There's no place like Pittsburgh

Plain brown wrapper
Originally uploaded by elixir graphics

I arrived yesterday at the William Penn Omni for the Mensa Annual Gathering (AG or convention). Downstairs other members are starting to trickle into the hotel. I'm so glad I brought my iMac. I put it in a plain brown wrapper so that it looked much like this. I took a picture of the actual box in the actual room with my camera but I brought the wrong cable. Such is life.

I spent this morning rising leisurely, doing a spot of yoga, and then walking over to the Andy Warhol museum. One of the nice things about Pittsburgh is that most of the critical must-see tourist sights are within walking distance. Yesterday evening, after our six hour car trip here, my roommate and I walked out to The Point Park (so, okay, what's the point? No! where's the point.) a boat dock, fountain and light park, currently under renovation. Tons of wild plants are safely locked in behind six foot temporary fencing. I could tell they were desperate to get into the park and into their new digs. heh

The Warhol Museum is a definite must see. I suggest you put aside at least two hours to make the tour. You take the elevator to the top floor and then work your way down. It's all wonderful. A sort of cacophonous medley of sight, sound, music, art, sculpture and films. The only thing left out from the Warhol experience is the smell which only occurred to me after I watched my third "party" film and was nearing the final gallery. Certainly after hours of sex, drugs and rock and roll there were some fumes.

Be sure to go to the end of the hall on the last floor and step inside the silver pillow gallery. Lots of giggles. You can bat around the helium-filled silver pillows while watching a film of two dancers not dancing with silver pillows. There are multiple fans in the room so the pillows keep dancing even if you don't help them out.

I knew that Warhol had been seminal in a lot art movements. I had not realized just how far his reach was. He influenced movies, art, graphic design, music, packaging, and attitudes. My favorite saying, "I never fall apart because I never fall together."

I can recommend the Warhol Underground Cafe. I had the jerk chicken salad. Very tasty and chaotic. Sorta like Warhol.
Time to check in with the AG folks and tighten up my itinerary.

clowns and solitaire

isn't it bliss, don't you approve, one who keeps tearing around, one who can't move ... send in the clowns*





excerpted lyrics from "Send in the Clowns"

Pack Suitcase - Wash the Car

Today I begin packing for the AG. I leave early Monday morning and plan to use the weekend to round up whatever needs to go that I don't have in the house. I'm also optimistically washing and cleaning out the car hoping that no birds will decorate it before I leave.

To prepare for the business meeting of the American Mensa Committee (AMC) I've read some of the reports from the last AMC meeting. They are, as these reports usually are, dry and cryptic. However, licensing looks interesting for its potential: where can we slap the Mensa logo and make money for nothing? The Marketing report was coyly condensed with a list of events they had publicized in the past and a promise to keep on doing it. Hmmm. Anyway, the AMC meeting should be interesting. Thank goodness it's only two hours long.

Selecting My Workshops/Events for AG09

Have spent over an hour this morning culling/trolling the AG Events to find the ones I need and wish to attend. I've agreed to attend the business meeting and some LDW meetings (Leadership Development Workshop). In spite of that, there must be about 5 events available every hour, not to mention the pick up Scrabble games, which I plan to participate in. Yikes! You can view my itinerary on Trip It.

I'm still not done. I've made it to Friday. Still have Saturday and Sunday to go. Geesh! It's like a job! And, knowing me, I will get there and then change it. Still, it helps to have a base to start from.

Elaine Unemployed - Episode 6

My employment compensation has longer to run that I thought it did and I have a good chance at being extended, if I need it. And I think I will.

Midsummer Greetings!

Auspicious friendly greetings and happy wishes for MidSummer!

One Day Added to My AG Stay

The AG09 Yahoo! Group archive, which arrived in my inbox today, included the notice that more $89 rooms were released at the Omni. Two were gone by the time I got the message. I notified my roommate who has been searching for a way to get a room on Monday, the 29th, for months. She would like to take the Frank Lloyd Wright tour on the 30th (which is all day). Since she already has a room at the Omni for the remaining nights, another night at that hotel was her preference. I left her a message, hoping she could get another night and she did. This is, unfortunately, a king room and not a double (apparently the hotel has a plethora of king rooms) so we'll be sharing a bed for one night, but that's okay.

I suppose this means I'll be in charge of moving our stuff on the next day and some time without a room (noon-3pm). Or not. I could worry Rebecca (my roommate) about this, but I choose not to. Finding out on the day is good enough for me. So, one more detail falls into place. Rebecca has scheduled her tour and we're all happy now. Yay!

As to the expense, I'm already cutting in half the room fee by having a roommate, so I'm sure the local group won't begrudge me one more night. Or, even, a nice massage. Maybe. Well, probably not. Oh, well. Next time I'll ask for that. Surely all my time racing around finding useful events and attending the business meetings merits a bit of expensed relax time. Yes?

World News Made Visual and Interactive and, ok, Fun

Try this at home. It should be self explanatory but if not try hovering.

Elaine Unemployed - Episode 5

Here's today's installment. A little more upbeat than yesterday.

Elaine Unemployed - Day 15 of 24

Maybe I should be a little more upbeat. What do you think?

Safari with Cover Flow - for the PC, too!

Wow! I had an automatic software update notice, so I installed the update. I had no idea what it was. Usually the little status line says what it's installing but not this time. Later, as I was doing the morning wake up, I checked the install log and there it was, new Safari update. So, okay, launch Safari and ... Wow! Really great Top Sites feature showing page snaps (my top sites - that was definitely an eye opener). And then I found cover flow.

The insanely great thing is I needed no preparation and did not have to read a manual to figure out how it all worked. Simply launch and go. Under "self evident" see "Apple Software."

The only thing I was curious about was the cute star in the upper corner of the page snaps. That I had to look up. Turns out it means that the site has been updated. Here are some screen shots for you. Gosh. Never mind. Go get it!

Current Fads
Listening. America Simon and Garfunkel; rain
Watching. Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991)
Activity. waking up
Gadget. stainless steel teaspoon
News Source. the news feeds in Safari
Reading. From Doon With Death - Rendell; Real Energy - Bonewits; A Wish Can Change Your Life - Sasson and Weinstein
Writing. "Bronwen's First Age" (screenplay)

Elaine Unemployed - Day 10 of 24

Today was a bad day. Yesterday was a good day – a very good day. How does that happen? I don't know. I woke up unsure of what day it was. Had to go through yesterday's events to figure it out.

Today was a no-dress day. I put clothes on but I didn't get dressed. I did laundry and some freelance work. I walked the dog.

Yesterday I met a friend for lunch who thankfully listened to me talk about my search and did not suggest what a million others have suggested: part-time or joe jobs.

I plan to write more and, especially, write a tips list for those of you with unemployed friends. Here's an important DON'T. DON'T tell them how to look for work. There's no one who knows better how to look for work than an unemployed person, especially one who's been unemployed for eight months. Sometimes I think others believe I just haven't got it yet. Well, I have. Believe me.

Unemployed? Need tip? Hah!!

The Viggo Front
I'm watching "Ruby Cairo" (1992 - aka "Deception") for the second time. I'm determined to keep it for all of the five days Blockbuster allows because it took seven times (and six weeks and four free rentals) of getting the wrong movie ("Deception" - 2008) from the online service before I finally got the right one. Had to go to the store to get it, too. The best scenes of Viggo's character are the ones where he has a beard. So excellent. Lots of energy and confidence. Very believable. The directing lacks a bit of zip. The movie is worth watching anyway.

Elaine Unemployed - Episode 3

After a lovely weekend, I report in on the 8th day of the final 24 days of my unemployment compensation. What happens next? Who knows!

Elaine Unemployed - Day 6 of 24

No vid today! It's Saturday, after all.

I applied for three jobs today. One of which I found by perusing the Fortune "They're Hiring" site. Each and every company I applied to had their own application system where you have to create a user name, profile, resume and cover letter. The worst ever award goes to Hilton. I'll be amazed if they get more than my job application. It's just ridiculous how many things you have to click on to create an emailable application. Many of the items are hard to see or find, need specific coding which requires using a search function that doesn't always work or with unclear instructions, or are difficult to edit. I'm going to be generous and assume that this is all in the name of cutting down applications from thousands to hundreds. Oh, and then there's my favorite: system requirements. One of application systems had the attitude that if you must be on a Mac we will support you only if you use Firefox. When I see this it tells that they want to know more about me than I'm willing to share. In other words, they are using invasive programming in their application which, among other things, will get my cookies – a function Safari doesn't allow.

But, whatever. If the current climate demands everyone bend over and wait for it to apply for a job then I guess that's what I'll have to do.

Yesterday was quite depressing when I heard the news on NPR about how lousy the job market is right now. The announcer said that in a regular economy this would be bad news but in this economy it's good. And then they went on to describe yet more layoff statistics in yet more industries. That was a real pick-me-up. ha ha

Basically, as a country, we're f--ked. I derive absolutely no consolation from knowing that as the US goes, the world goes. How can this be good for anyone anywhere?

I wish I had sold my house after my first lay off in 2007 and used the money from that and the severance package to take an around-the-world trip. Yeah, I'd be flat broke right now but at least I would have something to show for it.

tanto venga

the spirit of my longing comes to me
in a dream, disguised as someone famous
we talk and laugh as if we are old friends
recently reunited
yet i don't remember him
i feel his knowing
i feel i know him
still – who is he?

behind the mask of a thousand pretty words
he waits and hopes
hopes for what?

that hope cannot be for me
i am here
— Elaine Greywalker
Current Fads
Listening. Spill the Wine, War and The Neil Diamond Collection; susurration of rain
Watching. All of Me (1984)
Activity. getting back into yoga
Gadget. cell phone (texting)
News Source. Google News
Reading. Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam - M.C. Beaton; real energy - Bonewits; A Wish Can Change Your Life - Sasson and Weinstein; eat, pray, love Elizabeth Gilbert
Writing. Bronwen's First Age based on my unpublished novel draft

The Myth of Hope by Elaine Greywalker

Umweltschäden. Herr, vergib ihnen nichts mehr, denn sie wissen genau was sie tun. – Waltraud Puzicha (1925)
Song of the Day: And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind

Elaine Unemployed - Day 3

The second episode of the last 24 days of unemployment compensation. Got a minute?

Elaine Unemployed - vblog

With a nice iMac, a lot of discretionary time and a stash of anxiety, I have created a video blog episode. Woo. Hoo.