Well, I Am From The Midwest After All

Of all the times to get serious about job searching, I guess yesterday night trying to avoid spending any more money this weekend was as good as any.  I don't even know what suddenly gave me the itch, but I spent a good two hours on http://usajobs.gov and I realize that I am making the right choice to move to Washington D.C.

Now about 20 minutes of that two hours was spent trying to create a user name and password because they government doesn't screw around when it comes to security.  The password had to have at least one capital letter, a number, and a symbol.  At the same time it had to be between the normal 8 and 20 characters.  I was already enamored with this.  Even if the fact that translating my usual password into the format proved a challenge that made me think that I might not be qualified for government work.

But the rest of the time was spent looking at jobs that I actually wanted!  That was a welcome change.

Now there was one small problem.  None of the jobs were in a Department that I had any particular interest in.  I'm really wanting to find a place in the Department of Education, Department of Labor, or Department of Health and Human Services.  And yes, I know, those are three Departments that the Republicans want to excoriate.  What can I say?  In some ways I'm a bleeding heart.

But, see, they're also where I'm qualified.

• For Health and Human Services, I did my senior thesis in college through my capstone course on public health (it was a fun paper on syphilis; and whether roadside educational advertisements did anything to lower transmission rates).  
• For Labor, it's a personal passion of mine.  
• And for Education, I come from a family of educators and administrators, and all of my real world experience is in it.

These are, however, apparently three Departments that are not really hiring.  Because, like I said, the Republicans promise to cut off their money supply.

But one Department is seemingly on a hiring bonanza - the Department of Agriculture.

I had never even considered this.  Even having lived in the midwest (near or in big cities, mind) my entire life.  

But since I'm wanting to do entry level bureaucratic work anyhow, I guess it doesn't matter what department I'm in.  And they had two jobs that close in the next three days.  One I do not meet the one year at GS-7 level or below (because there's no educational alternative for this particular job and they want to promote from within.  But the one that closes on Wednesday looks like one I'm absolutely qualified for:

Job Title: Program Support Assistant

Department: Department Of Agriculture

Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service

Job Announcement Number: NRCS-11-438999B-JO

SALARY RANGE:	$46,745.00 - $60,765.00 /year
OPEN PERIOD:	Thursday, March 03, 2011 to Wednesday, March 09, 2011
SERIES & GRADE:	GS-0303-08
POSITION INFORMATION:	Full Time Career/Career Conditional
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:	08
DUTY LOCATIONS:	5 vacancies - Washington DC Metro Area, DC
WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED:	United States Citizens

JOB SUMMARY:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our national resources and environment.  The agency emphasizes voluntary, science-based conservation; technical assistance, partnerships, incentive- based programs, and cooperative problem solving at the community level. http:///www.nrcs.usda.gov. This position is located on the Administrative Services Team, National Headquarters Staff, National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS), Washington, DC.  The incumbent serves as program support assistant and provides administrative, clerical, and office support for the supervisor and assigned NHQ staffs.  The position assists in meeting the operational and performance requirements for the Agency.  The Supervisory Program Manager supervises this position and provides advice and guidance if significant changes in operations or data requirements occur.

KEY REQUIREMENTS: U.S. Citizenship Required Time-in-grade Relocation is not authorized.

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Duties

Additional Duty Location Info:

5 vacancies - Washington DC Metro Area, DC

• Performs a wide range of, administrative, clerical, and office support for NRCS service-wide programs.  Establishes and maintains tracking records, and the preparation of submission of documents and reports; and a comprehensive filing system; time and attendance reporting, processing, and scheduling travel arrangements for national and international travel, and meetings for team members as required. 
•  
•  Updates, retrieves, and inputs data associated with training, travel, technical reports, etc, in the appropriate database.  Ensures necessary documentation is submitted in a timely manner and appropriate procedural policies are implemented; coordinates with appropriate USDA and NRCS offices regarding status of reporting requirements.
•  
• Provides administrative support to identify and resolve problems in assigned area. Keeps staffs informed of new capabilities and process improvements.  Provides assistance in assembling, compiling and maintaining databases.

•  Maintains a follow-up system for reports, correspondence, and files to ensure control and efficient accessibility; maintains record control to ensure correspondence and report deadlines are met; keeps current reference materials/files, handbooks, shared files and manuals. Disposes or archives obsolete material/files. 

• Prepare and process travel audits and local travel claim for reimbursements. Cross-references travel voucher claims with the National Finance Center monthly reports to verify payments.   

• Prepares draft general correspondence, reports, and visual presentations from existing drafts, notes, or oral instructions.  Proofreads and assist in editing non-technical documents to ensure proper format, grammar, typographical accuracy, and conformance to procedural style.
•  
• Provides assistance on specific projects, conferences, and meetings; maintains conformance with procedural requirements. Provides support for designated actions to process in accordance with applicable regulations and guidelines.
•  
•  Analyzes documents for inconsistencies or missing data. Maintains program filing/case system, adheres to filing requirements, distribution of documents, and intake of completed reports. Schreds/destroys aged reports in accordance with regulatory requirements.

• Maintains and keep up-to-date directives, policies, procedures, guidelines, and subscriptions to ensure the office environment is informed; providing accurate and current information on procedural requirements and other matters related to operation and functions of the staff and office. Maintains current directories of key contacts and other distribution lists associated with the office.
•  
• Assist employees in locating websites, directives, and information systems concerning employee benefits, career programs, and employee development.
•  
• Actively supports the Civil Rights policies are translated into appropriate  actions related to the position's duties and responsibilities.
•  
• Perform other duties as assigned.

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Qualifications and Evaluations

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Specialized Experience for GS-08: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing administrative duties in a professional office setting answering phones, greeting visitors, responding to general inquiries, typing and formatting correspondence, managing incoming mail, ordering and maintaining office supplies, and maintaining electronic and paper files. Experience preparing travel, procuring and maintaining office files, and collecting budget information, also experience using office automatic software.

And, hey, it's not perfect so if I botch it for some reason, at least I get experience applying for a government job.  Which, apparently, function different than normal jobs.  Monster.com has started sending out specialized e-mails for interest areas and one of them in GovCentral.  I got this story e-mailed to me about a week ago: http://govcentral.monster.com/benefits/articles/6403-4-steps-to-understanding-the-federal-hiring-process?utm_source=nlet&utm_content=gc_c5_20110304_10steps

I definitely need to update my resume and read that story.  So in the next couple of days I will be reading that story and a few others trying to get my resume in governmental form.  And just modernized in general.  I realize now that I've been submitted resumes so out of the modern way that they still sort by work experience and not skills.  Oops.  Looks like having the same job for over a decade doesn't pay sometimes.

How I Spent The Eighth Week Of The Rest Of My Life

Now that it's March, I've got to start getting things done.  I've made a couple of "new month" resolutions that I probably won't keep.  For example, I'm going to try to write a Yelp review every day for the rest of this month so I can clear out my bookmarks of places that I've gone that I haven't reviewed. 

And I'm going to try to go to the gym on a schedule that goes morning-night-off day..., for the rest of the month as well. The reason for this is pretty silly.  It's not to get in shape.  It's so I get 100 check-ins at the McCormick Tribune YMCA before I move.  See, there's a Foursquare badge that requires the longevity of going to a place 100 times.  I've gone to the gym 73 times as of yesterday (I thought it was 74, but there was apparently a miscount in the database).  So 27 more times are going to be required in the 41 days I have left in Chicago.  Maybe 48.  Anyway, not a lot.  Once I move to D.C., it is going to take ages for me to check-in anywhere 100 times probably over a year.  Anyway, end nerdery.

Plus, today in using a Groupon, I walked up Broadway in Lakeview.  There are so many places I want to try there.  A friend of mine suggested that I create my own Chicago Bucket List (http://www.goatking.com/).  I don't know if I'll go that far, but I definitely need to figure out everything I need to do before I leave that I won't want to come back *too* soon.

Though the reception I've been getting when I tell people I'm leaving will probably make me want to do so anyhow.

So the next few weeks might get a little bit spendy.  I'm going to try and keep it under control, but I'm not going to turn down much of any opportunity.

Last week, however, was okay as far as the end of it went.  And this week, I've barely spent anything.

Here's how I "spent" last week:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 ($15.00)

• 11:46 a.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  It was election day and I figured a bit of time on the treadmill was just what I needed to figure out who to vote for in the 35th Ward Alderman's race.  I was walking next to a loud, broken treadmill, however, so it wasn't really that conducive to thinking.
• 2:12 p.m. Earway Cafe - $12.00.  While I never much liked the food here when I had eaten there in the past, I decided to give it one more chance before I went out of business at the end of the month.  I got a black bean burger.  It was okay, but I'm still not going to much miss this place.
• 3:41 p.m. 35th Ward, 30th Precinct - Free.  Voting.  Right as I went to vote, one of the Alderman candidates, Miguel Sotomayor was doing a poll visit.  I shook his hand, asked him some questions about his qualifications, and then voted for him.  I guess it didn't take much thinking after all.
• 9:24 p.m. Cole's - $3.00.  In an irony to end all ironies, a friend of mine had decided to have her birthday drinks at a bar where Rey Colon, the incumbent Alderman in my neighborhood, was having his Election Night party.  I was actually the second one to shake his hand after his victory was announced.  The funny thing was, I had decided to vote for him before his opponent shook my hand.  I didn't turn down the free drinks and free food.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23 ($11.00)

• 2:48 p.m. Fiesta Mexicana - $9.00.  I'm still not sure if I had ever been to this Mexican restaurant before this day.  If I have it was never sober.  A lot of people I know have this as their go-to place after shows in Uptown.  I found it pretty average.
• 3:37 p.m. Borders - Free.  The Uptown Borders was where I bought most of my travel books for some reason.  My last trip to Italy's guide was bought here.  This time, when I saw that they were still only 20% off, nothing was bought here.  But it was good to make the round to my second favorite Chicago Borders before it closed.
• 4:14 p.m. Metropolis Coffee Shop - $2.00.  Since I don't go to many official Yelp events anymore in Chicago (too big and too much drama), I decided to say goodbye to the CM at a small office hours.  If I drank coffee, it would have been free.  But the discount on my Italian Soda was nice.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24 ($21.49)

• 12:08 p.m. Aldi - $15.95.  I woke up starving and needed to go to Aldi before I could even think about running any of the other errands that I needed to.  Of course I played on the internet and managed to not go there until noon.  And then I came home and went back to sleep.
• 2:53 p.m. Chicago Public Library - Logan Square Branch - $1.00.  The goal of my going to the library was to print out tax forms so I could get my refund (which will, hopefully, be used to pay for most of my potential car).  I ended up filing for deferments on my student loans.  That was something I should have done long before.
• 3:57 p.m. US Post Office - Clemente Branch - $.54.  I needed to mail in the attestation that I didn't turn down any job offers in my prior certification for unemployment.  I ended up waiting in line for a long time as I don't have any envelopes in my apartment.
• 8:01 p.m. Logan Theater - $4.00.  With Chicago about to be fading into my rearview mirror, what better movie to see than the most Chicago movie of 2011 so far, The Dilemma.  It was okay.  But what was awesome was a scene was shot on Milwaukee Avenue about three blocks south of my apartment.
• 10:22 p.m. Walgreens - $1.08.  I had a free Redbox rental code for friending them on Facebook.  I used it to rent The Expendables.  It was mantastically predictable!  Of course I returned it late the next day, so it wasn't free.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25 ($10.25)

• 12:16 p.m. Bubbleland - $3.40.  I didn't even bother to check if the washing machine in my building was fixed this time.  Bubbleland is less stressful any day of the week.
• 12:53 p.m. KFC - $6.85.  Even though I looked relatively homeless on this visit, I did not get a reduced price on my sides.  And they are just not worth the full price.  Still, I was just that hungry.
• 4:16 p.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  This was one of the errands (as was laundry) that I had planned to run the day before.  The last one.
• 10:15 p.m. Celtic Crown Public House - Free.  One of the good things about leaving Chicago and being unemployed is people pay for my drinks.  I had drank a beer watching The Expendables before leaving and someone chipped in for my part of a table topper we got as well as a snakebite I got (including tip).  The food came free with my Foursquare check-in. Nice!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26 ($47.62)

• 12:05 p.m. Rally To Save The Middle Class - Free.  Since I hope to work in the Department of Labor (but I'll take a job pretty much anywhere in D.C.), this rally was very interesting to me.  Also I stand behind the Wisconsin 14 completely.  I hate what Governor Walker is doing with every fiber of my being.
• 1:11 p.m. Qdoba Mexican Grill - $6.43.  Even though I've been going to Chipotle a lot, Qdoba is my favorite fast food burrito place (I don't count Taco Bell).  When I saw one walking back to the train from the rally, I had to stop in.
• 1:58 p.m. Walgreens - $14.19.  The headphones I had been wearing to the gym were so broken that they were annoying me.  I bought a new pair here.  Of course, the fabric ripped while I was putting them on the buds, but I figure they're cheap enough.
• 8:18 p.m. The Southern - $18.00.  I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I had to try to make all three birthday parties I had scheduled in the evening.  This one involved a $25.00 unlimited drink package, but I decided to drink cheap beer (Lone Star) and get macaroni and cheese instead.
• 9:49 p.m. Two Way Lounge - $3.00.  My friend's husband's band was playing her birthday party (well, was playing Two Way so she made her birthday party around it).  I got off well for this one since there were pitchers going around (pre-paid) after I got my first Old Style.
• 12:46 a.m. Lokal - $6.00.  I could barely stand anymore by the time I made it back down to Wicker Park for the final birthday party.  But they had a Polish beer that I was too drunk to remember.  Too drunk to even record it on Untappd.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27 (Free)

• 6:02 p.m. Gyood! - Free.  I used my first of two Gyood! Groupons to get one of their blizzard imitations.  I found it kind of bland.  What was amazing was it was a $10.00 Groupon and I had to get a large one of these and a soda to even come close to hitting the price.
• 7:53 p.m. Congress Theater - Free.  This Dropkick Murphys ticket was bought so long ago, that I think it had faded a little.  I sat in the balcony and enjoyed as the die-hards went crazy below.  This was the first of three Celtic Punk shows coming up in two weeks.  The other two are going to hit my current bottom line.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (Free)

• 5:07 p.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  While I meant to go all weekend, at least I ended Feburary on a gym attending note.  So that was something.

So that's $105.36. Had it not been for my night of 1000 birthdays (I actually turned down one invitation), I would have gotten by so cheaply I would have wondered if I had stayed in bed all week.  Groupon, Foursquare, and self-control (mostly) actually did their job for once!  My total money spent while I've been unemployed is $1159.78.

How I Spent The Seventh Week Of The Rest Of My Life

So now that I'm officially moving to Washington D.C., I have to figure out what I need to do before I leave Chicago.  Some things are obvious (and fun).  For example, I need to use all of my Groupons.  Some things are going to suck, like getting rid of my stuff.  And, of course, I should start applying full force for jobs inside the beltway.  But other things are more up in the air.

The one that I've been trying to figure out especially is how I'm going to get to Washington D.C.  Obviously it's going to be ground transportation since I have to transport my belongings (the ones I don't give away).  I can rent a U-Haul.  But pricing that, it's $665.00 if I don't drop it off back in Chicago.  I can rent a car, but that's even more cost prohibitive.  So it actually looks like I need to buy a car to drive there (since I need one when I get there for sure).  Which was, kind of, what I wanted to do anyhow.

These are what I'm looking for in a used car:

• Somewhere between $1,500 and $2,500.  With my tax return, I can probably go up to $3,500, but that would cut into my savings.  If I can get financing without a job, I can probably go to $5,000 or $6,000.
• A car that will make it to Washington D.C. (possibly by way of Detroit and New York City) and then work for driving back and forth to the VRE for a while.
• Something that I'm not going to feel weird driving around in.  No weird 25-year old Cadillacs or something.  Though I have no problem with driving something from the early 2000s.

Does this car exist?  I'm about to find out I guess.

Now, needing to buy a car hasn't stopped me from living.  Probably a little too well.  I'm kind of scared to figure this out, but...

Here's how I "spent" last week:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 ($6.00)

• 2:42 p.m. Chutney Joe's - $2.00.  Used my second Groupon a few days before it expired.  This time I ordered off of the Urban Masala menu.  The BombayRrito was simply brilliant and makes me want to go back.  But I don't think I want to pay full price.
• 8:26 p.m. Duke's Hideaway - $4.00.  This was the first of many birthdays of the week.  I managed to limit myself to one drink.  It helped that I got there really late.  I didn't mean to, but I was writing a blog entry.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 ($9.00)

• 5:28 p.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  Even though I had all day to get to the gym when it was empty, I lounged around all day instead.  My "reward" for doing so was that the gym was packed.
• 7:55 p.m. Logan Theater - $9.00.  It was a huge waste of money to go to an earlier show and eat popcorn when I had dinner at home.  I watched From Prada To Nada.  It wasn't a bad movie, it just didn't know if it wanted to be an indie film or a mainstream ethnic piece.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17 ($24.38)

• 12:36 p.m. Pierogi Heaven - $7.38.  Since it was a free day at the Field Museum, I wanted to go downtown and try this place again.  They've added a 9-piece to their 6 and 12 pieces.  But it's still really expensive.  But as good as anything in Avondale.
• 1:39 p.m. Field Museum - $7.00.  The museum was free but I decided to pay for the 3D movie on digging out Sue before it ended.  It wasn't particularly worth it, but I'm glad I did.  Just like the Museum of Science and Industry, I probably need to come back a second time.  They have one more free day before I move.
• 8:09 p.m. Rocking Horse - $7.00.  My road to becoming an alcoholic continued as I broke 48 hours of sobriety to hang out with the boys.
• 11:14 p.m. Streetside Bar & Grill - $3.00.  I was, shockingly, undecided on which candidate for Alderman I was voting for.  So I posted a thread on Yelp to see if any other Logan Square types had any opinions.  They didn't.  But someone posted that the incumbent Alderman, Rey Colon, was spinning at his own campaign party.  I couldn't miss that.  He spun some old school R&B.  It was kind of amazing.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18 ($16.55)

• 2:31 p.m. Noodles & Company - $5.55.  I had been craving buttered noodles for a long time.  The cashier said they were out of the right kind of noodles.  Thankfully, she was wrong.  My craving was satisfied.
• 3:39 p.m. 2011 Chicago Auto Show - $11.00.  Since I hadn't planned on going to the show, I didn't buy a Groupon.  And since I hadn't bought any cans of food in a while, I didn't have four to get a discount.  At full price, I was not very impressed with the show.  There was not nearly enough swag.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19 ($33.38)

• 3:47 p.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  On another weekend day, I did another crappy job of getting to the gym early.  This was especially problematic since I had errands that I needed to run.
• 6:41 p.m. Food & Liquor Express - $5.38.  It was a good thing that I was running early to dinner since I completely forgot the B for a BYOB.  Thankfully, this place was close and sold beer.
• 7:11 p.m. The Restaurant Sarajevo - $28.00.  While I kind of wanted to see Motorhead, but I couldn't pass up a famous family style dinner at this Bosnian Restaurant.  It was entirely worth it.  There was so much food thrown at us (including a crepe made at the table) that I forgot Motorhead was playing.
• 10:56 p.m. Christina's Place - Free.  The Guinness is $2.00, but I was so far gone from the B of the BYOB at the prior place that I only took a freebie offered me and didn't even buy any beer.  I did since a bit of karaoke though.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20 ($128.55)

• 11:31 a.m. Takashi - $20.00.  When I scheduled a brunch for this day, I didn't realize how hung over I'd actually be.  I kind of wanted my brunch buddy to cancel, but I'm glad he didn't.  The ramen that they serve here has magical healing powers.
• 1:16 p.m. Borders - Free.  Since I was already near North Avenue, I went to the crappy Border.  It was less sad as well since I never much liked that one anyway.  The books were only 20% off at this point, so I didn't buy any.
• 4:49 p.m. Target - $100.19.  Somehow, the price for my happy pills doubled in the time since I got my doctor to switch me over from extended release to fast acting.  That was kind of annoying.
• 5:08 p.m. Chipotle Mexican Grill - $8.36.  If I could afford one burrito every day from this fast food place, I might not even need to be on happy pills in the first place.  But the prescription remedy is still cheaper.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21 (Free)

So that's $217.86.  Without the pills, that's barely over $100.00.  Not nearly as bad as I pictured it in my mind.  But I expected it to be less since the pills were supposed to be $60.00 less than they were.  Stupid insurance.  Well, I guess adding car insurance will make it even more expensive.  Oh well.  Maybe I'll pawn my television before I go or something.  It will be one less thing to move.  My total money spent while I've been unemployed is $1054.42.

Making The Big, But Inevitable, Announcement

While I "promised" a pro and con type entry between staying in Chicago and moving to Washington D.C., certain events have transpired in the past week or so which have me ready to blow this popsicle stand.  Here are just a few:

• I just had a mouse run into my bedroom and run out.  Yes, I know they have those in D.C., but if that's not an omen, I don't know what is.
• I got a letter from I.D.E.S. disputing my claim and saying that I had "indicated on [my] application that [I] refused an offer of work."  I think I hit the wrong button on the phone certification because a friend of mine walked by the bus stop I was at while making the call.  I'm going to take care of it, but I'm out the check for now.
• It got cold again.  I refuse to be fooled by spring and summer this year.  I want to live in a climate where three inches of snow shuts down everything.
• Monster.com searches are turning up little to nothing that I'm interested in here jobwise.  I'm still looking every day, but everything that I've seen in D.C. and its environs looks more promising.
• The candidate that I think won't be bad for Chicago (Miguel del Valle) is nowhere near winning the Mayor's race.  That I even seem to care about someone beside Rahm Emanuel makes me think that D.C. would be a better fit.
• One other, Yelp related, thing that I probably shouldn't discuss in polite company.  Though those who know me know this situation though and what in the past week would remind me of it.
• Finding out that Seaweed is playing in New York City and pricing train tickets from Washington D.C. - $120.00 round trip.  And then seeing the excitement of my New York City friends that I'd be joining them on the east coast.  Though I had to remind them that I never want to actually live in their city, living a convenient train ride away will be kind of amazing.

Okay, none of those are good reasons by themselves, but they add up to the fact that I'm kind of ready to leave Chicago in the same way I was ready to leave (metro) Detroit about 12 years ago.  Now, of course, the starting over will be difficult - especially without a relative (my sister) and her friends already there like there was when I moved here.  But I think that I'll manage.


The only thing really keeping me in Chicago right now is my apartment.  Not only the fact that it's full and that it will be a pain to move or sell everything, but that it's kind of amazing.


I'm on a month-to-month lease (which is why I can leave at any time I want) and it's a one bedroom in Logan Square for $725.00 a month!  For that in D.C., I will be living in some outer suburb and being forced to get a car again.  Or I'll be back to a studio in a closer suburb (or with roommates).  Which I guess isn't bad.  I do like to live simply, after all.  But I'm also 35 now and the thought of a studio again is a little weird.  And my roommates in D.C. (besides the ones I'm living with in Woodbridge, VA while I'm job searching) would be strangers.  And I'll be forced to get a car again.  Though I did go to the auto show and I kind of want a car again (just without the constant worry about shoveling and ticketing that that entails in Chicago.


Though on a plus note, I found someone to take my futon today.  So there's that!


Anyhow, a while ago my D.C. benefactors sent me two links to get me started on the job search there (since I'm sure they don't want me living in their guest bedroom forever):

• http://usajobs.gov/: Government jobs.  And, naturally, in D.C. there are hundreds of listings.  In Chicagoland, there are a little over 50.
• http://www.idealist.org/: Not-for-profit jobs.

I'm going to thoroughly start checking these out tomorrow.  I mean, it's not like I've got job offers here throwing themselves at me for me to refuse.  Right, I.D.E.S.?

How I Spent The Sixth Week of the Rest of My Life

Today, I bit the bullet and applied for a job in Chicago.  In playing around with Monster.com, I'm noticing that most companies (not surprisingly) do not consider playing around on Twitter all day and studying the Foursquare habits of your friends to be the same as running a marketing campaign.  So it seems as though I probably need some on-the-job training in the actual day-to-day of a marketing department.  Since I hated the Director of that at my old job, I never bothered to observe it that closely.  Ironically, a similar job came up at my old place but I had no desire to apply and wouldn't have gotten it since the hate went both ways.  Anyway, here's the job:

Marketing Assistant - Medicaid Chicago, IL-1100319

About WellCare: WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides managed care services targeted to government-sponsored health care programs, focusing on Medicaid and Medicare. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, WellCare offers a variety of health plans for families, children, and the aged, blind, and disabled, as well as prescription drug plans. The Company served approximately 2.2 million members nationwide as of September 30, 2010. For more information about WellCare, please visit the Company�s website at www.wellcare.com.

Our History: Founded in 1985 with three associates, WellCare grew to more than 800 associates and 467,000 members in Florida, New York and Connecticut by 2002. In 2004, the Company acquired Harmony to enter the Midwest and became publicly traded. By 2006, WellCare served 2.2 million members as it became a national PDP provider and the largest Medicaid plan in Georgia. Today, WellCare has approximately 3,500 associates and 2.2 million members nationwide. 

Description

The Marketing Assistant is responsible for executing the marketing strategy according to the prescribed rules and regulations of the AHCA Medicaid Contract and as directed by Management. 

Essential Functions:

• Deploys marketing materials into pre-determined field locations
• Develops sites/centers of influence
• Outreaches to Community-based organizations, business etc.
• Develops great name recognition
• Maintains brochure/site
• Is responsible for branding
• Maintains routes defined by deployment strategy
• Rotates working locations as defined by Team Leader/Manager

Qualifications

Education/Experience:

• High School Diploma
• Experience in HMO/Managed Healthcare or Insurance Industry, preferred

Computer Skills:

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word and Excel

Primary Location IL-Chicago

Travel No

Is a relocation package available? No

One thing a lot of people don't know about me is that I *LOVE* branding.  It kind of fits my personality to make sure there's a cohesive message and stylebook.  I think it's one thing that I bring to a social media job (if I manage to land one of those).  And the rest of the job, I actually meet the description perfectly (except experience in Managed Healthcare).

Now, I'm still not sure if I'm going to stay in Chicago or if I want to move to Washington D.C. (there's a whole blog entry circulating around in my mind on that), but at least I can, with a clear conscience, get my next unemployment check now.

Here's how I "spent" the rest of last week:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8 ($4.00)

• 9:36 p.m. Cole's - $4.00.  By the time I finally arrived to meet up with my friends who were there (after watching "V"), they were getting ready to leave.  Score one for cheap drinking.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 ($30.00)

• 8:35 p.m. House Of Blues - $30.00.  While it was a major expenditure (at a crappy venue), I could not miss Thursday playing the album "Full Collapse" (pretty much the soundtrack of my 25th year) in its entirety.  I figured as long as I was there as well, I might as well have a beer.  Though in a victory for good sense and good taste, instead of paying $11.00 for one beer I just left.  I hate this place!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10 ($31.65)

• 2:35 p.m. El Charro - $12.00.  The weather in Chicago had gotten nasty.  So, naturally, I didn't want to get out of bed and face it.  This meant that when I finally did it took the promise to myself of tostadas to do it.
• 3:08 p.m. Chicago Public Library - Logan Square Branch - Free.  Even though I wasn't done with the book I was reading, my library card had expired and I had a movie on reserve.  So I braved the cold.
• 5:47 p.m. Aldi - Milwaukee - $14.65.  In truth, I had been really spending too much money because I had no food left in my refrigerator.  Or freezer.  This trip remedied that for far less than I was expecting.
• 7:22 p.m. Logan Theater - $5.00.  If I needed another reason to go to Washington D.C., it's that my local second run theater raised its prices.  Not on all movies.  Most are still $4.00.  But The Fighter, since it's still playing in good theaters was at Premium price.  It was worth it though.  The movie made me both cheer and cry.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11 ($7.82)

• 1:31 p.m. Taco Bell - $3.82.  While I forgot to print out the coupon for a free taco, the latest Taco Bell Facebook marketing campaign did remind me that I hadn't been there in a while (since before I was laid off).  I went to the one on Milwaukee that I used to haunt when I had a car and got a couple of burritos.
• 2:34 p.m. Hot Doug's - $4.00.  One of my peeps goes to this place a lot.  Since he checked in, it reminded me that Doug was going on vacation and this was his last weekday in the "office."  I got just one veggie dog (with a tip) so I wouldn't miss him while he was gone.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12 ($15.21)

• 3:04 p.m. Seven Ten Lounge - $15.21.  I had a Groupon that was about to expire so I brought a group of bowlers together for a day on the lanes.  While were waiting for a lane (my fault since I didn't bother making a reservation) I had a beer and some food.  Then another beer.  The bowling itself cost each of us $1.00 since we had two people whose shoes were not covered by the Groupon.  Not so bad for an hour.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13 ($8.60)

• 12:30 p.m. Walgreen's - $8.60.  I was out of various bathroom sundries yet again.  I think I spent more on soap, shampoo, and paper products than anything besides food and, maybe, alcohol.
• 1:15 p.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  I ended up walking the entire way to the gym, so it was a nice short session as I let myself skip the treadmill.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14 ($39.63)

• 11:46 a.m.  Bubbleland - $2.90.  I woke up to a horrible surprise.  The washing machine in my building, despite being plugged in, was still broken.  With my hands covered in detergent, I took the bus over to Bubbleland.  I never thought a laundromat would be less stressful than the machine in my building.
• 1:00 p.m. Panaderia La Central - $3.24.  My day had started out so badly that I figured some pastries might hit the spot.  They did, but not enough that I didn't still want to get drunk.
• 2:32 p.m. Small Bar Division - $17.00.  Watching Fulham play Chelsea was great, but really it was just an excuse to drink a bit while the sun was still out.  And I did.  Those ciders absolutely hit the spot.  Though Clint Dempsey missing a winning penalty kick from the spot made me want to drink more.
• 4:37 p.m. Jimmy John's - $6.49.  While the alcohol and pastries made things okay, I still gave myself a Valentine's treat by also getting a sub.  I love their subs.  And their subs love me.
• 9:16 p.m. Rocking Horse - $4.00.  It was not my idea to drink any more on Valentine's Day, but I didn't turn down a chance to drink with some of my other single friends.  Only one PBR there though.
• 10:36 p.m. Cole's - $6.00.  It would seem as though the night was going to go downhill fast and by the end, when I lost at pool, it couldn't have ended much worse but I felt absolutely no pain.  I should go on a bender every Valentine's Day.
• 12:39 a.m. El Charro - Free.  I was treated to drunken food.  That was very nice of the person I was there with.  And I didn't even have to put out.

So that's $136.91. After chastising myself last week about spending too much, it's almost exactly the same amount.  The good thing is, however, that since I don't have any concerts this week and I don't plan on binge drinking (though I am about to head to Rogers Park for a birthday party), I should be well below $100.00 again.  My total money spent while I've been unemployed is $836.56.

How I Spent The Fifth Week of the Rest of My Life

So again it is so frigid in Chicago that if the day kicks you in a painful place (like the heart, yeah that's what I meant), it's too cold to feel it.  As such, I don't want to run errands, just play on the internet.  For a long time, I have been avoiding LinkedIn for the simple reason that all of the workaholics I know seem to love it.  It seems to be the Facebook of the non-leisure class.  But a couple of days ago, I finally started to use it.  And while I'm not about to use the groups on it (even though I probably should), it has been a more productive use of my time than Twitter (or even blogging).

Shortly after I wrote the last entry, my resume was found and delivered to me.  And while I haven't sent it out to anywhere, it is posted on Monster.  And I've started to cater it to LinkedIn.  If we're not friends on the site (and I actually know you), we should be.  I've never been much to toot my own horn, so some of you might need to remind me of skills that I possess. :)

Anyway, the earlier part of this week was pretty quiet.  Here's how I "spent" last week.


TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1 ($29.32)

• 12:24 p.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  Before the blizzard that seemed to be scaring everyone into submission hit, I decided to go to the gym.  Not surprisingly since it was the middle of the day and the people who were home were scared to leave their houses, it was empty.
• 2:26 p.m. Flash Taco - $7.00.  I got the brilliant idea that I was going to go to The Southern.  How I didn't know that they didn't open until 5:00 p.m. was beyond me.  The snow was starting to come down so I just went to the next closest standby.  Yeah, it's barely Mexican food, but I was hungry.
• 2:47 p.m. Aldi - Milwaukee - $16.32.  Since I figured the power would go out and all of my perishables would perish, I decided to buy some stock items that didn't involve cooking.  The lines were, as to be expected, insanely long as everyone stocked up in case everything went haywire for a time.
• 9:22 p.m. Cole's - $6.00.  The snow was whipping down at full blast as I decided to join two of my friends down the street at the local bar.  They had power and were kind of crowded with others who wanted to put the brave face on.  I'm just glad I didn't go further since the snow was painful walking home.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2 ($10.00)

• 7:24 p.m. New Wave Coffee Shop - $10.00.  I had food at home, but I decided a hot cider would be really nice. I trudged the block from my apartment on a half shoveled sidewalk for one of their yummy sandwiches and the cider did hit the spot.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3 ($25.30)

• 12:44 p.m. Choi's Chinese - $4.30.  I wasn't going to let a lot of snow and a lack of money stop me from doing something cheesy like celebrating the start of the Chinese New Year!  This place has gotten pretty horrible, but it's still cheap.
• 1:13 p.m. Logan Theater - $4.00.  In honor of the sidewalks of Milwaukee Avenue, and because it was pretty much the only movie I hadn't seen yet, I went to see Tangled.  It was about as not what I like in a movie as possible.  It was cute, but the songs were horrible.
• 5:40 p.m. The Southern - $6.00.  Their first birthday bash was postponed from Wednesday due to all the snow.  A bunch of people showed up for free vodka and a free Low Country Boil.  So much good food.  Shrimp, potatoes, miniature corn on the cob.  I didn't eat that much since I had dinner reservations but I did buy a Lone Star Beer just to thank them for all the free booze and food they've given me.
• 9:58 p.m. Green Zebra - $11.00.  I had a Groupon from a long time back that was about to expire.  This was the only day that I could get in.  I ended up going crazy with some incredible food (including a cheese plate that blew my mind).  It was the best meal I've had in ages.  And not bad for just tax and tip over the top of the Groupon.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4 (Free)


SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5 ($39.40)

• 10:05 a.m. Bubbleland - $3.40.  The washing machine in my building was still broken after a week.  My landlady usually doesn't go that long without fixing it.  Still, the laundromat wasn't so bad.  There was a cute hippie chick there.  But she was washing boys clothes.
• 3:15 p.m. Chicago Public Library - Logan Square Branch - Free.  My library card expired.  Even though I'm probably moving, I figured I should get it up to date just so I could check out books if needed.  And I did check one out while I was there.
• 4:16 p.m. Small Bar Fullerton - $18.00.  Usually I would never go to the bar to watch a replay of a soccer match, but the 2-2 tie between Fulham and Aston Villa was just too good to not see "live."  Had the government not blocked my sports streaming site, however, I would have been able to save a bunch of money.
• 6:04 p.m. Supercuts - $18.00.  Just in case I have a job interview in Chicago, I decided to get my head shaved.  Plus my hair was embarassingly long.  In the future, I think I'm just going to go to one of the cheap places in my neighborhood.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6 ($19.61)

• 2:51 p.m. Walgreens - $12.05.  I dropped my toothbrush on the bathroom floor.  This did not help me feel very clean for being seen in public.  I was also nearly out of deodorant.  So I bought both.  Using them, I felt a million times better.
• 3:36 p.m. Walgreens (Wicker Park) - $7.56.  Another reason that I went to Walgreens was to pick up Old Flats 1901 beer for the Super Bowl party I was going to.  The Bucktown Walgreens didn't sell it (they don't sell alcohol at all).  But the one near Division did.  Just to not seem extra cheap, I also bought cookies for the party.  The beer was a hit though.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7 ($17.85)

• 12:26 p.m. McCormick Tribune YMCA - Free.  I walked most of the way on Sacramento and the fact that most of the sidewalks were not shoveled yet was a workout in itself.  I stopped to talk to an old man who yelled at me for taking a picture on the way and he offered to give me a shovel if the gym was closed.  I turned him down.  I wonder if I have to report that I refused work to IDES?
• 2:19 p.m. China Fast Wok - $3.85.  Even though I was scheduled to go to pho in the evening, I wanted carbs bad.  So I stopped on the way home from the gym for my carb replenishment.
• 5:24 p.m. Pho 777 - $14.00.  I was starting to feel a little cold coming on, so I joined a few people in Uptown.  It was expensive, but it did its trick and I went home feeling much better.

So that's $141.08.  No bueno!  In theory, a week where there was a giant blizzard, I should have spent less than most.  It should not have been my most expensive non-meds week since I was unemployed.  I'll have to do better this week for sure.  My total money spent while I've been unemployed is $699.67.

How I Spent The Fourth Week of the Rest of My Life

Today marks the one month anniversary of the afternoon that I was laid off.  In this month, I seem to have reverted to the schedule that I kept the last time I was unemployed.  The problem with this is that the last time I was unemployed, I was 23.  Yesterday, I was up until 2:30 a.m.  Sure, most of it was just playing around on Facebook, but at about 1:45 a.m., I discovered a job on monster.com in Washington D.C. that might be perfect.

Social Media/Marketing Specialist/Administrative Support

About the Job

Primary role is to assist the CEO in marketing and sales activities. Looking for someone outgoing with an entrepreneurial spirit, ready to work, with a “no excuses” attitude.  You will have to assist in administrative, recruiting and proposal support duties as assigned. Development and maintenance of corporate relationships using “New Media” marketing strategies; Responsible for development and maintenance of metrics to measure marketing activity including but not limited to using Salesforce and INPUT sales tools tocollect these metrics; Responsible for market research and analysis as assigned. Conduct primary role in development and maintenance of collaborativerelationships and marketing activities for the company. Produce production of promotional materials, including coordination and attending marketing events and conferences. Participate in development and ongoing maintenance of website, including responding to consumer-generated inquiries.Develop positive rapport with potential new customers at marketing activities and represent to the public. Accept and perform other related duties andresponsibilities as required. Complete projects within scheduled time framesand within established standards. Maintain an open and receptive attitude withmanagement and staff. Perform all office functions accurately within reasonable limits based upon established needs and specified deadlines. Continuously update the CEO of the status of activities. Accept and perform other duties asassigned. 

It's kind of everything that I'm looking for.  It's entry level, which I am not, and makes $35,000 to $42,000 a year (which, apparently for Washington D.C. is equivalent to $28,000 to $35,000) so that's a pay cut from my last job.  But it's in a field that I'm actually interested in.

I wanted to hit the "apply" button so badly that the thought crossed my mind that I might not have a current resume anywhere.  The one I used to use, on the rare occasions that I needed one since I never really job searched while at my old employer, was on my work computer.  And they've probably wiped that hard drive by now (if they'd give it to me at all).  I thought that I had put it on LinkedIn at some point (I thought I had uploaded it to Monster.com), but I can't find it now.

So I may be spending a bit of time recreating my resume.  It's a shame.  I really liked the format of the last one a lot.

Not that I don't have time to create a new resume.  Though I did, of course, keep busy last week.  So busy that this posting of expenses is THREE days overdue.  Don't tell any potential employers that I've gotten this lazy.  It's our little secret.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25 ($14.42)

• 12:38 p.m. Aldi - Milwaukee - $14.42.  Even though I didn't feel well (were I still employed, I would have taken a sick day), my refrigerator was completely empty.  So I had to make the trek to the 56 bus.  Being in an Aldi during work hours was weird.  And being sick, I think the cashier thought I was homeless when I couldn't figure out how to bag as she threw the items into her cart.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26 (Free)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27 ($11.49)

• 10:36 a.m. Bubbleland - $4.25.  Unlike Aldi, that was creepy in the middle of the day, Bubbleland was wonderful.  There were no crowds.  No screaming kids.  And everything was clean.  The washing machine in my building broke which is why I went to the laundromat.  But, discovering that it was only $.25 more to do a load there instead of at home with my building's janky dryer, I may end up going there more.  Had I paid attention and used a smaller washing machine, it would have been even cheaper.
• 12:20 p.m. KFC - $3.24.  The only downside to using the laundromat was a Kentucky Fried Chicken sits in the parking lot and I am addicted to their sides.  I think the counter person took pity on me with my backpack and still a little sick, and gave me my three sides for $1.00 a piece like if they came on the side of a meal.
• 9:33 p.m. Logan Theater - $4.00.  Still in the mood to travel, I went to see The Tourist.  While Venice was beautiful, the rest of the movie sucked.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28 ($18.00)

• 9:34 p.m. 858 Lounge - $6.00.  This was a Yelp event so the admission was free as were vodka drinks for the first hour (except, of course, for tips).  I managed to get so slizzared (like the kids say) in the first hour that I didn't need to drink the rest of the night.  The coat check was $3.00, but worth it.
• 12:44 a.m. Cobra Lounge - $5.00.  I had, shockingly, never been to this place.  We got there so late in the evening, however, that I only had time for one beer.  Some of our party went on to Exit, but I was starving (there was only tapas at the earlier event) so about half of us left.
• 2:20 a.m. IHOP - Logan Square - $7.00.  All-you-can-eat pancakes are pretty much the greatest thing ever (especially with how drunk I was by this point).  $4.99 for the vegetarian version (which comes with hash browns and eggs) made me weepy.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 29 ($19.24)

• 7:56 p.m. Bob Inn - $15.00.  I was tired all day, so I didn't run any errands or go to the gym like I planned.  I almost skipped out on a Welcome Back to Chicago Party near my house as well.  But I didn't and got drunk again.  I managed to skip out before midnight when the celebrant (who likes to make me stay and drink) was mildly passed out.
• 10:18 p.m. Papa Ray's - $4.24.  The jumbo slice of pizza and soda really hit the spot and let me continue drinking for another hour.  I had planned on going to see Tapes N' Tapes at Lincoln Hall, but the thought of taking a taxi home deterred me.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 30 ($5.00)

• 10:47 a.m. El Charro - $5.00.  Knowing that I needed to use a Groupon before it expired got me out of the house and eating protein to be able to stay awake.
• 1:14 p.m. Donald E. Stephens Convention Center - Free.  The admission was on a Groupon which I paid $8 for a couple of weeks before.  But it was was worth it to see Rick Steves.  No additional monies left my pocket, so I calling it free.

MONDAY, JANUARY 31 ($8.35)

• 2:29 p.m. Hot Doug's - $8.35.  I said I was going to celebrate at Hot Doug's after depositing my severance check in my bank down the street.  It turned out the check was direct deposited but I still went to Doug's.  The weather was starting to get a bit weird, so there was no line.  I was amazed.  And happy.

So that's $76.50.  Without any major expenses this week, it was my cheapest yet.  Next week has my rent and a new CTA pass to start Feburary so that's a hit.  But those are expenses that I don't record on here anyway since I'm using setting aside my unemployment checks to pay for them and not using my severance reserves.  My total money spent since I've been unemployed is $558.19.