At least he's not shooting a gun. I love the annual email from LASD telling us to fire a gun in the air is a felony.

I'm ringing in the new year in my sweatpants and t-shirt, eating yet ANOTHER loaf of french bread.

Well, he doesn't have one. Yet. (Topic of drunken conversation the night before I left. PJ's eyes about rolled out of her head. He likes to spring these things on her when he's shitfaced.)

Okay, so strangers aren't as shitty as I was convinced this morning. I just got a call (well, two, because I kind of didn't answer the first, because I'M SULKING) from a guy whose car got broken into this afternoon. Being more like Batman than I am, evidently, he and his friend went dumpster diving. As well as half his stuff (as in, half his *entire* wardrobe), he found my laptop bag, sans laptop. So now I have that back. I did like the bag, and I did like the portfolio. Not as much as I *need* the damned computer, but he did make 2011 suck just a little bit less.

He still has two more bags without owners, and I wish everyone luck in that, as well as him finding the other half of his clothes (who steals *half* your underwear?).

Now, I think, I might be done for the day.

Good on him!

Oh, that's good, ita ! It's something.

msbelle, I'd suggest also dropping off a resume in person and asking to speak to the hiring manager -- not so much for the actual resume, but because you'll present so very well that it will make a difference (even if you don't speak to that manager, I used to get notes from whoever was on duty with "She was awesome! Call her!" if someone really good came in). It was mostly people who came in and made a good impression that got hired -- I'd either go find their online app or ask them to submit one so I could get them in for an interview. An adult, well-dressed, well-spoken, responsible person was an awesome find in my experience (no offense to young, sloppily dressed, not-so-well-spoken teenagers... they just didn't really do if for me, and they were most of who came in and asked about jobs), and I could never tell that from online. I don't know that hand-delivering a resume is the convention in most of the business world, but it works in retail where I've worked.

ETA: And, you know, that's kind of unfair to some of the younger kids who came in and did it right. There were those, too! Just not the majority, sadly.

Weirdly, he was robbed 18 hours later, and he's a five minute drive away. They still had my stuff? Okay, gift horse. Keeping it.

Jesus. The dumpster where he found the stuff is covered by surveillance cameras (he just called back...). I don't know if he told the cops, but I'll have to follow up on that. He also said he bumped into a suspicious couple who knew he'd been robbed (it's not like the motel is near his flat), and their plates might be on film.

ita ! that's good news, you might get lucky if they find the encryption too hard to break and just dump the laptop.

I once stupidly left my purse in my unlocked car with the window rolled down. So did the girl who rode with me. I was super pissed and too angry to just take it. Based on my limited law enforcement experience I knew it would be dumped nearby. There was a large tall weed covered lot across the street so I went charging in there to look for it or the thief. Sure enough I found both purses with everything but the money still in them.

I never forgot that lesson.

My quiche crust is pre-baked and I am now enjoying my lone gluten-free beer.

Way to go Dumpster Diving Dude!

I'm reminded of my friend Gary, who had his Stratocaster stolen from his car in midtown Manhattan and a random neighbor ran down the thieves until they dropped the guitar. He got it back.