C. Dogg Gets A Flute

Recently my bro Chris bought a $5 flute called a “sweet potato.” Upon finding out that he has become quite the self-taught flautist, I demanded a private concert. Halfway through the performance, his phone rang. Of course I took the reigns and did the best I could, as his big sister, to be as annoying as possible. Video courtesy of Don Don the Mom.

Unemployment

What have I been doing for last 2 weeks, you ask? Let's see, visiting with old friends and colleagues, watching hours of TV and movies on Hulu and Netflix, organizing my entire iTunes music library, and applying for jobs. In the last 3 days I have picked up the pace, in fact, and applied to 12 positions at museums, colleges, and non-profits around the city. I have tweaked my resume and cover letter so many times that my brain is about to explode from the amount of B.S. I had to conjure up and store in there while figuring out how to sell myself. I stopped the V.I.S.T.A. search after being offered a position in Arizona that, upon careful consideration, I turned down. And I'm just realizing that if I really want to get serious this year and figure out a career game plan, do some traveling, AND pay off my debt, I'm going to need a full time job with better pay than AmeriCorps can offer. But it's freaking me out that, being the holiday season and all, people are not exactly rushing to review resumes and set up interviews. Even the temp company I signed up with is not having any luck finding me a gig. Hopefully I will start to get some interest in my applications after the new year, because at some point my limited funds are going to run out. The thought did occur to me recently to apply to a sleep study, but the problem there is, that while in the study you don't have access to your phone to see if real jobs are trying to contact you. haha You laugh, but signing up to be a research subject has actually helped me to make a few extra bucks in the past. During one study I learned I am allergic to dust mites. During another study, I laid in an MRI machine while scientists put acupuncture needles in my hand and watched my brain waves. Desperate? Maybe. Weird? Definitely. But an interesting way to make money for sure. and there is only so long I can sit around in Kate and Nick's spare bedroom watching Hulu before unemployment loses its allure. To mix it up yesterday, I went on a tour of the Massachusetts State House. I think I will try to figure out when certain museums in the city have free visitor nights. Then maybe if I hang around at the Museum of Fine Arts enough, they will offer me a job. Fingers crossed.

Christmas Tree Shopping!

For the next couple of months I'll be staying with my friends Kate and Nick in the spare bedroom of their Boston condo. This is incredibly generous of them, and not the first time that the Sambuco's have helped me to get back on my feet whilst unemployed. This weekend Brian Jessie is visiting from upstate NY, and we kicked off the holidays right with some booze, Mexican food, and Christmas tree shopping for the Sambuco pad.


The tree farm had hay rides, hot apple cider, a bonfire and even holiday emus! It's also possible that I tripped and fell over a wagon hitch at one point.

Pets of the Eastern Seaboard

My travels over the last couple of weeks have taken me along the east coast to visit friends, family... and their pets. Yes, I am mildly obsessed with other people's pets. Typically, I embarrass loved ones by stopping in malls, on street corners, in gas stations, and other awkward locations to lovingly caress animals that do not belong to me. Here are some of my new friends. Lara's cat, Gato, who rules the apartment with an iron paw:


My dad and step mom's new dog, Katana. The friendliest pitbull I've ever been acquainted with.

Fellow team leader D.J.'s dog, Oscar. Very cute. Very old. Scraggly hair. Best dog in Connecticut.


Christina's 3 labs are New Hampshire's finest. I also got a chance to meet her friend Nicole's collection of pets that includes 2 huskies and a cat named General O'Mally. There are photos floating around of me wearing her birds like a pirate.


I just realized that I neglected my mom's cat Nubster. But he's more like a human anyway, so we'll give him his own post later.

Big Apple

Sometimes in NYC I feel like a small fish in a big pond. Even after years of visiting friends who live there and completing a summer internship near Columbus Circle, I always feel a bit overwhelmed. Last weekend Lara and I drove back from her parent's house in Michigan to the apartment she shares with her husband, Dave, on the Upper West Side. In a stroke of luck we ended up with an un-metered parking spot right in front of her building. We ate some of the most amazing Indian food I have ever had. At one point I was walking through Central Park and saw this guy in the photo below playing jazz saxophone. Then down the street at the zoo I hung out with a polar bear. There are museums everywhere. I checked out the NY Historical Society and saw a pretty sweet video about the city. On our way to pick up sodas from the grocery store we walked out of Lara's apartment and into the city's biggest winter festival, with musicians and a tree lighting, which we had just been watching on TV moments before. All of these things served to remind me of why New York is such a great place. Even though it can sometimes be a lot to take in, there is always something fantastic to do or see right outside your door.