Things sneak up on you

I spent all day long going through applications getting ready for my second round of interviews tomorrow.  I organized, I culled, I called...

When I arrived home I checked the mailbox to see if there was any mail for me but it was empty.  I looked to see if Ray had put any mail I might have received in my room, but nothing.  I microwaved three brats for my dinner and I remembered that I had forgotten to return a phone call from one of my old KB Toy's Managers.  So I call Linda and am chatting away about her life since KB Toy's bankruptcy and I carry my brats and huge glass of ice water into the living room.  She is telling me about her medical issues when I notice a FedEx mailing envelope sitting on the coffee table.  It's addressed to me.  Linda's Crone's Disease is getting worse and I am talking to her about that as I open the zip strip and remove a slim little envelope from the mailer.  I stare at the envelope and my forebrain does not register what it is yet.  I fold one edge and then another as I remove the edges along a perforated line.  My eyes betray me as it finally registers what I am holding.  I'm listening to Linda in my left ear, holding my very first paycheck in my right hand, and bawling like a baby all at the same time. 

Things sneak up on you...

 

Losing your job

Getting a divorce

It makes you doubt yourself a little

When things go right

it just feels so good...

 

 

 

Working for a livin'...WORKING!

I had a job fair on Thursday.  I interviewed from Noon till 8pm straight through.  My butt hurt from sitting and my face hurt from smiling.  I did get some good candidates though.  Tomorrow I do the calls for the 2nd interviews.  I need to fill the following positions: 2 Assistant Mgrs, 2 Dept. Heads, a Cafe Mgr, a Music Mgr, a Community Relations Mgr, and five full time Sale Lead Positions...::sigh::...that is a lot.  Monday will be a busy day!

 

PS:  I also have to hire a Receiving Mgr and 2 Head Cashiers...

Completed my first day of training...

I trained over at the Crestwood store today.  It takes a lot of energy to pay that much attention...LOL!  I went with the Store Manager that is training me to see my new store.  It looks great, no sign on the front yet, and the workers are still building the store on the inside, but the outside is finished!  I am fired up...

 

Had an incident today on the way home from training...

 

You know what is worse than having your passenger seat filled with manuals and training material?

(When you take a sharp turn and it all falls on the floor)

 

You know what is worse than that?

(When the falling material dumps your peanut butter cups from Cracker Barrel onto the floorboard)

 

You know what is worse than that?

(When you scoop up all the peanut butter cups and have to pick off dirt and hairs)

 

You know what is worse than that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(When you eat them anyway...)

 

 

 

Whoops, correction...

I don't know where I got it from, but the new store they are building for me to manage is in FENTON (not in Ellisville).  ::sheepish grin::

 

What a hoot!

If you do a search for "Sanibel Island Lighthouse Pictures", my Webshots Album is at the top of the list...LOL!  What a hoot!  I knew that they showed up on a Webshots search, but I didn't know if you did a Google search they would pop up at the top of the first page...::puffs up like a peacock!::

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/davidasinstl 

 

 

 

Driving to Waco

Driving To Waco

 

The sun blankets the scene

as I drive across the plain

I squint against the glare

as I fight against the strain

The sadness washes my vision

as I fight back the tears

I can't see the road

as I fight back my fears

I listen to the radio

as I remember all my trials

tightly I grasp the knob

as I flip thru the dials

I have come thru the storm

I have come thru the glare

I listen to the songs

I listen and I share,

I have lots of love to give

and lots of life to live

I have lots of time to share

and lots of time to care

so listen to my story

and listen to my fear

I have all my life to live

and happiness is quite near

thank you for your concern

and thank you for your time

I will be alright

and I will be just fine...

 

LOL, today is my first day on the job...

Howdy everyone!

 

I'm about to hop into the car and drive to the Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport to fly back to St. Louis.  I meet the other Store Managers and my DM at a meeting near the STL Airport tomorrow.  I am VERY fired up!  I would like to thank all my friends and family for their support while I went thru the last 8 Months...it was greatly appreciated.

David

JOB HUNT UPDATE...

OK, here we go...

 

On Monday I flew into Chicago's O'Hare Airport and met Karen a Regional VP for an interview.  It went VERY WELL.  She wanted me to fly to Dallas to meet Allan the District Manager for St. Louis.  I flew into Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport on Wednesday and interviewed with Allan.  It went VERY WELL.  My Dad then picked me up at the airport and I have been spending a Mini-Vacation on the Ranch here in Texas (Photos to follow).  This morning Allan called me and offered me the Store Manager position for the new store they are building out in FENTON.   :)

 

I have been through a lot lately, and it feels good to get some good news for a change.  I am ecstatic...

 

 

I have a job interview coming up in Chicago...

I have a job interview on July 11th or 15th coming up.  I call the Regional Office on Tuesday Morning to get the details.  I hope I don't have to drive...

 

David

...................................................................ignition

night driving

at night
when the streets are wet with rain
I climb into my car and drive
leaving my cares behind
the city is shiny and new
and whisper quiet
like it has never seen pain
silently rolling
watching the world pass by
and all things seem possible
even for me...

One more load to go...

Only one more load to pick up at my old place, pay for the divorce and it's all over baby...

 

(It's going to be a good year)

 

 

Hauling my stuff over to my new place...

I'm making trips daily to get my stuff over to my new place...anyone want to help?   LOL...moving sucks!

I recycled an old picture of mine, but the poem is new...

 

THE AIRPORT AT MIDNIGHT

 

 

THE AIRPORT AT MIDNIGHT  

 

All the planes have landed

all the people have gone

back to their houses

their curtains are drawn

 

The Shops are closed

their gates are down

the walkways empty

no body around

 

The Airport is quiet

not a person in sight

only the Janitors are

up this late at night

 

The TV's are off

the music is low

if anything's happening

only Security'll know

 

The carpet is swept

the tile is shining

the Eateries are closed

there'll be no more dining

 

And here I sit

the earliest riser

six hours to departure

and none the wiser

 

The weather delayed me

my plane had flown

stuck in the Airport

I might have known

 

At A-Fifty-Five

I sit and wait

the first customer at

this particular gate

 

So I'm killing time

with my pen in hand

waiting to fly back

to my own land

 

St. Louis is calling

it's Detroit I'm leaving

a good night's sleep

is what I'm bereaving

 

So I've set the alarm

on my pocket phone

please do wake me

if it's ringing alone

 

So that's my plan

I'm sticking to it

listening for the announcement

I don't want to sleep through it

 

So if you see me

nodding there

please do wake me

from my slumbering chair

 

I'll be your buddy

I'll think you're real neat

for the St. Louis flight

I need to be on my feet

 

I appreciate the help

I appreciate the hand

to get me back to

my own land

 

  

a cypher if you will...

A= @

C= <

D= >

E= 3

H= #

I= !

L= /

N= ^

O= *

S= $

T= +

 

(all the rest of the letters are the same)

I finally got my itinerary for my Sunday flight to NJ

I went by my old house today to pick up some things for my NJ trip and to grab my frog.  Madie stood at the top of the stairs and smiled at me and giggled.  I am going to miss her.  It is hard for me to go over there, it breaks my heart. 

I fly out of Lambert Sunday evening, and get into NJ at 10pm and then turn around and have 8 hrs worth of interviews starting at 9am...YIKES!  Tomorrow I'm doing a little secret shopping of the stores in STL, so I can speak intelligently about the District's issues on Monday...

I'll be home Monday evening around Midnight...

 

They are spending close to $800 bucks to ship me out there, I will knock their socks off...

 

;)

 

 

 

 

 

Not going down to AL

I don't feel up to driving all the way down to AL.  I called my folks and told them I wasn't coming.  My heart isn't in it.

 

the damn site counter reset itself...

I noticed the other day that the site counter on my Journal had reset itself.  I was up to over 1200 visits and <WHAMMY>, back to zero.  And another thing, this damn Journal sets all the fonts to black when it archives them, MY BACKGROUND IS BLACK! 

 

...fu<k!^g $+up!> AOL.

 

 

going on a mini vacation to see my family

It looks like I will be driving down to see my family.  My cousin is getting married and everyone will be there.  I didn't send in my RSVP thingee (I didn't think I could go), so I can't attend the actual wedding (it's aboard a cruise ship) but I will be able to see my folks and my brother, and everyone else.  I might be driving my Grandmother down, it depends.  LOL, there is a joke there that I am leaving alone...  My interview is the week starting June 12th.  I am due some good news...LOL.

 

See ya later...

::makes that shooting gesture with my hand::

 

 

I forgot...

How funny, I received three coupons for free Mt. Olive products...

 

Remember Kids!

 

Poetry pays.................................

 

(lol)

 

 

 

 

 

I'll scan the actual letter in and post it once I move my printer over here to Ray's...

 

(sung to the tune of "I'm So Pretty")

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.

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.

.

.

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.

.

"I'm so sleepy...

oh so sleepy...

I'm tired,

and grumpy,

and I snore!

I stand to go and close my bedroom door...

::quickly tilts head and laces my fingers together underneath my chin::

LA la la la la la la La la la..."

 

going to the Movies...

I watched "Love Actually" on TV yesterday and then went to see "Cinderella Man" at the movies.  I am such a sap, lol. 

Thank you for listening...

Hello my name is David.  I have had wonderful successes in my life, and great failures too.  The funny thing is sometimes you can get them confused.  You can want something so much that you ignore all the warning signs and push forward to it's completion.  You can mourn the loss of a job,  when it's very absence is the catalyst for one of your greatest triumphs.  I am lucky.  I can do better, and I will.  Thank you for listening...

 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

My Pap-pa was a Veteran of WWII.  I am very proud of him, and miss him very much!