Monthly Archives: November 2010

I Like It

And now I find myself on a Saturday night. Some friends are probably seeing Tiny Lights somewhere on Ludlow Street, other friends are doing who knows what. For me it’s been a long day and after having to deal with people all day, the last thing I want to do is actually be around people.

Bill is about all I can handle and he’s 3 feet behind me watching something on PBS with the volume louder than usual. I sit and type, my back to Bill listening to Brian Eno and J. Peter Schwalm on my computer with the headphones on, though I can still hear the TV behind me despite the fact that the volume is all the way up on the computer and headphones.

Last night was an interesting night somewhat, at least it was to me. Had a talk with Bill on the phone while he was in Atlantic City, and then a talk with Annemarie. Both conversations were concerning the job which I interviewed for and was told I would start on December 6.

Now at this moment in time it seems like that is unrealistic. I don’t have the paperwork they require for the background check and even if I did the fudging of the start date on the resume would seem certain to derail any offer. Live and learn I suppose.

Today at the cigar shop, it was Don’s last day. He’s leaving to work for a start up internet company. So the cigar shop is in the lurch with Don’s departure and if I left, it would more than likely cripple them. Yeah I have problems sometimes with working at the cigar shop, but more often than not, it’s manageable.

And I am loyal, loyal enough that today when Calvin asked me if I could work, dangling the prospect of overtime to entice me into such a situation. I said I would work half a day if needed, since he was trying to convince Marcus into coming in to fill in.

Calvin is driving to Ohio with his wife and kid at 4:00AM Sunday morning, taking his first vacation in a year, or so he said. Now at home, the news is on and the volume is a little bit lower, making it bearable, though the news is still generally bad.

Calvin said a few minutes later that I would not have to come in, an employee from another cigar shop will be coming in to help out Bradley. I also spoke with Bradley when he called to ask about the alarm when he comes into the shop.

I told him to call me if he had any problems while he worked. Now with Ron gone, I’m the senior employee. Of course there is no extra money in the new title.

After dealing with people all day long the last thing I want to do after work if deal with idiots. Unfortunately I missed the 9:35 bus by 1 minute and had to wait for the 9:55 bus which idled at the gate for 10 minutes. And this bus seemed to be filled with inconsiderate self centered people all headed to Hoboken.

That’s it. I’m done. Over and out.

Not posting tomorrow.

I And I

Once again it’s been an up and down, over and out kinda day. Despite Hyman Gross and Hyman Gross 30 years younger, aka Harpy insisting that I remain positive I am thisclose to cutting my losses.

The recruiter’s assistant sent an email from the company that was interested in me, asking for a W2 and a check stub, for what I thought was proof that the company I used to work for existed.

From the big company- “Also, I will need John to provide me with either W2’s or pay stubs for Bio-IB LLC for the years (04/2006 – 07/2009) he worked there.” I found a W2 form from 2009 and a pay stub from 2008.

I gave the forms to Bill so he could scan them and send them off for me, as well as the Fair Credit Reporting Act Form. He scanned all the papers but it wasn’t enough. I can’t find the other W2 forms, probably shredded.

With Bill’s help, I found the phone number of the former bookkeeper from the last job and spoke to her on the phone. The bookkeeper and I always got along fine and was willing to help, but it turns out that she doesn’t have the W2 forms, nor does she have access to them since Vivek and his partner in finance are notoriously horrible with keeping records.

She did offer to send me a letter with her company letterhead stating the fact that I did work for the bio-technology firm from the years I stated on the resume. I doubt that would be enough since I could have asked Harpy who was a bookkeeper for sometime way back when to write a letter.

So as I write this I feel the job opportunity is slipping through my fingers. Oddly enough I am fine with it. I am tired of all this fuss, and tired of being stressed with the fact that I would be leaving the cigar shop at the height of their busiest season. And at least I still have a job.

Today would have been the day to give my two weeks notice, and despite the recruiters telling me that is what I should do, I am quite glad that I didn’t. Next week being a three day work week for most people, means not much work will be done.

Even if I did find the paperwork, with the background checks involved, nothing would be done until November 29 at best, way too short for two weeks notice. I did what I could, and almost landed a job. But things being what they are, and out of my control, out of my hands it really doesn’t seem likely.

I don’t think it’s negativity, I think it’s being realistic. I think it would be best for now to stay where I am and stick to the first plan, to hang in there and start looking anew in January. At the very least, I still have a job and should do my best to keep it.

I don’t need this additional aggravation, though it does make for something to write about, something to make loins moist in Bala Cynwyd. Fuck the Susquehanna Investment Group.

And once again I really have to thank Bill for being so supportive and understanding.

Bill with mouth guard being supportive