... and continues some more ...

So, not too much to report since last I posted. I have been continuing my job hunt out here in San Jose and things are still progressing. I had two very good interviews yesterday (Friday) and I expect to hear something positive on Monday or Tuesday of next week. Actually, I hope to hear something early next week otherwise I think I am going to pretty much go insane. I can't say it hasn't been nice relaxing at the house all this time but if I don't get a job soon ... I just can't sit here anymore.

Well, at least I have been getting in some time with my personal pursuits while I've been on the job hunt. I have been studying one of my Cisco books so that I can take and pass the CCDA exam. I am guessing another certification to place on my resume can't hurt. I've slowly been catching up on watching all my DVDs. And I have been playing some video games, especially online. I have both a PS3 and a Xbox360 and my network ID on both systems is "Dracos3442". So if any of you are up for a game, send me an invite or message. Currently I am playing a lot of Madden 08 on my Xbox360 and next week I will be purchasing Warhawk for my PS3.

Other than that, not much to report. My roommate and I did make a discovery when shopping at the local Costco recently. Evidently, they import glass bottles of Coca-Cola from Mexico. Why is this important, you ask? Just look below at the pictures and check out the ingredients.

Sugar, wondrous, glorious sugar!

... and continues ...

Now, I just wanted to expand on my last topic a little bit more. I don't want it to seem like I am discouraged or depressed out here. Far from it, but like I said hunting for jobs has gotten a little annoying at least in certain situations. For example, I have gotten a lot of calls from different IT staffing/professional-service type companies regarding jobs they are trying to fill for various different clients. These staffing firms have seen my resume from one of the various job websites (like Monster or Dice) and feel my skills are a good fit for such-and-such position for so-and-so company. I end up speaking with maybe two or three people from the staffing firm, everything looks good and they submit me for the position. Then I don't seem to hear anything. I try to call or e-mail my contacts at the staffing firm, just to try and find out if the position is filled or if I am still in the running, but it just seems that I cannot get a hold of anyone. And that is what annoys me most about this whole job hunt. I don't mind finding out I was rejected for a position because at least I know and can go on to other leads. Now, this doesn't happen with every staffing firm I have spoken to, and I continue to have very good relationships with those that keep me in the loop. But this is where most of my frustration lies.

However, I don't feel like this is the appropriate time to dwell on this subject. It is the weekend, professional football (my Bears and Bucs have both won their first preseason games) has started and college football is almost here, and I had a really good time out last night both at dinner and the later on at some bars in Palo Alto. Going to enjoy some gaming today before settling in to watch some more preseason football this afternoon.

... and the job hunt continues

Well, not much to report at this time. I had hoped to be working by now, but things just aren't working out to my liking. Granted, I am not the most patient person so my job hunt is really going about how one would normally expect. But I would rather be working, and not still looking for work.

I thought I had a position last week, but it turns out the company I interviewed with (and by all indications, I interviewed well) decided they were not going to hire a new position out here in San Jose. They had just implemented 24x7 operations in their New York office, so my guess is that they are spending their money in an effort to staff that area.

So that leaves me back to applying all over. Of course, I also have recruiters calling me all the time telling me good things, but lately even that doesn't seem to get beyond the initial contacts. Quite frankly, this is getting a little annoying.

Staircase Structural Integrity: 110%

Well, I wouldn't be the person I am if it weren't for the fact that I can laugh at myself. Two days ago, I think, I was up early in the morning checking e-mail and continuing my job hunt. I was downstairs and thought I had heard my phone, which had been left upstairs in my room. I trudged upwards, coffee in hand, to get it and return downstairs.

Now, let me take a moment to say a little something about the house I am living in. I moved out to San Jose mainly because my good friend Kal offered to let me rent a room in his house for very cheap. Originally, this house was a 3/2 one-story home. Kal and the other owner of the house decided a while back to totally rebuild it. I believe they were (are) planning on flipping the house to make a nice profit on it, but the whole process of it all has taken longer than I would guess they envisioned. The house as it stands is now a 6/5 two-story home, and although it is mainly finished there are things here and there that still need completion. Because of this, the stairs have a thin layer of plastic covering the carpeting. Obviously, this is to protect the color from staining as work is finished around the house.

So, let's get back to my situation. Having picked up my phone, I am now on my way downstairs with coffee in hand and sandals on my feet which are not giving me much grip. Then there's plastic on top of the carpet. Right foot slips, and I proceed to bounce on my ass down the top half of the stairs. Cursing the entire way down, of course. I managed to save about half of my coffee; unfortunately, I ended up wearing the other half. I ended up getting a good laugh out of it after the fact, and true to the title of this post the stairs maintained structural integrity throughout the ordeal. Ughh ... such is my glorious life ...

On another entirely different thought, I just want to vent a little on how retarded trash pickup is out here. Why do I have to buy stupid little stickers to place on extra trash bags that don't fit in my trash can?! And why do those stickers cost me $6.25 a piece?! I don't care how much stuff I can recycle and how I don't have to separate it, why can't I place extra bags out for trash pickup? I never had this type of nonsense in Florida, and it's not like I am going to place out something like 9 or 1o bags. This is just stupid. Backwards-ass state.