A morning in a job seeker's life +

I went to my job search group yesterday morning. I was running late, but still had to stop at the post office to drop off tax payments. Got them in though.

As I arrived, a person who is turning into a friend was arriving too. He's been having a hard time pulling out of his hole of 'I'm not getting anywhere.' He went to a doctor and started on anti-depressants and he just looked like crap yesterday, so I felt bad. I am quite honest about my drug-taking experience. Thing is, it's been so long since I started on a drug I forget what it's like. Sometimes you can indeed feel worse in the beginning, which he was/is. He says it might be his mental attitude towards taking drugs... which it might be. He really needs to see a psychiatrist, but, he's worried about the money. Damn insurance issues.

So we arrived to the group, and some guy was helping the speaker set up. For some reason, I gave him shit, because, you know, I never give anyone shit. And we just chatted a bit - I kept asking him questions because I was curious and also because it meant I did not have to network with the others - I thought I had arrived late enough to not network but that was not the case. In any event, during that time I learned he's 40, divorced, moved from Seattle, has kids, started his first company when he was 14, now has a suite of companies (beats me what they are - some of the vague things in this area). I did not learn why he was helping her. He asked me why I was there and I of course said I was looking for a job, and he noted that I must be being choosy, because I have the 'it' factor and should have one by now. Ahem.

I kinda moved away after that, but made sure to give him my card in case he wanted to tell me more about his life because it sounded very interesting. And he was good looking. HA! So the presentation started. I sat next to my friend and patted him on the back occasionally. We listened, and the woman talked about how she was messed up until she got to the root of her problem, which essentially was that her babysitter abused her when she was six. She said it in a more subtle way, but I just did not want to hear it, and so walked out. It made me very angry, but I'm proud of the fact that I let it go and I called a friend I haven't spoken to in a while and we chatted about life in general.

I came back in as it ended, and one guy I had had coffee with was there and he just got a commission to redesign the famous Cliff House. Last time I had spoken with him he was so down about life - he's pretty old and was feeling discriminated against and just frustrated. And now he has this - he got it because he was prepared to jump at an opportunity. He went to have coffee there, and started talking with people at the next table over, chatting and making jokes, and then it just so happened they asked him what he does, and he said what it was, and they asked him for a card, and he had great ones that showed his work, and one thing led to the next. Great for him!!!

Then I had coffee with the depressed friend, and another who was laid off a year ago and who has taken this time to research and write a book on a particular building in San Francisco. It sounds really interesting. But his unemployment is running out, and will soon start feeling the push of needing to make money.

As I had coffee with them, someone called and left me a message. I had given my cv to a woman at a start up event, and they called to see if I could do some part time project management. I was an idiot and didn't call until today, so we'll see if I've blown that.

BUT I did also get a call to come in for an interview - next Wednesday! yay! feels so good.