And it only took me 4 months...

Well, I finally got a job. Yay?

I did this group interview on Monday with a non profit organization called AFS-USA, an international student exchange program. It was a weird interview. There were 12 of us interviewing for 3 of the same position, with 3 employees at the conference table with us. We were basically trying to be charming and experienced, talking ourselves up in front of each other. It gave me the eewies a little bit. Half of the interviewees were WAY more qualified sounding than me, so when I left I called James and said "Yeah, there's no way in hell I'm getting this one." I was positive. Later that evening, as I was disparaging myself to James about how nobody wants me blah blah blah I get a phone call (mid-sentence) asking me to work there. Go fig.

So I start work tomorrow. It's only a temporary position (4 months), so I'll be unemployed basically on my birthday, but its good experience. I've recently become very interested in working for non profits. God knows this is the city to do it!

And it snowed up here this morning. If I were a better man, I'd upload the pictures I took this morning for you all to see. And if I were any man, James might dump me. We got at least 2 inches. I NEED MORE!!!

So, what's with the beachy picture, Ashley? Well, I'm not sure if I've told any of you yet, but I'm going to Florida at the end of March!!! *squeal* My dad, Jenna, and myself are going to Ft. Myers for a family reunion, but we're planning to escape them for a few days and check out South Beach and Miami, the keys, and maybe even do a fan boat ride on the everglades. I'm-a see me some crocs! Or is it alligators.... I'd be able to tell if I could only see its snout. The end of March is a perfect time too. It's just about the point in Oregon's yearly drear that I start to get a little weather-worn. Sun, surf, and sand? Yes please!

Paris, part trois

A Paris street, looking ever-so Parisful.

L'Arc de Triomphe. Its a lot bigger than you'd think it would be. That Napoleon sure had some size issues...

I'm smiling for two reasons, really. 1) I'm in Paris by the Arc de Triomphe. 2) In order for James to get this shot he has to squat in the middle of a very busy street. Hehehehe.....

Ah, Paris in September. So glum and pretty.

Doesn't it look like the Eiffel Tower is doing the splits?

Yeah, I'm sideways, but I'm oh-so Parisian looking with my umbrella.

You can't tell, but we are just absolutely soaking wet by this point.

Ah.... Nothing disrupts a perfect shot quite like a blimp advertising Rugby games.

Beautiful.

Me on our balcony, just after we got back from walking all over Paris. Notice it stopped raining and the sun came out... But I look happy, don't I?!

I have no words.

Paris, part deux

This part is all about Versailles. I about crapped myself here. It was like the history mothership was calling me home, sucking me into her opulent tractor beam.

I thought I'd forgo the usual picture by picture commentaries for this one. If you really need one, just imagine I'm saying "Amazing. Awesome. FREAKING GORGEOUS" for each one.

Paris, part un

There's just too many for one post. I don't care if you want to come here or not, the place is goddamn beautiful.

Notre Dame cathedral. The most gorgeous Catholic Cathedral I think I will ever enter.

We didn't realize it until we got there, but we came on a Sunday... Needless to say, it was really busy.

This is just an awesome shot. Kudos, James! Prayer candles.

The grand-ness....

Here we see how the crowd is crammed in like veal. As usual, this doesn't capture how beautiful, and I'll use the word again, grand, this place is.

Le Louvre. We didn't see Tom Hanks and his horrible haircut or the chick from Amelie, but we're told they've been here.

The glass pyramid, another modern architectural feat to piss off the French people (I'm thinking of YOU, Eiffel Tower!)

I just about pissed myself while walking through the 17th-19th C European Gallery. Ask James. I took pictures of EVERYTHING... too bad they're all gone....

The pyramid from below.

Again, veal.

*yawn* Not that I don't love Da Vinci, but what a let down.

The view from our balcony. Paris is fucking awesome....

I'm bored.

Look at that stupid picture of me! Hahaha... My dad sent it to me. I'm so pasty.... I'm like a vampire.


Apparently the job market sucks. Go figure. (Insert some sort of Bush criticism here)

I've been applying to anywhere from 2 to 15 jobs a day and I'm still unemployed. Don't get me wrong, I get calls. But they end up being from jobs that are either A) terrible hours, B) terrible all around, or C) Way out in east Jesus (Thanks, Juno!).

I've had 3 interviews and apparently I'm useless. I've got 3 more next week though, and I've got to tell you, they're all pretty crappy.
One is in MILWAUKIE, which is even farther away than usual when you take the bus.
The other two are in TIGARD. (See comment for Milwaukie). Plus, one is an early morning job where I'd have to get up at 6 o'clock in the morning everyday (There's a 6 am now?) and bus myself for an hour and 15 minutes each way. The other Tigard job is a holistic pet clinic.... On the plus side I'd be working with pets. On the downside I'd be telling people to give their pets ginger root or calamine lotion or some stupid shit to cure their worms, when they really need prescription medicines. So yeah.....

Everyone, fingers crossed that I'll get called back from any of the following:

Oregon Historical Society
Portland Art Museum
Oregon Humane Society
The Oregonian
The Convention Center
Oregon College of Art and Craft
The Portland Clinic
or any NORMAL vet office.

I'm so listless my butt is actually aching from sitting. ACHING!!!! I'm going to start growing bed sores.
*sigh*