Well, the first day of my new employment gig is under my belt. It doesn't feel as though I've actually been away from the work, the task of getting the work done. The place is like most very small businesses. Sparse but adequate, functional and matching furniture; a part-time administrative assistant (whom I've yet to meet); quiet but well lit environment. There isn't free coffee, not even a refrigerator. It's all about getting the work done as quickly and as cost effectively as possible. They are not in this to impress clients with a remarkable edifice and fancy surroundings. They're in it for the work and, of course, the profit of doing business.
Wish me luck as I begin what I hope and pray will be the remaining employment experience of my life. I REALLY don not want to go through the last six months ever again.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
WELL, THE VACATION IS OVER
Yes dear readers, my forced vacation, which has just passed its six month mark, has come to an end. After 194 applications (some of these multiple times to the same opening at different times), I have landed a position with Kapitan Engineering, Inc. http://www.kapitan-eng.com/
As the web site states, the main focus of Kapitan is telecommunications, infrastructure planning and mapping and civil engineering. My role, according to the boss, is to be the computer aided drafting (CAD) "go to guy". With my twenty-five-plus years of said experience, this should be a good fit for both Kapitan and me.
This proves the statistics really apply in my case. First, the average length of unemployment is six months. My sentence was just five days over this. Second, the job seeker is told constantly not to "settle" for a job in panic or haste, that just like investing, one needs to be in it for the long haul. I am glad I adhered to this advice and did not "settle" for Walmart or some low-paying factory or warehouse job - not that these places were beating down my door to hire me anyway. And third, it is said that about 75% of all jobs found are through networking. In my case, a friend suggested I call Kapitan. I did, and almost two months to the day later I have been hired.
This also strengthens my belief in prayer. Since the very first day of my latest unemployment stint, I have prayed every day, multiple times, that God would grant me this latest gift and at His time frame, not mine. It is He who has blessed me with my talents and abilities and now, again, a place to put them to work to His glory. I guess that this forced vacation was His way of allowing me to spend far more time with my wife helping her at her work and at home while she won the bread and to spend extra quality time with my precious granddaughter. It has also helped us learn how to better manage the monetary gifts God has bestowed and the lessons we learned from Dave Ramsey. Sherri and I even made short lists of things on which we were going to spend money once I got back to work, even if I did have to "settle". God's ways are truly mysterious.
As the web site states, the main focus of Kapitan is telecommunications, infrastructure planning and mapping and civil engineering. My role, according to the boss, is to be the computer aided drafting (CAD) "go to guy". With my twenty-five-plus years of said experience, this should be a good fit for both Kapitan and me.
This proves the statistics really apply in my case. First, the average length of unemployment is six months. My sentence was just five days over this. Second, the job seeker is told constantly not to "settle" for a job in panic or haste, that just like investing, one needs to be in it for the long haul. I am glad I adhered to this advice and did not "settle" for Walmart or some low-paying factory or warehouse job - not that these places were beating down my door to hire me anyway. And third, it is said that about 75% of all jobs found are through networking. In my case, a friend suggested I call Kapitan. I did, and almost two months to the day later I have been hired.
This also strengthens my belief in prayer. Since the very first day of my latest unemployment stint, I have prayed every day, multiple times, that God would grant me this latest gift and at His time frame, not mine. It is He who has blessed me with my talents and abilities and now, again, a place to put them to work to His glory. I guess that this forced vacation was His way of allowing me to spend far more time with my wife helping her at her work and at home while she won the bread and to spend extra quality time with my precious granddaughter. It has also helped us learn how to better manage the monetary gifts God has bestowed and the lessons we learned from Dave Ramsey. Sherri and I even made short lists of things on which we were going to spend money once I got back to work, even if I did have to "settle". God's ways are truly mysterious.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
THE PRESIDENT VISITS WISCONSIN
A presidential visit, buy any president, is always a big deal. We, as good citizens and good Christians, must respect the office, even if the person holding it is not what we would like. That being said, I wish he would pay for these campaign trips himself!
He started his campaign tour in Menomonee Falls where a closed speech was delivered at a company that supplies what he terms as "green jobs". They're "green" because they build batteries. The reports from this event mentioned that the company, ZBB, received a stimulus loan of $14million to expand and "maybe" create 80 new jobs. As I watched, I commented that if this company can't sell its batteries for wind turbines in the next year, what with the lack of an energy policy or a budget, the company would be out of business in a year. Wow, was I right on.
On "Newsbusters.org", they highlighted a Wall Street Journal report on ZBB. It turns out that this company, this perfect evidence of the green economy working, is hemorrhaging money. They've lost $20million in the last four years. Their last CEO had to resign for improper tax filing (surprise!). The WSJ also reported that, because the plant uses only 10% of its production capacity, it cannot actually qualify for the $14million reportedly being loaned. In 2006 when they went public, a share sold for $6. Today it closed at $0.70. That's why it's a good investment for the government stimulus money, right?
The Wisconsin trip was also marred by a private pilot who had the audacity to fly within 30 miles of downtown Milwaukee and, accordingly, was forced down by two F-16's here in Watertown. I could hear the planes from my underground lair. What a surprise for him. Imagine not knowing the every move of a president. This isn't the President's fault, but the enhancement to the story is impossible to ignore.
From the private speech to the failing business he went on to a $250-per-plate fund raising luncheon for the Democrat candidate for governor, who just happens to be a former Democrat Congressman and current Democrat Mayor of Milwaukee. (I used "Democrat" so often because the media doesn't.) After this, his limousine entourage left out the back door to avoid the unwashed. Four hours later it was off to more comfortable environs, for him - L.A. I say, keep campaigning, Mr. President, because for every politician you've backed, all have lost an election. and, as long as you're not in Washington, you're not playing President, you're playing campaigner - a more comfortable role.
He started his campaign tour in Menomonee Falls where a closed speech was delivered at a company that supplies what he terms as "green jobs". They're "green" because they build batteries. The reports from this event mentioned that the company, ZBB, received a stimulus loan of $14million to expand and "maybe" create 80 new jobs. As I watched, I commented that if this company can't sell its batteries for wind turbines in the next year, what with the lack of an energy policy or a budget, the company would be out of business in a year. Wow, was I right on.
On "Newsbusters.org", they highlighted a Wall Street Journal report on ZBB. It turns out that this company, this perfect evidence of the green economy working, is hemorrhaging money. They've lost $20million in the last four years. Their last CEO had to resign for improper tax filing (surprise!). The WSJ also reported that, because the plant uses only 10% of its production capacity, it cannot actually qualify for the $14million reportedly being loaned. In 2006 when they went public, a share sold for $6. Today it closed at $0.70. That's why it's a good investment for the government stimulus money, right?
The Wisconsin trip was also marred by a private pilot who had the audacity to fly within 30 miles of downtown Milwaukee and, accordingly, was forced down by two F-16's here in Watertown. I could hear the planes from my underground lair. What a surprise for him. Imagine not knowing the every move of a president. This isn't the President's fault, but the enhancement to the story is impossible to ignore.
From the private speech to the failing business he went on to a $250-per-plate fund raising luncheon for the Democrat candidate for governor, who just happens to be a former Democrat Congressman and current Democrat Mayor of Milwaukee. (I used "Democrat" so often because the media doesn't.) After this, his limousine entourage left out the back door to avoid the unwashed. Four hours later it was off to more comfortable environs, for him - L.A. I say, keep campaigning, Mr. President, because for every politician you've backed, all have lost an election. and, as long as you're not in Washington, you're not playing President, you're playing campaigner - a more comfortable role.
Monday, August 9, 2010
"LET THEM EAT CAKE"
During the end of the reign of Marie Antoinette in France, the elitist ruling class had all the money and the rest of the subjects - an apt term for those being "ruled" - had nothing. At one point an advisor happened to mention that these subjects were running out of bread to eat and the queen said "let them eat cake". As if that would have been an appropriate alternative.
We in the United States of America some 120 years or so later are experiencing this very same situation. The leader of the current ruling regime, Barrack Hussein Obama and his wife - who has a 21-person staff where all other First Ladies have had a staff of five or less - have just returned from separate vacations. He spent his birthday weekend in Martha's Vineyard, you know, the typical American vacation spot, among other places, while his wife, one daughter and a 60-70 person accompanying entourage spent a week in Costa del Sol in Spain. Another typical American vacation spot.
All this, in itself, isn't a bad thing. A President needs a vacation more than the rest of the working class with all of its pressures. His wife is also entitled to a little respite occasionally as well. But to use two 767 jet planes paid for by the taxpayers, one carrying the First Lady, her daughter and 60 to 70 others across the Atlantic Ocean to a location considered to by the swankiest of the swanky and with a crime rate to rival Detroit's, all at the expense of us in a time where the unemployment rate is at 9.6%, the national debt has climbed to $14trillion and the deficit is amounting to $500million per day, is atrocious! This coming from a newly-elected President upon inauguration told the American people that we all needed to make sacrifices in order to turn things around. He promised hardship and belt-tightening. Boy did he deliver on that promise!
I guess he doesn't included himself and his in "WE". That's nice to know.
We in the United States of America some 120 years or so later are experiencing this very same situation. The leader of the current ruling regime, Barrack Hussein Obama and his wife - who has a 21-person staff where all other First Ladies have had a staff of five or less - have just returned from separate vacations. He spent his birthday weekend in Martha's Vineyard, you know, the typical American vacation spot, among other places, while his wife, one daughter and a 60-70 person accompanying entourage spent a week in Costa del Sol in Spain. Another typical American vacation spot.
All this, in itself, isn't a bad thing. A President needs a vacation more than the rest of the working class with all of its pressures. His wife is also entitled to a little respite occasionally as well. But to use two 767 jet planes paid for by the taxpayers, one carrying the First Lady, her daughter and 60 to 70 others across the Atlantic Ocean to a location considered to by the swankiest of the swanky and with a crime rate to rival Detroit's, all at the expense of us in a time where the unemployment rate is at 9.6%, the national debt has climbed to $14trillion and the deficit is amounting to $500million per day, is atrocious! This coming from a newly-elected President upon inauguration told the American people that we all needed to make sacrifices in order to turn things around. He promised hardship and belt-tightening. Boy did he deliver on that promise!
I guess he doesn't included himself and his in "WE". That's nice to know.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
STUFF IS HAPPENING
Stuff is really happening in the U.S. of A. The oil leak is completely capped on day 107. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT! Oh wait, he did nothing to actually help, except approve over $200million to BP to help clean up their mess and more to help study how the spill affected...BP. The leaking oil has all but suddenly disappeared. The President, while not admitting it was his fault to begin with, that the economic downturn could be worse if he hadn't done something to save it. Congress has decided, yet again, to ignore its main ruling document, The U.S. Constitution, not to even present a budget, let alone actually vote on one (I guess, technically, this would be something not occurring). The U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHoud, visited Wisconsin recently to shove $810million at us for a choo-choo train to nowhere and condescendingly stated (the modas operandi for the BHO regime) that if we don't use the money for the choo-choo train, we can't have it and that it isn't our money but the federal government's and we have no say as to how to spend it. I say good riddance. It's money we don't have for a choo-choo train that doesn't even exist as law anywhere in Wisconsin. Progress from "progressives". No thank you (again).
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