What's Happening Next??

As it turned out, neither of the jobs I had thought I was going to get are going to happen. As I type I'm supposed to be headed to Troy, Michigan to spend the night at the Troy Courtyard hotel. Why? you ask. Well, i'm scheduled to take the AFOQT in the morning at the Detroit MEPS. However, recent developments have caused me to rethink my strategy regarding the service. I had planned to attempt in go in as a 2nd lieutenant in the Air Force sometime soon. However, after meeting with the Officer recruiter Sgt. Hessler a few weeks ago in Michigan I found out that the process would really take until September '09. Even if I were to go in enlisted side as an E-3 I wouldn't realistically be expected to leave until March '09. That's a pretty long time for a guy who can barely afford his mastercard bill for this month, even still while living at home and having basically every amenity paid for.
The other job I was expecting to be offered is no longer really even a possibility. When I found out 4-5 weeks ago that Jason from the ESL school in South Korea was hiring, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to get out of my home, out of Toledo, and to do something that may eventually become my profession. However, after the dramatic decline of the SK Won, my friend Jasmin leaving the school that she was trying to get me into, and my own dwindling funds, it seems destined that I will not in fact go abroad in the teaching capacity. That card, dear friends, may be reserved for the service...

I am going to revisit the Army (I believe) with the intention of going in as a 2nd lieutenant. While I backed out in July going the enlisted side, there's a good chance that I will go this route instead. They have the funds to persuade me to go and the time schedule is far shorter for officers than it is for the Air Force. I spoke to a recruiter up at the Jackman recruiting office last week and he said that hypothetically if I started the process now I could leaving for basic around January 15th. That's a huge time difference than the September '09 schedule I was given with the Air Force.

While the Anderson's job turned out to be the wrong path for me (even though it was seasonal) I am still employed at Speedway part time. I am also still employed by Senior Helpers and I have gotten another part time job (dun dun dun) delivering flowers, this time for Hafner florist. However, it's only a matter of time before the florist job runs out of work for me (only 17 days til Christmas) and I am once again scrambling for work. I have resumes out to nearly all the big employers in Toledo, have my resume still on monster and am awaiting a decision from Alltel about another class of Customer Service reps in January. I could also pick up another packet from Toledo Public Schools at the Thurgood Marshall building and substitute teach for the time being (although Chrismas break is coming up shortly). It's a sad situation that's boiling down to how long will my parents handle take my shit and how long before I realize that the service is really my only viable option, at this point.

Maybe if I would've taken the post working for the Obama campaign in October and November in Harrisburgh, I might've gotten picked up through the President-Elect's time waiting until January 20th when he becomes our nation's next president but I can't think like that now. That was a big risk and if the job didn't work out I could be at home now without a job, on the street homeless, living in Kentucky with my aunt working a job I know I won't like, or already in the service doing a job i'm not sure about because I had to pick anything and go.

I hope I won't be rushed like that like I was in July and August. If I do go the Officer route in the Army I would accept any post they give me because the pay would be substantially better, however going enlisted, i'm not going to be bullied into something I don't want to do or know nothing about just because I need the money. I'm still wondering if there are better jobs out there for me, but i'm not holding my breath. I've basically talked myself out of doing the Marines, Air Force, and Navy. There's really only the Army and Coast Guard now. Well, there's a good job here in Toledo, Ohio, or someplace in the midwest, but if that were the true case I would be doing that already...damn the economy. damn my procrastication.