I haven't worked since Monday. I mean, I've worked, like, working on the house, in the basement, that kind of thing. But I haven't done any actual work for which a salary is earned.
Things are going to get interesting around here very soon if one of the many job opportunities doesn't pan out.
And there are many job opportunities around here. Oodles. Maybe not right in line with my career goals, but there is no want for work around here. No one has an excuse to starve around here (unless they feel that work is beneath them).
I talked to a recruiter today and filled out a couple job applications outside the context of my current employer, who has not yet provided any solid information about an available positions. It's maddening to work for a company which is supposed to be one of the biggest job placement firms in the world, and get nothing. Perhaps I'm expecting too much, too soon. But I'm impatient to get over this lull and move onto something else.
But this last gig really spoiled me rotten. Being a Systems Engineer and helping to build three flight simulation labs, getting to work with one of the most friendly groups of people I've ever met, actually looking forward to coming to work each day -- well, that's very hard to beat. Anything after that, short of going to Mars, is a let-down.
So my days are spent filling out more applications and calling recruiters and doing lots of on-line research to find out where the fun jobs are. That, and working on the basement.
:::
Finishing up the electrical work is a good way of going back over the original prototype design for the basement and discovering things that weren't done properly. Like the walls near the office door, down at the bottom of the stairs. I was wiring up the outlet near the bottom of the stairs when it occurred to me that the intersection of the door and the wall was wrong. Because no provision had been made for hanging drywall.
That is, the short wall I'd built to hang the office door on intersected the back wall in a place where there was no supporting stud. So the drywall could only be hung on the short wall and not on the back wall.
Like this:
So I could either move the interior studs closer in, or add some additional studs on either side. It would be easiest to move the existing studs, but that destroys the aesthetics of the stud wall, leaving an irregular gap between the studs, like this:
Sometimes, though, the aesthetics go out the window when the schedule (or budget) is tight.
So now it'll look more like this:
I thought about putting extra studs in-between the outer and inner ones, just to keep it from being some ridiculously large gap, but so long as the foam insulation can be cut to fit -- and it comes in 4x8 sheets -- there's no worry. The wall is not load-bearing.
:::
Tonight was the Holiday Band Concert, which is probably the longest concert of the year, bordering on two hours. Cheryl and I worked the booster table, selling Keycard books and Scrip cards and taking the money for the Florida trip, then dashed inside to catch the performance before heading out to the table again.
I am completely awed by my wife's ability to remember the names of all these people. They all come up to her as if she is some long-lost friend, calling her by name, smiling and giving her money. And she greets them (mostly) by name, too. Of course, she also knows each of the kids in the band and orchestra by name, so it isn't that much of a surprise. I know some of the kids in the Marching Band and some of the kids in the Orchestra (especially the ones who are in the Robotics club), but other than that, I'm clueless.
Makes me proud to be her husband. She is obviously well-respected in the community!
I had fun, too. She even let me sell a couple of the Keycard books! (I do best with checks, though; cash and I are not on good terms anymore.)
After the concert -- which was amazing, and Deb got to stand and be recognized for her amazing skills on the flute and/or piccolo -- we went home and had ice cream. And Deb, who has a soft spot for her old man, bought me some peanut butter cups! Which means I'll have to brush my teeth extra-carefully tonight.
I hope something comes up with the job soon. Otherwise, I'll have nothing to do but work on the basement...
Things are going to get interesting around here very soon if one of the many job opportunities doesn't pan out.
And there are many job opportunities around here. Oodles. Maybe not right in line with my career goals, but there is no want for work around here. No one has an excuse to starve around here (unless they feel that work is beneath them).
I talked to a recruiter today and filled out a couple job applications outside the context of my current employer, who has not yet provided any solid information about an available positions. It's maddening to work for a company which is supposed to be one of the biggest job placement firms in the world, and get nothing. Perhaps I'm expecting too much, too soon. But I'm impatient to get over this lull and move onto something else.
But this last gig really spoiled me rotten. Being a Systems Engineer and helping to build three flight simulation labs, getting to work with one of the most friendly groups of people I've ever met, actually looking forward to coming to work each day -- well, that's very hard to beat. Anything after that, short of going to Mars, is a let-down.
So my days are spent filling out more applications and calling recruiters and doing lots of on-line research to find out where the fun jobs are. That, and working on the basement.
:::
Finishing up the electrical work is a good way of going back over the original prototype design for the basement and discovering things that weren't done properly. Like the walls near the office door, down at the bottom of the stairs. I was wiring up the outlet near the bottom of the stairs when it occurred to me that the intersection of the door and the wall was wrong. Because no provision had been made for hanging drywall.
That is, the short wall I'd built to hang the office door on intersected the back wall in a place where there was no supporting stud. So the drywall could only be hung on the short wall and not on the back wall.
Like this:
Sometimes, though, the aesthetics go out the window when the schedule (or budget) is tight.
So now it'll look more like this:
:::
Tonight was the Holiday Band Concert, which is probably the longest concert of the year, bordering on two hours. Cheryl and I worked the booster table, selling Keycard books and Scrip cards and taking the money for the Florida trip, then dashed inside to catch the performance before heading out to the table again.
I am completely awed by my wife's ability to remember the names of all these people. They all come up to her as if she is some long-lost friend, calling her by name, smiling and giving her money. And she greets them (mostly) by name, too. Of course, she also knows each of the kids in the band and orchestra by name, so it isn't that much of a surprise. I know some of the kids in the Marching Band and some of the kids in the Orchestra (especially the ones who are in the Robotics club), but other than that, I'm clueless.
Makes me proud to be her husband. She is obviously well-respected in the community!
I had fun, too. She even let me sell a couple of the Keycard books! (I do best with checks, though; cash and I are not on good terms anymore.)
After the concert -- which was amazing, and Deb got to stand and be recognized for her amazing skills on the flute and/or piccolo -- we went home and had ice cream. And Deb, who has a soft spot for her old man, bought me some peanut butter cups! Which means I'll have to brush my teeth extra-carefully tonight.
I hope something comes up with the job soon. Otherwise, I'll have nothing to do but work on the basement...
2 comments:
Praying for you as you seek a new job. I still have mine but I am actively seeking something else so I know how frustrating it can be.
Thanks, Tammy! I appreciate the prayers.
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