Chareth Cutestory

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

For all your Criminal Defense needs

I am now the part-time assistant to a Seattle criminal defense lawyer. I was hired at the interview with his current assistant today, with whom I will share the job; I suspect I was the only person that applied. Oh well. Here is what I learned about this job from Current Assistant (CA):

1. The cases are "the worst of the worst" - murders, rapes, etc. Sometimes you'll turn the page of a file to find a gruesome photograph.

2. The boss (unnamed here for obvious reasons) is eccentric. He wears socks and sweats to work (the office is "very casual"; good thing I wore jeans to the interview), will definitely "poke" (metaphorically) at me when I meet him, keeps inquiring about CA's personal/love life (well, he won't find much to ask about where I'm concerned), and "can be offensive." I told the CA that I wasn't politically correct, so... we'll see. Oh, and he's "friends with his clients," the aforementioned accused murderers and rapists. However, I mentioned the British TV show Rumpole (about a crusty lawyer) in my cover letter, and turns out he and his wife are big fans, so he can't be a total loony.

3. A google search revealed the boss quoted in several Seattle Times articles as well as featured in a book about a teenage criminal (he was his lawyer). Consensus seems to be that he is very... insistent, in and out of the courtroom, blunt, sarcastic, even rude. Omg.

So, while the job may well be boring or unrewarding, it is hardly a placeholder position. When I meet the guy, I'll post more...

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Driving

I went driving today for the first time, with Mary Ellen (liz, you met her - she's the one from my graduation 'party' who made all the food. I liked it! I was loath to leave the car! But on the other hand, I can't see myself driving on city roads. Mary Ellen's kids learn to drive out in the middle of nowhere, but the place I've been taking driver's ed (BORING, btw - y'all were correct) is across from stadium high school, complete with blind turns, awkward parking spaces and traffic. Within an hour, I became more comfortable with turning and starting and stopping, although straightening the wheel after a turn was the hardest part, but I just wish I could have more time doing easy stuff before I'm let loose on the roads of Tacoma, even in a car with dual brakes and an instructor.

I'm also taking an aerobics class, which is both painful and great. Great workout, but we do these ab exercises which are just AAAH! I have to take breaks, or do every other one, because I obviously haven't used those muscles in a loooong time. On the first day, we had an orientation, and the instructor, who is a middle-aged female health nut, kept talking about kegel exercises, and how we should do them as we sat and listened to her, and in random situations, and how it would improve our health and sex life. Yeah that was awkward, but funny. (The whole class is girls). She also said her daughter was the assistant to the director of social events at the Waldorf hotel in New York, and she helped plan a $10 million wedding for the daughter of a Russian oil billionaire. Apparently, the guy fell out with the Russian aristocracy (plutocracy?), and had to pull out of the planned Russian palace wedding. He called the Waldorf and they had 3 months to arrange this crazy expensive event. I mean, that just blows the whole scale as far as weddings are concerned. (She got to attend, thoguh, which is pretty cool).

And I'll be getting a call from tully's early next week. Not too excited either way, but oh well.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Tully's interview today

Went better than starbucks; she says her assistant will contact me for a "second" interview. I don't know what the time frame is - really should have asked.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

This is why I'm hot, hot.

I've realized I have immature musical tastes. If we rate "Revolutionary soundscape of psychological alienation" by "Edgy ambient-jazz European fusion band with a revolutionary command of harmony and emotional content" as a 10, and Hanson's MMMBop as a 1, I would probably be hovering at a 3-4. With a certain generosity of spirit. Of course, that's assuming that the tastes of trendy hipsters are good, and those of 13-year-old girls are bad. But even if that is an overstatement, because obviously I'm not a hipster, and some bubblegum pop is great, I have a feeling that I have yet to discover the pleasures of a whole world of music that's out there, waiting. There was a whole post under this, but it was just a lot of blather, so I think I'll stick to that. If any one of the 2-3 readers this illustrious blog is known to has any recommendations as to stuff that is melodic, upbeat and not just a lot of "danceable," pseudo-catchy noise, I would be eternally grateful and repay you with the use of one of my kidneys on alternate Tuesdays (non-refundable). It doesn't matter if I don't like it, obviously - I'll be grateful for the chance to try to expand my horizons, and all that.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with a suggestion. The band Guster, the CDs Keep It Together and Lost and Gone Forever.

PS. Obviously, classical music is a major exception to this. I like classical music, and most Americans don't, or at least not beyond the basics. So I can pat myself on the back for that. (In fact, sometimes, going through the radio dial, I almost feel guilty for wanting to listen to 98.1 again).

Friday, August 24, 2007

the great satan

Well, I had my Starbucks interview yesterday morning, so light candles in your cathedrals for me. :) The interview was ok- I started off quite peppy, but I think by the very end, it wore off a bit. I came up with some great answers, but in a couple of the questions, I froze up, concentrating on the letter instead of the spirit of the question. It's too painful to relive anything in specifics, but overall it was all right; it it had gone very well, I assume he would have offered me a job on the spot, but he didnt'. I'm still waiting to hear back, and to hear from Tully's. It'll be something to do while I don't know what I'm doing.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Things I Should Be Ashamed Of

1. I actually like Ryan Seacrest. He's like a puppy, a dumb, excitable, puppy.

2. I haven't shaved my legs for, like, a month. And it's August.

3. I check Television Without Pity's Blake Lewis thread approximately five times a day.

4. After getting job applications at Tully's and Starbucks today, I suddenly was unable (unwilling?) to walk into Fox Hollow Coffee and ask if they were hiring. Why? I don't know.

5. I spend more time fantasizing about being a writer than I do actually writing.

6. I haven't read any serious literature in donkey's years.

7. I had a good friend from middle school who sent me a card informing me of her high school graduation in the spring of 2005 and encouraging me to keep in touch, and despite my liking this girl and wanting to sustain more friendships, I have never written her back.

Oh dear...

Friday, August 10, 2007

Pictures

So, I started many posts down and you're supposed to scroll back to the start and work your way up here. If you've done that... you're awesome, wow, go give yourself a cookie.
-Emma, now with braces on both sets of teeth

After my parents came back from Germany, Prague and the Wedding, I took some pics in London. And Brighton, where my aunts live.

This unfortunately sideways pic is of the awesome new building in the City of London called (unofficially) the Gherkin. It's really an incredible building, unfortunately it is an office building and we weren't allowed inside.

Aunt Lily looks extremely like my dad with less testosterone (I'm sorry that was rude - but, true).

From left: dad, nonna, aunt Jackie, aunt Lily, me (flattering! grr), cousin Sam who is going to Japan to do the teaching English thing, uncle Peter (Norwegian!). Yes, this was a candid picture. >_<