Any tips?

I have gotten good advice here before so I figured I would try this and see what you guys think.

I am at a total loss as to what I should do next. I have been unemployed for 8 ½ months now (except for a short stint in a sales gig that just wasn’t for me) and am just unable to find a job. Now granted, I am being somewhat particular and am trying to land something kinda specific… Program director/director/volunteer director, etc… Some kind of an administrative role but am also applying for some case management positions.

I am avoiding Houston and Dallas area and came to the conclusion that if I had to leave the Hill Country, I will move out of Texas. So this last 2 weeks, I have broadened my scope and have looked and applied in 5 states and 20+ cities. I have put in 90 resumes in the last 10 days all over the West, Mid-West and Texas and still have not gotten a call.

I have used all the job search engines, State job boards, non profit resources for each state, craigslist, newspapers….Every resource I can think of!

I have checked and double checked my references, never have left an organization in “bad standing” and have an impeccable professional record. Send my resume to a family friend who is a recruiter on the east Coast to get my resume fine tuned.

I have a very diverse professional life and have a Masters Degree… I just don’t get it and thought maybe you guys would have some feedback as to what I am missing, what I might change, what else I should do…

Is it just really that bad?? Met a guy with a PhD the other day working as a cashier at a liquor store, saw an old friend I graduated with who is working in the laundry at the State Hospital and one of my wife’s classmates is working at a resale job full time and waiting tables at night…

I am just at a stall point right now and looking for feedback from people that maybe have an idea I haven’t thought of….Soooooo, anyone have any tips?

Scary!

So, after growing tired of job hunting and knowing i needed to get out of the house, I decided to pull Lucy out and go do my best imitation of riding in a blow drier....GOOD GOD ITS HOT!! I think it was 102 degrees today and no rain or clouds in the future...Its gunna be a rough summer here man!

Anyway, I decided to run down to Hastings and rent a movie. I go in and walk the racks to search for my nightly entertainment and run into a girl I went to college with. Its been about 8-9 months since I saw her last and when I did see her last, she was struggling, trying to find a job. Now granted, this friend is one that, well lets say, "lives on the fringes of society" (and embraces it!)she has a sort of Goth style look to her, she likes black and she is a big (and very proud of it) girl. She also is an extremely talented writer and a VERY smart and bright girl that truly know her shit whnen it comes to writing, authors, poetry, etc.... She is, in my opinion, the epitome of an "English Teacher" just a different style of one.

So we chatted and gave each other general "hellos" and "how ya doin's" and I asked her....

"So, did ya get a job?"

And she replied, rolling her eyes, with a sigh...

"Finally!!!! Yeah...I have two"

I congratulated her and she asked how things were going with me....

"Well, all is well, but I haven't had a job now for about 8 months so really, CONGRATS on getting back to work."

She quickly said...

"Well, they are hiring at the State for laundry workers."

And I laughed, thinking she was giving me a hard time and joking with me...

"Uh, yeah, I don't think so."
And she responded.....

"Hey, its where I am working...."

And I was stunned speechless....This was not just a job she has but one of two that she has....I really didn't know what to say....

"Well, I have my feelers out and am looking in a few States so I am not there yet, but I might look ya up in a month if something doesn't change."

We laughed, hugged, wished each other well and I got back on Lucy and came home, thinking about this the whole way....

Man, how can it be that a person in today's society, works hard and does all the "right things" and still has to struggle to get through it... Hell, if I was on the system, I would stay on the system....Whats the encouragement to get off of it? I mean hell, go to school, get done, be at the same place you were before you went to school, but now with an astronomical debt that the Govt has over you (ain't no walking away from those loans, and no bankruptcy gonna make that go away)

This girl came from a rough background, put herself through school, did all she could to break away from "THAT" and it seems "THAT" always sucks you back in.... I just don't get it!

It also is a bit scary as I sit in these last few days searching jobs... Is that my future? Is that what lies ahead for me? Not that I am above any work or any job, but goddamn it, you do what society says to do so you don't have to do the things you don't like and still, you have to do the things ya don't like....

Chase your dreams, carry a big net and take every swing you can at them because them bastards can be hard to catch sometimes!

Oh, by the way, I got Jackass 3.5 to watch for the night so even this story can end on a laugh!!

What else to do

So, today I wake up early and go online to start my daily job hunt. I have a number of resources and it generally takes me about an hour to search through all the job boards and resources I have. I have searches in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, and California. Of course, in all these areas there are target areas we are looking but broadening the scope was a relief as there were numerous jobs that I qualified for.

Well, today, after going through all of my search spots, I have found that every job that I qualify for in these places I have already applied for. I find it almost unbelieveable that I have broadened my search not only in states but in industries as well and am actually at a stalling point now. In the last week and a half (10 days) I have sent out 85 resumes and or applications. I have checked job descriptions and ANYTHING that I can qualify for or even maybe "stretch" my skills to meet the requirements, I have applied for and still have not gotten any calls. I have gotten a few e-mails that state my resumes and applications are being reviewed but nothing from a real human being yet....I am at a loss.

I just dont get it.... I have vast experience, an impecible professional record, the education and the drive to succeed and still am finding myself struggling to find work. I have looked in a few areas as a manual labor worker and havent heard back from the limited few I have tried for.... I have nighmares of going back to driving pizzas, washing dishes or waiting tables again... How can this be?

"Work hard, have a great work ethic, be loyal, be committed, be flexible, driven, passionate, work hard, be fair, and you will advance and do well in your work life." Well, I am all of those things and here I sit scratching my head and wondering where else to turn.

I find relief in journaling and documenting where I am and what I am experiencing but now I am just at a point where I dont know what else to do. I have even told Donna that I have to look at it like blackjack.... "Play long enough and "ace/king" eventually flops in front of you....I am running out of chips!

Its funny though.... 2 months ago, I was depressed, upset, angry and shutting down... Now I have gotten to the point where I have accepted it and realized that there is nothing I can do. Luckily, as of now, the bills are paid and the school oans are in deferrment but this cant last forever.

I hear recently that a friend of ours who was going through hard times were literally down to their last dime and then the clouds broke and they found work and are on the path to recovery of their life....Jeeezus, I hope this isnt what happens with us.

We want to take a vacation and try to get away but have decided that we really need to save as much money as we can JUST IN CASE one of these out of state jobs comes through and I need to fly in for an interview, but I wonder how many of those potential employers discard my resume simply because I am from out of state.

I want to be able to document this as it unfolds as this year, so far, has been one of the worst years I can remember. Its like our drive to create a better life in the Hill Country has come to a dead stop and even though we have done all the "right things" to move us forward, we just cant seem to get there.

I am still filled with hope, and think of all the positive things I have found as truth in my life... "Through every struggle comes something great" so I am guessing winning the lotto is what is on the horizon for us right?

Well, since I have put in for every possible job in 5 states, I guess today will be filled with cleaning my bike and my house... Guess there is a positive in everything! Lets hope that the PERFECT JOB is just around the corner... One thing is for sure, then next job I get, I will be much more appreciative of!

Babies and Spring

We have a MASSIVE amount of deer in this area and when the Spring gets here, we get a TON of babies. The Medina Childrens Home Campus is so deer friendly that the momma deer dont feel a need to leave them in hiding and they can be found everywhere on that campus... Here are a couple Donna found outside her office door this last week (seems to be a little early this year)...She was able to get within inches of them both....Such adorable little things!

BAD GRANDPA!!!

As many of you know, (and have been a victim to), I am quite the prankster; if I do say so myself, so I am here to add one in progress… prank that is….Let me explain….

So about a year or two ago, I started to plant the seed in the boys (grandkids) heads about Bigfoot/Sasquatch. They were going to stay in a tent in our yard for the first time by themselves (yeah, I know….EVIL), Brandi was out of town and we had the boys for the weekend and in all reality, the more boys get to play outside, the less mess in the house right??? Great time to try out “camping.”

Well the day started off with me telling the boys about the legend of Bigfoot and them responding…

“Oh pappy, there is no such thing as Bigfoot.”

And just trying to put it off.....

Well, NO ACCIDENTS!!

That evening, there was a show on one of the cable channels about Bigfoot, you know, one of those documentary types where people go out into the woods and hunt for Bigfoot?

Well, the boys were GLUED to the TV and when it came time for them to go out to the tent, they were, well, lets say…..resistant.

So now I had to make up a story….

“Look boys, the reason Bigfoot only comes out at night is because they don’t like the light, so if you have your flashlights, you can scare them off.  They really are very shy, that’s why the video people never see them.”

They started to buy it!

I went with them to the tent and I went on…

“OK, another thing to remember is that Bigfoot’s cant talk, so if you hear something outside just yell out “WHATS THE PASSWORD” and if nothing answers, then just turn you lights on….Lights come on, Bigfoot runs away….Get it??  Now, I will come out and check on you so we need a password so you know it’s me OK??”

They were excited and shaking their heads…

“OK, what’s the password Pappy?”

I rubbed my head…

“MMMMMM how about…..HAMMMMMBUUUGA…. No Bigfoot could guess that anyway right?”

And the boys giggled, tossing their heads back and yelling….

“HAMBUGA……HAMMMMMBUGA……HAMMMMMBUUUGA”

and then I would chime in with them….It was a fun experience.

Then I went inside and left the boys alone….They did really good! I went out to check on them and they would do it perfect everytime….

“WHATS THE PASSWORD!!!!!!”

“HAMBURRRGAAAAA!!”

“We are ok pappy!”

Now, you know I couldn’t just let that go, so I did go out one time and not give the password and stomped around the yard….The boys got frantic….

“WHATS THE PASSWORD???!!! WHATS THE PASSWORD!!??””

And then turn their lights on shining them everywhere….It was funny and Donna and I got a kick out of it. But it didn’t take long before they were socked out on their sleeping bags….Man, I remember how cool that was when I was a kid….I use to sleep in my yard in a tent all the time when I was young…I LOVED IT!

Well, about three months later, Donna Brandi and the boys went to Tenn. To see Donnas family. Her dad lives out in the country and one night they were leaving the house and the boys saw a red glowing eye in the woods one night and were convinced it was a Bigfoot.

Donna explained to me later that it was just a cow, but it was a black cow and she didn’t tell them it was, so the boys have now had ANOTHER Bigfoot experience and are quite convinced that he is real and he is out there!

So, the boys are coming over this weekend and I had a great idea last night….I took a hoodie and went out into my trees and had Donna take some pictures…I had a small LED light that looked like and eye and we took a few pictures….

I know, I know…..EVIL!!!!

Tonight we have decided to take an old rams head I had mounted years ago, put it in the trees with the hoodie and take some more pictures.

The goat is nasty, white, dirty and HAIRY so its gunna make for some good pictures….And yes, tell the boys when they come over we saw one and show them the pictures of the BIGFOOT!

The story is going to go....

"We went out in the yard the other night and put a trough of water out in the yard for the deer (which we did) and we knew that it would draw all kinds of animals. Last night we heard some weird noise out in the yard and went out to see what it was and we saw THIS thing in the yard"

Doesn't hurt that there is some reflectors from the neighbors cars to add to it as "eyeballs" and how "there must have been more than one"

We had to keep the pics fuzzy and blurry to "add to the suspense" but I am sure its going to come off GREAT!! ;)

Going to be a great long term prank...Guess we will break the truth in their 20's!! LOL!!

I remember SNIPE hunting and stories my grandfather use to tell me about catfish as big as trucks that swallowed a man on the Mississippi….The ghost stories at camps, the scary movies that made things go bum in the night….This is one of those!!

I know the boys will read this someday and when they do, I hope they know how much fun we do have with them, and yes, we know, we will get old someday and need someone to change our diapers so please, know its all out of love!! We can work it out in therapy later!! LOL!!

(**UPDATE**) Here are some pictures of the boys as I show them the pics of Bigfoot that I got.... The nights will never be the same!! LOL!!

So tonight we just happened to catch the show "The Search for Bigfoot" on Animal Planet. After the show, the boys had to go home to get ready fro camp tomorrow. I have a dark walkwway from my front porch to the driveway qith motion lights, but it takes a minute for them to pop on sometimes.

It was an interetsting trip front my front door to the car! LOL!!

Their lives are forever changed!! LOL!!