pardoned.net

I just got a verbal job offer, while still on my previous employer’s bank roll. I go in tomorrow to fill out some forms.

My new job is going to be drastically different than my old job, instead of adjusting auto claims I’m going to be on a crew restoring salmon habitat. Instead of making a generous salary I’ll be living on minimum wage with food stamps. It sounds bad, but I’m actually pretty excited! I’m going to get to be outside, learning a lot of new skills and getting in shape.

Another bonus is that my loans get deferred for a year, which is going to be very helpful with my new financial situation. After I complete my one year contract with this organization I get nearly five thousand dollars to put towards my loans! In two years at my old job I barely paid that much. I’m excited.

On Wednesday my manager asked me to pack up my desk… it was kind of a shock because the day had been pretty good so far. I had gotten up before dawn to take a walk, I had done some dishes, taken out the garbage, folded some laundry and even did some cleaning. I made it to work early and got a good start, ordered a bunch of police reports and made a couple calls. At around 9:30 A.M. my manager brought a box over to my desk and told me to fill it.

I really didn’t expect to leave that way, I had given my notice for the 22nd and I was leaving on the 13th… the assured me they would pay me through the 22nd. On the positive side I get to do interviews and have more time to apply to jobs. On the negative side I didn’t get to say goodbye to any of my coworkers.

Wednesday was like one of those days that will be etched in my memory for a long time, its the first full time job that I’ve ever quit… and I followed it up by meeting an old friend for coffee. What I didn’t consider is how much getting coffee with an old friend can be like a date… I haven’t been on a date in over five years. She paid and said the next one was on me, I don’t know if it was sympathy for losing my job or if she really wanted to see me again.

This weekend will be busy, I have a wedding to attend in LV and I haven’t even started packing. Trying to sell some of my guitars to build a buffer for my financial situation come october. On Monday I’m supposed to see Little Miss Sunshine with the afformentioned person, still waiting for her to e-mail me back to confirm.

I’ve chosen a path. This morning I gave my two weeks notice to the management. I’ll be gainfully employed until September 22nd at which point, if jobless, I will begin to fast to save money for essential goods and services.

Applying to jobs sucks, I’ve applied to what seems hundreds of jobs (probably tens of jobs) and not even gotten one interview. The only people who seem to be interested in me are staffing agencies… I really want to use that as a last resort. Today at the UW I’ve currently got two jobs in departmental review and two that have been rejected. I’m really scared.

On a positive note, I feel great about quitting my job!

So far the evenings this week have been occupied re-writing my resume. I got some good advice from an old friend; he said you shouldn’t write about what you do at a job, but how you do it. So now my resume is verb-heavy, adjective-enhanced and through and through what I like to call a ‘brag-sheet.’ Unfortunately bragsheet dot com is registered or I would have totally jumped on that one.
I really want to get a job on the University of Washington campus; I think my best shot is applying to everything and anything that I am remotely qualified for.
On another note I emailed an old friend from college and she actually e-mailed back! Hopefully we can get together some time next week for coffee, I’m kind of excited, I don’t get out very often, its going to be good to catch up on old times and hopefully she’ll even want to come to bible study!