New Job

After several failed restaurant interviews, an acquaintance recommended CTI Convention staffing to me- so you can find me four days a week behind any number of desks at the Javits center, punching tickets and practicing my frozen smile skills.

During the Toy Fair, I worked at a desk in a lounge & got to know some of the exhibitors pretty well. The day that show ended I gussied up, abused my staff pass & went on to the (massive) show floor to see if I couldn't flirt my way into some free samples.

Uglydolls wasn't handing out any items, but they were giving away tote bags by the armload- I kept one & sent one to my sister.

Perplexus were staffed by some super nice people, and after I asked them about ten thousand questions they handed me a free maze toy to take home "for being so nice." You guys? It's totally worth the dollars if you're a puzzle person. I bring it to the laundromat with me, & it's a real conversation starter.

Catan was selling their floor samples for half off, so I got an expansion that I probably would have never bought for full price. I haven't played it yet, but I'm pretty excited to.

Squishables gave me a small stuffed animal for $10. I'm not really sure why I bought it since I just got rid of a ton of plushies, but it's just so much fun to hug! Srsly.

The pens were given to me for free but not because I'm special- I think Sanrio brought enough pens with them to supply a small army (of gays?). The card game was acquired similarly, although once I let on that I was kind of a game nerd they pressed a few extra copies into my hands to distribute amongst my friends.

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The following shows I have worked haven't really been quite as much fun, but the front desk keeps me interested and perky all day. Also, 70% of the people who work at CTI are actors/artists of a kind, so I've been getting some good tips.

What has the Recession Done to You?

Admittedly, I watched most of the recession from behind the safety of my computer screen: I was a sophomore at BU, & it provided some entertainment to me to watch the Management students walk around, stupefied, realizing that they weren't guaranteed jobs either.

However, now I'm out of school & feeling the effects, & while they aren't huge, they certainly exist.

Health Insurance: Since the healthcare system is being restructured, my parent's plan has dumped me & I won't be able to rejoin until next year. In the interim, my parents have guilted me into buying insurance of my own, from New York Cares, which gets rid of $207/month out of my already pathetic bank account. And don't even get me started on that guy who wants to take away funding for any plan that provides support for abortions (if I accidentally have a baby, will he adopt it? Nope. He'll probably get mad at it for being a welfare burden).

Credit: Oh credit cards. I have resisted acquiring one of you, because you are mystical and scary. You seemed to get a lot of people in trouble, but now I'm being told I need you.

Earlier this year, when I tried to switch service providers from Verizon to AT&T (hello iPhone!), AT&T told me I needed to pay them a $500 deposit because I am a credit risk. Thus began my quest to acquire a credit card, & after 5 months & a dozen rejections, I finally have one: Wal-Mart are so far the only people who will approve me. Is there a WallE-World near me? Do I approve of their business practices? Was their fruit harvested within the last year? None of that is allowed to matter now in the name of Good Credit. In case I ever want to, you know, buy a house.

Jobs: Oh jobs. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, where are you? All of my friends are looking for you. You are a very popular character. Restaurants will always need servers, but the customers won't always tip well.

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Anybody else care to weigh in on the economic crapper recent graduates have been put in?