Reading Tutor in Washington

I just got offered a job in Washington as a reading tutor with Americorps. I interviewed on Friday while I waited for the results of a second interview with Alaska, and was called less than two hours later with a job offer.

Wow.

My mom did a happy dance when she heard, and promptly called up my whole extended family. She broke out the wine, and made me vegan muffins. Her joy was unabashed and complete.

I, on the other hand, was in shock. This is a great offer, and the program and school directors sound terrific. It was just such a huge surprise to get an answer that fast.

I know I would absolutely love my position in Washington. I would be tutoring elementary school children in reading in a beautiful location. There is a huge public library, and the city isn't too big or too small. It sounds like a perfect job.

I'm just feeling a little stressed right now. China sent over a contract and seven other forms for me to peruse, and decide whether I would like to sign with them. I've been holding off on an answer until I know all my options.

I'm waiting to discover the results of my second interview with a domestic violence shelter in Alaska. Though the work would be incredibly difficult, it would also be rewarding. I'm really anxious to find out whether I have the position or not.

I just don't know what to do. Adding to the stress is the knowledge that any way I go, I'll be there by the end of the month. Do I stock up on sweaters, umbrellas, or Chinese language tapes? Do I look into train, bus, or plane travel? Where do I research? How can I find housing if I don't have a location nailed down yet?

These next few weeks will be interesting!

How to Earn the Eternal Respect and Appreciation of Your Cashier

I just got off of six nine-hour days at Walmart, and am I ever happy to be done. All of that standing is just torture after a while, even with gel insoles and soft mats behind the register. Since I scan between four and five hundred items an hour, I have to do a lot of bending and lifting. Making things even harder is my height, which makes bagging items in very low baggage carousel difficult.

Just a few hints if you shop at Walmart, to earn the everlasting respect and admiration of your cashier:

1. Don't take your heavy items out of your cart. We know you're just trying to be helpful (and guys, possibly impress us), but we can scan the items in your cart. Lifting one bag of forty pound dog food may not be that big of a deal for you, but try lifting that same bag day after day, hour after hour. It's just not necessary.
2. Ditto for the 24 packs of water and pop. These really wear on you after a while. My muscles are sore enough after the end of the shift. No need to make them any sorer.
3. Don't fill out your checks. The machine can fill them out for you, and 95% of the time, you get them back anyway.
4. We will make exceptions if the line is short, or the individual is sweet. Just don't do it on the Fourth of July, or when there are three impatient customers behind you.
5. We remember the good customers! The sweet ones, who always ask about our day and kindly put up with any crazy bureaucracy mandates will eagerly receive our absolute best service. We'll bug customer service to get your favorite items in stock, and happily help you load your cart.
6. Never, ever yell at a cashier. We're working really long days with aching backs and the pressure to pay all of our bills. We are trying to do everything we can to make your experience a good one, but there are some factors that we just can't control (such as if your card is denied, or you forgot your ID for cigarettes and alcohol.) Yelling doesn't help, and it might just make your next trip through line a little less enjoyable. We remember the good customers, and the bad ones. Please be a good one!
7. Don't give the cashier your phone number! It makes it incredibly awkward to be pursued while at work, and how can you refuse the number of a paying customer and not make them unhappy?
8. Similarly, do not leer at your cashier or refuse to leave the area once you've checked out. It's slightly stalkerish, and we don't want to have to get security to escort you out. Cashiers don't just have the option to walk away. We have other customers in line, and a till to man. Show some respect.
9. Never make suggestive comments to a cashier. They are inappropriate. See tip eight.
10. Please understand that as annoying as it is, we have to get certain information to process your checks. We may be prompted to enter your ID number off of your license, and your phone number. Don't just make a phone number up (this has happened). We need this information to process your checks, and if we don't get the right information, the cashier is in trouble, and can lose her job. You may be in trouble too. Just politely offer the information. We are sorry about the hassle, but it is just something we can't control.
11. We do price match with area grocery stores. If it's in the store circular, just tell us and we'll match the price. We want to make your life easier, and reducing the number of stores you have to shop at can do that.
12. Most of all, enjoy your shopping experience! If you can't find a product, tell the cashier! We'll forward the request. We want you to walk away satisfied. Tell us what we can do to make that happen.

Amy's Rag Bag (Cloth Pads)

I just organized a barter with Amy's Rag Bag. I sent in my old, worn-out pajama pants, and received four pieces of a pad for each pair. I was able to specify the style of the pad, and the colors and themes. I'm now the proud owner of two Halloween pads, and several dark blue and green pads. These pads are just gorgeous.

These are possibly the most reasonably priced pads that I've seen on offer. Since she is willing to trade and barter (books, cookies, cloth, and more), they are affordable to just about anyone. There are tons of different colored fabrics available, and pads can be made out of organic cotton, flannel, terrycloth, or cotton. They can have a non-leak core piece, too.

You buy the pads piece by piece, to best fit your cycle. On light days, you may only need the topper, without a core. Heavier days, you may use an extra long protective piece, an absorbant middle layer, and a topper.

Amy is willing to make recommendations based on a short questionaire you can fill out, to find your best pad combinations. Everyone's period is a little different, so the products you use should be specialized to your specific needs. Her responses are very thorough, and prompt.

I wear my pads as a backup layer for my Diva Cup, and they work wonderfully. They are so beautiful and soft, and so unlike all of the commercial pads which can chafe and irritate. Best of all, they are washable, and don't contribute to landfill waste.

Reading Challenges

Today was the library's book sale, and I picked up a ton of books for Paperback Swap.

I'm currently listening to Frankenstein as a book on tape for the Classics Reading Challenge. It is perfect for my commute to work (about half an hour each way). It's a very gripping book.

I just finished Artemis Fowl: the Time Paradox for the Juvenile Literature Reading Challenge. I have now completed all of the Artemis Fowl books. I also read Diary of a Wimpy Kid. This is a very popular book up here with the elementary school aged kids. It's not a half bad book.

I read Ray Bradbury's Somewhere a Band is Playing for last month's Classics book. This was a strange, strange book---a little like Hotel California in it's theme (you can enter, but you can never leave). I have to admit, I liked Farenheit 941 a whole lot more.

I did Marley and Me as a fun read. The ending is so sad! The rest of the novel just had me laughing and laughing. I'm glad my lab isn't that crazy. Hyper and attention hungry, yes; crazily destructive, no.

What are you reading now?

Alaska Interview

I just finished my follow-up interview with a domestic violence shelter in Juneau, Alaska. It only lasted about fifteen minutes. I can't decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

They should let me know by the end of the week whether I have the position or not. They have one other applicant to interview. Since China is waiting for an answer, I hope to learn more soon.

I would be working with children, which should be fun. I'm sure it will be stressful, especially given the children's history of abuse. However, I enjoy challenging work, and I love knowing that I'm making a difference. That's one of the reasons I'm debating about China. Teaching really rich people just isn't very rewarding, particularly in a high poverty area.

This should be an interesting week, career-wise.

China Awaits!

I just got an e-mail from English First in China that my application has been processed, and I am to contact the local staff at the academy to arrange for my visa and flight. Wow. I didn't expect that it would go through so fast. The question is, should I go?


I've been applying to tons of Americorps programs in the States, and two look like sure shots. One is in Juneau, Alaska, wish would be awesome. Should I stay here and pay down my student loans, or go to China?


I really want to travel. I enjoy the thrill of terror of being in an absolutely foreign environment, and I love getting a first hand view of how different societies operate. I deeply enjoy learning the other side of the story about US interactions and local sentiment about Americans. It's really intriguing to me.


At the same time, this is just all happening so fast. I just want to slow it down a little, until I can look at all my options.


Besides, if I go to China, I want to make a difference, not just teach the outrageously rich. There are other opportunities through my old college that I can join next year. I can help teach in a university. However, this opportunity is now, and working with kids.

I just can't decide.

Theft?

I don't know what to think. A fellow cashier came through my line the other day, and bought a hitch with a ball bearing. I accidently only rang up the hitch, since the other part was attached and I thought they came as a set. She tells me nearly a week later that I forgot to ring up the other part, which cost nearly $40.

She also "warned" me that if either of us speaks up, it is regarded as theft, and we are subject to disciplinary action, possible firing, and legal measures. She said that theft is a misdemeanor that can mean up to ninety days in jail and $3,000 in fines, plus a mark on our permanent records.) I, however, think this is an elaborate ruse to get out of paying the extra $40, and a way to make sure I stay quiet. She is pretty strapped for money.

Also, she stands to lose her job for using her discount card on this item. She told me later (while warning me about legal repercussions) that she actually bought this for a friend. Her tone and secrecy makes me think that her friend reimbursed her. This is just one of the ways you can get fired at Walmart.

Given that it was an honest mistake on my part, and perhaps a not so honest mistake on hers, do you think I should speak up? I doubt that nearly anything she said is true, and don't want to rob my employers of the $40. However, if she is subject to disciplinary action for this, but keeps her job, that would make work miserable for me. Oh, the lovely conundrums.

Frustrating Customers and Fake Phone Numbers

Today I had my first truly terrible customers. I was in the tobacco bullpen (the only register where you can buy tobacco in the store), and a woman comes up with milk she would like to ad match. When she finds out it's the wrong brand, she gets really angry. Though a little unusual, it was no big deal. However, she decides to pay for her second set of items with a check. Our system randomly prompts for more information to protect against fraud, and she absolutely refused to give it to me. She claimed that she didn't have her driver's license on her, and that she didn't know the number. I called a manager over to see if we could bypass the system, and only then does she produce her license. Then the computer prompts for a telephone number. She says she doesn't own a telephone. I call the manager over again. She gives him two fake numbers (saying: "They're telephone numbers, I just don't know for who"), and then finally gives us a (semi-)legitimate number.

To top matters off, the customer deliberately signs with an X instead of her name. She tells her husband to take the cart and leave when I surreptiously call the manager over a third time. The husband refuses his wife's order, and walks out. Since we return our customers' checks, our primary guarantee for payment is their electronic signature, so it needs to be right. Finally, after five more minutes have passed, she is clear to go.

All this over a $34 bill.

Amtrak

I took an Amtrak train to Washington to see my sister. After a very long day of work, I hopped into my beat up truck to drive three hours to the nearest station. Then it was only a day and a night more on the train to arrive, at long last, only an hour and a half from her house.


Despite the long trip, it was all worth it. The train passed by Glacier National Park, which was incredible! I saw several cute, small towns where I'd love to live, and met a woman who taught English in Slovakia for three years after she turned 62. It was an awesome trip.

The only downside was being seated next to a creepy old man. I tried to change my seat early on in the trip, but I could only offer a gut feeling for proof, so my case wasn't exactly strong. Given that a huge group of people was about to board, I had to retake my seat.

Luckily, a look of death kept him in line the first night (and a very watchful eye---I maybe slept three hours total, and usually when others around me were awake). I spent as much time as I could away from that car, usually reading in the lounge car while watching the great scenery. They had live music and a National Park volunteer to tell us about the sights.

The second night, my seatmate moved across the aisle. All was well and good until he started touching himself. I quickly moved all of my stuff as far away in the car as I could, and pushed the call button. When no one came, I went into the dining room to find an Amtrak employee. They got the conductor, and I explained the situation and asked for a seat in a different car. He moved me (unfortunately we had to pass the guy again to get to the other car), but all was good, as the conductor got a full view of his behavior as we passed.

Despite this one unfortunate incident, the trip was great. The conductor responded quickly to my concerns, and willingly moved me. The food was excellent, the other passengers very interesting and nice, and the scenery spectacular. I would take Amtrak again in the future, but I would speak up immediately about unsuitable seating arrangements, whether I had concrete evidence or not. I enjoyed my trip.

Do you have any good, bad, or just plain strange travel stories?

Teaching English in South Korea

I have a telephone interview to teach English in South Korea this week. This is moving fast. I'm a little nervous, to be totally truthful. It doesn't help that the mere mention of South Korea throws several of my relatives into a tailspin. I've had several ultimatums issued over the last few weeks, warning me not to go under any circumstances. Even my therapist thinks I'm crazy.

I don't know why I'm drawn to troubled places. Rather than seeking a nice, calm internship in the local public school, I tutored children on a Native American reservation, where a fourth grader stabbed a security guard and we had numerous lockdowns. I guess I just figure that wherever I go, trouble seems to follow, so I might as well go somewhere challenging, somewhere I can actually make a difference. I can't even ride the Amtrak without being sexually harassed by my seatmate; it seems inevitable that my life won't be calm and serene. Why not just embrace that fact?

Fourth of July

Today was a very slow day at Walmart. However, I still managed to get hit on by a twenty-four year old guy from Guatemala, who persistently requested by number, and finally was content with just giving me his. However, he did say that he would be sure to see my at Walmart if I didn't call him. I don't know how to take that comment.

I also had to turn down an attempted third party sale of fireworks (a twenty-one year old tried to buy fireworks for her seventeen year old friend when she was denied). They took it well, which is always a relief.

One man attempted to buy a few bags of items with a check, when he had five bounced checks totaling $631. It was his only form of payment, so I had to have a manager abort the sale.

By and large, the customers at Walmart are very sweet and understanding. They don't usually get angry when a sale is denied, or the cash register acts up. When they find out it is only my fourth day on the register, they are even more gracious.

Walmart on the Third of July

Today was my second day as a cashier at Walmart, and we had all of the crazy pre-Fourth of July crowds. I began the day with a huge papercut on my thumb from a cardboard box. Since I didn't have any paper towels or bandaids, I just wrapped my hand in a plastic bag and kept ringing up items. My customer wasn't as blase about it, though. She found the first Walmart associate walking by and demanded that she fix my finger.

I then had a denied check (due to insufficient funds), which is always fun to explain to the customer. Luckily, we can suspend a sale and leave the items in Customer Service until the customer can return with a different form of payment.

I also got to learn how to process WIC vouchers and Electronic Benefits Transfer cards. The WIC program is very strict! You make the tiniest mistake on the form (forgetting the date, or your initials) and they won't pay.

There was one attempt at shoplifting (a guy tried to walk out with a cap on his head that he didn't pay for), and a fifty year old man declared his undying love for me. Since I had never met the guy before, this was a little interesting.

A very vocal nondenominational Christian began a vivid religious conversation at the twenty items or less checkout. He began by asking me if I could answer a question of his. Thinking he was just going to ask where the charcoal bruquettes are, I told him to ask away. However, the next words out of his mouth were: "If Jesus were to come back today, would you be ready? Are your sins forgiven? Are you living a new life through the Holy Spirit? Have you experienced a baptism by total immersion?" I told him that I was a Christian, but he was undeterred. Since associates aren't supposed to bring up religion with their customers, I was flummoxed.

Do you have any good work stories?

Amtrak

I just bought my Amtrak ticket to Washington. It ended up being just over $200. This is a little more than I would have liked, but I really need to see my family. A plane ticket would have cost nearly twice that, and a bus ticket was only $40 less.

Given that I will leave in the middle of the night, I feel more comfortable going by Amtrak than by bus. The bus station in my departure city is in a pretty bad part of town. I once got followed there by three twenty year olds in a car while I was walking from a Vietnamese market to the bank. I got into my car just seconds before they were at my door. I definitely do not want to repeat that experience.

I can't leave my car there, so I'm going to have my uncle drop me off. I don't want my grandma driving me over there that late at night. I'll be carrying mace, just to be doubly safe.

I've never ridden on Amtrak before. This should be fun!

Teaching Opportunities in China and Mongolia

I just got a reply from an English as a Second Language employment agency. They found a few opening in China and inner Mongolia that I can interview for. I have to say, I am a little nervous.

I haven't really participated in a formal interview before. My job interview at the academy in Guatemala was very easy. I just had a short meeting with the manager, and discussed my prior ESL experience. I then got to participate in a staff meeting, and I began formal training the next day. Since the academy had a very specific method of instruction, I didn't need any experience putting lessons together. Some academies have you demonstrate a sample lesson. Here, obedience to the system was better.

I'm not sure what to expect from the interview process with this agency. I already sent in my resume, so they know about my prior experience teaching English.

I'm really excited about possibly teaching in China, but I'm also terrified. I know only ten works in Chinese (hello, how are you, thank you, bathroom, an insult, and goodbye.) I think I have a little studying to do.

Volunteering pays!

I have just picked my first volunteer organization under the Walmart volunteer service benefit! I was perusing the Project Gutenberg's Distributed Proofreaders website, and found out that they are a non-profit organization! This $250 will really make a difference for them, in making sure more ebooks become available for free on the internet.

I'm still trying to figure out whether the library, or any part of it, is considered a non-profit. If so, it's an ideal place to work. It's just five blocks from my house, with really variable hours. This money would allow them to add to their book collection, and replace some of the worn out DVDs and books.

I'm so excited!

Walmart Orientation

I had my first day of orientation today. It lasted eight hours. I now know how to clean up hazardous waste, where each and every fire escape is, and what to do when I see someone shoplifting. I was also advised that "associates must wear underwear, but it may not show." All in all, a very informative day.

So I have two fifteen minute paid breaks, and one hour of unpaid lunch. Not bad at all. I almost got a really cool box cutter, too, but in the end the trainer decided that cashiers didn't need them. Sad!

One of the great things about Walmart is their VAP program. In exchange for 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit, that organization receives a $250 check in my name. You can volunteer with up to two nonprofits per six month term. I wonder if libraries count?

Teaching English in an Inner-city School

I want a job that makes a difference. One of the hardest things I experienced in Guatemala was walking by children begging for food on my way to my academy. Little boys, hardly more than eight years old, daily approached me pleading for some bread or water. To see this, and then enter into the ridiculous affluence of the academy was such a jolt. I saw horrifying levels of poverty each day, and then entered into this little land apart, where everyone had plenty of food, cars, fancy houses, and security. I saw small children with torn, dirty clothes begging for a ten cent piece of bread, and then taught an hour long class to an affluent businessman who could pay the school $20 an hour (the equivalent of $100 an hour here). I couldn't reconcile it.

I came from an inner-city public school, where I had to scrounge crayons up off the dirty floor and break them in half, so that every kindergartener had something to write with. I saw children with distended stomachs from the parasites in the impure water they were drinking. I held a little boy whose legs were bowed with rickets. To see that, and struggle to teach just a little English through the violence and the hunger, I couldn't feel right just teaching the rich.

Anyone reliable enough to keep to the system and show up to class on time could teach the students at my academy. When you have a comfortable classroom and a set method of instruction, it's not so hard. You earn a comfortable wage. You don't worry about your students stabbing each other or hitting others with chains. You don't get kicked by angry, abused children. It's just a whole lot easier emotionally.

It may be selfish, but I wanted to be somewhere where I was needed. I crave job satisfaction, and fulfillment. The public school was tough, but I was making a difference. It was worth struggling to make rent every month and working crazy hours. I felt fulfilled.

I also discovered that I can put up with a whole lot of craziness as long as I was content with my work. I can cope with students who never seem to do their work when I know that there is a real reason behind this behavior. Many of my students didn't have school supplies at home. Rather than students who just came to English classes as a way to ward off boredom, these students were struggling just to stay in school when economically it made more sense for them to be working.

I couldn't justify staying in Guatemala after I was shot at when all I was doing was teaching the affluent. They had many ways of learning English. Maybe it's a horrible thing to say, but since they didn't need me, it wasn't worth the risk. I may have stayed if I felt my work was making a difference. Whether that is foolhardy or not, I don't pretend to understand.

TMI Warning: The Diva Cup

Every woman has experienced it: the dreaded feeling that your menstrual products has let you down. Maybe you're out on the town, or in a meeting, and suddenly you realize that your pad has leaked. You casually delay standing up for as long as possible, waiting for everyone else to file out of the room before you do. Now is when idle chit-chat becomes very annoying! You desperately search for anything to cover up, and even contemplate using your shirt, even though it means stripping down to your undershirt. That wouldn't be at all obvious though, would it?

I am happy to tell you that yes, there is another option. It is the Diva Cup. This reusable silicone menstrual cup can be left in for up to twelve hours without leaking. It can be worn during yoga, sports, or at night. It can even be worn before your period, for maximum protection. There is nothing worse than not expecting your period for another day, and then getting it during class or an important meeting.

The Diva Cup has a little bit of a learning curve, but after you get the hang of it, it is incredibly easy to use, and very convenient. I loved having it when I went down to Guatemala. I lived with a host family, and at times there were six male boarders in the house. A wasteboard basket at the side of the toilet held all used toilet paper, and if you were unfortunate, poorly disguised used menstrual products. My Diva Cup saved me from this awkward situation, because I could simply empty the contents into the toilet and rinse the cup in the sink. Much less embarrassing!

It was also very handy. I can empty it at night in the shower, and then just once more when I get up in the morning. On heavy days, I might empty it once more during the day, but this is nowhere near the number of times I would have to change a tampon. There were days when I would have to change my tampon every two hours, and wear a pad as well! Not with the Diva Cup!

Some people are put off by the $30 price tag, but this is a one time cost. Before, I could easily go through thirty pads a period, and seven tampons during my heaviest times. At best, I was getting these for $10 a month. In just three months, I had recovered the money spent.

The Diva Cup is also a lot more environmentally friendly than disposable menstrual products. It is produced without the use of pesticides. The environmental costs of producing, shipping, and disposing of disposable menstrual products is astronomical. The average woman will use 15,000 pads or tampons during her lifetime. That's a lot of waste! In comparison, even if you were to replace your Diva Cup every year (instead of every ten) as they have begun recommending after gaining FDA approval for Diva Cup use during the menstrual cycle, the waste is still far less.

The Diva Cup has a lower risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome, as it does not absorb the blood, but merely contains it. It is made of medical grade silicone, and is latex-free. It has FDA and Health Canada approval.

If you are still worried about leaking, the Diva Cup can be paired with washable menstrual pads from etsy, online retailers, or natural food stores. These pads are very soft, and extremely comfortable. I'll be publishing a post later on washable menstrual pads.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the Diva Cup. It has been a lifesaver while I was traveling in Central America---I never had to worry about running out of supplies or where I was going to throw my menstrual products away. I could put it in the day before my period was supposed to start, and not worry about my period's sudden arrival. I really enjoy not having to change tampons constantly during heavy flow days. It has also been a huge money saver. So check it out! You just might like it!

Saving on College Textbooks

Textbooks from the college bookstore can be expensive. Even the used ones can easily cost $50. One great source I found online to comparison shop is ISBNDB. When you enter your textbook's ISBN number into the search engine, this site pulls up the lowest prices from dozens of online bookstores (such as Biblio and Amazon). It also collects the best price from eBay and Half.com.


I recently bought a collection of essays for my college writing class for $2.49 from eBay. It cost $34 used from the bookstore. I asked my professor if an earlier edition of the book would work, and was able to cut costs considerably when she said yes. Earlier textbooks usually aren't fundamentally different from later versions, and it pays to ask your professor if an earlier version will suffice. It can cut the cost down on used books by half or more.

The Humane Society

Today I went to the Humane Society to walk the dogs. They just got in a batch of ten labrador puppies, and they are just precious! They are keeping them in a tall, round roofless pen inside, and there is one chocolate lab puppy that keeps trying to climb out. He's precocious, that one!

There are so many tiny dogs there now. It's too bad that the adoption fee for these tiny (rarer) dogs is so high; they know that they'll go fast, and the adoption fee helps keep the Humane Society running. Usually the adoption fee is well under a hundred dollars, and this includes all of their shots and neutering or spaying. This fee is less than the neutering or spaying would be alone, so it's a really good deal. They also discount the adoption fees on harder to adopt animals (such as black cats that have been there for more than two months), and occasionally on older animals, too.

The Humane Society lets potential owners take the dogs out into the fenced backyard to play, or for a walk before they decide. They have really nice trails, and lots of toys to play with. It's se up really well.

So check out your local humane society the next time you are looking to adopt a dog or cat. They have all ages of animals, and all sizes. They are also often open to volunteers who would be willing to socialize with the animals, and take the dogs for walks or brush the cats.

American Literature Final Exam

Tomorrow I write my final exam! It lasts three hours, which is a little long, but not horrible. There will probably be questions on it about Thoreau and Uncle Tom's Cabin, so it should be a fairly good exam.

I hope to head over to the Humane Society again tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be raining, because some of the dogs are very enthusiastic, and like to jump on new people. I got soaked today!

I'm also dropping off a few unused pantry supplies at the local food shelf. The vanilla pears had to go, as did two bags of pinto beans. We have so many beans in the pantry, and I just cannot stand the smell of boiling pinto beans. I smelled it too often in the school cafeteria growing up in New Mexico.

I also need to find some khaki or brown pants for working at Walmart. I have to admit, khaki is not my favorite color. I think I'll have to find some darker brown cords, instead. I don't want to end up with clothing that I can only wear while working at Walmart. I like multifunctional clothes. At least the dark blue shirts can be reworn elsewhere. They shouldn't be too hard to find, either. I just need to make sure that they are plain and have absolutely no logos.

The Walmart Interview

I interviewed yesterday for a position at Walmart. I needed a summer job with fairly consistent hours, and I didn't want join a smaller company only to hurt their productivity when I left a few months later.

So I went in for an interview yesterday. One hour of question after question about my teamwork and job experience. I was asked to give examples proving that it is important to be polite even to rude customers, and obey policies even when I don't agree with them. This was on top of an insanely detailed online application (seven pages), two references, and a sixty-five question online "values" quiz. Sample questions: "Have you ever stolen work supplies? Do you get alone well with your boss?" Most of it was multiple choice.

I was then offered a job for $8.30 an hour, pending a background check and a drug test. I had twenty-four hours to head over to the hospital and give a urine sample.

When I went into their little bathroom, they turned off all of the water. Though they checked my ID, I'm surprised they never checked my purse. For all they knew, I could be packing a "clean" urine sample. I guess I just look trustworthy.

Do you have any crazy work-related stories? Please tell me I'm not the only one to be urine-tested.

Pantry Foray

Today I did a massive overhaul of our pantry and fridge. It's amazing the crazy things you can find hidden away! Some especially strange finds were a can of crab soup (not mine) and vanilla pears. Who came up with the concept of vanilla flavored pears? So, this was my list of (happily!) completed tasks:

1) Cleaned out the produce drawer in the fridge. I cut up and froze three huge bags of celery from the graduation party.

2) Cut up the remnants of two heads of garlic that were about to turn.

3) Made an extra large batch of black beans and froze half.

Tomorrow, I'll go through the cupboards. I know that I have vegetable boullion around here somewhere....

The Dangers of Summertime Boredom

I am trying to turn myself orange. (How else can I explain the three pound bag of baby carrots I just ate?) Ah, the summer doldrums are upon us.

I think I'm trying to procrastinate on sending all of my Teaching English in Asia applications in. I am way too nervous about this process than I should be.

At least I'm getting some good reading done. I have finished most of my Juvenile Literature Reading Challenge, except for some books (such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid) that are ridiculously hard to find. It's a good sign, really. It means that kids are reading!

What are you doing to keep summer boredom at bay?