A buddy of mine just forwarded this article, dated June 6, to me.
The nation's unemployment rate climbed to 6.1 percent in
May, the highest level in nine years, as businesses cut 17,000
jobs in a weak economy struggling toward recovery. ...
July 1994 was the last time the jobless rate was at 6.1. It was higher only
in April 1994, at 6.4 percent.
One reason for last month's increase was that more people resumed
their job searches, but failed to find work. Nearly 9 million people
were unemployed in May. ...
[There were some bright spot in the report:] Some sectors did gain jobs in
May. Employment rose in construction and in service jobs, including education
and health services.
Another positive sign in the report was the hiring increase of 58,000
at temporary employment firms. Economists closely watch that industry
because it can signal if companies may begin to hire permanent, full-time
workers.
So, if that job at New School doesn't come through, maybe I can work as a temp
after all.
From: NSUjobs
Date: Fri Jun 6, 2003 1:45:23 PM US/Eastern
To: <lou@beansaboutit.com>
Subject: Re: Search #22277
Thank you for applying to New School University. We have received and are
now processing your information. If our employment staff finds that you are
an appropriate match for this particular position, you will be contacted accordingly.
However, if you are not contacted, please be sure to re-visit the job opportunities
page, as it is updated daily:
http://www.newschool.edu/admin/hr/joblist.htm
Best wishes,
HR Department
New School University
Well, my hat's in the ring... Let's see where this goes.
Wow.
I've been really busy lately. I found out about a potential gig at a nearby
university, and It's right up my alley. So, I did a full-court press to tailor
my resume, write a killer cover letter, and spiff up my portfolio
site, so as to make the best possible first impression. Meanwhile, I'm actually
starting to hear about more potential freelance work than I have in a long time.
That's a very likeable trend.
:::
I also wrote my first new poem since December. It's a sonnet variation.
Newtonian Mechanics
At Lottie's Diner this morning a little boy
with a huge smile captured my
gaze as it bounced from booth to booth
seeking something interesting to stick to.
His hands sprang up. He
pressed his small face into tiny
palms, waited a beat or two, then
emerged, grinned, started over again.
Invincible in his imaginings, no one sees him
when he can't see them...
Now I imagine a teleportal: I'd get one,
or a time machine -- just pick up and go.
But Lottie's chicken soup tastes like home
and it's really not my place or time to roam.
-- Sonnets have been the theme of the first couple of sessions of the poetry
workshop I'm in. We've been looking closely at the form, and its variations.
A lot of sonnets are, of course, love poems. Jacob
Miller, who runs my workshop, said there are really two kinds of love poem:
pre-coital and post-coital. The consensus in the room was that the pre-coital
variety are generally better.
:::
Proving PT Barnum right
Got two more viruses in the mail yesterday, and one today. Wonder which friend's
outlook mailbox is infected, that I keep getting these. I looked up the "goldfish"
message online. It is known to contain the worm called "Yaha.E"
The stuff is crudely designed and written, but folks keep falling for it.
:::
Technology on parade
It might have been the same guy. I spotted someone riding a Segway
HT on two separate occasions recently. The first was nearly a week ago around
14th Street in Manhattan. Then a couple of days ago, I spotted someone going
down Fulton Avenue in Brooklyn. He was bouncing up and down on the platform;
apparently it's a way to control speed.
A couple of days ago, I was walking near Court Street when I heard James Earl
Jones' booming voice. I turned around to see the funniest advertising rig yet.
They'd taken a small box cab truck – about the size of a medium U-Haul
truck – and installed an array of 6 plasma panels to make a giant TV screen
that covered most of the side of the truck's cargo section. Four round speakers
were situated near the corners of the giant screen. On the roof were at least
3 of those streamlined air conditioning units you see on top of Winnebagos.
And there, larger than life, was James, pitching Verizon's "Business Freedom"
plan...
