My tummy hurts!

It. Hurts. So Much. Darn. LIGHTNING BOLTS!!!

I woke up feeling pretty sick this morning. It was 5:20 a.m. and I felt like I was going to throw-up (eww gross, right?!). On top of that, I had some really bad chills to the point where I thought I was never going to stop shaking. I took two Pepto Bismol pills and voila, I'm at work. I'm not feeling 100% great, but I figured I was good enough to go to work. So that was my morning, how was yours? Haha.

But really folks, I came upon a self-realization this morning as I was thinking about my blog. Here I am complaining about my job (or just jobs in general) when there are so many who are unemployed in one form or another. Who wants to read about someone that has a job and can't appreciate? Not me, that's for sure. Yet, I still continue to write. I'm not sure of the real reason(s) behind it, but I'm past the point where "You should be thankful you have a job" has any real impact on me. I don't mean to sound cold, but it's the truth. Yes, I am very thankful I have a job and that's why I work hard when I'm there. That's why I give it my best from 8:30-5:00 p.m. M-F. But I'm still allowed to be unhappy.

I'm not in the job I want to do for the rest of my life, plain and simple. I know. You probably know. It's a fact. So just because I'm one of the lucky to have a place to come to everyday and get paid, doesn't mean that all my problems just drift away. They are still there and they are still evident. Now, does that mean I'm going to quit before getting into a position that I want? Heck no, geronimo (I just wanted to rhyme). But it does mean I'm still a realist to my current situation.

So where am I headed with this? I'm not really sure. Earlier this month I touched upon my 1-for-1 initiative. This was in regard to me applying to 1 job a day. Well surprise surprise, that didn't really happen. I don't know why I didn't follow through, but I did apply to one job. It's within my company and it's closer to the marketing path than where I am at now. I've followed up since sending out my resume and am just waiting to hear back if I will get an interview. I don't know what's to come, but I know I have to make more of an effort.

Anyone can tell you that when it comes to me and comics, I won't slack. And really it's the same with my job. But for some reason, applying has been a struggle. It could be that I've gotten disheartened about the lack of experience I have or the lack of flashy-ness my resume and cover letter lack, but I need to change. I have researched more effective documents to send for the applications and I have accepted that whatever skills I have, I have to showcase them.

So here goes *cough cough* (remember I'm sick?) nothing with the 1-for-1 Initiative v2!

Remember the Good 'Ol Days?!

Gotta catch 'em all...POKEMON!!!

I'm feeling nostalgic. It's nothing to new for me, but I've been thinking about the past more often recently than ever before. I'm not entirely sure why, but everyday there's some new old thought that pops up in my mind that may or may not have anything to do with what's going on in my life at that moment.

For example, I went out to eat yesterday with some friends and we started talking about Pokemon. The new game came out a few days ago and it made me think about 7th/8th grade when the very first game reached the U.S. shores. I started thinking about the actual game (pretty normal considering the topic), but then my mind started wandering to other events around that timeframe. And that's how it's been recently.

Whether it's when I'm waking up, sitting at work, driving home, or lying in bed, I can't help stopping to think about the past. Maybe it's because I'm feeling unhappy or in this "life slump" for a while. I'm not really sure what the cause is, but it's starting to drive me crazy. See, there's nothing wrong about thinking of past memories, but when it starts to really affect how you're feeling, that's when it's starting to take over my day.

So what to do about it? I can think about upcoming events (e.g. my wedding...w00t!), but sooner or later those older thoughts re-surface. It could be about a TV show, video games, what I used to do after school, who I used to hang out with, my hobbies, or anything under the sun. I'm not saying that I want to forget my experiences that have led me to this point in time, but I can't seem to get a handle on them.

I have friends who could care less about the present, let alone the past. I have others who simply acknowledge that what once was is done and there's no point thinking about it. For those of you who know me (and probably the ones reading this), know me a little too well to know that I'm more than just a "simply" nostalgic kind of guy. I could have a whole dinner conversation on it (which I'm sure I have before) and sometimes it's fun to talk about the glory days.

Other times, when I'm left to my own thoughts, it's a little disheartening to remember these events and then realize where I am in my life. Sure, a lot of things are going really good for me, but the ones that aren't are the ones that my nostalgic feeds upon. In conclusion (ah the elementary school years), I'm not going to publicly post this one on facebook, so we'll see who actually reads this. As always, I'm not sure where I was headed with this post (or rant if you will), but I needed to get it out there.

Just another thought to come back to later down the road.

The 1-For-1 Initiative!

If you say so smiley face....if you say...

Why do we write blogs? Is it to just share with the world what we're thinking or do some of us hope that our words have an impact on those reading them? It's a mixture of both for me, but I write because it makes me feel better. What good is (mind) bottling your emotions and thoughts inside of your head and let them fester? Don't you think it's better to get it off your chest and what better way than a blog!

So that's the topic for today: Emotions. We all have them and we all don't always want them. Sometimes you'd believe that it'd be easier to not feel anything than go through the roller coaster of feelings. I mean, there's nothing wrong with feelings, but when they start to overpower you and control your day, that's when I draw the line. So needless to say, I've had a lot of thoughts lately. Work, life, saving, blah blah blah. It's always the same song and dance routine, but one that just doesn't go away. I think that, "Hey, if I pay off my school loan, I'll feel better" or "Maybe today is the day I'll be pro-active and send out my resume", but that's wishful thinking. I still have 6.5 years to pay off my loan at a large amount each month and by the time I get home from work, I'm too exhausted to spend my last few free hours of the day applying to jobs.

Maybe (this is in regard to job hunting) it's the feeling that I've gotten rejected so many times or the fact that I have little experience in my field of interest, but I've gotten to that safety zone. That zone where what I do everyday may not be great (and even downright depressing), but it's something I'm used to and can do with little difficulty. But that's not where I want to be in life. I see hard working people (my age) and just wonder what I could have done differently up to this point or even change moving forward.

So that's my goal for the month of March. It's time to stop dreaming of change and to start making it happen. So for that, I'm instituting the "1-for-1" program. Simply speaking, I'm going to apply for 1 job everyday this month. I've already failed at doing this yesterday and there's a good chance I'm not going to do it tonight, but on Thursday, I will apply to 3 jobs. From that point forward, it will be 1 application a day. This may not lead to anything right away, but I have a much better chance than just going to my job everyday and hoping something comes along (without any input from me).

Strange enough, I'm already starting to feel better. I guess that just happens sometimes when you finally get what was bothering you out into the open. But sadly that's not all of my woes. There are other issues I (feel) I am dealing with and I'm trying to work on them. Some of them are short term and some may be longer than I like. But I can't keeping going on the way I've been. It's not healthy for me or for those around me; they don't deserve it.

I want to be happy, plain and simple. And I think I can achieve that with a little hard work. I've always been a firm believer that we have the power to change our attitude (even though I do believe in destiny and what's meant to happen will happen). But when you come home at the end of a work day (Monday through Friday) and the only thing you want to do is just be alone in your room, that's when I know I've hit my breaking point. I'm not going to whine about my past anymore (or at least try to) and be jealous of those who have it better than me. I may not be where I thought I would end up at this point in my life when I was younger, but it doesn't mean it's unobtainable. It might just be a while until I'm caught up.

So that's it from me for today. It's also the reason I haven't posted in a while. My blogs might not be in a chronological reading order where each (or any) of them matter, but they do to me. For that reason, I want to make sure each one is substantial and has a specific purpose in mind.

So thank you for reading and I'll keep you updated on my 1-for-1 job hunting initiative!

Extra! Extra! It's the Afternoon!

He's serious about that "EXTRA!"...and you should be too!

This last leg of the day can either go very fast or dreadfully slow. I'm not sure why (aside from my work is caught up and I'm just staring at the clock), but it always goes slower the day before you have off. That's right readers! Yours truly is taking a vacation day tomorrow to go on a 3 day weekend road trip with his fiancee to Maryland. I'll be happy to speak more about my trip once I return, but let's get back to the topic at hand: The Afternoon.

You've returned from lunch, gotten your second (or third, fourth, or fifth) cup of coffee, and nothing is helping to make the time go by faster. You're not allowed to surf the web (speaking of which, why are you reading this right now while you're at work?) and your doodling is barely above a 2-year old. So what better way to pass the time than to write about it, right?

One fun activity I've indulged myself in is looking at the internal job board. Just moments ago, I spoke with a product manager about a new position that would report directly under her and suffice it to say, I feel more disheartened than when I knew little about it. I was hoping this would be an opportunity to shine and finally start to develop my marketing experience, but all it entails is still answering the phone and eventually moving into an outside sales position.

Random Thought: It's 3:33 p.m. as I'm writing this. Make a wish. :End random thought.

So is your day moving faster now that you have something to read? Maybe a little. That's the goal; to make it to 5:00 p.m.. But even after I leave, I still have errands to do before my trip. Oil change, tire rotation, packing, wrapping, and getting gas. I'm in the final stretch and I'm also starving. Did I mention that? I went out for lunch today and got 2 slices of pizza and a root beer. I thought that would be enough to quench my appetite, but I'm starving. I'm looking forward to coming home and finishing my other half of the sub I got yesterday. Plus some popcorn. Ok, I thought I was done with the random thoughts, but it seems this is what keeps me going.

I hope whoever is reading this has managed to kill a few minutes of their day and I hope this helps speed up the rest of the afternoon. Also, I hope you have a great weekend. A big storm is coming so stay dry and make the best of it.

Mmmm...bologna sandwich!

Truth. Liberty. And the American Way.

Oooh, I can see my state from here! NJ for the....win?!

Howdy strangers! I know it's been a while since I last blogged, but after a few recent conversations with some friends, it got me thinking. When I originally made a post about 1-2 weeks ago, I spoke about a topic and maybe was a little too honest. I understand that by publicly writing a post, potential and current employers can look at this and make a judgment about me. But why should I have to censor my thoughts? Why is it a crime to speak freely and honestly, especially when I don't name names or places. I'm not typing my thoughts to cause a stir, but to express myself. So for that, I'm not going to apologize.

I had another topic in mind for today's post, but I think I'm going to save it. I just really want to talk about the online community and how it can affect someone's future. I remember being a told a story about a possible candidate for a company. This individual (not me, I promise) interviewed very well and they looked like a shoe-in. However, the employer did some background checks and stumbled upon the individual's facebook page. Needless to say, there were some interesting comments and posts that resulted in the individual not getting the job. So is that fair? It depends.

I'm all for using social network tools such as blogs and facebook and myspace (if that still even exists) to do a semi-background check. The truth is, I wouldn't want to hire someone if they posted certain pictures or certain types of posts. It could be a good indicator of how someone is. The flipside is that this may not accurately represent how someone behaves in the workplace. They could be an ideal role model, a hard worker, and a very studious person. Yet, which is more important? I believe a balance of the two are in order.

If someone has no problem posting obscene pictures or posts, I would be hesistant to have them represent my company. But if someone posts comments about his thoughts (see where I'm going now?) and is respectful of what is written, then should he have to worry?

So what are your thoughts on the subect? Or any subject? I want to hear from my readers!

All I ask is you are mindful of what you post....other people are reading!!!

And the award goes to....

Be proud of the award. You deserve it!

Awards. Recognition. A sense of accomplishment. A piece of paper/plastic/plaque that shows that you were deserving of special notice. Many of us are very familiar with awards, dating back to the wee early years of school. If you did a good job, a gold star would go next to your name. If you did extra credit, maybe you got a few extra points on your test or grade. Even in work, the notion of recognizing those who do an above and beyond job is still very much present.

So why bring this up? It's not surprise companies use this as a motivational tool, right? I wanted to discuss this because today we have our Birthday and Service Anniversary Lunch Recognition. During this time, the company gives out two awards to employees who have displayed an above average level of work and went so high above that their manager and/or co-worker wanted to pay tribute. Seems hardly worthy of discussion, but there are a few things that irk me. And not the fact that I don't always win (hardy har har....).

I'm a strong believer in awarding those that do a good job; great job even! I'm all for motivation and making the employee/co-worker happy and ready to continue working harder. I just find it discomforting when managers don't recognize their employees and it falls to the wayside. A lot of people go to work off the saying of "pay me, don't praise me". But why can't we have both? Why do we have to wait until review time to hear how we have been doing? Would it be better to hear it once every (or every other) month or just once a year? Which one would you prefer?

I look around and see a lot of people deserving of an award. Deserving of their 15 minutes of fame. But it normally doesn't occur. You would think you would have to have performed major surgery to get any notice around here. Why is that? Why can't a customer saying "good job" to a manager be enough for the manager to say something? Why does it always have to be that once in a lifetime thing you did that gets you a pat on the back.

I don't mean to harp or be spiteful, but I think we, as a society, have placed too much importance on awards to the point where a lot of us feel that this is how we know we are heading in the right direction. I know everyone can't be superstars everyday, but we can also be noticed for our contributions.

So let's make today "Award" Day. No matter what job you do, no matter what position you are in, let today be a day for your recognition. Be proud of the work you do and be proud of your contributions to your company (and even society). Let's not let companies dictate who is better than others. Let's all deserve to be recognized!

....*kicks feet* still would be nice to have that award though....

So that's the new guy!

A good handshake is a great first impression!

We've all been there. We've either been the new guy (or girl) or been in the department when the new hire starts. For some, it's just another day in the office. For others, it starts to stir up a lot emotions. Who is this new person? Are they going to take my job? Will they fit in? No matter the thought, you know it's percolating up in your 'ol noggin.

I bring this up because I myself have had the privy of being not only that new hire from outside and from within, but also in a department that has a new person starting. The thoughts that come to my mind is that I hope the new person is nice, educated, and very mindful of others. I'm not one to worry about someone trying to steal my spotlight or move up ahead of me. I have always been on the notion that if someone deserves a promotion, they should be able to obtain it.

As a past store manager, I even volunteered to step down as a manager so that my assistant could take my spot (mainly because I knew he needed it more than I did at that point in my life). The district manager said no, but I wanted to use this an example to my outlook on this topic. However, there are others who view this situation from the other side of the spectrum. They feel the new person is out to get them, got hired to eventually replace that person, or just feels that this person is going to get in the person's personal space.

I'm not sure where these feelings originate from, but it's a shame that we have them. Instead of welcoming the new person with open arms, we put up our hands in defense. We try to shield them from learning too much about us or getting too comfortable in their new environment. I'm not saying this is how the majority feels, but it's evident. I also take the viewpoint that in today's economy, I'm glad someone got a job. I just hope they take it seriously and add to improving the department as opposed to making it more difficult.

I remember my first days at a new job: Am I being too nice? Am I being too quiet? Should I not be this enthusiastic? Am I giving off the wrong impression? What happens when I make my first mistake? Why is that person staring? It's a scary feeling to walk into a place where everyone but you knows each other. It's like moving to a new town or going to a new school. Will you fit in with the kids already on the playground? Will they want to be your friend or will they shun you (yes, the dreaded shun. I am all too familiar with this notion).

No matter the reason, a new hire is a new hire. It's up to them to make a good first impression, but also for the existing employees to do the same. I'm under the belief that it's better for everyone to get along and I know I will do all I can to make the new person feel welcomed.

However, that pudding cup my mom packed for me is mine; no sharing!