Getting Real

THE COMPANY RESORTING TO AMBIGUOUS MEASURES

They have recalled me for reprogramming today.

Not sure if I mentiond it or not, but I haven't been getting the results projected for me and based on the excitement of my boss when I first started. Then again, the whole department has started complaining about not getting good results and also about management. I don't know if the whole department will get reprogrammed or if the company thinks that retraining me will fix everything (or possibly just being the cheapest way to handle the situation).

I welcome training, but I also plan on providing my boss with some feedback and questions. If anything, I should try getting as much out of this job, experience and position information, as possible before I get canned for lack of results.

Honestly, though, getting canned doesn't really scare me. Annoying that I have to keep up a job search and that I can't get to working on my bachelor's project or do anything fun like that, but I'm really just happy that I've stuck it out as far as I have and that the job hasn't sapped away my spirit and ability for happiness and fun like a telemarketing job that I had once.

SETTING MORE REALISTIC JOB SEARCHING GOALS

The other night I went through old college papers, entry essays along with old stories and poems to submit for writing samples. I've got to say, as much as they strike a chord and have a sheer amount of information, the majority of them suck.

Most of the papers and essays before a certain point just plain don't have good organization. My quintessential mistake generally became not having a good angle or hypothesis. I, somehow, just threw down a bunch of facts and thoughts but didn't necessarily have them directed toward addressing an argument.

Honestly, I don't even know how I made it as far as I did in school. Somehow. . .a sheer bulk of facts can get you an OK grade, but it can't put together a large project.

On the flipside, seeing this progression from suckiness to a little better then to see where I am now, I can see how much I've learned in the past five years after leaving school. Trying to figure out how finish my project has a lot to do with the learning that I've done. On top of that toil, though, writing letters regarding insurance to customers for four years has helped a ton (and so has the grammar fundamentalist criticism from my mom).

As for stories and poetry, simply put: self indulgent with little attention to the audience or the worth of the creative, in total.

Long story short: I don't have much to show for entering a career in writing or editing. Getting accepted for this internship will surprise and delight me. Nonetheless, for my auxiliary job search, I need to tone down mine and other people's expectations until I've got more to show for the industries I want to enter.

So my game plan:

1. Make this job at the company work or get a job that I can show I can do.

2. Get my Illinois Driver's License.

3. Finish my bachelors project.

4. Get married and go on a honeymoon.

5. Market my novel.

6. Work on getting stuff published, take classes and get editing/proofreading experience that I can demonstrate on a resume.

7. Write on this here blog to keep everyone updated.

THE WORLD WATCHING CHARLIE JADE

Yes, I think it's really cool that, at least, 3 or 4 more groups of people have started watching Charlie Jade, too.

Just an interesting fact about the show: the cast of writers changed at around episode 7 or 8. I'm guessing that's why the feel of the show changed and the plot became more solid after those episodes.