(no subject)

Well, I was going to work on LC and LoG today, but I left my jumpdrive at work and my backups are significantly different since I worked on both yesterday, so I'm SOL until this evening. I wouldn't really expect another LC chapter until October, considering I'm working 45-50 hours a week and finding housing and moving until then. I have an LoG chapter almost finished, but it may not go up until October either. God knows when I'll get to update the Steampunk novel. I have huge plans for it but like most of Jack's inventions it's taking a while to get up to full speed. I haven't forgotten about the Charity Drabbles either; I'm sorry they're taking so long to finish.

I'm sending out at least one job application per day, which seems pretty good proportionate to the jobs offered and the time I have available. I keep going back to a "Cashier" job at the Gene Siskel Film Studies Center, thinking, today is the day I apply (it's not that different from what I do now) and I keep thinking, am I really that desperate? It's kind of like Pratchett's dwarf bread. I take it out and look at it, shake my head, and find something, anything else to apply to.

Coworker V put in his two weeks notice the other day. M and I have now survived two complete shift changes in the box office; not a single person who was working as an agent when we began is still there, and not a single person working there now knows the people who were working there when we began. This is unutterably depressing and I try not to think about it, because I can't drink anymore.

I'm stuck at home today waiting for packing boxes to arrive via UPS. In the grand tradition of the last three days I am sure that they will not arrive before three, which is when I have to leave for work. To paraphrase Kipling, the life of a poet in a big city is a hard one.

M had lots of tales about Burning Man to regale me with; her delayed return home was the result of her sister suffering dehydration after the event was over, since they had water aplenty during the festival but didn't lay in any for the drive home. There is one story in particular which I think the cafe will probably appreciate:

Coworker L: Why do the actors do their workout routine in the lobby?
Sam: I think it's because they know you enjoy watching them sweat.
Coworker M: I would never do that. Just like I definitely did not peek at the beautiful, beautiful boys having sex with each other on the playa, even though they were doing it right out there in the open. I didn't peek at all.
Bar Manager: This girl I know who went to Burning Man said that clothing's optional.
Coworker M: Well, it's really hot and we're all a bunch of artists, so mostly people just wear what they want. Or nothing. I was in Critical Breasts, where like five thousand women ride their bicycles topless.
Bar Manager: So there's a bunch of naked women running around? Nekkid, all the time? Buck nekkid? On bicycles?
Coworker M: Something like that.
Bar Manager: When is this festival again?

The bar manager also invited us to go out to Soul Food Night this evening, since his friend DJs for it. Soul Food Night moves from bar to bar on a weekly basis, with a $10 all-you-can-eat soul food buffet to raise money for local soup kitchens. If I am not asleep on my feet after work I might beg a ride, but it's far more likely that I will shamble to the El, fall asleep on the train, wake up in a panic somewhere around the Lawrence stop, and have just enough energy to unlock my door before the world becomes a very dark place and sleep is my only option.

(no subject)

There's something nice about being trapped at home waiting for a package. I did the only two things I could do from home -- I sent my tax return and pay stub to the loan guy and then called M's Neighbor about needing a roommate. Thank christ I got his voicemail; I hate telephones and used to hate answering machines because I always sounded like a dumbass, but now I understand that they are the lesser of two evils because I don't sound like a dumbass AND have to hear the vocal tone of the other person reminding me of the fact.

And now I'm set free to do what I want which, it turns out, is continue to organise my bookmarks and watch CSI. I went back to the first few seasons and discovered what an awesome show it used to be. After all this time I still ship Catherine/Greg fiercely. I'm also pretty sure that Nick wants to sleep with Grissom but would settle for Warrick. Warrick, of course, deserves more than someone settling for him, but then I remember that I stopped watching around the time he omg spoiler but you know what I'm talking about and there is not a lack of correlation between those two facts.

Hey, remember when a detective show that actually gave airtime to the personalities and lives of the investigators was a new and sparkly idea? Those were the days.

(no subject)

And this is why I don't use UPS if I can ever avoid it.

For the third time in four months, they have delivered to the building next door. They left the infonotice on the building next door. I sent specific instructions with the shipping notice that they were to go PAST THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR and deliver to nobody but my full legal name. I included my telephone number so that if they had a moment's confusion they could contact me.

And all they can tell me is that the depot will call me "within the hour" to set up a redelivery date. Within the hour does not work for me because within the hour I have to be on my way to work. A redelivery date does not work for me either, unless they can promise that the package will be here between the hours of six and nine am, but apparently they can't read numbers so I doubt that'll happen.

Three times is enough. UPS will never have my business again, for any reason. If I need to order something from someone who only uses UPS, I will inform that person why they just lost my business. Nothing UPS delivers is worth the hassle of dealing with UPS.

And if they had anywhere on their website to give feedback, which they don't (wonder why that is!), I would tell them so.

I swear to god if someone tries to talk to me on the subway today it will eventually be ruled justifiable homicide.