Fumbling through my forties

Not as blah

2011-08-13T13:50:00.001-05:00

Feeling less blah than I have been. We've had a lot going on with work and with some health-related issues (nothing major or life-threatening, but still never fun to face), so I've tried to take care of the family and the house more than myself. I think that was a major contributor to the blahs I had. I was able shake a good portion of them recently, but still have some lingering blahness. Should fade soon. Really just need a weekend with no plans to be able to unwind. May be a while before that happens, but with fall coming (a favorite time of the year for me), I usually snap out of it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Blah

2011-08-01T20:20:00.001-05:00

I'm sitting in the library feeling blah. I'm not sure why and, oddly, I don't know that I mind much. I've felt this way the last few weeks. I think I'm in a rut with my training, with my diet (not my eating habits, but my choices or rather lack of choices), and with the summer. I think I just need to re-focus on the important things and push all of the other stuff aside. This feeling usually happens to me a couple times a year. Various things pull me out of it, so I just need to find the right one.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

New toy

2011-07-10T19:09:00.001-05:00

We bought an iPad2 today, along with a carrying case that is also a bluetooth keyboard. I'm typing this entry on the keyboard right now. This rocks!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Very Brief post

2011-06-11T19:09:00.003-05:00

Two things:

Gazpacho rocks!

I love this time of year, when berries are plentiful, as I eat them many times a week.

That is all.

March WDW trip - a bit late

2011-05-21T22:48:00.006-05:00

I was able to go to WDW in March for a work conference and stayed at Coronado Springs. I was a little surprised at the difficulty I had finding vegan food there. I was able to eat a few things at the resort, although I had a lot of water, fruit, and coffee. I did get a black bean burrito for lunch one day that was pretty tasty. I had much better luck at Downtown Disney, where once again (actually twice) I visited Babycakes NYC and partook of the wonderful baked goods there. Also, I had great assistance at Pollo Campero, where the greeter, cooks, and cashier all helped make sure I had a fantastic vegan dinner.

I'm getting more comfortable know what to ask for at WDW and I was surprised at one particular interaction I had at, of all places, Pop Century's food court. I asked a couple of managers to see the ingredients for something at one of the stations. They insisted on getting the head chef to come out and talk with me. Chef Jose spent several minutes going over options and finally, we had a meal planned out. After a few minutes, he came back to tell me that there was an ingredient that had dairy in it that couldn't be taken out. He then said that he would grill some vegetables for me and bring it out. What he created is above. That's eggplant, zucchini, red onions and hummus with strawberries. To me, even though I know the chefs at WDW will accommodate special dietary requests, this was above and behind. It was delicious and, frankly, not something I expected from Pop Century.

I have a new post over at The Mouse and More that updates how my weight is doing, as well as my training for the increasing number of half- and full marathons I'm doing this year, but overall, I feel great and I'm looking forward to the fresh veggies and fruit that summer provides.

Further thoughts on vegan eating at Walt Disney World

2011-01-17T10:05:00.001-06:00

I was in Walt Disney World for Marathon Weekend from Jan 5-12. As in October, I ate just fine, although I tried a couple of new places to eat. Tangerine Cafe at the Morocco Pavilion was a big success. The vegetable platter is awesome and I had it twice while we were there. Honestly, I'd have it every day if we are in Epcot.

The Sci-Fi Dine-In restaurant at Hollywood Studios, however, not so great. There is a marinated tofu with rice and veggies dish that is okay. I'm not fan of tofu, so that is part of my "eh" reaction, although the rice and veggie were good. I do like the theming and the film loop of cheesy Sci Fi movies and drive-in promos, but the food is not the best.

I also found out that the Lighthouse sandwich at Columbia Harbor House in the Magic Kingdom is vegan. I asked to check the ingredients of the broccoli slaw and bread and they were fine. This sandwich is the aforementioned slaw with hummus and tomatoes. Very tasty and not too filling, a good alternative to the veggie wrap at the Golden Outpost in Frontierland if you're not in that area of the park when it's time to eat.

Last, but definitely not least, Babycakes NYC at Downtown Disney. This is a vegan bakery that has delicious cupcakes, cookies, and brownies. Yum! I tried several different treats, all of which were very tasty. I will make this place a must-do stop from now on.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Holidays vegan-style

2011-01-02T22:03:00.001-06:00

I am happy with my ability to make it through the holidays without many issues related to my vegan lifestyle. I am a bit surprised how little I missed foods I used to chow down in large quantities in previous years. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, cookies, hot chocolate, Christmas candy, etc. all used to be on the menu.

This year, I basically ate the same things I've been eating the last few months. Italian sausage seitan with sautéd orange and yellow peppers, mushrooms, and diced tomatoes in brown and wild rice or small servings of spaghetti is my current mainstay meal. I also started having small vats of salad with black beans, corn, and pineapple with a touch of balsamic vinigrette. I've been finding more variety in my lunches and dinners, which has really helped hone my palate and get me thinking about other ways to prepare simple meals. I'm excited to see what else I can create in the new year.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thanksgiving Day post

2010-11-25T13:15:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I have a post over at The Mouse and More for your reading pleasure.

Vegan at Walt Disney World - not easy, but not hard either

2010-10-20T21:25:00.004-05:00

My family went to Walt Disney World last week, my first extended trip away from home after I became vegan. I'd read up on what WDW could offer vegans and it's more than you'd think. The week before we left, the Disney Food Blog had post about vegan dining at WDW, which helped reinforce what I had already read or heard. Many resorts have grab-and-go areas of their food courts or quick serve restaurants. At Pop Century, the resort we stayed at, I found hummus, Silk Soy Milk, Divvies cookies and caramel corn, and corn flakes. At Epcot, the Sunshine Seasons food court in The Land pavilion of Future World had vegan black bean soup, which I had three times in the week we were there! They also had veggie sushi rolls and hummus, so I was very happy to eat there as often as we did. We celebrated our wedding anniversary while we were down, eating at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom. A chef came out to our table and walked me through the buffet tables, telling me what was and what wasn't vegan; if a dish wasn't vegan, he offered to make a similar dish that would be! I had a great meal there. I've heard that Boma, a buffet restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge is also a good option, so I may have to try that next time we're down.

Overall, I had no real problems eating as a vegan while I was at WDW, although a few times, I had to look carefully at what was included in a dish or read labels to make sure I would be okay eating something. I do miss, a bit, having a Dole Whip, but I'm sure that, if pressed, the chefs at the restaurants would whip up something equally delicious. I knew that I wouldn't have too much trouble, but I'm glad that I have now experienced being vegan at Walt Disney World for myself.

Doing better with portions, but still...

2010-08-30T21:56:00.003-05:00

Over at my other blog, The Mouse and More, I just posted an entry about why I run. I thought I'd do the same thing here about why I became vegan, but I explain it somewhat at the other site. If interested, feel free to read it. I'll wait.

Ok, so, instead, what I thought I'd do with this entry is briefly describe how I'm trying to restart the weight loss I'd experienced earlier this year as I became vegan. I've cut down on the vegan junk food (yes, as far as I can tell, there is such a thing - at least there's no animal-based products in what I was eating). For example, coconut milk frozen dessert is yummy, but if you eat most of a pint, with a crapton of blueberries and cashews on top of it, that's not necessarily a good thing, weight loss or health-wise. Neither is doing that every night. That's not what a treat should be. Once a week or so, that's a treat.

Vegan burritos nuked and covered in salsa three or four times a week isn't necessarily "bad", but without anything else on the plate, especially anything in the vegetable family (salsa from a jar doesn't really count) is less than optimal in my mind. Now the last couple of months have been tough with some extended family issues, but still, a salad is just as easy as a burrito. Change is coming as I get back into the cooking habit again. I've come to enjoy cooking again and even though I'm still making two or three different meals each night (depending on if my wife and son each the same thing), I'm learning how to prep ingredients quicker, how to combine things for different meals and how to finish off a dish with a different twist each time. I've moved beyond relying on tofu so much, too. Seitan is great and very versatile. I've done a little with tempeh and plan to do more as we get to the time of the year for comfort food (at here in Minnesota when it getting chillier).

So, I'm doing much better about what I'm eating (still all vegan) and how much (the bigger issue) and hopefully, I can reach my weight loss goals and be a better and healthier runner.

Food choices good, but amounts? not so much

2010-07-27T21:24:00.004-05:00

I've been doing really well lately catching hidden non-vegan ingredients and finding vegan alternatives when eating out, but in the last few weeks, I've had a hard time with how much I'm eating. I can attribute much of the problem to being injured and not running as much as I had been. Not only was my exercise cut way down, but I was not in the best of spirits for the last few weeks. I haven't gorged myself or anything like that, but I have found myself eating more than I need to whenI'm feeling stressed or bored.

A bad habit I've had for years, this pattern can be overcome with some determination and, now that I can start getting back into running again, a strong desire to continue my journey toward more mindful food choices. It's not easy sometimes and we've had some family stresses lately that have not helped being planful about preparing good meals, but there's light at the end of that tunnel, too. As I get more comfortable with what I can eat, I'll get better at figuring out how to eat.

Hitting my stride?

2010-07-07T21:35:00.004-05:00

It seems as though it is becoming easier for me to find vegan foods, find hidden ingredients in non-vegan foods, and find good food to eat. I think that as I get more used to what to check for, it will be easier to eat better. Although I am still checking labels because I'm getting store-bought foods, for the most part, I have moved to getting veggies and fruit every week, eating all of them (yes, much like the clean plate club!) and rinding new ways to make good, nutritious meals fairly quickly. I had thought that cooking my meals would help hone some knife skills, but I have found that a kitchen shears does wonders dicing or mincing peppers, green onions, broccoli, and spinach. I still cut up the veggies, but the more involved prep is done with shears. Works great and pretty quick, too.

A couple of weeks ago I got to make a trip to Whole Foods that didn't involve dashing in to pick up a few things. This trip, I got to check all the areas of the store that have what I'd want and I came away with a good sense of what's available for me to make that I'll enjoy and my family may try, too. It was very exciting to have that first trip under my belt and I look forward to finding more treasures next time. Now, if I could only figure out what to do with the tempeh I bought!

Pitfalls and hidden traps trying to become vegan

2010-06-20T21:52:00.003-05:00

Recently, my friend Gordon posted on his new blog A Vegan in the South a rather surprising and shocking piece of information for those of us who thought that they were keeping vegan by eating certain brands of “veggie burgers.” Reading Gordon’s post actually depressed me briefly, as I had been using Morningstar burgers as a primary means of getting some protein into my diet without using tofu, seitan, or tempeh (which I use, but I haven’t used enough to be really comfortable using all the time yet). I think I will ultimately be much better off not eating Morningstar burgers and I have found actual vegan burgers (Gardenburger brand) since I read Gordon’s post, but his warning opened my eyes to how much I don’t know about what I should and shouldn’t eat and how so very important carefully reading those labels is to making sure that what I’m eating is indeed vegan and not some weird marketing hybrid of ingredients.

Slight shift in focus

2010-06-10T22:27:00.003-05:00

This blog was intended to be a chronicle of my life as I went through a difficult time for me. I made it through that time and decided to keep the blog going, updating it infrequently while hoping to post more often. Rather than set an expectation that may or may not be met, I'm going to shift the focus of this blog slightly and post when I feel I have something interesting to say. Now, honestly, I would really like to post in a more timely manner, and the focus shift may help get me to be more regular with my posts.

So here's the focus shift: I've changed a large and important part of my lifestyle drastically in the last five months (although I started these changes last July) and I have seen my weight drop from 226 lbs. in July of 2009 to 192.5 lbs. as of last week. I'm still running and training for races, so the change isn't getting more exercise. The other way to lose weight is by changing how and/or what you eat. Portion control, calorie or carb counting, special diets, etc. all can drop weight, albeit temporarily unless you stick with the program or book you're following. Lifestyle and habit changes, however, last longer (hopefully for the rest of your life) and are easier, in my opinion.

I have made lifestyle and eating habit changes and since at least late March, I became a vegetarian with hopes of becoming vegan. I am almost there. I say almost, because I can't 100% guarantee that food I eat that I did not make myself is vegan. I try very hard to make sure and experience and learning will get me to the point I feel comfortable saying I'm vegan.

But why? Well, right now, I have 33.5 reasons why. I've lost weight without feeling weak, tired, or hungry for foods I used to eat (and eat a lot!). I don't miss meat or dairy products and as I learn more about what I should eat and what I can eat to be vegan, I find that I actually like most of the foods people think vegans eat. Yes, that means tofu, hummus, veggies, fruit, soy milk, almond milk, but I already liked these foods. I didn't have to make a huge adjustment. I'm re-learning how to cook and re-learning that cooking everything on high is not necessary or even a good idea! Now, as time goes on, I may embrace the other aspects of a vegan lifestyle, but right now, I know that I can eat well, lose weight, and feel good about myself. And that's just fine with me.

So, how does this change affect this blog? Well, the posts may be more oriented toward my journey to a full vegan lifestyle (or not), but I wanted to give context to why you may see posts that talk about good vegan recipes, creative ways to make tofu, or what seitan is and why I eat it (once I try it).

Odds and Ends - briefly

2010-04-25T16:57:00.003-05:00

Again time passes and this blog sits lonely, feeling forlorn. It's not, of course, just not top-of-mind right now. All of the great ideas I get for posts here get lost before I can write them. I even carry a small notebook to jot ideas down, but I forget to do that. Sad, really, but I will rectify that starting with this post. I may not write a lot each time, but I will write more often. I started this blog to post about my life in general when I was not in the best of places emotional and personally. I'm much better now - much, much better. We'll just have to see if I'm more timely.

Not forgotten

2010-03-15T22:44:00.003-05:00

I've not forgotten this blog, I just tend to write more at The Mouse and More instead. Since last August, I trained for the 2010 Walt Disney World Marathon, which I ran in the coldest weather Orlando had seen in over 30 years; I celebrated my one year anniversary at my current job; and generally enjoyed life. I had thought I would use this blog as a general, catch-all for non-Disney related thoughts, but I haven't found the time I'd like to have to do more meaningful posts than simple updates. I still intend to try to post more often, because I feel like I have things to say. Hopefully I will be much better about updating more often. I mean, really, I don't think I could get worse, could I?

Twitter twittering, pt. 2

2009-08-09T19:29:00.004-05:00

One thing I have noticed about using the Twitter apps on the iPhone is that they are somewhat interchangeable in function. Rather obvious observation, but what distinguishes one app from another? There are a few basic things I like to do when I'm using Twitter each time I open an app: check updates, direct messages, and respond to any follow requests. All four of the apps I have do these things in a very similar way. The differences are small, but may make the difference in choosing one app over another. For example, TwitBird Pro (formerly iTwitter) shows the most recent update so that you have to scroll down to find the last unread tweet. I have tried to find a way in the settings to switch this option, but I haven't yet. If I don't check for awhile, when I update I have to scroll down to find the last unread tweet. TwitBird Pro does allow for easy marking of read tweets, although the only option is to mark all read. I have been using TweetDeck more and more lately because of the groups option, whihc allows you to create groups for easier following of your Twitter friends. I also like the interface with TweetDeck more than the other three apps I have. The experiment will continue as I try to determine why I like one app more than another.

Twitter twitterings

2009-08-06T21:43:00.008-05:00

Today, Twitter went down and revived itself before I even knew about it. I saw a news story online and then saw a flood of stories about how Armageddon had almost arrived. I was expecting the Four Horsemen of the Internet to have descended upon the fragile intertwinings of the new darling of social media. People were literally all atwitter about the lack of Twitter. I like Twitter, I use it, although in a more passive/lurker mode than as an active and frequent twitter tweeter. I follow friends and podcasts, folks who have similar interests that I may know from forums I read (and lurk in). I have posted 220 tweets (as of today) and I joined Twitter over a year ago. I have also sent about 60 direct messages (most to the same person – it seems quicker than email or texting for some reason). I’m not a super-user by any stretch of the imagination, but had I known that Twitter had big issues today, I probably would have checked every few minutes to see if it was back up and working. I like seeing what my tweeps are doing, what interesting pictures they're sharing, or what links they have posted. I do feel connected to these folks and I would not have enjoyed being out of touch.

How I would have checked Twitter's status brings me to this point: I can’t have Twitter open on my work laptop (nor should I, really), but I can check the various apps on my iPhone that allow users to tweet, post picture via Twitpic (or yfrog, flic.kr, etc.), send direct messages, follow, unfollow, well, you get the idea. The apps allow a person to follow Twitter, even when they can’t get to a computer. There are many apps around that do this. I have 4 right now, Twitterific, TweetDeck, TwitterFon, and iTwitter. What I’d like to try to do over the next few posts (which I hope are more frequent than my more recent posts), is review, in an unscientific way, these apps, how they work for me, which one I use most and why.

Not complaining, but still. . .

2009-06-23T21:45:00.002-05:00

So, it’s hot here in Minnesota right now. The kind of hot we don’t like, humid, and, to use a technical term, “icky.” It is not fun having to go to work dressed up, although it is fun to have to go to work. Please don’t think I’m complaining, just not overly thrilled with humidity and sweat. Thank goodness my car’s A/C works so well (as does the A/C in the house!).

I haven’t had much success getting into a good rhythm for my race training this spring and summer. I really need to find a way to get my workouts done without worrying about how or when I’ll do them. I also need to do much better with eating, portions, and choices. Part of the problem is that I’ve been tired lately and I just don’t feel like I’ve had a chance to take the time to get my head on straight. I’m hoping that this weekend will allow me the opportunity to get these things under control again.

Minneapolis Half-Marathon

2009-06-01T22:21:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, May 31, was the Inaugural Minneapolis Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 5K. I ran the half-marathon and finished in 2:30. My goal for the race was not based on a finish time in mind, just to finish, which I did. I’m glad I didn’t have a specific time in mind, because the course, while absolutely wonderful and scenic, was hilly. There were more hills than I thought there would be, but I really enjoyed this race. The day was beautiful, sunny, with little wind, a bit chilly at the start and not quite hot by the end of the race. If you have been to Minneapolis’s riverfront near the downtown area down towards the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus, you know what the scenery is like. The course was well-laid out (even with the hills) and a good challenge without being overwhelming.

The packet pick-up and expo, while small (remember, this was the first year for the race), was well-organized. It was outside, under an old train shed that was originally a part of the Milwaukee Road Railroad Depot in downtown Minneapolis. The race start was also at the depot, so it was very convenient to have everything right there. The finish was down by the riverfront at an old flour milling complex that has been restored into the Mill City Museum and condos. I used to give tours there 14 years ago for the Minnesota Historical Society and I had not been down in that area much since about 1999, so it was really neat to be back there.

I will definitely think about doing this race again next year, but I do think I’ll train for the hills more next time.

If you would consider helping out, I’d appreciate it

2009-05-25T21:40:00.001-05:00

A quick note here – I have joined the Team AllEars running team for the 2010 WDW Marathon weekend. Part of our goal is to help raise money for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Please consider helping out this fantastic cause and supporting Team AllEars as we train for our half-marathons, full-marathons, and Goofy Challenges. I’ll have more information on the team as I continue to train. Thanks!!!

Spring has sprung

2009-05-18T21:56:00.002-05:00

The days are getting warmer, the sun is rising earlier and setting later, and the boy likes to be outside. This should help explain the lack of posts. So, until we get a rainy stretch or the leaves begin to fall, short posts will be the norm.

Still running, too

2009-04-25T16:24:00.001-05:00

I ran the Get in Gear 10k this morning. I’m training for a half-marathon at the end of May, so the distance wasn’t taxing by any stretch of the imagination, but a race always gets me running a bit harder than training. That is the point, I know, but I’m surprisingly a bit more tired than I thought I’d be after only 6.2 miles. I do know I have to eat better because I’ve gained about 6-7 lbs since I started my new job. The temptation of eating the cafeteria’s food (and, yes, it’s pretty good) is overwhelming some days, even when I bring a lunch. We have also not been eating the best at home, as I often get home after my wife and it can get late before dinner’s ready. I don’t do well eating later and I’ve been rationalizing a fair amount of junk food lately. For a few years now I have said that I will eat better and lose weight before the Disney marathon, but it doesn’t seem to work. I need better ideas on how to stick to better eating habits.

Still fumbling

2009-04-07T21:41:00.001-05:00

You’d think that I’d have found a rhythm with work and home life to be able to post more often, but apparently not yet. One thing that I’ve been trying to do is figure out how to post more often. I have also registered for the 2010 Walt Disney World Marathon, which will be my 4th consecutive race there. I posted on my training for this year’s race over at The Mouse and More, but I don’t know if I will do that this year. I may do it here or not at all. Since it’s just the marathon next year (I’m doing the Goofy again in 2011), the training will not be as rigorous. At least I hope so. My wife is running the half marathon, her first, and we’ll have to figure out the training schedule for the long runs on the weekend. Additionally, the training takes place during the holidays, which is always fun, and the weather here in Minnesota is always a factor come wintertime. We’ll see how it goes.

I had a birthday a few weeks ago (the blog’s title is still accurate), but this time it was different because my wife, son and I are happy and in a good place, unlike last year. I should point out that my wife and I have the same birthday one year apart (can’t forget it that way!). Unlike Christmas, when I couldn’t really afford to get much for my wife, I was able to get nice gifts for her birthday. She has always said that I get more gifts for her or spend more money. This year, she outspent me, but only because she got me a GPS training watch (Garmin Forerunner 405). It’s very cool and I was really surprised when I found out. Read that sentence again. Found out, not opened. I saw the receipt a week or so before my birthday and I fessed up the day before. I always do that – although not always accidentally! Anyway, it was a great present and, although I don’t like thinking about being a year older, getting it made me really appreciate where I was a year ago and where I am now – emotionally, physically, heck, even financially. Things are great and I plan on making them even better this next year!

Have not disappeared…

2009-03-02T20:29:00.001-06:00

…just been busy at work. I still enjoy saying that. It’s been a month in the new job, I still love it, and I think I’m doing a good job. My wife’s company went through a round of layoffs and she survived, so we’re very happy about both of us working again. We plan on focusing on getting bills paid down, but we do want to start planning so work on the house, too. Can’t want for spring so I can get outside to run, too!

Back to work!

2009-02-04T21:19:00.001-06:00

I’m closing in on the end of my second week at my new job and I am thrilled! I really enjoy the work and the people. The company is great. I’m getting used to getting going early in the morning again and my wife and son have adapted pretty well to Daddy having to leaving earlier than they do. I have even gotten used to commuting again. So far, it’s been good and I know, believe me, that in the state the economy is in right now, I am very fortunate to have been given this opportunity. I intend to take full advantage of it.

Starting new job on Monday

2009-01-21T16:05:00.001-06:00

Last Thursday, I was offered a new job, which I accepted enthusiastically. I start on Monday and I am very excited, not only to be working, but in this particular position. I will be doing some things that I believe really play to my strengths and interests. I am being circumspect right now about the position and the company only because I’d like to get a few weeks of work under my belt before saying more.

I will say, though, that the last 8 months have been very challenging and yet also fulfilling. When this whole journey started, I was very concerned about not only finding a new job, but not getting disappointed or depressed. For the most part, I did not succumb to feeling down, although it would happen every once in a while. I guess I just knew that I would get a job, that it might take some time, and that eventually everything would work out. It did, in a wonderful way. The timing for the interviews, the timing for hearing about getting the job allowed me to be able to keep working on my project, train for the Goofy Challenge and have a vacation at Disney World, and also enjoy the holidays.

This blog was started to note the process of getting through a difficult time, finding a job, raising a son, and generally continuing to grow personally. Since at least two of those objectives are on-going, so will the blog. I’m going to continue to fumble through my forties. You’re welcome to join me!

Offered and accepted a job!

2009-01-15T16:23:00.003-06:00

I was offered a position this afternoon, which I accepted. I am very excited and will post more later. I am incredibly happy and relieved!

Goofy Challenge completed!

2009-01-15T08:02:00.002-06:00

Longer report coming very soon, but wanted to let everyone know I completed the Goofy Challenge and much quicker than I thought I would do it. I was sore Sunday and Monday, but felt pretty good Tuesday and yesterday (which is when we came home to below zero weather!).

Excitement tempered with anxiety, what a combo!

2009-01-05T12:59:00.002-06:00

I could hear about the job I interviewed for any day now. While I hope to hear good news before leaving for Walt Disney World, I don’t really want to hear bad news before I go. If I don’t get the job, I’d rather find out after I’m back. The anticipation in waiting to hear is bearable, because potentially, I could always hear good news. Getting the bad news before the trip would be a bummer, but I’d be okay.

Trying to recover from the holiday season, my wife and son were home a lot and I think everyone was going a little stir crazy by yesterday (Sunday). I’ve got to get some work done on the project and I have kept up the job search, but I still would rather just hear good news and go on the trip.

The holiday lull

2008-12-30T16:32:00.002-06:00

The interview I had two weeks ago went well, although they said they wouldn’t have a decision until after the new year. In a way, that was a relief, because I did not have to spend the next few days before Christmas waiting to hear, but now I’m waiting on pins and needles until I hear. We head down to Disney World on the 8th, so if I haven’t heard by then (I hope to and I hope that it is good news), I’ll bring the laptop down to be able to check email, etc. I’ll have my phone, of course, but being able to check email will help, too.

I had a good Christmas and it was nice to spend time with my wife and son. He stayed home from daycare on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas, so he was home for 5 days in a row. He got a little off of his routine, but we’ll get him back into it just in time for the trip. When we get back, we’re going to try some changes with him, so we’ve been warning him for a little while now that some things will be different when he gets home.

I’ve done some work on the project I’m doing and done some job searching, although there’s not that much going on at this time of the year. I have applied to a few things, so the search hasn’t completely been suspended for the holidays, but it is going slower. I will ramp up the search quite a bit when we get back home.

Whatever it takes

2008-12-18T16:07:00.001-06:00

I applied for a position with the state community college and university system here that required a certified typing test. I took it at the state workforce center nearest me and I passed on the first try (had to do at least 45 word per minutes and I did 48 wpm). I use a combination of touch typing and looking at the keys, even after almost thirty years of typing, but when I’m on a roll, I feel like I’m typing a blue streak. Apparently not, according to the test, but, then again, I type faster when I’m typing as I think, rather than as I read something that needs to be typed. Also, once I get into a groove, I think I’m quicker too.

My interview tomorrow is starting to nervous me up a little bit, but a part of the tension is because the weather is supposed to be bad here. Not as bad as in the southern part of the state, but still, I have to drive across the Twin Cities to get to the interview and then basically drive back during the beginnings of rush hour. It is definitely worth it and I hope that it is the first of many, many times that I make the drive.

Project work continues

2008-12-12T16:32:00.002-06:00

I had a meeting today on the project I’m working on. It was great getting back into the swing of this kind of research and work. I definitely was energized by the meeting and I’m looking forward to working on the project next week.

I also have a third interview for a full-time position next Friday, so I’m hopeful that will come through. I don’t want to get too excited yet, because I feel like that jinxes me and I don’t get the positions I get really excited about. We’ll see how it goes next week.

Slow news weeks

2008-12-03T14:12:00.002-06:00

With the holidays coming up, I figured I would keep looking for a job, but not have much success or interest from companies for interviews until after the New Year. Strangely, though, I’ve had several phone and in-person interviews, some of which have not panned out, and others I’m still waiting to hear about. I’m definitely not complaining, but it’s funny that the period I thought would be slow has been pleasantly active. Hopefully, something will come from this flurry of activity.

Strange days indeed

2008-11-11T10:48:00.001-06:00

I’ve started the project with the former employer, so it feels good to be doing something again. Right now, I have a set number of hours that I will be paid for, but the hope is that after January 1, more funding will be available to expand the project and the work. I’ve also begun my focus (but not exclusively) on education job opportunities. I have submitted several applications, which I hope result in interviews.

So the strangeness comes from a feeling of being in somewhat of a netherworld, partly working, partly job hunting, partly taking care of family and house, all while training for the marathon.

The weather isn’t helping. I suppose I ought to rake the leaves, but I don’t feel like it. We’ll be getting snow showers this week and I’m not quite ready for that this year. Except for a white Christmas, I’m not a big fan of snow anyway.

Twitter, Facebook, Blogger oh my!

2008-10-21T15:39:00.006-05:00

So I'm still searching for a new job. Had some good news about the former employer possibility, but won't start until next week at the earliest. Had a contractor call about a possible position, so hopefully I'll get an interview. I spent yesterday getting back into the swing of searching, did some work around the house, etc. I must say, though that even in the five weeks that I was on the contract position, I have come to see the possibilities of Twitter, Facebook, and blogging. Not as money-making propositions-not even sure how that would work with Twitter-but as easy ways to keep in touch with people. I follow about 20 people on Twitter and I doubt I'll ever meet half of them, but I still like to see what they are doing. There are other sites that are more useful for finding leads and contacts for work such as LinkedIn and even those sites keep me connected to many people. But here's the thing-you can spend all day on these sites if you're not careful and take a break. Someone like me who sees a tweet, a post, a link, or a blog that has interesting information can send me on a search through Google or through Wikipedia and eat away the hours.

Project done, moving on

2008-10-17T10:25:00.001-05:00

So, today is the last day of my contract project position. It’s worked out well and it was great to get a paycheck again! I also have the project with my former employer lined up and should be starting that soon, hopefully sometime next week. I’m not sure how long it will take, but I’ll take anything right now, especially with this employer.

During the five weeks I was on this contract, I went through an interview process for a position I can only describe as ideal. I would have loved this work and enjoyed the working environment tremendously. The past tense of the last sentence should indicate that I didn’t get it. I was very disappointed when I found out this past Wednesday, but I’m getting better about it. Everyone I’ve talked with about it says that everything happens for a reason. I don’t disagree, but in matters relating to working, I’m not very patient, so I’d like whatever the reason is to show itself sooner rather than later. I know it will work out in the end and given that I left my old job at the end of May and had several interviews (and now this contract position) I’m not complaining, just impatient.

I find it interesting that I was not blogging during my time on the contract position, but I was actually busy with home-related things when I’d get done with work (I should point out that the office where I worked is three miles from my house). This included my training for the Walt Disney World Marathon in January. I had to start running in the late afternoons and it was a bit of an adjustment, but I got used to it. I will enjoy going back to running in the mornings on Monday and I hope to be able to keep doing that during this next project. If not, late afternoons aren’t so bad.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to blog more, too, but we’ll have to see, I guess.

Well, it’s something

2008-09-09T17:00:00.002-05:00

I accepted a 4-8 week contract position that I start later this week. This is a fill-in position, so I don’t think it will lead to anything permanent. Oddly enough, the work is property management! It’s something, at least, and I can actually describe the work as project work, so it fits in with the goal of moving into project coordination and project management. I’ll definitely be ready for anything that might come up after that. I also have an interview tomorrow for a position that I would really like and I believe I would do well. There is also a possibility that something may be percolating with a former employer. (Sorry for the vagueness, but details don’t seem important-the fact that I’ll be working again, even short-term, and that I’m continuing to interview seems more important)

Still we search

2008-08-07T16:00:00.002-05:00

Still searching for a new job. Not getting too discouraged, but at times, as I’ve mentioned previously I wonder how long my search will take. I’ve had interviews that seem to go well (and they may have gone well for all I know), but I just don’t have what that extra thing is that would get me an offer. Eventually, I will have the extra something a hiring manager is looking for and I’ll get a job offer. I know this deep down, but it is frustrating and sometimes disheartening.

Dr. Horrible and The Dark Knight

2008-07-18T15:45:00.004-05:00

I posted this on the Galactica Watercooler forums. It seems to fit my mood right now:

So I'm re-watching Dr. Horrible Acts I & II (on iTunes) and I just got home from seeing The Dark Knight (10 am showing).

These two works are so far apart in the spectrum of superhero entertainment that I'm worried that my head might explode! Yet, both Dr. Horrible and TDK are in their own way some of the best entertainment (not just sci-fi) I have seen in many years. I'm 42, so I've seen plenty of good stuff out there.

It seems as though summer 2008 finally gave sci fi fans really good stuff: BSG, Iron Man, TDK, and Dr. Horrible.

As an aside, my wife didn't get it, but my 2-year-old son heard me singing "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do" and insisted that he see Act I. He loved it! We had to play the last song at least five times before Mommy thought that was enough for the night. I now play Act I and/or Act II as background music to whatever I'm doing on the computer. I'm breaking into song at odd moments. I love this!

Something different-Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

2008-07-16T16:45:00.004-05:00

So, in the course of my job search and general Internet surfing over the last few weeks, I’d seen several blog posts about Joss Whedon’s sci-fi supervillain musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

Act I was released yesterday, Act II will be released Thursday 7/17, and Act III will be released Saturday 7/19. The episodes are also available on iTunes. It’s hard to describe, but it is great! Please check it out.

Yesterday, the website’s servers crashed, so it may be tough to get directly to Act II tomorrow, but keep trying. This is definitely worth the effort of continually checking to see if you get through.

Interviewing, at least

2008-07-12T14:56:00.002-05:00

Interviewed for a position at my old company on Friday. The interview went well, so we’ll see what happens. I have interviews for another position there next Wednesday. It seems as though the only place I get interviews or interest is for my old company. I’d go back, so I’m glad other departments are calling me in for interviews, but it would be weird at first if I was re-hired there. I keep looking and applying at other companies, too, just haven’t gotten a nibble yet. Hopefully something will come to pass soon.

And we keep on searching

2008-07-08T15:15:00.000-05:00

Had a phone interview last Tuesday for a project coordinator position. Haven’t heard back yet, so I’m assuming that I will not likely be called in for a in-person interview. I will keep trying to get into this company. I also found out last Wednesday that there may have been an opportunity for a contract position at my old company. At first, I was hesitant, but I decided that it would not be a bad idea to try for the position. Unfortunately, the position closed, but it had the possibility of re-opening, so I told the recruiter that had initially contacted me that I was still interested. We’ll see what happens.

My last post, I had noted that I was in an interesting place for me and that I was not as worried about my prospects as I thought I would be. I still know that my job search will take time, and that I will eventually be successful, but there are days when I do wonder when and how long it will take for me to get work again. I’m sure everyone has these thoughts during their job searches.

And sometimes, they change all at once...

2008-06-27T15:56:00.000-05:00

Within the last twenty-four hours, I've gotten two job interviews set up in the next week and half! I'm still searching and applying for positions that interest me and that I believe I have a shot at getting at least an initial interview. I'm doing online courses to learn more about project management and I'm trying to find the best ways to learn more about project management as a discipline. I'm pretty confident that project management as a career is the direction I want to go, so it is now a matter of learning as much as I can both on the job (when I get one) and through learning more about project management outside of work.

This is definitely an interesting place for me to be in and I am oddly not as worried about my prospects as I thought I would be. I know that my job search may take time, but I also know that I will eventually be successful.

The Other Big Thing in My Life Right Now

2008-06-25T16:28:00.000-05:00

I thought I would also post about the other big thing in my life right now. I’ve begun training for the 2009 Walt Disney World Marathon in January. Actually, I’ll be running both the Half-Marathon on Saturday, January 10 and then the Marathon on Sunday, January 11. This is called the Goofy Challenge and means that I’ll be running 39.3 miles over two days (while at Walt Disney World, so I’ll be walking a bit before and after the races, too!).

I’ve done the Marathon twice before, in 2007 and 2008, and enjoyed the experience so much that I decided to do both races next year. The training shouldn’t be too much harder than in previous years. I read somewhere to treat doing the Goofy Challenge as doing three half-marathons in two days. That way you can handle it better. (I should point out that I’m not fast, not at all, but I finish my races and I finish them running, so I figure I can do the Goofy. My times just won’t be all that quick.)

Because I’m doing the Goofy Challenge, I decided to try doing base training before starting my marathon training. Base training, as the name implies, helps develop a base fitness level for your race training. This article at Runner's World, Build Your Best Training Base, by Scott Douglas, helped me plan my base training program. Even though I started the program this week, I feel like it has helped me already. I’ve gotten out all three days so far this week that I was supposed to run and I’ll go out tomorrow for my long run (only 45 minutes and I’m usually just getting warmed up after 45 minutes). Once I start cross-training or lifting on the off days, I believe I’ll really start seeing and feeling the benefits of base training.

Still at it

2008-06-25T16:27:00.000-05:00

Well at least I'm updating within the month!

So I didn't intend to go this long between posts. I have found myself surprisingly busy with my job search, yet also with a variety of other things. One piece of advice I’ve always heard about job searching is that you shouldn’t get distracted by other things, such as projects around the house, etc. This is good advice. I haven’t gotten too bogged down by other things yet, but focusing on the job search all day is tough. I try to spend a good part of the day in the job search, but it can be tough.

I’ve decided to focus a lot of my search and networking efforts with a very large national retailer based here (not the one I used to work for). I think I would fit in very well at this company and I hope to be able to get into it either directly or as a contractor. We’ll see how it goes. I’m also continuing to look at other opportunities and in reality, anything that looks good will be just fine with me.

Strange how things change so quickly

2008-06-09T10:41:00.000-05:00

My first post was done in a bit of a funk, not sure what was going to happen with our job searches or what the future would be like. The next day was more of the same, looking for jobs, trying to figure out how to maximize the possibilities. Wondering what would happen and how long it would take. Then on Day 3 of our combined search, my wife gets an offer at the company where she works for a position that she really wanted. So, obviously, she accepted the position. Now comes the strange part of the last two weeks.

My wife had said that if she got an offer soon after I had left my job, we would take a quick trip to Walt Disney World. So rather than try to do job searching, I spend the day working with my wife and her mother (both of my in-laws also came on the trip) to get hotel rooms and reservations on the flight we usually take to Orlando on Sun Country airlines to go down last Wednesday and come back this past Sunday, a nice 5-day trip that would give us a bit of a break before my wife started her new job.

Last Monday and Tuesday, I got ready for the trip and did some searching. Then last Wednesday morning, at far too early an hour, we went to the airport and started our trip, which was fantastic.

Sunday afternoon, we returned tired, but happy. My wife started her new job yesterday and I re-started my job search. So far, it's going all right. I'm a little out of practice and I need to get back into networking mode quickly, but I'm confident that I'll find a job sooner rather than later.

What's this all about?

2008-05-28T17:46:00.000-05:00

My second attempt at blogging should be better than the first. Not that the first blog is dead, I just haven't had a chance to blog much on it (see The Mouse and More at themouseandmore.blogspot.com). This attempt, Fumbling through my forties, comes from the situation I find myself in as of yesterday. After five years at the corporate headquarters of a national retailer, I find myself unemployed. Not an uncommon occurrence, I know, but daunting all the same. Let me explain, and please understand that I am not trying to elicit sympathy or pathos, but to explain the circumstances that led to the creation of this blog.

The short version is this: I'm 43 years old and I have a Ph.D. in history. The job I lost yesterday was in property management. This is a bit of a skill set disconnect, to say the least. Five years ago, I did work at a state historical society, doing history no less. However, the project I was working on ended and there was no new funding for my position. So, for the first time in my adult life, I found myself unemployed and not sure what to do. I ended up at this national retailer in the property management group. For five years. With no much hope of moving on from the group easily. About three weeks ago, I reached an endgame with my position and needed to be prepared to leave. The departure would be quick when it came, however, I was able to interview for another position within the organization. I came in second and found out yesterday, my last day of work. So if I had gotten this position, I would have started that job today and wouldn't be blogging now.

To add to this situation, my wife also works at a national retailer and found out three weeks ago that her position would be eliminated July 1. So she has been networking like crazy internally and externally to find a new job.

So we find ourselves in an unfortunately all-too-common situation today. We're a solidly middle-class family with a 2-year-old son and facing potentially difficult situations that we have not faced before.

This blog will be my journal of our job searches, the trials and tribulations of looking for a job with a interesting skill set and work experience, and how we're dealing with the search. I won't be maudlin (not purposely) and I hope to be humorous. We'll see if anyone else thinks I'm funny (I may have to let everyone know when I'm being funny).

Today, my first day out of work and I spent a little time doing job search stuff, but I wanted to relax a bit, too. Surfed the web, listened to podcasts, saw the new Indiana Jones movie, mowed the yard, and started this blog. A full day in my book. We'll see how things go over time.