Support

I can’t express enough how thankful I am and how cool it is to have people who are interested in helping out. A number of people have thrown things my way…ideas, suggestions, and in one or two situations, actual jobs. Two people have offered to put my resume in the hands of individuals who do hiring.

It warms the cockles of my heart (what *are* heart cockles, anyway?) to know that there are people out there who know me and are willing to go that little bit for me.

If any of you are reading this who have offered me support in any way, large or small, please know that I appreciate it very much.

In about four hours I have to get up to take my son to the airport. He’s going to New Mexico for two weeks, where he will hike about 80 miles with a pack on his back. I’m very proud of him and happy and nervous for him as well. What a cool experience.

On another note, I found one of these today:

Roland RD700SX

At the dump. For free. It seems to work perfectly. I’m astonished. This is a $2200 keyboard, people. I guess I’ll have to start playing more keyboards.

I'm ok, I'm not ok, I'm ok. No, really.

Emotion. I haven’t even begun to get a handle on this. To start with, let’s assume I’m excited and enthusiastic about getting going on this and finding something new. Many of the opportunities I’m turning up are at least interesting, and at best *really cool*. I think this will only increase as I get deeper into it. I’ve been thinking about moving on for a long time, and going about it, whether voluntarily or not, is pretty exciting.

On the other hand, there is the fear. It’s irrational, I know, but I am regularly consumed by a deep, dark, cold fear that could paralyze me completely if I let it. Why is it irrational? Because intellectually I know that we will survive, even if I have real trouble turning something up. I can always get something, even if it’s not really what I want, that will help up keep ourselves afloat. We won’t lose our house, we’ll have enough to eat, and the kids will still be able to go to college. But that’s my big brain talking. Sometimes, deep in my gut, far away from my big brain, there’s a huge ugly freezing fear that threatens to take total control of me, and I’m afraid I’ll end up huddled in the corner. Silly, I know. It’ll be ok. I've always said, if it gets down to the wire I can work at Blockbuster. How could that not be cool?

Emotions are flying all over, and making me a little crazy. It’s a rollercoaster ride, and I’m just hanging on.

I turned up two new opportunities today, both at universities. I’ve applied for one, and will apply for the other as soon as it becomes available, which should be next week.

Fret factor: Moderate/high.

New Life? Nah, just a new post...

I started writing this post thinking that this would give my blog a new life. Then I thought that seemed like setting the bar pretty high, since it failed before. So, I’m thinking that I would like to write some about what’s going on my life, as there are now massive changes afoot, and maybe this blog is the place to do it.

So what you will get is maybe a new life, but at least a place for me to vent a little bit and share my feelings and my process of looking for a new job.

It’s not really that important to discuss how this came about. The important thing is that I’m now looking for a new job, after 13 years at VCU. I found out about this two weeks ago yesterday, and I have until October 1st. What have I done in two weeks? Not much. OK, maybe a little. I’ve been so busy trying to finish up this class I’m taking and also with the opening of The Tempest that I haven’t had time to get organized.

Here are a few things I’ve done.

The way it was presented to me, I could stay if I could find a grant or contract to fund 50% of my salary. However, The money to support that 50% would not come from the budget, but from the program income funds, which are not inexhaustible. Therefore, I think it’s wise to devote more effort to a job search than a grant search. I’ve sent out some emails asking folks to consider supporting me, but I will not devote much effort toward this. Even if I get the 50% it’s just a band-aid.

I’ve decided to cast a wide net, at least to start with. I have skills and experience that could serve me well in a number of different areas, so for now, I’ve started looking at school systems, training operations, education (higher and lower), nonprofits, corporations, recruiters, etc.

One of my problems has always been that it’s hard to define myself or what I would ideally like to do. I could see myself teaching technology to middle schoolers, or managing a training operation for Goodwill. What’s most important to me is working with good committed people and feeling like I’m making a contribution to society.

I sent emails to as many people as I could think of, asking them to keep an eye out for me. A couple of these are starting to generate some possible leads.

I updated my resume on Monster, which has generated a couple calls from recruiters, for contract jobs. Actually, for one contract job. Two recruiters contacted me, and it turns out to be the same job, an instructional design contract with Capital One.

I created a contact tracking document.

Next steps: I need to fill out some applications for some of the people I’ve contacted, and make a systematic plan for getting out there.

This is going to be something.

Since I finished my final today, tomorrow is when things get moving a little more thoroughly on this get a job thing.

Peace, ya’ll. Goodnight.

P.S. I've lost 12.2 pounds

The Tempest

I'm playing bass in the band for the Richmond Shakespeare production of The Tempest.

Here's a review from the Times-Dispatch:

The Tempest

Lake Superior Warming Rapidly

Lake Superior Warming

Climate Change could bring new Dust Bowl

Climate Change could bring new Dust Bowl

Willie the Shake

I've gotten involved with a theatre company here in Richmond:

Richmond Shakespeare

More to come about this. If you're interested, they're running Twelfth Night right now, with The Tempest and Henry IV Pt. I coming up in the summer.