Shopping for Thrills

I've noticed that one of my symptoms of my mid-life crisis is my overwhelming desire to spend lots of time and money shopping for all sorts of stuff. I think I am using shopping as a substitute for such meaningful pursuits such as painting the hallway in my house, organizing the shed in the back yard, achieving inner peace through meditation, etc. (hey - can you blame me?). My shopping lust isn't limited to your garden variety department store buying, either. I have actively sought out the more unlikely buying opportunities, such as on-line shopping for soap. Now, while my smallish hometown does not offer a huge variety of, let's say, clothing choices, there certainly is no lack of cleaning products here. However, I am driven to seek out new and unusual types of soaps to fill the huge apothecary jar in the hallway bath. Somehow, having this jar filled with lushious imported hand milled soap gives me a feeling of satisfaction; that life is not only good, but downright great!

Fortunatly, I don't actually buy all the stuff I see. I am not that deep in the morass of mid-life crisisdom to make some of the more ridiculaous purchases I have seen, such as "The Canine Genealogy Kit", available from Hammacher Schlemmer for $59.95, plus shipping and handling. Even if I had a dog, I cannot imagine pursuing this as an interest...
Another item I have not purchased, despite my ongoing love affair with the sea is an "Underwater Pogo Stick". I am also passing on the "Adjustable Reading Valet", which is a gizmo that holds your book for you, even if you are lying down and allows "hands free reading positions". The description actually suggests that while utilizing the "Adjustable Reading Valet" I may elect to cook or perform hobbies (their words). Hmmm, can I fit it into the boat cockpit and read while I drive?

The Perfect Job

I received my first official job rejection letter today...I was very kindly informed that my experience was "not relevant to the position applied for" and that "a highly qualified candidate" was selected to fill the position. Hmmmph.

This got me thinking about what career path I want to pursue. As a result, I have decided that my ideal job would be either

1. A "Mythbuster". I would be paid to play with explosives and chemicals. I would have the unending respect and admiration of my husband and my son, because I would get to do really cool stuff! Also, I would get to be on TV.

Or,

2. A boat tester. This would involve me driving all types of boats in all locations. My work wardrobe would be a bikini, sunglasses and a very cool fishing cap. I could fish when ever I wanted to, and I would never have to wear shoes.

I guess until I can figure out how to apply for either of those two jobs, I'll keep plugging away looking for a regular one!

Job Hunting, Still

I am really getting irritated about this JOB thing. I am trying to apply for jobs as a Department of Defense status applicant (which only means that I am a former DoD employee). Well, there was actually an opening in Savannah I wanted to apply for. It was the right job, grade level, etc. I mean, they should have been BANGING down my door to get me...They should have been offering to PICK ME UP AND DRIVE ME TO THE INTERVIEW I am so perfect for this job... So, everything is all electronic now and I have already entered my FANTABULOUS resume on the JOBSUSA site as directed, and I submit my application. I am wriggling in anticipation, joyous that I have found a job after seriously looking for about...oh, three days. Well, I check on the status of my application, as the job closed last Friday, and I don't see that my application is being reviewed or anything! It turns out that not only have I failed to allow anyone to see my resume by clicking the wrong button, but I have also failed to create my resume in a format the Department of the Army can use!

I have missed my chance! This door of opportunity has slammed so hard and fast it has knocked my nose out of joint...

So, I have spent today re-creating the same FANTABULOUS resume for the Department of the Army (in case another job opens up). And, I will re-create my resume yet again for the Department of the Navy (in case there is a job there). Evidently, each branch of the Department of Defense needs their own special resume format. So much for the one stop job hunting that JOBSUSA promises. Hmmm...I could go all political here about this duplication of effort, but I don't really have the time; I have to re-type my resume for the Navy.

Looking for a Job

So, it's official. I am LOOKING FOR A JOB. It deserves the emphasis, doesn't it? Somehow, though, all the applicants I am competing against are half my age and twice as educated. And, somehow, I am pretty sure that none of my competitors have ever said things like "No, you may not microwave the soap to see what happens"* or "Please take the zipper pull out of your nose".

*It is pretty cool to microwave a bar of Ivory Soap, I have to admit. A word of caution, though - only use 1/2 of a bar.