Update on the Day Job

So, now that I'm back into the swing of things (hey batta hey batta hey batta batta batta, suWING batta) I have some more light to shed on the life choices:

Through not a small amount of discussion, I've decided that I need to do something local, something easy, but something that pays the bills so that I can devote my free time (when not Benvolio-wrangling) to the stuff that I really want to do (Promotions and Marketing for Eggplant), in the hopes that eventually, the stuff I want to do will be able to take me away from the stuff I have to do.

Savvy?

Anyroad, the position is in a warehouse about two and a half miles away from our house, and I'm called an "Inspector".  Basically it's a heavy lifting, labor intensive position with a company that contracts with the Postal Service.  Even more basically, my job is to make certain these 75 pound bags of mail get sorted in the right bins.  It pays only a few cents less per hour than my previous job as a recruiter through Coworx or Staffmark.

The downside is that it's a complete schedule adjustment for the family.  They've got to now get used to the fact that I'll be leaving home anywhere between 2 to 230 (walking or biking, respectively) in the afternoon and I won't be getting home until probably midnight (if walking or biking) or shortly after.

It will certainly be a speedbump, but hey, I've still got good suspension.  :)

So, more than likely a lot of the online stuff will be between the 12:30 - 2pm time frame.

That's the news.  As always, thanks for reading and thanks for your support! :)

~Stephan

How things change, and yet...

So, here it is, an update (which should become more regular in the weeks to come).

My life, as it is, has taken another turn.  I focused on writing while I was unemployed (and for those of you who saw, my wife, Raechel, wrote a story about our situation last year and sent it to Gawker, which was recently posted) and now, am once again unemployed.

I wrote a novel during that time(and as I mentioned before, Courage is not the absence of Fear, but action despite it... and so have left the first chapter up online) and now have some ideas of where to take it in the revision process.

I'm a little wiser (having read some technical books on writing) and a lot more focused now, having had to adapt to life throwing curve-balls.  I mean, I understand that we only get stronger through adversity, but as a (newly found) friend recently said, "Hey universe, I appreciate your help, but I think I'm full up on help... why don't you go help that guy over there for awhile."

I had to do a little (OK, a LOT of) delving, coupled with some research, because I've wandered through life basically without a focus, without a sense of what it is I really wanted to do.  I know there's stuff I like and there's stuff I'm good at, but finding something that blends the two with a strong mixer of being able to pay enough to pay the bills is difficult at best.

So that's where I am.  I'm at that point where I've discovered something that I like to do (namely promotions and marketing a brand I believe in) and something I believe I am good at (talking to people, especially strangers) and have found a brand I believe in (well, three actually, but that's another story).  The trouble is that there's no way to get any of them to a point where they'll pay the bills, particularly right now while I have NO income coming in.

I have been looking and have a few solid leads, but more than likely I'll end up doing something else I'm good at (physical labor) to pay the bills while I work to get to a place in my career where the things I like and am good at will also pay the bills.  Oh yeah, and write.

I've been kind of busy (not counting caring for the family) updating resumes, profiles on all my social media and even gave the blog a face-lift.  I'm excited about the prospect of working to make this my focus, but it does mean I've had to make some sacrifices.

So, here, in a nutshell is my life-plan for the next few months (in relative order of priority):

• Take care of my family (I usually make breakfast every morning so we can all sit down and start our day together)
• Work a 9-5 (estimation) job locally to pay the bills
• Keep up the social media attention and skills
• Work on Eggplant promotions, social media and marketing
• Work on Three Guys on Life writing, promotions, social media and marketing
• Work on my own writing
• Game (I currently have two table-top games that each meet once a month)

It's a good start.  We'll see how it goes over the next month or so.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your support!!!

Bellicose Dreams:  Not just for writing anymore...