Sunday, October 23, 2011

Airports

Had to take a friend to the airport recently. Wasn't as bad as I had expected. Getting in and out of Philadelphia International is actually quite easy. The access roads from I-95 are clearly marked and there are enough lanes to keep traffic moving. Parking is easy as well. There are the terminal parking decks, the "cell phone lot", where you can park until your party calls you to come get them and the long term parking if you want to leave your car there and drive home after your trip. While there's no more curbside check-in (thanks Al-Queda) it's still fairly convenient during off-peak hours. I always try to schedule my flights after the peak morning or mid-day hours as well as avoiding early evening flights when everyone is coming back from their business trips. It's all in the timing. Choosing your flight time wisely can avoid a lot of aggravation. It's still a good idea to get there at least two hours ahead of time for domestic flights and at least three hours ahead of time for international flights. I'm a bit of an airplane fan so I don't mind sitting around the airport for a few hours watching the planes come and go. An airport is also, at least to me, the best place in the world to people watch. It's a great mental exercise to try and figure out or at least guess at what each person's story is. Where they're coming from or going to, are they on vacation, business or both and are they meeting someone or do they have to get an airport shuttle, taxi or a rental car. It's a fun way to pass the time. But then again, so is having a drink in one of the airport restaurants or bars. Either way, it's fun.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Turning Leaves

Fall's finally here and the leaves are starting to turn. I really do love watching the colors change. We get some really nice colors around me. The weather is actually nice and it's perfect for walking. Not too warm or cold. Had to pick a friend up at the airport the other day. Traffic wasn't too bad and parking was relatively easy. Have a few things going on this week but nothing outrageous. Have a great week everyone.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Fall's Here

Fall finally showed up. It's rainy and a bit gloomy but cooler temperatures and nicer weather are in the offing. It'll be nice to go outside and not sweat to death standing still. Great weather for walking and just enjoying the outdoors. Some nice parks around me that I haven't had the chance to walk in for a while. Nice walking trails and some good exercise. Nice scenery, too. It really looks great when the trees are at their peak color. Nice reflections in the water. It's a nice oasis in the middle of a busy suburban area. The county does a really good job of maintaining the parks and they've been allowing the area to go back to a more natural state. They've stopped mowing the grass along the streams and what they do mow is just enough to keep the paths clear. They still mow on the street side so people can picnic and use the softball field but they don't cut the grass right along the river banks. They let that grow naturally and it helps to control the runoff and helps keep the water cleaner. They've got fish ladders at the dams and that seems to be helping increase the local migrating fish stocks. The fishing in the park is actually pretty good. It's all catch and release but people seem to really enjoy fishing there. If you tune out the traffic noise and the planes flying overhead heading into Philadelphia International Airport, it's quite peaceful. It's a great place to spend an afternoon.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

This is October?

It's October 9th, and it's 83º outside. Um, where's fall and what did you do with it? I guess you could call this "Indian Summer". They did have a frost warning the other night so I suppose this little warm up is Indian Summer. It's supposed to go back down to the low 70's by later in the week so I guess we might just as well enjoy the sunshine. It's cool at night so it's definitely fall. Looking forward to the foliage. We get some really nice colors around here. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. See you later.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

It's Nice Out!

Finally, some decent weather. It's in the mid-60's (Fahrenheit) and very sunny. Still job hunting and I got the car serviced this morning. Heard some squeaking from the front end but it turned out to be the suspension bushings. Nothing serious and they took care of it. Other than that, not much else today. Hope everyone's having a good week so far.

Friday, September 30, 2011

It's Fall

Weather has finally cooled off. Sunny today but MORE freakin' rain for the next few days. Another slow assed upper level low drifting across the mid-Atlantic states. Like we need any more rain. Should be out of here by next Tuesday. Then maybe we can actually start enjoying fall. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Where's Fall?

Well, the official first day of fall has come and gone but the season seems to be running a little late. It's still warm, muggy and somewhat rainy. The weather service has issued flood warnings (again) due to the approaching storm system. We're on track to possibly tie or even break the record set in 1996 for the most rain in a year. Enough already.

In other news, I finally got around to scanning a couple of new images for my Zazzle store. Still have to clean them up in Photoshop but I should have them on some products sometime soon. I'll post links to them once they're ready. Zazzle's current promotion is 35% off Wrapped Canvas Posters. Here's the discount code you need:  Your Moment. Your Memory. Your Masterpiece.  35% OFF WRAPPED CANVAS!   Use Code: CANVASPHOTOS


Stop by my Zazzle store (www.zazzle.com/rjvstudios*) or click on the link on the right side of the blog. Have a great day everyone.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Fun With Power Point

Finally made my first practice slideshow in PowerPoint. It worked, but beyond that it was awful. I just threw something together to get some practice putting a slideshow together. Made a few minor errors but I got the thing to work. I know I'll get better as I go along, but it's a start and no, I WON'T be posting it here or anywhere else. It's kind of like a first draft of a novel or screenplay: It NEVER sees the light of day. I may eventually post something later but not for a while. Have to get good at it first. Hope your Monday wasn't too manic. See everyone later.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Enough Already

Enough already! We've had a record rainfall in the last month or so (rainiest August on record) and it's not over yet. We've got a couple of more days before things should finally clear out. We've had the kind of rain they get in Tallahassee, Florida, not like we usually get in the Philly area. There's a lot of flood damage in several areas and the continuing rain isn't helping. With any luck things will start to dry out and fall will finally show up. It's still summer like (i.e.: hot, muggy and uncomfortable) and we're technically into fall. Can't wait for cooler temperatures and drier weather. Might actually be able to go for a walk in a local park once the mud dries out. It's a nice park but when it rains, the trails turn into mud holes. Not just soggy but the kind of mud that will suck the boot right off of your foot. Anyway, that's my rant about something completely out of my control. Hope your weather is better than ours. Have a great weekend.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Computer Skills

Finally getting a real handle on Microsoft Office. Well, most of it. I finally worked through the section on Power Point. Not as difficult as I thought it would be. It's actually pretty straight forward. Granted, I've heard and seen some horror stories of Power Point presentations gone bad (I'm sure all of you have your own stories) but if done properly, it's actually a good way to get your point across. And the software is surprisingly easy to use. It'll take a few tries to get good at it but that shouldn't be too difficult. Excel and Word are another story. But I'll get there. Have a great rest of the week and a great weekend everyone. See you soon.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Phillies Win Again!

Well, the Phillies have done it again! They clinched their fifth National League Eastern Division title in a row and they did it the fastest they've ever done it. They're also only two wins away from a 100 win season. Well done, guys!

Friday, September 16, 2011

A Touch of Fall

Gorgeous, clear and cool day. Finally a little touch of fall in the air. It's supposed to get back up into the mid-70's by next week but today's weather is perfect. Sunny, bright and not too warm. Looking forward to more days like this. Great for getting out and walking and just enjoying the sunshine. Pumpkins should be out soon and some of the leaves are starting to change. Definitely one of my favorite times of year.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Fall's Coming

Fall is finally getting here. It's supposed to get cooler tomorrow. Can't be happier. It's been a long, hot and steamy summer. It'll be nice to be able to go outside and not need gills to breathe from all the humidity. It'll also make it nicer to go for walks to get some exercise. Smaller sizes, here I come!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Been Busy, Yet Again

It's been a while. I finished the software course but haven't had any job offers yet. I'm in that experience "Catch 22", where I have the training but no practical experience. They'd probably like to offer me something but I don't have any experience but I can't get experience unless I get a job. Lots of people in this situation. Got through hurricane Irene okay. Some minor flooding at the base of the outside steps and a little water in the basement but we didn't lose power and no real damage. We got lucky. The folks up in Vermont got absolutely blasted and they're still cleaning up the mess. Now we've got TS Lee to deal with next week. Not going to be a good fall foliage tourism season this year, looks like. Hope all of you had a great summer and have some great things coming up this fall.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Busy

Hello, everyone. Sorry it's been so long but things have been a bit hectic. Mom was sick, but she's fine now, nothing serious and I've been busy with my software testing course. I'm in the middle of week two and it's all starting to make sense. The live online sessions are a big help and I've been able to devote a lot of time to it so I think I'll do just fine on the first assessment (test) this week. I can take it when I'm ready, there's no time limit and you can take it as many times as you want until you get the grade you're happy with. I'm hoping to do well enough the first time that I can accept the grade and move on to the material for week three. I'll keep you posted. Have a great rest of the week.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Been Busy, Again

Hi, everyone. Things have been a bit busy so I haven't been able to post much. Start taking an online class for software testing next week and I'm going down to Virginia Beach for Easter. Also been busy with personal stuff and just trying to stay sane. Hope you all have a great weekend and I'll see you next week.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Busy, busy, busy

Hello, everyone, sorry it's been a few days. Things have been a bit busy so I had to let something slide for a bit. Anyway, I'm looking into a new career as in software testing. Been reading up on it online, except for today, the site was down for some reason. A little ironic, don't you think, a site about testing software to make sure it works properly and it's having software issues. Also been getting back on track with the exercise regimen. Took a long walk yesterday and did some light exercises today. I'm working on getting my stamina back up. I've lost some more weight so I'm happy about that. Other than that, things are pretty much status quo. Still job hunting, but if I start taking classes, I'll have to put that on hold. I'm hoping I can start my classes soon.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Job Fair, Again

Went to a job fair today and it was actually worth the time. I talked to a couple of people and dropped off some resumés. Got there early so I found a decent parking spot. By the time I came out, people were doing the "Parking Spot Search". I gave my spot to someone who had just arrived and he was very happy about it. Glad I could do someone a favor. Hope he had some success today. The place was mobbed. It was well run and well organized. Maybe something will come of it. Here's hoping.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

A Quiet Sunday

A nice quiet Sunday today. Watched a ball game (GO PHILLIES!) and just took it easy. Replaced a burned out light bulb and talked to a friend, but other than that, a nice quiet Sunday. Went through a software tutorial to get a start on using some book design software, but that's a fun thing so it doesn't count as work. Will pick up the job hunt tomorrow, looking for a survival job until I can get something better. Also looking into getting into something new. Have to do a little research but hopefully can start working on it soon. I'll keep you all posted.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Job Fair Nonsense

Went to a job fair last night. Total waste of time. The giveaway should have been the fact they didn't list the companies that would be there. Nothing but outside commission sales. No wonder they didn't list them. Not everyone wants to sell siding and life insurance. They grossly underestimated the number of people who would attend and more than a few people, including myself, walked out. If nothing else, I learned that if you want to attend a job fair, check out the company or organization sponsoring it. If they don't (or won't) list the companies looking for people, there's a good chance it's for sales positions with a fairly high turnover rate. Live and learn.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Hitting Khadafi

It looks like the air strikes are having their desired effect. The Libyan rebels have retaken two key oil ports and Khadafi's troops seem to be retreating in haste. According to reports, they've left ammunition and supplies behind and just, as one source put it, "melted away". The coalition has hit Khadafi's hometown of Sirte and other positions. The rebels have retaken territory they lost earlier. They are moving westward and are looking to take Sirte soon. Qatar, who is participating in the strikes, has said they will help the rebels move the oil currently in storage. The storage facilities are filled to capacity so they can't pump any more oil until they pump out the current stocks. With any luck, that might even help bring oil prices down. Maybe. All we can do now is watch and wait. Here's hoping it ends soon and the Libyan people can rebuild a better country and future.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Mold, Ugh!

Found some mold in a corner of the back room in the apartment. We notified our landlord, who is currently serving with the USMC in Japan. He got back to us and said to clean it and keep him apprised of the situation. It seems to have just been surface mold since I was able to get rid of it with the appropriate cleaner and some elbow grease. The room tends to be a bit cool and I think some dampness has gotten in from the outside. The plaster is still solid so I think with a little monitoring, the periodic spray of blocker and better air circulation, we should keep the mold at bay. Our landlord plans to do some renovations when he returns in December. Well, maybe not right after he gets back but probably in the spring of next year. I think things should be okay until then.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Been Busy

Been a busy week, between workshops, meetings and support groups. Finally got my resume ready and have started sending it out. I've also been networking and am returning a couple of favors to people who have helped me. Have some ideas about where to apply that are a little out of what I originally thought of but you never know what might happen. Have to start applying and will probably go to some local job fairs. Could find something there and if nothing else, I'll make some connections that may pay off in the long run. Have to keep plugging and working at it. Also have to make time for some other projects and trying to get back up to speed on some software. Got a lot to do and have to make the best use of my time as possible. Whew!

Monday, March 21, 2011

It's Monday

Had another required workshop today for the group I belong to. Now I've finished the required workshops. There are some other ones I want to attend to get my resumé finished and to learn how to research companies. Job hunting is a lot of work. It's even harder with the economy in the state it's in. There's a lot of people out there looking. I hope to find something soon.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Photos

Finally dug out my black & white negatives and contact sheets. I'm starting to work on choosing which ones to include in a book I plan to publish through Blurb.com. I've been wanting to publish my photos for a while but haven't had a chance to really get started. I've got a lot of photos to look at and I also plan to put out books of some of my color photos as well. I also have to sit down and learn to use the book designing software and get a handle on book design as well as color management and a bunch of other relevant subjects. I'll get there. Going to take it one step at a time. I'll post progress reports as I go along. It's going to take a while since it's a side project and my job hunt is my main concern right now. Once I find a new job, I'll be able to concentrate more on this and some other projects I'd like to do.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Got Some Things Done

Hoorah! I got some things done today. Made some changes to the resumé and sent it to a friend to get an opinion and (finally) started setting up lists in Excel for my Zazzle products. That's going to take a while. My record keeping hasn't been the best up until now so I have to go through each design and see which product(s) it's on. A bit tedious but it's also a good way to get proficient with Excel. It's good to know Excel since it's used just about everywhere. I'm also working on getting better with Word and learning Power Point. Definitely keeping busy with that along with the job search and improving my job search skills. I will take some time for myself this weekend and do something fun. Not sure what, though. Maybe a walk in the park or something like that. I also need the exercise so that's fairly high on my list. Have a great weekend everyone.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Spring is Coming

Finally some nice weather. It's been a rough winter and we're finally getting some nicer weather. It's supposed to hit at least 70º(F) tomorrow. It's in the mid-60's today and sunny and it's gorgeous outside. Will probably go for a walk a little later on. I don't know anyone who isn't glad to see this winter go away. After all the snow we had, along with the bitterly cold temperatures, we've all had enough for one year. Come on, Spring!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

US Has Its Faults

Think California is the only part of the US that has geological faults? Well, you'd be very wrong. The US has several that could cause catastrophic earthquakes. The New Madrid fault in the center of the country last had four earthquakes in 1811 and 1812, estimated to be between magnitude 7.0 to 8.0. The area was sparsely populated back then so the damage to homes and buildings was very limited, although the quakes at one point caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a time. If a similar quake happened now, the effects would be devastating. Since many of the buildings in Memphis are unreinforced, they would collapse readily in a strong earthquake. Here's a link to an article at ABCnews.com that goes in to detail about what could happen: Link . It's a frightening scenario that is an all too real possibility.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Meltdown?

There's the threat of a meltdown at the reactor in Japan. Some of the fuel rods were exposed and started to overheat. They are pumping seawater in to cool down the fuel rods. Some people have been exposed to radiation  and they have been given iodine pills to help with exposure. Here's hoping they can get this situation under control quickly. The last thing the Japanese need is a nuclear accident on top of everything else.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Relaxing Day

Just a nice, relaxing Sunday. Applied for a couple of jobs, got a few other things done and went for a walk.  I think I'm ready to start walking longer distances. Next time I'll go twice around the park I went to today. Once that gets easy I'll tackle the longer route in the park around the river. I've definitely lost some weight and am slowly getting into better shape. I'd like to be running by this time next year or even sooner if possible. Have to take it one day at a time.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Earthquake Photos

I was looking at photos taken after the earthquake and tsunamis in Japan and the damage is mind boggling. Some areas were completely obliterated and there are city streets completely blocked by debris. There is a photo of the large cargo containers used to ship goods that were strewn about like toys and large ships washed up on shore. There are cars on top of buildings and mud and debris piled up all over the place. It's going to take a while to restore everything back to normal. The sheer magnitude of the disaster is almost too big to comprehend. Aid is on the way and I'm sure clean up operations will be in full swing in a few days. Given the extent of the damage, I'm sure it'll be several months before any sense of normalcy will be returning to Sendai and the surrounding areas. I wish the Japanese people all the best and that they can repair the damage and get back to their regular daily lives as quickly as possible.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Japanese Earthquake

A magnitude 8.9 earthquake hit Japan today. It has caused extensive damage and major tsunamis that have devastated the coastal areas. Strong aftershocks continue to shake the country. I want to extend my condolences to the Japanese people in their time of need. Let's hope aid gets there soon. The US Navy is preparing to go in once the arrangements are made with the Japanese authorities. I hope that they can get there and begin to help the Japanese crews with the rescue efforts.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Continuing My Search

Well, I'm continuing with the job search. Met with the weekly support group and it was a good session. We're all in the same boat so we can offer support, advice and other useful information. Have to make a few minor adjustments to the resumé and start sending it out. Found out about some more resources to find job listings. It really helps to belong to a support group or two. Someone may know someone who knows someone or knows about a job lead somewhere you may not have thought of or heard of. It builds on itself. Have to keep working at it.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Learned Something

Had a couple of interview workshops today. The first was an overview of the interview process and some of the questions you might be asked and the second one was a "role play" kind of thing where you answered one of the questions you thought you might have trouble with. I actually did okay, so I think all the research I did on interviewing recently has paid off. I hope it pays off when I actually get some interviews. Also got some more insight and advice for my resumé. I think it should be ready soon and I can start applying for jobs. I've gotten a lot done in a very short amount of time. I hope I can find a decent job fairly quickly.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Oil Prices

Here we go again. The pundits, talking heads and Chicken Littles are all saying the sky is falling. Yes, oil prices are up due to the situation in Libya and other Middle Eastern countries. It's a good chance that oil prices will be ridiculous for the short term, but once things settle out and the fighting ends, prices should go down. If there was a reason to switch to alternative fuel sources, this is it. I don't know anyone who isn't affected by the huge jump in fuel prices. It affects the cost of everything and food prices worldwide are rising dramatically and putting food out of the price range of more and more people. Not a good situation. The sooner we move to renewable and alternative sources of fuel, the better. The whole world will be better off.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Fighting in Libya

Looks like Libya is heading for a civil war. Not that there ever was a war that was "civil". The rebels are pushing towards Tripoli and Khadaffi's forces are fighting back. This is probably going to be a prolonged situation that will affect everyone, since it will affect the price of oil, which has jumped tremendously in the last few weeks. It's (as of today) at $104.91 per barrel and will probably continue to rise. So much for the economic recovery. Here's hoping that things end quickly in Libya and Khadaffi gets it and gets the hell out and lets the Libyan people decide their own destiny.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Civil War in Libya?

Looks like there may be a civil war starting in Libya, since neither side seems to have the military strength for a decisive victory. The rebels pretty much hold the eastern half of the country and a few cities near Tripoli and Khadaffi's forces hold the rest. According to some reports, the rebels have been capturing tanks, artillery and other military hardware. This situation will probably go on for a while and will most likely cause oil prices to skyrocket as the speculators pee their pants. I think the rebels will want to keep the oil flowing so the money will keep coming in. I think the day of the Middle East despot is coming to an end. Here's hoping all the people in the Middle East will free themselves from the dictators they've been suffering under and be able to have the chance to choose their leaders and progress and modernize their countries. Here's hoping.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Easy Day

It was a relatively easy day today. Just had to do some shopping for my mom and meet with the facilitator at the PSG office. PSG is a group for unemployed professionals run by the NJ Unemployment Office. It helps professionals to find jobs. It's pretty cool. Getting some great job hunting tips. Should be a big help. I also belong to a support group at a local Methodist church. It's non-denominational and it helps keep your mood up since job hunting and unemployment are stressful and can make you depressed. I have to work on my resume and then email it to the PSG facilitator to get her input on it. Once I'm happy with it, I'll start sending it out. Here's hoping. Have a great weekend everyone.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Another Step Closer

Had a great morning. Met with a job hunter's support group and met some really great people. One of them is redoing my resumé for free. It needs work so I'm really appreciative of his efforts. I hope I can return the favor some day. There are a lot of people in the same situation as me so it's nice to meet them and try and help each other. What's great is that they also give you advice to help you cope with your situation. It can be very distressing and more than a little overwhelming. It helps to have others who know what you are experiencing to help you through the rough spots. I'm hoping to start applying for jobs by some time early next week. I really do need to find something right away and then I can work on finding the "dream job" later on. I think with the help from the groups I'm in, I should be able to do that sooner rather than later. I'll keep you posted.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Progress

Well, I've pretty much gotten the resumé taken care of. I'm going to a support group tomorrow to meet some people and maybe get a resumé critique and put a final polish on it before I start sending it out. I'd like to find a job ASAP but it'll probably take a while. I'm also going to work on resumés to help me change careers. That's the hard part. These days, most companies won't even talk to someone looking to change a career, especially if it's a big change. If I can find a "day job" to pay the bills, then I can take the time to get ready to make a career change. Lots of stuff to do and not a lot of time to do it. Story of my life. Always playing catch-up ball. Drives me crazy. But I'll work through it in the long run. I really don't have much of a choice.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Again, Resumés

Attended a great resumé workshop today. Learned a lot and found out a resumé I already have is just about ready to go. I have to add a bit more to the first part and it'll be ready to send out. That's a big relief. It saves me a ton of time and work. Now I can concentrate on finding a new job. Takes a bit of a load off my shoulders. Now the hard work of finding a job in this crappy economy starts. If any of you out there are looking for work, I wish you the best of luck. Times are tough everywhere.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Al Queda Fading?

Could it be that the democracy movements in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere my put Al Queda out of business, or at least make it irrelevant? Could be. According to an article in the New York Times, (Link) that may be happening. The protests have been (relatively) peaceful, non-religious and the protestors have only used force to defend themselves. Not exactly Al Queda's game plan. The question remains whether they will use the uprisings for their own ends or fade into obscurity and become a footnote in the long history of the Middle East. We'll find out soon enough. Let me know what you think about this.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Another Sunday

It's another "Pleasant Valley Sunday", to quote the old "Monkees" song. It's also Oscar Sunday. Not that I really care that much. Haven't seen ANY of the nominated films. Partly due to money being tight and also to the fact I really don't like going to the movies anymore. Too crowded, too expensive and too many people who don't know how to act in a movie theater. That and the fact that most of the movies that are out there are complete and utter crap. There's a few good ones but most of the movies are a lot of sound and fury entertaining no one. They make money but are the entertainment version of junk food: tastes great but not really good for you. Lots of empty mental calories.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Resumé Writing

Update on the resumé situation. I got a draft of the "functional" style resume done and now I have to wait until this week to go to the resumé workshop to get some input. I need something that will be "good enough" and get the job done. I need to find a job ASAP. I'm looking at retail since I have a lot of experience in it and it's a way to make money until I can find something else. As I stated before, I really don't like resumés since they really don't give the whole picture of who you are. It's difficult to show what your true talents and abilities are in a page or two of text. Unfortunately, that's what we've got so I guess we'll all have to deal with it. Here's hoping.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Finally Getting Some Reading Done

It's been a long time since I sat down and read anything. WAY too long. I really should read a lot more. Spend too much time looking at TV or on the computer. Finally got out one of my Jack Kerouac novels that I've been promising myself I'm going to read one of these days. Well, it's one of these days and I got it out and I'm finally going to read it. The one I'm reading is "Visions of Cody" which was written after "On The Road" but not published until 1972. I'll post my impressions of it as I go along.

Resumé Writing

God, I hate writing resumés. I know they're a necessity but I wish there was a better way to show an employer what you can offer. I'm working on a new one right now and I'm not quite done with it. I need to get some feedback on it from people who know more about writing them than I do. I hate that we've been reduced to a few words on a page to convey who we are. There are limitations to the written word and most employers look at resumés for an average of 15 - 30 seconds. You have to really grab their attention or they dump it in the slush pile. Even if they put it aside for further consideration, you still might not get the interview. It seems they've gotten extremely picky about who they call. Have to keep working at it and start applying to places. Good luck to anyone else out there who's looking, no matter where you are.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Work

Another day of job hunting. Looking for work is a full time job. Tried to apply to a company's website (no names) and it decided to freeze up and now I can't log on there at all. Oh, well, I'll try tomorrow. Have to get the resumé(s) ready. Going to the library tomorrow to get a book on resumés. Had a couple but I think I mistakenly threw them out in the recycling. D'oh! I'll make copies of what I need and make good use of the book. I also start with a group from unemployment that helps professionals find work. I used to belong and now I'm back again. I need all the help I can get. Right now I'll take just about any job, just to have some money coming in and then go after the big stuff. I'm sure I'm going to hear a lot of "No" before I hear any "Yes" so I'm in for a bit of a slog. Hope any of you who read this who are looking for work can take heart that there's a lot of us and we're all in the same boat. Good luck, everyone.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Job Hunting

I'm back in the job hunt and things apparently aren't good. There are a lot of people out of work and not enough jobs. On top of that, there are reports of employers not even considering hiring anyone who is unemployed. Older workers are getting shafted, too. There's an enormous talent pool out there and these idiots are ignoring it. I don't get their attitude. If someone wants to work, fits the skill set and can start ASAP, what difference does it make if they're employed or not. As someone who's out of work, I can guarantee any employer that I will show up on time, work my ass off and not gripe about anything, except maybe the sky high price of gas. Get with it, people. We want to work, we're ready to work and you need our skills.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Sales

Got a few sales this month. More than I thought I would get. Perhaps putting up a page on Facebook was a good idea. Maybe my store is showing up higher in searches or the word is starting to get out. In any case, I'm happy about it. We'll see what happens.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Better Days

Finally, the weather is getting a little warmer. We've got upper 40's (Fahrenheit) for the next couple of days and up to near 60º by next week. With any luck, we'll get through February without and major snowfall and get rid of the mountains of snow that are in just about every parking lot in the area.

Been adding products to my Zazzle store a little at a time and I've started going through the tutorials at Blurb to get up to speed so I can get my photo books designed and published. Busy, busy. I'm taking my time with the tutorials so I can really get a handle on doing things right. It's interesting stuff. I've gotten familiar with the book design software and I'm hoping I can get an upgrade for InDesign so I can go the "PDF to Book" route. I think it might be a bit more flexible as far as choosing which book format and layout you can go with. I'll have to check out the tutorial on that to make sure. Other than that, nothing else big going on.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Another Day

Another fun day of shopping for my mom. The usual weekly shopping trip along with the usual nonsense about the cable TV, complaining about nothing ever being good enough and all the other related BS. 'Nuff said.

On to other things. Have some ideas for designs for my Zazzle store, along with redoing some existing products and adding the existing designs to more products. It's supposed to be lousy this Saturday so maybe I'll get something done for a change. Maybe. Other than that, the Super Bowl is this Sunday. My local team isn't in it but it's still fun to watch, especially for the commercials. They do tend to be better than the usual drivel they put on to try and sell us stuff. With any luck, the game will be good, too.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Egypt

As most of you probably know, things have taken a nasty turn in Egypt. Mubarak sent out his goon squad and attacked the protesters. A couple people have died and many more were injured. What the hell does he think this will accomplish besides piss people off? Now he has more people ticked off at him and I think the sooner he gets out of town the better. I give the Egyptian military props for not entering the fray. We'll see what happens tomorrow. The Egyptian people deserve better.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Car Show, Sort of

Got to the new car show today but had to cut it short after my mom called 10 minutes after I got there and said she was trying to get a slot at the dentist due to the bad weather coming tomorrow. Well, I got the brochures I wanted, checked out a couple of cars and headed home. I called just before I got on the PATCO Speedline and she hadn't heard from them yet. I called again after I got back to my place and she still hadn't heard anything. Never called so my day was ruined for no reason. Nothing new. I think I might go again on Saturday. I want to get there right when it opens so we can check out as many cars as possible and take a look at some of the classic and vintage cars. In the meantime, back to work on my Zazzle store and getting up to speed on color management at Blurb.com so I can start working on publishing some of my photos. I'd like to get at least two books of them out this year by the holidays so I can have more of my stuff out there to sell. If I do them right, I think they'll sell well. Won't know until I try.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

It's Sunday

It's Sunday and it's actually sunny outside and there's a little bit of melting going on. It's supposed to get colder tomorrow. Figures, the day I plan to go to the Philadelphia Auto Show it's supposed to get colder. Happens every damn time. I think I've got the transmission glitch fixed. The fluid was a bit low so I got some and added some until it read full. Took it out this morning after a cold night and it seemed to be okay. I think the fluid was low enough that it needed to warm up so there was enough in the mechanism to work.  I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on it from now on. Car's got a lot of miles on it so I guess it comes with the territory. Have to keep up with it until I can get a new one.

More crappy weather is on the way, too. Supposed to have sleet turning into rain on Tuesday and freezing rain to rain on Wednesday. I'm really getting tired of this shit. Can't wait for February to go away. It's been a long winter so far. Back's still bugging me a bit from shoveling that heavy snow. Have to keep doing the stretching and exercise. Spring training starts in about two weeks so that's one harbinger of spring and the Rolex 24 at Daytona is finishing today. That's the start, more or less, of the car racing season in the US. I'm really looking forward to warmer weather. Can't wait to start exercising outside again.



Saturday, January 29, 2011

Got Stuff Done

Well, I actually got something done today. Got a walk in to try the new sneakers and I think I fixed the issues with my transmission. I think the fluid was a little low and when it got really cold, it would be reluctant to go into drive. I added some fluid today so we'll see tomorrow if it works properly. Here's hoping. I'm also thrilled about the Rolex 24 at Daytona is running since that means it's the start of racing season in the US. It's a great endurance race. Lots of fun to watch, especially on TV. Going to the new car show on Monday. Maybe this will be the year I FINALLY can swing a new car. I hope so. The show is a lot of fun. They also have classic cars on display from some local clubs and museums. Going to check them out and then hit the main display floor. I want to try some cars on for size. It may sound a bit odd, but other than good reliability, my two main criteria are headroom and legroom. Especially headroom. If there's at least an inch between the top of my head and the headliner, we're good. Legroom is next. Especially if I have to move the seat forward to reach the pedals. I love that. We'll see what happens.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Again, Snow

Here we go again. Sort of. We've got an Alberta Clipper passing through today and we're getting a little bit of snow, a coating at most, fortunately. There's supposed to be another one passing through tomorrow and then there's talk of another big storm next week. Everyone I know is getting a little tired of this shit. Looks like I'll be going to the Philadelphia Auto Show on Monday since they're saying Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be lousy and then on Thursday, we get a cold Arctic blast. I am NOT going to walk in bitter cold through slushy city streets like I did the last time I went. At least on Monday it'll be in the low 30's and not too windy.

Don't know if I'll get too much done on Zazzle today. Had to run over to my mom's and reset her remotes so her cable would work properly. A friend of her's messed with them and screwed things up. It was an easy fix but a pain in the ass none the less.

Here's one of the iPad cases I offer at my Zazzle store: 




I've got other designs on these and other great products at Zazzle. Stop by my store and take a look. Thanks.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Snow

Hi, if I seem a little off, it's because I'm seriously tired from shoveling more snow. This time we got hit hard and it was the wet heavy kind of snow, great for making snowmen but a real pain in the ass to shovel. Gets really heavy, really fast. Got rolling on it and our neighbors' landlord came by with his snow blower and made fast work of things (we share the driveway). We also had to get the sidewalks cleared and clear the downspout on the front so the water wouldn't get in from the roof. The main roads are fine but a lot of the side streets are still a mess. It's sunny and above freezing so at least some of it will melt. The downside is that tonight everything will freeze up and most likely there will be some black ice to deal with. To everyone who's dealing with the weather in the Northeast US, hang in there, spring is coming.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Products

Got two product lines finished up today. Took a while but it was worth the time. Got that much closer to the magic 1,000 product threshold. According to what the help section in Zazzle says, 1,000 products is kind of a magic number after which your chances of more sales increase. Makes sense. The more people have to choose from, the better your chance of some one finding something they'll want to buy. I know most of the ProSellers have upwards of 10,000 items. I'll get there. I'm sure I'll reach 1,000 items or even break that number by filling out my existing product lines. Then it's on to new designs and creating some original artwork as well. That and starting work on putting books of my photos together using Blurb.com. I've got some ideas for photo books and I have to go through my photos and decide which ones I want to use. I may also use some of them for Zazzle products as well. Of course, the first thing I have to do is shovel the snow that's currently falling. It IS winter after all. I do need the exercise so I'm not going to complain too much.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Still At It

Still working on the Zazzle store. Got some done yesterday but due to other stuff, haven't had a chance to do much today. Will definitely get something done tomorrow. Oh, and if you're a visitor, the blog panel to the right of the text is working. Even if, for whatever reason, there's no image showing, the link(s) to the products still work so if you want to see the item(s), just click on the link and it'll take you there. I copied the code and pasted it in again but I still got the same result. I'm guessing there's a glitch somewhere. Anyway, if you've stopped by to read my blog, thanks. If you have any questions or comments, let me know and I'll answer them or comment back as soon as I can. Feel free to stop at my Zazzle store and look around. I've got t-shirts, posters, mugs, mouse pads and a lot of other great stuff that makes for great gifts. My store is also on Facebook so please stop by there and click the "Like" button if you like my store. I'd really appreciate it.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Projects

Well, it's a new year and some new projects are on the horizon. I'm still working on updating my Zazzle store and adding products and I've got a couple of other things going, most notably, I'm finally going to get off my ass and get moving on publishing a book of some of my photos using Blurb. I've been thinking about it for a while and I've finally decided to sit down, get up to speed on color management (one of my weak spots) and really do it up. I've been through some of my older photos and an there are more that are good than I originally thought. I've got black & white and color shots so I'll probably do up a book of B&W and then at least one book of color shots. Probably going to take a while but I'll get there. In the meantime, gotta keep on keepin' on with the Zazzle store. I'm within spitting distance of the magic 1,000 products threshold and I've got plenty of clip art to make some new designs and some ideas for some original artwork, too. If nothing else, it'll keep me out of trouble. See you soon.