The reality pill

11 days until I am 1 year older. Funny math.

I think I am going to buy myself a new battery for my Macbook Pro for my birthday. I think I will be keeping this computer for at least 6 more months. Maybe.

My brother in law called yesterday for a computer consultation. He wants a new gaming computer....laptop. He already had an Alienware computer in mind, I just gave my opinion on model and upgrades. We ended up agreeing on a M15X that starts at $1199. I recommended to up from a Core I3 CPU to a Core I5, go from 3GB to 4GB of ram for $25, from 250GB to 320GB of hard drive space for $70. All in for $1424. He live's in Oregon, no sales tax. This computer should easily last him two years.

<rant>

I'm pretty average overall. I excel in computer hardware and general geekness, but trail in physical strength and math. I also trail in cleaning the house....but I am a guy so that's normal (ha!).

I was raised by two people who were go getters. My dad traveled around the world (literally) as an Engineer. My mom started the second largest adoption agency in Texas....all on her own. Since age 17 I have had a job continuously except for my freshman year of college.

They haven't all been great jobs (I was a janitor for one summer!). My most fun and memorable jobs were working at an auto auction in high school (being able to drive any car I wanted was awesome!), driving a school bus in college (kind of a power trip driving a huge vehicle!), and of course my current (and hopefully final) job.

I like working. When I was laid off in 2001 (August 2001!) after moving to North Texas I went crazy. Just sitting around annoyed me too no end. Then 9/11 happened. Getting a job was VERY difficult. I lived UNDER my means and hit the streets (virtually via online job postings) and found a job in late September. It wasn't a great job. I was over qualified, but it was a job. I figured it would be temporary and I would find something better. Four years later I found something better.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't get not working. Even in this economy, people with skills are getting hired. My airline is hiring for various divisions (including pilots). I was talking with an agent in Cleveland Tuesday who I saw was new. She moved her family 600 miles for the job.

She was an agent for a different airline and let go. She stayed at home with the kids (3 and 6) and cancelled day care while she looked for a job. Her husband is a licensed electrician who was pulling in decent, but not great money for living in Boston. They hunkered down, took a reality pill, and moved the entire family to a new city. She's happy to be back at work doing what she's done for years. Her husband has had several job offers as he has a skill in demand. Kids are in school. Life is good.

I hope to never be in the position of having to move my entire family for a job. Thankfully my job allows me to live anywhere. If it comes down to it though, Kelli and I are level headed enough to swallow the reality pill and do it.

</rant> <~~~a geek thing