Nifty...

I filled out the Costco online application yesterday more or less just because; I've never put a whole lot of faith in online applications, since (if it were me) I'd much rather call and interview someone I'd seen in person. But apparently it worked this time - I just got a call from Costco for an interview today after work. I didn't even know if they were hiring right now, but I guess they are...in any case, I guess I'll go home at lunch and change, since I'm currently wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Time to dust off my black trousers and see if I have any of those trouser socks buried somewhere...

I've actually been thinking it might be cool to get an early-morning job as a stocker or receiving clerk or some such; that way, I could get up early, go to work, get off work, come to work here at J&W, and then go home and eat dinner with Brian in the evening before going to bed early. It'd be a pain at first, but I've found that I'm one of those strange people who can adjust to pretty much any schedule so long as I get enough sleep in there somewhere. Just so long as they weren't switching me between mornings and evenings, though. I don't know how long I could handle that.

I guess at the moment, things are a great big "We'll see"...we'll see if they offer me a job, we'll see if I can handle the schedule, we'll see if I like working there...but it's a hopeful "We'll see" nonetheless.

Nifty...

I filled out the Costco online application yesterday more or less just because; I've never put a whole lot of faith in online applications, since (if it were me) I'd much rather call and interview someone I'd seen in person. But apparently it worked this time - I just got a call from Costco for an interview today after work. I didn't even know if they were hiring right now, but I guess they are...in any case, I guess I'll go home at lunch and change, since I'm currently wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Time to dust off my black trousers and see if I have any of those trouser socks buried somewhere...

I've actually been thinking it might be cool to get an early-morning job as a stocker or receiving clerk or some such; that way, I could get up early, go to work, get off work, come to work here at J&W, and then go home and eat dinner with Brian in the evening before going to bed early. It'd be a pain at first, but I've found that I'm one of those strange people who can adjust to pretty much any schedule so long as I get enough sleep in there somewhere. Just so long as they weren't switching me between mornings and evenings, though. I don't know how long I could handle that.

I guess at the moment, things are a great big "We'll see"...we'll see if they offer me a job, we'll see if I can handle the schedule, we'll see if I like working there...but it's a hopeful "We'll see" nonetheless.

A voice of sanity in amidst the name-calling...

So the Empire's printed a couple of anti-Planned-Parenthood letters lately. They've at least appeared to be thoughtfullly written on the surface, although many of the arguments they've made have been based on faulty assumptions (something that the pro-choice people aren't entirely free of, either). One of them that really made me laugh was claiming that since Planned Parenthood was a business like any other, their entire purpose in offering discounted birth control and whatnot was to line women up for the big-ticket item - an abortion. That was so fallacious on so many levels I didn't even think it was worth responding to. A more serious letter had a response printed today that I thought was very reasonable:


I'm fascinated by the letter written by the president of Alaskans for Life (Empire, Feb. 3). I sincerely hope this was a bad example of their views, because Ms. Barnack made some pretty arrogant assumptions.

She says no one needs an abortion. I'd love to hear that said to a woman who has ever had pregnancy that occurred in her fallopian tube, for one thing. Or to the woman who would be beaten to a pulp if their partner found out they were pregnant, or to the rape victim or to the victim of incest.

Abortion is not only about medical need. Pregnancy is as much as an emotional and psychological state as it is a physical one. Is the president of Alaskans for Life arguing that a woman should have to go through a pregnancy just because? No matter how traumatized and unready they may be? Can we really say that yes, definitely, absolutely that is the better choice in all situations for all women? Is it wrong to put the mother's life, including her emotional well-being, at a higher priority than her pregnancy? Why is that so distasteful for us?

For those out there who morally oppose abortion, that's fine. Really. Seriously. No asterisks. No sarcasm. If you feel that life on a spiritual and religious level starts at conception, there's not really much to argue with. I'm not going to tell you that abortion is always the moral and ethical choice, because it's not my place and I don't know. And that, my pro-choice, pro-life and in-between friends, is what we should go on: I respect your right to do things I disagree with. You don't have to support abortion. You don't have to get one. But can you say that it is your place to make one of the most serious, major life decisions there is for another person?

This is the point that so many people (pro-choice, pro-life, Democrat, Republican, gay, straight, whatever societal label you want to give them) seem unable or unwilling to understand - people should be able to make their own decisions. That's what free will is all about. If you believe homosexuality is the scourge of the earth and should not be allowed under any circumstances, fine - but let those people who consider themselves homosexual discover that for themselves. After all, if you're right, they'll find out sooner or later, right?

Or to use the issue at hand - leave well enough alone. Women are people, they have free will, and while they may make decisions they'll regret, that's their lesson to learn, and it's not your job to prevent them from learning it. Or it's possible they won't regret it at all and it would in fact be better all around. The point is - you don't know, it's not your life, so let them live it.

Ooookay, this went on a bit long. I think I'm going to step down off the soapbox for a while...

A voice of sanity in amidst the name-calling...

So the Empire's printed a couple of anti-Planned-Parenthood letters lately. They've at least appeared to be thoughtfullly written on the surface, although many of the arguments they've made have been based on faulty assumptions (something that the pro-choice people aren't entirely free of, either). One of them that really made me laugh was claiming that since Planned Parenthood was a business like any other, their entire purpose in offering discounted birth control and whatnot was to line women up for the big-ticket item - an abortion. That was so fallacious on so many levels I didn't even think it was worth responding to. A more serious letter had a response printed today that I thought was very reasonable:


I'm fascinated by the letter written by the president of Alaskans for Life (Empire, Feb. 3). I sincerely hope this was a bad example of their views, because Ms. Barnack made some pretty arrogant assumptions.

She says no one needs an abortion. I'd love to hear that said to a woman who has ever had pregnancy that occurred in her fallopian tube, for one thing. Or to the woman who would be beaten to a pulp if their partner found out they were pregnant, or to the rape victim or to the victim of incest.

Abortion is not only about medical need. Pregnancy is as much as an emotional and psychological state as it is a physical one. Is the president of Alaskans for Life arguing that a woman should have to go through a pregnancy just because? No matter how traumatized and unready they may be? Can we really say that yes, definitely, absolutely that is the better choice in all situations for all women? Is it wrong to put the mother's life, including her emotional well-being, at a higher priority than her pregnancy? Why is that so distasteful for us?

For those out there who morally oppose abortion, that's fine. Really. Seriously. No asterisks. No sarcasm. If you feel that life on a spiritual and religious level starts at conception, there's not really much to argue with. I'm not going to tell you that abortion is always the moral and ethical choice, because it's not my place and I don't know. And that, my pro-choice, pro-life and in-between friends, is what we should go on: I respect your right to do things I disagree with. You don't have to support abortion. You don't have to get one. But can you say that it is your place to make one of the most serious, major life decisions there is for another person?

This is the point that so many people (pro-choice, pro-life, Democrat, Republican, gay, straight, whatever societal label you want to give them) seem unable or unwilling to understand - people should be able to make their own decisions. That's what free will is all about. If you believe homosexuality is the scourge of the earth and should not be allowed under any circumstances, fine - but let those people who consider themselves homosexual discover that for themselves. After all, if you're right, they'll find out sooner or later, right?

Or to use the issue at hand - leave well enough alone. Women are people, they have free will, and while they may make decisions they'll regret, that's their lesson to learn, and it's not your job to prevent them from learning it. Or it's possible they won't regret it at all and it would in fact be better all around. The point is - you don't know, it's not your life, so let them live it.

Ooookay, this went on a bit long. I think I'm going to step down off the soapbox for a while...

(no subject)

Decided I didn't want the Costco job. They needed someone who could work Saturday and Sunday, and while I applaud pretty much everything about their employee policies (they even offer time and a half if you work Sunday), I need at least one day off to spend with the boyfriend and kittes. So that didn't work out. But I'm not too torn up about it - and the manager who interviewed me was very friendly and invited me to reapply if my schedule changed.

Considering that most of the part-time job opportunities here in Juneau are retail-oriented, I'm guessing that I'm going to get something similar from the other places. So I guess it's time for one of my messages to the universe: I would like to find a decent-paying part time job that lets me have Saturday and/or Sunday off that I like.

In the meantime, I've got an idea for an eBay entrepreneurship that I might start up. The local consignment shop has a $5 rack that contains all the clothing they've had for more than a couple of months; during the last week of the month it becomes a $1 rack (and at the end of the month anything that doesn't sell goes to charity). When I discovered last month's $1 rack I ended up picking up a couple of really nice turtlenecks, so I figure if I scour the racks each month I might be able to sell/auction them off for at least a little more than I paid for them - if I start the bidding at $1.50 that's all of the expeses covered. So we'll see how that goes. Who knows, maybe it'll take off and bring in an extra hundred or so a month. :)

(no subject)

Decided I didn't want the Costco job. They needed someone who could work Saturday and Sunday, and while I applaud pretty much everything about their employee policies (they even offer time and a half if you work Sunday), I need at least one day off to spend with the boyfriend and kittes. So that didn't work out. But I'm not too torn up about it - and the manager who interviewed me was very friendly and invited me to reapply if my schedule changed.

Considering that most of the part-time job opportunities here in Juneau are retail-oriented, I'm guessing that I'm going to get something similar from the other places. So I guess it's time for one of my messages to the universe: I would like to find a decent-paying part time job that lets me have Saturday and/or Sunday off that I like.

In the meantime, I've got an idea for an eBay entrepreneurship that I might start up. The local consignment shop has a $5 rack that contains all the clothing they've had for more than a couple of months; during the last week of the month it becomes a $1 rack (and at the end of the month anything that doesn't sell goes to charity). When I discovered last month's $1 rack I ended up picking up a couple of really nice turtlenecks, so I figure if I scour the racks each month I might be able to sell/auction them off for at least a little more than I paid for them - if I start the bidding at $1.50 that's all of the expeses covered. So we'll see how that goes. Who knows, maybe it'll take off and bring in an extra hundred or so a month. :)