You always hear the same thing from employment offices, career management counselors, and books like ‘What Color is Your Parachute’ (I guess it’s spelled with an extra ‘u’ in the Canadian printing): The best way to find a job is Network. So, since I finished my contract at IBM, that’s pretty much what I’ve been doing. It takes patience, perseverance, and sometimes I felt as if I was just spinning my wheels. Finally, this week, it looks like I’m starting to break through. I got a nibble here, a nibble there. Nothing permanent, and nothing that I could say is ‘The Big Break’, but it’s starting to look like I’ll be employed again, if not this month, probably next month. Don’t want to jinx it by writing any more about it at this point.
So, what have I been doing this summer (besides Networking)? There was the Gay Pride Parade (took a lot of photos of that), berry-picking on Westham Island (Tayberries and blueberries), a lecture and piano recital by Sarah Davis Buechner, my friend from childhood who is now an internationally famous concert pianist, and a bunch of meetups; one for Bloggers and another for Graphic/Web Designers. I’ve been to the Library a couple of times, but haven’t gone to the movies. I’ve been adding a lot of music to my iTunes library, partly in preparation for when CBC Radio 2’s Classical Music is snuffed out (Labor Day, I think is the day the music will die). Internet radio and my collection will sadly have to suffice until Vancouver gets a radio station that carries that sort of music (I’m not holding my breath, though).
I have been to Granville Island quite a bit; nearly daily in fact. Several vendors have begun to recognize me, and I frequently get to make some small talk with them. The other day, one of them asked if I worked on the Island (apparently people who do get a discount). Perhaps some day I will (there are quite a few businesses that are located there).
It’s taken a while, but I now know where to get the best mushrooms, who has the freshest cantaloupes and the which butcher has the best steak (or the best meatloaf). It’s really terrific to be able to find something that’s fresh, in season, and bring it home and make dinner around it. Summertime has brought bushels of cherries and blueberries to the market (and I got a cherry-pitter so that we can get many of them and freeze them for those days in February when we really need them), as well as heirloom tomatoes of every shape, size and colour combination). Seafood continues to be excellent (although sometimes pricey), and turkey is still amazingly good (and definitely not just for Thanksgiving!).
It’s been a quiet summer, but I bet that soon, it won’t be so quiet. Family will be visiting in a couple of weeks, and I’ll be very surprised if I’m not doing a commute of some sort within that same span of time.
The end of the summer is always heralded by the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition), a great big ‘county fair’ that takes place on the Eastern border of Vancouver. There’ll be another fascinating BarCamp, the self-organizing conference that this year I’m helping (a little) to organize. Soon after that is the Fringe Festival, a couple of film festivals, the start of the Symphony’s season, and the other annual events that make for for a full year in our lives here in Vancouver. The ongoing succession of the year’s events is a comfort, partly because of the rhythm of it, but also because there is always something to look forward to.
David,
You are too modest, and that’s one of the qualities I really appreciate in you. You fail to mention that you’ve been to the majority if not all of the BarCamp organizational meetings. Of course, recognition is not something you’re seeking, but it should be given. You are a key component of the BarCamp organizational team, and I’m proud to share this experience with you.
Great to hear that there are nibbles. Being on the job market is awful, as we both know! 🙂 Give my best to Pam, please.
Just before you get to the bridge onto Westham Island the blackberries on the dyke are excellent, wild and free
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