We are always privy to videos like the one below whenever the snow shows up. Thankfully, this kind of snowstorm didn’t show up until halfway through January. This is a common occurrence, typically, early on in December.
Life in the midwest is impossible without a snowblower. A big snowblower. When there isn’t anything to catch the snow, it sure does pile up fast. The first big snow can be the last one if mother nature deems it so.
Yesterday the midwest was slammed with a major snowstorm, and the area where I reside was finally caught in the crosshairs. Roughly eleven inches of snow fell. Initially, the snow was heavy and wet, but just as the winds picked up last night, the snow became light and fluffy. It was beautiful to watch the snow yesterday. Most businesses were closed early, and so it was tranquil, even in the heart of town, and the snow wasn’t being blown about; it was just falling silently to the ground. I even managed to keep my car cleaned off yesterday afternoon.
Last night was a different story. Keeping up with shoveling was next to impossible due to the high winds, and the temps dropped rapidly. Going outside last night was awful, and I couldn’t stay warm for longer than a minute or two. At about 9 pm, I gave up and decided I wouldn’t be going outside again. Now my car is completely stuck. I am supposed to move it so someone can come to take the pile of snow away, but I don’t think that’s going to be possible today.
I feel trapped, I am currently experiencing cabin fever, and I am in an awful mood. I hate winter, and I’m ready for it to be done. Spring can show up any time now.
Back at the beginning of October, I began casually checking the job listings in my area due to some significant changes with my current employer. Once December rolled around, that job hunt became a higher priority, and right now, I am looking daily for something new.
Within the last six months, I have begun working towards various certifications, and none of them seem to be taking me anywhere. I enrolled in the Prior Authorization Certification Specialist program because the clinic I work in considered getting a nurse to do just that for our providers. I was told there was an excellent chance to get the course reimbursed. About a week after I paid for the class, an email was sent out saying that the main hospital campus would be taking over this task, which rendered my certification useless. (and naturally, there was no reimbursement for something the company was no longer interested in.) Perhaps the most frustrating part about this is that any jobs looking for PACS certification want an experienced worker as well. Since obtaining my certification, I have gotten no more work with prior authorizations because they are done out-of-clinic.
I took applications all around town last week. I have yet to hear back from any of those companies. After reading reviews on Indeed, I walked into one establishment, confident that I would be interviewed on the spot, but the manager wasn’t available to speak to me. I called that same business on Monday and, again, the manager was unavailable.
I keep up with the news, and there seem to be endless reports about places needing workers. I can’t even get Culvers to call me back. It isn’t like I am refusing any avenue for a job; the jobs just aren’t interested in me. I could apply to McDonald’s, where they pay their workers anywhere between $13 and $15 an hour, but I bet they say I’m overqualified to work the register. I consider a job as an administrative assistant, and they want me to have 5+ years of super-specific industry skills while only offering to pay $15 an hour. There was a remote position listed on indeed for a test scorer, and that position also required a bachelor’s degree for $16 an hour.
While I would never say that a company should have to pay me more, I will say that a college should not take taxpayer dollars and then charge $30,000 a year for just the classes.
I want to work as a freelancer; I would like to help others, but I want to do so on my schedule. I am falling into the same old rut where I have nothing to offer. I know that can’t possibly be true, but the small voice in the back of my mind is beginning to grow louder. Every day I have entered at least one application for a new position, and almost every day, I find another rejection email. The worst is when the company gives nothing but silence. I couldn’t tell you if I was still in the review process or if certain companies have outright rejected me.
I get it. I’m in my thirties, and I realize that most people are too busy to reach out unless they want something. I just wish that I knew what I was doing wrong. Since the beginning of the year, I have updated my resume, I have taken numerous assessments, and still, I am striking out.
I cannot feasibly jump into a writing career at home if I have no audience and no job. My current job is still sucking the life out of me, and my motivation is struggling to be found. I want to make this blog more marketable, but I don’t foresee people wanting to hear me complain. The struggle is real, and I don’t feel like I progress. I can’t decide if I can use my papers from college or if that is considered plagiarism, and I don’t know if community college writing would be sufficient for some of the careers I am applying for.
With the departure of Masahiro Tanaka from the New York Yankees, I got to thinking about my all-time favorite Yankee player: Hideki Matsui. He was on the team from 2003 to 2009, and he is the reason I have a special place in my heart for all the players from Japan.
Matsui was the pinnacle of good manners, unmatchable work ethic, and undying loyalty. I will forever believe that the Yankees made a mistake not resigning him after the 2009 season. Matsui was the MVP of the World Series and, while his knees were beginning to fail him, I think he would have been a better producer for us than Damon was. I’m willing to admit that I am heavily biased in this argument. I remember having pictures of Matsui in my locker at school, and I can remember always being super bummed when he was not in the lineup. On the other hand, Damon was a former Red Sox player, and he could not win me over.
Matsui was such a hard worker in left field; I remember the game where he broke his wrist and, though you could see the obvious pain on his face, Matsui stopped the runners from being able to advance farther by finding the ball and throwing it in. I don’t know too many players today that wouldn’t fall to the ground and completely forget about the game (understandably so) after sustaining that injury. After Matsui was placed on the injured list, he actually released a statement where he apologized for letting down the fans. He was always so concerned about the impression he had on the fans, and that’s why everyone loved him.
One of the many reasons I respect the Yankees as an organization involves Hideki Matsui and the end of his career. When he was getting ready for retirement, Matsui worked out a one-day contract where he could officially retire as a Yankee. Matsui is instrumental in acquiring top talent from Japan signed to the Yankees, and he is a presence on the field throughout spring training and the rest of the season. It’s been nice to see him maintain a relationship with the Yankees because he’s always been someone to add to the clubhouse atmosphere.
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