So in less than nine hours I leave for my first "serious" voyage to NYC -- I've got a couple of apartment viewings scheduled, some others I plan to walk in and view, a job interview on Friday, and a few other places I plan to swing by and leave a resume (possibly more, depending upon what I see in the local papers). I'm not sure what I'm more worried about -- the employment thing or the job thing! I mean, theoretically speaking, it's no big deal if I can't find an apartment, since I can always come back here (I'm planning to travel to and from NYC until then; frex, I'm coming back Friday night), and even if I do find an apartment I'll probably be making frequent trips back here to transport certain essentials, etc. But then, on the off chance that I do get hired at one of these places, I'll need somewhere to live so I can start work! So it seems like the apartment should take top priority, but the shadow of unemployment really bothers me. Anyway, hopefully something will pan out!

In other news: As I think I already mentioned, Friday was my last day at my old job. The topmost photo is a picture of me on my last day there -- I colored myself blue for no reason in particular. Actually, I was kinda sad to leave, despite appearances to the contrary. I was pretty good at maintaining those accounting books despite having had no previous training in that area and I did like the folks in the office and the environment, but I guess it's time to move on. I'm really scared and nervous about it, but yeah, I imagine things will be a little better once I find a place to live or a job (or, preferably, both). And the above image is the note I placed on the copying machine when it broke the previous week. Forget my bookkeeping skills -- it's my humor that the department is really going to miss! Or not... 😉

And oh yeah, my cell phone came today and I'll be setting that up tonight before I leave, so if you'd like to be added to my contact list -- especially if you live in the NYC area and want to catch up with me tomorrow or Friday! -- e-mail me your number if you haven't already done so (or if you want to do so again). That e-mail will also let me know that you're interested in having my number, so I'll send it to you.

And one more pic before we go -- for some reason I think Tara is really hot. I can't explain it! Maybe it's because she more/less occupies the Miss Yvonne role on CN's Cartoon Fridays sketches in that she's the female lead. Dixie was way more attractive than Miss Yvonne, though. Hell, she even played the trumpet!

Okay, I've really gotta go now. Ja ne, minna-san -- hopefully I'll survive the trip and have good or at least interesting news to share on Saturday.

Oh yeah, and speaking of good news, I won $100 playing Sudoku in the Washington Post Express! So that's two mentions I've gotten in that paper within the span of a week. The $100 is already gone and then some -- I had to buy ink for the printer to print out these bloody resumes and book bus tickets and hotel rooms and whatnot -- but still, every little bit helps.

Bye!

Today a letter about PANDAS from your pal Wes appears in the Washington Post Express! Be sure to snag one if you're in the local area, but if not, a pdf copy is available online (you want the 8/26/05 issue). But here's the relevant part:

Alas, I can't take credit for the titular reference to Gwyneth Paltrow's brood, but the rest of the letter appears in more/less unedited form -- I had a parenthetical "Eeeeyy!!" that followed the mention of FONZ (Friends of the National Zoo), but that's about the only change. Sweet!

Yeah, I know it's just a short (and hopefully funny) letter, but this is my first published clip that wasn't in a student-run newspaper or magazine or online, so I'm pretty pleased. More to come, perhaps...?

I'll say more about other stuff later, including the previous entry. But off to work for now -- ja!

Feeling pretty shitty tonight. Why must I be right about everything? It would be nice to be wrong sometimes, especially with respect to my life, future, relationships, and so forth. Sigh.

So as you'll see in a moment, I didn't get around to cutting my hair after all. I decided to try and squeeze in a single hour of sleep, and when I woke from that I was going to cut my hair... until I reasoned that doing so with so little sleep would probably have been a bad idea, decided against it, and slept for a little longer. As far as the "interview" itself goes, it was over far too quickly -- I was back on the street within a half hour -- which may not be a good sign. But besides that, I think it went well! Of course, I almost always think my interviews go well, but, with the exception of retail jobs, I've never been offered a position for which I interviewed. In fact, during the undergrad admissions process way back in the final years of the 20th century, I went on an interview for only one of the five schools to which I applied -- Princeton. Guess which school was the only one I didn't get into? Princeton. Maybe I come across as an asshole in person -- which would explain why nobody particularly enjoys my company.

And here go those pics of me in a suit, as promised -- I didn't get around to taking them before I left, so I took a few when I got back. See that smile? I'm the world's best actor. By the way, if I'm right -- and I think I am -- that is the same suit that I'm shown wearing here, twelve years ago. Think about that for a moment. And goodnight!

So I'm doing a little better now. I've informed the supervisors that I'll be turning in my notice by the end of the week, so the end is in sight. I've started looking for apartments in the NYC area, too -- hoping to make the move in early Sept. (That is very soon!) Any advice from some of you already living there? (Or apartment hunting tips in general?) And what do you think of apartment search services with fees? There are some great listings on Rentwave.com, but to get at them one has to pay a $40 membership fee. What do you think?

Also, are there any particularly cost-effective areas that you'd care to recommend? (I'm looking to spend $800 max per month, although, naturally, less is more. 😉 1 bedroom preferred, but a nice studio would be cool too!) Brooklyn and Harlem don't seem to be too bad, and I could always commute from NJ.

Your suggestions/advice will be greatly appreciated!

Still, this stuff is pretty damned discouraging.