So the election is now behind us and we can stop being inundated with political ads and go right back to being inundated with ads that try to compel us into the sort of reckless debt-driven consumer behavior that got us into the financial mess we're in in the first place (though of course the consumers aren't the only ones to blame. The institutions who thought it was a good idea to lend money to people who have a history of not paying money back and then buy and sell those loans as if they were a commodity with any redeemable cash value had more to do with the pickle we're in than anything else. I think I'll take the safe road and blame everyone). But I feel I need to say a few things about my personal political stance before I let this thing go.
As some of you may remember, I used to be a Rush Limbaugh-listening Ayn Rand-reading hardcore right wing Republican. Now I'm a moderate who tries his best to look at the issues without throwing around terms like "liberal" or "conservative" which are tossed around so carelessly these days that they seem to have lost most of their meaning. I was a conservative in high school because that's what my friends were. It wasn't until I got out into the world a bit that I began to see that no single political party holds all the answers to every political question. Since high school I've seen poverty, corruption, crime, racism, and a whole slew of other sociopolitical problems that I just couldn't wrap my brain around in a hardcore conservative way. I also made friends with some hardcore Democrats and found more than a few hardcore Republicans that I couldn't stand. It didn't take long for me to see that my hard right stance wasn't right in every case and instance. Of course the left wasn't right all the time either. I soon found myself in a political no-man's-land where neither party fit my views and all the third parties seemed too radical or too absorbed in a single idea or issue. So what was I to do?
I began to look at the politics of this country as the swinging of a great pendulum. If it swings too far or too long to the left or the right, it upsets the delicate balance that keeps the political leanings of this country generally moderate. I don't think Democrats should be able to implement too many of their policies over too long a period of time and the same goes for the Republicans. If you think about the fact that George W. Bush has had a key to the front door of the White House for 20 of the last 28 years (It's true. There were 8 years where his father was Vice President under Reagan, 4 years where his father was President, and he has been President for 8 years) you can see that the delicate balance has been off kilter for a while. Bear in mind the fact that I have voted for Bush twice. I voted for him in the absence of better choices, and for campaign promises that he absolutely failed to live up to, but I did vote for him.
This year I voted for Obama. I did it proudly and happily. My only regret is that I didn't have two votes to cast for him because I woulda done it in a heartbeat. In the days leading up to and after the election, I have heard every slanderous accusation against Obama that you could imagine. I've heard him accused of not being a citizen of this country (a ridiculous argument because don't you think a candidate's citizenship is the first they check when you announce your candidacy?) I've heard him accused of being a terrorist (another ridiculous accusation which is absolutely false. But if it were true, which is isn't, it would represent a major breakdown in anti-terrorist intelligence, which is something I don't think Obama's accusers have considered). I've also seen him painted as a member of a radical Christian church and a Muslim, which are mutually exclusive religious affiliations. Fox news even went as far as to call a fist bump between Obama and his wife a "terrorist fist bump" or "terrorist fist jab." This is about as insane an argument as you can make. Megan and I have been bumping fists for a long time now and we have no ties to Al-Qaeda or the Taliban. It's a thing young people do and it is similar to a handshake or an old fashioned "high-five." I have just seen way too much mud slung Obama's way and so little of it has any bearing in reality.
Now please understand that I have a great amount of respect for McCain. When it was suggested that he should run for President, I told several people that I wished he wouldn't. He has done a lot of good as a Senator and has represented the state of Arizona with dignity and pride. I don't fault anyone who voted for McCain, just as I hope no one thinks any less of me for voting Obama way.
It breaks my heart to see how partisan this country has gotten. We have Democrats who think Republicans are heartless uneducated Bible-thumpers who wear bib overalls and have no grasp of the issues. We have Republicans who think Democrats are sandal-wearing hippies and godless heathens who have done so many drugs they wouldn't know an issue if they saw one. These generalizations don't really represent the makeup of either party. There are good people on both sides of every divisive issue in this country and I wish people would stop squabbling with each other long enough to realize that we're all just people trying to make the best of this world the only way we know how. We may go about it in different ways, but we're really not so different that we can't be friends.
Some of you may have missed the excellent speech Obama made after winning the election. I don't remember the last time I was as inspired by a political speech. Here are two quotes from that speech:
"I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead."
"Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too."
McCain's concession speech included similar sentiments. Here is a quote from that speech:
"I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited."
McCain was gracious in defeat and Obama was gracious in victory. There has never been a time in my life where two such men opposed each other for the office of the President of the United States. I know that some of you are less than pleased that Obama won the election, and I know some of you may disagree with nearly everything I've said in this entry. But the words of Abraham Lincoln are as true now as they ever were. "We are not enemies, but friends." I sincerely hope that this country will learn to put aside its partisan ways. That talking heads on the news and on the radio would love nothing more than to see the citizens of this country go another 4 or 8 years bashing heads with one another, but that is not the way it is meant to be. "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." We are not to do as Adlai Stevenson said we do as citizens, "Pick a President, and then for four years pick on him."
In the early days of the church, the saints were taught to seek legal recourse for the wrongdoings they suffered and to not take matters into their own hands. If you remember President Packer's talk from general conference, he talked about how the saints, upon reaching the Salt Lake Valley, held a patriotic parade the likes of which most of us have never seen in our lifetime. He said, "They chose patriotism and loyalty to that same government which had rejected and failed to assist them." There is much we can learn from the example of our pioneer ancestors.
Obama has not as yet set his hand to the bible to be sworn in as President of this country and there are those who refuse to give him any sort of chance to lead this nation. There are those who have already begun to murmur and speak in hushed voices about assassination. Those are not the principles by which we are to live our lives. We are always shocked to find members of our ward who go inactive when a new bishop is called because they refuse his leadership. Let us not be guilty of the very same transgression by refusing to accept the duly elected leader of our country.
Our country is in a precarious position right now. We are in a highly controversial and complex war. Our economy is teetering on the brink of depression. We are finding fewer and fewer allies in the other countries of the world, and more and more Americans are pretending to be Canadian when traveling abroad. The reputation of this country and the office of the President have been tarnished significantly over the past 16 years (yes, I'm including the Clinton Administration. See how I did that? I told you I was moderate). There is a long road of restoration and recovery ahead of us and any bickering or partisan pettiness only serves to impede the progress we could be making as a country.
So that's all I'm going to say about that. One thing I didn't plan on mentioning because I didn't think it was my place: I got some unexpected sad news from Todd today. Many of you may have heard that his Mom passed away. I don't have too many details because I didn't think it would be right to press for them, but her passing was unexpected. She was as good a woman as you could ever hope to meet. She was as kind to me as anyone has ever been and during high school she was like a second mother to me. I send my condolences to the Wilhelm family and I hope they will be comforted in this time of loss. This is one of those times where it all seems to be piling on. The tragic death of Vincent Romero and Timothy Romans and the uncertain fate of Vincent's son whose life will surely never be the same. Then we have the Wilhelms going through a difficult and sudden loss of their own.
In the midst of all the sadness and loss, there is a ray of hope. So I'm going to try to end this entry on a positive note. But you have to understand how all this went down so you'll understand why my head was spinning up until a few minutes ago. There were about a billion people who came up to the desk here at the library. It's crunch time on this particular project and we're getting the desperate procrastinators who come in droves and make unrealistic demands of us. So I'm dealing with all this hoo-ha at the front desk when I get a call from Megan, which is the ray of hope I'll share with you in a moment. Then I get a call from Todd, who is noticeably upset and in need of someone to talk to. I tried my best to be there for Todd in the little time I had so I could get back to the desk and deal with another barrage of patrons. In a span of only 10 minutes I was dealing with joy, frustration, guarded hope, sadness, loss, and madness. It seemed a bit much and I'm still trying to digest it all.
So here's the ray of hope: Megan got an email from the MLM that she interviewed with. They told her that she was at the top of their list for that job she interviewed for. Does this mean she gets the job? We don't know yet. That's why it's guarded hope. They're finishing their quarter or fiscal year or something and they need to do some evaluation before they can officially offer a job to Megan, but they wanted her to know that she is their first choice. So she'll find out this week if they can afford to take her on or not. So we are crossing every part of our bodies that can possibly be crossed and hoping this works out. There are so many things happening now that it wouldn't be greedy to ask that one of those things be good for us. So please remember us in your prayers. We appreciate all you have done for us thus far and for all the love and support we get from you.
I think that is officially it for this entry. It's a bulky one, but I hope you all made it through.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
A little hope
So things are getting much tighter around here, but would it really be a test of faith if faith wasn't all we had at the end of the day? We've been put in a situation where more than half of our income has been eliminated and we've still been able to make ends meet for the past two months. We have learned to rely on each other as husband and wife and our relationship is closer than it's ever been.
Here are some things to hope for:
1. We should be getting a check for three freelance jobs that I've done this week and James gets paid on Friday.
2. I had my final interview with FreeLife International last Thursday and it went well. We were hoping to get the job offer in that interview, but they won't have a decision until the end of this week or next week. I have done everything in my power to get that job, so now we just have to have faith that if it's the right job for me at this time than I'll get it.
3. I worked out a deal with a very popular restaurant in Gilbert that I can go do balloons for tips every night of the week and lunch on Saturday. This is how I supported myself all through high school and college and usually brings in a decent chunk of money. In doing this, I will still have my days free to substitute, work on any freelance jobs that might come in or go to interviews.
There's more that I would like to write about, but I've got to get ready to go to Young Womens so you all have a fantastic evening. Thanks again for all your love and support.
-Megan
Here are some things to hope for:
1. We should be getting a check for three freelance jobs that I've done this week and James gets paid on Friday.
2. I had my final interview with FreeLife International last Thursday and it went well. We were hoping to get the job offer in that interview, but they won't have a decision until the end of this week or next week. I have done everything in my power to get that job, so now we just have to have faith that if it's the right job for me at this time than I'll get it.
3. I worked out a deal with a very popular restaurant in Gilbert that I can go do balloons for tips every night of the week and lunch on Saturday. This is how I supported myself all through high school and college and usually brings in a decent chunk of money. In doing this, I will still have my days free to substitute, work on any freelance jobs that might come in or go to interviews.
There's more that I would like to write about, but I've got to get ready to go to Young Womens so you all have a fantastic evening. Thanks again for all your love and support.
-Megan
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Kompek Kompok
Hey everybody. There are so many things I need to write about I don't even know where to begin. I think I'll just start and see where it takes us. Megan still doesn't have a job (obviously, we would have called you if she did) and things are getting a bit tight around here. I had one of my paychecks levied by the state of Arizona who thinks that no matter how much I pay them in taxes, it's always a couple hundred bucks short. We had our electricity cut off a couple weeks ago (We had the money to pay it, we just thought we had paid it when we apparently hadn't) which cost us some money then and is going to continue to cost us in the months to come (seriously, SRP is taking way more than a pound of flesh and it seems completely ridiculous). There are other depressing wastes of money all around us which I'm probably forgetting to mention. Megan and I are running out of money and there isn't any end it sight. The economy is horrible and the job market couldn't possibly be worse. I say all this depressing stuff because Megan and I have chosen to keep our hopes high in the face of all this stuff. We know that we have no idea where next month's mortgage payment is coming from. We know we're going to have to tighten our belts even more than we already have. Even though we're fully aware of the calamity knocking at our front door, we're choosing to keep our faith and hope alive. We do not have the power to deliver ourselves from these problems, so we are putting our trust in a higher power. That being said, please continue to pray for us. We really need all the help we can get.
"We had a really nice weekend," he said, making a very bad transition from one line of thinking to the next. But yeah, we had a really nice Halloween and everything. Mary and Konden were out of town so they dropped off a couple of their kids (Edie and Aster) and we got to take them trick or treating. We went trick or treating in Shannon and BJ's neighborhood because that's where the girls were spending the night. We started out as a group and even met up with BJ's parents (BJ's mom was our realtor so it was nice to see her again) but before too long it was just Megan and I and the girls. It didn't take too long for Aster's bag to get too heavy for her to hold. She was nearly falling over backwards because of all the candy (BJ and Shannon's neighborhood is one of those neighborhoods that parents bus their kids to instead of having them trick or treat in their own neighborhood) so I was carrying her and her candy before the night was over. But they had a lot of fun and Megan and I enjoyed ourselves as well.
On Saturday we ended up going to the zoo with Richard, Carol, BJ, Shannon and the kids. It was nice to be back at the zoo. The only thing I remember about the zoo when we went back in the day (I think I was 12 the last time I went to the zoo) was that there was a massive goldfish in the water under the bridge. Well, that gigantic goldfish is still there. So at least some things don't change. We had a nice time at the zoo and Megan and I spent a little extra time with the Aldabra and Galapagos tortoises because we can't help ourselves. We even went to a pet store afterward and they had a couple nearly mature African Spurred tortoises. They get to be pretty big (24" across the shell lengthwise and in the neighborhood of 150 pounds) but they're only about half as big as the Aldabra and Galapagos tortoises. Anyway, I still want an African Spurred tortoise about as bad as I ever have.
Anyway, we had a really fun weekend. I think I was going to write more in this entry, but I forget what. So I think I'll just throw this up and let you enjoy it...or not. Whatever. I won't tell you how to feel about it.
"We had a really nice weekend," he said, making a very bad transition from one line of thinking to the next. But yeah, we had a really nice Halloween and everything. Mary and Konden were out of town so they dropped off a couple of their kids (Edie and Aster) and we got to take them trick or treating. We went trick or treating in Shannon and BJ's neighborhood because that's where the girls were spending the night. We started out as a group and even met up with BJ's parents (BJ's mom was our realtor so it was nice to see her again) but before too long it was just Megan and I and the girls. It didn't take too long for Aster's bag to get too heavy for her to hold. She was nearly falling over backwards because of all the candy (BJ and Shannon's neighborhood is one of those neighborhoods that parents bus their kids to instead of having them trick or treat in their own neighborhood) so I was carrying her and her candy before the night was over. But they had a lot of fun and Megan and I enjoyed ourselves as well.
On Saturday we ended up going to the zoo with Richard, Carol, BJ, Shannon and the kids. It was nice to be back at the zoo. The only thing I remember about the zoo when we went back in the day (I think I was 12 the last time I went to the zoo) was that there was a massive goldfish in the water under the bridge. Well, that gigantic goldfish is still there. So at least some things don't change. We had a nice time at the zoo and Megan and I spent a little extra time with the Aldabra and Galapagos tortoises because we can't help ourselves. We even went to a pet store afterward and they had a couple nearly mature African Spurred tortoises. They get to be pretty big (24" across the shell lengthwise and in the neighborhood of 150 pounds) but they're only about half as big as the Aldabra and Galapagos tortoises. Anyway, I still want an African Spurred tortoise about as bad as I ever have.
Anyway, we had a really fun weekend. I think I was going to write more in this entry, but I forget what. So I think I'll just throw this up and let you enjoy it...or not. Whatever. I won't tell you how to feel about it.
Monday, October 27, 2008
You Take the Low Road and I'll Take the High Road
So things at work have been getting a little out of hand recently. I know that certain people are trying to force me out and are doing everything they can to paint me as a horrible person and all-around bad employee. I've gotten angry at times, I've taken potshots at others. I've whined, moaned, and complained about it enough to make all y'all sick. Granted, it is a hard thing working in a place where you are not valued and you are constantly being set up for failure by a manipulative liar whose greatest ambition is to see you fired, but that's no reason for me to take any retaliation.
I admit I have plotted, schemed, and planned ways to turn the tables in my present situation. I was actually going to take action today and do unto others the same slimy underhanded things they do to me. I have the opportunity to mess with the person who messes with me, but I decided not to take it.
In the early days of the church the saints had many horrible things done to them. I don't think having a petty insignificant supervisor make things a little hard for you while you continue to cash a steady paycheck can compare in any way with being tarred and feathered. Many times the saints wanted to seek revenge (some actually did take revenge and it turned out about as bad for the church as anything ever could) but were always counseled against it. Joseph Smith cried to the heavens for vengeance and the destruction of his enemies. I myself have wished plagues and all manner of horrible things on my oppressor. But the fact remains: the instructions the Lord gave the church was to be patient, seek legal recourse where they could, and trust in Him to give them what they need.
I have sought legal recourse with my oppressor. I have tried to call attention to the problems that plague this job through every authorized means I know, but it is all for naught. This is a state job and nobody gets fired unless they commit murder or something like unto it. I have applied to every other job in the system that I could find, but I don't think my deliverance will come that way.
Now back to the matter at hand: I have the ability and the resources at my disposal to play the same horrible mud-slinging game that is being played on me. The temptation to oppress the oppressor was unbearable. But I've been impressed by a couple things and I'd like to point them out here:
1) When I leave this horrible horrible job (and mark my words, I will leave it as soon as I am able) I want to leave it with the knowledge that even though I was mistreated in a number of ways and had every reason to seek vengeance, that I did not sink to their level. I don't want to leave this place knowing that they broke my spirit or that they brought me down to their level. It is my every intention to leave with as much dignity as I can muster.
2) This place has been as much of a trial as anything else in my life (living with horrible roommates, being single for way too long, being betrayed by friends, etc). If this is a trial, then there is obviously something I am supposed to learn here. If I ever want to get out, I have to learn what I need to learn and move on. I can't get caught up in revenge and hope to learn and grow. If The Count of Monte Cristo taught us anything (the book, not the 2002 movie which taught the exact opposite lesson of the book because some Hollywood executive wanted a happy ending) it's that revenge is never satisfying and it will ultimately consume the avenger and destroy their life. Just like it almost did for Sato in Karate Kid 2.
Anyway, the point of all this blabbering is to say that I don't want to be dragged down and end up staying here forever. I want to rise up and shake off these shackles. I don't want to be miserable for 40 hours a week for the rest of my life. I don't want to be so full of hatred that it seeps into my private life. So I'm letting a lot of that stuff go. It's a hard process and I'm not saying that I'm 100% done hating my oppressor right now as I write these words. But in choosing to not kick against the pricks, I'm taking that first step in the right direction that will eventually get me out of this place.
Anyway, this entry has been completely self-indulgent and I can't blame you if you didn't read it. I apologize for not writing sooner. I really wanted to let Megan write because you're all a lot more interested in what goes on with her job interviews than any whining or complaining I might be compelled to do. So I laid off for a while and let Megan take the wheel. Hopefully she'll get a new job soon and I'll be back trying to make mundane things sound interesting. But thanks for reading and thanks for all the thoughts and prayers on our behalf.
I admit I have plotted, schemed, and planned ways to turn the tables in my present situation. I was actually going to take action today and do unto others the same slimy underhanded things they do to me. I have the opportunity to mess with the person who messes with me, but I decided not to take it.
In the early days of the church the saints had many horrible things done to them. I don't think having a petty insignificant supervisor make things a little hard for you while you continue to cash a steady paycheck can compare in any way with being tarred and feathered. Many times the saints wanted to seek revenge (some actually did take revenge and it turned out about as bad for the church as anything ever could) but were always counseled against it. Joseph Smith cried to the heavens for vengeance and the destruction of his enemies. I myself have wished plagues and all manner of horrible things on my oppressor. But the fact remains: the instructions the Lord gave the church was to be patient, seek legal recourse where they could, and trust in Him to give them what they need.
I have sought legal recourse with my oppressor. I have tried to call attention to the problems that plague this job through every authorized means I know, but it is all for naught. This is a state job and nobody gets fired unless they commit murder or something like unto it. I have applied to every other job in the system that I could find, but I don't think my deliverance will come that way.
Now back to the matter at hand: I have the ability and the resources at my disposal to play the same horrible mud-slinging game that is being played on me. The temptation to oppress the oppressor was unbearable. But I've been impressed by a couple things and I'd like to point them out here:
1) When I leave this horrible horrible job (and mark my words, I will leave it as soon as I am able) I want to leave it with the knowledge that even though I was mistreated in a number of ways and had every reason to seek vengeance, that I did not sink to their level. I don't want to leave this place knowing that they broke my spirit or that they brought me down to their level. It is my every intention to leave with as much dignity as I can muster.
2) This place has been as much of a trial as anything else in my life (living with horrible roommates, being single for way too long, being betrayed by friends, etc). If this is a trial, then there is obviously something I am supposed to learn here. If I ever want to get out, I have to learn what I need to learn and move on. I can't get caught up in revenge and hope to learn and grow. If The Count of Monte Cristo taught us anything (the book, not the 2002 movie which taught the exact opposite lesson of the book because some Hollywood executive wanted a happy ending) it's that revenge is never satisfying and it will ultimately consume the avenger and destroy their life. Just like it almost did for Sato in Karate Kid 2.
Anyway, the point of all this blabbering is to say that I don't want to be dragged down and end up staying here forever. I want to rise up and shake off these shackles. I don't want to be miserable for 40 hours a week for the rest of my life. I don't want to be so full of hatred that it seeps into my private life. So I'm letting a lot of that stuff go. It's a hard process and I'm not saying that I'm 100% done hating my oppressor right now as I write these words. But in choosing to not kick against the pricks, I'm taking that first step in the right direction that will eventually get me out of this place.
Anyway, this entry has been completely self-indulgent and I can't blame you if you didn't read it. I apologize for not writing sooner. I really wanted to let Megan write because you're all a lot more interested in what goes on with her job interviews than any whining or complaining I might be compelled to do. So I laid off for a while and let Megan take the wheel. Hopefully she'll get a new job soon and I'll be back trying to make mundane things sound interesting. But thanks for reading and thanks for all the thoughts and prayers on our behalf.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
My Two Minute Interview
I know a lot of you are anxious to find out how the interviews went. Well Wed was a fun day with just enough time time between interviews to go home, eat what ever meal was designated to that time of the day, and head out to the next interview.
The first interview was for a company called FreeLife International. Everyone there seamed really nice and they liked me enough to call me back for a second interview next Friday. I generally speaking like the job except for the fact that it's a multilevel marketing company. I know enough people that have had a negative experience in these types of companies (including myself) that it's left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. In the position that I would have with the company I wouldn't even really be able to tell that it's a direct sales company. I would be doing the same work as in any other job. It just depends if I can remove myself emotionally enough from the type of company it is to enjoy my job. In this case, if I needed to, I think I could.
The next interview with Ultra Entertainment had a much better cause than the first. Instead of promises of riches from selling Goji juice, Ultra Entertainment is a promotional company for emerging musicians around the country. I would be designing websites, press packages, posters and CD covers for independent musicians and small record companies. Everyone was super nice and the work there would be highly creative. Plus the company is in east Mesa so I would always be driving in the opposite direction as traffic. It's also about a mile away from where my sister Shannon lives, so I can go to her house during lunch. This is my favorite job possibility. My concerns with the job are that I know they are interviewing a lot of graphic designers so there's a greater chance that I won't be chosen and the pay won't be as high since they are dealing with clients that don't have a whole lot of money to throw around.
The next interview I has was for a position with a company in downtown Phoenix. This job is promising because I have a lot of experience in the type of work I would be doing. They really like the fact that in my last job I was responsible for proof reading the designs that went through our department to catch any possible mistakes. I also have experience in Quark which is a design program that is becoming fairly obsolete since the introduction of the Adobe Suite. My concerns with this company is that they are interviewing my for a position that already has a designer. Apparently they are unhappy with the designer because of some errors in proofreading that have gone through and some bad working habits that have developed. I know from personal experience that these types of behaviors are a system of low job satisfaction. I have had a position before that didn't give me enough time to properly check for errors and was stressful the the point where my work started to suffer. They seam to be having a consistent problem with this type of behavior and I'm wondering if it says more about the position than the people that have filled it. Plus this job is downtown Phoenix so I would be faced with 1-2 hours of total commuting everyday. This is probably my least favorite option, but It isn't bad enough that I would decline a job offer if I was given one.
Although the job interviews I had on Wednesday went well, none of them seamed like an absolutely perfect fit. The interview that I had on Thursday was one that both James and I had high hopes for. The pay was good, I met every qualification they were looking for and it wouldn't be that long of a commute. But even with everything that this interview had going for it, the interview was scheduled for 2:00 and I was back in my car by 2:02. The first thing the man interviewing me let me know was that the company was a distributor of adult items for relationship enhancement. He let me know that for the adult industry they were actually quite mild but for a hard core Christian of a Mormon it might not be a great fit. I let him know that I was indeed Mormon and we graciously parted ways without even cracking open my portfolio. So, I guess I found the limit of what I'm willing to put up with in a job. I'll take an MLM, lower pay or stress over working in the adult industry any day of the week.
Well thank you all for your love and support. I means a lot to us that we have so many people praying for our success.
Love you all,
Megan
The first interview was for a company called FreeLife International. Everyone there seamed really nice and they liked me enough to call me back for a second interview next Friday. I generally speaking like the job except for the fact that it's a multilevel marketing company. I know enough people that have had a negative experience in these types of companies (including myself) that it's left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. In the position that I would have with the company I wouldn't even really be able to tell that it's a direct sales company. I would be doing the same work as in any other job. It just depends if I can remove myself emotionally enough from the type of company it is to enjoy my job. In this case, if I needed to, I think I could.
The next interview with Ultra Entertainment had a much better cause than the first. Instead of promises of riches from selling Goji juice, Ultra Entertainment is a promotional company for emerging musicians around the country. I would be designing websites, press packages, posters and CD covers for independent musicians and small record companies. Everyone was super nice and the work there would be highly creative. Plus the company is in east Mesa so I would always be driving in the opposite direction as traffic. It's also about a mile away from where my sister Shannon lives, so I can go to her house during lunch. This is my favorite job possibility. My concerns with the job are that I know they are interviewing a lot of graphic designers so there's a greater chance that I won't be chosen and the pay won't be as high since they are dealing with clients that don't have a whole lot of money to throw around.
The next interview I has was for a position with a company in downtown Phoenix. This job is promising because I have a lot of experience in the type of work I would be doing. They really like the fact that in my last job I was responsible for proof reading the designs that went through our department to catch any possible mistakes. I also have experience in Quark which is a design program that is becoming fairly obsolete since the introduction of the Adobe Suite. My concerns with this company is that they are interviewing my for a position that already has a designer. Apparently they are unhappy with the designer because of some errors in proofreading that have gone through and some bad working habits that have developed. I know from personal experience that these types of behaviors are a system of low job satisfaction. I have had a position before that didn't give me enough time to properly check for errors and was stressful the the point where my work started to suffer. They seam to be having a consistent problem with this type of behavior and I'm wondering if it says more about the position than the people that have filled it. Plus this job is downtown Phoenix so I would be faced with 1-2 hours of total commuting everyday. This is probably my least favorite option, but It isn't bad enough that I would decline a job offer if I was given one.
Although the job interviews I had on Wednesday went well, none of them seamed like an absolutely perfect fit. The interview that I had on Thursday was one that both James and I had high hopes for. The pay was good, I met every qualification they were looking for and it wouldn't be that long of a commute. But even with everything that this interview had going for it, the interview was scheduled for 2:00 and I was back in my car by 2:02. The first thing the man interviewing me let me know was that the company was a distributor of adult items for relationship enhancement. He let me know that for the adult industry they were actually quite mild but for a hard core Christian of a Mormon it might not be a great fit. I let him know that I was indeed Mormon and we graciously parted ways without even cracking open my portfolio. So, I guess I found the limit of what I'm willing to put up with in a job. I'll take an MLM, lower pay or stress over working in the adult industry any day of the week.
Well thank you all for your love and support. I means a lot to us that we have so many people praying for our success.
Love you all,
Megan
Friday, October 24, 2008
Mele Kalikimaka Is Merry Christmas is Hawaii Talka
Hey everybody. I'm feeling pretty darn festive this week because I just started sorting through the songs for this year's Christmas CD's. Now you may be thinking, "Isn't it a bit early to start listening to Christmas music?" The answer is yes. It is a bit early. But here's the thing: the best time to look for Christmas music is right at or shortly after Christmas. It's too short a time for me to get a decent Christmas mix together and in all y'alls hands in time to enjoy it. So what do I do? I get all the songs I can during and after Christmas and then I use them for the next year's mix. So the songs you'll be hearing are all songs I actually found last year.
I throw everything that doesn't stink up the joint at first listen (the standards for what sounds good are pretty low when I'm at the stage in the process) into a playlist and let it sit for a year. Then I go through all that music and decide what's worthy and what ain't. Some songs get shuffled back in for next year when there are too many good songs to use in a single year. This year there are 271 songs in the running and only about 50 of them will get to be on the mix. So I decided to start my sorting now so I can have CD's to hand out to everybody at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately for me, the sorting is going faster than usual and I'm feeling myself slip into the Christmas spirit before we've even had Halloween. That just doesn't seem right.
The point of me explaining my holiday CD making process is to make you less likely to scratch your head at the title of today's entry. It comes from a Beach Boys song called "Mele Kalikimaka" and it's a fantastic/hilarious song. It actually didn't make the cut this year, so that ought to tell you how good the mix is going to be. You'll thank me later.
Oh, I should mention this: in one of the many podcasts I listen to (they keep me from getting bored at work...sort of)they were talking about the "Christmas Creep." It refers to the fact that stores are putting Christmas stuff out earlier and earlier every year. The term was actually coined in the 80s, but I just heard it a few weeks ago. Basically, retailers are trying to make as much money as possible from Christmas. I can't stand the commercialization of Christmas. Every year the people on the idiot box tell me I need to be spending more and more money on Christmas. They tell me I need to be buying new cars with big bows on them. They tell me I need to be buying diamonds. They try to sell me a grade A load of bull honky every single year and I get tired of it. But you know what I never get tired of? I never get tired of Christmas music (especially Christmas hymns), Christmas movies, giving and receiving goodie plates, caroling, spending quality time with the family, Christmas messages at church, reading the Christmas story, taking part in family traditions, peanut brittle...oh how I love the peanut brittle. I could go on and on about the things I love about Christmas (most of which don't cost a whole lot to enjoy), but I won't. The point is: I love Christmas. I can't wait for Christmas to roll around this year. The reason I can't wait isn't because I'm going to go crazy into debt so I can buy some love from friends and family by giving them extravagant presents. I'm looking forward to Christmas because I find that the older I get, the more the little things mean to me. So darn the Christmas creep and hooray for sorting through Christmas music in mid-October.
So I made a conscious effort to not write any entries this week. As you know, my lovely wife had several interviews this week, one that resulted in hilarious circumstances (I'll let her tell that story. It's a good'n). The interviews went well and she has a second interview lined up with one of the companies, so our faith and hopes are flying high as ever right now.
I've had a bit of a ridiculous week. Certain persons that I work for have really stepped up their efforts in trying to make me feel unwelcome in the liberry. I had no buffer yesterday and things got way out of hand. It is more clear now than it has ever been that I need to leave this place behind me. The only thing is: this is the only job Megan and I have between us. But rest assured: as soon as she's gainfully employed and we're back on our feet and rolling I'll be hitting the pavement looking high and low for any job that meets these two criteria: 1) They pay me better than this job, and 2) They aren't complete jerks. I don't imagine it would be too hard to find a job that meets those requirements even when factoring in the bad economy. But yeah, I think the point I was originally trying to make was this: there is a certain person who goes to great lengths to prove that there are no lengths to which they will not go to mess with me. Yeah, the boss man is a stinker.
One last thing I have to mention before I close this thing up: last week I missed the first Weezer concert of my life. I have seen them every single time they have been in Arizona from 1996 (the year I became old enough to go to concerts) onward. I have seen Weezer plenty of times, but I don't feel like I'm done seeing them. They are and will remain my favorite band of all time. Few bands have meant as much to me over the years (Jellyfish and The Band got me through some hard times, but I can't say that they have had as lasting an effect as Weezer). In many ways I wish I could have gone, but I'm okay that I didn't get to go. Megan and I are going through some of those hard times that define what a marriage is made of, and from what I can tell we're made of some reasonably strong stuff. I don't know if we've seen the worst of it yet or if there's more that will be required of us in the trials we're currently experiencing. But I can say that I'm proud of the choices I've made in the past year or two. I've had more joy and seen more improvement in my life than I've seen in a long time. So if I don't get to go to a Weezer concert because the wife and I are in the furnace of trial and affliction, that's okay. There are more important things in life, and I've already seen Weezer six times. This is not to say that I won't shoot for seven should the opportunity arise, but I'm acknowledging the fact that I'm a little more grown up than I used to be and that's not necessarily a bad thing.\
Okay, so I guess I've given you a hodgepodge of an entry today. Hopefully all y'all can figure out what I'm trying to say here. As always, thanks for your love and support. Megan and I appreciate it.
I throw everything that doesn't stink up the joint at first listen (the standards for what sounds good are pretty low when I'm at the stage in the process) into a playlist and let it sit for a year. Then I go through all that music and decide what's worthy and what ain't. Some songs get shuffled back in for next year when there are too many good songs to use in a single year. This year there are 271 songs in the running and only about 50 of them will get to be on the mix. So I decided to start my sorting now so I can have CD's to hand out to everybody at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately for me, the sorting is going faster than usual and I'm feeling myself slip into the Christmas spirit before we've even had Halloween. That just doesn't seem right.
The point of me explaining my holiday CD making process is to make you less likely to scratch your head at the title of today's entry. It comes from a Beach Boys song called "Mele Kalikimaka" and it's a fantastic/hilarious song. It actually didn't make the cut this year, so that ought to tell you how good the mix is going to be. You'll thank me later.
Oh, I should mention this: in one of the many podcasts I listen to (they keep me from getting bored at work...sort of)they were talking about the "Christmas Creep." It refers to the fact that stores are putting Christmas stuff out earlier and earlier every year. The term was actually coined in the 80s, but I just heard it a few weeks ago. Basically, retailers are trying to make as much money as possible from Christmas. I can't stand the commercialization of Christmas. Every year the people on the idiot box tell me I need to be spending more and more money on Christmas. They tell me I need to be buying new cars with big bows on them. They tell me I need to be buying diamonds. They try to sell me a grade A load of bull honky every single year and I get tired of it. But you know what I never get tired of? I never get tired of Christmas music (especially Christmas hymns), Christmas movies, giving and receiving goodie plates, caroling, spending quality time with the family, Christmas messages at church, reading the Christmas story, taking part in family traditions, peanut brittle...oh how I love the peanut brittle. I could go on and on about the things I love about Christmas (most of which don't cost a whole lot to enjoy), but I won't. The point is: I love Christmas. I can't wait for Christmas to roll around this year. The reason I can't wait isn't because I'm going to go crazy into debt so I can buy some love from friends and family by giving them extravagant presents. I'm looking forward to Christmas because I find that the older I get, the more the little things mean to me. So darn the Christmas creep and hooray for sorting through Christmas music in mid-October.
So I made a conscious effort to not write any entries this week. As you know, my lovely wife had several interviews this week, one that resulted in hilarious circumstances (I'll let her tell that story. It's a good'n). The interviews went well and she has a second interview lined up with one of the companies, so our faith and hopes are flying high as ever right now.
I've had a bit of a ridiculous week. Certain persons that I work for have really stepped up their efforts in trying to make me feel unwelcome in the liberry. I had no buffer yesterday and things got way out of hand. It is more clear now than it has ever been that I need to leave this place behind me. The only thing is: this is the only job Megan and I have between us. But rest assured: as soon as she's gainfully employed and we're back on our feet and rolling I'll be hitting the pavement looking high and low for any job that meets these two criteria: 1) They pay me better than this job, and 2) They aren't complete jerks. I don't imagine it would be too hard to find a job that meets those requirements even when factoring in the bad economy. But yeah, I think the point I was originally trying to make was this: there is a certain person who goes to great lengths to prove that there are no lengths to which they will not go to mess with me. Yeah, the boss man is a stinker.
One last thing I have to mention before I close this thing up: last week I missed the first Weezer concert of my life. I have seen them every single time they have been in Arizona from 1996 (the year I became old enough to go to concerts) onward. I have seen Weezer plenty of times, but I don't feel like I'm done seeing them. They are and will remain my favorite band of all time. Few bands have meant as much to me over the years (Jellyfish and The Band got me through some hard times, but I can't say that they have had as lasting an effect as Weezer). In many ways I wish I could have gone, but I'm okay that I didn't get to go. Megan and I are going through some of those hard times that define what a marriage is made of, and from what I can tell we're made of some reasonably strong stuff. I don't know if we've seen the worst of it yet or if there's more that will be required of us in the trials we're currently experiencing. But I can say that I'm proud of the choices I've made in the past year or two. I've had more joy and seen more improvement in my life than I've seen in a long time. So if I don't get to go to a Weezer concert because the wife and I are in the furnace of trial and affliction, that's okay. There are more important things in life, and I've already seen Weezer six times. This is not to say that I won't shoot for seven should the opportunity arise, but I'm acknowledging the fact that I'm a little more grown up than I used to be and that's not necessarily a bad thing.\
Okay, so I guess I've given you a hodgepodge of an entry today. Hopefully all y'all can figure out what I'm trying to say here. As always, thanks for your love and support. Megan and I appreciate it.
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