Things That Piss Me Off #3288732

I take pride in the fact that as a citizen, I can make my voice heard in several ways, such as voting or serving on a jury. It utterly astounds and, frankly, infuriates me when I hear people talking about how they want to get out of jury duty, especially women. Less than 100 years ago in the state of Oregon, women could not vote, serve on juries, or even own property. They were effectively nothing more than property of their fathers, and after marriage, their husbands. We scoff at hardline fundamentalist countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Afghanistan for the barbaric and backwards way women are treated, and yet in our own country, people sit around and think of ways to get out of a duty that is our goddamn birthright. Abigail Scott Duniway and Dr. Marie Equi (among countless others) did NOT fuck around with getting the right to vote or serve on juries in this state just so we can slap them in their dead faces by trying to weasel out of our civic duty.

Happy fucking 150th birthday, Oregon.

Update

I still haven't heard back from that local clinic where my friend/coworker works. The last I heard from them, about a month ago, was that they were still checking my references, and not to worry. I've all but given up hope on getting that job. Oh well. My friend/coworker says they kinda suck anyway.

I didn't get that VA job in Oklahoma City, although I was one of the short-listed candidates. I guess they had enough local applicants who didn't require relocation assistance. Oh well. Oklahoma sucks anyway.

The CEO of a little hospital in Idaho called me a couple weeks ago...I'd applied for a job there back in November, it's a full-time, benefitted combined lab/x-ray position which means I'd be drawing blood AND taking x-rays. It's 7 days on, 7 days off, which is an interesting schedule. He said he's had a hard time finding people interested in the position because it's in a rather remote location, and that he wanted to do a face-to-face interview, but I'm not sure I feel like flying out to frickin' Boise and then renting a car and driving two hours just for an interview, when I've got plans to sit for the CAMRT in May. Oh well. Idaho sucks anyway.

I get to have a chat with my boss sometime this week regarding CT training. Apparently she doesn't want to give me official CT training because she isn't sure of my "commitment to this hospital". I kinda want to tell her, "Look, I've been at this hospital for the better part of a year, despite the fact that I had another unscheduled position that paid $5 more an hour and I quit after one day because I didn't feel comfortable there like I do here. You'll also notice that when I was teaching, I worked around my schedule here, instead of the other way around. How's THAT for commitment?" Besides, the only reason I'm even looking for another job is for healthcare benefits. I don't want to leave this place, I love it, the people are nice, and we have a really well-run department. But I just got a bill from the ER at my own hospital, and it was over $600, on top of the $400+ bill that Paul got when I had to take HIM to my hospital's ER last month. How the hell am I supposed to pay all that when I'm the only one working and I only get scheduled two or three days a week? All I really need is a part-time position WITH BENEFITS. Is that honestly too much to ask for?

On a related note, today I applied for a full-time, benefitted CT tech position at a hospital about half an hour away. They only require an associate's degree, and I not only have a bachelor's degree with an entire term of CT, I also have about 10 full months of CT experience. I interviewed there for a position in their cardiac cath lab last year, like 2 days after I applied, so I know those guys are on the ball when it comes to HR stuff.

I got all my CAMRT application materials together and mailed them in on Feb. 13th, they arrived in Ottawa on the 17th, a day before the deadline. Now comes the fun part: waiting. I hope they decide that my curriculum is substantially similar to a Canadian program. I wonder how long it takes. Maybe I'll call them in a couple hours, since they're on Eastern time and it's not like I'm even doing anything at work tonight. Good news, though: I've got a couple hospitals in the Vancouver, BC area already interested in hiring me once I pass the CAMRT exam, which I've found is similar to the ARRT exam that I passed with an 88%, two years ago. Woohoo!

I need to call the hospital business office when I get home from work, and see if we can qualify for financial assistance with those ER bills. The last thing I need on my credit record is YET ANOTHER blemish, it's utterly destroyed as it is. Ugh.

I would just like to say...

I hate when my friends start having kids.

It practically guarantees that they will never be fun again.

Interviews

I had an interview on Monday at a local clinic, where my friend/co-worker KN works. It's a part-time weekend position, and although they don't know if they'll be able to give it enough hours to get benefits, it'll be good to have a regular scheduled weekend position to count on when I'm not scheduled much at the hospital. It turns out I know another person who works there, too, who also worked at the clinic where I did my externship. She's in the mammography department. I hope she will put in a good word for me as well...she knows I'm a good tech, after all, and two recommendations from current employees would certainly convince ME to hire someone if I were a manager-type-person. I would like this job very much.

*sigh* Today I had a phone interview for an x-ray/CT position at the VA hospital...in Oklahoma City. It sounds like a fantastic opportunity, and one with absolutely no pediatrics. The starting pay and benefits are fantastic ($45k/year STARTING, with 4 hours each of sick time and vacation accrued every pay period and a raise after 6 months...FUCK YEAH), and working for the gubmint means that I can transfer damn near anywhere I want in the world if I get sick of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. I'm not sure I want to move all that way, though, especially when I'm planning to sit for the Canadian x-ray registry exam in Burnaby May 19th. I've got a good chance at this job though, as they are hiring four people. It's a night shift position with a Saturday to Wednesday schedule. It sounds awesome...but...MOVING SUCKS! And I don't know if they'd offer relocation assistance. *sigh*