Life Update: Writing, Teething, and Computering, Oh My!

It's been a while since I posted any kind of update on what's going on in my life, so here goes:

I recently finished the START Hospitality course at Wake Tech. That course included getting certificates in ServSafe (passed), National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) Gold in all three specialties. (Still trying to determine who actually pays attention to that), TIPS Certification (Training for Intervention Something something... to help someone in the Food and Beverage industry determine when someone has had enough to drink), certification in the OPERA Property Management System used by Holiday Inn and other facilities. Used at the Front Desk. And finally the actual certificate for completing the program. I'm ideally looking for Front Desk or Night Auditor. I have had no luck so far. They claim 70% of the graduates get jobs, but I think most of those start out in the banquet or Food Service part and work their way up. However with my injuries, I can't handle banquets and other Food Service jobs, so I'll stick with what I can do.

And speaking of injuries, no real change in my shoulder or knee has occurred in months. They are both mildly disabling. I can't life things reliably. I can't run, therefore I can't move quickly enough for Food Service. I can walk easily enough most of the time, but every now and then my knee let's me know something is wrong, and I limp.

I have been in touch with Vocational Rehab and they have moved at a snail's pace, claiming they didn't get the information they needed. They have agreed to do two things: Get my teeth yanked (though I don't know when) and to pay for certification courses that will mean I'm qualified for a Network Administrator position. Entry level, if such a thing exists. But I will get A+ certified, Network+ and hopefully Security+ and Cisco certified. We'll see how well that goes.

I started writing a screenplay based on idea that's been prowling through my head for the last few weeks. The first draft took me 3 days. It's hand-written, and certainly needs work, but it was nice to finish something for a change. I also started on a novel form of the story. It's a techno/sci fi/thriller. It creeps me out and I'm the one who wrote it. It's called 'Soul Survivor.' I'll post more on that as I get it put into a computer. I'm quite happy with the plot, it just needs to be fleshed out a little.

The last bit of news has to do with the computer that was stolen from me in January. I heard rumors that a certain person might have it back in February, but it wasn't enough to take to the police. In March, a friend came to me and told me he knew who had it, and the guy was willing to sell it back to me for $80. It took me a while to raise $80, but when I did, the guy then said he left it at his girlfriend's place and they're not talking any more. I gave him a week to get his stuff together, and haven't heard back from him. So yesterday I filed a new report with the Raleigh PD, telling them what I know and suspect, including the guy's phone number. I'm keeping my $80. If the guy gets arrested for it, and his girl too, well, he brought it on himself. He had ample opportunity to return it to me.

Life Without A Computer: The Shakes

A little over a week ago, my computer was stolen. It was entirely my fault, and the guy who took it. I was doing laundry and left it on a table, thinking someone was watching it, and the problem was, it was the wrong person. I take full responsibility for its loss. I really felt like running through the cafeteria shouting 'Thief! Baggins!'

But if I ever catch the bastard with balls enough to sneak up behind one of my friends to lift my laptop, he won't be very happy with the results.

I have filed a police report. I was lucky to have the serial number, lifted from an email I had sent to HP for support. I have not heard back yet.

The whole first day after losing my computer I could not sit still. A part of my life was gone. My entire life, in some respects. Then I finally took a pad with paper and pen and started writing. It has been my therapy in the computer's absence. I filled that one pad and bought another and it's a third gone. My right arm is sore, because it gets fatigued rather quickly these days. I'm still waiting to get an MRI approved by VR. I get writer's cramp, like I haven't since, well, the last time I didn't have a computer.

My job search has taken on a new urgency, because I want another computer. Because I don't have somethign I can waste time on. But now the job search is harder. Right now I'm at ESC in Raleigh using their computers to file applications online and write this. I hope the don't mind. But the point is, applying for jobs just got harder.

I borrow computers to check my email. Others in the shelter have computers, but for some reason their wifi's don't work nearly as well as mine did in the shelter. Talk about SLOOOWWWW... But somehow I manage. I can't log onto Facebook as often because of the slow connection. The ESC won't let me log into Facebook, the bastards! The worst part is all my ideas were on the computer. I may come up with them again, but that's not likely.

Well, I'm getting bugged to stop typing, so that's it for now. But I will try to post as regularly as I can about this. After all, a writer shouldn't be afraid to write without a computer.