Fakebook (not the Yo La Tengo album).

This weekend I became lame.  And for those of you who feel I was already there... well, I became lame-r.  I joined Facebook.  I can't stand MySpace and Facebook.  I deleted my MySpace page months ago.  I even wrote a post about completely stupid it all is, and yet I joined.

Why?

I have read in a few articles about job searching that being visible is very important, and having a MySpace and/or Facebook page will help.  Not sure if I believe that, but at least people will see that I am not creepy looking.  I hope I'm not creepy looking.  That would suck.  (Which one is Niner?  Over there - the creepy one.)  At the same time I am not looking forward to people posting on my page that they are giving me hugs and fuzzy crap like that.  How can I stop the fuzzy stuff?

Work.

I have been slacking on posting this week because work has been super busy... which is always a good thing (yes President Bush, the economy is tanking).  With work being busy that means no time for posting and when I get home the last thing I want to do it turn on the computer and type away.  Sorry, I just don't.  Mornings are best for me.

Also with work being busy it has given me little time to apply for new jobs.  That situation just never seems to get any better.  I have applied for 65 jobs since January 1st, plus a few letters to companies.  This has landed me two interviews, and one was a super long shot with a huge corporate company that I knew I would not get, but it's always good to meet new people... you never know where it will lead.  I was told I came in second at the other interview which was with this design firm, and they would keep me in mind the next few months since they might be adding another project manager.  Promising, but not sitting around waiting for it.

I have given up applying to any college or university in Chicago because my background never matches what they are looking for.  Ever.  I received an email from one university after applying for a communications position that read something like this...

Thank you for applying for Communications blah blah blah, requisition 078579.
We have been fortunate to receive resumes from many interested applicants for this opening and have decided to pursue an applicant at this time whose education and background would be a better fit for the position.  As someone who has applied for University of blah blah Communication positions, you may know of a colleague who may be interested, in one or more of the current open positions:

078517 Asst. Dir. of Communications (Alumni/Development)
078870 Editor, Capital Ideas
078923 Marketing Editor/Writer
* 078579 Communications blah blah blah *

078956 Manuscript Editor I-Science Group
078680 Senior Director, Alumni Education & Communication
077831 Technical Writer

Have a great week!

Really?  They told me I was not picked, and then asked if I knew someone who would fit one of these jobs... one of them being the job I just did not get picked for.  WTF?  Have a great week my ass.

My current gripe (besides that email I just posted) about applying for jobs lately has been with ad, marketing, and design firms: they believe / preach in this "think outside the box" idea - but they will not look outside of their own box to interview someone from a different background... like the music industry is such a stretch.

Red Line L.

Yesterday when LP and I were riding the Red Line home from the White Sox home opener (Go Sox!) it was right around rush hour.  On the packed train walked in this extremely smooth talking guy in a suit... his lines were so free flowing I was completely absorbed.  He started out talking to these two twenty-something girls by excusing himself for having his butt shoved in their faces (they were sitting, he was standing, it was crowded).  The line got the ball rolling, and the conversation flowed.  He talked about how he designs hats, and pointed to another guy on the train wearing one of his hats.  Supposedly this other guy was a hat model.  Not sure if I bought that one.  A stop before smooth guy got off the train he started talking about what he was doing that night and invited the ladies to go with him and his buddies.  The train got to the stop, the guy asked if they wanted to go out for a night of fun... and the girls did not go.  

I was so sold on this guys lines I was ready to leave with him.  It's these scenes I am so thankful I am not single... I have no game at all.

Basically.

I am basically sick and tired of people using the word basically. It basically serves little or no purpose in a sentence when most people basically use it. Basically (as LP pointed out) it has replaced the word like in our conversations. It is a filler word that is so over used... and once you start paying attention to how much it is over used you will probably hate me. It is super annoying.

For example: "I basically ran over the dog last night." Do you really need to use the word basically there? No. Own up to what you did. You ran over the dog. Plain and simple. "I basically think this relationship is not working." Basically... really? Wouldn't it be more basic to say that your relationship is not working instead of adding the word basically as sort of an opt-out to your true feelings.

So I am going to try my hardest from this point on to basically drop the word basically from my daily conversations. And you should too. All the cool kids will not be saying it... basically.

Lost.

Since I do a lot of walking in Chicago I notice many of the new lost animal signs that are posted. Lost animals signs are really sad. Even depressing. The worse the sign the sadder it is. Really. Some people have placed color photos on their fliers plus they list a very detailed description including the location the animal was last seen - And they canvas the neighborhoods posting notices everywhere. And then some just write some words down on a sheet of paper and post a couple copies on the block they live. With all of the postings for missing animals it makes me wonder how many are ever found. Hopefully most, but I have no idea since there are never any updates. People feel free to post what is missing, but they never share with everyone the good news of an animal being found.

When houses are sold they slap a big SOLD sign across the For Sale sign. When criminals are on the run and finally caught the listings at the Post Office say "Caught" or "Obtained" or maybe even "Shot Dead" (OK, maybe not that). People makes posts of babies being born, and most people have a listing somewhere when they die. I could go on and on... but I am sure you don't have all day. So why cannot people show me (oh yeah, and others) a little respect and give us some good news once in awhile. I would even be up for making and supplying FOUND stickers to be placed over fliers.

Losing a furry friend is the worst feeling... so don't people want to share some good news when their furry buddy comes home?