June 2008 Archives

So the title isn't exactly true. I'm happy to be doing something for a steady (albeit small) paycheck. I go into the office two or three days a week and have the other days to focus on freelance writing and photography projects. As depressing as it was, the Freedom of not having a 9-5 job for about a month was liberating.

• I didn't have to wear pants all week long.
• The Price is Right!
• Jeopardy!
• Judge Joe Mathis!
• The People's Court!
• Scouring the Internet for paying jobs
• Feeling a bit sorry for myself

All this has been replaced by
• Having to actually shower, shave and wear pants more than one day a week!
• Actually being chained to a desk for hours at a time. Insanity!
• People looking for me to contribute something meaningful. Whaddupwiddat?
• Money in the bank, baby!

For the contract job I'm working, I had to fill out some forms, rename my firstborn and take a drug test. Easy peasy, of course. But it's funny ... at the clinic waiting for my "turn" I wondered how many other people really had to pee. I mean, that's the only preparation you're really expected to do ... produce some liquid gold up to the black line on the cup. I'll tell you, at the risk of TMI, that I'm an over-achiever when it comes to the black line. I always go above and beyond! Gross!

Happy holiday, people. Go fourth and celebrate. Just be careful not to end up looking like this:

Things are looking up, people! But rather than bore you with the as-yet tentative details, here's some photos of the Cutlet taking the Riblet for a spin around the back yard.

As Stacey (thanks!) mentioned in her comment below, this is a great scripture:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 4: 6-7 (NIV)

Last night, I also found these:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."
- Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

This is bringing me much peace, and I know God is in control and will get us through this. Studying the Bible has been much more helpful and joyful than finding a good job lead on CareerBuilder, although I'm doing that, too!

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

- Matthew 6: 27, 33 (NIV)

I need to put down the stress sandwich and eat more of the above. Things will work out. I am highly capable of something besides obsessively checking job postings, my e-mail and the mailbox. Here's why things should be looking up in the near future:

• They have to.

• I've started marketing my photo services and will continue to work on it. I don't know if I ever showed you guys the new logo, either, but it's on the site.

• Family is most important.

• In another week, I'll be keeping the Riblet with me at home three days a way (unless I find a full-time job). This is actually going to be good: he and I will get to spend gobs of time together.

• Garage sale. Sell our crummy stuff to unsuspecting patrons. Score: a little cash. Bonus: less clutter!

• Plasma: Who needs it anyway?

• I've applied to a bunch of jobs, but need to be patient! Someone will hire me. I can do lots of stuff, smell pretty good (after a shower) and have a lovely singing voice.

• Faith, T-bone. It's what separates humans from squirrels.

• Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (or Attack of the Sick-making Round, Red Fruity Things). I wish we'd planted tomatoes this year!

• Finding a decent job is hard. I've cast my resume in all directions, found some good prospects, but have gotten only a few nibbles so far. Patience is hard when the savings account is dropping like a (*insert mildly dirty reference about something here*). I've even started applying for retail jobs. Ack! Good help is hard to find? Pick me! I'm over here!

• I hate garage sales, but it will be good practice for my likely retail job. Ack!

• Never thought I'd not have a job. This is a real first for me. I've always jumped from one job to the next, safety net below, leftover vacation pay in hand. No such luck this time.

• Whine. Whine. Whine.

• "So You Think You Can Dance" is the best show on television. Right after "The Price is Right" and "Jeopardy." I've even come to like Drew Carey on TPIR (don't tell Bob, he might spay/neuter me).

• I heart my new grill. I can cook lots of meat all at one time. It will definitely come in handy when we're living in a box down by the river.

• Faith. It's easy to say and spell, but sometimes so hard to live!

What's up with you?

"So, T-bone, how do you make the world's best french toast? I mean, it is so tasty. You are a Breakfast Champion."

Yes, it's true. I am a Breakfast Champion. I could eat breakfast foods for every meal. Like my lovely wife, a favorite thing to do is go to a restaurant for breakfast (that is, when I have a job).

I'll let you in on the most important secrets to making french toast. If you, for some reason, don't like french toast? It's simply because you haven't had mine!

• Start with good bread. My favorite is sourdough, but nobody else in the fam likes it so we've usually got some kind of genero wheat bread on hand.

• Let the bread get a little old. Soft, fresh bread might be good for anything else, but you want something firmer and able to survive swimming in the batter.

• Use "good" eggs. Unless you live on a chicken farm, where eggs are as fresh as they can be, get some of the organic or branded eggs that at least have some extra goodness in them. I use two eggs to make the batter richer.

• Use whole milk. Preferably fresh. An alternative is to use part buttermilk, which adds some tang. I beat the two eggs and add enough milk to make the batter a pale yellowish color.

• Here's the peace day resistance (I'd say that in French but I don't know how to spell it). Add a splash of vanilla extract (real or imitation). Not too much, or it will overpower your toast. Not too little, or there's no point. Mixed it in.

• Put your bread in the batter and let it sit for at least have a minute. Flip it in the batter to ensure an even coating. You want the bread to soak up some of the batter.

• Cook it through. That means put your stove on a medium setting so that it won't brown before the middle is cooked (an uncooked middle leads to mush, and nobody likes that).

• Top with your favorite whatever. Of course, my french toast is so awesome it needs no topping. Bone appa teat.