Official CS blanket fort

[AccountingDrone]

^ Ooooooh. (Do we have a yum smilie?) I like grapesicles, but I never thought of this. I don't have any vodka, as I've never had it. I wonder if some other kind of alcohol would work?

You can inject anything you like into grapes. I just tried some with St Germaine [an elderflower cordial ] and they have a lovely Edwardian/Victorian [Titanic?] floweryness. I am thinking of doing the sugar crusting on a bunch of injected and frozen grapes still on the stem.
sort of like these -


People normally infuse fruits with vodka so it doesn't change their flavor - but you could do anything, though I think gin would be pretty awful.

[Food Lady]

Being an insomniac SUCKS!!

I use melatonin, but the microgram pills make me have night terrors. Next time, milligram dosages.

[Severen13]

I use melatonin, but the microgram pills make me have night terrors. Next time, milligram dosages.

I use melatonin, plus Lunesta because I have *another* sleep disorder on top of being a life-long insomniac (I'm just lucky that way).

[Gumby30]

<sigh> I got an awesome temp to perm job in a location 5 minutes from my house. Been there for 2 weeks and was loving it. Found out today that because of some changed circumstances, they've hired someone else for the permanent role.

So back to the job hunt I guess...

[Food Lady]

I use melatonin, plus Lunesta because I have *another* sleep disorder on top of being a life-long insomniac (I'm just lucky that way).

I'm weird, but I really like those Lunesta commercials because the music is eerily beautiful and the moth entrances me.

[Gizmo]

Climbing in here whilst my job (potentially) crashes down around me. Been off 3 weeks and now been signed off for another 2. My chances of having a job when I get back? Very small. My chances of going mad from being stuck at home? Very large.

[Pixilated]

Oh man, I'm sorry to hear this. Hugs and chocolate chip cookies.

[Pixilated]

Crap. I was so happy to have 3 shifts this week ... and today's just got cancelled.

Wednesday update: And today's shift was shortened by ... half an hour. That saved them less than $6. My sales goal for the four hours I was supposed to work was $200 -- at the time I went home, I was closing in on $300. Grrr ....

[Mytical]

I know a lot of people are probably tired of my hearing me whine. Today has been a very rough day, however. Stomach decided it was a good day to stage a revolt, and enlisted my legs, nose, throat, and shoulders.

Warning TMI coming up. Been spitting up bile, nose feels like it is on fire, stomach like somebody is trying to cut it out with a dull grapefruit spoon, and legs feels like I am walking through a cactus patch. Today...has not been a good day.

[Gizmo]

*hugs* Myt. Hope it doesn't continue and you have a better day today.

[AriGriffin]

The computers at work (public library in a small town), have been messing up since last Wednesday. IF they let the patron log in, the internet either won't come up or takes over a minute to load the Google page. Patrons have been yelling/cursing at me and threatening to have me fired because I'm not fixing it. Patrons think I know everything about computers because I can teach them how to set up an e-mail account, do a job search, or show them how to use Microsoft Word to write a letter.

The computer repairman has come out several times, but there hasn't been any improvement. There are eight computers that go online. They added a username/password protected WiFi for library patrons last Wednesday.

Partons have been complaining that our library only offers storytime for pre-school age kids- nothing for older kids, teens, or adults. While at the staff meeting, I offered suggestions for free things to offer to get more patrons in (for example- showing Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy tomorrow for Towel Day, or doing a book/writing club). The children's librarian freaked out and said it wasn't my place to say anything because I don't have a Masters degree in Library Science. I used to be a volunteer with Girl Scouts and was a trained event director. I also planned events for the Society for Creative Anachronism group and helped my aunt out at her summer camp for kids. All they do for storytime is read one maybe two stories if they are short and have the kids do the Tooty Ta dance. The kids have stopped coming for the most part because they hate it.

I have been planning a medieval faire to be held in the later part of June at the main library for months now. I got an e-mail today from the library director saying they are going to cancel the event for a variety of reasons. They didn't elaborate. I had everything planned- they didn't have to pay for anything. It was going to be mostly storytelling, music, dancing, and playing games to keep costs down. Crafts were paper based and I was donating the paper and other craft supplies (bought during back-to-school promotions and leftovers from scouts). The local Society for Creative Anachronism group were going to come out. It was going to be a lot of fun and I had a bunch of patrons that said they were really looking forward to it .

They are re-doing the way we get paid at work so that one check is only going to cover a couple of days and then I'll have to wait almost a month for the next check. I'm not going to be able to pay my bills on time when that happens. I also found out they are hiring in the main library for the equivilent of my job and they are paying $11 an hour where I get $8.25.

I have strep throat and my psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis is really flaring up.

I might be moving soon. I live with my Mom and her hours at work have been cut back. Our electric bill is $900 despite only having the oven, fridge, internet plugged in all the time and occasionally the tv, an alarm clock, lamp, and my computer. We do the laundry at a laundromat. The power is out in half the house and we can't afford to pay the deductable to have an electrician come out to fix it. I'm trying to find an apartment or place to rent near where Mom works, but most of the stuff isn't online and what I have found is out of our price range. Section 8 isn't taking applications anymore as their wait list has over 2,000 people on it according to the newspaper.

I've been searching for another job, but there is nothing out there for someone who hasn't finished college, has limited mobility (back injury while stocking plus joint pain from the arthritis), and can't drive. My former jobs include being a photographer, front-of-house food service, and being a cashier/stocker. I tried applying for disability a year ago, but was denied.

I don't know what to do anymore. For the past few weeks, the only things keeping me sane was planning the Medieval event and caring for my pets.

[AnaKhouri]

As the mother of a preschool-age child, that storytime sounds wretched. Is there a higher power to whom you can appeal?

[AriGriffin]

While talking to the library director one-on-one, I told her about the kids not coming to storytime and why they said they stopped.
I suggested that the children's services director might want to try offering different things for storytime- puppetry (I have them), getting the kids to act the story out, an easy sing-a-long, or crafts. I offered to help put some programs together and said they could have the craft supplies I bought when I was doing scouts. They never got back with me about it.

[Pixilated]

You seem to be talking to a lot of brick walls out there. I would taking a lot of your energy out of that job, leaving just enough to get by on a daily basis, and put it towards looking for someplace to live and another job. It sounds as if you are working with a lot of people who are jealously guarding their little fiefdoms and will continue to do so come hell or high water -- no matter how much attendance drops. It's too bad, because your suggestions and proposals sounded like good ones, especially the medieval faire. You don't need a freakin' Masters in anything to have good ideas!

Any chance you can get in where your mom works? Can you apply for the better-paying job in the main library?

As for the move, am I understanding it correctly -- you AND your mom are looking for a new place to live? Just wondering what you're looking for ... apartment? House? Duplex? Do you and/or your mom go to a church -- if so, could they help -- maybe with referrals if nothing else?

Would it be worth your while to file again for disability? (Did they tell you why you were denied last time? If so, is it something you can "fix" this time ... maybe you didn't have the right paperwork from your doctor or something?)

Sorry if the questions are redundant. I'm nowhere near your area so don't know what might be available ... hopefully others will have better advice. I hope things improve for you.

[AccountingDrone]

I might be moving soon. I live with my Mom and her hours at work have been cut back. Our electric bill is $900 despite only having the oven, fridge, internet plugged in all the time and occasionally the tv, an alarm clock, lamp, and my computer.
.

Excuse me?! We live in CT which apparently has one of the higher costs for electricity in the country, and have 3 computers, 2 televisions, um 7 or 8 lights, 2 alarm clocks, a 25 cu foot fridge and a 25 cu foot freezer, microwave, dishwasher, stacked washer and dryer, water pump for well and circulating pump for the water system and we max out at around $250 a month, and might hit 600 if I run the air conditioner on max all day and night for a month.

Is it possible you have someone tapping into your electricity illegally that you don't know about? [where do you live and what is your per KWH and delivery cost like?!]