Woke up this morning...and hey it's halfway through October?? I feel like Rip Van Winkle...the year is just zooming by! Or blowing by according to the many wind warnings out there - 90 kpm? 130 kpm?? this is ridonculous!
My snow white new 2018 KIA - the plainest of Janes - will do well in the wind as long as two hands on the wheel and no undue speeding! Yes the Vanilla Milkshake has been traded in - 280,000 kms and gasps from the mechanic when he asked how many timing belts I'd replace and I said None. So since when do you have to spend nearly $900 every 100,000 on a damn belt? I am not impressed.
But, having said that I am happy with the trade in, love the new car, and learning to drive by foot, vs cruise control. Who doesn't have cruise as a standard option? Well apparently I don't. LOL
As the fall blows in - and it is raging outside - I've been reflecting on what the year has been like. It's been kind of brutal. Some really stressful nasty crapola - like my contract being ended early and leaving my beloved co workers who are awesome! Then trying my hand at consulting - wellllll that was an education! Apparently when it comes to Economic Development projects, only the big boys get hired. Don't believe me? well I have seen proof - and it wasn't pretty. That and the fact that with the current government there are about 140,000 people who were "thrust back into the work force" and about 139,000 of them bought laptops and became consultants. Where doth that leave me? Well with few contracts, mainly "pity" gigs that made me a wee bit of loot, but nothing to live on.
So being resourceful and tenacious I reentered the workforce with a vengeance, polishing up and modernizing my resume, researching and perfecting my cover letter - and looking for work high and low. And many many applications going out! Alas this was a lesson in humility..."sorry, just not a match for our organization", "not what we are looking for at this time" and "the committee felt the other applicant was more aligned to our goals". These phrases, when put through the translator all come out "you have too many years in your experience" aka long in the tooth. Too old. Nope, not the perky 24 yr old with the pony tail image they are looking for. Oh and I wouldn't work for peanuts. Sigh. I have come through that now - after countless 2nd interviews, road trips, etc etc. I didn't realize how demeaning, how much work, how damaging this could be! I mean "back in the day" a person could just walk out of one job, walk into another. But alas, those days are past.
I came through it all, thankfully, wiser, and with renewed vigor! Now I am again employed, albeit not ideal it's work. My co workers are great, the drive isn't bad and I get a paycheque! However, a peer of mine, a trusted and valued friend, who has also gone the new job route, said she's had a reflective weekend of "why am I doing this"? A good question to ask - is it work just to pay bills? Is it work that feeds your soul? Does it leave you feeling accomplished, valued, satisfied? That's a serious consideration - and it have only made me ponder more deeply.
And now you know what I discovered? I am still a desired commodity on the market! Recently I've had some successes, and am certain that the "dream job" is on the horizon. Maybe not for a while - but it's coming! I have faith. Seems like my adventures in the workforce continue....watch for updates as they develop.
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