[continuing directly from the previous rambling...]

<sarcastic tyrade>
Oh look at Bitscape. He's too incompentent, foolish, and unmotivated to do what he needs, seek out employers, and find a job for himself. He needs someone else to do it for him. He doesn't even understand how to compose his own resume in such a way that it will be presentable. He could never do anything important on his own; he needs to be propped up cause he's special.
</sarcastic tyrade>

The problem is that I have no argument to stand on, given my behavior over the past six+ months. It sucks. I gotta go to the bathroom. brb.

...

Well, this time, instead of slinking away, I tried standing up for myself, despite evidence to the contrary. "I am capable of getting my own job, and I will."

"You've had lots of time to do that. I want a copy of your resume today."

I contemplated refusing, but decided that would be foolish, and said nothing. He walked off to the kitchen, and I decided to go ahead and run off a copy. This would be no problem, since I spiffied it up a bit last week and made an html version to put on my web page. I printed it out. With a nice large watermark bearing the word "VOID" across the page. Clever.

He could look at it all he wanted, but I was going to be the one to get it where it needs to go, make contacts, and be in control of my future. He was not amused. I proceeded to get a nice long lecture about how much I need to get a job (as if I'm so ignorant), how I must have been actively trying not to get a job, given all the demand, followed by a anecdote about some acquaintance who had taken a beginning computer class somewhere and was recruited right out of the class by some company desparate for technical help. How nice.

Then mom started chiming in, and I got a double earfull.

Then he started critiquing the fact that I didn't have my address or phone number on it. Only email contact info. I attepted to explain that this was because it was a version to be posted on my web page, and I didn't want every script kiddie, snail mail spammer, and prankster in the world to have possession of this information at their convenience. "Well you've got to give people a way to get ahold of you. They might want to talk on the phone. I know you'll do everything you can to avoid actually getting a job, and make it hard for people to contact you, but you've just got to do this." And on and on.

I told them that if someone was interested, they could email me and I could send more contact info back, but they did not seem impressed. (In fairness, I can't blame them too much. My track record ain't good.)

Then the next round. "Is that all you're going to do? Put this on your web page and sit there? You've got to do more than that." Again, I told them that I do indeed intend to do more, and will be actively contacting prospects. Again, they were not impressed. (And again, I can't help but realize that their lack of faith is justified.)

My dad concluded by reiterating that he wanted a copy of my resume with my address and phone on it, sans VOID lettering, by the end of the day. I made no reply. He went back to whatever he was doing, and I went to read some Slashdot. Stalemate. Or something.

Well, when I saw them both again a few minutes ago, they were getting ready to go to Price Club or something, and both appeared to have calmed down; as had I (while writing this).

I do not intend to comply. If I don't do this myself this time, how will I learn for the future? I can't just give it to him to handle. I'm sure he could get it to companies of his choosing that would be willing to hire me. I need to do it myself.

This should be interesting, given that the big fest is scheduled for this evening. If he really wanted to hand me a zinger, he could embarrass me in front of my friends tonight. (Historically, my dad's biggest weapon, but he seldom uses it.) I somehow doubt he's quite that desparate yet. Even if he does, I don't care about it all that terribly much this time. I'm almost beyond embarrassment at this point. Given that I seldom see most of these people anymore, it won't have that much effect on my life anyway. We'll see.

Alright, it's after 1700, and I am starved, having eaten nothing all day. Time to go see what's in the fridge.

I'm still looking forward to tonight's fest, whether it all goes to hell or not. I'll be back to make a pre-fest rambling (I don't want anyone who happens to load my page off the local network later to be immetiately greeted by that little rant. Not a good way to purvey the festing spirit.)

And look! My swap is almost full again. Someday, Mozilla will come and save us all.