Oh, my godfather...!

I cannot believe it's been so long since my last post. Wait. Didn't I say that the last time? Regardless (and NOT irregardless...pet peeve moment there, it's "irrespective:, if you must!!!), whether I keep up with new posts or not, I have other blog ideas in the works. Links to those posts will be noted here! Peace, love and various, sundry things!

Ye Gads!

...and I say, "Gadzooks!"

I can't believe (well, maybe I can...) that it's been over a month since I posted. I had all good intentions to keep up with this blog when I dived back in last month. Oops. Well, time to rectify the situation.

Events of the past month?

• I've applied for many jobs and had one interview. I was not the lucky candidate.
• I've sent my CV to many wineries...to no avail.
• I've marked another birthday (always a reason for introspection, in my book).
• I've started a diet and lost a fair amount of weight. Only 98 lbs. to go!

This last item is the most important. It is the first step toward regaining my professional, emotional and psychological mojo.

Stay tuned...great things are on the way!

Smart enough to be dangerous

So, this morning, I decide to visit the Weber County Main Library in Ogden, Utah. Not much in that decision, just wanted a change of view form my normal job-hunt location of the sun porch.

Laptop in tow...check.

Ensconced at a study carrel...check.

All plugged in and ready to go...check.

Library WiFi connected with Internet access...check.

Of course, we know where this is heading.

Yep, I could not access the WiFi log in page, let alone anything on the 'net beyond the firewall. I had this problem the last time I visited a Weber County library, but we resolved that issue.

This is where the dangerous part comes in. We may have fixed the hard-coded DNS issue before, but I blithely presumed that that fix had been permanent. I tried everything else to rectify the problem only to admit I was stumped why this should happen again.

The tech-savvy library assistant came over to my carrel at my request, clicked a few system links, tapped a few keys and located the hard-coded issue.

HA! I can laugh now at myself. As I said, "Smart enough to be dangerous." After all, I was in the IT industry for 12 years.

On the hunt...

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—
And sealing wax— of cabbages—and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings.” *

One thing of which we may choose to speak is the fact I am in between assignments at present. A kind and gentle way of saying I am looking for work. I'm not saying I'm special in any way because of this; I know there are many more people who have been out of work far longer than me.

As my CV states, I have good things to offer:

Internationally experienced wine marketing and communications professional with managerial and leadership experience in developing/driving the strengths of industry stakeholders in wine and regional tourism industries; passionate about wine, food and delivering superlative customer experiences in a tasting room environment.

My unemployment, if I may consider this a positive point, was of my choice. It became evident that I was not a good fit for the last position I held (and vice versa). Rather than being relieved of my responsibilities, I read the very large writing on the wall and gave my notice.

So, here I sit in a friend's sun room, 2000 miles from that last position, contemplating my next move. Is the wine industry wherein lies my future? Quite possibly; however, I cannot deny myself the opportunity to reach for the brass ring of new and exciting opportunities as they appear.

* “The Walrus and the Carpenter“ by Lewis Carroll, in his book Through the Looking-Glass, published in December 1871.

directions

south...east
   west...north
spin the needle
  plot a course

what makes the caged bird sing
...when will my clue phone ring?

thoughts
  on paper
    write them down
      give them life
peace of mind

Good grief, Charlie Brown!

Golly, gadzooks, gee whiz!

It's been a while since I poked my nose into my own little patch of cyber space, hasn't it? Let's remedy that post haste.

I've signed the consent form for the surgery - no suing the surgeon now! I've also had an appointment with the respiratory therapist and was viciously attacked by aliens posing as pathology nurses in a failed attempt to get blood from an artery to determine my blood gas levels. [If my blood has gas, I beg your pardon here and now.]

I also have the impending joy of an at-home sleep study to determine 1) if I have sleep apnea [umm, hello, I'm male, over 40, over weight and on blood pressure medication - of course I have it] and 2) just how often I stop breathing during the night. I'm not too concerned about doing the "study" as it's for my own good. At least I don't have to do it in a strange, oddly quiet, white room in some hospital or sleep clinic, knowing there are actual people monitoring me the entire time.

That's kind of spooky and exhibitionist/voyeuristic at the same time...

Image no doubt (c) estate of Chrales Schulz or some person/organization