solitaire factory

Sometimes it seems I work in a solitaire factory. Everyone is busy - clicking mice - a phone ringing in the distance -productivity appears high, but all we do here is solitaire. Sure, 'real' work is being done at certain times of the day - but not all, or most. Because this is my only means of earning a living at the moment, I have to appear to be working all day (despite being given no tasks to complete) and volunteer to stay at the office longer than I'm expected. I'm not sure why they insist on me being here - they know that no work is being done - and because I'm a temp, I'm costing them an outrageous amount of money. Craigslist has almost nothing but scams this week. Idealist and npo are pretty dry as well.

Christmas at home went surprisingly well, albeit a little short-lived. It's over now and couldn't be farther from my mind


Update: Today is the last day of exams for most law students. Everyone is coming into the office WASTED. This is very different from my Calvin experience.

Further Update: I've discoverd something more annoying than being surrounded by drunk people while you're sitting stone sober: being sourrounded by loud, drunk, affluent law students while you're sitting at work counting down the minutes to five o'clock.

chappy chanukkah

Yup, I'm still bored at work. I have one more week in student affairs and then, as it turns out, I'm back to my starting point. That's right; no job for me in the legal clinic. However, yesterday I applied to two more positions here and I received a letter from wbez chicago letting me know I'm still in the running for a position I applied for almost two months ago.

Last night the wife and I had dinner with matt and mandy followed by a classic west michigan treat: eucre.

Tomorrow night xtina's sister is coming in from portland and we'll all go back home for an early christmas.

Lately christina has been making Hanukkah cakes. Because neither of us have a vast knowledge of this holiday, we've been coming up with creative things to put atop the cakes. Some of our favorites include "chappy chanukkah," "wouldn't jew rather celebrate christmas?" a full headshot of Barbara Streisand and, in borat fashion, decorating the cakes with money or a scene from 'the running of the jew.'

Next time you see christina, tell her "chappy chanukkah."

Care to share any other creative ideas?

thursday

This week is absolutely crawling along. Sometimes I wish I could just work forty hours in one sitting so I could get right to the weekend and not deal with getting up and going to work five times a week. I thought it was thursday yesterday until about noon.

Tomorrow I will most likely going to an art reception in the west loop for the 'marushka preservation project' from GR. I think it will be funny to see the art crowd mingling amongst a bunch of marushkas, a decor I more associate with a nick reynolds apartment than an art exhibition. I figure I like g-radders, marushkas, and art receptions, so I'll probably have a good time.

Following the reception, xtina and I are going to a christmas party hosted by friends in rogers park. It's good to go out on the weekends and see my friends.

Xtina got her job promotion; she'll now be making more money, working better hours, and not dealing with customers. We're pretty excited.

winter is here

Today is the first day of winter in the city. Ice-cold wind and inches of sleet. Just two days ago it was almost sixty-five degrees. I waited in the cold and snow/ice mixture for almost a half hour for the bus. By the time I got on I was wet to the skin, shivering, and contemplating going home.

Xtina and I had people over last night. Being a weeknight, we didn't have as many people as we had wanted, but we had fun nonetheless. Also, being a weeknight I (of course) drank too much which sealed my fate for this morning. Now I'm achey, I have a headache, and I want to go home and watch season four of 'mr. show' fresh in from netflix.

Today is 'first friday' at northwestern meaning the campus is full of students because they serve free food and beer. Free beer - on campus. It's a far cry from my experience at calvin.

I've just been given my first task of the day. I should go