Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

This really is a full service blog.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

In short, I come down firmly on all sides of the issue.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

Let there be snark.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

I was promised a recession.

If you are still in the GOP, you are an extremist.

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

“And when the Committee says to “report your income,” that could mean anything!

Let’s finish the job.

“Cheese and Kraken paired together for the appetizer trial.”

This blog will pay for itself.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

“Why isn’t this Snickers bar only a nickle?”

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Consistently wrong since 2002

You are here: Home / Balloon Juice / Balloon Jobs / Balloon Jobs

Balloon Jobs

by | 154 Comments

This post is in: , ,

In the aftermath of The Shittiest Tuesday Ever, two comments struck me most.

In the first, someone noted that now, more than ever, besides setting up the circular firing squads, the thing we most need to focus on is our communities, on protecting and preserving what we have and helping those who are going to be fucked over in the next four or eight years (just like Alain and some of you others are already trying to reach out to those in our community who are afraid in these uncertain days).

The second was Doug!’s reminder that this community – this strange collection of oddballs, weirdos and freaks that we have collectively created – first came into its own the last time our lives and our liberties were under threat from the White House.

I’ve been slack in my involvement in Balloon Juice, but it’s time for that to stop. But what can I do here anyway? Post music, swear a lot, write the odd stupid story to maybe make you laugh, and things like this Jobs thread. It’s not much, but if I can’t be there on the ground working with you right now (being on the other side of the world), perhaps it’s a good start.

This is a Balloon Jobs Thread – If you are looking for work, or looking for someone to work for you, or you know of any work opportunities, please post. This is a firing squad free zone.

There will be an Artists in Our Midst thread later in the weekend as well.

Thank you to all of you for putting up with me and getting me through the last few days.

I love you all (well, almost all of you – you know who you are).

Sarah

Reader Interactions

154Comments

  1. 1.

    Served

    I’m a content strategist/digital project manager in Chicago with 5 years of experience (yay that middle zone of a career) and I’ve been feeling the draw to return to non profit work this year. The election has only stoked that fire.

    If anyone knows any NGOs or good issue based orgs who are looking for someone, I’m all ears.

  2. 2.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    If you are anywhere near San Francisco, I urge you to check out our municipal jobs web site:
    https://www.jobaps.com/sf/

    The City is a great employer and I can honestly say, as both a resident and a municipal employee, that we do damned good work and generally do it well. Despite the uncertainty on both the political and economic fronts, we are still hiring for hundreds of positions in a wide range of fields. If you have IT skills, we have a shortened hiring process. I admit it’s not easy to be hired here but persistence often pays off. And yeah, it’s super-expensive to live here, but if you already do (or can swing it), it’s worth it.

  3. 3.

    Hunter Gathers

    A significant factor in Trump’s rise to power was the fact that the Doctor didn’t stop him.

  9. 9.

    lollipopguild

    Sarah-WHO are you to call me weird,odd and strange? I know that I am perfectly normal and sane because the little voices in my head tell me that I am.

  10. 10.

    Joyce H

    I’ll be glad to see an Artists Among Us thread, because my book sales are in the dumpster. Of course, I haven’t published anything new in a year, which probably has something to do with it. How do we participate in AAU? Post links?

  11. 11.

    Applejinx

    I am running a Patreon to support myself while I port my last ten years of audio plugin work to Windows VST for free for everyone out there who’s no longer paid anything, ever, to make music.

    That includes anybody here: if you are a music maker using AU, Mac or PC VST plugins, this link is for you and contains every single plugin I’ve done since I began porting, all free. Even to people who have been calling me a Putin paid troll. I’ve done close to 200 plugins since I started this company, and have had no time to be a Russki or anything else really, for years and years.

    Since I cannot continue to sell in a market for plugins that’s melting down by the week (currently rent-by-the-month outfits are trying to lowball each other to death in a severe race to the bottom that will end with them all out of business), and since my payment processor (Kagi) went out of business, I’m doing this ‘giving people the software’ thing because I don’t want to die forgotten. I will be open-sourcing stuff too, when I can.

    Love you guys, even when you drive me fucking mad and then call me a commie. Huh, I guess what I’m doing right now IS kind of commie :)

  12. 12.

    Mustang Bobby

    I’m on the glide path to retirement (touchdown is August 2019) from my job in Miami-Dade County Public Schools and will be looking for something to do after that, but in the meantime I’m open to doing consulting in grant writing, which is what I’ve been involved with for the last 14 years. If you’re interested, drop me a note at mustangbobby (at) barkbarkwoofwoof.com.

    Oh, I also do a lot of creative writing. Need a playwright?

  14. 14.

    PowerMAD

    I’m a former award-winning journalist – only because of the way the industry has changed! – with an MBA and years of working in business as well, primarily in marketing and communications. But I’ve been a technical writer, I opened a small business on behalf of a sheltered workshop (so nonprofit experience), and a successful activist against utilities. I’d like to think I can write just about anything.

    I’ve been involuntarily self-employed since 2008, yet I’m still standing – still in my house and current on my mortgage, and while my credit rating is ruined, I’ve avoided bankruptcy. In this world, I consider that a major success. And if you met me, you’d never in a million years guess I’m as old as my birth certificate says.

    If anyone is looking for an adaptable, fast-learning, high-energy/enthusiasm, professional, I’m looking for you, too.

  17. 17.

    Capri

    Right now I can’t bear to read most of the lefty blogs except this one. I’m a very infrequent poster, but check it out everyday, I am grateful for the community,. Also, if any veterinary technicians are looking for a job, Purdue is always hiring.

  19. 19.

    Sarah, Proud and Tall

    @Joyce H:

    Same as this one – I’ll post a thread and it’s a free for all for anyone to post links to their own work or put up requests for commissions they would like to have done. I’ll probably put it up late Saturday afternoon US time.

  22. 22.

    Sarah, Proud and Tall

    @eemom:

    New Zealand is lovely, if a little bit of a backwater (Sydney is full of kiwis who moved here to the Big Smoke). Still it’s one of the most progressive nations in the world and I’ve never met a New Zealander who wasn’t a good person.

  23. 23.

    japa21

    Talking about the need to protect, my son, the one that teaches at a Catholic college prep HS just texted me the following:

    Yesterday a white student…was upset that the deans took away his “Make America Great Again” hat. 1)hats are not allowed 2) he was waving the hat in the face of a black student. Three junior girls were found in the restroom sobbing because some boys in their religion class were taunting them about being upset by Trump’s win…At Lane Tech HS some white students been telling Asian and Latrino students to “pack their bags and go bacl where they came from”

    Since I was typing that, he sent some more texts. I’ll review and post as appropriate.

  26. 26.

    japa21

    @japa21: There was more. He talks with a lot of teachers at other schools. In one, someone painted “white’s only” on the girls bathroom. Asian Americans in NY are being told to “go back to China you chinks”. This is not localized stuff. This is going on around the country and Trump is not saying a word.

    ETA: He did point out the apostrophe on the “white’s” and I told them these folks are notorious for bad grammar and spelling. He replied, “that’s because education is elitist.”

  27. 27.

    HRA

    Hi Sarah! I read much more than I write here. I have come here to offer my advice on seeking a job.

    Although I am from upstate NY, I believe my suggestion will work everywhere in the US. You should consider taking as many of the Civil Service exams for a government job. That will include county, state and federal jobs. You can take them while maintaining the job you already have at the time. You can find the test dates visiting the government sites or googling for them. In some cases you can sign up to be alerted for future tests.

    I am a retired NYS worker. The above is how I got my job of 31 years. There is room for advancement. Though what I needed at the time before I became employed was a steady good income with good benefits after I had 2 children left to raise after their father died. I do get a good pension that along with my social security allows me not to worry. I retained my health insurance policy and have dental/eye coverage through the union. The quarterly payments are not breaking my budget.

  28. 28.

    Chris

    “Looking for work, please help” announcement:

    I am a job seeker living in the DC area, with a bachelor’s and MA in international relations, with a focus on Middle Eastern and national security studies. My main job experience has been in data management, research, and analysis. Looking for work as an analyst in international politics, preferably in the defense sector but open to working in basically any sector I’m qualified for. I am fully native in French and speak some German and Farsi.

    If anyone’s employer is hiring, or if you know anyone I can should talk to, please let me know!

    Thanks kindly.

  29. 29.

    JMG

    If girls, encourage them to carry Mace in their purses. If boys, a roll of quarters. Adds a lot to a punch. Elections have consequences, but so does being an asshole.

  30. 30.

    ThresherK (GPad)

    @efgoldman: BBC America and A&E merging?

    That concerns me, as BBCAm. is one of the 10 channels I tune in regularly, and Duck Dynasty is on a&e.

  31. 31.

    brendancalling

    BJ friends, I am lucky to have a job and one that I love.

    But a week or so before the election I decided to move out of the US no matter who won. I simply cannot take the whipsawing anymore. I am 46 years old, both younger and older than many, with a kid.

    I can’t do this anymore. So I’m taking my first world salary and moving to Guatemala.

    The door is always open. Bring your guitar.

  33. 33.

    JMG

    One more thing. A shoutout to this community. It’s wonderful to have a space to say whatever the damn hell you please and people will at least think about it before responding. And a place where people in emotional pain are comforted. The second point is of course much more important.

  34. 34.

    japa21

    @efgoldman: No shit. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the misspelled words are deliberate. I know Adam is going to keep tabs on things around the country, and I’ll add things my son sees.

  37. 37.

    EBT

    @japa21: Every English teacher I have ever had (all in a little place called Weaverville NC) taught me that possessives have an apostrophe. Course this is the same system where in kindergarten (1989-1990 year) my teacher decided a bootleg of Song of the South was the perfect thing to show class.

  38. 38.

    Adria McDowell (formerly LurkerExtraordinaire)

    Will this feature be a regular thing? I’m working on my master’s thesis on natural hazards, so I’m not quite ready for the job market yet. After I defend it, I’ll be ready.

    I’ll also be taking HRA’s advice on the Civil Service exams.

    All of this is dependent on how things play out in the country, of course.

    Good luck to everyone looking!

  39. 39.

    NMgal

    Thanks SPT. Daily reader, mostly lurker but have commented a little more recently. I’m a freelance copyeditor and have experience as a developmental editor for fiction and non-fiction. I spent 20 years in organizations as an editor, writer, and planner in corporate communication, non-profits and government affairs. I quit the corporate job due to health issues and going freelance. I also do voiceover work and screenwriting. If you want to discuss what I might be able to help you with, hit me up at gina at bigtalkcommunication.com.

  40. 40.

    mai naem mobile

    Random thought – there will be a Camacho
    Presidential Library. I imagine Brawndo will be the official drink available at the gift shop.
    Also President Camacho will have to be with Presidents Obama,Clinton,HRC and the Bushes when Obama opens his library. Can the Russians bug that awkward meeting and leak it through Wikileaks?

  41. 41.

    chopper

    just found out my friend’s trans son, who I’ve known since he was a baby, was assaulted by trumpers. any jobs in canada? seriously.

  46. 46.

    James E Powell

    @efgoldman:

    All you voices shut the fuck up, please, so I can hear mine.

    My voices are arguing with each other so much I have no idea what they really think.

  48. 48.

    Helen

    this strange collection of oddballs, weirdos and freaks that we have collectively created

    I recently referred to this place as a collection of “assholes, curmudgeons, and academics. And Baud.” I think that covers it.

  49. 49.

    Felanius Kootea

    @japa21: This is why I think it is psychologically important (to kids and people of color, at least) to emphasize that Hillary’s popular vote count is higher than Trump’s and growing. It’s now a 400,000 vote lead and that’s with 4 million ballots left to be counted in California, which broke heavily for Hillary. Knowing that the majority of people who voted didn’t go for his message of normalizing bigotry is important, even if he won the electoral college.

  50. 50.

    Jerry

    @Sarah, Proud and Tall:

    New Zealand is lovely, if a little bit of a backwater (Sydney is full of kiwis who moved here to the Big Smoke). Still it’s one of the most progressive nations in the world and I’ve never met a New Zealander who wasn’t a good person.

    I dream of lounging in the grassy seating area and take in a test cricket match while the soft Pacific breezes waft over the scene. You think that would be enough to let me and my family in as immigrants?

  51. 51.

    Hill Dweller

    Gregg Popovich hammered Trump in a press conference earlier today. Here’s a taste:

    Right now I’m just trying to formulate thoughts. It’s too early. I’m just sick to my stomach. Not basically because the Republicans won or anything, but the disgusting tenure and tone and all of the comments that have been xenophobic, homophobic, racist, misogynistic.

  52. 52.

    James E Powell

    @japa21:

    Talking about the need to protect

    I teach high school in South Central Los Angeles – Huge population of immigrants and children of immigrants, many without papers. They are stunned because their stupid teacher has been telling them that Trump & his haters don’t represent all Americans. That most Americans are not racist. They are scared that their parents – and in many cases they themselves – will be deported right after Trump takes office. Their stupid teacher is not saying anything about that right now because he’s barely able to process the fact of Trump himself.

    We have a president who scares children. People I know, people I grew up with voted for a president who scares children.

  53. 53.

    EBT

    @chopper: This is why I won’t kill myself. I want to stand up for other trans people and fight for them. We take so much shit even in the best of times, leaving now is telling everyone else that we aren’t worth even defending ourselves.

  54. 54.

    socraticsilence

    Good news guys- Donald Trump figured out a way to make the ACA popular! Just eliminate all the lame stuff that makes it work:

    See you keep the until 26 part and the required issue (no discrimination against pre-existing conditions) and then remove the Mandate!

    Man, if only Barack Obama had the genius of Donald Trump, why he fought for the mandate like it was a necessary part to make the ACA work- what a maroon!

    I really hope Donald Trump can bring more “unique” insights like this!

  58. 58.

    geg6

    Penn State is always looking for people in all kinds of capacities. And because we have 24 campuses, you aren’t limited to what the public calls the main campus located in the middle of nowhere. Go to http://www.psu.edu and search for employment opportunities. Despite all the bad press, the university is a great employer. Especially at the smaller campuses like mine.

  59. 59.

    Halffasthero

    @Sarah, Proud and Tall:
    I have actually also looked at going to NZ since the election. It was always on my bucket list for going to as a vacation. I was about to book a trip in 2008 when suddenly the market went south. Now that I am retired – and after witnessing the election results – I have started considering my options.

  65. 65.

    Miss Bianca

    @HRA: Ooh, nice. I am thinking of relocating somewhere…central CO is starting to seem awfully white to me. I ws thinkking either New Mexico (more diversity, closer to here) or New England, because my sisters are all there. Former program administrator, grant writer, now with some systems admin/database experience…hmmm…good suggestion!

  68. 68.

    Duke's Archives

    Dearest Sarah, your tale of drinks w/ Nancy Reagan was something I will always cherish!

    On top of that, what’s this I hear about safety-pins?

  69. 69.

    satby

    Well, my trip is off to a lousy start. Shining new professional pet sitter had a breakout and a dogfight, and my sweet big boy is the most injured one again. He will be going to the immediate care vet tomorrow, then he will need to be boarded, the one who mauled him will need to be caged most of the week, which is making her nuts but she attacked every other dog. I will probably have to have her euthanized if a home with no other animals can be found, and yet she’s a sweet, smart girl with people.
    Added to everything else, I just hope I get through this week with a modest amount of enjoyment, because I wish I wasn’t going.
    I’m sitting in the airport near tears about it all and thinking what a huge waste of money it’s become.
    Hopefully, it will get better.

  71. 71.

    mai naem mobile

    @socraticsilence: I followed the Healthcare debate very closely because it affected me personally. There was a reason for everything in the bill. Some of it was to pacify some a hole GOP senator, some for big pharma, some to just plain pay for it. And,yes,it was supposed to be improved upon as time went by but not to repeal it. Every time I hear some moron talk about how bad it is because of x and y,I want to fucking scream. They don’t even understand it. Fuck the GOP.

  72. 72.

    Miss Bianca

    @chopper: I’m wondering how long it takes for the out-and-proud LBGT kids I know – and I know a surprising number of them, given the lefty-hippie parents in my cohort – who were all like “yeah, Jill Stein said Hillary would be worse than Trump!” to get a rude – very rude – awakening. I really, really hope it doesn’t take getting a beating themselves for them to get a clue about why refusing to “vote for the lesser of two evils!” was maybe not such a good idea. That the only people who can afford to talk about how letting things get really, really bad “so the revolution comes, man!” usually feel pretty secure in the knowledge that nothing bad is going to happen to *them*.

  73. 73.

    hovercraft

    @japa21:

    “that’s because education is elitist.”

    Ignorance is the hallmark of “real Americans”. The fact that the media is going along with the whole ‘elitist’ meme is more evidence of their dangerous vapidity. The fact that they allowed this entire campaign to be covered based on ‘narrative’, and not on facts and platform makes them culpable in the ignorance of these ‘real Americans’. While I suspect many of them are beyond the reach of stupid things like facts, there are many people out there who might have changed their votes, or voted if every time they heard the Shitgibbons name they also heard the words liar and con man, just as every time Hillary Clinton’s name was mentioned they heard e-mail and untrustworthy.

  76. 76.

    ET

    @ET: I should have posted some of the titles because my description sucked:
    Digital Assets Specialist (American Folklore Center)
    3 Librarians (Science Technology & Business Division)
    Librarian (Directorate of Acquisitions and Bibliographic Access)
    Librarian (Prints & Photographs Division)

  79. 79.

    Sarah, Proud and Tall

    @satby:

    Get on the plane, take a big deep breath, sleep as much as you can during the flight, then get off the plane in an exciting new place full of people who didn’t vote for Donald Trump, take another deep breath and let yourself be on holiday.

    We’ll look after the place while you’re away. .

    Oh, and email Anne Laurie about your dog. If anyone can find a loving home for her, it’s this lot.

  81. 81.

    geg6

    Just want to thank you, Sarah, and Adam and Betty for being FPers who have kept me sane today. And a lot of BJ commenters who have made me feel l wasn’t alone. Because of you, I finally feel enough equilibrium to have some wine without the fear that I will drink myself into a coma. Maybe I’ll even sleep a few hours tonight. I can’t say how grateful I am for this community. Thanks Cole (though I still want to punch you in the neck for your CDS earlier today).

  84. 84.

    satby

    @Baud: @Miss Bianca: @Sarah, Proud and Tall: thanks guys. This is a great community and we turn to each other for support naturally because we know we will get it. Just frustrating and heartbreaking, and of course all the dogs were perfectly behaved when she came for a meet and greet, so she was blindsided. But my poor old boy, he even started it in a way, but he didn’t hurt Rosa at all.
    I’m signing off, but needed a bit of moral support, so thank you all.

  85. 85.

    hovercraft

    @Richard Mayhew:

    Canadian immigration lawyer specializing in refugee and threatened people claims.

    It’s sad to know that many of us could actually qualify as threatened people in the year 2017, in the United States of America. How the hell did we get here?

  86. 86.

    geg6

    @JPL:

    They are individuals. Lovey is a drama queen diva who rules the house. Koda is the sweetest, gentlest, most loving soul that ever lived. As long as I have them, I have everything.

  88. 88.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @hovercraft: I remember a discussion among some of the lawyers here at the time of Ferguson that AA citizens could quite likely qualify for refugee status if they chose to do so.

  89. 89.

    Major Major Major Major

    @hovercraft: Trans folk are the people I’m most concerned about, to be honest. I absolutely guarantee that there will be a law allowing for religious objections to public accommodations, signed by March. It will be defended as an extension of Hobby Lobby.

    Edited.

  94. 94.

    Baud

    @geg6:

    But Peter Thiel!

    And I distinctly remember some media crowing that someone at the RNC (Trump himself?) mentioned gays, so we had put all that behind us.

  95. 95.

    Summer

    Corporate Accountability International, where my friend loves her job, has jobs for a press officer and assistant to the president and in accounting.

  97. 97.

    EBT

    @Major Major Major Major: I had to reread wiki just to make sure, but in the end the know-nothings split to become the republicans and the constitutional party, before rejoining each other as the National Union party (not the same as the Unionist party) for 1864 and back to Republican thereafter.
    @Miss Bianca: I don’t have it in me to look yet, but the internet has said several trans youths have killed themselves already over it. Maybe they need a crash course in TDoR.

  102. 102.

    Schlemazel

    2 things if you are a job seeker. Check usajobs dot gov and get on it. If the inflamed asshole goes ahead with his job freeze a lot of government managers are going to be desperate to fill any opening very very fast. If you miss that look as Northrup Grumman, GDIT and other contract places. Once they can’t hire they are going to need contractors. While the benefits may not be as good & job security not assured the money will be better.

  105. 105.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Chris: USAJOBs. Type in Defense Language Institute for the keyword search. See if they have a French language instructor position listed. Same thing: go to CACI’s, L3s, SAIC’s H/R websites and type in linguist. See if French is one of the ones they’re looking for. The key is to get your foot in the door and have them get you a clearance. Also, the Intel agencies will be looking for folks like you with your credentials: masters, language fluency, etc. So get to CIAs, DIAs, NSAs H/R websites.

  107. 107.

    Lizzy L

    A friend who lives in El Cerrito, CA, across the Bay from SF, just posted that he was nearly run over by a bicyclist who swore at him and called him a “stupid gook.” My friend looks ethnic Asian, but he was born and brought up in CA, and has lived and worked in the Bay Area all his life. Ugh.

  109. 109.

    EBT

    @raven: Not been there personally, but the map location is maybe 2 miles from where I grew up (just north on the map the little place called Heather Court), and while I am sure that it is 8 miles from the edge of Biltmore Estates property line, that is going to be a 30 minute drive to the actual touristy part. Also I am 90% sure that the map ping on the site is on the Weaverville side. The location itself isn’t near a ton (unless there was some serious changes in the last five years), maybe a super market and a hardware store to walk to, but you could be downtown in asheville in 10 minutes. If you do go and you like chicken wings and can stand sports the Wild Wing Cafe (No relation to the boring Buffalo Wild Wings) is fantastic and has at least 32 flavors of chicken wings. Asheville itself is super liberal, but don’t talk to the people in the rainbow wigs trying to sell you tree houses, as last I checked they were a creepy cult.

  112. 112.

    raven

    @EBT: Thanks, we were looking at it for xmas since our SIL rented a house in Asheville for a sabbatical year. We’ve had friends who have stayed there and liked it even though everything up there is pricy. At least we can go to Sunny Day Cafe!

  113. 113.

    Baud

    @EBT:

    If you do go and you like chicken wings and can stand sports

    I love that this is addressed to raven.

    don’t talk to the people in the rainbow wigs trying to sell you tree houses, as last I checked they were a creepy cult.

    Better info than TripAdvisor.

  114. 114.

    Felanius Kootea

    I’ll just leave this here (link is to BBC news).

    US President-elect Donald Trump has said in an interview he is open to leaving intact key parts of President Barack Obama’s healthcare bill.

    Mr Trump, who has pledged repeatedly to repeal the 2010 law, signalled he was receptive to a compromise after visiting the White House on Thursday.

    He told the Wall Street Journal he favours keeping two pillars of the bill because “I like those very much”.

    One is a ban on insurers denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.

    The other provision that the president-elect told the newspaper he favours allows young adults to be insured on their parents’ policies.

    Mr Trump told the Journal it was his hour-and-a-half meeting with Mr Obama that had made him reconsider his calls for an all-out repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

    “I told him I will look at his suggestions, and out of respect, I will do that,” the president-elect said at Trump Tower.

    “Either Obamacare will be amended, or repealed and replaced.”

    The interview was published just as Mr Trump shook up his presidential transition team, demoting New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to vice-chairman.

  116. 116.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Baud: It was in his acceptance speech that “we will protect the LGBTQs so there will be no more Paradise nightclub attacks”.

  118. 118.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Schlemazel: The money is not better on the contract side. If they lift the sequester for DOD and the Intel Community, then it’ll be better. As well as for the other agencies and departments. If they don’t you’ll have what you have now: attempts to hire experts at entry level contractor pay.

  119. 119.

    Richard Fox

    I love this blog, and this post really heartens me. I am a painter and freelance photo editor newly transplanted to Sonoma County, to paint the wine country, and do my thing. I look forward to sharing what I do on future posts.
    Stay strong all. What a crap week..but there are always bits of goodness that peep out. Or at the very least, beautiful pups and kitties. :-) Cheers, Richard

  121. 121.

    Felanius Kootea

    @Mnemosyne: No, I wish – Obama understands that Trump is a narcissist. He probably flattered him into this current line of thinking.

    Obama: “Hey Donald, great electioneering skills. You know, the millennials currently demonstrating against you around the country would really applaud you as a hero if you let them stay on their parents insurance. And people who can’t get insurance otherwise would be eternally grateful if you left in the pre-existing condition bit.”

    Donald: “Huh. I’ll think about that. I am good at this election winning thing, aren’t I? Winning bigly, that’s me.”

  122. 122.

    Mnemosyne

    @Felanius Kootea:

    Also, too, these are two possible bright spots I can see in this otherwise Stygian nightmare:

    (1) Donald always wants to do what the last person he talked to wants him to do, so there will be constant 180s and nothing will get done

    (2) He hates Republicans in Congress and they hate him, so nothing will get done because he will be constantly backstabbing them

    Here’s my real hope and dream: Donald doesn’t really want this job, never realized how much goddamned work it is, and will take out his rage on everyone around him who talked him into this shitty gig. Unless he does something really insane, I would tell the Democrats to refuse to vote for impeachment if the Republicans try to do that — they forced this guy on us, they don’t get to just dump him.

    And, yes, I would enjoy the delicious irony of Republicans impeaching their own president since they’re all still so butthurt about goddamned Nixon’s near-impeachment.

  125. 125.

    ArchTeryx

    Yeah, I’m 3-years unemployed as a molecular virologist Ph.D. from Albany, NY, with a physical disability. I have a professional network, but none are connected enough to me to actually refer me to jobs. Talk is cheap but I’m utterly frozen out of the “hidden” job market in STEM where most of the jobs are given away.

    Any suggestions I’d be all ears, because if I had a job, my life-or-death post-Obamacare decision wouldn’t have to be so stark.

  126. 126.

    Miss Bianca

    @Mnemosyne: Why am I hearing Hamilton’s King George right now? “They’ll tear him into little pieces/Jesus Christ, it’s gonna be fun!”

    I mean, if you were a sick mofo (not like petite moi, of course), it might actually be kind of humorous to watch all the shit fly. Or maybe that’s just my way of saying, “I’m gonna have to find something to laugh at here to keep from blowing my brains out”.

  130. 130.

    Adam L Silverman

    @ArchTeryx: Here too: USAJOBs. You’re looking for CDC, NIH, and the Intel Agencies. As well as Department of the Army and Navy and Air Force and DOD medical. Same thing with the major defense contractors.

  132. 132.

    chopper

    @EBT:

    please. I’m not saying this to assuage any hardcore feelings you have about yourself and you life. I can’t do that. I can ask you to get help but I know how meaningless that can seem. But please, at least for my friend and for everyone else like him, stay as strong as you can.

    please.

  138. 138.

    Boussinesque

    Thanks for this thread, Sarah.

    I’m a recovering academic trying to make the transition to industry–background in physics and ocean science, skills in critical thinking and data analysis (mostly MATLAB, but also getting up to speed on SQL and Python). Good communication and writing skills, or so I’m told.

    Looking for data or policy analysis positions in the San Francisco Bay Area/Silicon Valley (currently in Cupertino).

  140. 140.

    Currants

    Late to the thread as always, but here goes: I’m looking for work in eastern MA, preferably nonprofit, full or part time. I have an older MEd in Human Dev. and Psych, a fairly recent JD and Master’s in Environmental Law and Policy (focus in sustainable ag and food security). Note that I am not a lawyer and do not want to be a lawyer. I want to work with smart, thoughtful, kind people solving problems/doing things like: advocacy/practical assistance for low-income people, advocacy/analysis/implementation of water supply/protection issues, or… I don’t know, maybe I should just get a job at Costco.

  141. 141.

    opiejeanne

    @efgoldman: Yeah, I’ve stayed away from even the local news since Tuesday. Yesterday I couldn’t cope with Facebook and decided to extend my vacation for at least another week, or so help me I am going to be paring my friends group down to just family and a couple of friends, which eliminates a lot of people who are good and decent but have family members who are goons.
    Twitter was awash in trolls and gloating idiots, one telling me it was awesome, no more freeloaders! and I should have saved more and not relied on Social Security. This was an incorrect assumption he made about my financial situation but I didn’t bother to correct him because it’s all dick-measuring and he would lie about the size of his; he is beyond caring about the fates of others, that is what destroys me, that they simply dismiss everyone with less resources than they have,
    I told him to fuck off and blocked him and all of his kin.

    P.S. While I do not have a dick, I’ll bet my metaphorical balls are bigger than his.

  142. 142.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    We do have to fight to protect what we have and others. But, folks, let’s face it. The Republicans have bullied the last two Presidents, refusing to allow them to govern. And as the Republicans are fond of saying, you don’t deal with a bully by making nice. You deal with a bully by hitting back as hard as you can.

    They delegitimized a hypercompetent, conciliatory man who really wanted to work with them. And now, all we have to do in return is delegitimize Donald J Trump. Because we can’t trust him, and we can’t trust the Republican party while he’s their leader.

    They want to deregulate? Can’t do it. Gotta fight it. Donald Trump enforcing the remaining regulations? That spells disaster.
    They want a Supreme Court justice? Gotta fight it. Doesn’t matter who it is; we can’t trust a choice advanced by Donald Trump. Well, how about Merrick Garland? That would be a fine compromise!
    They want any law, doing any thing? Can’t do it, gotta fight it. We can’t trust Donald J. Trump not to muck it up.

    Look, everyone wants bipartisan comity – but we *tried* that. And surprise, surprise, the Republicans only want bipartisan comity when *they* hold all the levers of power. Well, as their last leader couldn’t manage to quote, fool me once, shame on ya; fool me twice, shame on me.

    (How did they manage to nominate someone *worse* than George W. Bush? But – GREAT NEWS! – we can now point out that George W. Bush flubbed and let 9/11 happen – and so how can we trust Donald Trump not to do worse? I mean, what, are they going to say we shouldn’t denigrate George W, when their own President did?)

  143. 143.

    Adam L Silverman

    @chopper: This was put together in a way to make it almost impossible to easily unwind (or easily as defined by Speaker Ryan) without blowing up the entire health insurance and health care industry. Obama knew what he was doing. There’s landmines throughout this legislation that will go off if you legislatively step wrong. The Congressional GOP doesn’t understand this because they couldn’t be bothered to actually try to figure out what the legislation actually says and what it does. So trying to keep the parts everyone likes, while getting rid of the stuff that was easily demonized and turned into attack ads will simply cause health insurance, on the exchanges, off the exchanges, from one’s employers, to go boom.

    I cannot prove it, and I’m not going to spend the weekend reading the Federal Register trying to confirm my supposition, but I would not be surprised to find out that most of the Executive Orders that the GOP wants President Elect Trump to get rid of by issuing an EO declaring them all null and void as soon as he’s sworn in have similar land mines and doomsday switches in them. Same goes for Dodd-Frank and the authorizing legislation for the CFPB.

    Like I said, I can’t prove it, but President Obama has demonstrated a pattern of performance of being able to out think his political opponents whenever possible. He is not so stupid or prideful to believe that there wouldn’t eventually be a Republican President and a GOP majority Congress. He doesn’t seem the type to put all his eggs in one basket.

  144. 144.

    Mnemosyne

    @LongHairedWeirdo:

    I also want to see instigation and sowing discord between Republicans. Lots of whispering in people’s ears. Gaslighting.

    And, yes, I would love to have Democrats play the same game Republicans did and claim in public that they’re going to act in good faith while slow-walking everything as much as possible. Lengthy speeches. Time-wasting procedural motions. Anything to slow the process down to a crawl.

  145. 145.

    Feathers

    I’m in Boston, within the T suburbs. I’ve worked in higher ed as an admin/assistant for the last decade and a bit, also retail/mail order, video production, digital media production (back in the CD-ROM days). I’ve always been good at the IT side of things, so I’m going back to school (online finishing my bachelors) in IT. I’ve been temping, while studying, but temping isn’t what it used to be. I’m looking for a help desk sort of job. I’m intensely curious and a fast learner, good on the phone and able to deal with difficult high-end people. Thinking about switching degree programs from Business – IT Management to IT – Security. Any advice appreciated.

  146. 146.

    chopper

    @Adam L Silverman:

    @chopper: This was put together in a way to make it almost impossible to easily unwind (or easily as defined by Speaker Ryan) without blowing up the entire health insurance and health care industry

    so they’ll blow up the entire health insurance and health care industry. they don’t give a shit.

  147. 147.

    Kayla Rudbek

    @eemom: I’m considering that as well, as theoretically I’d qualify under two of the categories on the skilled qualifications for emigrants. However, I’m not sure how they square the emigrating “skilled x” with the requirements that “skilled x” is a government job requiring NZ citizenship. And of course I’d have to talk my spouse into it as well…

  148. 148.

    Skippy-san

    Democrats now need to pick themselves up, stand up and appropriate the strategy the Republicans used. They need to appropriate the Gadsden Flag as their symbol, have their own version of Tea Parties (except with decent costumes and correctly spelled signs) and go to work at the state and local level to take back state governments. It will be a long night out in the wilderness-but there is no other choices. Make America Great Again! I am an American too and I don’t have to stand idly by as the country goes into the great darkness.

  149. 149.

    Jackie Hutter

    I was going to give a shout to a developer posting for real $$$ and bennies that my neighbor in ATL sent around on an email blast, but I think it’s going to get lost in the sauce if I put in a comment. Is there a way for Alain to add a page that is just job postings?

  150. 150.

    DaveinME

    I am a mid career analyst who most recently worked for several years enacting Dodd Frank reforms for one of the country’s largest banks. Needless to say that will stop very soon. I have experience in higher ed and with Fortune 500 companies and have worked remotely and overseas. Whatcha got?

    As for the trumpocalypse, I am still numb and processing. I am thankful for this community as always.

  152. 152.

    PonB

    @Applejinx: Thanks large for the awesome VST collection! I’m sure some of them will make into our next record at Audiot Savant! And, I will become a Patreon benefactor before the weekend is out…Thanks again!

    – PonB

  154. 154.

    sairarias

    I’m a fledgling book conservator in NYC (just graduated!), looking for jobs literally anywhere in the country. I fully expect to be stuck being unemployed for a while… *sigh*

Comments are closed.