ChrisMaverick dotcom

4-30-07

4-30-07

Day 262 of 365 days.

So I got the letter I had been dreading today. I’ve spent the last couple months interviewing over and over again with one company. Actually, I’ve interviewed with several companies for the last couple months, but I kept getting called back to one. They told me in no uncertain terms that they liked me and wanted to make me an offer but they kind of wanted someone to be both a designer (which I am) and a programmer (which I’m not — or at least I don’t like to be). They basically told me that they were trying to decide whether to just offer me the job or to offer me a contract position. About a week ago, they told me that they were still looking at other candidates just to make sure they couldn’t find someone who wanted to do both. Today, they made an offer to another candidate. That was really the best job prospect I’ve had in months and now I’m back to square one with no real strong leads (sure I have some resumes in, but there’s nowhere that I’ve already interviewed that I am still waiting on).

I’ve now officially decided to give up. I’m done with gainful employment. From this point on I’ll be selling all of my worldly possessions except for my camera and my truck and buying a dog. I will wander from city to city as a drifter taking odd jobs working the land, having sex with the farmers’ daughters and being run out of town by sheriffs. I should have done that when I first had the idea five years ago. Instead I just wrote a story about it on my blog. Maybe I should have actually done it then.

Maybe tomorrow will be better. Maybe I’ll find a job. Or maybe I’ll buy a dog.

365 days

om

42 comments for “4-30-07

  1. April 30, 2007 at 10:32 pm

    Don’t give up Chris! Don’t let the world dictate your fate! Stay strong!! The composition and the selective coloring here are brilliant! :o)

  2. April 30, 2007 at 10:37 pm

    Poor baby, here’s a big (((Hug))). I’m sorry this didn’t work out, but I’m hoping the right opportunity will turn up sooner rather than later. Don’t buy a dog, they’re expensive. You’ve got to feed ’em, get shots, license, etc. etc. etc.

    Oh yeah, and get your butt off of those tracks! If you’re gonna run away, can’t you find some sidewalks?

    BTW, realy nice job on this! Excellent as a matter of fact. I’m going to have to fave it. You’re taking up way too much space in my faves you know.

  3. April 30, 2007 at 10:43 pm

    My father’s a master gardener is that close enough to a farmer? 😉

    I’m sorry about the job, I know you really wanted it. I’ll send you some good mojo so you’ll get the perfect job.

  4. April 30, 2007 at 10:49 pm

    @Leepak: I’m not giving up. I’m simply changing gears.

    @lrayholly: I’m not running away. I’m drifting. There’s a difference. Once I’m a drifter, I won’t be so much for following the rules. So I’m not concerned about the license. And I figure the odd jobs I’ll pick up can keep me and the dog well fed. Sleeping in barns won’t be very expensive.

    And jumping trains is so much more romantic a way of drifting than on a sidewalk. I can’t exactly ride pedestrians from town to town.

  5. April 30, 2007 at 10:50 pm

    @Kungfukitten: hahaha… well, read the story I linked to and get back to me. Woohoo! The farmer’s daughter thinks I’m hot.

  6. April 30, 2007 at 11:30 pm

    Hit the road JACK… is the thought that popped into my mind when I saw this.

    This photo should be in the hall of fame of great cutouts.

  7. April 30, 2007 at 11:57 pm

    @saboegel: thanks. If you find one, please, by all means nominate me.

  8. May 1, 2007 at 12:09 am

    I feel the same way right now. I’m graduating from college in a few weeks and my job search has thus far been pretty unfruitful. I’ve sent out probably close to 30 resumes & demo reels and have only heard back from a few – but mostly the few who replied were saying "Thanks, but no thanks."

    Everyday I’m hoping to get the call… or at least, A call…

    Good luck to you in the continued job search.

  9. May 1, 2007 at 12:23 am

    @laffy4k: I’m telling you. Corporate America sucks. Run the rails. Work on farms. Its good honest work. If I can save just one kid from my fate, it all will have been worth it.

    Thanks for the encouragement.

  10. May 1, 2007 at 1:42 am

    Excellent perspective shot. Great use of color.

  11. May 1, 2007 at 1:43 am

    @taiorion: thank you..

  12. May 1, 2007 at 3:02 am

    Aw, sorry you seem so frustrated. On the lighter side this shot is excellent. Really, I like it a lot!

  13. May 1, 2007 at 3:23 am

    Don’t give up! Or the thing about walking from city to city and have lots of sex isn’t that bad at all?!!? :oD

    Well this picture reminds me of the ending of 24 Hours when Jack Bauer once more have saved whatever he had to safe and afterwards is dead – but not real dead.. And he has to leave town..
    I hate that show actually..

  14. May 1, 2007 at 9:03 am

    okay, you said to your mom "once i’m a drifter, i won’t be much for following the rules". I didn’t know you liked to follow the rules now, prior to being a drifter.

    anyway, i’m sorry to hear about the job. that sucks. but, do what you’re doing, put one foot in front of the other and what you need will happen…probably when/where you least expect it.

    This photo is excellent…but be careful mav!!! (spoken like a true mom!)

  15. May 1, 2007 at 9:19 am

    Just remember everything happens for a reason, you weren’t meant to have that job because a better one is on its way— keep the hope alive

    Flickr Hearts – Post 1 – Give 5 Flickr Hearts

  16. May 1, 2007 at 9:48 am

    @lunαs and @Seb.Phil.: thank you.

    @PhotoKat: Thanks. And Thanks for the emotional support. We’ll see if today is any better. Maybe, or maybe I will just hit that road…

    @Cirkusprinsesse: eep! I love that show! I really do. How can you hate it? But I wasn’t specifically thinking of that. More just the general "hitting the road" mentality. There used to be similar shots at the end of episodes of the Incredible Hulk, too.

    @pi c’s: well, I’d uh… follow even less rules… or something. Yeah, that’s it. And no, I have no idea what I’m going to do. I’ve applied for other things, but I really don’t have anything "good" coming up. *sigh*

    @Kathy~: nah, not really. I pretty much prefer to go with more a "life sucks, pass the bourbon" philosophy. But thanks.

  17. May 1, 2007 at 10:17 am

    So sorry, Mav. That sucks. I’m a firm believer in ‘when one door closes another one opens’ or however you like that saying. When you are waiting for that other door to open though it feels like hell and it is hard to see.

    But you are so talented and intelligent that I *know* there is an opportunity poised to present itself to you, and that somewhere in the near future you will look back at this job you didn’t get and think "Thank goodness I didn’t get it." And honestly, I usually do lean more towards the ‘life sucks, pass the bourbon’ philosophy you mentioned (even though I don’t drink anymore. LOL), but my own experience and seeing others has shown me different.

    This photo is awesome…love the perspective and the selective color–you did it in a way that is somehow subtle, and it makes the shot.

  18. May 1, 2007 at 11:03 am

    @sadandbeautiful (Sarah): Yep, I’m totally gonna be looking back and thinking I’m glad when I’m screwing the farmers daughter in the haystack in the barn… then I’m going to be wishing I got the job when two minutes later, I’m on the business end of the farmer’s shotgun.

    Glad you like the pic. Thank you.

  19. May 1, 2007 at 11:15 am

    i’m just a bit tires of Jack Bauer who safes the world every time. It’s not like anyone has doubt in a happy end. We all know Jack B. will win ;o)

  20. May 1, 2007 at 11:24 am

    @Cirkusprinsesse: ok, I’ll grant that. There are certainy certain conceits that one has to grant in 24. Like that its possible to kick a heroin addiction in 3 hours. I just tend to grant that he has super action hero powers and accept it for what it is. But yeah, I can certainly see your point.

  21. May 1, 2007 at 3:43 pm
  22. May 1, 2007 at 3:47 pm

    @Risambora1: thanks. I’m glad you like it.

  23. May 1, 2007 at 7:58 pm

    Nice shot, Mav. I don’t recognize the location, but it works really well with the way you cropped the image.

  24. May 1, 2007 at 11:52 pm

    @MegaBee: Waterfront… kind of behind Target. Thanks.

  25. May 2, 2007 at 12:32 am

    My husband had a similar situation to yours. He must have interviewed at this one company at least 5-6 times, each time them telling him they wanted him, but there was one more test/interview/whatever. He ended up getting the same letter you got.

    It turned out to be a good thing, however, because he kept looking for another job and found one that suited him much better and it led him to the great career he has today.

    But I’m betting he would have been fine with the farmer’s daughter plan too. 😉

    Oh, and great picture. It really captures what you’re describing about deciding to just pick up and leave.

  26. May 2, 2007 at 12:46 am

    @SydB42: yeah, I’m less annoyed by it today… still annoyed, but less annoyed. Glad you like the pic. Thank you.

  27. May 2, 2007 at 9:52 pm

    nice shot


    Seen on your photo stream. (?)

  28. May 2, 2007 at 11:36 pm

    @SteelePop: thank you.

  29. May 3, 2007 at 11:17 pm

    very good one

  30. May 4, 2007 at 12:02 am

    @Michelle Miramontes: thank you.

  31. May 5, 2007 at 12:44 pm

    Congrats on explore! *smiles*

  32. May 5, 2007 at 2:03 pm

    @Agent Retro: thank you! I’m glad. I really liked this one.

  33. May 6, 2007 at 6:23 pm

    Great shot seen on Explore.
    I was fired from my job for no reason several months ago, and then the man I was in love with broke up with me, so I’ve had a rough several months, as well. But now, I’ve gotten a job offer, and I start in a few weeks.
    I hope things work out for you, as well, but having the freedom to drift sounds pretty good to me!
    Good luck to you.

  34. May 6, 2007 at 10:59 pm

    @lvnfreedom: It does have its upsides, but its frusterating as well. Thanks for well wishes and glad you like the shot.

  35. May 8, 2007 at 12:57 pm

    Hey Chris. Great shot. Great narrative. Sucky situation. And I can so relate. I’ve stopped counting the number of resumes I’ve sent out the past 11 months, and the number of 2nd interviews I’ve had.

    Got a rejection from the job I was sure I had last week, but the woman who would have hired me couldn’t have been more clear that it was "not me at all" just someone who had a tiny bit more of what they needed. She even went so far as to write a "you must interview this amazing woman" letter to another department I’ve applied in at that university.

    I’m not heading down the railroad tracks, but it sure does make you wonder about a system that makes it hard for talented people to do something more important and productive with their time than write cover letter after cover letter. Oy!

    That right job is still up the path. Don’t get so engrossed with that farmer’s daughter that you don’t hear the signs of it.

  36. May 8, 2007 at 11:17 pm

    @KarenMarleneLarsen: I firmly believe that the system isn’t designed for people like me. I have lots of creative talents that for the most part are squandered even when i am working because people would rather pay me to do things that I’m less good at that yield them immediate value, rather than pay me to do something I’m actually really good at and enjoy. That’s why I’m really trying to enjoy my time off right now.

  37. November 29, 2007 at 10:53 pm

    Excellent use of selective colour.
    really well done!

  38. November 30, 2007 at 1:40 am

    @GooseGoddessS: thank you. This is one of my all time favorites.

  39. January 9, 2008 at 2:15 pm

    Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Flickr "BEST" Pictures (Invitation Only), and we’d love to have your photo added to the group.


    Flickr "BEST" Pictures
    "We’ve Got The World In A Frame"


    5 Stars of Excellence Award
    "Our Stars Shine All Over The World"

  40. January 10, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    @Shu’Atum-Ra: sorry, I’m not interested in adding my pics to private groups.

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