Monday, December 10, 2007

Layoff What?

A responsible person would hear the word "layoff", look at their monthly budget and cut back costs wherever necessary. Me? Not so responsible. I decided last night that I needed one more monthly expenditure so I went and opened up a Netflix account. I've gotta tell you that I am all excited about this and have already put 48 movies in my queue! So I should have Transformers arriving at my door tomorrow followed by Hot Fuzz shortly after that. The one responsible thing that I did do was go for the $8.99/month plan which allows for 1 movie at a time. I could've gone for a more expensive plan, but figured I could only afford the cheaper one...at least I hope.

Luckily I still have my job as a personal care attendant. I never quit that job in case the family ever needed me for emergencies. That way I'd be on the payroll and could work. I made roughly the same hourly wage there, so there's that. The only problem is that I don't get nearly 40 hours/week worth of work and there's no benefits. But I've been applying for other jobs, so we'll see what happens. I've been applying for a bunch of counselor jobs within the school system. I've found that I like that setting since being at this job and you can't beat having summers off!

In other news, book news, I'm still reading but very slowly. I've started Carole McDonnell's Wind Follower and the 60 pages that I've read so far is phenomenal! I expected to enjoy this one, but it's really exceeded my expectations. So far it's the story of a young man named Loic, son of the head of a tribe who has fallen in love with a dark skinned girl named Satha who is from a tribe different than his, poor and beyond the typical age of marriage. It's gripping, literally from page one and already explores issues of culture, race, and tradition. And isn't that cover incredible? Timothy Lantz is the cover artist.

I've also been reading a book that's really surprised me. It's called What it Takes to Pull me Through and it's the story of a group of adolescents at a psychiatric boarding school. As a counselor, it's a wonderful book and it's made me smile many times because it reminds me of so many of the groups that I ran at the psychiatric hospital that I interned at. I miss those kids.
The kids in this book all have different backgrounds and different issues and we follow them from their problems before they go into the school all the way through their 14 month treatment. We see the highs and lows and everything in between. This is a great read for anyone who is raising a teen or for counselors or for teens who are going through problems.

14 comments:

Kailana said...

haha, yes, you are sort of like me. I didn't get laid off, but I am unsure of my hours for the winter months, so the two books I bought tonight was probably pretty bad!

chrisa511 said...

Kailana, Surprisingly I actually haven't bought a book for myself since I've been laid off! That's hard to believe, but true! You'd think I'd do the ultimate depression thing and buy a whole library, but I've been good ;) So...whatcha buy??? ;)

DesLily said...

hmmm, well you managed to get books before this job so I have no fear that you will ever go "bookless" entirely!

Oh, that's good that you still have that part time job! Sure beats none at all.. but the "benefits" are what you need so i hope you find something soon.

I'm glad you are blogging again.. I'm depressed enough without you disappearing on me! I look forward to yours even if I'm not into the particular book you read..

Ok Bubba.. you keep on blogging now ya hear mama?! lol

chrisa511 said...

Deslily, Me? Bookless? I guarantee that will never happen! lol...I'll always find some way to have those on hand. I'm so thankful that I have my other job still! If I would've officially quit my job I would've had to start over at my base salary and lost all of my raises after 7 years...that would've sucked! Losing the benefits is no good, but I'll manage for now. Sorry for disappearing :( I got into a little rut, but I'm slowly coming out of it. Damn lay offs...and during the holidays of all times! I'm back for now mama ;)

Carl V. Anderson said...

Netflix is great. You should shoot me an email and I'll put you on my friends list. I have 100's of movies in my queue.

Still very sorry about the job issue. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers that you find just the right thing and find it soon.

Debi said...

I've been wanting to join Netflix for so long, but for whatever reason the old "be responsible" kicks in on this issue. "We've got a pile of movies here that we just haven't had time to watch, so why should we join Netflix?" Well, because I just really, really want to! Anyway, I hope you really enjoy it!

How smart of you not to officially quit the old job, huh? What makes it even cooler is that you stayed on out of love for the family, not really out of self-interest. I do hope something great with benefits comes along soon though! I keep thinking about you, and all those kids.

I hope our library has What it Takes to Pull Me Through. Sounds like a book I'd really enjoy. You know, I always thought I would be doing what you are. I majored in Psych in college, but I never did anything with it. Though I got really good grades and all, I just didn't have my act together enough to know what I really wanted to do. But of course, life continued to happen and I just ended up somewhere very different than I originally imagined. Not that I'm complaining. Anyway, it sounds like a fabulous book!

Okay, I'm done rambling for now.

Ana S. said...

Netflix sounds like such a cool idea. I wish we had it here!

I had never heard of Wind Follower, but it sounds great. And you're right, the cover is beautiful!

darkorpheus said...

We have something similar to Netflix over here, but I never sign up for it. Addict that I am, I will never leave the house if I keep waiting movies.

But on the job front I'm glad you still have the old job. Really hope everything will smooth itself out soon and you find something more permanent with benefits.

For now, just focus on the holidays. And being with family and friends. Seems like a better way to spend the time :)

Scifiwritir said...

Hi Chris:

Am glad you're not letting the rut take you over. They cloud the mind. Thanks for reading WF. -C

Stephanie said...

Netflix rocks!! For us, it is SO worth the money. We love to watch movies, but I can't tell you how many late charges I always ended up with because we just couldn't watch them on time!! I just sent back Sicko yesterday, and already The Bourne Ultimatum is on it's way!!

Hot Fuzz is SUCH a great movie! I can't wait to hear what you think about it!!

Besides....you'll have another job soon!! I'm not worried about you!

chrisa511 said...

Carl, I had no idea you could be friends with people through Netflix! That's awesome. I sent you an "invite" email through their website...I guess that's how that works? I think the right job will come around when it's supposed to. It's just ashame that this one didn't work out! It was perfect! Oh well...

Debi, I had been debating Netflix for awhile too. Great time to decide to join, huh? lol! I have the same problem as you. I buy movies and never watch them! I figured this way I'll actually watch them because I have to mail them back. And it's really cheap! I had no idea you wanted to be a counselor :) You'd make a great one! I think you'd really enjoy this book. It might scare the hell out of you with your whole gang still heading towards adolescence ;) but I think you're safe with them. Life often takes us in surprising directions doesn't it? It's amazing where we land sometimes...so far from where we expected. But it's a good thing when we land in a happy place!

Nymeth, Netflix is incredibly cool! Although it encourages one to be even more antisocial ;) Now I don't even have to leave my house to get a movie! I think that you would love Wind Follower! It's an awesome book so far. Hard to describe, but very different from anything I've read. It's like a rich, cultural, fantasy epic. Cool stuff.

D-O, I'm afraid that will happen with me too :p I'll just never leave the house now that I have movies delivered straight to it! As for jobs, you're absolutely right. I'm just going to focus on the holidays for now and not let it become a time of stress. I'll stress when it's all over. No point in ruining everything over something I can't control! Thanks :)

Carole, Ruts do indeed cloud the mind. It took over for about a week and I was just miserable! But I can't let things I can't control beat me, so I'm trying to go with the flow for now! And no need to thank me for reading Wind Follower! It's a wonderful book so far, so thanks for writing it :D

Stephanie, Same here! I can't tell you how much money I've payed in late charges. Only that it's a ridiculously high amount of money :p I'm so excited about Hot Fuzz :) I loved Shaun of the Dead, it's one of my favorite movies, so I'm sure I'll love Hot Fuzz. I'm not too worried about me either...benefits would be nice though!

Bellezza said...

I might have to read the teenager one, if I can disengage myself from fearing for my son. Actually, we're in a very good place right now, and I'm thanking God. Teenage Land is one I just don't get anymore, but it will never stop my love for him. Them.

chrisa511 said...

Bellezza, It really is a great book. I think that you'd get a lot out of it. It shows teenagers at their worst and how they came back from that. It leaves a lot of hope and that's one of the things I love about the book. Teenage Land is indeed a scary place, huh? It was scary for me too...I can just imagine how it is for a parent. Actually I can't, but I'm sure I'll find out one of these days. God bless you, Bellezza!

Jupiter said...

I also did the not-so-responsible thing and joined Netflix (I justified it with the cheapest plan too LOL) . BUT I do get most of my dvds out from the library....and use Netflix for the ones the library doesn't have. Like,Transformers I got from the library but Hot Fuzz (which I love,btw) had a wait lost months long so I just got it from Netflix :P