The Handshake Hear 'round the World
Seriously, I doubt any handshake in history has gone through as much scrutiny and criticism as the handshake between President Obama and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez the other day at the Summit of the Americas.
Personally, after watching a few days of Obama handling things in Mexico and at the Summit, I can say I love the humility and attitude he takes to the table with our neighbors in this hemisphere. Shaking hands with Chavez and showing polite courtesy only follows his already defined personality in dealing with other world leaders.
Now, don't get me wrong... Chavez is a dipshit and proves it every chance he gets. I don't buy gasoline or anything from Citgo stations (even though they are routinely $.04 or so cheaper than anyone else!!!) just because of the Chavez link.
But... that is ME... and I am not the President of the United States. Obama is showing that he is above the petty squabbles of the past (perceived or real) and is willing to open the doors of diplomacy to even our most fervent critics. Does the fact that someone disagrees with us vehemently make us right or them wrong? Worst case scenario in my mind is that we don't reach any sort of accord and the relationship stays chilly.
But at least extending the hand of cooperation and showing the willingness to sit down and talk about our issues is a HUGE step that our past administrations would never have done and to me is a huge step forward.
UN Conference on Racism
Is it any surprise that the Iranian President (or whatever he is called) Kharzai started mouthing off about Israel on the first day of this conference? I for one was not surprised. Why is everyone else all up in arms about it? Kharzai speaking at a global conference? What the hell else is he going to talk about?
The bottom line is two wrongs don't make a right. You can't say that Palestinians are racist and kill indiscriminately and then think the Israeli's are just defending themselves. They are just terrorizing in a different way... One uses a lone bomber on a bus, the other uses a $25 million dollar rocket that "misses" it's target. Or maybe the target was surrounded by 30 women and children each time...
Explain to me the difference... I promise I will listen.
But since the US does not have a delegation there, I am not sure what we can hope is accomplished by the rest of the world at this conference. The UK has a group there monitoring the activities, but they were one of the groups that walked out when Kharzai went on his babble-fest. Why not just listen, then respond... if you don't like the way a two-way conversation is going you can always shut up and THEN walk out.
Job Search Woes
Well, the job search process really sucks... with double digit unemployment in the Tampa area, there are way too many candidates for each job that is posted... and the job postings have slowed down considerably. I am lucky if I find one job per day to send a resume to. You see the same positions listed, day after day, and no one is calling. You can only assume you are resume #4,372 in the stack and they will only look at the first 100.
Answer me this... you have a job to fill... you have two candidates... one has more experience than the other...
All things being equal (they will both work for the same salary, benefits, etc...) who would you hire?
If you said you would take the guy with less experience... kick yourself and explain why.
I feel that once you hit that decade of experience mark, regardless of how much you "dumb down" the resume, people assume that you want too much money, or will keep looking, or whatever...
How about this for an idea... pick up the phone, and call them both. THEN make your decision... what is the harm of a 5 minute phone conversation?
Too often though, American companies can't see past the next 12 months and will take the "immediate fix" with no thought towards where this person can help them go beyond 12 months. Can they handle it if your company suddenly grew by 100%? Can they handle it if your Sr. Level guy decided to pursue a different position and left?
Point is, take the experience and never look back.
All I'm gonna say 'bout that...
NFL Draft
YAY! NFL Draft this weekend! The Bears don't pick until the second round so I will only kinda be watching on Day One. I will probably have it rolling on the screen on Sunday though, that's for sure.
The sad thing is, due to the job situation and a lack of a first round pick for my Bears, this year will end a string of I think 7 Years watching the draft with my buddy Dave at Hooter's in Tampa. well, that and the fact that the draft starts later this year.
Used to be, we'd get to Hooters at 11am, start throwing them back, and by the time Day 1 was over we'd be at least four and a half sheets to the wind and have to find a way to get home.
Now, not so much... I'll probably hit the pool until around the time I think the Bears will pick, run in and check it out and then back for some more sun & fun. ;)
Here's to the memories!
Peace out...
Heitz
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
US Boycotting Racism Conference
Happy Sunday morning to everyone!
Sometimes you just have to scratch your head, I guess...
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/18/U.S.racism.conference/index.html
The Obama administration has decided to boycott the UN Racism Conference that will be held in Geneva next week due to the wording in some of the documents that paints Israel in a negative light apparently and some other wording relating to "incitement".
Considering the fact that we just elected our first African-American President, and the strides we have made in the past 150 years to combat racism and its evils here in the US, I think this is a huge mistake to not have a delegation in attendance.
Are we too supportive of Israel and their quest to secure their homeland? I think if you look at the history of the conflict between the Israeli's and the Palestinian's (and other groups in that region; Egypt, Syria, etc...) you will see that Israel is the aggressor as often as they are the victim. Does it make sense to back them so vehemently to the point where we will boycott an international forum dealing with racism?
I think not...
As for the section on "incitement", I haven't read the information but it is being reported that it contradicts the US' stance on Free Speech. Obviously it's an issue if a journalist makes claims against a local government and is slammed in a jail for it... but again, is the best course of action NOT showing up for the conference?
Or rather, does it make more sense to send a group there to voice our concerns and work towards resolving them with the rest of the world? The Congressional Black Caucus seems to think so and I think I am in agreement with them.
Put it this way, if we don't show up do we have any right to complain about anything that comes out of the conference? I think it's a little egotistic to think that our opinion counts if we won't actively participate.
At any rate, I'd love to see us come to our senses and get a delegation there. Since that probably won't happen, I can't wait to see the end result of this conference and our response to what comes out of it.
Waiting with baited breath...
Peace out...
Heitz
Sometimes you just have to scratch your head, I guess...
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/18/U.S.racism.conference/index.html
The Obama administration has decided to boycott the UN Racism Conference that will be held in Geneva next week due to the wording in some of the documents that paints Israel in a negative light apparently and some other wording relating to "incitement".
Considering the fact that we just elected our first African-American President, and the strides we have made in the past 150 years to combat racism and its evils here in the US, I think this is a huge mistake to not have a delegation in attendance.
Are we too supportive of Israel and their quest to secure their homeland? I think if you look at the history of the conflict between the Israeli's and the Palestinian's (and other groups in that region; Egypt, Syria, etc...) you will see that Israel is the aggressor as often as they are the victim. Does it make sense to back them so vehemently to the point where we will boycott an international forum dealing with racism?
I think not...
As for the section on "incitement", I haven't read the information but it is being reported that it contradicts the US' stance on Free Speech. Obviously it's an issue if a journalist makes claims against a local government and is slammed in a jail for it... but again, is the best course of action NOT showing up for the conference?
Or rather, does it make more sense to send a group there to voice our concerns and work towards resolving them with the rest of the world? The Congressional Black Caucus seems to think so and I think I am in agreement with them.
Put it this way, if we don't show up do we have any right to complain about anything that comes out of the conference? I think it's a little egotistic to think that our opinion counts if we won't actively participate.
At any rate, I'd love to see us come to our senses and get a delegation there. Since that probably won't happen, I can't wait to see the end result of this conference and our response to what comes out of it.
Waiting with baited breath...
Peace out...
Heitz
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Seriously
HAPPY TAX DAY!!!
Yes, mine are done and heading to the Post Office in a little while. Nothing like dropping off two years worth of taxes all in one fell swoop. ;)
And of course with Tax Day comes the annual "Tea Parties". WTF is this? I see it all over Facebook today and I swear I never heard of folks having a Tea Party on tax day. Maybe I wasn't paying attention...
Well, I am going to have my very own "Coffee Party" today instead. I am shooting for two pots. I think with two pots of caffeinated goodness flowing through my bloodstream I should be able to get another two chapters written in my book, don't ya think?
Some other things I realized today...
1. Pirates off the coast of Somalia... I still don't see why people think we need to go into Somalia with troops... AGAIN!!! Has anyone seen "Blackhawk Down"??? Seriously, do we need to re-live that? A good friend from Grammar and High School was in Somalia the first time around and he had nightmares seeing that movie because all the bumbling decisions were so accurate. I say we just start torpedoing these damn little boats the pirates are using. Seriously, one quick burst of .50 Cal rounds into one of them little row boats and by the time they swim back to the coast they will be thinking of another line of work. Problem solved... yer welcome...
2. Baseball season... April is kinda surreal I think. Having spent the bulk of my life in Chicago where April "Snow-Outs" routinely occur it's not hard to see why the NFL Draft holds my attention more firmly in its grasp than does the start of baseball season. Add to that the fact that the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 and it's a no-brainer that I won't give a hoot about the beginning of baseball season. (My guess is the Billy Goat Curse will extend to 2045 since that is the year we kicked Sam and his goat out of Wrigley Field).
3. I booked my first trip to Chicago in a year today... I really miss civilization and am getting tired of complaining about the backwardness of Florida. I think I might be on a 5-Year plan to move on to something bigger and better. Oh damn, did I just say "5-Year" plan? Seriously, Angela will NOT be waiting tables at Hooter's... of that we can be sure. Between the eroded economy and housing market, the piss-poor job market, and the lack of infrastructure for growth around here it's no wonder that people are leaving the area. 5 years from now I see myself in either Chicago, London, or maybe some other cool place like Paris or something...
4. As for the Job Market... well, the good news is I have been putting a couple hours per day into my writing. I have had a couple decent interviews, and a good interview at Guitar Center. Seriously, I would have a blast selling guitars and writing. That is the one job I really have my fingers crossed on. Probably the most stable as well as long as I can make some sales! ;) The IT job market is abysmal right now here in the Tampa area, and it's made even worse by the fact that I am not your typical geek... 3+ years in Sales on top of 10+ years in IT and recruiters just have no idea what to do with an IT guy with a brain and a personality. Well, I guess if the end result is me finishing my novel, publishing it, and moving on to book #2 then it will all be a huge success.
5. Jamming is cool but I am also trying to learn how to work on my guitars myself... seriously, $30 to do a setup on a guitar? How hard can it be, right??? Well, after changing the strings on my Les Paul and Remi's LP Special I can say that I think $30 for a setup is pretty damn cheap! I cracked the nut on Remi's guitar, bought a replacement that turned out to be too short, had to raise the bridge just to get the strings to a playable height, and then of course realizing that you could drive my SUV under the strings... sheesh... it ain't as easy as it seems, folks! I figure the best way to learn is to try and see what happens. :) Needless to say, I have some more practicing ahead of me before I start charging folks for my services.
OK, time to wrap up... I think I may start hiring myself out as a motivational speaker. I saw something Angela was watching where they had a guy who was supposed to be a "Positivity Coach" or something. Seriously? This guy gets paid to get people thinking positive thoughts? How the hell do I get in on this racket???
Wish me luck!
Peace out...
Heitz
Yes, mine are done and heading to the Post Office in a little while. Nothing like dropping off two years worth of taxes all in one fell swoop. ;)
And of course with Tax Day comes the annual "Tea Parties". WTF is this? I see it all over Facebook today and I swear I never heard of folks having a Tea Party on tax day. Maybe I wasn't paying attention...
Well, I am going to have my very own "Coffee Party" today instead. I am shooting for two pots. I think with two pots of caffeinated goodness flowing through my bloodstream I should be able to get another two chapters written in my book, don't ya think?
Some other things I realized today...
1. Pirates off the coast of Somalia... I still don't see why people think we need to go into Somalia with troops... AGAIN!!! Has anyone seen "Blackhawk Down"??? Seriously, do we need to re-live that? A good friend from Grammar and High School was in Somalia the first time around and he had nightmares seeing that movie because all the bumbling decisions were so accurate. I say we just start torpedoing these damn little boats the pirates are using. Seriously, one quick burst of .50 Cal rounds into one of them little row boats and by the time they swim back to the coast they will be thinking of another line of work. Problem solved... yer welcome...
2. Baseball season... April is kinda surreal I think. Having spent the bulk of my life in Chicago where April "Snow-Outs" routinely occur it's not hard to see why the NFL Draft holds my attention more firmly in its grasp than does the start of baseball season. Add to that the fact that the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908 and it's a no-brainer that I won't give a hoot about the beginning of baseball season. (My guess is the Billy Goat Curse will extend to 2045 since that is the year we kicked Sam and his goat out of Wrigley Field).
3. I booked my first trip to Chicago in a year today... I really miss civilization and am getting tired of complaining about the backwardness of Florida. I think I might be on a 5-Year plan to move on to something bigger and better. Oh damn, did I just say "5-Year" plan? Seriously, Angela will NOT be waiting tables at Hooter's... of that we can be sure. Between the eroded economy and housing market, the piss-poor job market, and the lack of infrastructure for growth around here it's no wonder that people are leaving the area. 5 years from now I see myself in either Chicago, London, or maybe some other cool place like Paris or something...
4. As for the Job Market... well, the good news is I have been putting a couple hours per day into my writing. I have had a couple decent interviews, and a good interview at Guitar Center. Seriously, I would have a blast selling guitars and writing. That is the one job I really have my fingers crossed on. Probably the most stable as well as long as I can make some sales! ;) The IT job market is abysmal right now here in the Tampa area, and it's made even worse by the fact that I am not your typical geek... 3+ years in Sales on top of 10+ years in IT and recruiters just have no idea what to do with an IT guy with a brain and a personality. Well, I guess if the end result is me finishing my novel, publishing it, and moving on to book #2 then it will all be a huge success.
5. Jamming is cool but I am also trying to learn how to work on my guitars myself... seriously, $30 to do a setup on a guitar? How hard can it be, right??? Well, after changing the strings on my Les Paul and Remi's LP Special I can say that I think $30 for a setup is pretty damn cheap! I cracked the nut on Remi's guitar, bought a replacement that turned out to be too short, had to raise the bridge just to get the strings to a playable height, and then of course realizing that you could drive my SUV under the strings... sheesh... it ain't as easy as it seems, folks! I figure the best way to learn is to try and see what happens. :) Needless to say, I have some more practicing ahead of me before I start charging folks for my services.
OK, time to wrap up... I think I may start hiring myself out as a motivational speaker. I saw something Angela was watching where they had a guy who was supposed to be a "Positivity Coach" or something. Seriously? This guy gets paid to get people thinking positive thoughts? How the hell do I get in on this racket???
Wish me luck!
Peace out...
Heitz
Monday, April 13, 2009
Pirates!
So, all the hoopla lately with these "Pirates" off the coast of Somalia had me thinking... I went back to my video game archive and busted out 'Sid Meier's Pirates!' and Remi and I looted and plundered around the Caribbean this weekend.
Then I read on CNN this morning that the Pirates in Somalia are angry at the USA and France for... get this... FIGHTING BACK!!!
http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/13/somali-pirates-vow-revenge-2/
So... let me get this straight...
You kidnap, extort, kill, and destroy...
Receive MILLIONS of dollars in ransom over the course of your illegal activities...
Steal money, food, weapons, etc...
And get upset when someone decides they've had enough and take steps to defend themselves???
I wonder if these guys might actually be in Hollywood or something? Talk about being disconnected from the REAL WORLD! Since the dawn of humanity, there have been oppressors, and there have been people that fight back. What makes these idiots so special?
Now they say they will just kill American and French crew members when they kidnap them. Wow... yeah, like we expected anything different from 21st century pirates. I saw on CNN yesterday that there are coalition forces patrolling the sea there but that it is over 1,000,000 square miles! How much can you do with a small force of warships?
My feeling is, you start sinking these idiots on their pirate "ships" (seriously, did you see what passes for a pirate ship these days???) and it won't be long before this is a non-issue. Oh wait, firing first and asking questions later is a 'no-no'???
Damn... Sometimes being the world's police is a pain in the ass...
Peace out...
Hetiz
Then I read on CNN this morning that the Pirates in Somalia are angry at the USA and France for... get this... FIGHTING BACK!!!
http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/13/somali-pirates-vow-revenge-2/
So... let me get this straight...
You kidnap, extort, kill, and destroy...
Receive MILLIONS of dollars in ransom over the course of your illegal activities...
Steal money, food, weapons, etc...
And get upset when someone decides they've had enough and take steps to defend themselves???
I wonder if these guys might actually be in Hollywood or something? Talk about being disconnected from the REAL WORLD! Since the dawn of humanity, there have been oppressors, and there have been people that fight back. What makes these idiots so special?
Now they say they will just kill American and French crew members when they kidnap them. Wow... yeah, like we expected anything different from 21st century pirates. I saw on CNN yesterday that there are coalition forces patrolling the sea there but that it is over 1,000,000 square miles! How much can you do with a small force of warships?
My feeling is, you start sinking these idiots on their pirate "ships" (seriously, did you see what passes for a pirate ship these days???) and it won't be long before this is a non-issue. Oh wait, firing first and asking questions later is a 'no-no'???Damn... Sometimes being the world's police is a pain in the ass...
Peace out...
Hetiz
Monday, April 6, 2009
Deadly Stuff
OK, so t's been a little more than a week since a 15 year old girl was hit and killed on the road near where I just moved to. It's a stretch of Tampa Road in Palm Harbor between Curlew Road and McMullen Booth Road. I drive down this piece of asphalt many times each week and even before this accident I had already noticed the lack of streetlights.
The street runs past a large shopping complex that is always busy having a Starbuck's, Panera, Mongolian Grill, and large movie theater among other things. On Friday nights it's even more crowded with large groups of teens "hanging out" as teens are inclined to do. When we left the movie theater with a half-asleep Remi in tow (seriously, he fell asleep watching Aliens vs. Monsters... something is wrong with this boy), we drove right past the accident scene... a pickup with a smashed front-end, ambulance crew working frantically at ground level, police directing traffic.
Just before getting to the scene, we spotted a group of three or four teens standing in the median of the road, just hanging out. I said something to the effect of "I wonder how often one of these kids gets hit out here since there are no streetlights..."
Now I realize a LOT of people move to Florida for the sunshine, but I also know people look at things like no income tax and think it's a great thing. Personally, I am very disappointed in the leadership in the state of Florida. Ever since I moved here I have been amazed at how many kids are taken (amber alerts weekly), how many seniors are taken (SILVER alerts... yes, no lie, Silver Alerts), and how many kids are killed crossing the street. Seriously, for the first couple years here it seemed like a weekly occurrence to hear about a kid getting killed crossing 19, or McMullen Booth, or Hillsborough after the school bus driver dropped them off on the wrong side of the road.
Is it me or does anyone else see a problem here? Are homeowners not paying enough property taxes to put streetlights throughout our cities or to hire bus drivers that have to pass a simple common sense quiz? For that matter, why would a school bus make a stop on a main road like US 19 or McMullen Booth or Tampa Road. I just saw a school bus drop a kid off the other day at the corner by a MacDonald's. Seriously, is that where that kid is supposed to be let off???
I have decided that it's time to get involved locally. I have no idea who the local representatives are but I am going to find out what can be done about something so simple as streetlights.
And maybe we can get the stop lights put in a spot where people can actually see them... just a thought...
***
This just occurred to me the other day...
I think Jennifer Aniston may have a penis.
Think about it... she's had three high profile guys (Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn, John Mayer)... high profile breakups... and rumors of all the work she does to stay smokin' hot... so it started the thought process.
If I had Jennifer Aniston, what would be the one thing that would push me away from her? If she were God-Awful in bed, would that make me run for the hills. Or, lets say she was horrendous in bed AND brought a little pal to the show!
Now a high profile Hollywood couple like Brad & Jen isn't one thats easy to break off. There's all the tabloid stuff, EVERYTHING is public... and who knows, maybe Brad likes being the chick from time to time... But at some point it'll all fall apart...
She still looks phenomenal, but I would have to think long and hard (no pun intended) before I decided to take a date with Ms. Aniston at this point.
Peace out...
Heitz
The street runs past a large shopping complex that is always busy having a Starbuck's, Panera, Mongolian Grill, and large movie theater among other things. On Friday nights it's even more crowded with large groups of teens "hanging out" as teens are inclined to do. When we left the movie theater with a half-asleep Remi in tow (seriously, he fell asleep watching Aliens vs. Monsters... something is wrong with this boy), we drove right past the accident scene... a pickup with a smashed front-end, ambulance crew working frantically at ground level, police directing traffic.
Just before getting to the scene, we spotted a group of three or four teens standing in the median of the road, just hanging out. I said something to the effect of "I wonder how often one of these kids gets hit out here since there are no streetlights..."
Now I realize a LOT of people move to Florida for the sunshine, but I also know people look at things like no income tax and think it's a great thing. Personally, I am very disappointed in the leadership in the state of Florida. Ever since I moved here I have been amazed at how many kids are taken (amber alerts weekly), how many seniors are taken (SILVER alerts... yes, no lie, Silver Alerts), and how many kids are killed crossing the street. Seriously, for the first couple years here it seemed like a weekly occurrence to hear about a kid getting killed crossing 19, or McMullen Booth, or Hillsborough after the school bus driver dropped them off on the wrong side of the road.
Is it me or does anyone else see a problem here? Are homeowners not paying enough property taxes to put streetlights throughout our cities or to hire bus drivers that have to pass a simple common sense quiz? For that matter, why would a school bus make a stop on a main road like US 19 or McMullen Booth or Tampa Road. I just saw a school bus drop a kid off the other day at the corner by a MacDonald's. Seriously, is that where that kid is supposed to be let off???
I have decided that it's time to get involved locally. I have no idea who the local representatives are but I am going to find out what can be done about something so simple as streetlights.
And maybe we can get the stop lights put in a spot where people can actually see them... just a thought...
***
This just occurred to me the other day...
I think Jennifer Aniston may have a penis.
Think about it... she's had three high profile guys (Brad Pitt, Vince Vaughn, John Mayer)... high profile breakups... and rumors of all the work she does to stay smokin' hot... so it started the thought process.
If I had Jennifer Aniston, what would be the one thing that would push me away from her? If she were God-Awful in bed, would that make me run for the hills. Or, lets say she was horrendous in bed AND brought a little pal to the show!
Now a high profile Hollywood couple like Brad & Jen isn't one thats easy to break off. There's all the tabloid stuff, EVERYTHING is public... and who knows, maybe Brad likes being the chick from time to time... But at some point it'll all fall apart...
She still looks phenomenal, but I would have to think long and hard (no pun intended) before I decided to take a date with Ms. Aniston at this point.
Peace out...
Heitz
Friday, April 3, 2009
HAPPY FRIDAY!
Sometimes life is pretty crazy...
So, I am on a month of being unemployed, there are fewer job listings online than I recall seeing EVER in my life, and there is a LOT of uncertainty not just in my little world, but all around me.
So, why am I so happy?
Hmmm... probably a few things.
1. I am writing more! OK, so my blog has been suffering lately, but I have finished (I think) three full on chapters for my novel and am cranking on Chapter 4 this weekend... I actually have eleven chapters written, but am re-writing a lot of what I previously put down on paper. So, that makes me feel good... I just hope it's worth reading! :)
2. For the first time in my life I am truly happy in a relationship! :) Angela is like a dream come true, and every day is better than the last... so, that helps! ;)
3. I am playing some guitar... and trying to learn how to work on guitars a bit as well. I've already broken and repaired Remi's guitar, so who knows? Maybe I can find myself a whole new life as a guitar tech??? :) Gotta be better than being laid off by another bank/software company/...
4. And the Bears may have finally ended their drought at the Quarterback position!!! YAY!!! Now all that remains to be learned is whether Ron Turner keeps his job if they stumble this year.
So, all in all things are going well. The lack of a job really bites the ol' big behind, but luckily Angela works nights so we get to have the whole day together pretty much. Not too shabby.
Thinking about the trade yesterday that brought Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears... there were some stats thrown about yesterday that were just mind numbing.
Cutler last season threw for over 4,000 yards, more than 25 TD's, and went to the Pro Bowl. The last Pro Bowler for the Bears at the QB sport was Jim McMahon after the Super Bowl season in 1985. Erik Kramer was the last Bears QB to toss over 5 TD's in 1995. And the Bears have NEVER had a QB throw for over 4,000 yards. In fact, Cutler had more yards passing last season than former Bears starter Kyle Orton has in his career! Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the value here.
As for the draft picks given up... well, the Bears love trading down in the first round or out of the first round altogether. And when they do make a first round selection, it is usually a 50/50 chance for bust (same with most teams). For every Brian Urlacher there are two David Terrel's it seems. To get proven quality and cough up two first rounders doesn't seem too far fetched when you realize that one of those first rounders would likely be a bust anyways.
***
So, the job hunt... sheesh... it ain't easy. Given my background, it may be next to impossible. I have 10+ years in IT, but most of my experience was 3+ years ago so getting any Senior level position is out. BUT, because of the decade of experience,I am deemed "overqualified" for the lower level positions. Lovely Catch-22. I think my next job NEEDS to be fun, so yesterday I applied at Guitar Center and there are like three other guitar shops in my area that I am going to go into and check out. If I can make $10 an hour after my commissions (or more... more is always nice...) then I can pay my bills and contribute here at home. AND, have time to write! I think that is the key, and the reason I probably would not have take a job say with the Buccaneers even had it been offered.
So, for now I will keep sending out the resumes... keep writing... if I can work through a full chapter a week, I might have something worthy of being published later this summer. :)
In the meantime, I have a trip to Chicago for a wedding, and maybe a trip to Nigeria for kicks later this summer... that would be FUN!
Keep rocking...
Peace out...
Heitz
So, I am on a month of being unemployed, there are fewer job listings online than I recall seeing EVER in my life, and there is a LOT of uncertainty not just in my little world, but all around me.
So, why am I so happy?
Hmmm... probably a few things.
1. I am writing more! OK, so my blog has been suffering lately, but I have finished (I think) three full on chapters for my novel and am cranking on Chapter 4 this weekend... I actually have eleven chapters written, but am re-writing a lot of what I previously put down on paper. So, that makes me feel good... I just hope it's worth reading! :)
2. For the first time in my life I am truly happy in a relationship! :) Angela is like a dream come true, and every day is better than the last... so, that helps! ;)
3. I am playing some guitar... and trying to learn how to work on guitars a bit as well. I've already broken and repaired Remi's guitar, so who knows? Maybe I can find myself a whole new life as a guitar tech??? :) Gotta be better than being laid off by another bank/software company/
4. And the Bears may have finally ended their drought at the Quarterback position!!! YAY!!! Now all that remains to be learned is whether Ron Turner keeps his job if they stumble this year.
So, all in all things are going well. The lack of a job really bites the ol' big behind, but luckily Angela works nights so we get to have the whole day together pretty much. Not too shabby.
Thinking about the trade yesterday that brought Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears... there were some stats thrown about yesterday that were just mind numbing.
Cutler last season threw for over 4,000 yards, more than 25 TD's, and went to the Pro Bowl. The last Pro Bowler for the Bears at the QB sport was Jim McMahon after the Super Bowl season in 1985. Erik Kramer was the last Bears QB to toss over 5 TD's in 1995. And the Bears have NEVER had a QB throw for over 4,000 yards. In fact, Cutler had more yards passing last season than former Bears starter Kyle Orton has in his career! Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the value here.
As for the draft picks given up... well, the Bears love trading down in the first round or out of the first round altogether. And when they do make a first round selection, it is usually a 50/50 chance for bust (same with most teams). For every Brian Urlacher there are two David Terrel's it seems. To get proven quality and cough up two first rounders doesn't seem too far fetched when you realize that one of those first rounders would likely be a bust anyways.
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So, the job hunt... sheesh... it ain't easy. Given my background, it may be next to impossible. I have 10+ years in IT, but most of my experience was 3+ years ago so getting any Senior level position is out. BUT, because of the decade of experience,I am deemed "overqualified" for the lower level positions. Lovely Catch-22. I think my next job NEEDS to be fun, so yesterday I applied at Guitar Center and there are like three other guitar shops in my area that I am going to go into and check out. If I can make $10 an hour after my commissions (or more... more is always nice...) then I can pay my bills and contribute here at home. AND, have time to write! I think that is the key, and the reason I probably would not have take a job say with the Buccaneers even had it been offered.
So, for now I will keep sending out the resumes... keep writing... if I can work through a full chapter a week, I might have something worthy of being published later this summer. :)
In the meantime, I have a trip to Chicago for a wedding, and maybe a trip to Nigeria for kicks later this summer... that would be FUN!
Keep rocking...
Peace out...
Heitz
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