They're really testing me...

First of all, just hunting is probably one of the most frustrating experiences. It is like watching paint dry, for lack of a more original metaphor. Submit resume, wait a few days or a week, call and check on it, then they say to call back at X Time and then it is a long drawn out process. It was more exciting waiting for payday while we were getting out of debt.

To make things more complicated the refrigerator is broken and the lawn mower we have cannot handle how long the grass has gotten. Yeah, we had our vacation and it got long, but I cannot seem to be able to get a time where I am able to cut the damn lawn or it actually stops raining. I swear, if the grass gets much longer the house is going to warp into a trailer. It's getting bad.

I'm trying to figure out which math equation to use to decide if I should just give up and go get an electric lawn mower. If the grass gets much longer the city will probably fine us for lack of upkeep and that might be more than just buying a lawn mower. This sucks.

The job hunt continues and we are going to the market tomorrow. I really don't know if I am going to be able to find someone who is reasonably priced to fix the damn fridge. We have an older fridge in the basement I'm considering plugging back in. I unplugged it the day we moved in to save electricity. We're modest people and we don't really keep a full fridge. Especially now since we're dealing with so many vegetables that can go bad.

87 days until I quit my job. I am really hoping I don't have to go through a period of unemployment.

A New Beginning

I got an email today from someone in the HR department at work. Completely not work related, just asking me if I was still biking to work. Turns out it's National Bike to Work Day. It's storming, I'm out of shape, and I'm completely off my 3rd shift schedule. So today I am driving to work later. Oddly enough.

But it did feel good that someone took the time to think about me. I don't think they understand what is truly going on with my job right now, but that may be for the better. I could get all bitter about the situation at work, but I am actually starting to enjoy the job hunt.

In the past 48 hours, I have considered jobs or looked into working at a credit union, going back to being a game show host, writing, and even being a bike courier.

Regardless of the circumstances, I am finding a new job as I work in a sea of negativity and viciousness. The third shift hours are getting to me as well, and I honestly think it's time for me to change. The atmosphere of everyone I work with just counting down the time until they leave is also kind of depressing -- just counting down. Each minute another bit of life gone by. I'd rather live my life a little rather than just work for a paycheck.

That, and this whole 'un-corporating' my life thing means I should put my money where my mouth is and leave corporate America.

But I've got some resumes out, some applications filed, and a ton of emails sent.

We've been doing good about not shopping at the grocery store. My wife has her blog (she started it without my knowledge, it's in the sidebar -- A Better Shell) and she did go to Kroger earlier this week, but she stuck to the organic section. So I guess that's kind of a compromise. It can be very hard to do something like this especially when you work late nights.

Throughout this experience I plan on doing reviews of local businesses and new products I come across. Perhaps a few book reviews.

I kind wish I had started this blog sooner though, as I have already started to find local alternatives and my initial reactions to the change in lifestyle.

First and foremost, I will say, I feel a lot more alive when I go to the markets instead of the lonely aisles of Costco pushing a cart with little human interaction. I won't get into it, but I'm looking forward to the next 90 days, as this is my goal to get everything completely un-corporated.

Goals

So life never EVER goes as planned and I find myself in quite a situation, naturally. That's the story of my life.

As of now, I am trying as hard as I can to NOT shop at the grocery store. I have to find a local alternative, or farmers market, or make it myself. That's the basic goal. But I don't have much time today, and I want to get started, so here are the goals that I am setting out to achieve in the next three months:

1) Do not shop at the Grocery Store, at all. Must find local alternative.
2) Avoid caffeine.
3) Bike and walk to as many places as possible.
4) Find a new job. Preferably with a local business.
5) Update this blog every few days with my progress and/or the story of how this all got started.

That's it for now.

Just got back from vacation, and we managed to buy locally from farmers markets and local vendors the entire time we were there. At the farmers market I mentioned my 'experiment' to one of the farmers and they said 'Thank You.' and it was very sincere at that.

But back to job hunting. I have a few legitimate leads and I don't want to fall through the cracks.