the penguins march...

Time is on my side. Time is on your side. Sure it seems that way some of the time but what about when it's not. I heard about a cool job today but they want someone who can start mid-October. I am stuck where I am through November. How is that for having time on your side?

It might turn out to be a dream job. I haven't heard anything about what shift yet but it is on the coast in Southwestern Washington. Not sure which town exactly, but there are only a handful of towns that would be big enough to have hospitals anyway. I'm sure it would be an ideal place to live. It is a short-term contract position but potentially could turn into a permanent placement. Perfect, right?

Well, there may be extenuating circumstances that might force me to pass on it. All that remains to be seen, but I am leaning more and more each day toward staying in town.

Still Portland would be the closer big city down there and Portland is a city I can navigate more than any other. If I had to live on the coast it would be the Southern part of Washington or Oregon just for that reason.

Much more to think about, much much more. I think tonight is a good night for "waffling" so I'll break out the ol' iron and whip up some killer waffle batter before heading to work.

Peace,

b

you got served...

So you've been keeping tabs on me eh. So what happens next? Well I served my notice at work. It is official, I am quitting. They seem disappointed but understanding. I had a conversation with my boss (who I rarely see) and we agreed that I would stay through the end of November. They are finally getting someone hired and starting the first of next month to fill the spot left by the last person who quit but someone is taking convalescent leave and that is why I need to stay until the end of November.

Given all that the agency I am working with says they don't know for sure where they will try to place me until we get closer to December. Their placements are usually urgent and it doesn't always work to try to solicit them someone who isn't going to be available for 2 1/2 months.

OK, so none of that is really all that shocking, so what makes that newsworthy? Well, I won't get into any details, but let's just say that maybe now I don't want to leave. Maybe I like it here and I want to stay. Maybe the prospect of traveling and making extra money no longer appeals to me. Maybe I am suddenly optimistic about my future here, personally and professionally. Well, maybe not professionally, but you never know.

Anyway, I am going to leave it with that for now. I'm going to get cleaned up and run some errands. I want to see some of the other condo's in the city that are available or about to be completed. No point in staying if I don't have rad digs to put my feet up in. I am thinking of a water view instead of a mountain view. Things happen on the water, the mountain never does anything and half the time you can't see it when the city or nearby valley is socked-in.

Well, this is me leaving you guessing.

Peace,

b

[editors note: this was posted the same day I made contact with my girlfriend for the first time. we went out the next night, the rest is history, as is my having quit my job and then having had to beg to keep it instead. oh sweet irony!]

sort of official...

I put in notice today. My boss wasn't there though so I just left the paperwork in the box and went home. Will have to wait and see how they react to it, but I should be able to find out where my next job will be any day now.

Till then, peace,

b

ending the season with a no-decision...

Well I sat on it for a week and I am no closer to making up my mind about quitting my job and becoming a traveling tech. The agency seems confident that they can place me very quickly and I am sure that is the case, but things are about to get crazy where I work and I feel like I will be putting my coworkers through the wringer by leaving.

Maybe I shouldn't care that much, but in spite of all the crap I put up with and the lack of affection I feel from them, I would feel bad leaving them high and dry. I had a sit down with one of our technical leads the other day and we speculated about various things. I now feel confident that it would take not less than 3 years (and probably more like 5 years) before I could expect to be on day shift full time. With that said it is only a matter of time before I move on. If it is only a matter of when, then no time like the present right?

Still, knowing that this is ultimately the area I want to end up working and knowing that I wouldn't just be burning a bridge here but also with our partners who operate other hospitals and clinics in the area I would be narrowing my options by leaving them feeling that I ended things at an inopportune time. However, they require a 30 day notice in order to cash in your unpaid time off and consider you eligible for rehire. If I do my 30 days I would technically be eligible for rehire. That would put my exit as just before the storm will hit land and that might leave them feeling that I somehow shafted them.

Well, I am going to stall another day or two while this guy checks my other references and if he still feels really good about how strong a candidate for this type of work I am (ultimately it is the client's choice which tech they pick from the ones the agency presents) then I will go ahead and put in my notice.

Ultimately I feel that while it will be unfortunate how this departure leaves them they should have the resources to draw upon in order to make it through until they find another. If it comes down to it, they could always contact a staffing agency to fill it! I don't think the agency could ever represent me back to them, but that would be a trip.

The good news is he mentioned he had a few positions in the state that might be a good fit for what I want. They would still require travel, but at least on my days off I could go home. That is exciting. One sounds like it is on the coast and it would be fun to spend a winter along the coast. I've always imagined spending the night at the beach during a major fall or winter storm, watching the wind, waves and lightning from a cozy hotel room or lounge hoping for a power outage.

Ah sweet bliss.

Peace,

b

radio free tacoma...

For some time now I haven't been able to listen to the radio in my own apartment. I'm not sure if I shorted out that part of my receiver but every time I turn it to the FM dial I get major interference and/or static coming through the system. Maybe something is just not grounded properly. It wasn't like this when I first moved in here but it has been for quite a while. Maybe it has something to do with hooking up my sub.

Anyhow, this isn't about the WHY but the WHAT now? Obviously I forgot that I can listen to both of my favorite stations online. Oh goodie. So I'm all tuned in listening to John who is now the afternoon guy but used to be the morning guy. I don't really know the whole story but I generally only got to listen to the radio in the mornings and late at night (which is still my favorite time to tune in anyway) on my way to work. Now I can listen all day!

Which is exactly what I did today. I've already taken my nap and I'm ready to see what the evening has in store. I'm thinking of "do[ing] the Puyallup" but I haven't made up my mind yet. The only person I can get to go was going to go anyway tomorrow with another friend. I'm not sure I want to be their third wheel though. There is always the pub though.

I see a few hits already from my earlier post about temping but no comments. Oh well, nobody has an opinion about it so that is fine. I wonder if they could get me a day job in this area. Maybe employers are more willing to take chances on temps they can easily dispose of which could get me in the door in places that have tended to pass over me in the past.

I keep wishing I could get a doctors office job but it never seems to work out when I interview with dr's offices.

Well, not much else to say other than ENOUGH commercials, let's rock!

Peace,

b

weekend update...

While it isn't a full weekend, it is a Friday and Saturday night off. At this point I'll take whatever I can get. The biggest news I have to give isn't really news, not yet anyway.

I am thinking about serving notice at work and leaving to become a traveling temp. I am told the base pay is equivalent to what I am making now and they offer a substantial per diem that is intended to cover food and gas expenses incurred while away from home. Then they also cover/reimburse your lodging and transportation costs. Bottom line: if you figure food and gas were expenses you would've had anyway then the entire per diem is extra income. Toss in that I'm not consistently full time at my present job and I can only imagine how much more I can make. Oh, and I might get to travel to some cool places. We'll see.

For now I am just kicking around the idea. If anyone has any thoughts, do chime in. I'm still on the fence a little bit. There are days when I seriously consider quitting on the spot and then things just seem to go so much smoother for a while, as if I were actually working two completely different jobs.

I might not get to be very picky but I hear they have a hard time filling requests for traveling techs in Alaska and that is actually near the top of my list for places I might like to go for 3-6 months. It would be cool to be there in the winter time and in spring. I could even drive up there and have my car with me instead of taking a rental. They said if it is within a certain distance they will reimburse instead of flying you out and paying for the rental, it depends on whether their rate beats the cost of rentals or not.

The Puyallup Fair starts today. I am kind of zonked but today would be the good day to go as it is likely to be more crowded tomorrow. I've only been once and that was a field trip in the first grade. All we did was see the animals and certain other exhibits--no rides. I want to do the rides!

I suppose if I can find someone who feels like getting out there. We'll see.

Peace,

b