Half-vast thoughts of a dabbler

Criminy dutch ... 12 days since I posted. What gives?

Lots of disjointed things, actually. Took on a little bit of "free"-lance ... couple of seminars on networking and re-careering ... start an online class today ... a volunteer stint at a community garden ... checking out some other volunteer opps ... investigating a low-budget trip to Italy. (Really!) It hasn't gotten too far yet, but my thinking here is that as soon as I commit and purchase the plane tickets, the job offers will come flying in and I'll have to eat the tickets. Given the current state of affairs, that could be a good problem to have.

If you think I might be a bit confused and conflicted, you're probably right. This is the problem of being unemployed. It hovers over most everything, so it's hard to give a full-fledged commitment to anything. ... Sure, I'd like to be more active in volunteering, but my first priority is finding work, and when I do find work, then I won't have the time to fulfill my volunteering commitment. I'd really like to learn to speak Italian, and play the guitar, but I don't want to be half-vast about it, and I question the wisdom of committing the time to be fully vast.

So I dabble at this and dabble at that -- not because I don't have enough to keep busy, but to keep myself in circulation. This "networking" stuff is slightly uncomfortable for me. I realize the value of it, but the people who are really part of my network -- the "circle of trust" -- know what's going on in my world and are looking out for me. This expanded network -- it just feels like I'm imposing. I guess that's why I'm trying it -- so I can get more comfortable with the process.

By the by, here are a couple pointers I learned along the trail:

* 24 years of experience at one thing is too much -- unless it's twittering. Makes me dated. Better to have 10-plus years experience, plus, of course, hundreds of followers on twitter.

* My resume needs more buzzwords, phrases like "operational efficiencies" and "relationship building" and "organizational advocacy" -- stole that one from Josh Byrnes.

* It's better to be less than honest about my salary history. But I'm not quite sure how much less than honest -- just enough to not price myself out of a job while not selling myself short.

Somehow, it seems just a little disingenuous. They say it's supposed to be about selling yourself, but really it's about selling what you think they want to buy.

Some of us are more comfortable selling something we believe in and hoping that it matches what they want to buy, rather than vice versa.

Keeping the faith

Some days it's not so easy to keep the faith. But here's a little inspiration from an old friend, courtesy of the great Capt. Harry Allen. (Warning: Contains language that some viewers may find objectionable.)

Guns and horses

Was up early this morning, so took an unplanned detour and rode out to Coon Bluff at sunrise. What a soothing and restorative place at that time of day. The gentle rushing of the river, a few geese and a blue heron flying by, just a hint of fall in the air as the sun peaks over the mountains.

And then, a real treat. Across the river, three of the wild horses cooling off and enjoying some breakfast; further upstream, another cluster; to my left, on my side of the Salt, another group, not 20 yards from me. Must have been at least 15 in all, including some moms with youngsters in tow -- the most I've ever seen in one place.

I could have done without the soundtrack of the season, however. Nothing like the staccato clap of dove hunters in the distance to disturb the serenity. I keep forgetting what it is that's so sporting about dressing in camo from head to toe and blasting away at little birds at sunrise. Or is it the satisfaction of rustling up some mighty good vittles?

And that's our word of the day

Vittles.

Today's shuffle

Ripplin' Waters, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Ballad of a Well-Known Gun, Elton John

Blam, Elmer

Ka-pow, Fudd

Blam, Elmer

Ka-pow, Fudd

Blam, Elmer

Ka-pow, Fudd

The reluctant blogger

I could well have titled this "the infrequent blogger'' -- either would be accurate.

Tens of readers -- anybody? -- might have noticed that I'm not blogging every day. It's not for a lack of ideas -- I've got notebooks and scraps of paper with scribbled ideas scattered all around. A lot of them come to me when I'm out on the bike, and on occasion the whole blog is fleshed out by the time I make it home. Sometimes I misplace one or two, but there's still a good week's worth or more ...

Michael Vick

Dove-hunting season

NPR

Library books

Corporate rudeness

Chien-Ming Wang

Flagstaff

Not working vs. unemployed

Courage

Reading the news in print vs. online

Dave's Diner

Good bad foods

... how could I go wrong?

It's probably not for lack of time, either -- but I will say this: Maybe it's my Catholic upbringing -- you'd never have known -- but for me, blogging comes with just a touch of guilt. If I'm sitting in front of the keyboard spouting off into cyberspace, I'm not doing something else that might be considered productive. Like contributing to the state of domestic tranquility while the Mrs. is at work. Or using that time in front of the keyboard to make sure I'm uncovered every stone in the search for gainful employment. Or exercising. Or reading. Or volunteering.

It might best be described as lack of purpose.

In my world, blogging is like an exercise in online journaling -- the same sort of pen-to-paper writing we might have done back in the day -- only it's public, so none of the juicy stuff.

I've got a lot of thoughts rattling around in my cage, some of them I believe in strongly, but that's all they are -- thoughts. I've got no special access, no insider knowledge, so what I have to say about Michael Vick should be no more valid than what the guy two bar stools over has to say. I don't mind sharing my opinion if asked, but you've got more important things to spend your time reading about.

That's it for now. Got to get cooking on tonight's World Famous Sausage and Potatoes.

Might write about it tomorrow. ... Or not.

Word of the day

Fracas