Mara's box of chocolates

[Mara]

Had another interview today, for a different job, this time over the phone. Feel like this one went a bit better, maybe 60-40.
It's a bit closer to what kind of thing I'm hoping to do--writing--but it's still a bit out of my comfort zone, considering the people I would be working with are in Seattle, and I'd be here. And the fact that it'll be writing content for web sites, basically, if I understand it right.

The one I interviewed for last week was a bit more towards some acquired skills, not necessarily something I want to be involved in. But something I think I might be more comfortable doing, if I have all the details right.


So I don't know... still waiting to hear from the first one... and for the second one, I need to wait to see if I make it through to a second interview, this time in person.


I wish I'd hear from another job I applied to a few weeks back. It was an editor position, something I think I'd enjoy more and be more suited for. But either they're still deciding, or I didn't make the cut.



Anyway... Mara's job search saga will continue...









PS: I hope to get back to RPing soon. Did up some outlines for my replies, to get the juices flowing again (they always were, in my head, but it's another thing to actually type them out.) And the goal is to get them out this week and next.
I want to thank all I'm currently involved with, and those I'm planning on being involved with, for your patience during this crazy last couple months. Just a few more days, with any luck, and I'll be back in action. (Maybe haha).

[Mara]

Well, heard back from the place I did the first interview with.... I didn't get it.

But I did get another interview, face-to-face, for the other one. I had that yesterday. I think it went okay. Hard to tell. I know a couple of my answers were not exactly ideal. But who knows?
For this, I'd be writing stuff for a blog and other related things for a charity organization.


However, about a week and a half ago, I applied to a proofreader position at a publishing company here in town. That's something that would be up my alley, as it were. But they're accepting applications until the end of October, so it might be a while before/if I hear from them. I basically qualify for everything they require, plus a couple of the extra things.

---

In other news, while I did catch up a bit on RP posts here, there might be a delay again until I can get to more. My computer is acting up. It's been fine for the most part, for the past 3-4 weeks after that network adapter was removed. But Monday, I found it frozen, I'm guessing in the middle of rebooting itself sometime between Sat. afternoon when I had used it last and Monday morning when I turned the monitor on.
So I just turned it off and on again, and it restarted and I logged in. I was about to open something up, and then it just rebooted on its own. And kept doing that in cycles. The same thing that was happening when the adapter had first been installed. So I shut it off.
Yesterday, I checked it, turned it on, and it didn't even make it five seconds into the restart before freezing. So I shut it off.
I'm afraid what I might see if I turn it on today.

With some brief research online, I found that the issue could be different things... that it's reheating, which I doubt, since I just had all the dust blown out a couple months ago, and it had been like that for seven years... that a card or the motherboard or something has fried, which seems a little sudden, but who knows... or that there's a virus, which I'm not sure how it would have gotten one, unless it came off my flash drive from Friday, and if that is the case, I have no way of scanning for a virus, since I can't even get logged on right now.

So since that is where I did all my writing and etc., I'm not sure when I'll be able to continue, since I don't get a whole lot of time on this computer. (And I have probably lost a post I had been working on on Sat., about three paragraphs, because I hadn't yet copied it to my flash drive. Not to mention all the other stuff on there -- though luckily a few weeks ago I had updated my 'backup' flash drive with my docs, pictures, and music (some songs I don't have hard copies of), so most of the stuff I wouldn't want to lose, I wouldn't be losing. Just some other things.)

For now, I'm going to continue to try to figure this out... Otherwise, I'll just have to get to this computer when I can and write from here instead. (Unless I can get my dad to let me use the laptop he has, haha.)

But I guess I might be in the market for a new computer. Another desktop, or maybe I'll go for a laptop. Not sure.

Poor Compy II. I've had 8+ great years with you. I was hoping for more. And I'm not giving up yet

[Mara]

Job search update --
That second interview I went on, didn't get the job. I feel okay about it. It would have been a long commute, and a bit out of my comfort zone. Still, I wonder if it's because someone else was more qualified or just because I bombed the actual interview.

And the proofreader position, I heard back from the company, sort of. Basically telling me they got my application and if they feel I'm qualified enough, they'll contact me for an interview. So I'm waiting and hoping to hear about that one. This job is a lot more up my alley. And I feel that I fit all their requirements... plus a couple of the 'optional' ones. But I don't want to get my hopes up too high; I'll just be more disappointed when I don't get contacted, lol.

Otherwise, things are slow. Still have my unemployment money coming in, got another extension for seven more weeks. But that also means I have to keep doing my proof of job search crap, which means applying to jobs I'm not qualified for, because I can't finds ones that I am qualified for, just to keep my claim going.


On the Compy II front --
While I did get on it a couple weeks ago and was able to get some stuff done, it's back to its old antics again. I had just been on it Weds. morning to double-check I had copied stuff to my flash drive, posted a few things, and then went back to update things...and when I turned on the monitor, it was on the log-in page. Not where I had left it. Obviously it had restarted. And before I could log in again, it rebooted...and kept at that. So I have it shut off. Again.

I'm planning to take off the panel and look around... with my un-expert eyes. I just have to see if I can find a Phillips head to unscrew it. Not sure where it is.
I really hope it's something simple, because I really don't need to be buying a new computer right now.


Elsewhere in life --
Enjoying some postseason baseball, which is always fun. Though last night's game was anything but. However, the next three are in Detroit, so that'll be good, and hopefully we can put away the Sox without having to return to Boston.
And the Lions are doing well... so that helps out a bit.

But I had been working on a short story for a contest my library is putting on again... and I haven't been able to continue on it, because of my computer. Though, to be honest, I only have a page, and I'm not liking it. Part of me had been thinking of scrapping it anyway.
And for SWU, I have all these ideas... and I can't do anything with them. It's like I'm creatively constipated. Everything's backing up.



I don't know. Hopefully things will look up. I guess I'm just feeling a bit down today, because of everything. I'll feel better tomorrow.

[Mara]

Update time! Whoo.


Computer update --

I did look around inside. Nothing seemed broken or melted or out of place or anything. But I'm not an expert.

However, I did research some local computer repair places, and just e-mailed one for an estimate. I figure I can't really do much more on my own. And the estimate is free, so it's no harm in asking.

So now I'm waiting on a fix and a price, hopefully.



Job search --

I actually had an interview this past Friday. It's a temporary job -- six months, maybe more -- but it is full-time and the pay is more than I made with my last full-time job. It's a sort of marketing/writing job for a well-known publishing company headquartered in the area. Not exactly fitting with my prior experience, but at least, if I get it, I'll have my foot in the door of the industry I'm hoping to get into. (Considering it's been almost three weeks since the other publishing co. where I applied as a proofreader hasn't gotten back to me yet for an interview, which I take to mean that they didn't pick me for one). Maybe after the temp. job is over, I'll be able to get a proofreading or editing position with them.
Plus, she said they picked me to interview because of my writing experience, so obviously they're not looking for just regular marketing people. (Though, I'd have to learn to use Twitter, haha, because that's part of the job.)

They said I should hear around mid-week this week, so around Weds. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much. But I did think the interview went a bit better than my previous two. So that's that.


Hopefully I hear back, because it's really dry out there in terms of jobs I can apply for. I mean, I'm happy to have unemployment money, and just got another extension for another seven weeks, but having to find two jobs a week to apply to is difficult most weeks. And I just end up slapping up my resume to random places that I'm vaguely sort of not really qualified to do.

And it would be nice to have something to do every day. Because while my computer is unworkable, I have been struggling to find things to do to occupy my time.



So yeah... that's what's been going on with me. Broken computer. Still job-less. Bored out of my mind.

[Mara]

So, I haven't posted here in a while. But there really hasn't been anything new to report.
I'm still jobless... and the opportunities seem to be few and far between. However, I think I have figured out an area to focus on. And I'm considering taking an online class or two on proofreading and/or copyediting, in hopes that it'll help get my foot in the door more easily.
But until then, I'm still just applying to whatever I'm vaguely qualified for.


As for my poor computer -- Compy II -- he has breathed his last breath, as it were.
I finally got him into a repair place, after looking around for someone who actually does free estimates. And the diagnosis is blown capacitors on the motherboard. Which would take about $250 to fix. Which is probably 2-3 times what the computer is actually worth. So he will not be repaired.

They are offering to move my data into one of their refurbished machines for about $199. Or to just remove the data for $40, which isn't bad.
However, a few weeks ago I had gotten on long enough to copy my important stuff onto a flash drive, so I'm not sure what else they could remove that I don't have already. Obviously there are things on there I'd rather not lose, but it wouldn't the end of the world if I did. Like my Atari games.
And really, for just a bit more than what they're offering for a refurbished, I could get a new laptop. Or even a desktop with a bit more still.

So, my plan A is to just cut my losses, say good-bye to Compy II, and get a new computer, whether laptop or desktop.
And hopefully, hopefully... I'll be back to my old active self once again.

[Mara]

So it really has been quite a while since I updated last, lol.

But there hasn't been much of anything new to report, really.


Before I get to the job search business, I'll just update on my computer, for those of you who didn't see my other threads.

After much back and forth and gnashing of teeth and comparing prices, I did get a new computer a couple months ago: Compy III. He's an HP Pavilion 500-056. I got it for about $470, after taxes. And so far, Windows 8.1 is working out great.

Compy II is still sitting on the floor by my chair and hasn't been packed up yet. Partly because I'm not sure whether I just want to wipe it clean and recycle, or whatever. And also because I'm still using its monitor and speakers until I get buy new ones to go with my new computer.

I still need to get/buy Office, though, so I can open all my old documents.




On to the job search --

I decided against doing an online proofreading class after talking to a career counselor at my alma mater. But I did go through and edit and update my resume, trying to tailor it more towards the editing/proofreading/publishing side of things. I figure it couldn't really hurt, since the previous incarnation of my resume only got me three interviews in the span of about ten months.


Well, since the beginning of this year, I've been entirely without any income, since I no longer qualify for unemployment benefits. It's been kind of depressing watching my bank account slowly drain out every time I pay bills. (Credit card and health insurance, and car insurance, only, but still).

But the benefit is that I don't have to apply to two jobs every week, and can be more selective about the whole thing, not wasting my time on jobs I know I won't get or am not qualified for.

Of course, this rather limits me. Considering my past experience and skills, and the area I want to get involved in.
In the past few months I've maybe applied to half a dozen jobs and heard from none.


Until today... I got a call from someone I sent my resume out two a couple weeks back. The job description had been rather vague and short, so I'm not really sure what it's all about. But it had mentioned some form of editing, so I just went ahead, thinking it couldn't hurt. And I had all but forgotten about it, really, when I got the call to set up a face-to-face at the company.

It's some kind of internet directory company, so not exactly the field I was hoping for, but at least it would be something. (And hopefully a heck of a lot better than my contract transcriptionist gig that I haven't done anything with since my old computer died, and can't until I get Office anyway... a job which I detested.)

So I have an interview Thursday morning, and we'll have to see what happens.