Not Insightful Part 2, But I did Recycle

Week 4

I spent most of the day trying to think of something insightful to post, but alas nothing. I wanted to post something insightful, due to yesterday's not being much of anything, but today I still found nothing.

Today, I did however recycle a mattress. Yes, I said recycle. For $20 and driving 19 miles, I greenly disposed of a mattress. I felt really good about that.

In addition to mattress recycling I applied for a paid internship. If you are an avid reader of my blog you understand how I feel about internships, but this one seemed good and more learning is always necessary for job growth.

I also went to the dentist today and found dental insurance is not all that it is cracked up to be.

Until next time....

Nothing Insightful Today

Week 4

Cleaning, packing, contracting, searching, spinning, good night!

Oh my what a day!

Until next time....

Hopefully Today's not Day One of Four

Week 4

My goodness kind of a busy day.
It started off with me doing two hours of contract work, followed by a trip to the art supply store. Where I spent 45 minutes with a worker, who is identified by always having a Starbucks (my kind of guy), picking out just the right color marker for a new project. As I went up to pay I realized I did not have my wallet, due to a purse switching the night before. This wouldn't have been a big deal if the art store and my home were not on two completely different sides of town. So it was back home and then back to the art store.

After returning home, I had another Craigslist sale, where once again I was not murdered. After, I applied for a job for a staff writer position. The ad said if I don't hear from them in four days I won't. Hopefully they don't count today as day one.

Finally, I went back to the gym after a two week hiatus. My friend Shelia convinced me to do a body pump class. I was scared, bar bells are used, but it ended up being a very good the workout. I needed a good workout and some good workout endorphins. However I'm sure I'll be regretting it tomorrow.


Until next time....

I Was Not Murdered and Finished Some Seating!

Week 4 (really?!)

Today was busy. I sold a vanity on Craigslist and delivered it to the buyer who owned a coffee shop. Instead of killing me she gave me a delicious free, Americano and commended me on my cautionary sense of not wanting to help her move the vanity to her living space.

Today also brought about me finally finishing my Spokane Coliseum stadium seats. I took them from kitchy to modern with a can of spray paint and some imagination. Which my friend Blair (a boy) believes I should sell on Craigslist for $400 dollars. I appreciate his optimism.

Finally, the day ended with me enjoying happy hour with a very good friend of mine from high school, a Mrs. Wendy Choy, who I had not seen in 12 years. It was nice discussing old times, why neither of us went to the reunion and how we both felt about high school.

Now I end the day now with you, my readers, some job searching which doesn't seem to be promising, and contract work. I guess if all else fails I can always fall back on reconstructing furniture.

Until next time.....

A Stroller Named Bob, but no Margaritas

Week 3


Today was a fantastically sunny day. To enjoy this sunny day I had lunch with not one, but two pregnant friends. Myself not being pregnant now or probably in the near future, was probably no help in the pregnancy discussions department. The only knowledge I have of children is friends kids, nephews, younger brothers and years of babysitting. None of which gave me enough knowledge to have a conversation about $400 strollers named Bob (I think a better name would be Dante ).


In addition to my lack of baby knowledge we went to Cactus in Madison Park for lunch. Do you know what's great about Mexican food on sunny days? Margaritas. And although, I was being a "lady who lunched," I didn't want to be the only lady drinking in the middle of the afternoon. Thus forgoing my Mexican food margarita, oh well the babies are due soon.


The rest of the day was spent pretty normal. I did do a write up for a possible job, which I would love, and be perfect for, you know who you are possible job. I also walked the Thelonious Pug, did some contract work and felt a huge lack of vitamin D and C (maybe I have scurvy) thus sending me on an impromtu fruit jaunt to Trader Joe's. Overall, not a bad day.


Until next time....

When Unemployed You get to Handle the "Stuff"

Week 3


So when you are unemployed and your spouse is not, it leaves you to be the person who has to deal with "stuff." In this case the "stuff," I so delightfully got to deal with, was the smell of death pouring out our refrigerator.


Words can not describe how bad the refrigerator smelled. I don't know why or how it could EVEN smell that bad. It was making the Britta water, cheese, and anything not in an air tight container taste like the smell. I felt like I was on the Smelly Car episode of Seinfeld. There was very little in the fridge, and in my opinion nothing to make it smell so bad. I'm therefore taking the blame off of myself and placing it on the senior citizen attempting to keep what little is left in my kitchen cold.


The most difficult part of my days delightful task was the fact that I have no dishwasher. Instead I cleaned everything all "Laura Ingles" style. I might as well have been using a washboard surrounded by chickens in my backyard.




Overall, it was yet another day, but I did find a job that sounds promising for they are looking for a fun creative writer, just ignore me as I raise my hand.


Until next time....

Case of the Blogging Mondays

Week 3 (day counting has stopped, too many and can't remember)


Nothing much to say, pretty low key day. I did however apply for a job and made $25 selling my vanity. Overall not a complete waste. 


Until next time.....

Happy Birthday Mom and Happy Ah Ha Day Me!!

Week 2, Day 5


Hello from Portland. I am in the Rose city my fabulous mothers birthday party, which I planned unexpectedly, here's hoping she likes it.

Portland from Seattle is about a two and a half hour drive, which when driving with my husband I enjoy. It makes us get to chat for two and a half hours. Today's chat was about my unemployment and where I am going with it. We came to the conclusion that I should work in something creative. 


Now don't get me wrong, this is pretty obvious. I mean I am a Pisces, a bit unique and can not do math, so creativity seems to run in my blood. However, the realization had not fully hit me until today's car ride. Once I had this "ah ha moment" I suddenly felt a bit at ease. I had now just narrowed down my job search to art, fashion, music, etc. Knowing this, made me realize that I may have been trying to hard looking for everything and not trying hard enough looking for the right thing. 


So friends as the week comes to a close I will begin the job hunt Monday with my creative cap on and a new knowledge of myself. 


Until next time....

Not Feeling Bloggy

Week 2, Day 4

Hi Friends, 


I'm sorry, but today I'm not feeling very "bloggy." I don't know if it was the full day of rain, or it was my very low key day of contract work and job hunting, but I just don't have much to say today. 


I would however, like to wish my Mother a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


Until next time.....

Britt Bertolucci Cao and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Week 2, Day 3


I woke up this morning cranky. Not for any reason, I got my first full night of sleep in two weeks, I get paid on Saturday and I even had new coffee, so it should have been a good morning. For some reason it wasn't, and I was in a rotten mood. It could have had something to do with me finding out my coffeemaker has cancer, my mother calling last night with a "project" that she needed today (which I later found out means before 6pm) or that husband was in a great mood talking uncontrollably about nothing. Or it might have been one of those days when I come to the realization I am unemployed, thus having to face the inevitable question what am I doing with my life. Grrr, overall bad day.


Regardless, I faced the day. Three hours of contract work and ineffective job hunting,while watching Sex and the City reruns, followed by a furniture hunt with one of my favorite couples. The snow had melted and things seemed to be turning around, seemed being the operative word.


Little did I know when I got home husband and I had switched moods somewhere in the middle of the day. He was in a horrible mood and I was feeling a smidge better. I started the project for mother as husband tried to sleep off the angries. The stupid project ended up taking two and a half hours and multiple text messages from mother asking "how it was going." Dinner was to follow, where my now, back to angry self and the still angry husband had one of our usual arguments over how much he hates the pug followed by an angry, silent ride home. Thus ending here with you, and concluding Britt Bertolucci Cao's Terrible Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Tomorrow will be better, I just know it.


Until next time.....

Craigslist, We Need to Talk

Week 2, Day 2 


What do savvy unemployed girls do when they are moving? They sell furniture they don't need anymore on Craigslist. What does this mean for me as a savvy unemployed girl? It means I have to interact with all the Craigslist people, who in my mind are always out to kill me.


I know this sounds ridiculous. For I myself am a Craigslist person, I mean who doesn't love a great find at an equally great price. My problem is I believe people, both buying or selling on Craigslist, are planning on killing me when they come to retrieve their chair or I go to their house. I don't know why I find myself so special. I mean really I doubt anybody is going to kill me, but you never know.


In addition,  to the "murders" on Craigslist, lately I have expereinced a lot of chatty Craiglisters. Both today when I sold our barbecue, and last week when I sold a little side table. Both buyers wanted to discuss my last name, my family origin, Thelonious (my pug) and the weather. I'm sorry Craigslisters, but you already make me nervous I don't want to chat with you too. I didn't put a personal ad for a friend up, I put an ad for a barbecue and various furniture pieces. I might hang out with just myself and the dog all day because everyone's at work, but that is no reason to be overly chatty with me.


Until next time....

Being Unemployed, Doesn't Mean You Have To Be Fashionably Challenged

Week 2, Day 1

When being unemployed one must remember to continue to be fashionable. Being fashionable is thought to be hard, because it often seems expensive. Ah ha! That is where you are wrong. 

Today, I discovered how to be not only fashionable, but also super thrifty. Today I did what I have never done before. I sold some clothes at Buffalo Exchange, not for their 34% back in cash, which would have been like $5, but for the coolest pair of Kanga shoes and a shirt EVER!! 

Yes my friends I found fashion in the most unlikely place, for me. Now, I have never been one to buy "used" clothes. I always found it kind of yucky and they usually don't fit, but today, today I found awesomeness. These shoes are so great and A-mazing that they match perfectly with my $17 pair of Joe's from Nordstrom Rack, which I found last night...75% off! 


So my friends what I am telling you, is you can be fashionably unemployed, you just have to be thrifty. 


Until next time.....

Tony was Talking about me and other Happenings

Week 1, Day 5


Yep this post is kind of late, so sue me.


Today yet again was not hugely "job useful. " I was however, informed by Tony (same Tony from yesterday) that he talked to a PR firm about me (thanks Tony), thus sparking me to email him my resume. I also emailed my resume to two twitter tips, so overall not bad.


In addition, I signed some papers, saw a baby, read some books about ducks, ate a grilled cheese sandwich (yes the second one this week, I love them) did some contract work, finished a book and made some frosting for the red devil cupcakes I am making for the baby shower on Sunday. 

Actually now that I think about it, I find today to be actually quite productive.


Until next time......  

*Reader Note: I have yet to decide if I will write blog posts this weekend or just save them for the week days. So if you are expecting them please be either surprised or just excited for Monday.Thanks, Peace out!

Nerds and Fresh Fish, Always a Good Combination

Week 1, Day 4












Today I headed down to the International District to meet two of my nerdiest friends, Nick and Tony for lunch. J's Sushi was our destination and upon turning the corner and seeing my lunch location I considered going back to my car. Boy am I glad I didn't.


Being a hole in the wall is an understatement for J's. Small, black with just a sign that says "Sushi" distinguished it from the other restaurants, but as I reminded myself, I was in the heart of the ID, so what did I expect. We sat at the counter and J himself stood behind the rows of fresh fish rolling little clouds of rice for our next delicious sushi bite. We didn't know what we were having until he placed it on our little cutting board. Everything from Baby tuna belly to spiky sea urchin ended up dancing on my taste buds, all so fresh and delicious, J would even tell us what didn't need to be dipped because it would ruin the already amazing flavor.


After my two hour sushi extravaganza, and lively conversation covering everything from my recent blog posts to my owning a bianary watch, which both Tony and Nick decided was far to nerdy for me, I headed home. At home the endless and today not very effective daily job search awaited me, in addition to my daily dose of contract work. Even though slightly uneventful, you gotta love finding what could be my new favorite sushi restaurant.


Until next time....... 

Does being a Virus help you in the Job Hunt?

Week 1, Day 3

Today was rather uneventful. I had a meeting with the fabulous Kate, did some contract work, ate a grilled cheese sandwich and watched 2 hours of Tosh 2.0 (not by choice, husband was home).

Well, in the “extreme excitement” that was my day and the marathon of Tosh and my usual surfing of the internet. I got to thinking about people becoming famous, or being offered jobs due to the Internet, case in point Ted Williams. If it wasn’t for the Internet he would still be a panhandler on I-71 in Ohio, instead he’s being offered jobs left and right. Now don’t get me wrong I’m happy for him, but if it wasn’t for the internet no one would ever have known of his “golden voice.” Other famous internet “stars” Justin Bieber, Antoine Dodson, and Perez Hilton, just to name a few. 

The internet has discovered, and brought to the surface of semi famous society, a fine group of characters. Because of this I feel I too should figure out a way to find myself doing something on a viral video. Now, I’m not saying like take off my clothes or something lude. I’m saying something “amazing,” but do I really have the “talents” for a viral video, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Until next time.....

How Professional is Getting Personal?

Week 1 Day 2: 

Today I had a meeting with my “mentor,” of sorts and a great business woman, Kate. Kate is awesome, but my meetings with her often leave me feeling like I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. We are the same age, and yet she has her own business, and knows how to help others run their businesses, where as I am STILL trying to figure stuff out. 

Well in meeting with Kate today, she mentioned I would make a excellent  personal assistant. Now, this thought is nothing new. I have been told this before and have unprofessionally dabbled in it a few times. I also know I am VERY good at it (toot toot, yeah that’s my own horn you hear). So why don’t I become a personal assistant and say goodbye to my contractor/unemployed life you ask?

Here is why.

1. My husband feels being a personal assistant equates to basically being someones "bitch." (his words not mine) 

2. I have a hard time knowing I went to college, studied journalism and PR and then chose to be a personal assistant. I’m not saying they are uneducated, but you’ve never heard little Johnny or Sally say “I’m going to be a personal assistant when I grow up.” If they did I feel Jimmy, who wants to be a fireman, would punch them in the face. 

3. How old would too old be to be a personal assistant? I know movie stars have them and they are not teenagers and in Hollywood it’s a good job, but what about the real world? I mean I am no Fonzworth Bentley.

4. It’s not like I would end up being P Diddy or Oprah’s assistant. And does being a personal assistant to just anyone hold the same weight? 

These are just some of my musings of what today brought. Let me know your thoughts.

Until next time.....