Monthly Archives: November 2010

I Need You to Turn To

Today is a day off, and it’s sort of been a non day. Not much going on, raining and drizzling most of the day. I’ve been busy but overall would rather put this day behind me. I slept until 9:30, a half hour later than I have been sleeping since the hour I start at the cigar shop is a bit later.

I predicted that I would wake up at 9:30 yesterday, for what that’s worth. I was soon in the shower as the coffee was brewing. After a cup of coffee I was headed to Washington Street, to buy more coffee, some bagels and the newspaper.

Then I stopped by Mr. L’s where my barber Tony was available. He fell off a ladder a few months ago and his arm is not healing as fast as it should. Plus he doesn’t like his doctor. Despite his handicap, Tony did his usual good job on my hair, and I’m quite happy with it.

No need to trim the goatee since I don’t have it anymore, but he did do the nose hairs as well as trimming the eyebrows. Once again he earned his tip. I came home, had a couple of bagels and spoke to a recruiter on the phone.

I filled out an online application last night while writing the previous entry and had an interview scheduled for this afternoon. The interview was scheduled for 3:00 this afternoon so I got myself together around 1:00, then ran some errands, dry cleaners and bibliothèque.

I had to return La Strada as well as Performance since they were due back tomorrow and I hadn’t had the time to watch either. Oh well, I will just have to get them again some other time.

I was early enough to see the 2:00 bus go on by, and I figured I would catch the 2:15 bus, but as usual, the 2:15 bus was late and didn’t show up until 2:35. Still I wasn’t running late and the interview was scheduled 2 blocks from the bus terminal.

And it was a pointless interview. The receptionist didn’t even offer to take my raincoat or show me where I could hang it up. My, how the front desk protocol has fallen. The recruiter who had contacted me was a short fellow named Edward and he asked if I brought my resume.

I told him I didn’t and I asked him earlier on the phone if I should. He said that would be up to me. I didn’t bring it since I emailed him my resume and figured he could simply print out a new copy if he needed it.

He also suggested bringing 2 forms of ID and I asked him if it was for an I-9 form. He said that it was and I mentioned that according to the I-9 form, a passport is the kind of ID that you need. No need for any other ID unless you lack a passport.

I sat wearing my raincoat as Edward and I walked and talked our way through my employment history, still some padding on it but kept the Wolff Olins in there this time. I simply explained that working there was a big mistake, a bad fit.

It seemed to go well with Edward and he stepped away and sent Rachel in his place. Rachel tried to talk me into taking temporary positions despite the fact that I mentioned that I would be available to in January.

After a few minutes with Rachel, she tried to pass me off onto Jason but Jason couldn’t be bothered to meet with me and made himself unavailable. It was just as well since I didn’t have much faith in these recruiters and would be greatly surprised if they actually contacted me with a job offer.

Back to work tomorrow, five days until my next day off. Expect late postings.


I Can See Your Future

Yesterday was Sunday, today is Monday. Yesterday I had off, today I worked. Tomorrow I have off again. I loathe this retail scheduling. But that is the nature of the beast. I did laundry yesterday, some grocery shopping, cooked food and walked around Hoboken with my friend Lois.

It was a nice time spent with Lois, went to CVS, Rite Aid and Burlington Coat Factory. Lois bought some trousers for her husband Fred. I tried on a belt which left me to think I lost two inches on my waist rather than the one inch I originally thought I had lost.

I suppose it’s from standing around on my feet for nine hours a day and not eating much these days. I noticed the not eating much on Thanksgiving when the first trip to the buffet proved to be enough, but I would be damned if I wasn’t going to get my money’s worth.

I had envisioned my usual stroll around Hoboken with Lois, walking just north of the Lipton Tea building, along the water’s edge down to Pier A or so. I think Lois had other ideas because after the Burlington Coat Factory, she had wanted to go home.

I enjoy Lois and have been friends with her for almost 30 years, but yesterday it was hard to connect with her. That could be because I hardly ever go out and socialize. I am generally so tired after working that the last thing I want to do is have contact with people.

On Saturday night, while Bill was in Atlantic City he asked if I wanted to have breakfast with him at Stacks on Sunday morning. I would have loved to normally, but I said that it was my day off and I really would rather just stay at home and not deal with crowds of loud and noisy people.

Rand invited me over for a cocktail a few weeks ago and I begged off. It was an open ended invitation, I could come over anytime or so that is what I believed. But I haven’t called or gone over for a drink. After a ten hour shift, I’d really rather just go home.

And just like now, I am home. I get home around 11:00. I hustle on down the street after closing the cigar shop, tonight’s soundtrack was courtesy of Hot Chip, in 13 minutes 28 seconds.

Just 26 days left of this nonsense, 26 days until Jesus’ birthday. 26 days of holiday hours. Granted I won’t be working all of those 26 days, probably 19 of those days I have to work. I am off tomorrow, then it’s 5 days of work, then another day off.

I am looking forward to the day off though. Already I have plans to make, like seeing another recruiter. Right now I am filling out an online application, which is totally pointless since they already have my resume.

But it’s what they want, and who am I to deny them that?