Weekend Update with The Big KL

No news with the job hunting - Been coughing too much to set up any interviews or even spend too much time in a public place without people thinking I have bird flu. I tried to visit my doctor on Thursday, but they didn't take walk-ins, and I needed to make an appointment ahead of time. If I realized I was going to hack up internal organs on Thursday, I would have scheduled an appointment earlier in the week. I'm sure that Dr. Nobu (not his real name) has his magazines in some really nice magazine racks, and nicely cushioned waiting room chairs, since his office must be so posh that you need to make an appointment ahead of time.

I moved on to a new doctor on Friday, and he hooked me up to these new-fangled devices, and came to the conclusion that I have a mild form of asthma, most likely aggravated by all the allergens in the air. I pop an Allegra now and have an aspirator, like all the cool kids do. The cough seemed to have subsided on Saturday, but then got really bad on Sunday, but I seem ok today, aside from the sniffling (new symptom). Turns out wifey is now sick too (although the doctor said I wasn't contagious), and she had to call in sick today for work.

So once I get better, I'll go aggressive with the calling and the networking, etc. Anyone I speak to on the phone right now will mostly likely think I'm a chain smoker, so a few more days to get better...

Day Three - Breaking (the) News

Everyday is a weekend when you're not working, so I won't be counting Saturday and Sundays as unemployment days. Since this past Sunday was Mother's day though, I first would like to wish all those mom and mom-to-be readers a Happy Mother's Day. My own mom was in Vegas this past weekend, so I spent it with my mother-in-law. While my wife and sibling-in-laws were trying to decipher how to translate "laid off" to break the news to my in-laws over dinner, I chose my words more directly, and just told her "I'm not working anymore." My wife added in the reasons why, and I added "I'm not working so I can stay home and take care of the babies" (we have no childen my wife is not expecting, for the record). My mother-in-law's reaction wasn't too negative from what I could decipher, but I think she said some encouraging words, so I don't think she's too worried.

I told my own mom Monday night, and her first word was "What?!" which I would assume is a combination of disbelief and "not again." She trusts in the professional abilities of her only son, so she was positive about it and had a similar attitude as me: I'll find something better soon enough.

I completed the first draft of my resume and sent it out for review by some of my peers. I remembered my Monster.com log in after two years surprisingly too. I also heard on the news that there will be 1,000 public parks in the US that will offer free wifi by the end of the summer, starting with Central Park. So I can job hunt topless and tan simultaneously.

Day Two - I Don't Need No Stinkin' Resume

I tried to make myself productive today, so I made it a point to head out to the gym and over to the bookstore to do some research. I worked on the resume while on the train and wrote some pretty self-gratifying stuff. I also slotted in lunch with some friends, and it was good to see familiar faces again (since it was a whole day since I last saw them... but frankly, felt like much longer). Over at the bookstore, I picked up a couple of books - the obligatory "... For Dummies" (don't remember what, but it had to do with careers), and thumbed though two books written by Yahoo! Hotjobs*. I settled with a small book called "Don't Send A Resume*." (I'm a sucker for interesting titles and book covers.)

In it were some interesting strategies that in my mind, would probably work. The idea is to send the highest person in the organization that you're applying for a letter that states what's wrong with their business and how it can be improved (after extensive company research, of course), and include examples of how someone with your skillset can improve it and earn more revenue in the long run. You need to treat the company like a buyer, you are the seller, and your skills are the product. The only goal of any company is to make more money, so if you can show exactly what you can do for them to hit that goal, that should get you enough attention to make them come after you. Once you've hooked them, then send your resume. Pretty smart.

Then I met up with wifey and friends, ate sushi, and saw Mission Impossible III. I posted my review on the right - just the important stuff.

* I only send book links to Amazon cause they're the most informational source. Buy.com aggressively undercuts their book prices by 10% compared to Amazon, and their are other cheaper online sources for used books as well.

Day One - Still Unemployed

My first full day of unemployment... A day of limitless possibilities, without the boundaries of time or a commitment to do work of any kind! Knowing that I now have true freedom, I woke up, put on some pants, and played video games on the PC. Two hours later, I brushed my teeth. I couldn't spend the whole day cooped up, so I trekked out the door for my first unemployed adventure. I came back an hour later with a new pair of windshield wipers for the car. Such excitement would tire anyone out, so it was time for an afternoon nap. Hot Pockets for dinner, some Robitussin for my cough, and I was asleep on the couch by 10 PM.

Unemployment is going to take getting used to, but I think I'm handling it pretty well so far.

Some handy info: NY Unemployment Application

No more standing in line to file for unemployment. The miracle of science now allows those of us unemployed that are too busy to leave their homes now file lazier easier than ever.

Out of Office

I've been a bit quiet as of late... anyone notice? My time at home has become engulfed with one of those silly MMORPG's; basically a computer game in a persistent world with other real human players, where you pay a subscription fee to play every month. These things are addicting because (1) they're fun, (2) they provide a social outlet and allow me to keep in touch with friends who aren't local, and (3) because you feel like if you're not playing it, you're wasting money, since you already paid for a month up front. I've mustered up the willpower to finally quit my obsession this past Monday. Withdrawal symptoms aside, I've found my evenings to be more fulfilling now, by watching Ultimate Fighter 3 and playing Brain Age on the couch instead of wasting precious time in front of the computer.

Three days after I quit this game, I get an announcement at work that my position has been terminated. Today was my last day at the new office, and I'm now once again unemployed. Seems like I can't hold a job much longer past two years before I'm forced to move on. But every time I've been pushed away, I end up in something exponentially greater than before. So although I do regret leaving the friends, fast food, and a job that I really didn't mind going to every morning, I know that there's more out there and getting laid off is always the kick in the pants I need to find it.

I'll take a bit of time off to myself, get some chores done, and re-learn how to cook so I can feed myself once again. I'll probably sign back up for that pesky MMORPG again, since I've got a lot more time on my hands now too.

So if anyone knows of someone who could use an online marketer who's tall and has their own blog, let me know. I'll be on my couch or at my computer desk at home in the meantime.

Doggy Poo

On my way to the train station this morning, I observed a man walking his dog and leading him to a grassy spot off the sidewalk to poo. I noticed the man carried no bags, scooping devices, or newspaper to possibly clean up after his dog. After his dog did his doody, the owner promptly tugged at the leash to get outta there. Back on the sidewalk though, the dog walker found something in common with the dog walker before him, as he stepped in dog poo someone left on the sidewalk. Who says karma is a load of crap?

Allow me to segue into the recommendation of a short Korean movie of a similar subject called "Doggy Poo" (which my Korean friend graciously translated the title to actually mean "Puppy Poo"). It's a 20 minute stop-motion-animation about a poo from a pup and its quest to find the meaning of its life. And no, I'm not sh*tting you.

Links to this movie from Blockbuster.com and Netflix.