Melina on show

Before getting the pink slip last week, I had been experimenting with different ways to get my writing portfolio online. The main problem was getting each project's copy to show up legibly - a problem designers don't have.

Also, stuff like letters, newsletters and annual reports just didn't show up at all. I tried some different Blogger templates without success.

I then decided to search around and investigate the lesser-known blog formats. I settled on one called Squarespace. Although it's a bit more complex to set up, I was much happier with the results. You can even adjust the width of the columns by just dragging them around.

For secrecy reasons I'm not posting my portfolio URL here, but if you send me an email I'll send you the link. I would really welcome constructive criticism (be gentle with me please).

better than the zoo?

The rest of the week hasn't been bad except for the occasional fretting. I did the usual things that unemployed people do, and last night I had a strange dream about the head of my department somehow trying to press some sort of gift on me. He ended up inadvertently handing me the keys to the office as well. I went back inside - everyone had gone home - but I woke up before the dream went any further.

I confess I had a small gloat yesterday, when my headhunter friend mentioned that my layoff had resulted in some of my colleagues deciding it was a good time to begin job-hunting. One said flat-out that she didn't think she could handle working with T.D.* and Co. for copy. Since I hadn't mentioned T.D. to my headhunter friend, I'm reasonably sure it was a legit comment.

Since I have more time for shaolin, I decided it was an ideal time to get fitter and lose some weight. Since it's so forkin' hot here in Texas during the daytime, the aerobic portion of the programme usually exists of longish walks after dark.

Last night I was walking through Highland Park, a posh area of town. While I would never live there - everyone seems to hate their neighbors - it's a better place for nocturnal strolls as it's safe. I walked through a small park with some tennis courts, which was brightly lit when I went through the first time. But on my way back, I heard an audible click and the place went dark around me.

I looked at my watch and realized that this was Highland Park's way of telling all tennis players that it was 10:00 p.m., so please go home.

But then I looked around some more and realized that this place had some definite erotic possibilities. Although the lights were out and everyone was gone, the park still had some areas that were hidden, but weren't 100% dark.

I thought of the Sopranos episode that OOD* had mentioned - there was a naughty little scene between the protagonist and one of his girlfriends that took place in the reptile house of a zoo. I had replied that I didn't like zoos, which is true. But I like parks and I had liked his suggestion.

Perhaps we can visit the park together some time. After 10:00 pm, of course.

* See Key to Characters at right.

fresh air

After I got home yesterday, I found myself feeling increasingly and vastly relieved about my job loss. Sure, I was still irritated by the severance, and may contest it. But as the day progressed, I felt better and better. And quite a few friends called to check on me. The support was appreciated.

I called my therapist to cancel my appointment for later this month, but I ended up seeing her late in the afternoon as she was concerned about me (and was about to go on vacation). In theory, therapists shouldn't worry about their patients, but in practice a lot of them do. My therapist even admits to "concern". But after about 20 minutes she relaxed, and we ended up making a shopping list of stuff I could do to keep from spazzing before I find another job.

The list was the usual mix of job-hunting exercises, but with some enjoyable stuff tossed in. I behaved and listed my usual: shaolin, bird-watching, motorcycles.

I was sorely tempted to add "Find hotel with large bathtub, add one rather magnificent and intense OOD*, fill tub with very warm water and stir." But I decided to keep that to myself.

melina has left the building

My day at work was interesting, as it was rather short. In short, I was fired.

The reason given was "staff cutbacks", which is absolute nonsense since I'm the only writer in the department. So I can only guess that another, cheaper writer will be brought in. Or those poor semi-literates who work for T.D.* will have to pick up the slack.

So now I am at home in a cleaning frenzy. Not sure how I feel about all this, really. I'm angry because I was lied to, but not surprised. I mean hell, what are they going to say? Certainly not the truth. But I was so burned out, too.

But I'll miss my friends at work. And I already pity those who will have to work with other writers. I am not a genius, but I knew my stuff. At least I can take the dwarf twins off this blog's Key to Characters.

(Just got a phone call from my therapist - I called to cancel our next appointment as my insurance dies as of June 18, so she's kindly offered to see me later today.)

Who is he and who's he talking about?

One of my quirky little collecting habits has been collecting snippets from overseas television. I particularly liked Clive James and keep hoping his London Weekend Television show will go to video.

Over the years I carried these around in VHS and Betamax format (if you're wondering where the Betamax system went, visit the Philippines - it's alive and well). Later I managed to convert a few to DVD, and then I hit upon the magic of video editing.

This has always been one of my favorite clips and is from either the 70s or 80s. What's driving me spare are these two questions:

What's this UK news presenter's name, and what politician is he talking about?

The video clip is only about 25 seconds long and perfectly safe for work.