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Since I’m already half-way through the week I thought I’d stick with the Party Monster theme.

So as I said, I’ve applied for a new position at work. I had my interview yesterday. I feel it went well, but from what I understand of the interviewer, that means absolutely nothing. She has no problem making you feel all warm and fuzzy, while knowing full well that she has no intentions of hiring you. She’s done this to at least two other people I work with so far. (Yes, there’s been quite a bit of turnover in her department lately – none of it her fault – it’s a long story). One might think that knowing some of what I know of her, I might not want to work with her. My current situation is worse – there’s no need to go there. I honestly think the current issues in her department stem from the dramatic change in management styles as a result of the last few months of tumultuous turnovers. The previous supervisor was every employees dream. She didn’t take anyone’s shit, but at the same time she was someone you could easily talk to and she would have your back, or let you know why otherwise. Anyway, the new manager is far more structured, and the whole department is having trouble adjusting.

Today I’ve been in several meetings with my current boss who made it very clear to me today, that while she won’t do anything to prevent me from taking advantage of an opportunity, she’s not fond of the idea of me leaving. I can understand that. But there’s not a whole lot she can really do to keep me. She can offer me new and exciting projects. But she can’t promote me (nowhere to promote me to), and with the current budget/raise/hiring freeze, she can’t offer me a raise either. This new position would consist of both a raise and a promotion. However, I must admit the new project that was proposed today, could be exciting and interesting – something new to keep me busy. We had lunch today with one of the consultants while discussing how best to sell the idea to the upper echelon, and the consultant and I got hung up on one phrase. We were trying to emphasize the importance of knowledge retention and training in relation to the issues of an aging workforce. There’s a very specific phrase that describes it perfectly. I just could not bring it to mind. Neither could the consultant. We spent half of lunch coming back to this one phrase. Two words. Finally we both got out our blackberries to try and find out what it was. I finally found it on a blog about planning for an aging workforce.

Succession Planning. It’s a great phrase, and big wigs love it. They know it’s an issue because the bigwigs are the aging workforce and they’ve got to find someone to take their place if they want to retire soon.

Today made me miss being a consultant. I loved the constant change. I’m not the type that likes to do the same job day in and day out. I actually like sleeping in hotels, and I love sharing my specific knowledge on a topic, now that I have the experience and knowledge to share. When I was a consultant I was an entry level peon who just put all the knowledge together. Now I actually have something to contribute. Today has been a good day. I’ve been complimented on my current work, been told by my boss she doesn’t want to lose me, and contributed greatly to the brainstorming of a new big project.

Today it’s been good to be me – and that’s better than a ten-inch dick and you know it!

Another quote from Party Monster today. I may have to watch the movie again soon. Getting involved in the Burlesque community has really allowed the closeted exhibitionist in me to peak out just a bit. I love the glamour of the girls who actually perform, and I like getting a little taste of it myself. I’m quite certain my obsession with Drag Queens/Boys in Dresses/Cross-dressers is directly related to my enjoyment of all things glamorous (except that song by Fergie). But I like being able to turn it on and off. I couldn’t handle being glamorous all the time – it’s exhausting. I like to just be able to go out in jeans and a tshirt now and then. I love that I can just wear jeans and a t-shirt to work now and then. Sometimes I wish I could glam up at work…I guess maybe I could for Halloween. I wonder if I could go as rosie the riveter with fake eyelashes? Too much? Possibly, but not a bad idea.

I have a job interview today, for a position in a different department here at work. Same location, different building, different kind of work. I want the job. I don’t think I’m going to get the job. Maybe someday when I’m in charge of hiring I’ll gain an understanding of why folks will hire someone who they know nothing about other that what it says on their resume. I will come in to this interview with experience on every application used, experience working well with everyone in the department, and experience doing most of what is required of the job, while an employee here. I just won’t have had that specific job title anywhere else I’ve been. They’ll probably hire someone who has held the title, who has never used any of the applications we use here, and who has never actually worked with anyone here, or in the industry. And that person will leave as soon as something else comes up. I’m applying so that I can extend my career here. It’s very frustrating because I’ve seen them do it before. They talk about how often people move around with in a company, but I’ve seen very few examples of it actually happening.

I would love working in the new department, I get along well with everyone, and it would be nice to work under a different management style. And it’s a position that has the potential for growth. There’s no growth for me here. I’ve been here just over 2 years, I’m not stagnating yet, but I don’t want get to that point either. I hate getting my hopes up. I’m going to sit here and sulk, now, and remind myself why I won’t be getting the job, before I go home for lunch and get dressed for the interview.

Ok - so that last post was pretty pathetic. Here’s some rambling with a little more substance, though I make no promises as to the substance of its content.

I blame facebook and twitter on my short posts. I tend to think in short phrases or paragraphs anymore.

Today is a sunny Friday and half the facebook posts seem to revolve around porches and alcohol. I’m jealous. I have to be here until 5. There’s a fly in the window here buzzing and is very annoying.

Ok – back to the post.

On slow days like this I tend to spend a lot of my time on the internet. In fact most of my time on the internet is spent between 8 and 5. There’s an inherent problem with this. At work my internet usage is not only monitored for content, but also for amount of time spent on the internet. One time I got hit for 6 hours. Over the course of the 45 hours a week I am at work, I was on the web for a total of 6 hours. That’s barely more than lunch breaks. Anyway. So – I had to find a way around the system. Can’t let the man get me down. So I surf the interwebs on my phone now. Being that I have a lot of slow days, and I tend to spend a big chunk of my lunches online, I usually hit the end of the internet at least once a week. If I’m lucky. More than likely it’s a couple times a week. Fortunately for me, the internet, like the universe, is ever expanding. Unfortunately I evidently live on the fringes so I’m constantly bumping into the outside edges. That’s really not as interesting as it sounds. I don’t really spend that much time on “fringe” internet sites.

I only have a few sites I can get to easily from my phone. Myspace is not one of those. For a site that’s supposed to be so plugged into the youthful generation it’s got a crap mobile interface, and their mobile app is even worse. So for shits and giggles here’s a list of sites I check at least a few times a week:

• Facebook.com
• Kuvaton.com
• Failblog.com
• Failbooking.com
• Cracked.com
• Postsecret.blogspot.com (only updated once a week – so only visited on Sundays)
• Slate.com
• ECFans.com/forums
• Weather.com
• Irvingsoftball.com

This past weekend I helped with a Circus Themed show at Gators Mardi Gras. The show is put together by the Lollie Bombs choreographer. As of now, there will be a show the 4^th Saturday of every month. So in addition to the lollie bombs bi-monthly weekend shows, I have the Electric Vaudevillians every month. I was also approached during this weekend’s show by another burlesque producer, and asked about working a monthly show beginning in June, that would be the first Friday of every month. It feels good to be wanted and appreciated, even if it’s just for my dependability. But it’s also a bit overwhelming. I have not accepted or declined the offer. It’s not a high paying gig, but it’s usually fun. But I’m not sure if it will continue to be fun if I’m doing 2 – 3 shows a month plus dress rehearsals. Based on what I normally get paid, and a 6 hour commitment per show (rehearsal + set up + show + breakdown/cleanup). I’m making about $4/hour. I made more than that working retail in high school in the early ’90s. Of course, I guess I should probably calculate in the comp tickets I normally get for each show. That puts me up to $7.50 an hour. I think that’s about minimum wage. So maybe I shouldn’t complain so much. This is the first time I’ve ever really thought about it in the terms of pay. It’s probably because I’m trying to imagine spending 6 – 12 days a month doing this. Mind you, it’s only like 3 hours a day. But considering that all the shows and rehearsals are in Dallas proper – the 30 – 45 minute commute each way really gets old. I’m sure Phlome can concur since he tends to end up doing a lot of the driving himself.

So here’s the real problem: I have two show producers who want me regularly, we’ll call them ShowGirl and ShowMan (SG & SM for short). SM is the choreographer for the Lollies & the EV shows – he’s the reason I have all these opportunities to begin with. However, I really like SG and I really like working her shows. They’re more elaborate, bring in a lot of big names, and provide me with an opportunity to meet more entertainers, and really get my name out there. When I’m working her shows I feel like I’m really working with celebrities (even if they’re not really known outside the community). So I guess I could say I like the prestige of working with her. But I LOVE working with SM and the Lollies. With them, I know the shows better and I’m more comfortable. I also get the spotlight a bit more, and have more responsibility – so I’m not just the girl in a skirt clearing the stage. Then there’s one more up and coming producer who I’ve done one show for, and who has asked me to help with another show in May. Depending on who else she has working with her behind the stage, I may just flat out refuse to work with her again. I didn’t really enjoy working with her stage manager/existing wrangler to begin with. She’s really nice – and I’d love to support her, but I like the people I work with on the other shows more.

As I’m typing this I’m thinking I may just stick to SG & SM, and if I get any other offers, I’ll probably turn them down, based on my already over-booked schedule – unless they’re especially exciting, anyway.

I try not to talk too much about work for fear of the dreaded “dooce” but I can be vague enough here and still get my story across.  Some genralities you may need to know about where I work.  The physical layout is large - probably 12 - 16 square miles.  There’s a lot of construction.  Safety and security are big issues here.  Almost all of our construction is contracted out.  It’s in Texas…stereotypes prevail.

Last week we were undergoing a secruity review.  So we had representatives of Homeland Security onsite.  Sometime Thursday afternoon a co-worker was talking with one of our employees who works with the construction crew.  All of a sudden they looked around and no one was around.  All the construction contractors had vanished like so much ice on a Texas summer sidewalk.  Then a little murmur came across the nextel phone…”INS is here!”

The construction crews scrambled.  I later heard stories of people hiding in ditches and leaping over under and through our fences.  I heard of one guy who gashed his arm pretty well trying to get over a fence. 

Evidently one of the Homeland Security reps works for the US Border Patrol.  When he came through security he was announced as “Joe from Border Patrol” and a few of the construction crew personel heard it, spread the word, and they all went flying.  He was also in full Border Patrol uniform…didn’t help the matter.

Take it as you will…but sometimes seeing stereotypes in actions is just amusing.

Phlome reminded me today that I haven’t yet logged this week. This is my first official blog post from my blackberry.

I got my weekly allergy shots last night. New nurse the old nurse is moving on to bigger and better things.
Everything was fine until about an hour after my shots. I got home and my nose was all runny like I’d just eaten one of
Phlome’s armadillo eggs. Then I started coughing…both kept getting worse until I decided to look up possible symptoms of
Systemic Allergic Reactions. Yup coughing and shortness of breath are both symptoms
So I called the doc. She asked if I could come back into the office, but when she learned how far away I was, she recommended
I take a Benadryl and call back in 15mins. The benadryl helped. It also made me sleepy. I fell asleep about 8 las night.

So yeah last night was fun. And my allergist now thinks I may have mild asthma.

I’m not generally too much of a grammar nazi, but sometimes stuff just jumps out at you. (Though you are best warned not to bring up peanuts around me or to accidentally refer to a chimpanzee as a monkey).

I was reading this article on slate. On the second page towards the top is a sentence that I couldn’t read past:

“There is something inherently radical about hip-hop, period,a genre in which the historically voiceless command the microphone and, from the repurposed DJ equipment of hip-hop’s South Bronx infancy to the artist-owned labels of today, the means of production.”

My own emphasis added there. See there, the author uses the word period as if to emphasize the inherent radicalness of hip-hop. Ok, if you’re going to type the word period in your sentence for emphasis - USE A FRIGGIN PERIOD!!!!

I’ve got the Spore Creature Creator!  Here’s my Spartan Chicken.

I also made a red dragon.  I made a purple fairy dragon, but I didn’t save it, which of course I’m regretting now.

I’m quite proud of my Spartan Chicken!

I must be watching too much TV.

Two commercials that disturbed me today:

Talk to your kids about sex:  message: Tell your kids not to have sex - abstinence is the answer.

Make a plan: message: Make a plan with your kids about what to do if there is a terrorist attack.

Phlome had the audacity to leave me alone in the house with a wasp.  So most of the time the wasp was somewhere else, every now and then it would come from there to attack me.  Both dogs tried to defend me.  But once Luna realized it was a wasp and not just an annoying flying insect, she abandoned me.  (not that I blame her, she got stung 3 times by 1 wasp once.  I don’t think Barley has had such an incident.  So when he approached the wasp as it was sitting on the coffee table, I called him off.  Then the wasp crawled into my mostly empty single serving microwave popcorn bag. 

So I took a pink plastic crate and smushed down the open end of the popcorn bag, then took a pair of large BBQ tongs and rolled up the end of the bag, so I could hold it shut with the tongs.  I immediatly, ran outside and flung the popcorn bag.  I’m pretty sure the dogs thought I was nuts.  So Barley went out to sniff at what I had thrown out into “his” backyard, and was rather startled when the yummy smelling seemingly innocuous bag buzzed back at him,  So I went back outside, shook the bag open a bit and ran back inside.  A few seconds later I saw a wasp fly off.  In order to avoid a torn up popcorn bag strewn across our backyard, I retrieved the bag (after emptying it for the dogs to enjoy) and threw the bag in the trash.

 Yay me!  Me: 1; Wasp: 0  (though I guess since the wasp got to live, maybe we can call it a draw?)