5 hour blocks, which is probably as much as the body can take. But that gives me time to do other things in Port Townsend. Getting out at 3-4ish is good.

Got home. Helped Celia a little bit. Then I sat on the couch and watched the Oscars. Hurray for Mad Max Fury Road winning six! Including Margaret Sixel!! And Brie Larson for Room, what a great performance! Pretty good awards given out, despite controversy.

Now to sleep. Got a busy week coming up, work aside!

I Got The Job!!!

I got the job! I was offered it and I accepted and my first training shift is this Sunday, how exciting!

So Monday I helped Celia out. Did some light vacuuming and went into Silverdale to pick up a prescription. Had to swing by the orthopedic place, then go to Walgreen's, then we got food at Skipper's because Silverdale kinda sucks for options. There I got the email with the offer! We pucked up the stuff at Walgreen's, listened to Baby Geniuses on the way back, got mail, then said goodnight. I sent in my acceptance. Then went to bed late.

Today I helped Celia a little more, then went into Silverdale for BEE KEEPING CLASS!! The first one of six! It was a pretty good crowd. I wasn't the youngest by decades. Seemed to have some other people my age, or thereabouts. A lot of different people. Old, young. We all introduced ourselves (I'd say there was ~40 people). Got into some basics. Took a quick initial test. I don't have to drop a ton of cash on bee supplies now. I have some wiggle room. I have some time to think if I'll get a hive going this season, or next year. Have some stuff to learn first.

After class I swung by Old Navy and got a new pair of my standard pants, all though now they changed the style so I had to get a slightly different standard. Different waist. They need to be worn in a bit. I've lost some weight so I needed a new pair in my new size. My jeans end up washed and stained. My black pair are well and truly gray now.

Tomorrow I am driving Celia around to some surgical consultations. Friday I have some stuff going on. Saturday too. Hopefully tomorrow night and Thursday I'll have the time to clean house. It's getting very cluttered looking.

COMIC TIME!!:

I hope I exuded enough confidence, but hey my references are good

Saturday was a big day! I got up. Had breakfast. Started laundry to make sure I had a nice work shirt. Went over to Celia's and helped a bit with cat stuff. Did my makeup subtle but nice, straightened my hair, put on slacks and opted for heels. Wanted to look nice and presentable. If I get the job, it isn't super fancy BUT you don't want to show up to interviews like a shlub.

So it's a bed and breakfast I'm applying at. Won't name it by name because of google reasons. But it's in Port Townsend. It's a really nice little establishment! It would be a house keeping position with potential to move up/be diverse. I tried to push my skills at being varied and being on my feet all day and being an industrious worker. I have a little bit of l'esprit de escalier but who doesn't? I wish there could be a short mini interview where I can be all OH AND I MEANT TO ADD THAT I LOVE WORKING FOR PEOPLE THAT VALUE EMPLOYEES, I'LL WORK SO HARD FOR YOU IF YOU DO THAT!! I'm hopeful but there are other people. Hopefully they just like me the bestest.

After PT I went to Seabeck (got some fast food on the way) and hung out there. Driving Ma & Pa to the airport, or rather driving the car back and I'll pick them up some time from now. So I snacked and drew my comic and we left at 7:45ish. Seatac isn't the worst to get to, thankfully it's right before traffic gets awful. I didn't have an AUX cord but my phone was able to play some 99% Invisible episodes loud enough. I parked the car in Seabeck, got in my car and went home. Lots of driving!

And lots of sleeping.

Had a little breakfast, drew a comic, and at 6ish I went over to Celia's. I helped heat up some soup and fed the kitties and then we settled in to watch some television. We started Breaking Bad...and I left after six episodes in a row. But Season 1 Episode 6 is SO GOOD! Once I knew a marathon was going down, I waited to catch that one. So good. And I didn't catch that Ken was in Better Call Saul too! What an excellent cameo.

Now it's late. Now I wait.

Hourly Comic Day 2016

gotta make a to do list because I've got some stuff to do

Captioned a few images and priced some dish sets from home. Slept in a moderate amount. Didn't go food shopping. Needa go food shopping. I'm going to do that tomorrow after work. Going to go to Trader Joe's and get the GOOD STUFF. Lit a fire. Read in front of the fire. Ate left overs.

Mellow day. Did some work. It was very windy but not rainy, so I guess I'll take that.

This black thing washed up on the shore. It looks like the black plastic of a shellfish tank/bed. Like, big and thin with holes for pipes?

Salvador went missing in the night. Poor kitty.

Working on site tomorrow!

Oh! I heard back from the hotel job, and while it was a positive call I declined due to having a job, but I did so in a way that if I no longer get hours at this job later on, I can call up and see if they are hiring because they said they'd be down to interview me again. So holla for that.

good things

Two days of work! Two nice full days of looking out at Bainbridge Island and pricing antiques and reporting in on account specifications for different sites. I bartered a gorgeous Okuyama woodblock print. And a few wool sweaters. Job perks! My Santa Cruz wardrobe was all tee shirts all the time, so I don't really have any good professional warm layers.

It's be raining so much! Unusually much! The house hasn't washed away and the power hasn't cut out, so that is good.

A varied thrush hit my window and died. I can't even identify a dead bird. Rachel Higara is the one who was able to identify it. In my defense, the guide books picture the bird as more orange in color, while this one was more yellow. I gave it back to the woods to join the circle of life.

I met mom and dad at Origami Sushi in Silverdale after work today. That was really nice! Got to chat and catch up, even though I did just see Dad. I guess this is the time in my life where I am really social with my family. And get free meals and left overs.

My paycheck (I'm getting paid!!) cleared, so I treated myself to an aero press, because I like gadgets and it seems relatively easy to use compared to other coffee making things. Also I can make a cup at a time, which suits me. Coffee takes me back to  my time on the road. I'm really looking forward to making myself a cuppa, running a bath, and drinking coffee in the bath and reading in the bath. Basically bath time.

I did a drawing of the actor Justice Leak (in his Halt and Catch Fire role) for inktober and he saw it! Someone @'ed him on Instagram and he saw the drawing and said "holy shit that's awesome!". Which is just too cool!

So, it's been a pretty good couple days.

Whooo! It all came through!

Welp! I got a job! A tidbit part time gig, but it's flexible and nice and supplementary, and it gets the lead out while I look for something more long term and sustaining. It may not continue past Christmas, but for now I am stoked!

Met Christa at Ciups in Poulsbo for a chat and then she showed me the two antiques areas she rents, and set me to pricing and organizing. I'll be helping price and research and maybe do some design work as well. I've got six hours of computer work tomorrow, and I did four today. I'll fill out some W2's as well. So awesome. After work (I'm working!) I went to Seabeck and checked out the home renovations and Ma treated me to pizza. She took Salvador to the vet because Dad had conveniently made an appointment at the same time. Dad just can't be the bad guy in Sal's eyes!

Nice to see the changes. My childhood home is getting a much needed makeover.

Back home I relaxed, because all I can do now is enjoy the evening, get some rest, get up and put in six hours tomorrow, and wait to see about the hotel job,

jobly

Yesterday I drove in to turn in an application at a resort (front desk) and they apologized for being so busy and asked if I could come in for an interview tomorrow (today), to which I was like "yeah!". I opted out of turning in an application for pizza delivery. And the other job, well I'm set to have a sort of trial run tomorrow and see whats what. It's some sort of social media helper type thing. My interview went well enough today. Nothing confirmed, but I think I left with a good feeling? I just need to get my Port Townsend concierge skills up, if I get the job. I can do directions, I just need advice. So with an interview and a trial tucked away, I spent the rest of today (Tuesday) relaxing. I got a fire going, and read and drew a bit in front of it. I ate pasta and ice cream. I internetted. I generally took it easy. Nice to have a currently high application : interview ratio.

Yeah! So that is good. Need to get new front tires. And it would be nice if Dad, the auto guru, could drive my car a bit, because I'm not sure what might be a potential difficulty and what is just "uhg you're making me go up all these hills so early in the morning!"

The resort job comes with opportunities for advancement within the company, as well as the potential to relocate to other resorts, so hey travel! That appeals to me. I like learning and new challenges and stuff.

Trillians gunna Trill

Got an interview on Wednesday! Whoooo!!

It was a rainy gray day. Not used to them just yet after all the sunshine of California. Still feels a bit special to experience. It'll probably feel not special after a solid week.

13 seals on the raft! It was riding low in the water.

I finished reading Relish by Lucy Knisley. Other Trillian not only has the same comic, but it is illustrated/signed by Lucy! Mine is fish & chips, hers is piroshki. 

No Celia tonight. Just me and my comics and texting people. Texting helps keep the lonelies at bay.

Crossed a few things off my to do list. Always good to keep that on task. I'll work on doing more things off it tomorrow. Things are pretty scattered around the house right now. I want to get it more squared away, just for personal aesthetics and visiting relatives...shouldn't deal with my clutter.

Don't worry Mom, I haven't wrecked it!

the difference a year can make

A year ago today (April 4th) I left Washington for California. I made it to Medford that day, and on the 5th I pulled into Redwood City to live with my brother while I looked for work. Nate has now moved to Menlo Park (or whatever that area is) and I found work in Santa Cruz. Work in my field doing what I dig. And today of all days, I got a raise! But I'm getting ahead of myself.

It was a vinyl heavy day, but rejoice the vinyl was cut a bit better so it was much easier to weed! And I only messed up once, and it was on one that was inconsequential. There were some big vinyl, and some small ones, and some tricky ones and some easy ones. I finished Odd Hours and....I dunno it was a bit odd. It suffered from that "set up" story problem that series often gets, though thus far hasn't been an issue in the series. I think the world building was a bit too unanswered and some of the characters a bit too...charactery. Ah, oh well. I started Anathem and...I'm a bit confused. But I'll keep with it.

I also taped screens, and cut stickers, and bagged stuff. And that was mostly it. I...I think I did something else? Can't quite recall. The boss asked if I'd like to get dinner to talk about work stuff, and I agreed.

At 6:30 we met at Hong Kong Charlie and I got these not quite spicy noodles with pork, and they were so very good. Mmm. Boss and I talked about travels and other things, and the work related stuff was in regards to how good I am! How reliable I am, how on time I am, and all my other good qualities. And then he gave me a raise! And a not too shabby one at that. I mentioned that I was thinking about asking for a raise, as I have had a lot more responsibilities  A little while ago I mentioned in passing how it's almost been a year since I moved to California, and maybe that comment is what spurred his thinking that maybe I should get a raise, for sticking around and being awesome? Either way, YAY RAISE! And yay for having a damn good boss.

At home I watched Elementary. Just such a damn charming show.

Now to do the adult thing and get a good night sleep!

emulsion applying level up

A neighbors cat was stuck on top of our shed, and I helped them get her down. Lots of "Lily! Lily! Lily!" calling. So sometimes my neighborhood is quaintly normal.

Dinner was pasta and tea, consumed while watching a bit of Inception. I did a load of work laundry. Even though I live within sight of a laundromat, it is really awesome to have laundry on site.

At work. It was emulsion applying time. And THIS TIME....I didn't mess it up. I was super awesome in fact! Woosh flip woosh woosh flip woosh! I just didn't have the rhythm or coordination or whatever down. But it all clicked today. And when time came to do a second batch, once enough of the first ones had dried to make room on the rack for more wet ones, I did those without Andrew to guide me. BOOYAH! Getting better at my job every day I do it. Awesome. So yeah, that felt good. Also learned more about patching screens. There are six screens remaining to be emulsified. Just don't have the room. Gotta burn some screens!

I used the heat applicator thing and put some images on things that were not quite screenprintable surfaces. Listened to a big chunk of The Drawing of the Three. Well, it felt like a big chunk. Hard to tell when your mp3 player has no display.

Not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow at work. Lots of burning? Print helping? Short day?