The last time I was home I took advantage of my parents’ cable service and watch an episode of Jim Cramer’s Mad Money. He was going on and on about the mobile web revolution in the works and how the companies involved were beating general economic trends handily. The mobile web, it seemed, would be our road to available cafe seating. After my experience Wednesday I’m not so sure. Allow me to set the scene via tweet.

That’s right, I had no idea where I was going in both a specific and general sense. All I knew was that I had cross the bay and that it wasn’t more than an hour away. I decided to set out anyways and get a little closer so that when/if I got a hold of my room mate I wouldn’t still be an hour away. I never did get in touch with anyone I knew but, as I indicated during my w00tstock tweetfest, I have evolved past needing other people at this point. Here’s what happened.

On the surface it would appear that Jim Cramer had seen things accurately. Who wouldn’t want to be dependent on cold but dependable technology over squishy human bags of inaccuracy? But there is something I did not tweet. During the brief moment when I was orienting myself and plotting my route outside of the BART station (i.e. Google mapping) a homeless man approached me and asked eagerly if I needed directions. The fact of the matter was that I did; but, I told him I didn’t because I had my phone with me. Normally that man’s direction giving skills would have entitled him to some change out of my pockets but the mobile internet came in shouting, “Rejected!!” like a young me playing basketball with my little brother. Honestly, I don’t know what’s going to happen to these entrepreneurs; it’s already hard enough as it is to find someone that still carries cash. (And, according to Wired‘s David Wolman, should be impossible.)

This actually seemed quite reliable since I took full advantage of rule #2 and accepted the job referral from my mother. Someone from the neighborhood sent an e-mail asking if she new anyone who could walk and feed her dogs 3 times a day and help her boyfriend/husband/whatever out with a couple of things since he was ill. The gig paid 50 dollars a day and, like the tweet says, lasted for five days. This was huge for me. Consistency was always the main problem with this project and this was a decent solution. At $250 for five days with no taxes that’s probably better than what I made in a week at Borders, plus it was only three hours a day. Alas, I lost out to some nursing student because they’re more qualified to help out people who have taken ill. Hopefully they’re dog walking skills are up to par. No one seems to pay attention to good dog walking skills these days. It’s a lost art of sorts.

I can’t say this doesn’t hurt me a little. I spent two days thinking I had this gig secured which equals two days of anticipating that $250 being in my pocket. Lucky for me I have a policy of not spending anticipated funds so I’m not out any money. I know I should be tucking away all the money I get right now but I was pretty excited about the prospect of rolling that money and my current bike’s value into a new bike. Oh well, maybe I’ll win one of those Cervelos S2s Versus is giving away, sell it, buy something I deserve to ride and pay some rent with what’s left over.

Checked out the adult gigs for fun but it was a classic case of getting hurt by the patriarchy.  No jobs for me.  There is a demand out there for lactating females though.  Just giving the heads up.

My first effort has been successful.  I collected $40 for roughly 3 hours of work scrubbing lawn furniture in preparation for 4th of July festivities.  At over 10 dollars an hour that is better than any regular job I’ve ever held.  I promptly blew it on upgrading my phone but the idea is there, I just need to get some more gigs.

I think I should also set some ground rules.

Rule 1. I can change the rules whenever

Rule 2. While Craigslist will be the primary source of finding jobs I will not be limiting myself to it exclusively.  I will be open jobs from friends (unlikely) or friends of friends (more likely)

Rule 3. I’m going to count buying things at low cost and reselling them as an odd job.  Selling things I owned prior to this project will not count though.  That will go into my decluttering project column, the details of which I will not be subjecting you to.