marinelli's miscellany

As many of you are aware, we’re getting quite desperate for paying work. The job market being what it is, we’re ready to go commando (um, I mean “figure out how people become consultants”) on the fly.

So, here is the utterly basic website I built in an insane frenzy tonight.  (Because, you know, the power is about to get cut off. Seriously, I’m staring at the shut off notice right now.)

No, we do not yet have a business license (we’ll get there, if that’s what we need to do), or any concept of how the tax thing works with all this - but our hope is that for anyone in legitimate need of the various (alas, mostly Windows-based) nerdy services we are able to provide, this site might not scare them off.

Because, of course, we do have substantive skills - even if most of what you might know about my husband and me is that we are good at being jackasses on the Internet.

Frankly, it’s been all we’ve had to do. (While also desperately looking for work in an incredibly challenging economy.)

And, sure, it’s hasn’t been entirely without elements of awesomeness and hilarity (amid all the abject terrors and sobbing).

But, um, WE CAN HAZ JOBS NOW? (Little jobs? Big jobs? Inbetween jobs? Or failing that, donuts? Anything? Pretty please?)

I joke about it, but I can’t bear the idea of my life returning to anyplace in the literal or metaphorical neighborhood of my past experiences. I’ve been homeless alone, homeless with my partner (at the time), and again, briefly, homeless with said partner and my first child. It’s a hell on earth I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemies (of which I have a few).  And we’re holding on, here, to this house (rent’s paid through end of this month, though utilities are about 2 months behind across the board) - by a really skinny thread, and now, especially with two children (and of course, two dogs and two cats), we really can’t go down any of those horrific paths again, “character building experiences” or no. (I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH “CHARACTER.” GEEZ.)

So anyway, thank you for your consideration. The site is rudimentary at best but, I think, conveys at least some sense of what our combined capacities are.

And if it takes me a while to get to site updates, it might be because I’m waiting for a terminal at the public library, in which case that’ll just have to do.

So please. Feel free to give us constructive stuff to do, beyond our usual schtick of driving each other batshit insane whilst doing everything humanly possible to scare up regular day jobs that, for us, with our particular circumstances (my having had to drop out of college in my fourth year, and my husband’s never having had the privilege of attending in the first place), just aren’t there.

And of course, if you are so moved, feel free to reblog/retweet/shout all of the above from the rooftops/shake down the little old lady next door for her pocket change (just kidding about that last part!). I’m honored to have so many of you as real/imaginary (realaginary?) friends.

Collectively, we’ve seen each other through a lot. I’ve tried, as best I could, to be there for others in their crises. (And… was it stupid that this time last year, we were taking in a friend who was trying, desperately, to get sober - but could not, and ended up totaling our truck and running up our power bills we could barely afford even then? Maybe, but we are not in the habit of turning away from the people we love. It’s who we are. We would rather not become selfish assholes, just to stay afloat. I like to think there are creative alternatives, even in this fucked economy.)

But things are now, very plainly, at a point where I cannot afford to refrain from asking for help. (This bit? Was a joke, yes - but beneath the joke, was the fact that, less than two weeks ago, while I had been so excited to go down to North Carolina, planning to see my best friend in Greensboro and several awesome Tweeps, even with a free ride and a free place to play, I still couldn’t have afforded any of the inevitable incidentals: food, drinks, etc. And that gave me a big ol’ sadface.)

But also, I’d reached a point where, despite incalculable (and continuing) gratitude every time some random PayPal donation has rolled into my account every now and then - donations which, make no mistake, absolutely have saved our asses a hundred times over (thank you, thank you, thank you - you all know who you are, even if the thank you cards hit a snag involving “oh, I see I have fewer stamps than I thought… let’s just retreat in shame for awhile until I can come up with the difference…) - I’d hit, finally, this threshold.

As I told someone who’d offered to specifically “fundraise” on my behalf (who has done so very effectively, and graciously, for others) I can’t bear to have my identity cemented, in Tumblr and Twitter histories (ephemeral though they may be), as “That Bitch Who Was Always Needing Shit.”

I need - my husband and I both need - to be of use (a distinct category from merely being used, e.g. by truck-totaling alcoholic houseguests).

If there is anything we can help you with, either in return for generosities you have already extended to us, or for payment that wouldn’t cause you suffering to part with, kindly let us know at the humble Internet digs of Personal Technology Sherpas (or just email me at vmarinelli@gmail.com).

Thank you.

[Oh, and… previously.]