Part of the problem
I’ve been fully unemployed for about three months. People have urged me to consider my joblessness as something of a vacation, but no. On vacation, you think things like, “Shall I jet ski today?” or “Hey, maybe I’ll go out and get spiral henna tattoos on my balls.” When you’re unemployed you think, “I bet I’d spend half as much on food if I ate pine cones and parking tickets.” You really do see things differently. That guy sitting outside the 7-11 in the tattered Space Jam t-shirt and snow camo cargo pants is my colleague.
I have been applying to jobs, of course, but I’m increasingly convinced that the job listings on Mediabistro, Monster, and other mondo career sites are fictional and that applications to these positions are simply skimmed and redistributed as targeted spam messages. I see no other explanation for “Jason, single asst. copyeditors in your area!” and “Many writer/editors say our Synthetik Pussy feels like real thing.” I am hoping my book opens a door somehow, but, if anything, I’m guessing it’ll just boost the prospects for a second book.
It has occurred to me that Astoria, to my knowledge, has not a single bookstore. Unless you want to buy a used copy of the novelization of “Robocop” from a sidewalk vendor, there’s really no place to go. I’ve never considered myself entrepreneurial, but if someone wants to hand me a stack of credit cards, I probably won’t say no.
Some excellence from Bill Maher on Salon.
November 18th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
My boyfriend used to live in Astoria. He once found a $100 bill on the sidewalk there. If that helps.
I understand how hard it can be to find work as a journalist or editor in New York. I did it for three years.
Looking forward to your reading tonight in Cambridge.