I am in love with nerds.

The boys in my office are real nerds. I love sitting with a bunch of IT guys and data jockeys...it's like ear candy all day long. I listen to their little debates about Spiderman's webs (controlled scionically, or not?) and their discussions about implementing an office-wide Wacking Day and how, inevitably, everything comes back to Star Wars.

I love it! They just don't know how adorable they are! 2.0's D&D habit makes me want to pinch his little cheeks. ODG is a little more mainstream; he has this cool, California-style facade, but it's fun to watch him get excited about programming pranks and Storm Troopers. And then there's AIG, with his adorable (damn him) ratty jeans and sexy (damn him) Puerto Rican grin. After a lengthy discussion about whether or not Batman could kick the Predator's ass, AIG called us all into the IT training room, which is basically a bank of computers with a big giant projector up front. After filing in, he busts out with this in full screen on the projector:


HOLY AWESOME.

Okay, first of all, that guy who played the Joker? Not bad! It kinda got my heart racing for Heath Ledger's Joker, which promises the creepy element that this dude has plus incredible acting that apparently gave Michael Caine the willies. Not to mention, the production values are sort of mind-bogglingly good for something free on YouTube... Which got me thinking about shorts.

No, not shorts (although it is almost 70 degrees today and I have a master plan to go watch the sunset over the Hudson River after work)... SHORTS. Short films...and how much fun I used to have making them. And how easy it would be to get back into it.

It reminded me of a discussion I had with the Producer about how Podcasts and new media are the wave of the future. Although I tend to disagree with him about traditional corpo-funded production being a dead end, I very much agree that the Internet has much to offer me in terms of creative self-expression. In fact, I'd almost forgotten about this discussion - and really that was the thing that initially piqued my interest in him. Thinking outside the box is hot.

During the singleness epiphany and social-life explosion of the last couple of weeks, I haven't really had time to process that discussion and come around to it, but then on Sunday PDF's Boyfriend mentioned that someone was looking for a Director's Assistant and got that bug crawling up my leg again...and armed with a brand-spanking-new resume and Aunt J's very kind endorsement to basically everyone she knows, I am making a renewed effort to pursue production work. So it was very much on schedule that AIG brought to my attention this amazing little Batman video!

Okay, maybe not amazing - the Joker dialogue is pilfered directly from the comic books (which is kind of cool, but also kind of unimaginative), and totally does not relate to the whole Batman/Alien/Predator stuff. I guess you could say it's nerd porn: what little story that is there exists in tandem to the real action rather than in support of it. Whatever; it's still cool. And my nerd boys are cool for loving it.

Doesn't "The Procrastinator" sound like a supervillian's name or something?

My resume has been Aunt J-ified!

"Get rid of this. You don't need that. Sounds nice, but nobody will read it. Chunk it up. Make this bigger. Make that smaller. Call this something else."

It's great! I love it! She's the best auntie ever!

After much procrastination (including text messaging practically everyone in my phone), I finally buckled down with Penny curled up on one side and Lu curled up on the other and got down to business. A snip here, a stretch there, a little color correction and visual effects and.... Ta-Da! This resume is the little black dress of resumes; stylish, simple, and it flaunts what I've got (broad experience) and hides what I haven't--without overembellishment, of course. I can dress it up with a fancy cover letter and a more traditional font or I can keep it casual and send it along as is. I feel better than if I'd gone shopping at Bergdorfs!

Incidentally, I also noticed today that I've worked with an uncanny amount of Jeffs.

Now hopefully when PDF's Boyfriend passes it along to his contact for this director's assistant position that he mentioned me for, someone else will think I did as good a job on it as I do!

Just let your Soooooooul Glo!

At one low point or another in the mopey lonely growing pains of the last few months, Salty explained to me that things were going to suck and suck and suck and then suddenly it would click.

Well here I am, mid-click! Thanks to good advice from great people (most particularly Aunt J, Salty, and my favorite data guru, 2.0), I've shed my high-strung, gotta-stay-afloat, me-against-the-world attitude and I'm relaxing into things more. I'm breathing better, and instead of looking for a life I'm living one. Of course there have been lots of people who have helped that process, and I'm super grateful to them all. But I'm most proud of me.

Yesterday I got a verbal offer for a permanant position at the women's health advocacy nonprofit. Sure, it's not a super cool amazing creative job, but it's something I believe in. And I'll have health insurance, which is definitely a step up. I'd love to go to the dentist. I had my last cleaning right before I left my insurance-ful job in New Orleans, and it's been about six months now, so I'm due. I love clean teeth! I love not having to pay the dentist a bucket of cash for my clean teeth even better! As a bonus, the position that I was offered is NOT an administrative assistant position. It's better! I would be more like a division coordinator, with lackeys to whom I can delegate stuff.

Also, I am officially looking for a new apartment. Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Williamsburg/Greenpoint, all are good; I just want to live in a relatively fun neighborhood and pay $1000 or less per month. So far I'm loving Brooklyn, but I'm considering my options - at the $1000 price point a LOT more is open to me. I might consider a roommate, but really only if I find the perfect setup. Having the cats now, I don't feel so alone at home. In fact, I get to wake up and snuggle with someone special every morning!

Since so many of you have been nice and asked, Penelope and Lu are settling in very well. They have a strange preoccupation with the bathtub - I think they believe that I hid "the rest" of the apartment back there somewhere, because they climb into the tub and sniff at the wall like they're looking for a secret door. They sleep on the chairs that are tucked under my kitchen table all day and wake me up with little purring, whiskery kisses in the morning. I can't ever resist scooping Penny up in my arms for a quick cuddle! I'd forgotten how much I loved those two and how big their personalities are!

Okay, so no pretty moments, no witty commentary on social services, no bratty reactions to the concerns of those who care about me, but it's what's going on with me. This weekend I'm booked up like crazy: outings with two different groups of friends tonight, brunch in the morning, dinner with Aunt K and drinks with Cousin Jeannie and her brother tomorrow night, then running, belly dance, and probably more mimosas on Sunday. Whew! We'll see if it all actually goes down that way, but I hope it does because it sure sounds fun!

Tales of a broken resume

Today, while perusing the job boards (like I do every day) and harvesting fax numbers for the sending of resumes I had this weary, sinking feeling that nobody ever sees those resumes I fax.

There is this whole sinking feeling like I'm not making the most out of that one sheet of paper anyway. Like...like maybe there's something I should be listing that I'm not, and maybe there are things listed (Admissions Counselor achievements, etc.) that need to be taken off. Truth be told, I pretty much rework the whole damn thing on average once a week. That alone is a sign that I'm just not happy with it.

Beyond that, a thought has occurred: I know how to write resumes for office jobs, and I've been writing my resume for production jobs the same way. Something tells me though that no hiring producer cares about my achievements as an Admissions Counselor or that I did some excellent work for the Cleveland Orchestra for a couple of months or whatever. My production experience is there too, but it's all sectioned off... I gotta change that, because it's just not working out for me.

And then there's the whole cover letter topic, upon which I have heard from two different camps. The first believes cover letters should be no more than two sentences plus contact information, because producers are busy and don't really want to read them. The second believes that a cover letter should always be the best, personalized, formal, sell-yourself work of literature you ever write.

I need help....I really ought to bring it to someone who knows what I can do to make it look better. Aunt J? Maybe. I'll have to ask her... I also need thank you notes to my people from ABC... Can't forget that.

Oh yeah, coming soon/in progress, The Legend of Miss A, part 3!

Ohhhh, I get it! They're here to meet women!

PDF left for New Zealand yesterday to see his boyfriend (who is working on a movie there), and he'll be gone for ten days. At first I was a little worried that I would be bored without my gay slave driver to order me around, but then I remembered that I have lots of stuff to do! I have to find my next job, I have to clean my apartment, I have to do laundry, and I have to go speed dating tonight.

Yes, I tried to slip that last one in there unnoticed...I'll provide a full report on my speed dating experience after it's all over. It will be way more interesting to write about it when I actually have something to tell. I'm approaching the experience with plenty of irony, so I can't wait to write it up!

I started my assignment at the women's health advocacy group on Monday. In an unexpected turn of events, it is a repository for cute straight men! Weird, huh? And bonus, they all support women's health issues and reproductive rights! I got flirted with yesterday, and I was a little rattled... After spending five years nailed to a mediocre relationship I'd quite forgotten how to flirt, so I got nervous and started talking too much. Other than adorable fellas, the job is pretty much your standard, run-of-the-mill admin position, and of course, well below my skill level. Hopefully this will motivate me to search high and low for a production gig.

When it rains it pours!

Day 8...a little hung over from drinking red wine at 1 in the morning last night. Heh.

Two things:

Thursday I got a call from Miss Moped, who runs a startup production company and creates videos for lots of things, mostly the web and TV. She's interested in using me as an office PA to do research and some editing...but can't pay me very much (of course). We spent half an hour on the phone developing ideas about what I'd be doing, since she is basically developing a new position for me.

She had to talk it over with her business associates, and was going to get back to me on Friday. While waiting for her to get back to me, the temp agency called.

They have a job for me...helping a new Vice President set up her office...at a women's health provider and advocacy NGO! How very cool...it pays a living wage AND it's something I believe in! It's also an indefinite assignment, which is great. I'm going to work that job for all it's worth and try to get hired on. That way if I need to leave, I leave. Nobody tells me to leave. I start on Monday, which will, instead of Day 10, be Day 1.

Ahhhhhhh.... I feel like I can breathe again. It's great.

PDF and I went to the movies last night to celebrate and saw There Will Be Blood. I am baffled over that movie and how good it was. Baffled. It's been a long time since a movie left me feeling that way....

Then we drank red wine, and somehow never ate dinner. Thus, the mild hangover... Off to brunch!

Unemployment 5: Son of Unemployment

Day 5!

Still nothing (serious). For my own reference, here are the people I've talked to about needing a job:

Aunt J - She's super busy and out of town the rest of the week. No luck.

Cashmere Casey - No luck here...but he offered a reference

Z - She mentioned a craigslist post about a children's theater producer who needs a part-time assistant

Cousin-of-my-cousin Molly - offered to send my resume to a company she used to work for (note to self - get on that!)

Jenn from elementary school - see Molly above

PDF - Gave me a job at the tanning salon!

Girls from bellydancing - offered to let me know if they hear anything

Three different ladies at the temp agency - "It's been really quiet..."


Still, somehow, my spirits are high. I think maybe it's the adrenaline that's constantly fending off a panic attack at the thought of defaulting on bills....

Off to the bronze beauties for $8 an hour!

I saw a resume blowing around in front of this brick wall...it was dancing with me, like a little job applicant, begging me to play with it.

Day 4 of unemployment.

Okay, okay, so technically I work at a tanning salon on 14th street for less than half of what I need to make for survival. Thank goodness PDF is here and that he can help me out. Half is better than nothing, that's for sure!

Still, it's really hard to work there, especially since PDF isn't the kind of boss that I get along with. I'm kind of afraid that our egos will clash and that this whole working-for-him experience will hurt our friendship. I know he understands....Sunday I had a Five Minute Cry in his office and his usual facade of queenish selfish impatience lifted for a moment while he talked it out with me. He knows I'm in a panic, and he knows what it's like to be there. He also lost touch with me during all the years I spent growing out of my teenage angst (and into mature twentysomething angst!), so I'm sure it freaked him out to see me upset. He gets it though, I know he does.

On his recommendation, I took today off from the leatherskins and NYU sorority girls to comb the Village and the Lower East Side for help wanted signs in the restaurants. Apparently they don't want any help in these neighborhoods. I did find a knitting store that's looking for sales help. My guess is that they won't be able to pay me any more than I'm making with PDF, but I would at least get to knit all day. Hmm.

My most interesting prospect was a craigslist ad I found for a foot messenger. I called the number and after a brief subway quiz (he asked all the right questions and I looked like a subway pro) I was told to show up at 23 West 19th street. Curious, I gave it a shot...I had resumes to drop in Manhattan anyway, so why not?

This dude was there and gave me an application, telling me to walk through a building, cross the street, and fill out the application in a pizza joint. A pizza joint? I walked through the building, as requested, then through a long hallway lined in marble. When I emerged on 18th street, I immediately saw the suggested pizza joint and fought through a long line to find a crumby though inviting table. It was a little disconcerting that nobody accused me of loitering (which I was), but I shrugged it off and took a look at the paperwork. I was transported back to high school when filling out that application...it was so strange. Why didn't they just request a resume? Why do all the table server jobs on craigslist ask for resumes and not for applications? Sometimes New York seems so backwards.

After calling 1-800-FREE-411 four times to make sure I had the phone numbers right for my last four jobs (there's something really laughable about writing $31K/ann. on a job application like this), I called the dude and met him on a nearby street corner to return the paperwork to him. We exchanged pleasantries for a moment, and he told me to call him back around 8:00 tonight. So weird!

I wonder if I could make a living as a messenger? Something tells me that even though there's not much money in temping, there's not much money in what I call "disposable jobs" either...and really it's just laughable that I even met up with this guy. I've got to find a film job.

And anyway, I am ready. I am ready to be an AD. It's going to happen. I've made my final decision, and I'm ready to commit, so consider this fair warning: here comes a life of long, thankless hours, very little social life, and, meanwhile, general misery. But dammit, I want to follow in the footsteps of Aunt J. And dammit, I'm going to make it happen, one way or another.

******

I just heard about Fidel Castro giving up his claim to the Cuban presidency. Being that he gave his brother all his power about a year ago it's kind of anticlimactic, but the significance of it still resonates.

Here we go again.

Three things:

1. I still have no job lined up for Monday

2. I'm sick

3. I still have no job lined up for Monday.

Today I called the temp agency again, hoping to hear my usual contact's cheery voice telling me about how I'd have to show up in Midtown at 9:00, and when I found out there really was no job my heart sank. I had been feeling kind of worn down and sore-throaty all day, and I knew that I was fighting a cold. I couldn't be sick and work all weekend at PDF's store. I couldn't be sick and look for a job.

If you'll pardon me, I have to sleep now. I have no words of wisdom to meet this challenge on this particular day. I'm literally exhausted. Good night.

Absolutely my new favorite word.

The last 24 hours have been sort of a whirlwind! I applied for an internship the day before yesterday, and yesterday I heard back from them by email. The internship was with Anderson Productions, an awesome little company that produces films and tv spots about progressive and humanitarian issues. I got to meet with the boss, Mr. Anderson himself, as well as a really great associate producer. They were so cool. I wish they could pay me, or that I were independently wealthy; I would have loved to work with them. Unfortunately they can't pay me and they would also require me to work two weekdays each week, which cuts into my ability to support myself. This would be fine if it were actual production experience, but it's really mostly research and preproduction. I'd love to do that, but then there's the money thing. Got to pay rent.

Sigh.

Before I decided to turn them down though, I made THE CALL. I have been trying to make this call for over a month. Helplessly I stare at the phone and sigh, wishing I could just pick it up and dial, but placing far too much importance on the stupid call to just make it. Last night, emboldened by my awesome interview at APL (I seriously love those people), I just did it. It went like this:

Me: Hi, [name removed], this is [Miss Adventurous]; I worked with you on [that TV show] last November.

Him: Uh....

Me: I'm [Aunt J]'s niece?

Him: Oh right! What's going on?

Me: Well I'm looking for some work and I was wondering if you knew of anyone who's looking for PAs?

Him: Not really, I'm just working on some commercials...

Me: (pause) Oh, well that's okay. Thanks anyway. Can I use you as a reference?

Him: Sure.

Me: Cool. Thanks a lot. Have a good one.

That's not verbatim or anything...well, almost. But you get the idea. Lame! It was so lame! I had all that telephone anxiety for some stupid lame call! And I get the feeling Aunt J was pulling some tough love out on me by telling me "Call! Just call!" So now I kind of think I'm back to square one. On my own....and wishin' and hopin'. And Tempin'....

So I think it's time to get a real job with actual consistent employment. This temp stuff has all been great up till now (ha!), but today when I spoke to my lady, who has been SUPER great so far.... nothing. No prospects. No ideas. First she said that I'm qualified to make more money. Woohoo! Then she let me down and said something like "It's been a little dry, lately..."

I wonder if that means now that they have to pay me more I'm going to get less work?

[insert grumbling here]

Why didn't I blog today?

Because I was busy writing cover letters.

Is it me, or are cover letters a pain in the ass? "Blah blah, I'm super qualified. Blah blah, skill set, blah blah creative and enthusiastic and organized...."

Seriously.

Dance! Dance for my pleasure!

After bellydancing class tonight, I went to dinner at the weird little Japanese cafe again with M and J. It was nice to chat again--they're really nice! This time I dined on an egg salad sandwich and a weird tuna and corn bun. During our walk to the subway, M and I talked about relocation difficulties...she came here about a year ago from California, so she understands what I'm going through.

Bellydancing is a really fun enterprise; I highly recommend it. It's physical activity, it's brain exercise, it's social, it's sexy, and best of all it gives you an excuse to gather shiny objects!

On another positive note, I talked to the nice lawyer lady at work today about finding a job in production at the network where I'm working. She was more than receptive, and even got one of the other ladies at work in on the whole enterprise of finding me a job. I was given a referral to be a desk assistant in the production department (boring! but could lead to something better...), and phone calls were made to ask about production assistant positions. So woohoo!

Oh yeah, and Friday I'll be performing with the rest of my classmates at Je'Bon, a sushi and noodle and Thai food restaurant on St. Mark's place. Exciting! I wonder if PDF will be able to make it...

Life will be a little Saltier this weekend!

9:15.

Fifteen minutes after work began, and already I have begun to endure the onslaught of irritating and less-than-intelligent insults: The reason this itinerary said January 30 on it is because I forgot to delete the date. Excuse me? I'm sorry I don't understand Italian. No, I'm not an idiot. Yes I gave the itinerary to him. I'm sure he'll figure out that that isn't the right date. It's not rocket science. No, I didn't check it over before I gave it to him. Yes, next time I will. Please forgive me for my gross oversight.

I'm ready to gouge my eyes out.

I've been reading Becoming a New Yorker lately, which is a cute blog about someone else who moved to New York on a quarter-life crisis whim. So far I've read the first three months, and the tone is all positive and excited and cute, which is probably what mine would be like if I had different ambitions for myself, if working in an office were enough for me, if this job weren't so far beneath my potential that I would rather have a root canal than coming here to get yelled at about the way I print Mapquest directions or staple documents. Note to self: do not rock boat.

Anyway, BNY has inspired me to revisit the concept of brainstorming. Last summer I brainstormed and it led me here to New York. Check it out:

Pretty cool, huh? Some of those things I've already done, which is great! Some are things I don't really care about doing anymore. My life has changed, so the Things I Want To Do brainstorm sheet should change too. So instead of sitting here grumbling about the crazy lady I'm going to do another brainstorm sheet too.

PS. - I applied for a couple of PA jobs this week; I plan to call and follow up today at lunch. Also Salty, my big sister, is flying to New York today to see me! Barring bad weather, her plane is supposed to get in at about 5:15, and I'll meet her in Brooklyn after work! Yay!