Tea, Frustrations, Life

Hi Everyone. I'm sure I should be doing something else rather than blogging right now....but I figure why not enjoy a moment here and write. So here I am.

I decided to blog today because I am flat broke but still ordered my tea from Mark T. Wendell Tea Company because if there is one thing I cannot live without....is a decent cup of tea to get me going on my job search.

I know we are in a recession, but it is sooooo frustrating and I'll admit, a bit depressing trying to make it all work while paying your dues. I really want to do makeup full-time, but it is so hard to find work. If you apply to something on Craig's List and it is too long after it is posted (say an hour or so), you can guarantee you missed the boat because the poster became inundated with replys to the post. And I understand that there is only so many they can review, but it is frustrating that they don't at least send out a form email of some sort saying something like "Hey thanks for replying to my ad. Unfortunately, we have filled the position you were applying for but will keep you in mind for the future".

Just some kind of acknowledgment so you feel like you are worth something. Is it too much to ask? When I have put ads up and gotten inundated with replys (like when I was looking for a musician to write music with), do you think I wanted to answer everyone that wrote to me? No of course not. But did I? YES I DID, because it is common courtesy to do so.

What has happened to Common Courtesy and Decency in this place we call the United States. Where have these people been brought up? Not in my universe apparently.

I pray the economy turns around and everyone will be in a better place soon, because this life is so sad here right now. Everyone is broke. There are no jobs out there. As with my last post, I can't believe (even when I look online for these types of jobs) how little admin support jobs are being advertised. There are no jobs to get, and if you see one that interests you and you reply too late, you can forget about it, it's already a missed opportunity.

A friend of mine told me that there was an article a few months back in the New York Times where a company had put an ad in "Craig's List" for an admin position. They had to take the post down within something like 45 minutes as they had 800 replies and counting and couldn't handle them all. They had people replying that were qualified, overqualified. Unemployed Lawyers, Bankers, Executives, all because they just wanted to work at anything other than being unemployed. And doesn't that tell you something about how bad it is out there?

Another friend of mine and I were talking (or commiserating is more the word as he is in the same boat as I) the other day about how these companies are getting used to having their executives, etc. answer their own phones, write their own emails, file their own files, etc. If this keeps going on the way it's going, then these companies will never rehire the admin workforce they once had because they will feel they do not need to. They can get extra work out of their excecutives, etc. More bang for their buck so to speak because they save money by cutting support staff and not replacing them.

It just shows that it's also time to learn something new, train for something else, because who knows when secretarial or word processors will find those kind of jobs again. There are too many of us looking.

This is why I felt it would be the perfect time to pay my dues trying to get this full-time makeup thing going. But for now, I think I'll keep doing that, but try and get those ITG Vouchers to get some training in Graphic Arts. At least I can do that anywhere. Every company needs graphic arts in some capacity. And at least it is a creative gig to have. And you can do it freelance or for a company directly.

Well, sign off for now and must get ready to go out in the rain. My dear friend Charlie is taking me to see Darlene Love at B.B. Kings tonight. If she doesn't lift my spirits, I know Charlie will. Happy weekend everyone. And my everyone have a Charlie in their life to keep them smiling more often.

WorkForce1 and Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil

I know neither one has anything to do with the other...but that's news today.

Went to WorkForce1 today (they are who Unemployment will send you to look for work, but hey everyone - you don't have to be unemployed for them to help you find a job, help you train to get a promotion, rewrite your resume, learn to interview or get career training) to see about getting my ITG Vouchers for career training.....I think I would LOVE doing Graphic Arts while I'm doing the makeup thing so I want to be trained. If I can get the money to actually train in something I like, what would be better than that. Makes me feel a little more optimistic about moving forward.

I was surprised yet, not surprised that they said that when they put together their recruitment event calendars that they don't usually put the administrative support on the list because they maybe only get 2 jobs a week (it is so hard to get that kind of work right now) and they don't want to waste everyone's time since those jobs are taken before the recruitment event even happens. I knew my safety job career was in tough times, but I didn't realize just how hard it is to get administrative support jobs...how scarce they really are. Makes me want to do "occupational training" even more. Learned about a bunch of stuff that is available to the unemployed and the employed. So much to think about.

Meanwhile, working at MAC for the first time this Friday and Saturday. Fingers crossed that it goes well. I know I can sell anything to anybody, but nervous all the same.

Now for the Shu Uemura cleansing oil part. I met Gina Brooke recently (Madonna's makeup artist) and she was the coolest. She showed me a lot of great tips and introduced me to the Cleansing Oil. IT IS AWESOME. If you can afford to get a small bottle to try, it's worth it. Yes, it cleans oily skin, too. Believe it or not, oil will clean better than a regular cleanser. I have found it helps immensely to get off my waterproof mascara without fighting with it and makes my skin feel clean yet not dry. Don't get me wrong, I love my Cetaphil, BUT....this stuff really removes your makeup. Get some if you don't already have. Try it, I guarantee you will love it.

Well, that's it for now. Must go watch GLEE (I always wait till DVR is finished so I can cut the commercials.) Anyway, wishing everyone the best and I'll write soon!