Snowy Monday ...

I'm sooooo glad I live on the east side of the state ... that weather is pretty much missing us. South, north or west, but not here. The west side of the state is predicted to get between a foot and twenty inches of snow today. We've only seen a few inches of snow so far.

Yuck.

I'm finding that the older I get, I'm not liking the snow as much. Or maybe it's just this stupid diabetic neuropathy? The colder I get, the more pain I feel. And snow is cold!! Even with my fur lined snow boots and arctic winter gloves.

But it better snow for my birthday and for Christmas. After that, I have no use for it.

So, why exactly an I up and blogging at this hour? Hellifiknow!! I didn't sleep well ... four or so hours of tossing and turning. Gave up at about six this morning and came online. Applied for four more jobs, after searching through hundreds of listings on Fox2's Job Shop. Two Retail, one office and one hotel service. Figure it's time to expand my search.

Oh ... Em, you suggested volunteering ... Single Son and I were talking last night about our charity event for our Star Trek geek club. We're going with Habitat for Humanity in 2011. Since I'm limited in my physical abilities I was worried that I wouldn't be able to help. He assured me that they also need office volunteers. And with all the volunteers both in the office and on site, talk about a great networking opportunity!

Good news!! I'm about to get a cell phone again. Since I'm on food assistance I qualified for that Assurance Wireless service (free phone and 250 minutes a month) that some of you see advertised on the boob tube. They accepted my application just two days ago (a month in the acceptance process). Now to get it in the mail. It'll make it easier for me to apply for jobs ... I can leave the house and not worry that I'll miss a call for an interview - like I did when the thrift shop called. They had to leave a message. How inconvenient when they have to wait for me to call them back ... and possibly give MY interview to someone else who answered their phone immediately!

I am tired ... I want to go back to sleep. But I won't. My food assistance card was "recharged" at midnight so that means I have the funds and can go grocery shopping! After that, maybe I'll take a nap. Or search for more jobs.

Oh!! I finally got pictures off Single Son's camera from Thanksgiving. Yay!! Now I can upload 'em all and share 'em with you. And to think I got them before Christmas!! In fact, I'm gonna upload those before I venture out to the grocery store.

Now where did I put my shopping list? And the snow scraper ...

Just need to vent ...

I know I said I'd try to blog more, but obviously this week I sure didn't keep that promise. Fifty lashes with a wet noodle ...

Honestly I haven't been in the best mood. Depressed, but that seems to happen this time of year. Add the frustrations of still not finding a job and I'm not exactly the best company these days.

Doesn't help that on Thanksgiving my mom had to tell me about an article she'd read in the paper, that those over the age of fifty are having real problems in finding jobs - more-so than the under thirty crowd especially. No kidding? Really? I wouldn't have known had she not said something (insert sarcasm here).

Since Mom's telling me about it, I've seen numerous reports on the news about the same thing. Nice to know (I guess) that I'm not the only one having the difficulties I do.

I've applied to literally hundreds of jobs, both online and in person. I keep records of where and when (and the person I've talked to if in person), outcome (interview or no word). There's over three hundred job application entries in my spread sheet!! Only five resulted in interviews, and obviously none have hired me. I send thank you notes to the interviewers for the interviews. I re-apply every cycle possible (some say 90 days, some say six months), there's not much more I can do.

I study every article that comes out on how to sell myself, what to say (and not say), how to make my resume pop, follow ups, thank you notes, you name it.

And I go un-hired. Yup ... the age. You'd think with my qualifications, my record, my service oriented (and people oriented) skill sets that I'd be one highly sought after asset for their companies. And I am. It's gotta be the age thing.

Thanks for letting me vent ... I've needed to release this tension for days now.

I'll plug along, I'm sure someone, someday, somewhere, will recognize what I can offer their company and be happy to have me aboard!