Things I think about while not looking for employment

I know, I'm getting lazy with my writing--in terms of quantity, frequency, and quality. I guess I can fix the quantity and frequency part, but not when I've rediscovered crepe paper streamers and Jack has been out of town and I want to make sure his room is properly decorated in hot pink and yellow streamers when he gets back. But, it's hard to want to fix my quality of writing--especially as it just devolves into a series of lists of various topics. I can't help it--lists are such an efficient way to write! I blame it on my youthful lapse into obsession with the works of Nick Hornsby and the novel, High Fidelity, in particular, for wanting to create top ten list for every minutiae of your life. Besides, I'm hoping that writing bad posts that rely heavily on lists could be my "thing", my "voice" for this blog. Why yes, I like to skim from the bottom of the pond of mediocre work ethic.

And so, without further ado, here is my newest list of things I've been thinking about while not halfheartedly searching  for employment in a tiny and stagnant job market.

-"Is the kettle whistling? I swear I hear it's whistling." And so, with near lack of regular human interaction, I believe my brain is starting to lose it. This morning, as I boiled water in the kettle for a cup of coffee I always wonder why I need to drink, I could have sworn I heard it whistling--despite the fact that I had just put a kettle of cold water on the stove not two minutes before. I checked on it twice more before I decided that it really wasn't whistling and I should just go and look at things on the Internet.

-Speaking of things on the Internet, I spend a fair amount of time (while not searching for employment or watching mind rotting television) perusing gossip and celebrity fashion blogs and I find myself wondering how long it would take and how famous I would have to get to step out looking like Lea Michele at some Elle party. I'm not a fashion-y person, but I'd like to think that I put myself together enough to be presentable and I'd like to think that Lea Michele is, perhaps, the same way. But how does someone get talked into wearing something so sheer, so much like underwear, out in public? Would fame affect the way someone approaches fashion? Sometimes I like to buy things just because they're weird enough that I find myself liking it. But could I, someone who is mostly rational most of the time, be convinced to wear a sheer, belted caftan over a bra and panty ensemble?

-I am seriously considering launching into my Plan B Employment Plan if someone doesn't doesn't offer me a job soon. Plan B being that I open an Etsy store that sells awesome posters that I've screen printed by hand. (Oh, I haven't told you? I have it in my head that screen printing shall be my new hobby. Suck it, sewing and knitting.) But the most important thing to consider before starting out on this new venture is WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO CALL MY COMPANY? Nevermind that I should first look into some sort of start up capital to sustain myself through the initial building phase. Or how much I could conceivably do by myself that would make it a viable effort. No, I need a snazzy name for my newest pipe dream. And so, if my friends have any suggestions, I would be happy to take them (you will not be compensated, however).

Exploration! Destination: Edison, WA

Probably about a month ago, I managed to convince Jack to drive out to Edison, WA for a day of exploration. Edison is a tiny little hamlet to the east of Anacortes and just south of Bellingham. Well, it would be directly east of Anacortes if not for Padilla Bay and that whole body of water.

Anyways, Edison is what I imagine a town (if you can call it that, the 2010 Census registered 133 residents) would look like if all the Capitol Hill hipsters decided to move out to the country. The town has 2 art galleries and a small handful of artsy boutiques cum antique shops. That's 2 more art galleries and a small handful of artsy boutiques cum antique shops than I'd expect in that area.

Fun fact! Edward R. Murrow graduated from Edison High School

Jack and I had lunch at Edison Inn, which reminded me of a much larger and slightly less greasy version of Kate's Pub. Apparently, you can't go wrong with food in Edison--all the restaurants and bakeries (Yes! There are even multiple restaurants and bakeries in this town of 133) came with rave reviews online, and even a mention in a recent Bon Appetit issue.

It was an entertaining afternoon, poking around all the closed shops (we went on a Thursday, I believe, and most of the stores/shops are, understandably, open only on the weekends) and pretending to be really interested in that $1,000 oil painting of Puget Sound. Also important to note before you go: Breadfarm, which apparently makes super delicious pies, cookies, and bread, are cash only. I did not know this and so when I went in looking for coffee and a cookie, I had to turn around because I did not have cash. This was most painful and heartbreaking.

My summer break - A quick overview

So I've been on a roughly self-imposed "summer break" for nearly two weeks now, I figured now is as good a time as any to give it a quick overview to see how I am doing. Perhaps it will give me some perspective and also to figure out how the hell I managed to whittle away all those hours during high school summer break.

Days slept in: 6 (Initially, I had trouble adjusting to the fact that I didn't have to wake up to work)

Hours slept: Way too many to count. It's like summer hibernation.

Average time that I wake up every morning: 10:00am

Cups of coffee drank (despite not having to wake up for work): 10

Cups of coffee finished: 1 ( I tend to leave the last inch in my mug because of the dregs and I realized that I didn't need coffee because I had no real reason to be alert)

Deer sightings at the house since we've moved in: 1 (And it wasn't even in our backyard. Come on!)

Days that I've left the house since moving to Anacortes: 2 (And it was to get groceries and to go to Target)

Total number of pull-ups I've managed to do (not consecutively) on Jack's pull up bar since moving into the house: 4

Cravings that I've had so far: A Dick's Deluxe, sushi, french fries from the Fish Fry, Shultzy's Junkyard Dog, and Kate's (I know it's technically not a craving, but I want a nearby bar)

Amount of running I've done: 0

Number BBQ grills successfully put together: 1

How far I've gotten in Dance of Dragons: about a 1/3 way through--and it's driving Jack crazy.

(f)unemployment starts today!

Things I can do on the weekdays now that I don't have a job:

-Pack...eh, maybe.
-Go to Cafe Besalu for some croissants.
-Go running
-Clean the apartment
-Spend my WHOLE day on Facebook and just add a ton of people
-Make it to 3 o'clock happy hours!
-Sleep in
-Finish my quilt
-Develop the film from my Holga
-Finish my crochet project
-Find a shadowbox so I can display all the cool wine corks I've collected
-Shop at Nordstrom in the middle of the day and not worry about making it back to work by 1:00pm.
-Stay up late to watch Whose Line Is It Anyway?