Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts

Monday, May 12, 2008

HumDrum Updates

I've been in Jersey for nearly a week now, so if my creepy neighbors broke into my apartment and did terrible, terrible things to my stuff, I still don't know.

I was planning on heading home today, but my parents are insisting we all sit down and have A Talk about My Future, And When I'm Going To Stop Mooching Money.

The problem is, I don't know. I never get the jobs I apply for because either A) I'm totally unqualified and really have no business being interviewed at all, or B) I'm totally qualified, but someone out there is even more qualified, and probably fellated several people on their way to the office.

And I don't really know what I want to do. I want to write, yes, but I can never think up any good ideas. I want to review movies and books, and be several famous people's personal assistant. I would be a great agent or publicist or editor. The problem? No idea how to get those jobs.

I'm going to have to move, I suspect. I can't afford my apartment, and New York City is slowly beating me to death. I love it, but maybe a location change would do me some good. I don't really know. Job hunting sucks.

It's cold and wet and rainy, and I want to just lie here and read. But I will be a good, productive member of society, and just send out more useless job resumes instead.

At least I get to see my friend Kay on Friday, when she comes in to graduate. It's rough when all your best friends live in different states. I protest this chain of events.
- LV

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

A Non-Specific Rant

Things That Make Me Happy Right Now
* Drinks with my friends tonight.
* Haven't seen a roach in almost a week.
* CLOVERFIELD is coming out on Friday!
* Job interview.
* HOUSE, MD
* Netflix
* I'm working on a novel.

Things That Make Me Unhappy Right Now
* Will probably see a roach in the next five minutes.
* Job interview is for an unpaid position.
* New episodes of HOUSE, MD don't come back on until the end of the month.
* My novel isn't very good.
* The movies I want to see aren't coming out for months on end.
* Still unemployed.
* Personal life both boring AND in shambles, which I didn't know was possible.

I swear, I don't intend for this blog to become an angsty Dashboard-Confessional LiveJournal I'm so emo I sit in the dark and cry exercise in bad writing. It's just been a shitty month.

Whichever horoscope-writer said this would be my best year ever was clearly drunk, or vindictive. They must be found, and forced to listen to me whine.

May your life not be driving you crazy.
- LV

Thursday, December 6, 2007

There Are Dead Mice Outside My Apartment

And I have no idea why. They look like they were mushed. It's kind of gross. Tiny mushy mouse bodies make Elle sad. And a little nauseous.

I don't really have anything to say, I just don't want to leave for work just yet. Yes, I am back at the Evil Corporate Bookstore after having spectacularly quit barely a week ago. I shame myself and others. Last night I watched AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE, and found myself laughing out loud. Never seem to get tired of it.

This week at work all employees get a massive discount, and I am buying accordingly. Which is a bit of a problem, considering my lack of cashflow. Also went to the STRAND today and bought a book, despite the best efforts of my friend Kay to curb my rampant book-buying compulsion. I may buy something today, then nothing else for a while. After all, ORDER OF THE PHOENIX comes out on Tuesday, and I need to buy it (along with the first and fourth movies, but let's not get into that right now).

One last thing: the new Will Christopher Baer book was SUPPOSED to come out last month. It didn't, and it's release date hasn't been updated. I am very, very annoyed by this, and need to find out who to complain to. For those of you ignorant of his genius, go buy the PHINEAS POE collection. So good. Like a love letter dipped in blood and acid, only not as wet or smelly.

OK, now I'm late.

May your Thursday be pleasant, and may the dead mice cease to exist outside my door.
- LV

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Two Words That Bring Hope To Millions. Well, Maybe Just Me

Job Interview! Job Interview!! JOB INTERVIEW! JOB INTERVIEW!!

That is all.
- LV

Monday, October 15, 2007

I'm Falling Behind In The Race Of Life!

What the fuck? I was innocently checking out technorati.com, and my humble blog has fallen! Tremendously! I went from 2,515,283 to fucking 2,910,025! How could I have allowed the quality of my work to fall so far?! Come on, guys, I know people are reading this - the counter at the bottom doesn't lie. It DOESN'T, man! So go to this website: My Technorati Website and favorite me, or add me, or do something to increase my frankly pathetic numbers. Otherwise I'll find disgusting things on th internet and horrify you into a coma.

In other news, I was sick yesterday and vomited. The good news is that I got to miss work, and spent the day lying in the fetal position watching BLACKADDER and THE THIN MAN and reading LIFE WITH JEEVES. Incidentally, the last episode of BLACKADDER was so sad that I nearly cried. I couldn't, of course, because my friend Kay was over doing homework, and she didn't need me weeping in the corner while she tried to write a paper. So I restrained myself.

I'm going to see MADAMA BUTTERFLY with my parents tonight. I'm pretty excited - I've never been to the opera. It will be a nice contrast to the usual cultural dregs I immerse myself in.

I am getting a bit desperate to find a new job. Anything that isn't in retail.

And as for my 'book' (right now it's a collection of rants, much like this), I'm not sure how far from my real life I should go. Should Christopher Eccleston show up suddenly and be my love interest? Should I grow a foot (in height, not an extra appendage)? Should I solve crime? Right now it's pretty much real life. But real life is boring and depressing and kind of sucks. So I'm not sure. The dieting aspect has to be true, otherwise what's the fucking point? But everything else could, theoretically, come straight from the twisted hallways of my mind. Thoughts?

I need to finish getting ready for the opera. I suspect my V FOR VENDETTA T-Shirt would be frowned upon. Philistines.
- LV

Friday, October 12, 2007

I Fold Up Like An Accordian

My tummy hurts.

I need to quit this job. I am going to go kill people. Seriously. Working at a bookstore is like being a leper. People treat you like shit. They consider you uneducated, lazy, and evil. I am only the last two.

I'm writing a book. It's pretty much like this blog, only focused on my attempts to lose weight. Yes, I'm writing about that. I've become one of THOSE girls. But I'd like to think it's funnier than any of the other ones, and I talk about pretty much everything I talk about here. And you guys seem to enjoy it. I'm sure nothing will come of it, but it's a lot better than my fiction, and my poetry always sounds like rejected Cure lyrics, and and nobody is responding to my resume because I haven't done anything with my life because I'm 21 and lazy. So meh.

BLACKADDER is awesome. Rowan Atkinson is funny when he's not Mr. Bean. Then he's just scary.
- LV

Saturday, October 6, 2007

TV Is Funny. Hehe.

My job is sucking the will to live from my nostrils. Which is where we all store our will to live. It's true. I work with books. I know things.

Fuck. I'm too tired to be funny. Or coherent. My foot itches.

I saw a roach last night and DIDN'T scream like a little girl! I'm really maturing as a human being.

I tried to write a story earlier tonight. It ended up sounding like a cross between JEEVES AND WOOSTER, CLERKS, and Raymond Chandler. And not in a good way. Very sad. I fail at life. A mature failure. Like bad old wine.

I think it's time for Elle to go to sleep.
- LV

Friday, October 5, 2007

Jane Austen Is Dead. Fucking Deal With It.

There are entirely too many sequels to PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Like, seriously. Darcy and Elizabeth have children. Darcy and Elizabeth solve murders. Darcy and Elizabeth have marital woes, and Darcy runs off with the werewolf babes from erotic horror.

I came within an inch of setting a whole pile of 'sequels' on fire. I'm not kidding. I stood there for several minutes seriously pondering how much trouble I would get into if I burned the fucking pile. And I'm not endorsing book burning. I just didn't want to have to shelve another fucking book with the word 'Darcy' on the cover.

Who cares? Are these books any good? I just don't see the point. Why a sequel? Why ruin a great ending? Everything ended perfectly. I don't care if they had kids, or didn't, or solved mysteries or fucking slaughtered puppies. That's why books are great; they stop. You don't have to continue on with the mundane, boring details. It ends, and you use your imagination after that. Fucking unbelievable.

In other news, my phone completely died, and I had to get a new one. For reasons I'll never fully understand, the only free phone I could get was a Blackberry Pearl. I'm terrified of it. I have no idea how to work it, it makes terrifying noises, and I keep expecting it to start flashing and take over the world. The robot uprising will occur in my basement apartment. Lock up your microwaves. I miss my old crappy phone. I knew exactly what was broken; this one works, and I don't know why.

I'm watching STARDUST MEMORIES right now, unable to move except for my fingers. I like it, but it's not his best work by any stretch of the imagination. The visuals are lovely, per usual. But I'm still bitter that my life isn't a Woody Allen movie. Could I SUE him for ruining my life by making MANHATTAN? Would that hold up in court? Would burning the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE sequels help? Could I do it anyway? Think these thoughts for me.
- LV

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

When It Comes To Whining, I'm A Viking!

Another long day. People infuriate me.

Top Questions I Get Asked Each Day:
* Where's the bathroom?
* Where's the cafe?
* How do I get the hell out of here?

I had no idea there were so many erotic horror books out there. Apparently a large portion of the population gets really turned on by the concept of ghost sex/ vampire sex/ werewolf sex. There should be erotic zombie fiction. I'm sure there is somewhere. And I hope I never find it.

I've decided that the most annoying thing in the world is when I'm standing behind a counter, wearing a nametag, and some idiot asks me, "Do you work here?" There's not enough sarcasm out there to fully display the contempt I feel for that question. If I wasn't wearing a rather obvious nametag, I could understand that. Incidentally, if you walk around waving said nametag in a bored, distracted manner, people will come ask you for help. It's like fishing.

I'm a ridiculously immature person, because I'm pissed off that I'm going to miss HOUSE next week due to work. Under the right circumstances, I could have a full-blown temper tantrum. Can you watch HOUSE on the computer anywhere? Does FOX have a website for that? Because I have no idea how to tape shows on my VCR. I don't trust it. Incidentally, HOUSE was awesome last night. Although the number-people were on the screen more than anyone. The scene where House limps down the hallway with a small army of over-eager white jacket-clad would-be helpers is hysterical. That was a lot of hyphens.

The last episode of DOCTOR WHO; SERIES 2 [which I rewatched last night, unwisely] makes me cry harder every single time. Remember when DOCTOR WHO was just funny? There was always a sad, tragic element to the story, but seriously; the degree of just emotional devastation these last two seasons have inspired is insane. That being said, it's one of the three best shows in the history of the universe, and I love every second of it. For those of you who've seen that episode (Doomsday) - was I the only one who wanted to hug the Doctor and tell him, "Everything will be all right"? Then I'd tackle him. But first sympathy.

That's all, really. I'm wiped out, but I have to go to the gym. OK, I don't HAVE to - nobody will die, that I'm aware of, and the apocalypse will not come if I simply fall asleep in front of the TV. But if I ACT like the world will end if I don't do the elephant stretch, it certainly adds a new level of motivation.

May your days be good, your nights be relaxing, and your phones actually work.
- LV

PS FUCKING ROACHES. This was a baby roach, and it was still hideous and awful. OK, it was in the hallway leading TO my apartment, but it could have crawled in and it was AWFUL. It ran into a trap, and I had to throw the whole trap out in the garbage then run away. It was exhausting. Emotionally DEVASTATING. I'm OK now. Carry on.

Monday, October 1, 2007

My Feet Hurt Too Much For Me To Be Funny

I'm going to collapse any second, but a word of advice to all men: Do not go into a bookstore at 7:30 PM to buy your girlfriend her birthday present when the party is at 8:00 PM THAT DAY. And don't say, "My girlfriend really likes fantasy. What book would she like?" How the fuck should I know? I spent an ungodly length of time trying to find him a fucking book for this girl (all of which he rejected, because apparently his girlfriend is a delicate flower that can't tolerate a curse word in a book.), and even grabbed another employee. Eventually he bought himself a manga and left. I really wish I could hear his explanation as to why he has no present for his poor girlfriend.

I'm going to cut my feet off. Then they won't hurt.

I read Warren Ellis' comic FELL; VOLUME ONE - FERAL CITY tonight. Excellent. Weird graphics, but I was really into them by the end. Not as good as TRANSMETROPOLITAN, but honestly, what the hell could be?

There are many cute guys working with me. I enjoy the view.
- LV

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Suddenly Unemployment & Dire Poverty Are Looking Fun

I just spent 7 1/2 hours in corporate orientation; I am exhausted, in that way you can only get when you've spent a long time being incredibly bored.

Here's what I learned:
* Shoplifting is bad and wrong. Because the company suffers. And the company is GOD. Prostrate yourself before the company.
* Customer service is imporant. Be the customer's friend. Debase yourself if necessary. Cuddle them. It's all about the sale.
* It's really all about the membership. If you do not convince a person to sign up for a membership, you are a hollow shell of the human condition.
* Smile like you're about to rip out the customer's jugular. It puts them at ease.
* No matter what your personal opinion on a subject, you have to help the customer to the full extent of your abilities. So I have to be polite when some shit-licker asks for an Ann Coulter book. I should probably say 'poop sampler.'

Everyone was really nice, to be honest. But everything was so ridiculous and stupid. I worked for four years in retail; I know how to work a cash register. Especially when the buttons are fucking LABELLED.

Anyway. I got paid for today, so that's OK. And I work tomorrow. My first real shift. Should be... interesting. My boss is hot.

David Cross is really funny. He is the man I should marry, realistically. A dorky, angry, smart dude.

Extras is a brilliantly funny show. But it is sometimes physically uncomfortable to watch. There were times when I had my eyes covered, and was saying, "Please shut up, just shut up, please stop." But every second is worth the pain. The glorious pain. Patrick Stewart was my favorite so far. I just got season two from Netflix.

I'm in a conscious coma. It's awesome.
- LV

Friday, September 28, 2007

My Cell Phone Is A Crappy Piece Of Crap

Today was one of the rare days where I was industrious and fantastic. You should all be very proud.

I caulked my apartment tonight! Or rather, my wonderful friend Kay caulked my apartment, and I smoothed it with the nifty fun smoother thing. We didn't get to finish, unfortunately, because we ran out of caulking stuff. [Note: Kay says 'caulk' like a normal person, stressing the 'elle' sound. I say caulk the way a person from Boston would refer to the male reproductive organ.]

I have the work orientation thing tomorrow. Nine to five. Learning codes and shit so I can work the computers. I'm quite nervous, and don't really want to go. I dealt with this by bouncing off the walls all night like a cat on crack and giggling in a very unnerving way as I looked at pictures of Hugh Laurie, while my long-suffering friends Kay and Esse tried to watch West Wing.

My sleep schedule has been permanently fucked up by sitting up all night convinced the roach army is going to carry me away to their underground lair and crawl on me. I have trouble falling asleep, and even more getting up. I should be asleep right now. Then I might have a chance in HELL of getting up when I'm supposed to tomorrow. And since I can't/don't drink coffee anymore, I'll be dragging my sorry carcass around all day. Then I'll probably see my manager, who I think is totally adorable, and say something/stupid/incoherent/frightening, and not only will I be fired, but a nice, cute guy will think I'm a very weird girl.

Finished season one of Heroes. I want Christopher fucking Eccleston to come back. WHY does he only go on shows for a season, make me fall in love with him, then VANISH?! Plus, he was only in five episodes of Heroes. And now he's doing that fucking kid's movie, The Seeker. He makes me sad sometimes. Anyone know anything about New Orleans, Mon Amour?

Hunter S. Thompson was on the cover of Rolling Stone. My dad sent me a copy, which was tragically the highlight of my day. It's really, really good shit. And there are all these books about him coming out! Which I can't afford right now, so it's actually a depressing statement that in no way deserves an exclamation point.

I downloaded the new Foo Fighters album today. Haven't listened yet. Hopefully it won't suck.

This caulk had better keep the roaches out.
- LV

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Like Sands Through The Hourglass, So Are The Days Of Our Lives. Or Something.

I know, I know. I suck. I haven't posted in a while. Nobody seems particularly devastated, but I still have been remiss in my blogging duties.

But I have news, and thoughts, so you shall not leave empty-handed! Well, OK, you WILL leave this site empty-handed, but think how much richer your intellectual landscape will be. Think about it.

* I have a job. It's minimum wage, and retail, but who cares? I have a job! I am employed - a productive member of society contributing to the glorious wealth and prosperity of our nation. It's a chain bookstore. I will be a cashier/floor person thingy. I am a cog in the machinery of corporate America. But I get a discount on books, and a paycheck. Expect many, many updates involving work. I start next week. This Saturday I have a training program. I wonder if I get paid.

* 3:10 To Yuma: SO. FUCKING. GOOD. Westerns rule. I've been a Western junkie ever since I saw the Lonesome Dove mini-series when I was a little kid. I love Westerns. And Westerns with Christian Bale, Luke Wilson, and Alan Tudyk (who I adore) are the bestest type of all.

* Resident Evil - Extinction: So. Fucking. DUMB. But I liked it. I am very low maintenance when it comes to zombie movies. I just want gore, violence, and... actually, that's all I want. Plus, I would switch teams for Milla Jovovich. She's on the very elite list of Girls I Would Switch Sexual Teams For. But that's a list for another day. And lots of alcohol.

* Heroes: WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME ABOUT THIS SHOW?! All right, a lot of you did. Why didn't you make me watch it sooner? SO MANY WASTED YEARS! Or months. It hasn't been on that long. Everyone on the show is very pretty, including the guys, but I love Hiro. Hiro breaks my heart. I want to snuggle him.

* Ugly Betty: This is just a really good show I re-watched over the past few weeks. I'm Betty. Without braces, and a less frightening fashion sense. But also not as nice. On this show, I love Henry. And Rebecca Romijn fucking RULES as Alexis Meade. She's badass.

* House, M.D.: The universe made sense last night with the season premiere of House. And it turned out to be one of the most fucked-up episodes EVER. Well, the case was. The rest of it was just funny and typical House-y goodness. I miss Chase, though. Not because I thought he was hot - my heart belongs to the crazy old drug-addicted crippled genius of the show. But I adored his interaction with House. I also think Chase was incredibly funny, and they need to exploit that more. Bottom line, though: FUCKED UP CASE. Horrifying. Not even gross - just FUCKED UP. It's going to be a good season.

That's all. I feel tired and not particularly good at the moment. But I promise to write more often. STOP PRESSURING ME.
- LV

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Day 27 Of Unemployment: OK, Now I'm Bored

* Work yesterday was boring. I set up a MySpace for the company, and looked for high schools with theater programs. New York schools suck, generally. I mean, I always knew, but it never really struck me. I never fully comprehended. Blame it on growing up spoiled and sheltered in the suburbs. It made me sad. Oh, and I found the way to work by Googling the company. I'm a genius. Or something.

* I like how 'google' is a verb. And TiVo. New verbs are awesome. Rather than saying, "I looked it up online," I get to shorten the whole sentence to, "I Googled it." Capitalization is optional. Pretty soon the whole of the English language will be reduced to simply yelling, "Google!' in different tones of voice.

* I may have work tomorrow. I don't know. I don't know anything. ElleVee lacks information.

* More former roommate drama. It's stopped being funny, and has now become completely irritating. She demands my presence for the final walk-through of the apartment, even though SHE has the keys, and I have other things to do. OK, so my life isn't full if important events at this moment, but still. Flossing would be more important. We were supposed to go today, actually, but she never called me. She's probably still asleep. And I sleep late - I woke up near noon today - but she makes me look like a sprightly early morning... sprite. The creature, not the drink. She usually wakes up around five or six in the evening, if she doesn't have work. I just want it to be done. I want to end this and move on with my life.

* Got my Netflix today! Huzzah! Jeeves & Wooster, and the rest of season one of Dexter. Joy in my veins. Much joy.

* My family is coming to visit this weekend. My dad will finally be seeing the apartment he's essentially paying for. This will be interesting. Things have been a bit tense these past few weeks, for a plethora of reasons I don't feel like going into at this moment. I love the word 'plethora.' So this weekend will be either a happy, joyful reunion wherein we all hug and cry, or it will be tense and excessively polite and I will end up twitching like a cat on crack.

* They say the commercials between shows target the intended audience of said show. So, since I've been watching courtroom drama all day - Judge Joe Mathis and Judge Maria Lopez - I must assume that the intended audience eats a fuckload of IHop, has no car insurance, sues over injuries that were caused by their own idiocy, did not graduate from high school, and need to lose a lot of weight. Channel 11 does not have a lot of respect for its viewers. And where does that leave me?
- I haven't eaten at an IHop since high school.
- I don't have a car anymore.
- If I sued every time I fell down, I'd spend my entire fucking life in court. I fall down constantly. Sometimes when I'm not even moving.
- I did not graduate from high school. I did, however, graduate from college, so I guess it evens out.
- Of course I need to lose weight. Statistically speaking, everyone needs to lose weight. We're all AWFUL! IHop, anyone?

So two out of five. Not bad, Channel 11, not bad.

* My roommate called. She's sick, apparently. So, once again, I need to do every fucking thing just to settle the apartment. If you guys see me on the TV wanted for murder, please inform the proper authorities that I was doing a service to humanity. No, I won't really kill her (in case you were rushing to the phone). I just want her to go far, far away, and stop bothering me. Is that so much to ask? IS IT?!

* Watching an ad for Christian rock - the concerts look like the most fucking boring shit I have ever seen. Otherwise, if you changed a few words in the lyrics, these bands could be singing about the girl of their dreams.

* I need to clean. Cleaning makes life better. And keeps the roaches away. I haven't seen one in days. They're plotting my demise. The reckoning shall come.

May your roommates be sane, your family be well-adjusted, and your stress be non-existent.
- LV

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Day 24 Of Unemployment: Random Thoughts & Pretensions

* It really bugs me when people are proud of the fact that they don't read. People actually brag about this. And it always boggles me. Look, I read a fucking obscene amount of books. That's just me. And I admittedly read when I should be out, you know, interacting with other carbon-based life-forms. If you don't read a lot, that's fine. If you don't read at all, that's fucking tragic. But bragging about it? That's weird. It's like saying, "Hello, I do not want to know anything about anything. I am happy being a complete ignoramus, and think this makes me cool or rebellious in some way." Fuck you. It makes me sad, and immediately question your intelligence. As I said, not reading is... well, it sucks. But I get that a lot of people don't read. But being proud of it? Holy everloving fuck, just wear a sign that says "Moron For Life."

* I've never seen a full episode of FRIENDS. That's something I'M proud of. I've seen pieces of it - most recently the cameo by Hugh Laurie, where he yells at Rachel, which makes me squeal with uninhibited, alarming glee. And in some classes in college, we were supposed to watch episodes an analyze them. I usually fell asleep. I just find the show [what little I've seen] to be stupid, offensive, and boring. And that Rachel bitch sounds MEAN. Although the cameos I've watched on youtube - particularly Hugh Laurie, Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, & Reese Witherspoon - have been brilliant.

*'Wichcraft makes fucking awesome sandwiches. I had Sicilian tuna with olives and lemon on a roll, and it has made my belly happy on several levels. You should go. Right now.

* Just bought DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER and STIFF: THE CURIOUS LIVES OF HUMAN CADAVERS at the St. Mark's Bookshop. Best bookstore ever, even if it's intimidating. I feel like my intellectual abilities are being scrutinized and mocked by everyone working there. I also bought my friend Kay her birthday present. Which I can't tell, because someone might tell her.

* Netflix, Netflix, Netflix. Why do you not receive my DVDs? Why do you not send me more DVDs? Why does Labor Day have to mock me with no mail. No mail means no DVDs, means no joy in Elle's life. I am amazed by how dependent I am on the mail. But, when I'm waiting for more episodes of DEXTER and season two of JEEVES & WOOSTER, how can you blame me?

* I just saw a Skittles commercial involving a singing bunny. I have no idea what the fuck it was about, but now I am afraid of Skittles.

* I have work tomorrow. Unfortunately, I can't find the piece of paper with the address. Or the number to call in case I lose the address. So this should get interesting really quickly.

May the singing bunny from the Skittles commercial not come sing near you. Seriously, it was fucking creepy. It sang in the rain. That's terrifying.
- LV

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Week 3 Of Unemployment: Time Flies When It's Awesome

Yes, I have been waiting to swipe the title line from a Natalie Dee comic since my internship ended.

My life has been incomplete until recently. Why did none of you tell me how amazing Dexter is? Is there a conspiracy against me?! What else are you guys keeping from me?! WHAT ELSE?!

Seriously, great show. Great, great show. Funniest fucking serial killer ever. I also love the allusion to American Psycho. But this is better. Much better.

I think we all relate to Dexter in some way. There are moments when we have no idea how to act in a social situation. There are moments when we don't react the way everyone else does, and we feel like a freak. There are moments when we fake emotions. And we all have weird little habits we don't want others to know about. Hopefully most of them are less homicidal than Dexter's inclinations, but hey - no judgement.

Have a temporary job for Tuesday helping my dad's friend at her theater company. I'm just happy for the work. And they're nice people. Won't keep me afloat for more than a day or so, but hey, money is money. And I am adept at many menial and useless activities.

That's all for now. Dexter is great. All hail Dexter. I want to be his friend. Until I do something bad. Then not so much.
- LV

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Day 19 Of Unemployment: Job Interviews, Friends, & Serial Killers

Wow. My job interview went badly. Like, really badly. The cops may be busting in here at any moment, since that woman probably thought I was stoned/tired from a night of slaughtering in the innocent.

Actually, I was tired because I had a brief bout of insomnia, and was up until around two in the morning watching House and worrying about roaches. So by the time I had my interview, I was a wreck. A twitchy, cranky, inarguably unbalanced wreck.

It also didn't help that I didn't want the job. And referred to it as 'menial.' I also may have snorted when she said I had to stay for two years. I think we're just going to pretend this didn't happen. OK, to be honest, I wasn't terrible. I definitely came across as hostile, but I was spot-on with all my answers. I have all the necessary experience, and I'm totally qualified. I was just blatantly bored. Which, for those of you not yet in the job-hunting world, is a bad attitude to adopt in the presence of a potential future employer.

Fuck it. Roommate (or Former Roomate, as I suppose she should now be called) is coming by to pick up some of her stuff that my mom accidentally packed because she hates me and wants to force me to interact with a would-be serial killer.

Speaking of serial killers, I rented Dexter from Netflix. I've been watching for maybe five minutes, and I am completely hooked. The lead guy, whose name I can't remember at the moment, was always brilliant on Six Feet Under. Plus, he's cute in an awkward sort of way. I can't say if this will become a House/V For Vendetta/Doctor Who-level obsession, but I can enjoy a ahow without being insane about it. After all, I like Ugly Betty, and you don't see me blathering for hours about how amazing that show is. It is - you should watch it - but I'm not crazed about it.

I'm going to make a TV show list now. And watch Dexter. Fuck - Roommate's here. I'll keep the TV off - don't want her getting any ideas.
- LV

Monday, August 27, 2007

Day 18 Of Unemployment: Movies, TV, & Errands

Uneventful day. Got a lot done.

Due to the efforts of my lovely friend Jay, I have a job interview tomorrow for a big evil corporation doing stupid, menial shit. That makes me sound ungrateful, and I guess I am. I need a job - let's be clear on that, at least. I would be totally content to spend my days relaxing, reading, watching movies, and psychotically looking around for roaches, but eventually the money would go away, and I'm not charming enough to beg for money. So to the job hunt we go.

Speaking of roaches, we're still at two. Of course, now I've jinxed it, so a small army will overrun my tiny apartment and eat me alive. If I stop posting updates, assume that. It will be funny for all. Except me, of course, but I'll be in no position to complain.

Watched The Singing Detective last night. Weird, weird movie. I spent roughly two hours watching Robert Downey, Jr. scream obscenities from a hospital bed and have strange hallucinations. But it was fun - fun in the sense that I have no real idea what the fuck the movie was about, beyond a few basics. Here's what I can tell you: Downey is a crime novelist with some weird hideous disease that makes him look like paper mache, or however the hell it's spelled. He's cranky and yells a lot, and hallucinates shit from his childhood, and scenes from his books. Oh, and there's singing. Or rather, lip synching. Which was the one issue I had with the whole movie: Downey has a beautiful, sexy voice, and except for a song playing over the credits, he never sings once.

Oh, and Mel Gibson is in it, and has the weirdest fucking cameo ever. I could not identify him for the first half of the movie. It was only during a close-up, and my reaction was, 'Holy shit, that's Mel Gibson!' Robin Wright Penn is in it, and so is Adrien Brody. It's fun if you accept the fact that it doesn't make much sense. And Robert Downey, Jr. gives a brilliant, wonderful performance. He's always great. One of the few actors I like, regardless of his character.

Watching House right now and drinking Bass Ale. Life is good. Incidentally, this episode 'Acceptance' features a terrifying performance by Jay-Z. It always surprises me when singers/rappers can actually act. They're like a subspecies of performers when it comes to the visual media. When they're doing their own thing, they can be fantastic. But they have trouble when it comes to other people's materials. Anyway. In this episode, House gets drunk and giggles like a little girl. Reason enough to see it.

May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your home. Unoriginal, I know. If you don't like it, may the forces of evil race to your home with the vengeance of a crack head in withdrawal.

Love,
- LV

Thursday, August 9, 2007

Every New Beginning Comes From Some Other Beginning's End (Yeah)

Today is my last day as an intern. Tomorrow begins Elle's Unemployment Adventures!

I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I'm really bummed out that I will not be getting money on a weekly basis. Also, I'll miss the free books, and I really did like working here, in general. On the other hand, I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. I want to be a journalist. So while this job has been fun, and educational, it would be really freaking easy to sit in this cubicle for the next forty years.

I figured I could write some long, in-depth analysis of this job, but if you go through my previous work posts, there isn't anything really profound or final to say. Of course, I could just make the shit up, but I can't see the point in that at the moment.

Someone FINALLY picked the mean option on my quiz. I salute this person's honesty, and if you give me your name and address I will send you a bag of flaming shit delicious, delicious cookies.

The next entries in this blog of mine will be about one of two things: my life as an unemployed college graduate trying to find a job and an apartment, and cultural analysis. After all, I got a fucking degree for it - I should put it to work, right?

That's all for now. This is the last post I will ever type from this office. Ponder that. If anyone has any questions about ANYTHING, feel free to ask them here. At this point, I'll even tell you how to get your slush read by an editor. My little contribution to the decay of society.

May your drug shipments get to your house without issue, or if there is an issue, may someone you hate take all the heat.
- LV

Note 1: Over 100 people have viewed my profile (OK, about half of them are me).
Note 2: I'm debating having a second blog - one solely for cultural/media analysis - so this one can solely be devoted to stuff that goes on OUTSIDE my head. Any suggestions? Comments? Should I do this? Could you pretend to care? Will you hold me while I cry?

Monday, August 6, 2007

Frustration, Angst, & General Douchery

A lot of things suck right now. Actually, a lot of things suck all the time, but I have a highly trained ability to ignore anything that doesn't directly effect me. It's a gift.

But, to quote Arrested Development, I am learning life lessons all over the place. And I shall impart this steaming-fresh wisdom to all of you, so that perhaps the sucky things in your life will be marginally less sucky. Smell the wisdom.

* Even after you graduate from college, your parents can essentially control your life – Unless you are some amazing, magical person who immediately got a fantastic job out of college, in which case I hope you get crabs, you are going to have to rely on your parents to some extent in the post-college world. This sucks. A lot. In fact, this situation may bring about an entirely new level of suckiness in your life. Your parents can, for example, entirely dictate your future living situation, regardless of what you may actually want. If you don’t see how this can be a miserable situation, you are probably a parent, and I hate you.

To explain a bit: I was planning on living with two of my best friends. Because none of us have won the lottery, we were looking in Brooklyn. My parents did not like any of the neighborhoods we could afford. Cue two days of hysterical screaming into the phone, and very creative cursing. End result: I am going to have to live alone.
Now, I do understand my parent’s concerns. And I would like to not be dead, as it is no fun and necrophilia really frightens me. However, that does not make me any less annoyed, or any less inclined to abuse my ‘in case of emergencies’ credit card until they get the bill, and cancel it. Which leads me to my next earth-shattering life lesson:

* Apartment-hunting sucks – Especially in New York City. And especially when you have limited funds. And ultra-especially, when your parents have an unnerving amount of power in the whole situation because you are an intern getting paid jack-shit and can’t find a job that will give you the money to allow you to live where they want you to live. Brokers should be nice to me. They are sucking my will to live, and not in a fun or sexy way. New York is way too expensive, which is admittedly not an original complaint, but come ON. On the upside, since my parents effectively executed my previous living plans, they’ve told me I can get a cat. Because cats make everything better, and expertly assuage parental guilt.

* Job-hunting sucks – This alone is the perfect reason NOT to go to liberal arts college. While you will have a well-rounded education, and understand the complex inner workings of reality TV and youtube, you will have no chance in hell of finding a job. This is why most liberal arts students go to grad school, and have drinking problems, and cannot succeed in love, and cry themselves to sleep night after endless, lonely night. Take my advice – if your parents can afford grad school, take it. Don’t take time off. I am lucky enough that my parents could theoretically afford to send me to grad school, but now I feel like returning to the educational system would be like admitting defeat. I AM defeated, and royally fucked at the moment, but I won’t ADMIT it. Even though I just did.

* Work sucks – This may seem hypocritical considering my last complaint/piece of advice, and it is. That doesn’t make it any less true. I am stuck at this desk for another six hours, and have nothing to do. I will continue to have nothing to do. In the meantime, I cannot look for an apartment or a job, thus improving my situation. I can sit here and complain. Which I’m incredibly good at, but Monster.com does not have any job listings for people who can bitch their fucking heads off.
* Sinus infections suck – Anyone who has one knows what I mean.

And so much for that. My advice to anyone still in college? Stay in college. As long as physically possible. Consider medical school. I know I am – and by medical school, I mean fantasizing about House, M.D..

TV/Movie Things That Make Life Suck Less
A Bit Of Fry & Laurie – Best skit show ever. Makes old SNL look like the new SNL, and the new SNL look like – I don’t know, MadTV or something equally repugnant. And I charged the boxed set to my parent’s credit card, because I am passive aggressive and petty. Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry should run their own country. I'd live there.
• Alan Rickman – My friend Esse can confirm this. You know it to be true. Embrace it.
House, M.D. – Because I like mentioning it constantly, to annoy you all. And it’s still true. Even truer than the other stuff I have said, which is all gloriously truth.
• KNOCKED UP – Seth Rogen is the shit. And I liked him back in Freaks & Geeks, which would never have been cancelled if there was a God. Or a higher national IQ.

Oh, and am I the only one who found it really alarming that two of the most prolific directors of all time DIED within a few days of each other? What’s even more alarming is that, according to the surveys at IMDB.com, nobody has even seen any of their films. But EVERYONE ran out and saw Crash, which ranks with rectal warts in terms of quality and entertainment. You make me sick – almost as sick as that last comment.

That’s all I can say for the moment. Further bulletins as events warrant, or depending on how incredibly bored I am.
- LV

PS Who the fuck actually voted in my survey that they only read this when they're really, really bored? Come on, there are other websites far more entertaining than this one! Just look at my links. You should spend your days hysterically reloading this page, desperate for whatever nuggets of wisdom I deign to squeeze out. I just reread that last line, and officially admit that I am gross.