9.23.2010

An Indirectly Direct Job Offer

Jobs. Or lack thereof. That's my biggest source of contention right now . . . oh, and what not having a job means: broke bank account. Everyone in my life knows how troubled I am these days due to my jobless state. And I mean everyone (seriously. I think even the FB friend who befriended me solely because we might have played kickball in elementary school knows how desperate I am for a J-O-B.) 


So one would think when a job offer comes my way, I would snatch it up like the last pair of Manolos at a Sample Sale, right? Wrong. Before you scream, "WHAT?! YOU IDIOT!" at the top of your lungs, here's what happened. (It does involve a little backstory, so hold your horses.)


Bradford plays for a men's league soccer team sponsored by the Madra Rua Pub out of North Charleston. So that means after most games, the guys will go up to the pub for a pint to show support and say, Thanks a bunch for shelling out hundreds to let us play. One of the pub owners also plays on the team and has been trying to help me find a job (it's ALL ABOUT CONNECTIONS HERE.) He asked me a few months ago if I'd be willing to wait tables. I basically said, "That would be my last resort." Now hold up. Let me interject that I don't think I'm too good to be a server. In fact, I've got some waitressing hours under my belt. BUT. 


What it boils down to is that I've been in journalism/public relations for nearly a decade . . . which means I started my "career" right out of college (and I mean like a month after I graduated.) So I feel like if I'm going to work in F&B, I want it to be my very, very, very last resort. Make sense?  


So on Sunday, Bradford came home from the pub and said that Jason, the owner two paragraphs above, asked him if I would want to wait tables at Madra Rua. I'm not sure what Bradford told him because when he was telling me this, all I could think was, OH! JOB OP!, and then I immediately followed up that thought with, WAIT. JASON WANTS ME TO WORK THERE? I mean, the pub is nice, don't get me wrong. But it's a pub, so it's dark with about 478 TVs blaring college football games nonstop . . . which would be perfect for a twenty-something guy whose girlfriend won't let him watch sports at home. And did I mention it was dark?! 


Bradford and I didn't talk anymore about it. It was sort of swept under the rug, and I felt like we had an agreement that maybe Madra wasn't the place for me to work. So last night after their game, I went to the pub with the guys. While we were drinking our pints, Jason said, "Hey, if anyone knows anybody who wants to wait tables here, let me know." And then, all you could hear were crickets as everyone fell silent because, let's face it. Errr'body knew that was an indirectly direct job offer for moi. 


I should've jumped off my stool and shouted, "I DO! ME! ME! ME!" right? But what did I do? I took a sip of my Sweetwater IPA and stared intently at whatever soccer game highlights were on the tube. All I could think about was, How much is minimum wage these days? I wonder how much in tips the servers get. How many nights will I miss dinner with Bradford and Thomas? And, OMG! It's so dark in here!


I'm torn guys. Completely. When is it time to throw in the towel, swallow my pride and realize that Paul Nunez in HR at the SC Aquarium is not going to call me back about the public relations manager position? 


What do y'all think?

9.17.2010

Parenthood(trap)

I don't talk about parenthood much on here . . . I'm not sure why, really, since my blog is such a hodge podge of topics. Why not talk (complain) about parenting? I guess it's because I wasn't a full-fledged parent until I moved to Charleston in April. Let me explain. 


Thomas, my pre-teen, has been in my life for more than five years (off and on for the first couple of years, granted, but I'm the only woman Bradford has ever introduced him to. Now that's when you know it's getting serious with your divorced, father of one boyfriend, ladies). 


I vividly remember Bradford sitting me down after only two months of dating and basically saying, "Hey, um, my son is going to come live me full time. If you want out, now would be a good time." Me, being my overly stubborn self, insisted on giving it a shot. I can handle anything, I kept telling myself.


I was slowly introduced to Thomas and began spending more and more time together. After Bradford and I officially moved in together (after our "break," of course), my schedule was so hectic that I rarely saw Thomas, much less parented him. I worked 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, taught dance until sometimes 10 p.m. almost every night and spent nearly every weekend dancing. There wasn't much time to be a proper parent. 


Since moving to Charleston and not having a schedule at all (I promise I won't go on a tangent about being jobless and not dancing), I've had BOO-KOOS of time to parent . . . and let me tell you, it ain't easy. I've heard my siblings complain off and on throughout the years about their trials and tribulations. But you have no idea until you're "in it." 


Seven, 8, and 9 years old was cake (for the most part). Thomas was easy to discipline and was precious most of the time. Around 10, he started to test us and figure out what he could and could not get away with, hallmarking some pretty incredible memories. At 11, he went into the sixth grade, and whoa. What. A. Journey. He's never gotten in so much trouble in his life . . . until this year. A full-fledged 12-year-old pre-teen whose hormones are spinning in about 10 billion directions (just like every other seventh grader) can be hard to handle, to say the least.


There are days when I want to explode, and it doesn't help that Bradford's in school and isn't here to soften the blow. Not that I'm complaining. I thank my lucky stars every day that he has figured out what he wants to do in life. But it means I'm here most of the time, making sure Thomas gets his homework and chores done, helping him with projects, signing papers, cooking him dinner (guys, I'm cooking! I haven't been able to in years) etc. Every day, I wonder, am I doing a good job? Is he turning into a good kid? What will we do next year when his hormones are really out of control? Was I too harsh when I took his game time away because he didn't finish a chore? DID HE BRUSH HIS TEETH TONIGHT?! 


Phew. My sister has said, "Yeah. You got the 'Shit Years.'" And while I agree these last couple of years have, at times, been a challenge, I wouldn't change a thing. Talking to my friend, Jenny, helps too. We've been friends since the age of 8, and she oftentimes reminds me of when we tested the boundaries. Like when we used to wait until her parents were in bed and sneak out her bedroom window to play Barbies on the roof. Or when she'd sleep over at my house, we'd sneak out my bedroom window and play Barbies in the pool. How we pulled that one off, I have no idea. And there was that time we snuck out of my dad's house to go cruising with two of our friends. Couldn't have been more than 15 then. 


So I know I wasn't an angel, and it helps to be reminded that Thomas is testing and will continue to test our boundaries. That doesn't mean we're bad parents.  


I try to stay grounded and calm and remember how lucky I am to have Bradford and Thomas in my life. And just how awesome it will be when I have children and get to do it all over again! At least now, I'll be prepared.


  


      






  Wow. Do you think he likes wearing red or what? I love you, buddy! 

9.09.2010

Alexa Chung for Madewell

Image via here


It's no secret I have a major girl crush on Alexa Chung. I love everything about her and am pretty sure she's on my CCI List. 


So I was stoked when I started hearing that she was going to start designing . . . I mean, why not? She's got so much style and can wear anything and look fabulous. Her Alexa Chung for Madewell collection is out, and although a T-shirt costs $48,and I could never afford it, I'm totally loving everything she has designed. 


Check it out, and if you can afford it, shop it!






Thank you, Netflix!

I jumped on the Netflix Train when it first came out and signed up for the two movies a month for $4.99. At the time, I wasn't renting movies all that much because, well . . . I had cable (including HBO), so I was getting my movie fix that way. 


Since moving to Charleston, though, we haven't had cable because we're waiting for me to get a job (see Job Gods? All the more reason for me to get one). Needless to say, we've been renting movies out the bamboozle, which, at five bucks a pop, really adds up. 


So we decided to upgrade our Netflix plan to two movies a month PLUS unlimited streaming and online watching, which means we can watch all the movies we want via Thomas' PS3 and online! Snap!


The plan's only $8.99 a month and is totally worth it. I've watched quite a few movies online already (spare time, spare time).


Here are some I've watched:
This one is definitely worth renting. 

Guys, this is so old, but wasn't Lili Taylor so gorgeous?! 

I have mixed emotions about this one, but as far as independent films go, I think it's worth watching. 

Alright, so I watched this one because I recently saw Black Hawk Down for the first time and got into a discussion with B about whether or not it was Josh Hartnett's break-out role. He said his was from 40 Days and 40 Nights and I was curious. It's cheesy in all the right spots, but I laughed anyway.