Well, in case anyone was worried about yesterday’s difficulties, here’s an update. It contains both good news and bad, so we’ll do the bad news first.
I talked to a friend at VCU about whether they were really serious about that ridiculous law against hiring people who never registered for the draft. It turns out that yes, they most definitely are serious. There’s no way around it, no appeal process. They’ll see that on the application and throw it in the trash without reading further. So, that’s out.
Many folks advised me to simply lie on the application. I appreciate your interest in my efforts, but I just couldn’t do that, for three reasons:
First, lying about that is tantamount to turning my back on the beliefs that led me to make that decision in the first place. It would be like a Christian denying Jesus to get a job, or a scientist pretending the Earth is only 6,000 years old. There’s just no way I can do that. I wrestled with it last night, but I’m clear on it now. I’m not going to lie about it.
Second, even if I did lie, I’d be found out. The job I was applying for is a classified position. That sounds funny, ‘cause it’s not like I’d be privy to nuclear secrets or anything. However, I would have access to the records of everyone who works or attends classes or has recently attended classes at the school. That’s all in the system. I would be able to, for example, steal someone’s Social Security number. So, before they hire someone for the position, they do a pretty thorough security check on them, and among the things that would certainly come up is that old problem with the Selective Service.
Third, even if I could somehow get through the interview process, there are at least two people at the school who know my status. If I got hired, they would either have to turn me in, or ignore it and hope nobody else finds out, since they’d then be in trouble for not reporting me. I don’t want to put them in that position.
So, VCU is out. It’s too bad, but I’m gonna move on from that. I still might move back home. I would like to. I might take a week in the fall and go down on a job hunt. But for right now, I’m staying here in Huntington.
You’ll remember that the other problem was not having a place to live after Wednesday. Well, I’ve solved that one, so now we’re in the good news portion of the update.
I found a place. It’s at the corner of 10th Avenue and 7th Street, which is kind of outside the area I want to live in, but not too far. It’s not conveniently located to the library, in that I will not be able to walk to and from work unless I leave really early, but it’s closer to Amy, Gerlach, my brother, and the park, so that probably all evens out. It’s a little more a month than my current place, but not much, and given that everything is included (even electric) it will actually come out to be less than this place, in winter at least.
It is MUCH larger than 1324, also. It’s probably at least three times the floor space. It has a real kitchen with ample cabinet space and room for a microwave, coffee machine, and toaster all at the same time (I’m amazed by this, after four years of unplugging and storing the toaster every time I want coffee) and a full-sized stove. The refrigerator, unfortunately, is the same cheap, skinny piece of crap I’ve got now, but I can live with it.
It is partially furnished, so I’ve got a table to eat at and a bed for guests and shelves built into the wall. It has a desk. It has a bathtub, in a bathroom with porcelain tile on the floor. And there’s a washer and dryer, which is just an unimaginable luxury.
It is not perfect. There is not yet a door on the bathroom, though I’m hoping that will be fixed by the time I move in. They do not allow cats, and I don’t know yet if Jeannie and I will be able to get around that. Parking might be a problem at night; we’ll have to see about that.
But it’s much nicer than I’m used to, and it’s affordable. And I won’t be on a lease. I’ll be paying month-to-month, so if I decide to move out of town (I really do have my heart set on leaving town), I’ll be able to just pack up and go. I’m really excited about it. I promise pictures once I’m in, and figure out how to use the camera the Cat Lady sent me.
So, good news and bad news today, but I’m feeling pretty positive generally, and most of yesterday’s despair is gone. Love and peace to all.
I talked to a friend at VCU about whether they were really serious about that ridiculous law against hiring people who never registered for the draft. It turns out that yes, they most definitely are serious. There’s no way around it, no appeal process. They’ll see that on the application and throw it in the trash without reading further. So, that’s out.
Many folks advised me to simply lie on the application. I appreciate your interest in my efforts, but I just couldn’t do that, for three reasons:
First, lying about that is tantamount to turning my back on the beliefs that led me to make that decision in the first place. It would be like a Christian denying Jesus to get a job, or a scientist pretending the Earth is only 6,000 years old. There’s just no way I can do that. I wrestled with it last night, but I’m clear on it now. I’m not going to lie about it.
Second, even if I did lie, I’d be found out. The job I was applying for is a classified position. That sounds funny, ‘cause it’s not like I’d be privy to nuclear secrets or anything. However, I would have access to the records of everyone who works or attends classes or has recently attended classes at the school. That’s all in the system. I would be able to, for example, steal someone’s Social Security number. So, before they hire someone for the position, they do a pretty thorough security check on them, and among the things that would certainly come up is that old problem with the Selective Service.
Third, even if I could somehow get through the interview process, there are at least two people at the school who know my status. If I got hired, they would either have to turn me in, or ignore it and hope nobody else finds out, since they’d then be in trouble for not reporting me. I don’t want to put them in that position.
So, VCU is out. It’s too bad, but I’m gonna move on from that. I still might move back home. I would like to. I might take a week in the fall and go down on a job hunt. But for right now, I’m staying here in Huntington.
You’ll remember that the other problem was not having a place to live after Wednesday. Well, I’ve solved that one, so now we’re in the good news portion of the update.
I found a place. It’s at the corner of 10th Avenue and 7th Street, which is kind of outside the area I want to live in, but not too far. It’s not conveniently located to the library, in that I will not be able to walk to and from work unless I leave really early, but it’s closer to Amy, Gerlach, my brother, and the park, so that probably all evens out. It’s a little more a month than my current place, but not much, and given that everything is included (even electric) it will actually come out to be less than this place, in winter at least.
It is MUCH larger than 1324, also. It’s probably at least three times the floor space. It has a real kitchen with ample cabinet space and room for a microwave, coffee machine, and toaster all at the same time (I’m amazed by this, after four years of unplugging and storing the toaster every time I want coffee) and a full-sized stove. The refrigerator, unfortunately, is the same cheap, skinny piece of crap I’ve got now, but I can live with it.
It is partially furnished, so I’ve got a table to eat at and a bed for guests and shelves built into the wall. It has a desk. It has a bathtub, in a bathroom with porcelain tile on the floor. And there’s a washer and dryer, which is just an unimaginable luxury.
It is not perfect. There is not yet a door on the bathroom, though I’m hoping that will be fixed by the time I move in. They do not allow cats, and I don’t know yet if Jeannie and I will be able to get around that. Parking might be a problem at night; we’ll have to see about that.
But it’s much nicer than I’m used to, and it’s affordable. And I won’t be on a lease. I’ll be paying month-to-month, so if I decide to move out of town (I really do have my heart set on leaving town), I’ll be able to just pack up and go. I’m really excited about it. I promise pictures once I’m in, and figure out how to use the camera the Cat Lady sent me.
So, good news and bad news today, but I’m feeling pretty positive generally, and most of yesterday’s despair is gone. Love and peace to all.
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