He's Back!

Hello Reader. I know I was gone longer than you expected. I know I went out for a pack of cigarettes and left you holding the baby, and I'm sorry. But I'm back, and I thank you for reading again. I hope you've been well.

I don't want to bore you with where I've been, or what I've been up to. Just know that I missed you. Ok, if we're going to reconnect, here's the run down: I went to UH for the summer and did well, we have another dog, Sadie, I'm working for my parents while I job hunt.

Extrapolate at your own will.

Of course, more happened. No, that wasn't ALL I was up to, but those are some of the relevant parts. The rest I prefer not to add to the eternal cyber-record.

For those of you that feel that you are withering away at your jobs, I offer this- take a vacation, a day off, find a hobby to relieve stress, do what you have to do to not make any overly-romantic impulsive decisions. The market is brutal right now. Forget about retail jobs. Between cutbacks and hiring freezes, some major retailers like Gap are reporting and increase of 33% in job applications.

And the folks applying to the old "college stand-by" jobs are not your fresh faced post adolescents looking to break through. These applicants are well educated and significantly over-qualified.

There was a time when being a Marine veteran, bilingual, and having work experience was enough to help my resume float to the top, but not these days. I think things are getting better, slowly. For instance I noticed that last year, and well into this one, that the average age of the check out people had risen. I wasn't used to so many forty and fifty somethings (if not older) bagging groceries. I couldn't let these good people bag my Blue Bell and whole wheat. on more than one occasion I rushed to bag with them.

But now that I'm out of the cocoon of school and banging in the job market, I feel like I'm in for a fight!

How dare I re-open the blog with a stream-of-consciousness! But, I gotta tell you. This is the way I'm stepping out there. Reaching down and grabbing a hand full of boot-strap.

I hope you're well Reader, it's good to be back. Wherever this is.