Ok 2009 Economy, I'm Beginning to Get My Feelings Hurt

Hmmm.... how to describe the 2009 economy? Withering, soul-sucking, frustrating, scary, unfamiliar, uncomfortable, unfair, blah. How to describe said economy coupled with a job search in an unknown market filled with brainiac competition? Let's just say that it isn't fun.

So, should I still be a lawyer? Or should I follow my preschool dreams of being a cleaning lady in Hannibal, Missouri? I think that commute costs might be a bit prohibitive for that dream to be fulfilled, at least as long as we live in Boston. If only I had wanted to clean houses in Quincy, then I could maybe bend the rules and do so in Quincy, MA. Sigh. Also, my cleaning skills are pretty sub-par. I don't think that I could charge someone in good conscious for my "services" since they would probably have to clean up after I was done. I would do a great job, however, of monitoring their DVR, playing with their dog, and drinking their Diet Coke (and raiding their chocolate supply, just like I did as a superstar babysitter).

Day in and day out, I apply for legal jobs. I network. I'm pushy and do all the things that you're supposed to do in a job search. I've had a few nibbles, but nothing has really come of them. I met today with a recruiter and she was very encouraging about my resume, my job search, my overall awesomeness---she said to hang in there and that something (fingers crossed) will come along soon. Stupid 2009 economy.

So in this downtime, I decided to start working on some of my interests. I'm taking a creative writing class, joining a weekly yoga group on the Esplanade, working out with Bill, started a book club, cooking... it's all fun and dandy, but I really miss working and doing something valuable. I'm not going to lie and say that it hasn't been nice to finally get a tan after too many summers of being holed up inside and catching up on 90210 has been amazing. I had no idea that David is bipolar--I must have missed that episode somehow in college. Good thing he has Donna to take care of him.

So here is a list of some other careers I'm thinking about:

• Ferry boat captain
• Lottery winner
• Facebook updater
• Beach finder/tester
• Diet Coke sommlier
• Photo taker (not to be confused with the talent required to be a photographer)
• Bar trivia night expert participant
• 90210/Friends/West Wing resource
• NYT Real Estate Section critic
  
• Electronic equipment setter-upper
• Sleep study participant (if study involves amazing ability to sleep late)
• Office supply store shopper
• Professional highlighter
• Singer of only parts of songs (lyrics aren't my strong suit)
• Bubble bath taker/tub reviewer

So, that's what I've come up with so far. I know that those careers are lofty aspirations, but a girl can dream!

I'm Not the Only One...

Obviously, Diet Coke love runs in my family. As my granny would say, "there must be a gene for that."
Although my favorite way to drink Diet Coke is from an ice-cold can (there's something totally satisfying about cracking one open--it's like a little gift from God), our new state imposes an aluminum can tax, making our daily 12-pack a bit expensive. We've started buying the 2-liter bottles as a way of economizing... as soon as I find a job, it's back to the good stuff! We look pretty silly driving around and chugging out of the 2-liter bottles...

How To Be Lazy--step 1, be too lazy to get computer when you realize that you can't blog from your Iphone. More to follow when I'm not so lazy.

9:30 AM Phone Call With My Brother

I must write this down so that I can always annoy Teddy about it. My parents are in Europe on tour with their band camp and over the weekend, Ted had an incident with a drum kit that required medical attention.

ring, ring.
K (seeing Teddy's name on the caller ID)--what's wrong?
T--Oh nothing... just a little pissed off at you for telling Mom and Dad about my ER visit.
K--Uh, I didn't tell them.
T--Then how do they know? I got an email from Dad this morning about it.
K--I didn't tell them. I didn't want to ruin their vacation. Maybe because you put it on Facebook they found out?
T--How is that even possible? They aren't in Europe checking Facebook.
K--I don't know, maybe one of their friends did and told them. I didn't tell them.

[pause and grumbling in the background]

T--Oh..... it looks like I emailed Dad from my phone while I was waiting at the ER... oops. How do I not remember that??
K--Because you have a head injury.
T--I should not have a phone that lets me email people.
K--Idiot.

Some of My Favorite 2008/2009 Photos (So Far)

Let's Try This Again: Live from Boston, It's Katie and Bill!

Hello, Internet (to steal Jeni's term). It has been awhile... but now that we live in Boston and are away from our family and friends, I thought that I'd try this again as a way to document our New England adventure.

Quick recap since my last posting:

• Fall 2008--Thanks to my amazing boss, Jane, I was able to go to the Democratic National Convention for President Obama's nomination/acceptance speech. Bill was pretty busy with his med school rotations and residency application process. Otis and George maintained their cuteness/trouble-making and became stars of our local dogpark.
  
• Winter 2008/2009--Bill flew around the country for his residency interviews, but I was really wanting to stay in StL. The economy soured (duh) and in a "non-performance based reduction in force" I was laid-off from my law firm. I'll be honest--that totally sucked and was a hit to my sense of self, but it made the decision to leave St. Louis a bit easier. Bill ranked Massachusetts General Hospital as his first choice for internal medicine and Duke #2. We know how that turned out...


• Spring 2009--The long goodbye. I spent most of the spring in denial about leaving StL--I'd been there since college and had always lived in the general area. Plus, we turned 30. And I was still unemployed. Blah. My amazing friends and family were (and still are) total pillars of strength and support, and Bill was his usual self--which if you know Bill, you know that means he was nothing short of wonderful.














• June 1, 2009--We made the move to Boston! It was a pretty long drive, but the dogs slept the entire (entire!) time in the car and my mom drove out with us to help us get settled, so the transition was suprisingly smooth. After a few days in MA, we boarded the dogs and took a vacation to Puerto Rico for our 4th(!) anniversary--the vacation was much-needed and we had a great time just being together... having warm weather and the sun was a bonus for me since Boston has been rainy/cloudy/brisk for about 85% of the time since we've been here. And "brisk" is not an adjective I think should be used during the summer.

So now we're New Englanders and I again live near Quincy--but they say it funny here, like "Quinzee". Drives me nuts! It is a really odd feeling to walk around here and not run into anyone I know--that's a first in my life. I am such a chatty person that I'm boring checkout people at the grocery store and at Target just so I can get some human interaction--it's pretty pathetic and humorous. Silly Katie. Boston itself is a pretty amazing town--lots of fun stuff to do. The 4th of July here was awesome--we hung out on the Charles, listened to the Boston Pops (and Neil Diamond!), and saw the best fireworks show I've ever seen.

Sending Georgie XOXO

George is currently at the doggie hospital recovering from his 2nd major ear surgery. He is just such a trooper and the best little baby ever. The good news is that the surgeon thinks that this surgery may have finally solved G-money's ear infection problems for good (how he could still manage ear infections despite having his ear canals removed two years ago is beyond me). As long as George can be back to his happy, loving, precious self and no longer be in pain, I will be happy. No more bimonthly trips to the emergency room, golf-ball sized lumps beneath his ears, respiratory distress, masses on his soft-palatte and the most recent drama of the mass over his eye that grew within two hours. Send him good thoughts---we are very, very hopeful for a great recovery!!!