Saturday, January 24, 2009

Photo Contest





So if you hadn't heard, I recently won a photo contest! The contest was from the White Pass and Yukon Route train company. The WPYR is the train in Skagway, AK where I work in the summer. So basically they have this contest that runs to the end of each year and anyone can submit photos of the train or having to do with the train. There are 10 winners each year and the winning photos are used in publications and advertisement for the company. So I submitted a few photos and low and behold one of them was chosen as a winner(see picture above)!! The link to the winner page is below, as well as a link to a page where they are already using my photo(it's pretty easy to spot)! 


http://wpyr.com/multimedia/photocontest.html

http://wpyr.com/brochures/english.html

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Gripe Session

It has been brought to my attention that I need to write something new in my blog. Apparently people are tired of reading about my hair fiasco (you know who you are). So in an attempt to keep things fresh I am going to tell you all about my recent escapades.

Really though, my life isn't super exciting. Yes I am still in New York City where I plan on staying until a couple weeks before I go to Alaska in April. I'm still babysitting a few days a week for my sister and I have also added one day a week babysitting for someone else. The real excitement came in December when I found a job in a photo store on Craig's List. I got a call the next day after emailing my resume, and went in for the interview. It went well, the guy said when I got back into the city after Christmas, to call him and he'd have me come in. So after the holidays I called him up and oddly, he hardly even remembered me. After sort of an awkward convo, he said he'd call me when they needed someone, and so a week later I was happy to get a call from him. I went in a few days later and began to train for the job. It was a lot to remember at first, but I got the hang of it after the first day. The job didn't seem so bad, until the owner of the store came back from vacation. The owner is Hungarian and apparently doesn't like it when people stand around...ever. You constantly have to be doing something, otherwise he'll yell at you for not doing anything. I learned that I needed to look busy every time he came around and when he was occupied with something else I could relax. I took to hiding in the basement, anally reorganizing all the printer inks just so I wasn't in his overly watchful eye. After the third day working there however, my manager (the guy who originally interviewed me) hadn't given me any sort of schedule, he just said to call the following week and we'd talk. So I called, and they didn't need me during the week, but might need me Saturday. So I called again on Friday (today) and was told they were covered and to call back Monday. Well needless to say, I've gotten pretty fed up with it all. I realize I'm in a "trial" period, but if they really need someone, wouldn't they want to use me? So I'm honestly debating whether or not to even call back on Monday or just focus on getting another job. It's hard though because since I work most of the week babysitting, I really just need a job on the weekends and it's hard to find such a job. So my best bet right now is to work on getting a couple extra babysitting jobs to fill in a little. I mean this whole ordeal with the camera store has just been odd. The manager dude hasn't trained me in anything(some fellow employees have shown me some of what I need to know), hasn't told me any store protocol, rules, or told me what the pay periods are. Yes I should ask (especially after all this time has gone by), but I shouldn't have to ask, as proper training should go over that kind of thing. But no, I get nothing, nada, zip. Maybe deep down, I don't want to work there. It is rather stressful with that Hungarian dude running around. And to be honest the only thing I've missed from this job is the money I could be making. 


Moving on, I just want to say how happy I am to finally have a competent president in office!! Woo! I had tears in my eyes the whole time (which reminds me of something else I need to talk about...more below). I feel so much more positive about our country and where we will end up after Obama makes positive changes. I think the whole country is happier (well the Dems at least). Although, the 'pubes probably aren't happy anyway. It's so pathetic that people are still complaining about Obama being president. GET OVER IT!! He's president whether you like him or not. Unless he screws up big time and gets impeached, he's not going anywhere! I for one am excited to see that he's already making changes (tax breaks anyone?). I honestly don't get the logic that conservatives have for being conservative. It just doesn't make sense to me. Even celebrities who make tons of money, and pay more in taxes under liberal reigns support him. For example, Oprah will be paying about $9 million more in taxes than she does now with Obama, but if McCain had won, she'd be paying like $8 million LESS. So obviously, Obama's got some pretty good views for our country if people are willing to pay that much more in taxes (even though $9 million is probably pocket change to Oprah). Oh and while I'm on the subject of politics, can I just say how much I hate Ann Coulter? Seriously, if you've ever listened to her speak, you come out of it with no understanding of what she was talking about. She has this new book basically saying that single-motherhood is the main cause of people to commit crimes. I was watching a clip of her on The View a few days ago, and basically if you argue with her, she just shouts over you and you can never get a word in. I'm pretty sure that's her tactic. That's probably how she gets book deals, she'll just talk over the publisher until they give in. I mean, what dumbo actually buys her books and agrees with her? Like that one she wrote called "Godless" about the women of 9/11 who lost husbands, and Miss Ugly 'Pube claims they're exploiting their loss to make money? Well what are you doing Miss Coulter, if not exploiting 9/11?


And last but not least, remember when I said I was teary eyed during the Inauguration? Well it reminded me of something. I've been thinking about this for some time, but the last few years I get all misty-eyed over everything. And I wondered what is different that all of a sudden I'm all emotional all the time? Well I just chalk it up to hormones and stupid puberty that even makes my eyes water at some cheesy, tug-at-your-heart-strings commercial. Hormones that make me cry like a baby at the end of the 4th and 5th Harry potter movies (and the 6th and 7th books). Seriously, wtf? For Pete's sake, don't mention anything sad to me, ever!! HAHA


So that, my friends is the end of my random blog. If I remember, I will try to post something a little more thought out and interesting. But now it's late, and I'm going to bed!!