November 14, 2003 - 10:18 AM

Becoming a Civil Mooch and/or a Tormentor of Children

I've been awake for a little more than 21 hours now, so pardon me if this entry becomes a little ununderstandable (I know you're thinking "like I (you) would be able to tell the difference in comparison to your (my) other entries." Well, I say screw you. Go play in your own sandbox, punk.). What was I saying? Oh, right, this might go off the deep end or something...I'm not even sure what I'm going to write about. I do actually have several things to write about.

In regards to my financial quagmire thingy, two options of temporary respite have been brought to my attention. One of my fellow assistants who hasn't worked since October 20th (and here I was, hemming and hawing about only working 3 days last week while Chris hasn't worked in 3 WEEKS) informed me that he's been able to stay afloat by receiving Unemployment Insurance checks. Apparently, our nebulous employment status (we're neither full-time nor part-time employees, really; instead we're kinda like permanent company freelancers with health benefits) let's us say that we are former full-timers who've been shunted to part-time work, which allows us to collect Unemployment to help us until we get full-time jobs. I just filed my claim online. Here's hoping it is accepted, and that I start getting my checks in two weeks.

Also, last week, Nick's roommate LDBL suggested that I try to become a substitute teacher since it pays fairly well ($150/day at his school) and there's a constant demand for them. In talking with several other friends, this does seem like a viable, nay, an ingenious way to get off the monetary bubble. I can maintain my current job at the studio, have some semblance of a life in the evenings, and have my weekends, too. It's like the ultimate secondary job for someone in the entertainment industry, I think. The neat thing is that when I first went to college, I was aiming to become an English teacher, so this would satiate my first dream while keeping alive my primary dream.

There are a few hitches to this option: budgetary restraints in the L.A. Unified School District prevents them from hiring new subs at this point in time (although LDBL's school isn't in the LAUSD network, I think); I have to take the California Basic Educational Skills Test which is like the SATs (ugh) with the next test date being December 6th (cram cram cram); and I have to wait until the results are available a month later before I can submit applications to become a sub (apps that will require college transcripts and letters of reference from my last 3 years of employment...one of the companies went bankrupt and I don't know who works there anymore, another changed directions and moved from Cambridge, MA to New Hampshire). Basically, I have to wait until the new year before I can become a substitute teacher. Perhaps the Unemployment checks will keep my turkey from being basted until then.

******

A very nice person, one of the Drunky But Funky girls, needs a hug. Heather just wrote a heart-wrenching entry about the final, inevitable realization for her break-up. She writes with such skill, dexterity, and humanity, one can't help but feel partially broken alongside her. Her other entries are ridiculously good, too. Go on, give her a hug.

******

Tonight we celebrate Nick's 25th birthday at his co-worker Denise's apartment. His real birthday isn't until the 17th, but hey, we don't know how to count. Here's a little strange bit of coincidence: Nick and our other best friend Mark have the same birthday, only one year apart; Mark turns 26 on the 17th).

Now Listening To : Sarah McLachlan-Fallen (a coworker burned me a digitally inferior copy of the album. Next entry, I'll discuss this.)
Random Thought : I am LUGASH!

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