Don't Quit the Day Job

You know what I learned this week? Job hunting sucks! Yeah, yeah, I know...Poor BABY! But seriously, you don't know how long it's been since I've had to look. Try 2002.

That was the meatcutting job at Champions, after Save-On-Foods.  There were two other jobs after that, but I didn't need to apply to them. I got 'head-hunted'. I literally got phone calls at home, asking if I wanted to come work for them. Sigh...I miss that.

I left Champions (again) five years ago, when new owners took over (again). I was burned out and just didn't want to go back. The idea was that I would stay home and make a living writing novels...

BWAAAAA-HAHAHAHAHA!! Yeah, we know how THAT went!

My advice to anyone else with that plan is this: Don't quit that day job. Stay in the loop. Stay in touch with former bosses and co-workers and take a few shifts here and there at least.  Do some volunteer work, and get yourself out of the house.

I'm probably the only one dumb enough to follow Plan A to a 'T' but in case you are wondering, Plan A was pretty flawed. Five years after leaving my promising trade, I'm scrambling to even find references. I'm lucky that my boss from McKernan, who I haven't seen in eight years didn't change his number and remembered me. My most recent reference came from the Food Bank I volunteered at two years ago.

I've gained a lot of weight sitting at this desk, which will also make it harder when I finally find work.  Keeping a job would have made a big difference there too.  Back then, I believed working would take time away from writing. Did you know lack of exercise and social interaction can cause writer's block? Trust me on that.

Needless to say, I've been humbled. I'm looking forward to sweating and aching and sleeping well. Wish me luck on my new chapter, the one I'm NOT actually 'writing'.