A Little Piece of Heaven

Captain Hubby - Aye Aye Captain!

Mangrove Trees at Caladesi Island

The Blue Wave Beach - Caladesi Island


So Hubby and I decided to take a break from job searching and work today and headed for Caladesi Island off the coast of northern Pinellas County. Rather than take the ferry over, we took our small jon boat.

What a gem of a place! On the ride over you glide over crystal clear blue-green water and head into an opening surrounded by mangrove trees. The narrow slip of land has nature trails (note to self - bring bug repellent next time because the mosquitoes are fierce!) and on the west side, beautiful beaches with white sand and lots of shells. Swimming wasn't for the faint of heart this morning because of strong undercurrents and riptides. Came out unscathed except for a small cut on my toe - luckily I didn't attract any sharks!

It was lovely to be at a beach not built on at all. I just enjoyed sitting on a bench watching the Gulf of Mexico and listening to waves crash and smelling salt in the air. I'd love to return with our canoe and take the kayak trail deep in the mangroves. I'd return any day as it's a piece of unspoiled old Florida.

Auntie By Friendship

One of my best friends from middle, high school and my college roommate is expecting her first child soon - less than eight weeks. She's been referring to me as Auntie Sarah which is cool. Being an aunt has its perks. And it's cool to see Kathy becoming a mom. I'm looking forward to meeting him or her (they have decided to let the sex be a surprise).

Kathy and Dave have been fantastic. They both have supported me through my unemployed odyssey. She has sent me unexpected notes and little gifts. It's wonderful having support of friends. I hope she knows what a great friend she has been - if not, Kathy - read this now, thank you for everything you have and continue to do. I wish I could be a better auntie to Baby Big, getting you all the cute baby things you deserve. Throwing you a baby shower. But Auntie Sarah will make it up to you some day when I can spoil Baby Big.

Baby Big watch starts now.

Under My Umbrella

We've had a lot of rain recently which is fantastic actually since central Florida has been in a major drought for more than three years. I got caught in a downpour when I stopped at Publix to pick up a few items.

Behind the drivers seat was my trusty umbrella. I've had it since the Christmas before I graduated high school in 1992. It was a gift from my paternal Grandmother. It was a very nice umbrella. Not like the ones that folds up tiny and easily break. But one that is old-fashioned style, with the curved handle you can place over you arm that is accented with wood on the handle, the end and on the tips. To top it off, the material once was vibrant multi-colored that looked like a jig-saw puzzle.

Who keeps an umbrella for 18 years? And how does this umbrella still work? I should have lost it by now. It was left in a number of places, in the library at USF, restaurants, people's houses, etc. But every time I lost it, I found it.

Today I popped my trusty umbrella open and I noticed one of the wooden tips had slipped off and there was a tiny tear in the material. In the midst of the rainstorm I stopped and stared at it.

Grandma died a few years ago. I have a variety of items that belonged to her, lovely items. But for some reason seeing this umbrella falling apart brought pause to me. Reminded me of what a great lady she was and that I missed her.

I brought the umbrella home and popped the wooden tip back on, I will look for some glue to attach it better. The rip is small and not in the top so it will still keep my dry. So it will go back behind my seat tomorrow to keep me dry another day. I'm not ready to let go of it yet.

No News, Not Good News

Wow. I can't believe I am still unemployed.

I never thought it would take so long. Thank goodness I have my volunteer work at the church to keep my mind sharp. I have had the opportunity to write a good number of items in the past few months and participated in meetings and even town hall meetings.

I can't believe how some employers are using this opportunity to put potential employees through an awful ringer, making people bow down and kiss their toes and reminding us again and again that you are so lucky they are even spending a moment with you.

I am a fair person. I want to work hard and be paid a fair wage and be treated with a little dignity along the way. Is that a huge order? I don't think so.

Why must the first question be about money? Forcing me to show you my hand, but then refusing - REFUSING - to show me anything of yours. Not letting me tell you that I am more flexible. Not telling you that you DIDN'T get the job after an interview. I'd take a computer generated e-mail.

But at least this time really shows the true nature of a business and helps me to know where to try to get a job in the future.

I'm sure my job is around the corner. I have faith. And I am lucky to have to many great family members and friends who care about me and lift my spirits when I need it.

It's Time...

I finally finished reading Thomas Friedman's: Hot, Flat, and Crowded. It took me a long time but I am glad I persevered and finished it. I know many people think Friedman is an environmental nut. He may be, but he has some good points.

The main one is this: the energy revolution is the opportunity for America to stand up and be truly innovative and lead the world with new technologies dedicated to new forms of energy that are better for our planet rather than allowing other countries to take that lead. This opportunity can allow us to transform our economy, creating new companies and jobs. Instead we have had our head in the sand and handed hand-over-fist billions of dollars to foreign countries, many who hate us, and allowed them to be successful off our backs. And whether or not you believe in global warming, which I am amazed there are those folks out there who think it's great for the planet to burn fossil fuels, (ever been to a coal plant?), how could you not believe we have the opportunity to change our country economically. We aren't in the best place right now are we?

And today, I turned on the radio to hear that Al Gore is saying that the current House bill on global warming is akin to the Marshall Plan and Civil Rights and Glen Beck was throwing a hissy-fit about that. Well guess what Mr. Beck? A plan that in all-encompassing and geared to change the energy landscape of the USA is akin to those things. It would change everything. One day it would give access to electricity to those who don't have it and electricity is necessary for an improved standard of living. And doing it clean is absolutely necessary as the areas of the world this effects have the most people.

So America, when are we pulling our heads out of the sand? We have men and women losing their lives because of oil right now and every time you fill up your big-ass SUV or truck you are paying the people who are killing them. Being all fuzzy and nice with Arbor Day, which is today, and Earth Day is nice but it isn't enough. We need politicians to make tough decisions by passing laws that force the companies who are polluting the planet to change and mandate it's citizens to make new choices. Change is tough and sometimes people have to be forced. It's time...

I want to ride my bicycle...Lessons Learned.

Yesterday sister Laura and I decided we needed to get out of the house and get some exercise and since she lives really close to the fantastic Pinellas Trail we thought we'd go there. Also, just south of her the trail crosses the intercoastal waterway in Seminole and we have been wanting to cross it. The picture above is on the bridge crossing the water. I guess there could be worse ways to spend the afternoon.

Lesson 1: Remember that if you haven't been on a bicycle for a while, yes your ass WILL hurt.

Lesson 2: Drink enough water and eat something a little more substantial than a granola bar and a banana because add the two deficiences together and you too could faint on the side of Seminole Boulevard (at least it wasn't in the middle of the boulevard!). I am fine by the way, just a sore ass and a couple of scrapes.

Doe a Dear...

Something about the Sound of Music that gets me every time.

Get By With a Little Help From Your Friends

I posted this on my career search web site today. I am thankful for my friends and family!

B.U.E. (Before Unemployment)I had the chance to have a variety of things happen to me and since I was around a variety of people, this upped my chances of interesting interaction. Since U.E. (unemployment) I'm home most of the time and the amount of people I actually talk to on a daily basis is much smaller. So my inspiration for posts seems to have gotten smaller. I don't have a lot to report. I get up, go to mass (guarantees I get out of bed at a good time (7:30 a.m.)and gets me out of the house everyday), come home, exercise (yoga, weights or nothing), eat a bowl of cereal if I didn't get up in time to eat before going to mass, look for a job, have lunch, look for a job, have dinner, look for a job or watch a TV show or read a book and finally go to bed. I think if I didn't use FaceBook, I'd go nuts because I can follow mini conversations throughout the day.

Staying home costs me less money, so that's good, but it always is tedious. But I have to be home to look for a job which I need, badly.

I just wish employers would go back to the whole, we'll let you know that we are no longer considering you instead of postings that scream "NO PHONE CALLS, IF WE THINK YOU ARE WORTHY, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH." OK, I made up the last part, but that's what goes through my head when I see that. Out of all the resumes out, I've only had one response that said thanks, but no thanks. What stung the worst? The job listing went back up.

Enough of my ramblings. I go to the outplacement company on Friday morning and I hope they will help me. I can't handle being by myself so much. I'm ready to work!

The Simple Things

I have seen some of the news reports that Americans are returning to simple pleasures. Since there are so many uncertainties out there people don't want to spend their money unwisely. What a novel concept, spending time with our families, reading books, seeing movies, simple vacations and starting gardens. It's too bad that it takes a national emergency to get people to do these things - to focus on what is really important.

New Tools

I read an article about fully using Social Media to gain employment. So off I went to make a web site to showcase myself and I started Twittering (or is it Tweeting?) again. Hey - if if works, I don't care.

So you can catch my new web site "I Want a New Career" - you can find it on the menu on the left and you can find me on Twitter under my name Sarah Varga, you can find me on LinkedIn too. I'm easy to find!

Whew, I've been on the computer a long time today, I keep expecting the laptop to start smokin' soon!

Staying Positive is Hard

All you hear all day is how bad the economy and how hard it is to find a job. For those of us without a job it makes it even harder to stay positive. Either it's the Dow dropping, huge number of layoffs, dropping home values or another peanut product is being recalled. So with all that is going on how do you stay positive? Believing that you will find a job soon and that you won't be heading towards financial ruin?

I don't know.

Please let me know. I know stressing out doesn't help - but it's hard no to. I think I'm getting gray hair faster recently and that stress could be the culprit.

Who Haven't I Told?

I'm getting to understand that you need to tell EVERYONE you know that you are unemployed and tell them what kind of job you are looking for. Because you never know who will be talking to a recruiter, business owner or contact who knows about a possible job. Infact, I am thinking about printing resumes for all my family and friends to tote around in case they need to hand it out. (Ok maybe I jest slightly - but only slightly.)

Today my Dad was at a job fair recruiting for workers and he happened to be next to a booth with a recruiter from a large local company. He was kind enough to chat about my and my situation. Next thing I know I have a contact at a company I would love to work for and he has my resume.

So incase you are out and about in the Tampa Bay area and someone is looking for a communications, public relations, marketing, events or project coordinator think about Sarah. I won't pay for the info - but a beer and a hug might be in your future.

Assistance

Today I called the career assistance service I get as part of my severence. I realize I need help. And if someone else is paying for it why am I not using it? I need them to help me get my resume fit the best. It is hard for me because I want to jump from one role to another and getting potential employers to see my value in a new role isn't easy when they don't know you. I was hoping to make that jump at my old employer.

So I'm waiting to hear back from them after they verify that I was let go and do in fact get the service. So in this case, not using assistance makes an ass just of me.

Top Secret Company

One thing I am finding that is obnoxious is company's who don't put their names out there when they are advertising for help. I've seen some interesting jobs I might like to apply for, BUT they say the company is confidential. I'm not sure why they do this. I want to know where I applying to. Does this make sense to anyone else? Just say, no phone calls. But I want to know how far away the company is, to see if I would be willing to drive that far or not and to be able to familiarize myself with the company.

Doing my sending resumes dance

I've had a good friend read over my resume and give me suggestions for improving it. And now I'm ready to pull the trigger. This is a precarious thing. This is now the first chance for me to be either accepted or rejected. I'm trying to prepare myself for what being rejected will feel like. My ego has taken a beating and it's starting to feel somewhat normal at this time. I mean I haven't sat in front of the TV during the day at all this week even though Martha Stewart (don't be haters! she is fun to watch) and Oprah call out of me at 11 and 4 p.m. And my mind is much clearer for what I need to do. Now I just need to do it.

So wish me luck.

Resume Strategery

I know that I need to make my resume match the job I am applying for. The hard part is that I am looking to change my career away from a support function. I have the experience from within my previous job, but the title just doesn't match. It's all strategery (Saturday Night Live reference). I have been reading up on what I need to do to show that I have experience but that my previous job title might not say that.

I know you only have one time to make an impression so the resume and cover letter are so important. Especially since there are so many people out there looking for jobs.

All I know is I need a job, I can't take being home so much. I'm going nutty. I am keeping the TV on just to hear people talking. It's only been a week. Oye.

Oh Poop

While taking my 2-mile walk at Lake Seminole Park a bird pooped on me. Yes, I said it, POOPED on me. Now, I really think I have been pooped on enough for the past week. And this is my 1-week anniversary of being unemployed. Not sure if there is any meaning to it being pooped on or if I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The First Monday

The end of last week was like I was on a long weekend. This morning felt very different. I have decided I need to have something every day that forces me to get up and out of bed - besides the fear of running out of money - something that keeps my sanity. So it was off to daily mass and then to a walk in the park for exercise and then home to the job search.

It is so quiet at home and the cat isn't great for conversation. I think just the loneliness might push me.

Anyhow. On to Tuesday.

Day One

Wow. Thanks to all my family and friends for their support, kind words and offers of help. I can't thank you enough. Today I am processing. So there wasn't a ton of action. I got signed up for unemployment (you can do it on-line did you know that?) went grocery shopping and have spent the last 3 1/2 hours taking traffic school on-line. I am waiting for this current section's time to run out before moving on to the last section and then the final exam.

Not a ton, but something. Tomorrow I hope to read my termination paperwork and call work with any questions. And I have to rework my resume. I submitted one in haste yesterday out of desperation and I'm sure it's not up to snuff. But thanks to some good friends I have folks who will give me pointers.

I do have to say, it is weird waking up on a Thursday and having no workplace to go to. No real purpose. I know, finding a job, has now become my job. And I think I have to continue to write here. It is a release and it keeps me writing. It's easy to get real rusty, real fast.

Whew...well, time's almost up on the other web page I have up so I better finish this darn class up. I can't come back tomorrow and expect that I will remember all the stuff I have crammed in my head. Right now, my brain is on the mushy side as it is.