Recently in Work and play Category

Today is my last day as a so-called free man. If being unemployed for the last few months can really qualify as real freedom. Bumming around and trying to find goals day by day is not my favorite activity.

Tomorrow I get to join the ranks again of those fine upstanding working folks out there. Get up bright and early, learn more stuff and meet new colleagues, and have some purpose in life again. Renewed and invigorated, you're never too old for that.

Having so much time leftover has certainly improved my golf game immensely at least. Looking through my records for this year, not counting all the match plays, I've managed to play more than ninety rounds, with an average score of 81.4. My highest score was a lousy 92 and my lowest score was an inspiring 71, which I had twice.

However, playing good golf isn't everything, and it certainly doesn't pay the bills. Back to the real world for me. I wonder how much my golfing skills will suffer, I hope not much.

With more money in the bank, I can buy new clubs and other golfing paraphernalia, which in theory might help improve my game. I will drive to work and my golf clubs will travel with me everywhere. Who knows when an unexpected golfing opportunity might arise while I'm on the road.

I was late and had a train to catch. Because of the heavy rainstorm that night, by morning the subterranean walkway to the platform was flooded several centimeters high.

Nature was challenging me yet again with one of her creative obstacles.

In order not to miss the train and arrive at work on time, I had a difficult decision to make. My quick deductions narrowed down the choices to three possibilities:

• Turn around and go back up, take a longish detour and make a mad dash around to the opposite entrance to the train station which was still dry, taking five additional minutes.
• Take off my shoes, then my socks and roll up my pants, wading carefully though the water in my bare feet, which would take an extra minute.
• Take the dare, make a large leap and just run as fast as I could through the water hoping not to get too soaked, which would result in no delay at all.

Most of the older people had calmly positioned themselves to the side or were reclining on the stairs taking off shoes and socks, while the younger folks were making large leaps and just going for it. A couple people had turned around but were standing in mid-step, motionless with their backs to the water wondering if what they were doing was the right choice.

Being young at heart and not wanting to risk being late, I made two cautious steps backwards, ascending slightly, and not thinking I took the running leap.

This was risky business but invigorating at the same time. It reminded me of the good old days as a kid when running through puddles was so much fun. The great part is that while doing running through the water, you get to splash all of the carefully wading people and soak them anyway.

By the time I arrived in Amsterdam my feet were completely dry, but the adventure remains to this day fresh in my mind.

Too often one is so consumed by a jungle of intertwined thoughts that the beauty of the nearby surroundings is completely foresaken.

Having tried to solve an especially complicated problem for the last couple of days already, I needed an escape. I decided to take an extended lunch break this time by walking further than normal along the canals of Amsterdam. It didn't matter where as long as I stopped tackling that ornery mountain of code for a bit, return to normalcy.

View of the Keizersgracht where I work.

The walk was alright I guess, getting away from it all. When I crossed the last bridge on my return to the office, I was at once struck by a wonderful, serene scene of peaceful movements. The gentle splashing of the tourists in the paddle boat is what woke me. Right there in front of me and I had missed it completely when walking earlier the other way. I took this picture so that I would not forget the awe of that special moment.

Mo more than five seconds after I snapped this picture using my mobile phone, the answer to the problem came to me in a flash. Better get back quickly before I forget.

That's the building where I work in the distance on the left right about the middle of the photograph.

Also for the sake of completeness notice on the right of the picture the girl bicycling ever so swiftly going to who knows where.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover the following exciting email in my inbox this morning.

Good Day,

My name is Robert and I'm a recruiter at Axelon Services Corporation, formerly known as Algomod Technologies Corporation. Our records show that you are an experienced professional with experience in Computer Repair. This experience is relevant to one of my current openings.

It is located in SALINAS, CA.

Field Technician
Salinas, CA
5+ Month Contract

I'll have to think about it first before jumping too quickly at this opportunity that could change my life.

So I figured that I'd work from home today so I could concentrate better and be much more productive.

Woke up extra early to make a good start, enjoying a nice hot cup of coffee and typing away behind my good old laptop.

As it turns out, right across the street there's some @#$! idiot sawing wood with this high-pitched electrical saw the whole morning.

What a jerk. I hope he quits real soon before I get insane and attempt something desperate.

New job's coming along just fine. There's much new and interesting stuff to learn which keeps my old brain cells in shape. Being surrounded the whole day by psychologists in an academic environment takes a bit of getting used to though. Bridging the theoretical with real world technology is the name of the game, at least second to golf that is. Tomorrow morning early (7:50) I am off to shoot yet another course record.

That's how long it took from the moment I lost my previous job until I found another one. Sixty-two days of living on the dole, looking around and hoping that some day in the not so distant future I would be able to land something new and challenging.

Starting in Amsterdam, zig-zagging all over the Netherlands and even into a number of other European countries and then back to good old Amsterdam again. There's just something mysterious about that place that keeps calling me back.



I survived the ordeal by accepting the way things are, regaining control of my life, and remaining positive throughout the whole disappointing and very frustrating ordeal.

Considering how bad the economy is right now and the steadily rising unemployment rates worldwide, I feel very fortunate and am thankful to God for having sought me out and revealed to me this new opportunity in life.

Thanks alot God, maybe I can treat you to a nice lunch in Amsterdam someday soon, just the two of us?

"Seek out danger, tackle risks early before they come back to attack you, embrace change which is inevitable anyway, and don't forget about God."

I received this amazing job offer email in the morning, so you can imagine how excited I felt upon reading it:

Hello,
Wobbits Service is currently hiring for the position of Mailing Assistant. If you feel that you are a self-motivated and career-oriented person, we highly encourage you to spare a minute and learn more about our current openings.
Primary job requirements:

* Basic knowledge of the computer
* Ability to print and scan documents
* Knowledge of such programs as Adobe Acrobat Reader and Microsoft Office
* Ability to pick up packages weighing up to 30lbs.

I often complain about the second-rate quality of these recruitment agencies that spam me all day with their wonderful job matches, but this one definitely takes the cake!

Getting laid off is never easy, look at me, it's the third time in my long and unpredictable career. This time however it's seems much worse than the other times, and I'm bracing myself for a long haul. No matter what happens, I'm confident that things will eventually pick up at some point in the future. It always has. So I just need to hang in there until that happens, busying myself in a productive and useful way.

So let's take something negative and transform it into something positive, alright? Just like a snake that must shed it's skin every once in awhile in order to grow, this is an opportunity to shed the past, move forward and re-energize myself with something new. Look at all those computer books I've collected and never had time to learn. Pick a subject, any subject and dive in. Play around with the new technology, explore the many possibilities and become an expert.

I've decided to hone my Java skills and become a J2EE expert, and on the side maybe even learn some Python. It will take some time, but if there's one thing I have alot of lately, then that's time. Get involved in an open source project, attend various seminars and congresses, and even volunteer to help out at some stands passing out folders and talking to people.

Then when the future comes I will be better prepared. Who knows, maybe by doing all this learning stuff I will somehow influence the future, subconsciously attracting the perfect job with the perfect kind of work. Hey, I can't wait.

Getting laid off is never easy, but let's make the best of it. It might even end up being kind of fun.

Interviewers decide to accept or reject a candidate within the first 3 or 4 minutes of the interview. The remainder of the interview time is spent seeking evidence to confirm their first impression.

With that in mind I am going to be a little more careful but still act like who I am.