Poll results. And taters (precious).

[mollyringle]

Clearly not all my readership has voted on the charismatically-titled Poll #166795 of last entry, but exit surveys indicate that fully 80% of you came here for LOTR reasons. (And, I can only presume, stayed for the love.) Well, I guess I sensed that, and that's why I discuss the damn thing (LOTR) so much. But we all have other interests too, so I shan't be afraid to branch out.

So here's a random thing that I did today. At work, they had a picnic-style lunch for us on the roof - fried chicken, baked beans, jello, etc. They also had, at each table, a raw potato and a clear plastic bag containing Mr. Potatohead arms and eyes and ears and such. Each group was supposed to dress up their potato as they saw fit, and the best three would be chosen at the end of the day.

No, I didn't tell everyone to dress our potato like a hobbit. No. Even more disturbing, actually. I was toying with the empty plastic bag that the parts had come in, and commented that I thought we should come up with some creative use for it.

Well, the obvious thing to do with a clear plastic bag is, of course, kill yourself by suffocation. My fellow Accounting employees thought this was a hilarious (if sick) idea. So we ended up rubber-banding the bag over our Mr. Potatohead, and taping a note to his hand that said "Goodbye cruel world." (I wrote it left-handed - not my dominant hand - so that it would look uneven and disturbed.)

Anyway, we placed third. I guess it wasn't regarded as unforgivably sick and wrong by the judges. But then, another group stabbed their potato with a plastic knife and used pickle relish as blood. (They didn't place.)

In other news, current job opening that I'm pining after: publications editor at the Seattle Symphony. I'm sure I won't get it; probably won't even get called in for an interview, considering how many artsy types must be out there competing with me in looking for work right now; but that sure would be sweet.

Comments

[raethe.livejournal.com]

Hmm, a suicidal hobbit might not have been all that bad of an idea, you know.

"Goodbye, cruel world. You've forsaken me in all my hobittry...Curse you Sam and Frodo."
;)

Nifty looking job position. Do you have much interest in classical? Don't think I've heard you mention more than one or two selections.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Hmm, guess I haven't discussed classical music much, but I certainly like it. Those seven years in symphonic band in junior high and high school left their mark, in terms of composer-and-tempo type knowledge. Messing about on piano taught a teeny bit more. (Such as: Beethoven's music usually sounds really impressive but is actually not too hard to play. Chopin sounds difficult and IS difficult. Mozart is satisfying in a clever mathematical way, tends to use easy key signatures like C, and isn't too difficult except that it takes deft fingers to do all those up-and-down sixteenth-note runs. There. Enough dropping of names and observations?) :) But I don't really keep up with the modern classical world, in terms of who's directing which orchestra and so forth, which might be more to the point when working at the Seattle Symphony, alas.

[rachel2205.livejournal.com]

You call that work?! alright for some! :)

Good luck with the job - if you don't try, you'll never know!

[mikeneko.livejournal.com]

Hmm... Are you seriously interested in finding an editorial job? I mean, as opposed to going for any sort of job that looks kinda interesting?

You can do a few things to give yourself a bit of an edge in the applicant pig-piles for editorial openings, depending on the type of position. But those things involve some time and individual prep work; I don't know that they're worth the trouble if editorial work isn't a goal per se. For example, tests are widely used for winnowing applicants, so it can be a good idea to learn markup and style *before* you get hit with one them. That sort of thing.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

I'd like to do anything that involved publication, more or less; but of course it would depend on how pleasant the workplace was, as well. And unfortunately I don't have a lot of experience doing markup and style - just plenty of grammar/proofreading knowledge. I'm hoping my tendency to pick up new skills quickly will be of use to me in the near future.

[mikeneko.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, quick learning is a bonus. :-) I've been scrawling on copy, manuscripts, and proofs around for 'bout 15 years; I'm retired as advice central in this regard, but don't mind being dusted off once in a while. If info is needed, emailable.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Good to know - thanks! I'll hang onto that offer.

[dirae.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful looking job! If Kevon and I were in Seattle, you and he may have to have a rumble over who would apply for such a position since "Word, Excel, Acrobat Suite, Pagemaker and Publisher, with print production experience / Experience in copy-writing, editing, proofreading, layout and design / Knowledge of Photoshop and Freehand/Illustrator / Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, prioritize, pay close attention to numerous details, be deadline-oriented" is right up his alley. Such has been his life for over six years (unfortunately doing it with direct mail [ne junk mail] that mostly ends up in the wastebasket - not so fulfilling, you know?).

I didn’t know you were interested in or had experience in the design/print/layout direct marketing field. Kevon could probably offer some more insight about the full-time nature of the job. Plus, if you’re called in for an interview, he could go over some swell print production terminology for you (since *most* laymen aren’t familiar with all the lingo… that is, if you’re not already familiar with it).

Good luck. Plus the added bonus of using one's knowledge of classical music... *sigh*

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Kevon would certainly get it before me. :) I've done practically no real layout/design work, just a heck of a lot of grammar checking, rewriting and editing. But, yeah, getting to work on anything in "beautiful Benaroya Hall" (the actual symphony hall downtown), and publication-related at that, would be super-sweet. I'll holler for help on the lingo if by chance they call me.