Tuesday, March 30, 2010

NLP ruined my day

That would be the fort's very own Next Level Productions- which is a giant bowl of ca ca. I had an interview with them last summer when I was job hunting. The way the guy explained the business was they are a marketing company and he named off a few businesses that he worked with. I was under the impression they helped market the local businesses. ya know- cuz he said they were a marketing company.

I honestly thought they helped design logos, slogans, or push products- such as negotiating with local Wal-Mart for shelf space... that type of thing.

I didn't get the customer service job I had anticipated last summer. Well that was okay because I am working for another company that has their faults, but all in all are a pretty good company. With that said I found an opening online and submitted my resume into the company. Nothing against my current business, but I thought I would have more opportunity, etc. It was for a "Public Relations Leader" for customer service...

Specifically (and I am copy and pasting this right from the email I rec'd)

"NLP assists large companies in the Consumer Products and Sports industries with high end marketing promotions. We are looking to fill key job openings throughout both industries at various levels with training starting at entry-level.

If you are interested in Management, Marketing, Public Relations, and working in the highly competitive Marketing Industry, this is the job for you! Requirements JOB REQUIREMENTS


ALL POSITIONS ARE ENTRY-LEVEL SO CANDIDATES MUST BE WILLING TO TRAIN FROM THE BOTTOM-UP!


  • Candidates Must work well under pressure in a extremely fast paced environment
  • Possess Excellent Customer Service Skills
  • Self Motivation A Must
  • Candidates Must Possess Excellent Communication, Organizational and Interpersonal Skills"
So sounds pretty good, but at the same time very vague. So I go for another interview and I get the same impression from the manager about the company. He is looking for someone to work in public relations/customer service. I would at times go to local businesses to make presentations of NLP's services. Okay- so I'm thinking I go to businesses and tell them what we do and how we can help market their products or boost their services... Right.

He gave me an average pay range and offered to allow me to do a working interview. Basically shadow someone for a day to get to know the ins and outs of the business and see if it's going to be a good fit.

WELL, WELL, well.

If he had said- 'we sell junk out of the trunks of our cars and you're going to hang out with a guy that smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day and doesn't stop for lunch. This foul mouthed associate will show you that we cold call on hair salons, vfw's, bars, and any other run down little mom and pop shop barely making it to solicit our wares- such as crappy light up bunny ears, cheap bbq sets, and bedsheets. Oh your pay is commission ONLY...' I think I would have known right then that the job wouldn't be for me. Not at all the impression he had given me.

My day sucked, ROYALLY. I know the working interview was to help me make an educated decision, and while I appreciate they at least let people see what they're getting themselves into- had he not been deceptive in the interview and what the company actually does I would have known without wasting my entire day that I didn't want to do it.

The thing is- we prospected in Peru, IN- about an friggin hour away. Really- for a working interview we could have prospected a couple places in our local area. THEN if I wanted to move onto where they really wanted to go I could.... or I could decline and not waste 9 hours of my life.

I would never EVER sell cheap Dale Earnhardt Jr sunglasses, crappy dancing bunnies, fish candles, sets or ANY of the sh*t he had to offer. I certainly wouldn't pester people that are trying to make an honest living. I felt like a dirty peddler.

Furthermore- I won't even go into the fact how horrible it was for me to be pregnant and not eat or drink all day. I asked lots of people to pray for the health of this baby because I was inhaling sooo much smoke. I can tolerate a cigarette or two. But I don't think I had a breath of fresh air today. My eyes are still burning and red and my nose- I shoved Vaseline up it to help with the dryness, but I can't get the smokey smell out of my nostrils.

Don't get me wrong- I have some family and friends that are smokers... I honestly think that most of them are respectful of non-smokers and preggies- but this guy has a serious chain smoking problem and doesn't care for anyone, but himself. I can't even think of all the blatant lies he told people. Sometimes his lies (about products, what he's selling, pricing, etc) were so on top of each other he contradicted himself. ugh.

Glad this day is over and you're probably glad I'm done blogging about it.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

risks...

So I totally had a couple airhead moments at work. But I really can't say what I did because when I first wrote it down it wasn't funny. Don't you hate that? It's like when you have an awesome dream and when you start to tell someone you find out that it really isn't that awesome when you put it into words.

My brain is awesome. I wish we could record some of the stuff that goes through it. Do you ever think in pictures? I do.

I'm feeling great. I've had some crampy stuff, but over all we are still good. I think I'm getting bigger. I "feel" it. I keep thinking- I can't get much bigger, right? Then I remember that I have like 6 1/2 more months of this.

I really like mashed potatoes.

I had a company that wanted to interview me and after some good face book advice (I thought who would hire a pregnant lady? I know companies can't not hire me because of discrimination, but with that said who is going to hire someone that is only going to be there a few months and then be off for a month and a half?) I decided to call them back and schedule it.

Well turns out that I did interview with them... One of the 16 plus places I interviewed with over the summer. She said she would look into it and get back with me... I'm still waiting. poo on them.

I had another company that wanted to interview me and I called them and they said they can only do them tomorrow. Well I'm kind of working tomorrow and that place is a stickler for attendance (so I can't miss work). Of course if I knew I had the job I wouldn't worry. So what to do? Risk my current job for something else I don't even know? I would like to take the risk, but at the same time I don't think I can handle the risk if the consequences are dire. By "dire" I mean fire-d.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Hormones

ugh- I am feeling more hormonal than I have since last time I was hormonal. I read some stupid forward email my grandma sent me. It made me cry. I'm sitting here sniffling at this silly email and my kids are going to be home from school any minute. They'll probably think I'm a nut. That is if they don't already. I'm sure this pregnancy will do it for them. I can't believe you just said that!

Anyway the best news- Kirby and I got to hear our baby's heartbeat. It was awesome. I love it. Not that there were ever any doubts about being pregnant, but it's comforting to hear it and know it's there. I've been feeling the baby move here and there, fluttering around in my belly. Now if only I can stop the horrible stomachaches and cramping things will be perfect! I guess that's not too bad, I could always have some other grievance. Knowing me I'm sure I would. I find that I tend to complain a lot. I am working on it tho!

That is why I decided not to blog what I originally wanted to. I'm really peeved at my controlling boss man... I was going to give him an earful- through my blog of course, but I won't let that controller ruin my good day (so I'll let him off the blook)!

Blook was short for blog hook.

Gwyn has a 2ND grade concert thingie and I'm really looking forward to it. I know she's been excited. As soon as homework is finished I'm going to fix her hair up. She wants me to straighten it.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

"The List"

Kirby said the other day I should just make him a list of everything I've been craving- since it varies from day to day... Hmm where to start? I'll mark the stuff I have gotten with a :), but that doesn't mean I wouldn't want a replay.

chicken strip basket from DQ (with the Texas toast and gravy)- :)
Mashed potatoes and gravy - real ones. :)
thin mints :)
pickles :)
crackers- like cheese its
enchiladas :)
chalupa from taco bell :)
shrimp :)
sauteed mushrooms :)
macaroni and cheese :)
three cheese chicken penne from applebees
sand which with tomato, emphasis on the tomato any kind of sandwich :)
lunch meat sandwich- like turkey, lettuce, tomato, mayo or mustard
bread sticks :)
strawberry cake with strawberry icing
Crab Rangoon
Chinese :)
"something hearty"
Kirby's home made yogurt- minus the fruit chunks
cool whip :) (I had it with my jello)
pumpkin pie
jello :)
asparagus
corn dog
McDonald's breakfast

That is all I can think of for now that has been on my mind. Yeah I'll eat pretty much anything if it sounds good at the moment. I'm sure there will be more. Listing all that kind of made me hungry.

Here are some stuff that I DON'T want.

"my usual's"
ground beef- like all mushed
hamburger helper
the bottom of lasagna (where the ground beef usually is)
pizza with hamburger
sloppy joes
dirty rice