Unemployment Insurance

I did it. I applied for unemployment, which is actually unemployment insurance. It wasn't too hard. I just got on the website, filled out the form and registered with www.workintexas.com, a job finding service, as is required. I must make a minimum of 5 job contacts every week and keep a record of it in case they check me.

The 'keep a record' part is very vague. My interpretation is that I can call a place and ask if they are hiring. If they aren't hiring I can just say thanks for your time and there I have it 1 job contact. I am required to look for 'suitable work'. Work is defined as suitable based on: the reasonableness of your wage demand in light of the earnings on your last job, your prior work experience and job classification, as well as the most commonly paid wage in the area where you are seeking work. It all seems pretty practical they want to keep you trying to actively get work instead of sitting around. Judging by the dearth of job postings on local architecture job boards getting turned down by 5 job contacts won't be that hard.

I still don't know what percentage of my salary I will receive. According to the Texas Work Force I should initially consider jobs paying 90% less than what I previously earned which seems reasonable; However, by the 8th week I am expected to reduce my wage requirement to 1.) 75% of my normal wage or 2.) minimum wage, whichever is higher. What they are trying to say is 'suitable' at that point is a job at McDonalds's and you better take it. Hmmm, they do make those fancy coffee drinks now and have always had the best band of characters... grimis, hamburgler, fry kids.

Otherwise it was a glorious day in Austin, warm and sunny. Ladybird and I took a nice walk in the morning around 8:30 am. Usually I'd have to walk her before the sun came up every morning so it's nice to get out in the daylight. We met a dog named Casey that was walking herself today. We've seen her before but she's never followed us all the way home like she did today. Her collar reads 'I'm not lost'. She came up the stairs and inside and we offered her some food and water but she wasn't too interested and trotted on.

The next items I need to knock out while I have this window of time are to finish logging my NCARB hours and prepare for my next ARE exam. I have 5 done and 4 to go -- over the hump as I say. My next exam is materials and methods on January 30th. After that I will schedule the MEP exam which people say is a hard exam. Other side projects that get to come into the light: 1. Grad school and culinary school research 2. my mammoths sewing project 3. looking into Italian citizenship. Does anybody have experience going through this process? Still trying to verify that I'm elgible.

Going to sing Karaoke tonight at a private room somewhere in a Korean strip mall in Austin. Happy Birthday Nam.

onion article: http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/hey_man_you_got_a_second_so_i