Wits End

Most people know I live at Wits End. Literally & sometimes figuratively. Most of the time it's relatively quiet. Sometimes, notsomuch. Last Thursday was one of those times.

It was rainy & cool. I was home with Hailey & the boy watching TV when my doorbell rang. That's weird, I wasn't expecting anyone. So I went down to look through my peephole. Great, it was the Conspiracy Theorist. WTF?? Now, just to note, there are 6 apartments in each building. Every 2 apartments share a main door so there are 6 doors which need keys to get in. None of the doors are keyed the same & for the 2nd time living here I am thankful for that.

My fearless Hailey who normally runs down the stairs with me, is watching from the top. Good girl, way to protect your human. So I open my door & crack the outer door. The Conspiracy Theorist asks to use my phone, he invited a "friend" over but doesn't like him anymore & wants to call the police to have him removed. I told him to tell me his name & I would call the police for him. I shut the doors, lock myself back in & come up to call the police. I don't dial 911, I call the main dispatch number. This is how the conversation went:

Police: Hardyston Dispatch, what's the nature of your call?
Me: Hi, My name is Elizabeth, I live in Carlton Village, in the Stockholm building. My neighbor has a friend over but wants him to leave & he won't. He wanted to use my phone to call you but I'm not comfortable with him or him coming into my apartment so I'm calling for him.
Police: What's your neighbor's name?
Me: John ********
Police: Yeah, I can understand you not being comfortable, we will send someone over.
Me: Thank you, my apartment is 5N if the office needs to speak with me.
Police: Thanks for calling.

Now, the police arrived rather quick for a non 911 call. In the 5 minutes it took for the to get there, the Conspiracy Theorist rang my doorbell again. I told him that I called & they were on their way. Mind you, if there was an emergency, no question, I would call. But the Conspiracy Theorist needs to get better friends or his own phone to handle that crap.

I happened to walk Hailey, like 2 hours later, in the rain & the police were still here, 2 cop cars. I saw the "friend". He looked dirty & ragged & had a push cart filled with stuff & a pile on the ground. I can only imagine how much beer he offered the Conspiracy Theorist for a place to stay & it wasn't enough so they got into a fight. All of us in the building know the Conspiracy Theorist either stays up all night drinking or starts very early in the morning or just never sobers up. In any event, he always reeks of beer.

If you want to come visit sometime, I can pretty much guarantee you will see something!!!

Elizabeth

Unemployment

Being unemployed sucks ball sacks, big time. Granted, I had wished that I had the kind of life where I read blogs & craft regularly.....well wishes do come true!!!

Anyway, I've been in a funk, worried about my income & surviving. Yes, I'm collecting unemployment but it isn't as much as my income was. So far things have been working out, but don't they always??

I worked on my resume & thought it was pretty good. I sent it out for some opinions & got some back. Well, I learned of the career centers that the local unemployment offices in NJ have. I met with the NICEST & most HELPFUL woman yesterday. Her name is Dianne & she is just wonderful!!! I sat with her for an hour, going over my resume. She gave me helpful tips & changes to make. Things on how to make my resume stand out compared to others, to make it "pop" as she said. I left the career center feeling good about my self, validated. She gave me a contact at a temp agency as well, someone who has done very well by her.

Next week, I will be taking advantage of a PROS class. There is also a career fair in October I will be going to. Plus, the career center also offers computer classes on refreshing, updating or just plain on gaining skills. Know what this all costs? NOTHING!!!!! It's all FREE!!!!! Can you believe that? I don't know if other states offer services like this, but NJ does. I'm very happy. People who want to help me get a job!!! YIPEEEEE!!!!!

So while we all complain about the things we dislike in the states we live in, I am thankful I found out how great the career centers are. If I wasn't laid off I may never have found them.

I e-mailed Dianne my resume after I worked on it for a few hours today, it did take me some time to rework it. It's also very difficult to talk about yourself & all the great things you have to offer. I had to look for a lot of the "right" words today. I also thanked Dianne for her help & how I feel so much better. Her response was: Thanks, but that's what we do here. People, who work for the State of NJ actually modest AND willing to help others.

Also, for those of you who are employed or unemployed voluntarily, you can take advantage of the career center's services. They are not just for people who are collecting unemployment. Isn't that something!!!!! Where ever you live, be sure to check out your local career centers. You'd be surprised to find out how any resources there are out there!!!!

Today, I'm proud to be an Honorary Jersey Girl!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Elizabeth

Vacuum Incident

Yes, Vacuum Incident is the title of tonight's piece. I had an incident that is rather painful yet funny. It wasn't one of my best (or brightest) moments, but I'm sure you might get a chuckle.

I tend to injure myself, often, in odd ways. Major paper cuts on manila folders, lots of knife wounds, slicing my knuckle on my mandolin, breaking my toes while curling my eyelashes, you know, odd ways. Jay says I need to get some chainmail gloves to help protect my hands. He has also told me I need welding leathers or leather gloves when I bake as well since I burn the backs of my hands, knuckles or forearms when I use the oven.

Well, the other day I was vacuuming my furniture & was using an attachment on the hose. I was reaching and stretching & it was a bit tough, I needed a bit more reach so I picked my vacuum up which is rather awkward to hold up as I was reaching. I got the idea to read the vacuum on the top of my foot. Very quickly I got a hot, burning sensation on my foot. I moved the vacuum & didn't see anything but a red spot, & man, did it sting!!! I kept right on vacuuming to get finished so I could shower & relax. I texted Jay to tell him I think I burned the top of my foot with the vacuum. I got a text back asking how burning the top of my foot is even possible.....with a vacuum. So I explained it to him. I told him I would show him when he stopped by. I took my shower & wow, was the sting awful!!! I didn't see much there.

Needless to say, I have two open wounds on my foot & it's very, very swollen. You see, I have one of those vacuums where when the hose is in use, the brushes on the bottom DON'T STOP SPINNING!!!!! I don't even have the option to turn the brushes off. So yes, I brush burned the top of my foot with my vacuum. I even have photo documentation for you.

It's actually quite painful when I shower. I have been keeping a bandaid over it to wear shoes. It's quite possible I may be the only person you ever know or read about who has been injured by a vacuum cleaner.

Shamefully,

Elizabeth :-D