7/25/09

Jobs, Coupons, and Tomatoes


Despite having applied for tons of jobs, I've yet to get hired. Keep in mind that I've been applying for jobs that require a bachelor's degree, not entry-level jobs. This week I've given up and have applied at an entry-level job at the place where my boyfriend, two best friends, and many of my friends and acquaintances work. Because they are looking to hire someone quickly as well as someone that is a friend or family member of one of the employees, I'm a bit too confident that I will get this job. It will be a full-time day job which means that I am now looking for a weekend job to bring in extra money. One of the best things about this job is that I and my boyfriend live only a few minutes away which means that we can ride in together which will save us a ton in gas. He has been able to and from work for a week with the gas light on.

Because I'm now the primary grocery shopper (by this I mean that I create the menu and grocery list), I've become obsessed with coupons and deals (such as BOGO). I've always been fond of coupons but am finding them especially wonderful these days. Also, I've been trying to find the best place to shop for groceries that isn't Wal-evil. So far, I've found that Food Lion has really good prices (especially on their store brand products). There are still some things like
Method brand and Seventh Generation brand products that I would like to buy but can only get at either Target or Publix. I love both of these brands equally but am learning that Seventh Generation is usually a bit cheaper and offers many coupons on their website. With Method you are mostly paying for attractive packaging and some pretty yummy scents.

On a totally different note...this summer I made an attempt at growing heirloom tomatoes. When I lived and my mom's house, she and I planted (actually she did all of the planting) and worked on a veggie and berry garden. Our berries didn't come in at all this year, but our veggies, which included zuchinni, summer squash, and cucumber, were amazing. We have two different types of tomtoes: Brandywine and Moskvich. Neither one of them did too well. I just got my first tomatoes a couple of days ago. They both took forever to ripen (which is fine with me and is typical of heirloom tomatoes). My problem is that by the time they started to turn red they were nearly rotten in places. I've never had this problem with tomatoes before. Does anyone have any experience with growing heirloom foods? I would love any advice that you might have.

I now live in an apartment so obviously I can only grow things in pots and window baskets and am considering getting one of those topsy turvy things. Many of the other residents in our apartment complex have some impressive potted gardens and I'm terribly jealous. The only plant that I brought with me from my mom's house is my aloe plant. It doesn't seem too happy after the move. I fear that we just don't get enough sun on this side of the building. Again, I'm seeking advice here too. Does anyone know what plants (including herbs and veggies) grow best in pots/window baskets/hanging pots?

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