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Yes, it is time for a change, but nothing TOO drastic.
As it is common knowledge for everyone that knows me, I am looking for employment. It's nutty that every time someone says, "yeah, I'm looking for a job", it always means that it's elsewhere. Euphorically, I didn't think that was going to be the case of me. Too bad my vocation is way too esoteric for the Coastal Bend.
Absolute sadness.
As of Monday afternoon in queuing the caller.com Jobs section (called hotjobs - what an absolute asinine name) searching the "technology" section, there were seven listings. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Two of the listings had nothing to do with "technology" (why would "Models Needed- All Ages, Looks and Types" be in the "technology" search field?). Two other listings have to do with the military, however you have to be in the Naval Reserve or the National Guard...yikes. Nothing like searching for a job in Corpus to find out you are shipped to Afghanistan two weeks later patching top-secret Windows "boxes" while a Taliban surge in raining rounds of AK-47 caliber bullets to the tech bunker. In essence, only three of the seven listed jobs are actually a tech job in the Corpus area. One, two, three.
If I type in "healthcare", there are 134 listings - mostly legitimate leads running the whole gamut of the medical field, from billing to nursing.
So, a city with a population of 266,000 (estimated) only needs three people to work on networks, applications and systems. Granted, this is shorthanded listings from caller.com, but seriously, WTF?
Even the bastion on Internet salvation, craigslist did not have any Corpus IT leads either. But in "security", there was a bodyguard listing available. I don't think I can grow from a CISSP when trotting sidecar to the Jonas Brothers. The tech support listing had six leads with one lead labeled "Chrysler Service Writer". How the hell is writing service contract for cars a tech support job? That's a "writer" position by any stretch of the imagination. And why do I need "reliable transportation" for Tech support? Cheeky bastards want me to burn miles on my vehicle for $10 an hour? I don't think so.
For a laugh, I checked the austin.craigslist.org site for Systems/networking jobs...yeah, 34 leads since 30 June.
I just don't get it. As far as this town is considered, I think there are a handful of severe shortcomings that inhibit any sort of new or existing IT talent to be fostered or imported.
- What company (large or small) would have the intestinal fortitude to build a NOC, data or IT center in a city that is 17ft above sea level? I know one does...but beyond that, there are very few.
- Okay, okay, economic downturn blah-blah-blah. But when there was an economic uptick in the nineties, with the dot com splash, where was the Sparkling City By The Sea? So the cheap bastards hire some guy that six months away from retiring that "knows computing machines", runs the IT shop and is now the CIO. That is crazy scary.
- Give credit where credit is due - the small IT shops that are supporting bigger companies and agencies did their homework to corner the market. Richline, Identity Theft Solutions and RSSS have done very well for themselves raising their hand and saying out loud "I know computers".
- All the IT professionals hired for IT professionals are probably doing something else, like running a school district, teaching Health class of being the middle management of an off-shoot department...and I'm not even going to mention the deficit of security departments with this staff paradigm.
It's sad how marginalized how IT is down here. And I'm not bitching about my position. We are talking about ALL of IT.
That's cool. If this town has settled with losing corporate headquarters and building pollutants for the future, then let's not get the largest growing sector of business to get in the way of negative growth.
Lessons Learned, my three things.
1) Never invest in an investment plan than you can't break away from at a moment's notice. It's your money. Don't let The Man tell you how to run it.
2) Looking for a new jobs is it's own full time job.
3) The stress is literally making me nauseous.
Looks like I am going to be bitching about employment opportunities until I find a solid job. To clarify, there is nothing wrong with contract jobs. It's just that there is no love here locally with contract jobs. Until Corpus turns into the next Ft. Sam, a proliferation of contracts are not going to mosey down the pipe until CCAD multiplies tenfold. Crap. Relocation is sounding better and better. Talk later.
Ah, yes, those were happier times, August 2008.
I want to complain. I want to bitch. I want to scream at an entity that has no ears and plays games with livelihoods. But I don't know what good that will do.
Usually I get great catharsis with P30P. But tonight, I really can't go into the details. I can't drill down why a broken system can be saved by a scrappy team of misfits (because it might sound like too much like a Quentin Tarantino vehicle), but I really want to.
I know it's unclassified. But still, we do important work. I'm calling the gag order on prudence and better judgment.
Generic time: all I can really gripe about is a system that was doomed to fail once somebody crunched the right numbers. Why would the government hire an overpriced outfit to do tasks that you could easily specialize soldiers and civilians to perform? Why would someone form a company that has no corporate paperwork to show for themselves? Why would anyone sign on with a "corporation" that has no proof of corporate continuity? Easy - it's the evil root.
Contracting is evil. I'm not talking about buildings and paved parking lots. I'm talking about military contractors. I'm talking about the no-bid bastards that don't deliver a damn thing but the CEOs of the contracted company make millions in the turn of a ball point pen. I'm talking about the low ballers that oversell the value of an hour but under buy the souls of workers. I'm talking about stinking capitalists that could care less that the government, with specialists, could probably do it faster, cheaper and more efficiently. But it doesn't matter because the all mighty dollar is driving this uninsured bus.
I'm angry at myself for creating this illusion of solid status. I knew this was not the ideal situation, but I gutted forward because I was learning an exponential amount of knowledge. But now that I have my Microsoft chops, learning accomplished. This plan of action should have been executed last month.
So, if anyone cares, I am looking for a job. I love long walks and small, cuddly animals. I love Information Security, but I am still a FNG at the hardcore stuff. I know my way around "the most expensive Operating System known to man". I have some certs and a degree, but I can always sit down and look for some more. I may not be the smartest guy in the room, but I will work harder to outsmart the guy. This posting thing doesn't pay squat and I have two dogs and a decent lifestyle to support (yes, yes, and I am married, but we know that). If anyone has any leads, please don't hesitate to pass them along.
Lessons Learned, my three things.
1) Celebrating a half-anniversary is a very good way of keeping the relationship fresh. That and hotel rooms...is a very good way of keeping a relationship fresh. BONUS: Anytime you see a hotel called "historic", that is code for "small".2) As mentioned before, other towns get it. If the service at any random restaurant, bar, dealership, shopping center is good, people will WANT to visit. Thank you, San Antonio. Corpus has a lot to learn from you.
3) As of midnight Monday morning, we have 47 days until the first Horns football game. Baseball and Lance quitting on me just isn't doing it for me.
No, but seriously, if anyone finds some job leads for me, contact me. Talk later.
Black Market Revival left it all on the stage, literally.
Pardon the repeated theme, but it seems to be reigning the headlines. However, eff the headlines. In most cases, micro has much more impact than macro.
Recently, the thought of death was passing. This week, notsomuch. Guilt set in when I was reminded that it only takes two and a half hours speeding southbound to get to abuela's house. It sucks that you get those reminders when it's a bit late regardless of what Dad said, even though it wasn't a big deal to visit.
Compound that with the complications I learned with abuela's two weeks in the hospital, and I was reminded that death has a precursor. Let's just say it was a textbook case of what happens without a living will and an executor. My dad with the help of my sister and my uncle took care of the rest of the unpleasantness that you don't think about until it's either too late or too-too soon.
So, after all of these necessary evils, Dad and Sis have figured out they want two things: 1) no suffering if everyone knows the prolonged treatments won't do any good and B) cremation seems to be all the rage. Unfortunately, that is a start.
It's too much to process that turns quickly into a slippery slope. If it's not the "what to do when I am sick", it's the "what to do when I finally depart". Then, after, it's the "bury, cremate or other". Then it's the "what to do about the memorial". Then, you always have the "when I go, I want a party" comment. But really, when is there a party when someone just died...unless you are a despot or mass murderer. It's way too much to process especially when you are the one that just passed.
When you grow up and you see loved ones leave, you have to start making difficult decisions. The big lesson learned is (as a reminder): our time is finite. Regardless of how well or lousy we take care of ourselves, we must still depart. I feel there is a lot left to do. My impact is still awaiting, but in the effort to remind myself to get something drafted, I want to post my wishes on the Internets to not only remind my readers and beloved, but also myself. To thyself, stay (somewhat) true.
- Dad and Sis have a good idea. Cremation is a pretty decent way to do it. No open caskets where you look nowhere near as well as you used to or no pine boxes where you stare at unfinished wood. Nah, "ashes to ashes" sounds better than the Bowie track.
- My ashes should be released on the Colorado River. Sure, do it in Austin, or do it in San Saba County - I don't care. Just as long as it gets me to the Gulf, I should be fine.
- So, I mentioned a party. Yeah, don't worry about gathering on my account. If you are going to be at my drop zone, fine. But don't suffer in suits and ties and summer heat on my account. Make that wish happen and move on. It's bad enough I have wasted people's time with dying on them.
- No effing eulogy. I haven't done anything but damage bank accounts and smile at photographs. And even if my impact was felt on people that weren't my immediate family/friends, I still wouldn't want one. Again, quit wasting people's time.
Wow, that was macabre.
Lessons Learned, my three things.
1) It's not really a three-day weekend when you are busting ass still trying to move into the domicile all three days.
2) I have a new-found respect for Andy Roddick. At the very least, he is coach-able.
3) If you are trying to "say tober" at a bar, take it easy with the water-back with the adult beverage. It kinda backfired for me. So, maybe I should just not drink to stay sober, period.
Well, enough of this Fourth of July wholesome goodness. I think next week, I will blog about my favorite "area" rock band as they make their return to the Bend of the Coast. Who knows, I may go all Huffington Post or Daily Beast on this gig. You know, without the aggressive liberal spin and the political banter. Until then, talk later.
Yes, it is time for a change, but nothing TOO drastic.
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