What I've Learned...

...while doing temp work for Zija International.

1) One of the zip codes for Flushing, New York is 11354.
2) Two of the zip codes for Jersey City, New Jersey are 07305 and 07304.
3) As much as I enjoy actually doing data entry, I don't particularly enjoy correcting data entry that hasn't been done right.

During this job I had to compare two different databases to make sure that all the information had transferred over correctly from the old to the new. It was very tedious. I had to go down a list of numbers corresponding to distributors, punch in those numbers and compare all the information. Each page had roughly 50 distributors on it. At the end, I was fast enough, and had developed a good enough system, that without any corrections needing to be made, I could go through the information and compare it in about 30 seconds per distributor. Of course, this depended on how fast the databases would load each page. Today, my last day, I had 6 pages left. I figured about 4 hours to finish it off, based on my performance the previous day.

Unfortunately, the newer system was down for two hours, right when I got into work at 8 AM. I'm not a morning person anyway, so not being able to do the job I am assigned and get out of there was especially annoying.

I finally got out at 1PM. So I upped the pace, basically, and kicked some serious ass!

Hooray for me!

Of course, this means I could have got out of there at 11AM, but, hey, that's an extra $20, right?

Oh yeah. I applied to work at the Discover Card customer service center, but they already sent me an email saying that they were considering other people. See? Now that's how a company should be on getting back to you, even to say, "No." I applied last yesterday. Now that's an efficient human resource department. I'm a little bummed that they didn't accept me, because they pay really well.

Oh well. There will be others, right?

New Old Hobby...

I've recently become interested in HDR photography. It's pretty amazing, really, the difference that it makes in the pictures that one can take. What is HDR photography? Well, I don't really know how to explain it that well, but I do have a link. Click here. It's a little long, but explains what HDR is really well.

So, anyway, I decided to try it out, see what I could do with it.

Don't read too much into the subject matter. I just wanted a subject that had a lot of contrast.

What the picture normally looks like, touched up just a little on my computer, with the program I normally use for my photographs.



Now here is the same shot, but taken in HDR. Now, I've messed with the levels a little to make it come off a little more surreal that it might normally, but all the detail and color comes from the HDR aspect.



Pretty nifty, eh? I like it, and I want to do some more. Maybe, if you're lucky, I'll share.

It's Time...

This may be my last post for a while. My computer is apparently on its last legs, and I honestly don't know how much longer it will last. I'm hoping it's just a temporary thing, but who knows.

Anyway, I'm sure this post is going to ruffle some feathers, but I wanted to express my opinion on a current political issue.

Yeah, it is kind of weird. Me, paying attention to politics? Honestly, I don't know how current this is, it may be a little old, but oh well.

It concerns same-sex marriage, and the current push to legalize those unions. I don't see how we can tell someone that their long-standing relationship has no legal standing, simply because they share a gender.

Does this mean I embrace homosexuality as a concept? No. I wish that it didn't exist, but it does. I feel sorry for those who struggle with it in their lives. I can't imagine it's a comfortable feeling to try and be yourself when the majority of the nation feels you are a violation of natural law.

But for those who have found someone they want to spend the rest of their lives with, why shouldn't they be legally recognized as a couple?

I honestly feel that there is a difference between what it morally right and what is fair for everyone.

And that's how I feel. Take it how you will.

A to Z songs

Okay, so it's been a while since I did an A to Z post. I thought I'd give it another try. I don't know how many of these I can come up with, but I rather like them. And I thought it might cheer me up just a little.

So here we go, my favorite songs from A to Z.
A: Again Today by Brandi Carlile. I love the lament in this song. It has a phrase that gets me every time: "The path of least resistance is catching up with me again today."
B: Between the Lines by Sara Bareilles. Very bittersweet song about trying to hang on to something that's already gone.
C: Come What May by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. From Moulin Rouge. Great duet. Wonderful lyrics.
D: Dulce Melodia by Jesse & Joy. "Sweet Melody" by a brother/sister duo from Mexico. Great little love song. My favorite line starts the chorus off: "You are, were and will be the sweet melody that in my dreams resides." That's a rough translation, by the way.
E: Ever, Ever After by Carrie Underwood. From Enchanted, of course. I love this song because it reminds me of the film, which helps me believe that "happily ever after" can come true. That's a nice feeling to have, you know?
F: Fools Like Me by Lisa Loeb. Pretty much because "love was surely made for fools like me." Wistful, sweet, and very me.
G: Goodbye by Wynonna Judd and Clint Black. I like duets, you know? Wynonna's and Clint's voices blend really well. A song about knowing you need to say goodbye but not really wanting to.
H: Hands Held High by Linkin Park. A song that reminds me of how frustrated I am with how nervous the entire world is. Reminds me how powerless I feel. "It's ironic: it's time's like this you pray, but a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday."
I: I Belong to You (El Ritmo de la Pasion) by Eros Ramazzotti and Anastacia. Yet another duet. Anyone surprised? Great duet, lovely song, but sung in Spanish and English. Pretty cool really. Nice love song, too.
J: Just a Gigolo by The Binghamton Crosbys. Yes, that is really their name. Hilarious song. I'd love to see them perform it live. I think it would be very entertaining. Oh, and it's a capella.
K: Kingdom in the Sky by Davinci's Notebook. A capella song about the glories of the Magic Kingdom. That's Disneyworld, for those who don't know.
L: The Luckiest by Ben Folds. Simple, heartfelt love song. I never skip past this song when it comes on my iPod. That's about the best praise I can give.
M: Making Love Out of Nothing at All by Air Supply. I was reminded how much I like this song when I watched Mr & Mrs Smith recently. Side note, this song was written by the same guy that wrote most of Meat Loaf's hits.
N: Nothing Else Matters by Bif Naked. What is originally a Metallica song, I really like Bif Naked's version. She manages to combine tenderness and vulnerability with a power when the song really kicks in. Good stuff.
O: Out of My League by Stephen Speaks. In my dreams, I manage to end up with a girl like the one in this song. One that's completely out of my league and so amazing to me. She loves me and I don't understand why, but am truly grateful for it. It's a good dream, right?
P: Perdido Sin Ti by Ricky Martin. "Lost without you." I like the feelings expressed in this song, too. "Without out I'm missing everything. Without you nothing's left." Can you tell that I want to fall desperately in love? Well, I do.
Q: Queen of Hearts by Juice Newton. A song I remember fondly from my childhood. I distinctly remember several nights listening to the radio really quietly, hoping this song would come on. I didn't want my mom to know I was awake, of course, but I loved to hear this song.
R: The Rainbow Connection by Sarah McLachlan. You didn't know she had done this song, did you? Yeah, neither did I. I love the Muppets and I love this song. When I saw her name next to this song on iTunes, I didn't even listen to the preview, I just bought it. And it's good. Tear-inducing, really.
S: Street Spirit (Fade Out) by Radiohead. The second Radiohead song I liked. It has such a wistful, longing feel to it. It makes me think of wanting to go home, but not really knowing where home is. The homes you've had before have faded out. They're still there, but not. Does that make any sense?
T: Tainted Love by Marylin Manson. Yeah, I can't believe I have a Manson song in my collection either. But, really, he does an amazing cover of this Soft Cell song. And it sounds like a love that's even more tainted after he gets done with the song. It's great.
U: U + Ur Hand by Pink. When I first heard this song on the radio I couldn't believe they had played it. It makes me laugh and I love listening to it. It really perks me up when I hear it. If you haven't heard it, it's about a girl who's being hit on, but she's having none of it. She tells the guy, "Sorry, but it's just you and your hand tonight, I'm not going home with you." Awesome song.
V: Vestido Azul by La Oreja de Van Gogh. A song lamenting the fact that he left without saying goodbye, just kind of snuck out. But it's the end of the song that I love: "Good luck along your way, I now have my own destiny, with my blood I write this ending." And that's where the song stops. It's great.
W: Walkin' in Memphis by the University of Wisconsin Madhatters. Originally by Marc Cohn. Great song. Honestly? I don't know exactly why I love this song, but I really FEEL it, and when I sing, I just feel like it fits me. Hmmm.
X: I'll be honest. I don't have a single song that starts with "X." Sorry.
Y: (You Want To) Make a Memory by Bon Jovi. Great, great song. And he sings in my range. That's all I have to say about it.
Z: Zombie by the Cranberries. Irish rock band with a female lead singer. About all the things that get in the way of a relationship. All those voices that get in the way. Cool song.

There you go. I like my list. How about you?

Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing....

...and I feel like crying.

Well, okay, I feel like crying for two reasons. One: still no bites on the job front. I had a lead to what I thought would be a great job for me. Paid well, benefits, paid for my Masters degree. But I sent my resume to my contact and she passed it on to the recruiter, who I have yet to hear from. The recruiter got my resume last Thursday, August 21.

So, yay, Adam gets to have extra depression added to what I already had. And I tried not to let myself get all excited for this job, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. So now, depressed. I've been on the verge of tears several times today.

So I took a drive, went into Provo to the Toys R Us there. I went for three reasons. I needed to get out of the house. I wanted to find out if they were hiring. And I wanted to see if they had any Transformers that I could look at but not buy.

So I got out of the house. Found out they were hiring but just do online applications. Didn't see any Transformers that I wanted (good). And bought two new toys (bad). What I bought can be considered educational toys, and they are very reminiscent of my favorite toys ever: Xevoz. The charm of Xevoz was that the figures came in pieces and could be assembled and taken apart. They have a ball and socket connection that also works as joints for the figures. The pieces could also be mixed and matched between sets. Great toyline, didn't last very long. Bummer.

Skeleflex, the ones I bought, have the same ball and socket connection. Unfortunately, it's too small to mix with the Xevoz. Drat. But, it's entertaining and educating on its own. See, the sets they sell are either Dinosaur skeletons or alien skeletons. Awesome. They can also mix and match between sets, but I haven't done that yet, as I am enjoying them in their original forms for the moment. I probably wouldn't feel guilty for buying them if I had a job. They're really not expensive at all, and the entertainment value is very high.

Anyway, I wanted to show pictures, so here you go:





For an hour or two they made me forget my depression (good). After that the realization that I had spent money on a frivolity set in (bad). So my depression sits at about the same level it was all today. I did send off my resume to three companies this evening, so that was good. Right?

I hate feeling undesirable.

Lots of -Tions...

Frustration: I am so sick of filling out applications. I hate them! I did get smart and fill out a temp agencies application. They can fill out duplicates for me. So there! Also, I sent in a resume to Barnes and Noble for a music manager job that I would really like, and I can't get anybody to tell me if it actually arrived. Grrr.

Depression: So, yeah, it sucks that I haven't managed to get any real nibbles on a job. I know I'm worth it, but for some reason, nobody else does. That sort of being ignored does wonders for my self-esteem, you know?

Preoccupation: My money is running out, slowly but surely. Good thing I have a wonderful sister who offered to let me live with her while I get settled. I don't want to be here forever, but I am grateful that I have the option.

Castration: No, not really, but I was running out of words that fit and I thought it would be funny.

Hmmm. I'm watching Olympic men's beach volleyball. The team from Georgia (over by Russia, in the news a lot lately) is playing the USA. The Georgians' last names are Gia and Geor. The way they list it on the screen is Geor/Gia. Kind of cool.

Utah to Adam: We Don't Want You

And yes, that may be just a little exaggerated, but that's how I feel.

Today I set out to get my car registered and to obtain a Utah license. I even shaved for the occasion. Go me. Oh, and I got a hair cut yesterday. So really, I look about as pretty as I can for the dreaded license photo.

Well, I got the car registered, and it went very smoothly. Go registration people.

Then I went to get my license, and my day got shot straight to hell. Apparently, to get a Utah license again I have to go to the Orem office, take a written exam, and provide two things that show my Utah address. So, now I have to wait until I get something mailed to me that proves I have a Utah address. And that stinking written test.

It doesn't help that I was a little depressed already prior to today. I was getting better, but now I don't think I am.

Because, apparently, Utah doesn't want me.

I'm so glad I moved back.