Big Week, Big Traffic Delays, Immune System Don't Fail Me Now!

My puffy, allergy and cold ridden eyes cracked open at 6:30 am and I began my new routine of getting ready for my drive from Worcester to Watertown. Quick bite to eat with coffee set me off into the shower, got dressed and was out of the door at about 7:50 am. Fast forward; 9:45 and I am pulling into my company's parking lot thinking, "did it really just take that long to drive 35 miles?" I did encounter 2 accidents and one breakdown. Boston traffic is just lovely!

No matter, as I'm usually on time for work and do my duty above and beyond. I think I may leave at 7:00 am tomorrow which means I'll have to get up at 6:00 am and get ready faster. These are things I expected and trial runs will continue until I'm able to easily get to work by 8:30-8:45am.

Thursday morning I fly to Chicago to meet and interview the people in charge of marketing and sales at a major wind power corporation. The company is huge and I'm really going nuts over how to present myself and how much I know about wind energy. I've been reading up on this stuff for years, but I've never had to use my knowledge outside of job interviews and presentations. This is big business! That being said, I am clearly passionate about this and I think they'll see that. I buffed the hell out of my shoes last night and I can see my reflection in them. How about that? I've never done shined my shoes for an interview before! Golly!

The move to Worcester was grueling. I've been sick since Friday and I'm getting over it now. It took two trips to get most of my junk out of the room. I left behind my bed and some shelves that I plan on retrieving sometime this week with my grandfather's truck. I need the rain to let up before I can lug that big mattress back. For now I'm staying in my mom's apartment (lame!) until the upstairs apartment is ready. The tenants can't move out for couple weeks which I was just informed of yesterday.

Tough situation, but at least I've got other stuff, both positive and negative, to take my mind off setbacks like this. Hopefully I'll be looking for apartments in Chicago before the people move out and I can just save everybody the trouble. I just need to make sure my cousin is taken care of and has a good place to stay. I'm guessing he can stay there if he gets a room mate. I'm doing my best to help him out whenever and however I can. I hope he doesn't hate me for this last-minute Chicago development.

Winds of Change

No, I'm not speaking about Obama. I'm speaking about the call I got on Wednesday night. I'll be flown out to Chicago next Thursday to interview for a Sales and Marketing Coordinator position for a top international wind company. I'm simply thrilled.

Since 2006 I have been steadily reaching out to those in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable development for hints and advice on how to break into the field. Sometimes I'd get close and talk to someone or get an interview, other times I got some discouraged I was convinced I'd never work in the field that I'm most passionate about.

I signed up for a weekly news letter from the American Wind Energy Association that sends out jobs specifically related to the Wind Energy industry. I applied to most of the jobs sent to me every week for over two years. Two weeks ago I finally got a bite from this company who's United States office is based out of Chicago. The actual headquarters are in Denmark and India and there are over 14,000 employees world wide. The initial phone interview two weeks ago went over well, but I was so excited and nervous that I wasn't sure how I came off. Apparently I didn't come off too badly as I'm being treated to a flight to Chicago.

I feel like this is an opportunity of a life time. I am knowledgeable and skilled and I should be a great candidate. I had an interview at a solar company late last year and it went very well but they hired within. I think I am further along in the process than I was that time around and I also feel I am more well rounded now than I was back then.

If it comes to moving, the Worcester matter will be scrapped for a longer, more stressful move to Chicago. But, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Wish me luck :-)

Worcester's Yo-Yo

This weekend I shall move back to Worcester for the 2nd time since I have turned 18. I've managed to run screaming away from that city so often, yet still maintain a strange nostalgia about it my entire life. My family lives there and it's cost of living is considerably less than Boston. This time around should be better than the last time I moved back. I'll be staying in an apartment that my grandfather owns with my younger cousin. The commute sucks pretty bad, but the rent and utilities will save me hundreds of dollars a month which is what I need right now. I've been scraping and biting for so long trying to make ends meet in Boston, all the while making an okay salary in several fields I have no interest in pursuing as a long-term career. So, it's time to get my life and priorities in order. Money and cost of living need to be addressed, and next my career path will need to be addressed. More on that later.

As of now, my plans are to:

1) Live in the apartment for at least the rest of 2008.
2) Save the difference in money of what I'm paying now and allocate some of that savings toward lingering bills
3) Localize my freelance work and try to get some more writing gigs in the Worcester area
4) Weigh my options of relocation versus buying a condominium. Either of those will hopefully happen by next summer.

I do hope to start re-visiting some of my old haunts. Particularly the Java Hut and Coney Island hot dogs. I think the Java Hut may be closed due to poor management, but it usually gets bought and re-opened so I'll hold out hope. As far as my occasional junk food treat, who wants to meet up for a hot dog or cup of joe? I need re-integration.