It's raining here today, and I have a tricky thing to do.

I am having trouble getting going today. I'm working on getting up the nerve to inspire someone today. It sounds like an easy thing, and with some, it is, and with some individuals, a literal piece of cake(and yes, I mean literally giving them a piece of cake while talking to them is about all it takes, so I'm not be figurative here).Maybe I'll share my dinner with him tonight, hmm. But this is a complex person, who is also a wounded soul, like me...so you'd think that it would be a "slam dunk", right? Yeah, well...a crossword puzzle is a crossword puzzle, but they're all different. Some puzzles only use conventional, everyone agrees on this, words, and others use really off the wall type words that only a seasoned vet of the Sunday New York Times puzzle dare to attempt. This friend is like that, and I love that about him, he's great...and the best person to have a conversation with, or mine for trivia, and to just have in your life, but talking about something sensitive, is, well , sensitive. I want to get what I'm saying across without doing any damage to him, me and us as friends. Sort of like trying to blow a weed up in the center of one of your favorite gardens. It can be done, but care is needed.
So, I KNOW how touchy I can be about constructive "help" sometimes, even from a loved one, and this friend doesn't have the mental issues I have, but is a sensitive soul, with his own issues, nonetheless.

How do you tell someone that the are a Million types better in person than on paper, job-wise? I KNOW that these days, companies often only "officially" accept on-line resumes, but guess what? IF you have the stomach for it, there is another option. You politely, but steadfastly, ask to see the supervisor in HR, without, if possible, ruffling the feathers of the person you're talking to, because you need them to get you there. If, when they tell you the "do your resume onlne, and we'll get back to you" line, you have to be willing to say "Here's the deal, I need a job today, I need to do a "face to face" with whoever hires because there are aspects of what I have to offer that just don't come across on paper, so can I have 5 minutes with them, and I'll hand them the resume while I'm with them, okay?" I have, so far, never NOT gotten a job by doing this. On paper, I sound okay, but not spectacular, or even special. But in person, I have the chance to make a real impression, and even if they don't like me personally, they may see how I'd be good for the company. I don't do the "I'm a people person" or "All I care about is hard work" speeches. What I DO is hone in on the person I'm talking to, read them, and push the buttons that need pushing. For instance: I once, centuries ago, was desperate for a job, and was NOT coming home without one. I had be dis-owned by my family temporarily (a WHOLE nother blog), so couldn't work for them right then, needed very much to get away from my boyfriend and get a new place, and had no car. SO, I had "limited to how far I could walk" options. I put on my nicest outfit, and went walking across the street to a shopping strip that included a topless bar, a boutique, a pizza joint, and a major grocery store. I was not interested in the first place, strike one, so tried the boutique. It was a tiny place, and easily handled by the owner, so, strike two.
I went into the pizza joint and filled out the application, and the lead supervisor was there, and I spoke with him. He was obviously not particularly taken with me because I was very open and probably gave off a vibe of "won't take any crap from anyone" because that was NOT his type. He preferred the type that would not question anything he said or did. (as it happened, that was because he was an alcoholic who liked to give orders, have them obeyed, so he could take 2 hour lunches at the first place I mentioned) so I asked when the manager would be back,I'd really like to speak to HIM, and as much feather ruffling as that caused, he said when to come back, knowing HE'd have a chance to talk with the boss before I came back. So, I went to eat, waiting until time, and went back in determined to walk out withe this job in my pocket. The LS was prowling like a nervous jungle cat when I came in, and said to wait while he told the boss I was here. I waited, and when I was finally granted an audience in the tiny little office, where there was nowhere to sit, except for boss, and I stood there, being appraised. He looked at my app, and I have to stop here, and say that at that time, I was young, was blessed with a good figure and hair then, and was often approached by married guys, which he was...so when he asked me this, I had to be very brave and clever. He looked me straight in the eye, after looking at the rest of me and asked "so, do you want regular hours, or "after hours"? In a Once in a Lifetime (at least for me) reply, I paused, gave him a wry smile, crossed my arms and replied "which pays better"? He looked at me, and laughed. Then he said  to have a seat, and got up. He said "do you know why I asked that question"? and of course I didn't, not for sure, so I say, "no, tell me", and he said that they got a pretty rough crowd on Fridays and Saturdays, with the people that worked at Six Flags over Texas and Ranger Staduim (the ride mechanics, people who had dealt with idiots and other types all day or evening, the vendors at the ball park that were slinging beer and dogs during games) and he needed someone that wouldn't run from the first salty remark made to me. I got the job, and started the next night, a Friday, for pete's sake, taking food and drink orders from them AND the people that had just enjoyed GOING to one of these venues. It was fast, furious and I loved it, and I did it well.And the LS? Well, since he had always hired "mousey" types that wouldn't chat up the customers and make them laugh, he was shortly out of a job, and the boss started hiring people like me, and the place starting really taking off, (like the LS did).
The point is, that had I just left my application with the panther, I would never have gotten that job. It was ME, NOT the paper, that did it. And that is what I want to get across to my friend. HE has to sell HIMSELF, NOT his checkered employment history, but HIM. And if he does that, I have no doubt in my mind that he'll get a job, even in this market, even with things working against him.

Oh yeah, while I'm thinking about it, I was re-reading a blog and have to apologize to the steam"punk" crowd that I, and I was tired and sleepy, and still nervous talking to you, mislabeled as "steampipe". I really love your outfits, as I often do with certain, out of the "normal" loop groups, but have to say, You DO know that irony was done before, by the 1950's beatniks, right? How ironic is THAT? They even sort of brought berets and turtlenecks into mainstream fashion, which I'm sure horrified them and when they realized that the "norms" were copying them, they seemed to disappear overnight. I think they got bored with appearing to be bored, because frankly, no one cared if they were bored or not. It's like trying to irritate your parents by playing classic rock full-blast in your room. About all we'll do is really like that you appreciate our music, and enjoy it, sorry.


So I can't decide whether to just email my friend this blog, or talk to him face-to-face. It would sort of negate the whole point of things by doing the former, but a bit nervous about the latter. But of course, I have to let my personality talk, don't I? Or, I a total hypocrite, right? Okay...have to get my "ducks" in a row, because I think this will be a one-time chance only. Don't want to lose a friend, maybe the best roommate ever, or otherwise cause anything negative to happen. Say a pray.