Unemployed day 2 (ugh)
By Randy Mooney | August 19, 2008
I don’t want to look for a job.
Yesterday and today have been hard to get up early. I set my alarm to allow myself an opportunity to “seize the day” or “get the worm” or just combine them and “seize the worm”, but that snooze button is so darn big and easy to hit, like a shot of your favorite euphoric is that opportunity to hit that sucker and go back to la-la land.
OK, while I know I need to get one, I am not particularly motivated to do so (at this moment). Part of me wants to revert back to the good ol’ days and sit on my butt and do whatever I want. I would love to rent movies/tv series and just sit and watch and putter around the house. Shoot … I want to play video games and read books and drink coffee.
Yet, here I am.
This is my first official day of plugging away at looking for a job.
I have found my resume and did a basic update (just adding most recent job and main responsibility).
Now I will add in what I actually do. Should be easy, let’s see
- Arrive at start time (punctual)
- Have coffee (manage liquid assets)
- Start computer and wait 30 minutes while it loads up with all of our wonderful security software - while waiting, clean desk up (multi-tasking)
- Share lame joke or situation that happened over night among my staff (people networking)
- Have to re-start computer because of new password (Ability to handle secure information)
- Call technical help desk after password fails and waiting 45 minutes (communicate on a technical level)
- Go get more coffee (hmm … manage liquid assets on a ‘regular’ time frame)
- Stop by HR, security desk, and other departments on way back to desk and share lame jokes or overnight happenings (ability to communicate between various departments)
- Go through emails deleting things that are not mine, deleting things that are mine but don’t need to do anything with, deleting things that are mine, that I might need to things with, things that are mine that I have to do things with, I place in a folder called “to do” (analyze information)
- Determine which projects I do not want to do and have others do them (ability to train others in an effective manner -or- helping to create a “green” environment by recycling)
- Share lame joke with people who have already heard it for the day and say their eyes roll in the back of their head (ability to handle a hostile situations)
I think I have enough to go on for now.
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I am thinking though of putting a web site together (maybe with the help of Vin?) on what to do when looking for a job. It would house “how-to’s” like: putting a resume together, interviewing well (dress, eye contact, handshake, questions to anticipate and ask, etc.), preparing your emotional/physical/maybe spiritual being for the job hunt, etc.
Can you think of things that someone may benefit from a site like this?
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Unemployment Day 1 and afterthoughts
By Randy Mooney | August 18, 2008
I am finally in unemployment mode … sort of.
Preaching afterthoughts
Last week my free time was spent preparing for a message at church yesterday.
The title? Good wine or bad …
The topic w(h)ining
I believe the message was heard by some and completely missed by others. The ones that heard and were convicted connected with His words and are moving to change things. Those that didn’t, simply complained more or complained about the complainers.
The message I believe was more for me though as it helped prepare my heart for being laid off last week. Some of my “bees” from work came to the first service! Thanks guys for showing, that was neat to see you guys … Sherry, I think you were the only one I didn’t say goodbye to, you must have snuck off … “bye!” 
I still feel awkward preaching two services, the second service crowd doesn’t laugh as much as the first service crowd. Maybe because the first service isn’t awake enough to determine if my jokes are lame, so they just laugh. I really enjoy preaching and preparing to preach. To struggle with the passage, and determine what the original intention was. I have often found myself going to a passage with a pre-conceived notion of what it is, but then find that I was focusing on a minor issue instead of the main point. I love that I am wrong, and find that God is right.
Unemployment
Without the pressure of filling my time with work or preparing to preach, I know that I will feel the affects of unemployment this week. Originally I was going to go camping by myself, but I am not sure if the weather will cooperate and I don’t want to travel to far away (anyone have any local ideas?)
However this week will pretty much be used to catch up on things and taking care of “bizness”. Unfortunately we have been met with a couple of challenges.
1) two tires flat on the van - need to buy new ones
2) dryer is going out
Mer is in need of some of my help so some of my days seem to be spent overseeing the family and kids while she is working at the church. When I first got the list of things she was needing help with, I felt like the walls were closing in and a little nauseous. After I looked over the time frames though, they seemed easier to deal with. What my expectations of this week were to relax a little and explore my “artsy” side and finish up some projects around the house. I think my initial knee-jerk reaction was as if I had a job and not enough time to do things!
Mer and I are going to go see a movie tonight “Hancock”. (Able to be done by a recent award for points earned at work. Thanks former employer!
More Letters from Unemployment coming soon
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Laid off
By Randy Mooney | August 15, 2008
Prior to a couple of months ago, I thought I would never have experienced these words being said to me “we have eliminated your position”.
To be honest, I had some good suspicions a while ago that something had to be done in order to meet budget. At work many of our employees had been leaving for this or that reason … or encouraged to find new employment because of behavior. So I knew that our team sizes were getting smaller and smaller, but again was expected due to changes and behaviors.
On Monday of this week I had come back from an 11 day vacation and instantly could tell the mood was different from when I left on the first of the month. You see the murmurings, the whispers, the ashen faces on some “in the know” … I could swear my boss was purposefully avoiding seeing me or looking at me (as she knew ahead of time obviously). As the week progressed, the mood darkened. Being in management I have this fine line of wanting to ease the comfort of my staff and shield my upper management from the task at hand. The problem was, officially, I didn’t know what was going on — just guesses (and educated at that). Monday I had been asked to preach for Chad (slacker decides that he and his wife need to have a baby this week), but on such short notice I wasn’t sure what to do so I spent a little bit of time praying and thinking and then got back with him and told him I would do it. By Wednesday my preparation time had gone down the toilet and I knew I needed time (normally I try to get a 1/2 day off the week before I preach to do a long chunk of time studying) I arranged to have another supervisor cover my late shift for Thursday .. but then find out there was a freeze on PTO (at least for management). I was ticked and worried thinking I wouldn’t have enough time. (there is a reason for sharing this I promise).
So Thursday afternoon comes, I am trying hard assuming that Friday is d-day and so to help whoever takes over my unit, I try cleaning up as much of my files as I can. I get asked frequently by my unit “are there going to be lay offs and am I on the list?” I had to truthfully answer saying “I don’t know”. When I get back from my afternoon break there was a message waiting … I knew this because my phone has this blinking “light” that lets me know. I usually referred to this as the light of torture .. because you just never know what kind of message it is. Is it a message of doom? An escalated caller come to haunt me? Wrong number? Ed McMahon saying “you have won!”? This one was from our HR consultant who said she was in town and wanted to know if I could meet her in HR office downstairs …. bum bum bum … the axe dropped. I quickly tried to move my team files to a location the other supervisors could get to, beginning to get a little shakey and flustered trying to hurry and then the messengers of death came in person (my peer supervisors whom I hold no grudge against at all) stating that I was needed down in HR. I finalized my stuff and thankfully the night before I had packed all my stuff in a box and placed under my desk. I then was escorted by the two (ironically in the same fashion I have done many times).
My boss and my grand boss were waiting with our HR consultant and the “talk” happened. At points I was listening to what they were saying, but I could feel my lip twitching a little from nervousness, but I tried to maintain my exposure. (My boss is getting married this weekend and I know it has to be hard on her right before that to let people go). They shared that I was a good employee and this was just a business decision due to budget cuts and downturn of economy … and then at times it was like the teachers off of Charlie Brown. I just wasn’t listening because my mind had set in motion the thought “what do I do now?”
I now have a severance package that will help out considerably while looking for a new career.
My emotions are quite mixed. At times excited about the new possibilities and other times saddened. I am not really angry, I really do understand it is a business decision and if the chance were to be allowed to be rehired, I am confident I can at least get an interview. There is no person I am upset about .. but as a friend at work made her personal mantra “it is what it is”.
I know today my unit is being talked to and share what is going on. Some will be mixed with their emotions. I don’t feel like I have been a supervisor like I wanted to as I seemed to be more task oriented than people oriented (my strength) lately. I will miss my bee’s. But they will be fine and learn quite well from the different styles of the others directing them know. I feel sad for my peers who now have to take an extra load on of my team. I am hoping I gave them enough to go on for managing them well. I will also miss out on many of the friendships/relationships I have built over the last few years.
But … at the point of this writing, I am excited for what God may have in store. This probably couldn’t come at a more appropriate time. I mentioned earlier about worrying about getting study time and not having a 1/2 day off … well, now I have all day today to study. (kind of like a two-fer!). I get the chance to breathe and steal a few days away alone and talk to God and listen and see where he might direct me next. I know that wherever I go, I have wanted to portray Jesus as effectively as I can live out. I hope my team and my peers saw Jesus enough to be enticed by His grace and love and seek him out more. I will explore some of my creative side and see what kind of writing I might be able to do, or maybe even be an on-call preacher (what kind of temp service would that be?). I plan to do some carving to see if I can do better than a toothpick. Mostly I am looking forward to spending time with God again and studying the Bible - I miss having the time I used to, to do so.
I may post more on my journey in unemployment.
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80’s rock
By Randy Mooney | August 7, 2008
I found this old song I made a while back.
Humorous now, would get kicked out of American Idol (or placed next to William?)
Very 80’s … filled with typical drum start, guitar fills, etc.
Song was a basic recording - there is one part where the mic cuts way down.
I miss performing (I mentioned I was in a band that toured right?)
Have fun … no tomatoes!
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Throwing in my hat …
By Randy Mooney | August 6, 2008
I decided to run for the office.
I hope you can help support me, the more we get the word out, the better.
Thanks guys!
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Mancation - Viva Las Vegas
By Randy Mooney | August 4, 2008
We made it in to town, below are some updated pics.
Quick updates
Friday, left town at noon in Medford by 4. Had salad for dinner, tasted good, but was expensive! (by the pound). Got into Reno Friday night.
Saturday went to prospector store and the guy there was friendly and shared some information, but kept referring us to look in the map for details. So … had to buy the map.
We went exploring an old mine and blew out a tire on the very sharp rocks. Thankful for spares. Spent more time exploring and then leaving for Tanopah. We then proceeded with our Yahtzee fest (which I won).
Sunday, woke up and then had a fire alarm go off and the hotel was evacuated. What happened was someone on staff had lit up a cigarette in an office, and the smoke detector went off. Took 15-20 minutes for the firemen to get there. I wonder what new policies will take place at that casino?
We stopped off and made contact with a local sales guy (trinkets) on the side of the road. He gave us some ideas of where to go for gold. So we went up in the hills surrounded by volumes of sand and hunted …. we didn’t find gold, but we did find what looks like and old bullet, maybe some silver and some other mineral (could be gold I suppose). We had to go through a ghost town to get there, but there were people living there and they didn’t want us to look around in the town, but the local bar owner who was packing up, said we could go out side the area and gave us some advice. It was very HOT.
After a while, we stopped off at another ghost town, but it was more like an abandoned business, earliest date of grafiti we found was in 1972.
Rolled into Las Vegas as it got dark, and called Mer to do an online discont for us. We found a hotel room at the Riviera for 29 each night! We finally found the strip (you’d think it would be easy to get onto the strip, but it wasn’t). Once we found the hotel, it took a while to find a parking spot. We then grabbed just the stuff we needed to have … and then took the looooooong walk from the back of the casino, through their stores, throught the casino, then to the registration area. We then were given the room, and had to walk all the way through the courtyard and then into out “wing” of the hotel. Vegas hotels are huge. The good thing from having our room soooooo far away … is that JUST outside the elevators to go up to our room … is the way out to the parking area where we parked (a mere few minutes away).
Sunday night we went to the store to replenish supplies at the grocery store. While waiting in the check out line, there were these “oh my god” girls (not the ones from my bussing experience). Their dress was very interesting. They also tried to pass a fake 100 dollar bill. When they were caught, they kept looking at all the other money they had up in the light to see if they could tell if it was fake or not. Then they just kept talking back and forth about “omg, I can’t beleive it”. What is funny is that Rob and I were in the cereal aisle and Rob spotted these car keys laying on top of a box, the girls had stated that “omg, I lost my keeeys”, Rob asked if it was a (whatever model it was) and they said yes. Which is funny because Rob somehow knows all these little Cliff Clayvin bits of knowledge, but can’t remember the street address of his last house.
Today, we woke up and went to see a movie, but Google had the location of the theater on the opposite side of the street wrong. Plus, the theater wasn’t visible from the strip. The Dark Knight was quite an interesting movie, very dark. Still processing it.
We then hurried back to the hotel to change into the nice clothes for the wedding, met David and his brother Michael for a journey through the Star Trek Experience (We did the borg version this time). Then the wedding of David and Andrea (where I was best man and thankfully didn’t have to wear an outfit). They were married on the deck of the Enterprise. Afterwards we had a reception in Quarks bar … the steak was VERY good. I had some Klingon drink (didn’t catch the name), while others at my table had the Romulan Ale. After catching up with people, Rob and I decided to go back through the experience and do the Klingon track. It was an experience both ways.
Now we are tired, but will go see the movie “Wanted”.
Day 4 of the trip, and am missing the girls (especially the wife!)
Here is the updated pictures below.
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| MANcation |
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MANcation pics … pre las vegas
By Randy Mooney | August 2, 2008
WE made it into the desert to hunt down the elusive gold. However … it remains elusive!
Here are some pics that have been taken with the camera that takes forever to shoot.
Diggin (pun intended) the trip so far … not as bad on the butt as I thought it would be. Looking forward to David’s wedding and getting back home.
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MANcation on day 2
By Randy Mooney | August 2, 2008
Can’t load pics very well because the connection in our Travelodge in Reno is HORRIBLE and SPOTTY.
But will try a coffee shop later tonight after we go out mining/prospectin.
If you want to see some of the updates I have been texting, you can go to my web page and on the right side of the screen or you can go here … www.twitter.com/randymooney. Hasta for now!
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photo friday
By Randy Mooney | August 1, 2008
balloon man
check my wings
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Away we go … sort of
By Randy Mooney | July 31, 2008
Rob and I had a couple of leads, however they were busted due to wildfires and closed roads. So the battle plan right now is to head down to Medford (4 hours away) stop in a mining shop ask for direction advice then get to Reno (4 more hours) rest a bit, then 8 hours to Vegas. There is a spot outside of Vegas we are hoping to go to called phurnam. Have no clue if this will “pan” out or not. I decided to bring the laptop and a smaller camera with hopes of uploading pictures on the blog as we can.
The hopes is to be back by Wednesday for a breather, then the fam and I take off for more vacation fun camping.
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