Ray's House of Love Vol III

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calieber

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All my socks are gone. I wore sandals all summer, and now that it is too cold for sandals, I'm down to two half-pairs of socks.
 

Primus

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I guess that means ya gotta buy more socks then. Or you could use plastic bags for socks instead. Be a trailblazer. Start a new fad.
 

Maryn

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I guess those socks from seasons past got fed up with you taking them for granted. You gave them months to plan their escape and make good on it, too.

Years ago, I devised a labor-saving plan in regard to Mr. Maryn's socks: I bought six identical pairs at a time, more if I could catch a sale. It made the pairing so much easier. And I stopped buying navy, so he had brown and black only, plus white for exercise-y stuff.

Everyone cross your fingers, please. Kid Two has a job interview today, and it's been so very long since she graduated. She's disheartened and scared.

Maryn, wishing someone would hire her at entry level
 

pandora1983

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Working in HR is a lot different now than it used to be. 10 years ago if I set up interviews, they showed up and were wearing a suit or at least an attempt at professional wear.
These past two weeks I've been trying to find someone to work the front desk of a hotel and it's been such an uphill battle! I had 3 people who agreed to a time and place and then never showed. Didn't call/text/email to tell me they found work elsewhere or that they couldn't made it...it's so frustrating. On top of that, the majority of the people who did show up, made no real effort on their appearance. Tattoos everywhere (don't get me wrong, I have tattoos too but I would cover any that aren't exactly...tasteful) neon green half head of hair/the other half being shaved. And this is a customer service job where you deal with lovely 80 year old couples who that matters to. I couldn't care less how you express yourself, but c'mon, ya know?!
By the time I had a person show up on time and they were dressed well, I just wanted to offer them the job based on that alone, LOL.

Maryn, I hope kid two gets it! Crossing my fingers for ya.
 

Maryn

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Kid Two did a selfie post-interview. Suit, conservative blouse under it, understated jewelry and makeup. I've leaned on her more than once to get an "adult" hair style rather than what she's had for many years, which is long and straight and really badly damaged with noticeable split ends, no shape or style to it. It was fine before her transition, but now it looks like she's still in college and clueless.

It's hard for me to talk, though, since my hair is long and straight and unstyled. However, I am not looking for work in a corporate environment.

I made a Pinterest board of styles I thought would flatter and that she could probably manage, but she didn't do it. I can't fault her, really. I remember how scary it is to change one's hair. I waffled about a curly perm for years, in the 90s.

Maryn, whose hair is in good condition
 

juniper

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By the time I had a person show up on time and they were dressed well, I just wanted to offer them the job based on that alone, LOL.

That gives me (a possible future job searcher) hope - but it seems much harder here. Our unemployment rate is still around 7% I think. I have former co-worker who just up and quit her job 3 or a month ago. She'd had a health scare but was cleared, but she said she just didn't want to pass her life working for a bad manager anymore. She'd had a few run-ins with our manager, whom I tolerate but don't really respect.

Saw her this morning for coffee and she was wondering why she didn't get a job that she interviewed for last week. I'm not really sure what she's planning to do - she talked about paying for COBRA health insurance at $500+ per month, or going on the state medicaid plan (pretty easy to get on here), or looking for private health insurance ... she's not sure if she qualifies for unemployment (there's a "quit under duress" clause apparently) but hasn't looked into it ...

I'm not sure about her money situation but she doesn't seem too concerned. She's single and lives in a small apartment, so maybe she has money coming in from somewhere else, or has savings. I didn't want to pry but I'm wondering about her laissez faire attitude. In this economic climate - and being an older worker (she's late 50's) - I wouldn't have quit without having another job lined up.

Kid Two did a selfie post-interview. Suit, conservative blouse under it, understated jewelry and makeup. ...
It's hard for me to talk, though, since my hair is long and straight and unstyled.

Sounds as if she had the look down pretty well. When will she find out?

My hair is long and unstyled but wavy/curly - and silvery brown. I stopped coloring about 3 years ago and let it grow long. I think if I ever go back on the interview circuit I may have to color it, and cut it possibly, or at least wear it up. At the hospital scene ponytails and buns are quite common, one braid common but two braids less so but still acceptable. I sometimes wear two braids or two pigtails and get nice comments, but I know that look isn't ok in many other industries.

I don't look forward to brushing up my appearance. I don't have interview clothes, nice shoes hurt my feet, I don't wear make-up, and the hair see above.

Really, really need to find that cave and settle in. Would you all come visit? If I get the WiFi going, of course.
 

Maryn

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I'll come!

Mr. Maryn used to have a hand in the hiring, where he worked, and apparently all the women going grey colored their hair while seeking jobs, although once well settled in and indispensable, many let the silver show again.

I've got plenty of silver. My complaint is that those hairs are fragile and break easily.

When you're gearing up to hit the job circuit, hit the thrift stores for work wardrobe staples. You'll have to go many times over a period of months to assemble a wardrobe, but unless you're an unusual size, you can put together a mix-and-match wardrobe of skirts, tops, dressy sweaters, and a blazer or two for under a hundred bucks. Pick two colors that go together well enough and you'll go far. (Make one of them black and you'll go ever farther.)

Shoes which are dressy and don't hurt can be had, but they're usually not inexpensive. I don't know about you, but I'd rather wear a $7.99 skirt, a $4.99 blouse, and a $10.99 blazer someone else once owned, with comfy $99 shoes, than a hundred bucks worth of clothes and $25 shoes.

When you're ready to shoe shop, ask me about brands. I have recommendations!

Maryn, barefoot as we speak
 

calieber

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By the time I had a person show up on time and they were dressed well, I just wanted to offer them the job based on that alone, LOL.

My ex-girlfriend worked for About.com briefly, in its early days -- it might have still been Mining Company -- and she told me she was the only person who showed up to the interview dressed for a job interview, rather than like a college kid at an internet startup.

(I later got a job at a different company in the same building. Years later, after we broke up and they had moved, my current girlfriend came to New York, and her first job here was in the same building that About.com moved to.)

I need interview clothes, but they're expensive, and I don't have the money for a new suit because I'm out of work. But at least I have experience.
 

Komnena

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Calieber, have you looked at thrift stores? Sometimes you can find nice things there.
 

sassandgroove

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I second thrift stores. almost all of my office attire is from thrift stores, as well as a lot of the rest of my wardrobe.
 

pandora1983

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Good Day HOLers.
Russ sends his hellos and best wishes. He's recuperating after having surgery last Friday. Mostly, he's just sleeping and eating, as I expect him to and he knows he'll get his butt kicked if I see him try to do more. Had a follow up visit yesterday and everything is healing the way it's supposed to. I'll leave all the details for him to tell, or not. :)

So I finally found someone to hire who I think/hope/pray will do well. We'll see.
 
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Maryn

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I just want to know how many people saw him naked.

Please tell him I wish him a "speedy" recovery, with the word in quotes. It's a tiny in-joke he will get. But it's not so funny he will laugh, which can be painful after surgery. See how considerate I am?

It's interesting to me how very many hours a person can sleep after surgery or injury. Obviously our bodies mend better when we're not there monitoring every moment, not to mention imposing our silly will to walk to the bathroom, put in a different DVD, or find something to eat.

Maryn, who'd been wondering about you two
 

Maryn

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I'm first to admit I can be a total pain. ;)

Mr. Maryn and I are heading out of Dodge for the weekend, so naturally the weather at our destination has decided to go all November on us, with highs in the 40s and a good chance of rain. My packing list is toast. Time to dig out the lighter sweaters and a raincoat.

Maryn, not happy about lugging a raincoat to a concert
 

mario_c

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I used to do the thrift stores a lot in my corporate A/V days - management seemed to think it was perfectly reasonable to force us to set up stage equipment in business attire. Needless to say, I ended up ruining a lot of business attire and started hunting for "Golden Triangle" (our hotel base was in greater Greenwich metro, actually) stores that had healthy stock in lightly used shirts/dress slacks/coats. I was doing this for a while with the Ub3r thing as well. I just started a fulltime contract developer job, so I should keep some money saved for when the gig ends and I have to go out interviewing again. A new suit coat would be kinda cool for that...
 

Maryn

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I'm just back from Toronto, where plenty of men were wearing nice suits on Saturday, for goodness sake. And such tailoring changes to make then suit young men, too. It was eye candy for me. I don't like Mr. Maryn's lone suit, which seems to fit like it belongs to his grandpa, but with our present lifestyle, there's no reason for him to replace it. I only see it at weddings and funerals, so I guess it hardly matters.

Maryn, ruing the lack of places to dress up for
 

Russ Mars

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Forgetting suits for the time being, I'm just very glad to be out of that backless hospital-chic gown and back into jeans and t-shirt. But with three holes healing in my belly, the jeans that fall right down without a belt have become my favorites. Loose is good.
 

Maryn

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Forgetting suits for the time being, I'm just very glad to be out of that backless hospital-chic gown and back into jeans and t-shirt.
But those of us who observe men are less delighted.
But with three holes healing in my belly...
I thought trepanning was only the skull. Learn something new every day, huh?

Maryn, glad you're better
 

Maryn

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Huzzah! Kid Two got a job offer, after 18 months of applying with nary a nibble (no doubt due to bias, intended or not). She will be shooting lasers from the moon for an employer which is "committed to diversity and inclusion in the workforce as core values."

Her sister has advised her to shoot the lasers only where they tell her to, at first, anyway.

Maryn, thinking that's good advice
 

Russ Mars

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Glad to hear you're doing better, Russ.
Thanks, Komnena. Of course I'm on the mend, in theory, but today is one of those days I feel worse than I ever did before the surgery.

Huzzah! Kid Two got a job offer, after 18 months of applying with nary a nibble (no doubt due to bias, intended or not). She will be shooting lasers from the moon for an employer which is "committed to diversity and inclusion in the workforce as core values."

Her sister has advised her to shoot the lasers only where they tell her to, at first, anyway.

Maryn, thinking that's good advice
Congrats to Kid Two, Maryn. I want to be best friends with her...or anyone who's shooting lasers.
 

Maryn

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Me, too. We talked to her on the phone this afternoon. She doesn't start until mid-November, because they need to do a security clearance on her, but she should pass it unless she's got secrets we don't know. ;) It's a one-year subcontractor gig, but the norm is to re-up for another year unless the person's screwing up.

She needs to buy a car, but apparently she can get a used one with what savings she has left. Her new roommate, who she's met a grand total of one time, is signing a lease this week, so that financial concern (her ex wanted to move to a larger, nicer place, but man, it's expensive, and then the ex left after one month) is much better, too.

I gather she's not sure if she has a working wardrobe or not, so I hope to find pictures of women engineers working in east-coast cities (because dress standards vary) and maybe hit thrift stores again. The last batch I sent was a big hit, which is unusual.

Maryn, feeling pretty good about things
 
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