Nothing is ever simple

Now I recognize that the following rant is one of those things that really is a "first world" problem or really not even a problem but rather a good problem to have like having too much money or too much fun or too many friends. Not a bad thing in and of itself but has the potential to be frustrating. Though I don't know how too much money is ever frustrating. ANWAYS...

Last week after I mentioned that I was going to hit the road come Oct 6th. That date might have been a bit premature. When I sat down with my parents (with whom I currently live...and have for the last 2 years during school) to talk about this project switch coasts or switch washington's as the case may be. They brought me back down to reality. Namely the pulled out a calculator. We determined that it is significantly cheaper to fly to the couple of main places I want to visit (Austin, Denver/Boulder and Portland) and then rent a car in WA for a few weeks then it would be to drive my car cross country on an epic road trip.

Being home for Thanksgiving is very important to me (more so then Christmas or any other time). So I came up with a plan that I would spend about 10 days traveling by air and eventually landing at my friend K's place in Steliacoom by Nov 1. And then spend basically Nov 1-21 hunting for jobs out there, making sure I actually like out west and that I haven't just spent 2 years putting WA up on a pedestal and then find out its actually horrid and the people are just as bad as the East Coast DC. I'd rent a car for the 3 weeks I'd be out there and hopefully find a job that could start somewhat after Thanksgiving. If I do find a job and I do like it then I rent a pod, pack up my car and drive it cross country at that point. But at least I won't have to dejectedly drive back for Thanksgiving if things don't work out.

Now, that all being said, I decided all this on Wednesday and went to bed for the first time in MONTHS feeling pretty zen and less at loose ends then I have in awhile. So surprise to me, when the phone rings at work on Thursday and its "Giant Reputable Veterans Organization"calling me wondering if I could set up an interview for a manager position of one of their programs for combat stress. [A time out to say that I have been applying for umpteen jobs with this organization and never heard a peep from them. I had applied to this particular position 6 weeks prior to being called.] Why yes I would like this interview Miss HR rep.

So I had the interview for that job on Friday and made it to the second round which will be conducted this Friday by Skype.  (Skype interviews are strange!) The job will either be in NYC or San Diego most likely. I have a clear preference for San Diego as the job seems awesome on paper (task, salary, benefits etc) but I will turn it down if its located in NYC because I know that I will be miserable there. San Diego has a lot of the things I really like about the West Coast

I will admit that there is a part of me that won't be disappointed if I am not offered this job because I am very excited about my plan to move to Washington and begin a new life there. This makes me feel bad though because in this economy I can't afford to keep turning down jobs (6 thus far) and need to accept an offer soon rather than later so that I can begin being a real adult and getting on this journey. But I have recognized over the last few months that happiness is my number one goal right now and that my location is a big part of that.

Like I said, I'm likely just whining for whining sake. And I am going to continue to rock interviews up until plane tickets are booked. But really is nothing ever simple?

I'm terrible at blogging

So....its been awhile. I would like to say its because I have been doing amazing and glamorous things. But really its more of the fact that I have been whiney and mopey and otherwise unpleasant to be around and I haven't felt like subjecting the internet world to it.

I will say that my despite my last worry wort post my gallbladder surgery went pretty well all things considered. The recovery was very quick and I never needed anything stronger then Tylenol. It mostly felt like I'd done a sadistic number of crunches. It was slow going walking wise and tough to sit up and lay down for about a week but all an all things weren't bad. The surgery was on Wednesday and my birthday was Saturday and despite the  lack of birthday cake I was able to get out of the house and go to a movie (and watch my friend eat a burrito because dinner was not going to happen).

As for the eating/gastroparesis nonsense, it took about a month and then it felt like a switch got flipped. For the most part about 3/4 of the month I feel pretty good. I haven't vastly expanded my diet (mostly because I am afraid of food still after 8 months of hell) but considering prior to getting my GB out I was in pain and nauseous from broth and plain pasta. During my cycle things are decidedly not good but I'm working on fixing that. I was even able to go to the beach for a week in early August and eat out every night (including sneaking some french fries) without implications. Its been pretty nice. I certainly feel like I hate my life a little less dietary wise. Though I will say in this stressful time of un/underemployment I really miss being able to drink. And regularly eat french fries in large quantities.

On the employment front, I have been interviewed for my dream job with the Army. This will get an entry of its own because its so supremely WTF that I want to go into detail. I have also had 9 more interviews and 3 more job offers that I have turned down for one reason or another. I know that I should be incredibly grateful that I have been offered positions and the number of interviews that I have. They just all happened to not be the right job. 2 of them for Veterans service organizations would have been great jobs but the pay was not adequate for the time put into the position and my experience nor would they have gotten me any closer to my career goal. The 3rd offer was for a county position helping families apply for food stamps, wic, medicare etc which again would be a great job but is not eligible for social work supervision because all those programs are eligibility based and therefore needs assessments don't require social work.

I have a 2nd round interview for a job working with persistently mentally ill adults. It was one of the more intense interviews I've gone on That would provide and qualify for supervision and seems to encourage it. The downside being I can't begin to get supervision until I pass the 6 month probationary period and for every month of supervision they pay for you commit to the same number of months. So I would end up with the organization (and therefore DC) for nearly 5 years. Which isn't what I'm shooting for. We shall see I still have one more interview and subsequent background checks and whatnot.

Mostly my life continues to be on pause waiting for the Army job (see next entry). In the mean time one of my former volunteers who runs his own business has taken pity on me and has hired me as a temp. I hate every minute of being a masters educated glorified intern/receptionist. But its money and an excuse to wear grown up clothes 3 days a week.

Anywhere, that's where I'm at. I would hope that I'm not as silent moving forward but I cant make any promises! I am a terrible blogger!