Maybe the whole student thing wasn't a good idea...

So I thought I was a genius for calling the local college to find a guitar player for our wedding ceremony. and he was quite responsive at first. except when i asked him to drop off a demo tape. here was his email, back on Feb 23 when I asked it he was still alive b/c i hadn't seen the demo tape he'd promised me almost 2 weeks before...

"I'm sorry, I've just been so busy! I will really try to get it to you this week. [confirmation of address to deliver the tape to here]"

but i never saw the tape and i was so tired of trying to reach this guy (it had been over a month since I'd first contacted him at that point about playing at the wedding) that i just gave up and went over his head and called a teacher who teaches at that college but also at Pigpen's old high school. So i've booked this professor (and a violinist) and we're all good to go. But here's what was in my email inbox this morning from the student guitarist, and i had to laugh...

" I am so sorry that I have as yet been unable to procure the demo tape you requested. Also, there has been a change in my summer plans which has made it impossible for me to play at your wedding. However, do not fear! I have already arranged for my esteemed colleague [name here] to play the date. I have given him all of the information which you gave to me, and he should be dropping off a demo in the next couple of days. His email address is [email address here] and his phone number is [phone here]. I am sure that you will be pleased with his playing!
I hope everything is going well with your wedding preparations and please accept my apologies for any inconvenience I have caused. Do not hesitate to contact me or [esteemed colleague] with any questions."

do you REALLY think i hadn't worried about who the hell was going to be the musician at my wedding? its been TWO MONTHS since you'd been in touch buddy, i was not just sitting around hoping for the best and eagerly awaiting your demo tape. so i wrote him and his esteemed colleague back and said "thanks for writing but we've secured someone else to play--thanks and have a great summer." i was probably too nice, but oh well.

this guy has obviously never played at a wedding before or he'd know that not being in touch with the bride for two months and only then getting in touch 6 weeks before the event means you probably aren't going to have a gig or get paid. no worries--we never paid him a deposit...

replacement search update

Well, we're still interviewing people for my job but I think/hope a decision will be made this week. My boss goes to Vegas all next week so if she doesn't find someone she likes before Friday, she won't have a chance to interview anyone until the week I leave. So, lets hope that after we interview two more people this week, that out of the 7 people we've had come in total for a preliminary interview, SOMEONE will work for her. i'm ready for this to be resolved!

Got two more emailed resumes overnight. One wrote that he attached his resume but actually forgot to, and in the second email he sent, where he did attach it, he wrote: "I think it would be easier for you to read my resume if I actually sent it. " Cute. If my boss had gotten that, I don't know if she would have been as forgiving. But I'm nice. The second person who emailed decided to spell my last name wrong (with an e instead of an a). Which is weird, considering he had to type in my last name for my email address and he got it right there, obviously, b/c i got his email. Details buddy, you have to pay attention to the details. He got my last name wrong in the body of the email and in the cover letter. Neither person can start until they graduate in June and they're in CA so they pretty much don't have a chance, but I can almost guarantee that the second guy, Mr. I can't spell your last name" wasn't going to make the cut...

First Family Shakeup

(From today's Washington Post)
By Ruth MarcusMonday, April 17, 2006;
Dear (Daughters) Jenna and Barbara,
This is a difficult letter for me, your Dad, to write. The two of you have been, your mother and I agree, valuable members of my administration. Yes, there have been a few unfortunate moments -- actually, come to think of it, more than a few: the underage drinking bust; the next underage drinking bust; the sticking-out-the-tongue-at-the-photographers thing; the Valley Girl-style convention speech. Next time, please, girls, run it by Grandma, like she told you to in the first place.
Rambling a bit here. What I'd like to say is that all of us at the White House deeply appreciate your service to your family and your country. It can't have been easy for you, posing for Vogue, getting chauffeured by the Secret Service and all. But, as you know, second terms are a time of transition in any administration. And we think it is the right moment, then, to make a change in First Daughters. Time for some fresh blue blood, you might say.
Please, girls, don't take this personally. Andy didn't, and he's been with the family almost as long. Definitely, we will spin this to the press as your decision entirely. You know, needing a break, this job chews you up, exhausted after five long years of late nights at Smith Point, want a chance to spend more time with your ... never mind, we'll go with the need-a-break part. And no one can take away from your achievements: You have been two of the longest-serving presidential daughter twins in history.
Anyway, the Josh-for-Andy swap didn't play quite as big as we hoped. Now, I'm getting killed with this general-a-day drumbeat on Rummy. So Uncle Don and Uncle Dick came up with this idea of replacing you two.
Naturally, Mommy and I were pretty reluctant, at first. But Uncle Don and Uncle Dick can be awfully persuasive -- especially when Uncle Dick's packing heat.
Your Gammy agrees. "Lose the twins," she said. "My 41 ditched Sununu." And you know there's no arguing with the Silver Fox once she's got her mind made up. She asked me to tell you it's nothing personal -- and for Pete's sake stop showing all that cleavage.
Dick wanted to roll this out the usual way: through Scooter. But Scooter's a little preoccupado, right now, you might say. We thought about leaking it to Woodward, but he'd probably just save it for the next book. So we're thinking Dr. Phil. Great female demographic.
You're probably wondering about the replacement. Grandpa had an idea about that. You know how he's been spending so much time hanging out with Bill Clinton lately that I've started calling him "my new brother"? Well, that got grandpa to thinking.
You probably know where this is heading, so I won't dwell too long on the topic of our new First Daughter.
Chelsea has graciously agreed to start on Friday.
Thanks again, girls, for all you've done. Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you start this new, exciting chapter of your lives. Please be sure to stay in touch.
Sincerely,
(George W. Bush) Dad
P.S. We want you to know it was a hard call whether to lose you or Karl. He really agonized over it.

What has happened to my generation?

So many of you know that I've given notice at my job and plan to quit May 12. My boss is asking that I help in the search for my replacement. I am supposed to have all resumes and cover letters come to me and I have to weed out the crappy ones and give her maybe the top 3 or so to interview. I have collected 5 resumes so far since I notified a lot of people about my departure on Wednesday afternoon. EVERY SINGLE STUPID ONE I'VE RECEIVED HAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT. I feel like TOWWAS did when she was reading internship resumes. Lets go into a little detail:

The first one did his cover letter in the body of the email instead of as an attachment. Granted, it was a better cover letter than some others were but not very long. He didn't put his (from what i can figure) expected graduation date on his resume. His resume looks good to the eye but I'm not sure if he has the experience.

Four more came in over the weekend: The first one had a separate cover letter and resume (instead of being in the email) so that seemed like a good start. I opened the resume first which looked good--she is also about to graduate but she made that clear. Then I opened her cover letter which was a form letter that she hadn't bothered to fill in (the top says (date) (Contact Name) (Company Name) etc.) Then it says Dear (Name), I am interested in applying for the position of _________________, which you have advertised in the recent (name of publication).) Ooops, someone didn't double check what they are sending...Plus, she can't start full time until May 23 after she graduates. I'm leaving May 12, so that isn't great. But she can do part time before then. That might work...

The next one gave me hope. The woman sounds great, her cover letter was amazing, she seems mature, and then i realized she is--she has a masters and this job would be WAY below her. But hey, maybe she wants this job. So I ask her when she can start and what her salary requirements are (I'm asking everyone this.) She can start after she gives 2 weeks at her current job but she would like $40-55K starting salary. Yeah, I've finally broken that $40,000 mark after 2 years of apparently good work. Definitely wasn't my starting salary...

Then came a pretty funny one in my mind. She is getting a degree this May in International Business/Business Administration. Her objective on her resume is "to obtain a position in an International Business related field." I don't think this job is going to meet that objective...
She used a form resume thing in Word or something and under "education" managed to not delete the bullet point with [Details of position, award, or achievement.] next to it where Word prompts you what to write. Again people, lets proofread. She actually has pretty decent experience but I don't know, I just don't get a good feeling about her...

Finally, there's the one that I think has good potential (the one with the Masters was looking the best, but...) She isn't graduating until July which makes me nervous, but she has a current job at a big company in DC with the same job title as she would have here so maybe she can be full time. My only huge beef with her was that the very first sentence in her cover letter wasn't well written. At least it has our company name in it in the right places and is long and detailed and all in all, an ok letter. She just might have to have an interview...

This is stressing me out---I do NOT want to get conned into staying past May 12. (Not like I really can since I'm traveling for some of that time, but still......)

Stay tuned for more exciting job search updates!

Weddings are out of control...

I mean really, we already knew that the cost of weddings and the extravagance that goes along with them is out of control, but seriously, people give this much of a shit about their bachelorette party!?!!? http://www.knotjustyet.com/

I just want to hang out and watch girly movies like Steel Magnolias and talk about boys. Sheesh!