Work-Related: New Job!

In April I decided to end my glorious 2 day work week and find a full-time job. After 2 months of tireless searching, I accepted two Americorps jobs. For the summer, I'll be working with Rebuilding Together New Orleans, and in the fall I'll start working with Phoenix of New Orleans. Neither of the salaries are exactly what I was looking for (they're actually almost a third of what I was looking for), but both are doing good work.

I've been working with Rebuilding Together since June 15th, and find the hot sweaty physical labor a bit thrilling. I never knew I could work so hard on a physical level, save for the few times that I gutted houses with the organization that I previously worked with. It's cool getting to see your progress on a day-t0-day basis and know that you've brought someone even closer to being able to move back home. For a bunch of unskilled workers, we do a pretty good job, too. And I've met some very cool and interesting people who are just as in love with this city as I am.

This week I participated in training as an evacuteer (I hate this term), meaning that I'm volunteering along with Rebuilding Together to assist with city evacuations if need be. We'll be the last ones to leave, and the first ones to return along with first responders. Some tidbits that I remember from training:

*Turtle/crab + 1 candle = terrorist plot to...set your couch on fire?
*You must back away from a fire, slowly and awkwardly, after putting it out.
*Someone must be the leader. None of that passive-aggressive "we're all equals" bullshit.
*Cribbage! is the best way to life a heavy object off of someone, even if life is draining out of them by the second.
*Earthquake injuries may lead to orgasmic moaning.
*Weezy has gotten an assload of hurricanes over the past few decades, so expect even more in the future.
*Somewhere in northern Virginia, there is a state trooper who deserves an Oscar for his performance in one of our training videos. I mean, there were hats and props and accents and humor and a genuine commitment to character. And the point was actually received and absorbed into my brain! Brilliant.
*The Utah Film Commission must be stopped.
*Fried shrimp po-boys from Deanies are the shit (no wait, I learned that during the lunch break)

Hopefully there won't be any mandatory evacuations ordered this year, but honestly, I have a bad feeling about this hurricane season. Well, at least I'll be prepared this year, and I'll be helping others escape, as well.