It's August

August is off to a roaring start in these parts.

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We came to the decision to sell our 1999 Subaru Legacy Sedan, known affectionately as Loretta. The problems with the engine continue and now she needs a right rear brake. She does still run, and I hoped that someone who knows Subaru cars would be interested in giving her a newer engine and a few more years. Last week I placed an ad in Uncle Henry's, a local for-sale magazine that lets you list items for free if your ad is 15 words or less. The magazine is available each Thursday and that morning I got my first phone call at 7:12. By Friday I had received four phone calls and decided to meet with the owner of a local auto repair shop who offered me more than I asked without even seeing the car. Two hours later he came by for a look-see and liked the car. He has an engine that needs a home and thinks Loretta will fill the bill. We drove her over to his place on Saturday. It was sad to see her go but it was the right decision for us.

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We have had warm temperatures and rain most every day this month. Yesterday was cool with steady rain, so Ken and I headed to the movie theater to find more people than we've ever seen at the cinemaplex in Brunswick. We were looking forward to seeing "Crazy, Stupid Love." With the line almost out the door we turned around and decided to try again another day.

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Up until just a few days ago I was holding out hope that I would be able to write a different type of post today. I had what I thought was a good job interview a couple weeks ago. A few days later the program manager called at least one of my references, so I felt good about that, too. Then on Thursday I received the dreaded rejection letter. The good news is that I got a letter at all and that it was personalized. The bad news is that I didn't get a job. Most telling was the last sentence in the second paragraph: "I do hope that you will have success in finding a position that will make use of your education."

This is important information for me to have because it confirms what I have thought for awhile now. It appears to people who know me only through my resume and a brief interview that I have a good amount of education and this is not balanced with the right amount of experience.

I take responsibility for not adequately relaying my passion for and desire to do the work for which I am applying. There is a missing link that I am obviously not able to find on my own.

So today I called the Southern Midcoast Career Center to reserve a place on Wednesday for the morning Resume & Cover Letter Workshop and the afternoon Job Search & Interviewing Workshop. It has been over two years since I had help with my resume and I have been told that templates have changed in that time.

I feel my disappointment in the pit of my stomach. My renewed job search has shown me that I can get in the door but I can't close the deal. It worries me that I feel bitter. Again I am angry with myself and every decision I've made in the last three decades. I can't keep going back to that place because it doesn't help ~ negative thinking will not improve the situation.

So I made a phone call, checked a website online, and found a career center that offers the workshops this week. I called to reserve space before I had time to change my mind.

I can't be afraid to hear what I need to do if I am serious about finding a job.

The journey continues....