Assessment tests

Dear companies,
Asking the same questions 20 times in one test is stupid. I realize why you do, but you know what? I just don't care anymore. Seriously, from now on I am just going to answer randomly from now on and see if I get any call backs. The jobs for these assessments are minimum wage, and not worth taking 30 minutes to do. The only thing worse is those companies that ask you to upload a resume, only to have you fill out a job application stating everything in the blasted resume. Why?????

Fat Finger

I feel like I have become an expert in applying for jobs. However today, I was going so fast that I didn't see that a job I applied for was in Kansas. I have a feeling I'm not going to hear back from that company...although in my defense it's a local company, and every other job was in the tri state area that I live in. I couldn't figure out why all my recommend jobs on careerbuilder were suddenly in kansas. :)

I had an email from a recruiter wanting to interview me from Rallys. I totally don't see myself working in fast food, but I figure at this point it wouldn't hurt to go for an interview, right?

The Job Hunt

About a year ago I was let go from a job that I had forever and ever. After the shock wore off, I realized I was much happier not being there. However, that full time job eludes me. I have a nice part time job, but am looking for something more. I feel like I should put job applier down on my list of job skills! I have noticed that companies all use the same format for applications. The worst are the ones that use a questionnaire  designed for high school students.

Earlier in the week I was applying for a job at a department store. Most applications have a handful of questions, but this one shocked me a little-I don't know why. Then it had an entire section of math questions. Most questions are word problems centered around cashiering problems. This one though was different. It had over 20 questions with these types of math problems:  6+4(5-4)(x20)+(10-2)=. After the fifth one, I started guessing.  After the math questions, it had a whole section on theft. This was 20 minutes into the application, so I answered a and e on all of the questions, not realizing until it was too late that E is the worst case scenario. I'm guessing I won't be hearing back from this employer, lol....

The same day I did that assessment test I heard back from a place I submitted an application stating that they were having a job fair and I should stop by.  They called at 1:30 and the job fair started at 3pm. Um, hello? A little warning would have been nice! I would have gone, but as luck would have it I had to work that night. I think with this job market employers can choose to be picky. I mean Macy's wants you to have a years experience in cosmetics, fine jewelry, apparel or another one of their departments before you are hired. I have 6 months experience in apparel and a degree and was turned down.  The hunt continues!!

1001 things in 101 days-a list

Here is what I have so far: 

1.  Write 100 words every day for 100 days 
2.   Clean my room once a day 
3.   Drive to a nearby city I haven't been to. 
4.  Watch all the seasons in Supernatural 
5.  Cook something new for lunch for one week 
6.  Surprise my parents with dinner
7.  Watch an anime movie
8. read a graphic novel 
9. Open a 529c for Charlie 
10. Save $20.00 from my paycheck 
11. Read one book off my tbr pile in my kindle every week
12. Watch Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth 
13. Surprise my parents by paying off one of their bills 
14. take a class-in anything 
15. Go on a ghost hunt/tour
16. Read one new author  I read Her Highland Champion by Alexa Bourne. Loved.
17. Read a classic
18. Re-read a favorite author 
19. Play with the dog when she wants to. 
20. Watch the entire Torchwood series again 
21. Watch Dr. Who (finally) 
22. Watch Firefly 
23. Rearrange my bookshelves
24. watch a movie on my kindle fire
25. read a magazine on my kindle fire
26. play a stupid game on my kindle fire 
27. get a manicure
28. Dye my hair
29. write a vampire book 
30. make my own pizza
31. Go two weeks without buying a book 
32. Try one new international cuisine 
33. Drive to Columbus to myself 
34. Stop smoking for a day 
35. Go one day with out Coca Cola 
36. Rearrange my closet
37. Read all the review books I have left to review for my book blog 
38. Don't accept any new review books for review for 3 months
39. Go one day without twitter
40. Go one day with facebook 
41. Go one day with no social media 
42. Make an autograph section for my books signed by authors
43. plant something
44. bake a loaf of bread
45. 
    

New Year, New Goals

This might sound selfish, but I've decided to make this year about me. I want to eat and be healthier, and save money so I can do stuff I want to actually do instead of being bitter about not doing it.

Some goals:

• Save $50 from each paycheck and eventually open a savings account with it. 
• Go on one mini road trip by myself this year 
• Start exercising one or two times a week 
• Write at least 100 words every day. That book will be written this year, damn it!!
• Re-start and try to do 1001 things in 101 days-so the website isn't there anymore, but I am going to do it anyway. :)

Book Spotlight: The Witch's Dream by Victoria Danann

This second, or middle, book in the First Trilogy of the Black Swan series is a pure romance. Whereas the first book, My Familiar Stranger, could be read as a stand alone novel, BOOKS TWO and THREE are interdependent.

He was left behind when Elora Laiken made her choice. Now he’s had it with love, but a transplanted witch who happens to be the world’s best tracker hopes she can change his mind.

The Witch’s Dream begins with B Team on loan for temporary assignment to Black Swan headquarters in Edinburgh where they are supposed to fill in for stretched-thin resources and assist with a werewolf issue. They’ve been given permission to stop in Ireland for a few days and help Ram and Elora celebrate their handfasting at the palace in Derry.

When they reach Edinburgh, the afterglow of an elftale wedding quickly turns all business. A simple werewolf sanction becomes a diplomatic issue requiring the one thing Elora doesn’t have – finesse. A missing person report turns into a demon abduction. From New York to Ireland to Edinburgh to Siena to the Texas Hill Country to Napa Valley. From promises to rages to hunts to epiphanies.

This is a story that proves that love can find you when you’re least expecting it – even when you’re far, far from home.

Erotica quotient: 18+ A few steamy scenes. No menage. No BDSM.
uy Links:

The Witch’s Dream Book Two:  Amazon

My Familiar Stranger Book One:  Smashwords | Amazon

Where to find Victoria:  WEBSITE: BLOG: FACEBOOK:  TWITTER

Authors Bio:

Though works of fiction are a departure for me, I have had this series simmering on the back burner of my mind for a few years. In addition to authoring and illustrating Seasons of the Witch (for the past thirteen years) I play Classic Rock music and manage one of Houston's premier R&B bands.

This series includes some of my education in the paranormal and fictionalized anecdotes from my journals during the years when I was a practicing "metaphysician", but, of course, most of the material is fantasy. All of the books will feature strong female leads with strong male support.

Movie Review: Midnight Bayou

 I have a confession to make. I adore cheesy movies. I especially love the lifetime cheesy movies. There is just something about losing myself in a movie and other people's problems that I love.  I picked Midnight Bayou up from the library.

Midnight Bayou is based on a Nora Roberts book, and while I love romances, I've only actually ever read one of her books. (However, I love her writing as J.D. Robb and am up to book five in that series with no hope of ever catching up.)

I think it's safe to say that my favorite thing about this movie was Jerry O'Connell. He's been a Hollywood crush of mine since his days on the sci fi show Sliders. The movie is about a guy from Boston who visits his best friend from law school in New Orleans during Mardi Gras in 2001. They take a wrong turn and drive by this creepy house that you just know is haunted. He's the only one of his friends who sees someone standing in the middle of the road. He makes them stop, only to discover there isn't anyone there. He then notices the house, and falls in love with it. His friends tell him to forget it-that it has bad mojo.

Fast Forward nine years. He breaks off an engagement, buys the house, and opens a legal clinic with his best friend who he still kept in touch with. His closest neighbor lives on the bayou, and she sends her granddaughter over to bring him some kind of bread. The two of course feel an instant connection, but try to ignore it.

He isn't there that long before weird stuff starts happening to him. He tries explaining it away, but it doesn't work. What I liked best is that once you think have everything figured out, they throw in a cool twist at the end.

The movie was a lot of fun, and I now really want to read the book!