May 2006 Archives

Yesterday I pulled out all the stops. I identified three places where I could possibly start working soon, all conveniently located in Old Montreal. I decided to give them all a visit to possibly set up an interview later this week or next.

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Company #1

This company actually makes video games, although it's unlikely that you've heard of any of them. They do stuff mainly on mobile devices and web sites. I sent my resume to a contact that I have there, a really nice guy. He sent it off to his boss, although they needed to know what I was looking for exactly, and what they had to offer. After walking and talking for a quarter of an hour or so, it seems as though the only fit would be for me to start as tech support making $25K a year. That would be the equivalent of going back in time seven years, but then again, if they call me, I really don't have many options open to me right now. He would push for this because it may help him get out of the job situation he is in right now, which would be him doing tech support and being the web master, all for $27K. It's the situation that I would want the least, but it's the one that I could leave the quickest.

Company #2

I stopped off at zura's company to discuss with her what I could do there. She set me up to talk to one of the principal sales engineers. It was a good conversation. He thought that I could be an intelligent person working on the sales team concentrating on the business intelligence market, although thinking about it now, I think I'd rather be on his team. It fits better with what I want to do in the future. I'll have to let him know this.

I need work now. I can no longer stay on unemployment and then go to school. The government says that I was overpaid $3000 in unemployment and they want it back by June 8. They say that I lied to them about my earnings in my last job, when I definitely reported everything. If I can't prove this (somehow my documentation is eluding me, but it's here somewhere), then I am up shit's creek without a paddle.

Therefore, if you know of anyone that needs any kind of paid employee, I will consider all offers. I can forward a CV at a moment's notice. Just let me know. There are certain of you to whom I particularly would like to speak...

What's particularly shitty is that I should be doing backflips. In fact, I was doing backflips last week. I received my letter of admission from HEC and I will be starting school in August. Whether it is full or part time remains to be seen. If it's full time, then I am eligible for loans for tuition, books, living expenses and the laptop computer I need. I was even browsing COOP HEC for their Virtuose models, but they don't have them in yet. I celebrated with Rose, Suj and his photog friend, Roxane.

I would also like to thank you for the support you showed Rose. Because of readers like you (well, a reader like you), she has entered a volunteer program taht will enable her to get into the training program of her choice in August. We both found out about our good fortune last Wednesday.

However, if things do not work out in the next few months, none of this will happen. And it has to, going insane, and I mean insane, would be welcome if that all that happened. I hate to ask for your help like this, but better here than out on the street.

I think that I have identified my superpower. It is the ability to avoid creditors, not pay them and still use their services.

Welcome to the club.

That I've been in an amazing mood all day. And it's all thanks to Fatboy Slim, They Might be Giants, Propellerheads, Toad the Wet Sprocket, the Smashing Pumpkins, Beck, Lemon Jelly (the SLOOOOOOW TRAIN), Air, Nathalie Merchant, Silverchair (been a while for you, eh? That is, if you remember them.), The Magic Numbers, Elbow, Moloko and the Arctic Monkeys. And Sufjan Stevens. And a beer at the Petit Medley.

It's all good. Good work, guys.

Oh yes, the bartender kept calling me mon beau. Is that just flowery French polite bartender language or was he flirting with me?

Over at the other blog, I discussed happiness and the happiness formula. I have decided to evaluate how happy I am.

The research suggests that richer countries do tend to be happier than poor ones, but once you have a home, food and clothes, then extra money does not seem to make people much happier.

For me, this is kinda true. I have shelter, although not the best shelter. Christ, no. I have some clothes that I really like, and food isn't much of an issue, either. When I went to Cuba in February, I had just lost my job, but I went anyway. Why? It made me happy. I'm glad I went, and I will rememeber that trip for a long time. When I had more money, I can't say that I have been particularly happy. My friend Sébastien says that the less money he has, the more generous he is with it. I am not exactly the same, but I can relate to that.

I also agree with the adaptation to happiness theory, which explains why things that make us happy tend to have less of an effect as time passes. This is likely true for all things, although it's often cyclical, such as in relationships, hobbies and habits, good or bad.

First, family and friends are crucial - the wider and deeper the relationships with those around you the better.

I think I am doing fairly well here. Besides Rose, I know who makes me happy and who does not. My relationship with my family is good and is improving as I get older. Sometimes I feel happy thinking about all those people. They provide more than adequate social and emotional support for me. Now I don't know if having these relationships has warded off disease, or anything radical like that, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Rose is going to try to get into a special needs education program at cegep where she needs to amass 35 hours of volunteering experience by mid-August. The volunteering must be in human services where she works with people in all manner of ways. The people could be mentally or physically challenged. It could be a women's shelter. Maybe spending time with poor kids. Anything. So far, the volunteer bureaus she's contacted haven't been very helpful; it's as if they don't quite need the help right now, and therefore aren't timely in getting back to her with opportunities. If any of you locals know of any orgs that need volunteers in English or French, please leave a comment here to let me know. It would be a terrible shame if she had to wait another year to get her training started.

Working in the wrong job.