01/29/06 02:11 - 40ºF - ID#24596
I need some advice
I like spending hours checking out new music. I like to have the option to take an afternoon on a nice day to go up to the A-K, bring a book with me, and sit by the water and read. I like to spend time at SPoT and relax. I like to golf. I Like to have friends over for barbeque and beer. I like to go to friends' houses to shoot the breeze, watch music DVDs and smoke herbs. I like to go on long car rides by myself on nice days to clear my head. I like to visit my grandmother sporadically during the week to surprise her. I like going with my dad to his favorite bar for pints of Bass Ale and some wings. I like to hang out on my porch and people watch during the summer.
In other words, I like having a life, and being able to live it on my own terms. While money is important, I've come to the conclusion that what I've been getting from my job is nothing compared to what I'm giving up. I love my neighborhood but I'm never here. Most importantly, (e:jason) is having a rough go of things and I have to deal with the guilt of not being around to help him through.
In the last year I've learned more about the business world than I did during the years I spent in college. I have made the decision that my current situation isn't tolerable for the variety of reasons I just listed. I'm updating my resume. While I love the fact that my job can be gratifying, and my boss is the best boss I could hope for, I need to get out of my situation. Whats the best way to go about this?
Permalink: I_need_some_advice.html
Words: 372
Category: my brother
01/28/06 06:18 - 43ºF - ID#24595
You be the judge
Next to -
Similarities? HMM?
I'll be seeeiiinnnng yoooouuuuu (e:jason) - I hope you aren't afraid of Mr. Buzz Buzz!
Permalink: You_be_the_judge.html
Words: 32
01/24/06 09:51 - 35ºF - ID#24594
Pity Party
After this week, the next time I will be home for more than 2 days will be the end of February.
In general I love life, but lately I'm extremely upset and very pissed off, to the point that I want to just flat out quit my job and start looking elsewhere. Of course, if I don't get employment ASAP if I did that, 750 Elmwood would be a mere memory. So, it looks like I'm stuck submitting resumes and conducting interviews over the phone if I hope to get out of my situation.
END OF EMO TRANSMISSION
So this gave me a great idea. Lets face it, a lot of people are miserable lately around the good ol' (e:strip). I propose a Pity Party, to be thrown at a local bar. We can get together, bitch, get our drink on, gawk inappropriately at attractive body parts, listen to cool music, smell each other (I smell like Dunhill cologne, whiskey and Red Zone "aqua reef" deodorant), and get into trouble. I am totally down with this plan. The "happy people" can come along and tell dirty jokes, drink with us, and generally entertain the "unhappy people" - kind of like a teammate trying to pump up the other teammate.
Permalink: Pity_Party.html
Words: 210
Category: government
01/24/06 02:05 - 39ºF - ID#24593
EJTower and Terry
(e:ejtower) and (e:terry) - you'd be right in saying that a Larson would be thrilled to talk about government and free markets. I'm a junkie when it comes to these topics... just love it. So I hope you don't mind my intrusion.
As usual, my disclaimer - I'm a free market, limited government kind of person.
From the little bit of information that has been provided it seems like you both are interested in a revolution of sorts concerning our environmental future. You both are 100% correct in asserting that this type of change needs to be market based. When it comes to things like energy and transportation nothing gets done unless people demand it. If crude oil, for example, is priced reasonably then people have no interest in doing the right thing environmentally - most Americans aren't activists because they can't afford to be - people want to find the cheapest acceptable stuff that will allow them to live their lives comfortably. If a "green" change is going to happen it has to be feasible economically or else it simply will never get off the ground. Since there will be no draconian governmental oversight, the honus is on the activists and proprietors of the "green" philosophy to make it attractive to the marketplace. Big companies understand this - car companies are producing more and more environmentally friendly cars that rely less on petroleum-based products.
Since (e:terry) mentioned it, I have to mention Wal-Mart. I assume that Mr. T was referring to the recent legislation in Maryland requiring any employer in the state that has more than 10,000 employees to spend 8% of their money on health care for their workers. This is an example of BAD government. Why is that, you ask? Guess how many private employers in the state of Maryland employ more than 10,000 workers? Just one... any guesses on who that might be? This is a direct attempt by the state to regulate (or even harm) Wal-Mart because the state has a social agenda... THAT is why its bad law. Whether or not Wal-Mart does enough for its workers' health care is no business of the state of Maryland (even if you and I think it would be the right thing to do), and the only thing this law is going to guarantee is that there will be no more large scale investment in their state by the largest company in the world. Some may think this kind of regulation is a good thing because they "want to make a statement" but in reality its a bad thing, and imposing a social agenda via legislation on a private business like that can only backfire.
That being said, I'm not totally against regulation in some forms. For example, its a necessity to regulate safety concerns at airports, as well as ensure proper handling of investment dollars via the SEC. The free market system as practiced by the USA is the most successful economic system to have been conceived by humanity - we've generated an extreme amount of wealth in only 140 years time, and previous to that we were really kind of a backwater nation. There is a lot of debate as to whether or not the free market system's contribution to society is adequate but thats a completely different topic. This also ties into my view that government should be limited. Remember, rights are not granted by the state; they are conferred on people by people via representative government. I'm a Constitutional minimalist - in general I think that more authority should be granted to the states. Federal government, in my opinion, should provide for the military and some kind of safety net for the poor and elderly... but thats about where it ends for me. Our nation was originally conceived as a set of collective mini-republics with a set of federal uniform guidance that was minimally intrusive. Things definitely are not that way today.
I've heard the idea before concerning aboloshing government - usually that comes from conservatives! I think thats not practical because organized government is a necessity for a country as complex, wealthy and diverse as ours. Functions of government that we consider to be essential simply have no replacement without government. Organized civlization requires government - it always has, with the potential of a very few exceptions. That being said, I agree in spirit with what (e:ejtower) is getting at - people should be left alone to live their lives how they see fit. Government must reasonably restrict behavior if we want to call ourselves a nation of laws, but in general I'm against any federal legislation that either restricts or gives too much. Government shouldn't interfere against or provide for how people want to live their lives. It should just be a blank slate - however, the problem with that is that you end up with an "anything goes" society that most Americans want no part of. This is where "responsible" government comes in. Drug use should be regulated to an extent, how we behave in public should be regulated, how we conduct business with each other should be regulated, our educational standards should be regulated.
Permalink: EJTower_and_Terry.html
Words: 937
Category: travel
01/23/06 01:14 - 37ºF - ID#24592
Seattle Pics
Downtown Seattle - as seen from the top of the Space Needle.
The famous Pike St. Market - very cool place.
The original Starbucks - from here it spread like a cancer.
And finally, the last thing I looked at in downtown Seattle - a night view of the Needle - sorry for the blurriness.
Permalink: Seattle_Pics.html
Words: 129
Category: travel
01/20/06 12:28 - 52ºF - ID#24591
Back Home!
I'm very tired... the entire flight from Seattle to New York I sat next to a couple with a crying baby. The father politely suggested that I move, and I was like, "Um, no... I have an aisle seat and if you want your crying ass baby to lay down he better pull up a piece of lap."
I have pictures from Seattle, my new most favorite place I've travelled to. I'm just too exhausted to resize any of it, so I'll share it with you all later.
Permalink: Back_Home_.html
Words: 100
Category: mixed
01/19/06 01:14 - 28ºF - ID#24590
Ho sisters, fret not
The Alito nomination. Once again the idiots on the left failed in trying to paint a decent man as a racist bigot sexist homophobe. Who the hell came up with the idea of Ted *hiccup* Kennedy as the Grand Wizard of Morality for the Democratic Party... do you have any idea about how hilarious that is? Here's a guy who is responsible for the death of a girl a few decades back, who can't keep his lips away from the bottle, who made a Sen. Kennedy/Sen. Dodd sandwich with some girl in a hotel, who belonged to the Owl Club at Harvard - you know... the very club that Grand Wizard Kennedy belonged to that was in reality what GWK was trying to allege the CAP was about? I'm 138% convinced that somebody on the inside is trying to sabotage the liberal cause from the inside out. Personally I'm grateful.
Last - todays Supreme Court ruling re: the Oregon assisted suicide law. Did anyone see the USA Today article on this? I've never seen so many people grinning eagerly from ear to ear about having the right to kill themselves - its pathetic. FREEDOM!!! No Euthanisation without Representation! Euthanasia for all! Give me euthanasia or give me... um.. er... wait. What the fuck, do we really want to be like the Netherlands? Then again, likely these are the same people who believe that theres a Constitutional right to privacy... you know.... somehow somewhere if you cross your eyes, drink a quart of scotch and throw up on the Constitution it surely is in the 4th Amendment somewhere. Doctors that help people kill themselves are breaking the Hippocratic Oath, PERIOD.
Anyhow, that political rant was for the enjoyment of the Ho sisters, because they are the coolest chicks that are both here (Sarah) and not here (Jessica). Happy New Year to you both! Clinkie clinkie! When I hear the call for controversy I can't help but chip in.
Lets change channels to topics non-political. I fly home tomorrow on Ye Olde JetBlue Redeye (or the browneye as I like to call it, since everybody on the overnight flights smell like shit and make strange noises). The problem with being gone for so long is that when you come home you feel like a stranger in your own house... thats one of the hardest things about having the job I have. I'll be getting pictures of Mt. Rainier and Seattle proper tomorrow, so when I come home I'll be sure to post them. Until then, I have a couple from our trip through the mountain pass from Cashmere to Seattle. Enjoy! A special thanks to (e:matt) - thank you for tipping me off on GIMP for Windows - it was EXACTLY what I was looking for, and now hopefully when I travel I'll be able to update my journal with pictures!
The red bins in that one picture are the bins that the apples arrive to the processing plants in. I'm just saying... Washington state is very beautiful. This trip has been long and hard, but I feel glad and fortunate to have been able to go. You'll be seeing my face again soon, neighbors. I'll be around, but I most definitely want to drink this weekend.
Permalink: Ho_sisters_fret_not.html
Words: 779
Category: travel
01/15/06 02:01 - 15ºF - ID#24589
Hotel Pictures
Permalink: Hotel_Pictures.html
Words: 34
Category: travel
01/15/06 12:59 - 15ºF - ID#24588
I-90 Mountain Pass
I've got a wicked cold so I'm going to relax in the hotel today!
Permalink: I_90_Mountain_Pass.html
Words: 30
Category: travel
01/14/06 02:49 - 27ºF - ID#24587
Washington, Pt. II
One of the apple producers we visited did something very unique - the place was run by a kid my age (not bad for a multimillion dollar business) and his mother is an artist. She wanted to do something for the workers to make their areas a little brighter and nicer, so she hung some paintings. I thought it was cute.
Here are some random scenic shots.
Permalink: Washington_Pt_II.html
Words: 82
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Have you considered asking your boss for less hours? Just a random thought... maybe it will ease things up a bit so you can be there more for Jason, see and be in your 'hood more and get the chance to job search all while still getting some money coming in. Or maybe unemployment would pay better? lol
Ok, you have an updated resume. You know what you like/need from a boss and you know the lifestyle that you would like to get back to. That is a good start and there is no turning back.
Good for you for figuring out the what and why.. now it is a matter of how. Do you have any vacation or a period of time coming up that you can devote to the job search process?
A little bit of homework and self reflection before the resignation:
Consider your income: what you need to get by, what you need monetarily in order to live the lifestyle that you like and any other financials involved. What is the pay range that you are willing to accept in comparison to what you have now.
Your current position seems to have a good deal of freedom and independence. This will change. What kind of schedule, organizational culture, level of responsibility and autonomy will you tolerate, demand, desire.. ?
I am sure you have some contacts. Let them know you are looking for a new position. Call around and ask to talk to people in various positions to get a better idea of what is out there. Make a ‘contact card’ to hand out. Keep paper or disk copies of your resume/portfolio on you at all times. Every encounter is an opportunity to let people know that you are looking.
It may seem hokey, but make an action plan for yourself and establish a time line. All of this takes time, but you don’t want unproductive time to pass either. Check in with yourself, have a friend do the same.
A few other things to consider: what is it about your current job that you like? What could be done differently to make for a better work/life balance? Would you have an option to continue to work for the company in a manner that would allow you to have a more fulfilling life? (ie, can you negotiate with your boss?) If not, would you be willing to switch gears in a new field or would you want a similar knowledge based position?
In any way I can help you, or if you could use an ear, Do Not hesitate to call/email me. Got it? :)
Best of luck, Josh.
Do what you are doing and try to find another Job. However don't take one just to get away from the other one. If you do that you may not be happy in that job, and if you are misrible there then you won't be happy at home probobly. In other words make sure it is a Job you will enjoy. Money is important but it shouldn't rule your life. I'm guessing that if you had a lose of pay you could find someplace in a good nieghboorhood that you two could Afforid. You don't want to move somewhare that isn't safe or whare you don't feal safe or comfortable cause then whats the point of changing jobs.
The only other advise I can give you is (don't know your job well enough to know if it is possibe) when you travel find fun stuff to do in the city you visit. Agian I don't know if you have enough down time for that. I wish you luck and hope that what I wrote wasn't a complete waste of your time.