"Landing a job like getting into Harvard"

I have some news...at the end of last week, I accepted a job offer and I start my new job marketing online video games a week from today! After 13 months of unemployment, 4 months of searching, 1 blog, a bunch of informational meetings and a few REALLY bad interviews, I finally landed a something...apparently, in this economy, this is not that easy, and a recent CNN article likens finding a job to getting into Harvard. So basically, my parents can finally be proud that their daughter was nerdy enough to be accepted to an Ivy League institution!

A few posts ago, I talked about my thought cycle of doubt, fear and worry. I'm still a little bit in that cycle, especially since I haven't started working and don't really know how it's going to turn out, but I'm hoping for the best and I'm actually pretty excited to start something new! Change is good, right?

So now what? I still want to continue my blog as it's been a fun outlet for me and really, how will my readers cope without my bi-weekly Farmville update?? But what shall I rename it? Some ideas I'm tossing around in my head:

- www.diaryofanmbabackontrack.blogspot.com
- www.backinthesaddleagain.blogspot.com
- www.omgiwishiwasaladywholunches.blogspot.com
- www.diaryofanlatransplantinsiliconvalley.blogspot.com
- www.imissla.blogspot.com
- www.withlovefromsunnyvale.blogspot.com
- www.iworkwithabunchofdudes.blogspot.com
- www.whatlifeislikeinmanjose.blogspot.com
- www.iworkandthereforeieatfrozendinners.blogspot.com
- www.notimeforthemall.blogspot.com

Hmmmm...I think this MAY require some more thought...

Broader Measure of U.S. Unemployment Stands at 17.5%

Yes, I just plagiarized the title of this blog post from the title of a NY Times article . I just read the title, and couldn't believe it, so I read the article. I don't really have much to say about this, but thought it was interesting enough to share. Maybe I'm missing the big picture, but does 17.5% seem quite high? Is this why I always have someone to have lunch with?

Salary to Happiness Ratio

Recently, I've been thinking about salary. Mostly because I've had a few interviews for start ups that offer no salary! But then I started thinking...since I started working full-time, my salary range has run the gamut. To be completely honest, it has run the range of $23K-$100K per year. Where was my happiest? Somewhere around $40K...I'm just wondering if that says something or not. My salary to happiness ratio makes me think twice about happiness and how it can't be measured by salary alone. Thoughts?

It also reminds me of an old song, Mo' Money, Mo' Problems...I actually had the YouTube link to the video posted but it has been taken down. Anyway, in the video, there's a certain super rich mogul type someone dressed in a red jumpsuit dancing around like a retard. So, when I start making $100M/year, I too will buy a red jumpsuit and dance around like a fool...but I'll actually post it on YouTube and let everyone use the video without regards to copyright infringement because by then, I am sure that my happiness factor will be off the charts and I will just STFU and enjoy myself! :)

Farmville is Seriously no Joke!!

Happy Halloween! I have more pumpkins in front of my virtual house than I've EVER had in my entire lifetime!! Sweet!

This morning, a friend of mine sent me an article from Business Week discussing "social game" apps and how they are making a ton of money and basically changing the economy...guess what favorite app of mine was prominently featured??

You guessed it! Farmville!!! That's right folks, apparently I'm not the only one with a farming addiction! According to this article, 60 million people played this game last month and their virtual digital sweet potato seeds, which sell for $5 a packet, made $400K in just 3 days...DAMN! Obviously, people like me who are unemployed did not shell out such cash for these sweet potatoes, but damn! Imagine if the economy was good!

Anyway, here are some recent pictures of my favorite virtual world! They've added some fun stuff for Halloween and also a bunch of new flowers. I literally cannot stop laughing when I look at my lame ass pictures!

My Plant Monster that's caged up in my Gothic fence!

Red Tulips!!

Yellow Daffodils, Pink Roses.

Sunflowers....hey, if my husband doesn't send me flowers, at least I can plant virtual ones!

Random Cabbage and Ghost Chilies.