LBrain

wow, a flurry of activity.
Vet, maybe you can help me prepare my F1203 (?) I think? I was looking at jobs on the usajob.g site. I waited a year before I decided to start applying for real. there are several doe jobs I'm interested in and some acoe stuff. The application online is quite confusing to say the least. I guess that's half of process. Figuring out how to fill out the application is step one in the process.
They probably eliminate a lot of people right there.
Sorry to hear Henry is hobbling.
ZEro - Around here they drive escalades. Same mo. And It will be a couple months until I can find decent tomatoes here. Got to plant them first.

TL - I can't be around horses. Or else I need some serious allergy medicine.

Off to gym...

jackrussell

It would be hard to live in a world where you can't find a straight 2x4!
You would love Henry, TL. He's really big, maybe 17 hands, but very gentle. Like you, I am not much of a rider. He's really my wife's horse; I feel like a benevolent uncle who visits with carrots and mints. His racing name was: No Never No More. We gave him his new name after the Beatles' song about Mr. Kite.

zerothehero

It's a warped kind of 2x4 world up in here. They leave them out in the rain and sun and rain and sun. It's all part of the Grand Conspiracy to Drive Me Mad. They must be from a fast grow tree farm cuz they have very wide grain and the consistency of chewing gum. Fresh and manufactured to warp. That's all I'm good for today. I'm actually doing okay; just feel like bitching and being dramatic.

jackrussell

I don't think you are ever dramatic, Zero. Opinionated, yes. Forceful in expression of said opinions: yes. Kind of creative, really. Ever thought of writing short stories? Fiction's fun. Tinted windowed Cadillacs; twisted 2x4's. Food stamps. Weed. HBO, here I come!

jackrussell

Has anyone read any t coraghessan boyle, george saunders, raymond carver? Great American writers. Give it a try, Zero.

Dee74

I've read Carver - not the other two tho.

D

Vet69

I'll have to take a look at the USA Jobs site Brain. Haven't been on it in a few years. Don't recall the form you mentioned. I'll try to take a look today

TigerLili

I haven't read a lot of American literature. I should remedy that!

Vet69

I didn't see Department of Energy jogs around Philly but there must be some. If you can go on the use sight and register then you can use the search terms to see if there's anything that is a good fit. If you tell me more about your background I'll help you look.

zerothehero

I read some Carver years ago. My first B.A. was in humanities, and I had a second major in English. Before addiction slapped me down and humbled me considerably I fancied myself a creative writer. Grad school and work kind of forced me more into the essay/nonfiction vein, but I write for fun. I've actually been writing vignettes of my life - some as best I can remember them, others perhaps unintentionally part fiction, and others exaggerated or purposely made fiction. It's kind of an addict's memoirs. If I collect enough of them I may try to get some coaching on how to edit them or order them or if they should be intentionally fiction or intentionally nonfiction or remain a bit of both. I kind of like the idea of being an aging addict writing from the perspective of one who isn't entirely sure what happened in his life and is willing to admit he makes stuff up in his head that he thinks happened but isn't quite sure. It adds some entertainment value. We'll see where it goes.

Thanks for the compliment, JR. Probably the best compliment I have ever received was when I was in ninth grade I had a writing assignment. The goal was to write a descriptive paragraph in such a way that the reader could "see" the description. I had been reading Tolkien, so I described a scene in my head of a swarm of orcs rising menacingly from behind the horizon of a lush knoll. I received an F on the paper. When I asked the teacher why he said there was no way a 15 year old could have written it and that it was obviously plagiarized. Thank you very much, dumbass. My writing skills, by the way, have many times assisted in my ability to BS my way through courses in which I was actually clueless.

TigerLili

Same thing happened to me a few times. One good thing was that my uncle was a teacher in the English faculty and he intervened a few times. I was always accused of cheating because I didn't usually have drafts. For crying out loud, we were writing very short stories, just a few pages in length. It was easy to do. I'd think about it for a bit and then put pen to paper. I didn't need to re-write a 500 word story. I still love the short story form. I like to write flash fiction which is usually 1,000 words or less, with a nice twist in the tail.

LBrain

Thanks Vet -- I'm all over the job search on the site, I'm getting into the notifications. Seems I want to mellow and just work at a dam site for the next ten years, and use my navy time buy in for pension purposes. There are an awful lot of temp positions. I think if I accept one it may disqualify me for a permanent position. -"NTE" 13 month jobs. I'd hate to take one of those and lose out on a full time permanent job.

If the wife comes up with a full time nurse job then I'll probably go sub for doe projects or planning/procedures for the nukes. I think I'll buy a lottery ticket today too.

To be accused of cheating in my youth - very young. It was truly a frustrating thing. Isn't it amazing that instead of saying 'nice work' or 'good going' we get accused of cheating. I hated it. One of the many things that shaped my outlook on life. It really had an impact on me. Messed me up as a little kid. Maybe that was the beginning...

Vet69

I don't know exactly what your degrees are, but if you have worked with nukes, you must have some serious experience and credentials. I have known of people who were serious alcoholics who had Top Secret SCI clearance. They got clean, were straight with OSI and their supervisors about it and carried on. I had SCI but that was a long time ago but I remember. You are of value to your country. Believe it.

Remember what Morgan Freeman said in Shawshank Redemption - "Get busy living, or get busy dying".

I'm behind you all the way.

zerothehero

Lottery ticket is always a good call. I make my weekly donation when I think about it. Wife out of town. Busy with the inn...

jackrussell

Scraping and painting the outside of the old house. Very warm and sunny. Stevie Wonder on the mini boom box.

LBrain

Thanks VET,
I know that over the past year many have told me I have a ticket to work almost anywhere I want. It’s all a matter of perspective though. If I could get full time as a park ranger I’m all over it. Except they want people who went to school for it and are fresh. My only chance at ranger would be as volunteer, hence lottery ticket path to success. Last year there were several opportunities in doe but they wanted you to already have the “Q”. Most if not all of the contract brokers will not hire on contingency. I have a good lead on some DOE placement. I’m still in the wait and see if my wife gets a “real” job. Do I find something for 60-80k with benefits? Or do I look for 200k salary with no guarantee of rollover and zero bennies? Or do I find a trailer near the beach and sell my tomatoes at a roadside stand? What to do…
JR – spring painting… I have landscape projects to finish. Maybe I’ll organize the garage in 2015 too. Still a lot of neglect leftover from the past few years.

ActualAlcoholic

struggling :/

jackrussell

What's going on, AA?

zerothehero

AA, I noticed your location is "running from addiction." That mindset didn't work for me. I tried repeatedly and failed. Once I stopped running and stared into the demon's eyes for a few months he kind of became my friend. I've been sober ever since. Something to consider. I hope your struggles subside.

This may seem wacky as hell, but I actually did this and it worked. Check it out:
The Process - Tara MandalaTara Mandala

The process is intense and can be frightening. I've followed it with regular meditation and mindful practices. I find it necessary to keep me balanced so I don't slip into wanting to numb my brain and my soul.

jackrussell

How, again, did you become friends with the demon, Zero? You've described this in the past, but I've lost the details.