Well I got a job today, I start on Monday.  I will be a driver at Papa Johns at Common and Utica.  I expect to make double what I made at Carlo's which is unreal.  I will still have time to work on the business ideas.  Jason had a couple good concepts for the boxes that I'd like to actively pursue as soon as possible.  I'm going to continue to plan out the salsa business over the next few weeks and as soon as I get settled at Papa Johns I will approach Carlo's and Palmers about using their space to make the sauce.  It'll probably cost me a little bit but it will be worth it in the long run.

Very excited for Susan, today she is emailing K college about how and where to finish her degree.   Really looking forward to her going on and continuing her education. 

Anyway so these are few interesting developments going on right now.

 
Will: Why shouldn't I work for the N.S.A.? That's a tough one, but I'll give it a shot. Say I'm working at N.S.A. Somebody puts a code on my desk, something nobody else can break. So I take a shot at it and maybe I break it. And I'm real happy with myself, 'cause I did my job well. But maybe that code was the location of some rebel army in North Africa or the Middle East. Once they have that location, they bomb the village where the rebels were hiding and fifteen hundred people I never had a problem with get killed. Now the politicians are sayin', "Send in the marines to secure the area" 'cause they don't give a shit. It won't be their kid over there, gettin' shot. Just like it wasn't them when their number was called, 'cause they were pullin' a tour in the National Guard. It'll be some guy from Southie takin' shrapnel in the ass. And he comes home to find that the plant he used to work at got exported to the country he just got back from. And the guy who put the shrapnel in his ass got his old job, 'cause he'll work for fifteen cents a day and no bathroom breaks. Meanwhile my buddy from Southie realizes the only reason he was over there was so we could install a government that would sell us oil at a good price. And of course the oil companies used the skirmish to scare up oil prices so they could turn a quick buck. A cute little ancillary benefit for them but it ain't helping my buddy at two-fifty a gallon. And naturally they're takin' their sweet time bringin' the oil back, and maybe even took the liberty of hiring an alcoholic skipper who likes to drink martinis and play slalom with the icebergs, and it ain't too long 'til he hits one, spills the oil and kills all the sea life in the North Atlantic. So my buddy's out of work and he can't afford to drive, so he's got to walk to the job interviews, which sucks 'cause the shrapnel in his ass is givin' him chronic hemorrhoids. And meanwhile he's starvin' 'cause every time he tries to get a bite to eat the only blue plate special they're servin' is North Atlantic scrod with Quaker State. So what do I think? I'm holdin' out for somethin' better. Why not just shoot my buddy, take his job and give it to his sworn enemy, hike up gas prices, bomb a village, club a baby seal, hit the hash pipe and join the National Guard? I could be elected president.

It is now 3:30 in the morning.  Famous Dave's did not call back.  I am starting to get a little concerned.  I ask myself how long before things get a little sticky financially.  Monday I am going to apply everywhere I can think of to get a job stocking shelves or something in the meantime.  I will not allow myself to become stressed out about this when there is already so much other stuff to take care of.  School.  Bird.  Cooking.  Boxes.  Salsa.  Books.  Thank you cards.  Marriage.  Friends.  Family.  Health.  Weight loss.  Future.  I am beginning to feel like I am someone who is unemployable.  A foolish thought? Yes I think so.  But I think it none the less.  What will she think of me if I can't come through?  What will I think of me if I can't come through?  I feel like I'm cornered and I'm trying my damndest to stay calm and rational and not be reactionary to the current situation.  Not be a mindless beast.

All I can do is my best.  Stay honest do not do bad things to make money no matter how tempting it is.  Stay positive.  Believe.  Patience.  Think of her....think of her....think of her....

Edmond: Life is a storm. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes.

 
I have my umbrella.

Well I had a second interview with Famous Dave's BBQ yesterday.  I won't start as a server but I will start as a host and learn about the place and then become a server a little later.  I am very frustrated right now because any job I take will interfere with plans for the jewelry boxes idea.  Which is neccesary to do first because it has so little start up cost and will be extremely profitable.  The money from that can open the doors to the other ideas.  Trying to figure out with Susan how much money needs to come in in order to pay off credit cards by December 31.  I believe it is very possible to accomplish.  We also want to wait to open the bigger ideas till after that is done.  That way I can focus on the businesses and not worry about debts. 

I don't mind working 3 jobs in order to accomplish these things.  I don't want to do it because I will barely see my wife for six months then and that is unacceptable.  So maybe I can work at Famous Dave's at night and deliver a paper route in the morning and run an ebay business from home.  That way I won't have to work out of the house more than 50-55 hours a week while the ebay thing runs itself.

So here is the idea for the boxes in the meantime. 

1. I draw out all the designs I can do and put them in a portfolio of sorts.
2. I make 4 to 10 boxes of different sizes and shapes.
3. I find and pay someone a little bit of money or mexican food to sit at craft shows and take orders/sell the already made boxes.
4. I make the boxes as they are ordered.
5. After I profit $3,000 I eliminate the paper route if it is active.
6. After I profit an additional $3,000 I should have a business plan together to show people at an meeting to ask them to invest in my idea(s).
7. Open doors to hopefully coffeeshop/bookstore and quit all jobs except ebay, still do boxes and start to produce the very lucrative salsa line of products.

Gordon Gekko: The point is ladies and gentlemen that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of it's forms - greed for life, for money, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind and greed - you mark my words - will not only save Teldar Paper but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. Thank you.

Morpheus: Neo, sooner or later you're going to realize just as I did that there's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.

Oh and I need to find time to teach too.

Connor: Now you will receive us. Murphy: We do not ask for your poor, or your hungry. Connor: We do not want your tired and sick. Murphy: It is your corrupt we claim. Connor: It is your evil that will be sought by us. Murphy: With every breath, we shall hunt them down. Connor: Each day we will spill their blood, 'til it rains down from the skies. Murphy: Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. Connor: These are not polite suggestions, these are codes of behavior, and those of you that ignore them will pay the dearest cost. Murphy: There are varying degrees of evil. We urge you lesser forms of filth, not to push the bounds and cross over, in to true corruption, into our domain. Connor: For if you do, one day you will look behind you and you will see we three, and on that day you will reap it. Murphy: And we will send you to whatever god you wish.

Connor, Murphy: And shepherds we shall be, for thee my Lord for thee, Power hath descended forth from thy hand, that our feet may swiftly carry out thy command, we shall flow a river forth to thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be. In nomine patris, et filii... [they cock their guns] Connor, Murphy: ...et spiritus sancti.

Just a thought.

Ok so heres the deal.  TCF wanted to hire me.  I was supposed to have my second interview today.  I didn't go because  (1) I was told if I didn't want to make a career of it I should pursue other options by the branch manager, (2) its not the career I want, (3) I don't want a career.
I told Susan today that there is no job that can challenge my mind that doesn't require a degree or three.  We agreed that I should make my own job that challenges and stimulates me.  So the plan as of right now is to find a job waiting tables a few nights a week making oodles of money.  Which will then free up the rest of my time to further develope the salsa, jewelry boxes and coffee/bookstore ideas.  I believe it is my destiny to be successful in either one of these businesses or another idea that will be born while working towards the initial three. 
While doing this I am trying to stay as supportive and encouraging to my wife's ambitions regarding school and career choices as she has been to mine.  I don't know how to be encouraging without sounding like a drill sgt.  so instead I stay silent sometimes.  I don't want her to ever think I don't think highly of her in every aspect.  She must never doubt that I believe that she can do anything she chooses.  She has a mind on par or greater than my own.  I just don't know how to tell her or show her. 
 
 
Morpheus: You have to let it all go, Neo. Fear, doubt, and disbelief. Free your mind.

The job search continues. I applied to many places already. I am giving it till next Wed. to bear fruit after that I'll go deliver pizza somewhere. I have taken an idea for a business and ran with it, I'll be sitting down with pen and paper today to map it out for my brain. Yesterday I cleaned the apartment and reorganized the books. Today we are going grocery shopping and hanging up my swords. I'd like to take one class this semester if Macomb will let me. I am looking forward to the changes coming. There have been so many already in the last few weeks. But I believe they have all been for the best. I am very excited about growing as an individual, husband and entrepreneur. While of course trying to support my friends, family and of course my wife in all that they want to do as well. I'll be posting more favorite movie quotes later on today.

Well I had the interview today and 4 minutes after I walked out of the store an email was sent telling me I didn't get the job. This along with the impression that the interviewer seemed to be wasting her time and impatient tells me that they already decided to give the job to someone in the company.
Today was a good day. I got experience in interviewing. I have a dynamite resume which I can take anywhere. I feel that I am much more comfortable with the idea of talking about my work history now.
I am now going to look into being a teller or maybe delivering pizzas or both. But I am still planning on a hot sauce business. I also have an idea about jewelry boxes.....I am so sick of giving my best qualities to other people and not being compensated for it. I simply must work for myself or at least tell myself that while I work a job I'm actually working towards the goal of successful self employment.