Still no job... Boston?

Well, still no job.

But I have started applying for anything and everything that might even be 'slightly' suitable, from Assistant Director positions at major planning firms to a kitchen designer to executive assistant roles. Now normally I wouldn't think these positions were suitable, as I would assume some kind of experience or interest in the position would be necessary first. However, the job agencies I have registered with are convinced that I should apply for these jobs, and I guess they would know best!

I'm planning to go to Boston next week. It's about a four hour bus ride from New York city, and I think it will be good to feel all explory again and experience a completely new city. This is what I know about Boston:

• It's in Massachusetts
• It's where David E. Kelly sets all his tv shows
• There's a Liberty Bell
• Famous tea party
• Hotbed of American history
• Famous for Chowder (Chow-dah)
• The Kennedys
• Great accent
• Harvard
• Beans and cream buns

Hmm... seems I know a bit about Boston after all! I'm looking forward to it, now all I need to do is book my trip.

Are you there God? It's me, Steven

Okay, so not much has happened.

I had hoped that by now I'd be able to update on my latest adventures, misdeeds, or cultural faux pas. But...

No.

I've spent the majority of the past two weeks trying to steam through as much work as I can for my job back home, while still trying to make the most of my time here in NY. I've done okay with the first task, but have somewhat failed in the second.

I have applied so far for two jobs in NYC - both with the office of the Mayor. I was hoping to find some temp work in the city, but it seems that all my requests to meet with temp agencies have fallen on deaf ears. On top of that, all of the temp jobs available in the city appear to require at least a few years experience in office management, a bachelor's degree from 'a top US college', experience in the financial sector, bilinguability, or great attention to detail. I don't have any of these.

And so, I have given myself until Thanksgiving to find a job in New York City. I think that's a fair goal. I have also decided that this week I will start looking for an apartment in the city - if I can't work there maybe I can at least live there for a month! I think my only option at this point is to sublet from somebody - it appears that there are a few apartments going right now, so (assuming I get paid this week) I should be okay with that.

I'm still having a fun time, but I think that moving to the city is what I need to do to kick it up a gear or two.

And give me more things to write about.

How to make a sandwich

I call this my 'America Sandwich'.

First, start with two slices of bread:

Apply liberal amounts of peanut butter:

Next come the lucky charms (try to get as many of the charms as possible on there)

Then the m&m's:

Put the sandwich together.

Now enjoy...?

.. ..

Hmm... maybe not.

Yesterday I saw a Turkey Vulture (Buzzard)

I'm just glad I wasn't crawling through the desert.

All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey.

Right now I feel like I am walking in two worlds, but not really living in either.

Usually when you go on a holiday, especially an extended holiday like this, it's a bit of a shock to go back home and to your day-to-day routine, such as housework and a job. I'm still on holiday, in that I'm not in New Zealand, but I'm also having to work again for my job back home (albeit remotely) as I have yet been unable to find a decent job here in the city. This has left me feeling somewhat in the middle of both going home and being away, and is a little strange.

I came to the US hoping to find a job in the city, but so far that has proved as difficult as I had expected. I've applied for a couple of jobs here - but the problem I'm having is that I don't just want any job; I will absolutely not work in a bar or diner just to hope for tips. I think if I were to do that I would totally feel like I was patronising those who had little choice but to work those jobs. Besides, I doubt anybody would hire me anyway given that I'm a short-term stay.

I'm also trying to balance looking for work with sightseeing and actually working for my job back home. I'm trying to work enough so that I can afford to live, see, and travel the States, but I'm finding it difficult to strike the right balance between working for my job back home, and going into the city or exploring. As a result of this (and also as a result of not being paid for the past month) my adventures have substantially diminished.

On top of all this, the weather has taken a sudden turn for the colder here - it's now Autumn (still refusing to say 'Fall'), and I find myself having to wear several tee shirts and my jacket while sitting in the house, having only packed summer clothing. I of course came prepared to buy a winter wardrobe while I was here, and I intend to do this as soon as I get paid.

Only that date keeps getting pushed back a little each week... my goal is to not freeze to death before that happens, and so I've taken a series of novel steps to keep warm. Many cups of tea, resting my hands on my laptop battery, and even doing dishes - all of which only to keep my hands warm! I wouldn't be surprised to see snow in the coming weeks. I just hope I have something other than a softshell from Kathmandu to keep me warm while I'm making Steve-Angels in the snow.

So I find myself sitting in front of my laptop, living outside New York City, and working for New Zealand. I'm not disliking my trip, but the mood and method has changed - I now need to figure out what that is.

I think something's not quite right here.

The Wonderful Wicked of Oz

I saw Wicked last night.

And it was.

DC - what a Marvel!

Washington DC reminds me a little bit of Canberra.

Canberra is very well planned, very pretty and nicely laid out. Canberra is also rather dull. Now some might see that as an insult, and perhaps rightly so. I will admit to thinking of DC as overly organised and dull, at least at first.

Yes, it's very awe-inspiring standing on top of the steps of the ever-impressive Capitol Building and staring down the Mall at the Washington Monument, and yes the area around the various war memorials (and the Lincoln Memorial) are all very moving and inspiring, and yes I'm probably just jaded from having seen many impressive parliamentary buildings and various war memorials from across Europe.

I know, I know. The photos above paint a rather awesome picture of the place. But I couldn't help but feel just a little bit underwhelmed by it all. I will admit to feeling a little cranky at the time due to it being a rather hot day (and being completely over dressed), and that that could have influenced my opinion of the place.

But then last night I went out to DuPont Circle (close to Georgetown), and my opinion changed completely. Here was a part of the city that had a little soul, a little character, a little attitude.

Suddenly everything seemed totally different; now today when I walked around The Mall and Capitol Buildings, things seemed to have another dimension to them - they now appeared to be more than just classic monuments and lumps of stone and clay; now they were architectural marvels, which seemed to capture the spirit of the city that I had now seen. Washington DC has enough to it to convince me that it's a nice place to be.

So yeah - I like it here.