Monday, September 10, 2007

Casual vs Formal

I had an interview for a job today. Waaay saner than the last one I had, which involved three different people and pre-printed corporate question sheets and STUPID questions and a job I did NOT get (and I will always think there was probably a blessing in that). Today it was just, "oh, I remember talking to you on the phone. I could tell you were great at customer service. Could you work in the deli? Sure, two days a week and 8 hour shifts, I can work with that." Of course, the pay was $2 less per hour than the one I did not get. If it is sane, that'll be a bargain.

We have survived the last year solely on casual income. That is, nothing steady. And nothing big. We just don't spend much money. And we have a cushion. And we don't owe anything. I'm often enough appalled to look at blogs and see how much people will spend to be "self-sufficient". Oh, and the anger if you say you don't have to -- that there are other ways to be, other things possible, without your only tool being money to attempt to buy yourself a life or a meaning or a purpose.

But I am thinking a small amount of steady income for awhile might be nice. And I truly did have fun at my last job. You have to be able to walk away.

But I'd better not count my chickens before they hatch.

Here's a little unschooling tale: Daughter got several books featuring fairies. She designed and made, with good finishing detail, a fairy dress, complete with wings. I happened to walk in the door when she had the filler out for the wings and she was thinking and I could see her drawing it in her head. But she never puts it on paper, just sews and there it is. Fits too. This one even has darts. Amazing. But no, that's not for Halloween. That's just for every day. She managed three shirts that day too, a good peasant design.

10 comments:

Madcap said...

I'm terribly envious of your daughter's sewing exploits - she's amazing! She sews in 3-D!

Good luck with the job thing. I hope you get something "suitable".

(My son kept using that word in rather odd circumstances, and I FINALLY figured out that he meant "a situation in which a man would wear a suit". Suitable, yes sir.)

Cielo said...

Pictures of costume and shirts, please.

CG said...

I'm laughing MC! What a suitable use for "suitable"! I might get photos up on flickr sometime Cielo -- but listen, I've been thinking "girl" isn't right and "singer" is. What do you think?

patsy said...

about job, i hope you are paid enough to buy gas to get there.

Heather Jefferies said...

I don't know what has delighted me more, you choosing to have a job outside the farm or your daughter's creations!

I think that working is wonderful and amazing and that we all ought to be able to walk away when and if we need to. I am just tickled over the idea of you working outside your farm because the idea of a little more of the world having a little more of CG is a wonderful idea. Doesn't matter much what you're doing, I suspect, you will still be you.

With regard to the sewing, gosh, this is such an organic thing occurring. I sew that way, my mom sews that way and you get lost in the zen of the three D creation. I am entranced with the idea of her finishing touches. It's not just the darts and the wings, it's the entire global picture. What a lovely bunch of human beings you've got living there with you!

Cielo said...

"Girl" vs. "Singer"....yeah, you're right. I'm wrestling w/ that right now. Long story. Do you remember anything about 7th grade, around lunch or recess? Mr. Mathther would bring his guitar, a few of us would gather around his desk, he'd play, and I would sing. It was the last time I felt comfortable in my skin singing in front of other people.

I smell a blog coming on. Love you.

CG said...

Dale Masters. Yeah I remember. 500 miles five hundred miles on and on.

Well, we'll find out about the job, or if I have to work less corporate, more local, if I choose to have a job. I had one for a year, lovely manager who's boss fired her and when she was fired I never went back except to get my stuff. Where she is working now is where I didn't get hired recently. It was in "hospitality" and it was absolutely fascinating. This time I might be in the deli. If I am, I'm gonna learn to decorate cakes!

Anonymous said...

you know speaking of how much people spend on being self sufficient i just read an article about a man in brooklyn who spent 11,000 dollars turning his back yard into a mini farm and only managed to produce enough food to feed himself for a mnoth. he did soooo many things wrong though.

Ren Allen said...

Ha! Sometimes in my fantasies I picture paying someone to come turn my backyard into a food garden. But then I realize that even if the money was there, all that organic learning would be missing. It's about the process isn't it? Money can't buy that real life experience of how your choices affect the lives of the plants and animals you care for.

Ciara constantly re-makes the clothes she has. It isn't about great sewing, but it's always interesting and creative.:)

CG said...

There was that year I did the "garden" for the neighbor. We were talking about that just yesterday. I think she thought she could pay me $20 and get a freezer full of food or something. It didn't work out that way, especially since she watered the potatoes until they rotted.

The main problem, I think, is that people have more money than they have willingness to work and creativity.