I wrapped up my census work on Memorial Day weekend and was told I could expect a phone call in early July about doing some final, additional "cleanup" work in some other town.

I liked the paychecks, of course, but I was also looking forward to a break from the all-consuming work (I worked 6 or 7 days a week) and a chance to take care of things around here, like my veggie garden. Of course, the status of all things Census-related changes hourly.

I got a call yesterday afternoon from crew leader telling me my return to census work would be much more imminent than early July, and would likely be in D., a small nearby city with a large immigrant population.

Fine, I said. I'm ready, willing and able.

Then I got a call last evening from another crew leader telling me no, I'd be going to N., a valley town about 40 minutes from here.

They're returning my census bag and badge this morning at 8:30 am.

Either way, I expect a tougher time getting surveys done due to greater difficulty finding addresses in an unfamiliar town, many more apartments and more non-English speaking residents. Plus the humid and hot weather with t-storms will be more of a factor than it was in May.

In other job search news, my neighbor told me his company is expanding and hiring. He designs toys for a toy company where normal work hours make for 10 hour days (8 to 6) but they pay extremely well. They don't have any openings for writers, per se, but he said they don't hire for specific positions, instead focusing on the person, testing them all day and then if they like you they create a job for you.

It's a long shot, especially as I have zero retail experience, copywriting or otherwise, but there's nothing to lose. We agreed I'd leave my resume in his mailbox so he can grab it on his way in to work. He can at least hand-deliver it to the owner.

A few weeks ago a website where I have purchased 3 or 4 of my bamboo rugs was having a contest, giving away a $100 gift card to whoever had the best ideas for improving their website. Being a writer, I of course zeroed in on the website copy and in fact found a number of places with incorrect grammar, less than desirable language and other room for improvement.

I didn't win the contest, but I was quite surprised when I got an email from someone there yesterday asking me what my rates are and do I have writing samples they could see.

Wow! What a cool way to get a possible writing assignment! I sent writing samples, though again, I've done little to none retail copywriting. My work has all been in financial services, real estate or insurance.

Yesterday for hoo-has my friend and i drove over to a Big Lots store and I bought 3 jars of Prego for $1.90 each and some Pepperidge Farm bread at $1.50. It had an expiration date of that same day, but I immediately froze all the bread when I got home. We ate lunch at a deli type store where I had an overpriced quesadilla and warm diet Coke.

After a 6-month wait, I recently got my scanner from Nielsen Research and am now a National Consumer Panel member, which means I need to scan everything I buy (not just groceries, anything with a bar code) and transmit to Nielsen weekly. In return, after I do this for about 10 years, I will have earned enough points to get a high def TV which I have my eye on.

I sometimes get lazy and leave my garage door open over night and I see that last night and the night before, something knocked over a galvanized garbage can to get at the sunflower seed in there. I can't imagine anything but a raccoon doing that, except that in all my 15 years here, I've never seen a raccoon. (Only skunks, possums, turkeys, woodchucks, rabbits, foxes, coyotes and deer).