Taking one for the Team

Brace yourselves, this may be a long, rambling, stream of consciousness story this afternoon. I feel the need at this point to talk about what; at least to me is the most important part of the job searching journey...having a master plan...and modifying or adjusting it as you go

Believe it or not, I figured out my plan fairly quickly. I had a pretty good idea of what I want and wanted to do, I'm still trying even now to figure out how to put it into action. For instance, I've mentioned before I want to stay in the video or video production field. I do, it's what I do well, I love being able to tell stories...not just writing them, but showing them. I'm good at it. I am very accomplished at it. I love doing it. Honestly, I wasn't sure when I left my last job if I wanted to stay in it, but a lot of thought and looking back at things told me that it was the place I worked that brought me down, not what I did.

((Photo: Me and the West Virginia Mountaineer Mascot at the 2005 Sugar Bowl...yeah...he didn't get out much))

My plan is simple. I want to have my own production company. I want to not only utilize the skills I've learned over the past 22 years as a Videographer/Editor and Producer, I want to expand them. I want to take courses in Web Design and graphic design. I want to be able to do everything.

Sacrifice...

Sometimes you have to take one for the team. Really, you do. I did something today that I never thought I would have to do. I went to a Panera Bread store near the house and took a job with them. That's right, 23 years after the last time I worked in a restaurant, I took a job working in a restaurant.

Why do that you ask? Several reasons: (1) Basically Michelle told me this weekend "Find something to do, even if it's part time, just get out of the house". (2) In order to get some new clothes and start purchasing equipment, I need to start bringing in my own money. We make enough for us to get by, but we have to be much more careful right now without me bringing anything in. Hopefully that will change. (3) The General Manager at Panera Bread couldn't have been nicer and more accommodating. He told me that I can "Work as much or as little as I wanted to" and that he understood that I was in transition. He said "If you find what you are looking for, all I ask is for some notice before you leave". Honestly, I told him that would be the least that I could do.

Is it scary to go back and work like that? Sure, but to get what I want, I'm going to have to make some sacrifices and you know what. I'm OK with that.

**BREAKING NEWS UPDATE***- As I was writing this, I received a call from the Assistant News Director at WCPO-TV the ABC station here. He would like me to come in on Friday to meet with him and his News Director. Maybe it's true that once the gate is open, everything comes at once.

Finish the Drill....

Mark Richt, one of my favorite people uses this line with his Georgia Bulldogs all of the time. "Finish the Drill". You have to finish what you start...or why start it? It's the same thing with your plan. You have to have one in order to succeed. Not just in life, but for your job search and anything else that you do. You may have to take a step or two back in order to make your plan work...but if you do...so what...do it! Keep your eye on the prize because in the end you'll be amazed at how happy you are and how proud you will be if you accomplish it.

((I apologize for the gigantic font. Blogspot is being a pain in the ass and won't let me re-adjust it to the size it should be))

Enjoy the A-Team because "I love it when a plan comes together". Thanks You Tube:

Decisions, Decisions...Oh What to do?

Well, it's Monday and we are back to it. This time there may be some decision making involved, not necessarily what I want, but it may just be what I have to do.

Over the weekend, despite saying not to, I spent some time looking for work, any work. Part of that was just for something to do, part of it was because Michelle really wants me to find something to do that will get me out of the house. I understand that point and don't disagree with it. The tough part is that it is going to make me make a decision about several things.

One is work. I went to a couple of "National" store sites over the weekend and applied for a couple of jobs. Panera Bread was one of them, I submitted the application and did there ungodly long, complicated questionnaire and within the hour I got not 1 but 2 calls from different stores. I'm not sure how I feel about this, though it is better than some options that I've contemplated over the past couple of weeks. The goal, for now I guess will be to try and get a part time Cashier job or something of that sort to keep me busy, but not tied up.

The other option and one I'm even more mixed on is this: Michelle is a fairly big to do at Macys here in Cincinnati. They had a job...I think it is "Benefits analyst" or something like that. It's full-time. I applied for it and she can probably twist some arms to make that happen. I'm just a little torn about that. I'm a little reluctant to commit to that if I can land something closer to what I do. The concern is that if I take on something full-time like that it will limit my options trying to find something that I really want to do.

Really, I want to get back into my business or at least the part of it that will allow me to not work for a TV Station. I'm not going to say that I wouldn't take a TV job right now, because I would. That may be happening soon as well. I on a whim, found a job listing at the ABC station here in Cicni for a Part-Time/Fill-in Producer and I sent a resume' to there corporate website. 4 hours later I got a call from the Assistant News Director. He's interested, but has some other folks who are interested too. We talked for about 30 minutes or so and he said that if this doesn't work out, he'll keep my info if something else pops up...which is good and why I'm hesitant to commit to anything too serious.

The other opportunities for me are these: I've gotten on 3 Live Production Crew lists, good because that would be Video work, bad because I'm at the bottom of a long list...when there is work in the area. I've also made contact with a few people at 4 Production companies here in town. Good....it's what I want to do. Bad....I'm not qualified to do some of the "High End" stuff...yet... and I'm at the bottom of their call lists too.

So, to make a long story less long, I'm going to have a decision to make today...I think. More than likely I will do the Part-time thing at Panera if I can, because it will leave me the option to take Freelance Video work and to take the classes that I want to take after the 1st of the year. But the classwork is a blog for another day.

Enjoy the laugh of the day...an end reel from the TV Show Laugh In: Thanks You Tube