Monday, April 26, 2010

It's Not Rocket Science: Week 3

I'll say I had a good week. I was paid on Monday. While it doesn't cover much it is a start. I will be able to pay a little less than 2% of my total debt with the money from the last two weeks. If I could maintain paying 1% of the debt I have now every two weeks then in four years I would be debt free! If I get an engineering job and start making three or four times as much I will be able to pay back my debt much faster. I honestly believe that with the right job I could be debt free in 18 months. Of course that means living like I have the last few years and putting off buying a $4,000 road bicycle, new clothes, a 16 ounce mocha every morning, cable tv, and a nice apartment. Luxories that I have more or less been hoping that I would be able to afford while I was still in my 20s. Of course if the economy dives one more time in the next five or ten years (like many think it will) then I won't be the only one with financial problems.

I only applied for one job this week. However, it would be an awesome job. I won't go into detail but instead of being like Scaled Composites or Black Diamond it would closer to Myth Busters. Part of that was due to not getting my resume changed until the middle of the week. Early reviews are good. I went to two pages. I've thought about it in the past but I just never felt that I was worth a two page resume. I came to the conclusion that my experience was all over the board and to get most of my significant accomplishments listed I needed two pages. The new version is posted under Resume at the top of this web page. I did add a little for the online version. Check it out and let me know what you think.

I worked every day last week for a total of 44 hours thats 20 of the last 21 days that I have worked at least a few hours. The seasonal service industry can be a brutal one. On the other hand, it's easier than WPI. Far easier than a thesis. When I go home at 5 PM I actually go home and do not have five hours of homework. I have no thesis hanging over my head. Working by the hour on such short projects is not stressful. It's strange, the incentive to do well when I am getting paid by the hour is low. Right now there is incentive because of respect and the family aspect, but in graduate school graduation is the goal. The only situation I can think of with more at stake is owning a business. If it fails you are left with debt. I've said this before and I'll say it again, I would like to be paid according to how well I perform at my work. Performance evaluations are often difficult for both the employer and employee, but I look forward to them.

Career goal for the time being: pay off my debt. 

Speaking of owning a company. Janzen Gear is at a standstill right now. Most of my ideas involve safety equipment and that means paying for UIAA testing before selling anything. Money I don't have. I have a few other clothing ideas that I plan to pursue in the meantime. However, nothing is going to get done while I'm in Minnesota. I'll hopefully be able to pop out a prototype in May.

I ran 57 miles and had two B quality workouts. I have lost fitness the last 6 weeks. Sickness just took it out of me. I'm still working out well but not as well as early March or even December. About as good as I was in October or November.

I don't know that I will ever be able to retire so I am enjoying life in my 20s while I am still physically capable of doing so much. That is to say I want to run twice a day for a total of 14 hours a week, every week. I don't think that would get in the way of working 50 hours a week. I don't really party. Running is most of my social life. The idea of working until I am 73 and then enjoying the fruits of my labor when I can't hear, taste or walk very well is not the most appealing. I might as well keep working at that point and just take two months of vacation each year.

I took this blog/website off of search engine searching. It was highly highly suggested to me by a trusted source to take this blog off the internet or make it entirely password protected. The problem is I feel that I am helping people. I've helped a dozen people mesh better in Abaqus. I've had multiple fan emails from people who I have helped motivate through the unemployment thing. I've started coaching, and getting paid for it. So vote for the future of this blog. If you don't vote you aren't taking a stand and do not care if it disappears.

VOTE!

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