Opening Statement

It has been 217 days, or seven months and three days, since I last arrived at a job. I haven't counted them on a calendar; I used the Calendar Calculator. It's a daunting figure, 38 weeks without reporting to a superior, without setting the alarm and driving in, without bitching about a boss or unfair policy change. Originally, it was an enjoyable break, one to which I had grown accustomed as a teacher. More recently, however, I've lost faith in my own ability to earn a living wage and run through a daily, internal lecture about change and determination.

Here's the history if you don't know already. I tried to type this into the blog's description, but it is too long and part appears in About Me. Sorry for the re-run:

I agreed to move to Portland, OR with my wife and left my job of three years in June, 2008. We drove from Massachusetts in August of the same year and spent several days exploring parts of the country we would not regularly see. The trip out was fantastic and you can recount the trip at my other blog.

Sadly, we had to move back in November due to a poor professional outlook. The trip back was more somber, more bitter, and more humbling. The entire adventure was a risk, one thing I generally shy away from, and did not work out. A moment of failure, but a failure worth more than many of my past successes.

However, the concern of returning home has been eclipsed by the stress of unemployment. I haven't worked since June and haven't cashed a paycheck since August. I'm concerned about finances. I'm concerned about job hunting, the economy, and supporting our new family.
I'm beginning this blog to document my time out of work, a time I do not enjoy. Surprisingly, I want a purpose in the morning, not just a seat on the couch. I want to accomplish something valuable, not to fill out a dozen job applications on Monster. I'll draw together my ups and downs, opportunities and interviews (as few and far between as they may be), and use this space to air my concerns and thoughts throughout this process shared by too many, it seems.

So there it is. Feel free to send me your wishes, your prayers, your job openings, and any lose change.