Hello everyone, I hope all of you are safe and sound after the tornadoes Wednesday night. We were very fortunate out here in Debtwood – not even a drop of rain.
I skipped writing last week, I am sure no one registered that, but I was too busy buying all the Cadbury’s chocolate I could find in Tulsa before al the Easter stuff sold out. I was also supposed to be in Denver, spending some much needed time with lovely grandchildren. Unfortunately a blizzard cancelled my trip, so between depression and chocolate I just really couldn’t be arsed to write a damn thing! Ok, well that’s only partly true, because I am making myself write a few hundred words every day on a Harlequin Romance novel that I’m writing. And, before anyone groans, I would request that each of you try to write one yourselves….yes they are a bit gooey, predictable and totally false, they are, nevertheless, a bitch to write……seriously, give it a shot…….anyway, my plan is to write one, pitch it, get a foothold with a publishing company, and then perhaps skip down the happily-ever-after road.
In the meantime, I am boldly getting my unemployment check each week….well each week for 6 months and then I am cut off. Readers I have no shame in taking a hand-out from the government….I have faithfully supported THEM for thirty-five years, even when I didn’t like the people running the show…..it’s really nice though, getting a itty bitty income, and that is the truth. But oh my goodness, what a pain in the derriere it is! Navigating the hows/whys/whereforto’s is bad enough, but then I got a summons………from the Sapulpa Job Center, where I have to do certain things so that I can continue to get said itty bitty income that I contributed to over thirty-five years.
My appointment was with Libby, who I now know is actually Libbi (silly me)….I was a little uncertain what to wear? How professional to appear? I broke out the mascara (it’s been in a drawer since January 12th) and I changed out of my sweatpants (this caused me some distress) and put on a bra (the general public really appreciated that) and found a top that disguised my flab but only made me look like I was wearing a one-man tent rather than a twoer….I drove into town (the dodgy end) and parked next to a broken beer bottle in the Workforce parking lot. I entered the building which was decorated with all the stuff that hadn’t sold in garage sales back in the 60’s, tried to ignore the pungent smell of old cigarettes, body odour and musty carpets, and stood at the reception desk. After a couple of minutes, an older man who was also waiting, indicated that I should fill in a form on the front desk, apparently he knew the ropes. I did as he suggested, and by that time the receptionist appeared. She was dressed in someone’s old curtains, but she really was a nice lady, full of smiles and very friendly.
I assumed that I was to be ‘interviewed’ by Libbi at the designated time she had picked – who knew it was all a clever ruse to get me into the smelly building, have me fill in a bunch of forms, and then make me sit at a computer to look for a job on the Job Search website. Well well well, that was a trip….because to search for a job you have to fill in what it is that you do (or did)…..simple enough right? Wrong. Because on this government job search website, in the State of Oklahoma, there is no listing for the Oil and Gas Industry…..Really? Okay I know our industry seems to be going down the proverbial toilet…..but only recently….I mean Tulsa used to be the Oil Capital of the world…..it is one of the largest industries in our state…..but apparently not on the job search website. I was flummoxed……what should I do? I asked the curtain lady to help, and she told me just to leave the industry part blank….wow….that was helpful…I got to peruse all kinds of jobs from sanitation experts to strippers….ok not strippers in a bar you dirty minded readers….paint strippers.
After what seemed like hours, I finally got to meet with Libbi – she was about eleven years old and definitely had eaten one too many happy meals – but hey, I have no room to talk there. Libbi was nice, and once she heard that I was a Brit, she was my new best friend. She had been over to the UK and had loved it…so the interview process was not nearly as painful as it might have been. The bad news though, was that I have to watch a 3 hour movie about how to handle interviews, write resumes etc. etc. and then go back for one more interview. My fifty-six year old eyes looked at her, and my thirty-five years of experience in several jobs over the course of my career said, “You’re kidding, right?” Alas no, in order to keep receiving unemployment, I have to jump through said hoops….maddening…especially when other friends did not have to experience this….ugh!
On a brighter note, isn’t it is wonderful looking outside to see everything blooming, sprouting and just generally waking up. This is one of the best times in Oklahoma isn’t it? I feel fortunate now that I am unemployed, to have more time to spend sitting on the back porch, or piddling about in the garden. My car is in the shop, so I have been driving the little red convertible around in the great weather thoroughly enjoying myself. Funny how you get a sun tan driving that car….not so funny how you become full of hay fever….
Diet check–in….No weigh-in as I have hidden the scales from myself. Having been so deflated (emotionally only) by seeing no progress, I have banished the scales to a dark cupboard. I will let them out in another month, when I do the big weigh-in. I have faithfully been going to my gym classes, but unfortunately I have broken my fitbit – not due to excess of use, but the rather the occasional accidental ‘dip’ into the washing up bowl…..oops –
Still working on my shop page – just been busy with taxes, breathing and existing. Keep watching!
I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!
Jude