You are no doubt familiar with LinkedIn, the social media platform for business. Also, if you are reading this, you are no doubt familiar with my story of many years of hard work in different industries in a very hot metropolitan area and then my decision to throw it all away on a dream and live in the rural northwestern portion of the United States. Haven’t regretted it for a minute, though I do miss the fantastic restaurants and grocery stores. I did do one business-responsible thing before beginning my lifestyle of reinvention and updated my LinkedIn profile. This was done because I kept getting offers from science-y companies in Texas to consider applying for positions. After writing “Thank you for your interest but not at this time,” for the umpteenth time, I changed my profile to read something along the lines of “I do my own thing which is exploring life and how many new things I can try. I have lots of experience and am a master at pretty much nothing. Oh, and I have actually sat and watched a slug move across the forest floor. Twice.” I think I might have added tag words like “Creative” and “Entrepreneur” and “Doesn’t Enjoy Talking in the Morning” and stuff like that.
And yet, at least once a month LinkedIn will notify me that I appeared in a few searches. I have to ask myself, “What the heck search parameters are being input that my profile would show up?” I can just imagine some hiring professional saying to themselves, “You know, this company really needs someone who can be mostly cheerful at the office and make sure that all the different dietary requirements are followed on the monthly company lunch meetings and maybe give good advice on the best way to grow out bangs. It’s only a part-time position that would pay full-time wages. Show me whatcha got, LinkedIn.”
And if your company does actually need someone to fit the above, then my answer is, “YES!”
In the meantime, let’s see how badly I can do at playing a game of chess. I’ve been playing at least one game every day. I did take a few days off and saw that my chess skills are not strong enough to miss a lesson, even for one day. If playing chess is like riding a bicycle, then I am the kid with training wheels and my mom pushing the bike behind me as I try to get the hang of just rotating my legs on the pedals.
Actually, I would like to think that I am improving my game if only because I now recognize a crappy move immediately after I have made it. I still get surprised at some of the rules, like did you know you cannot “castle” if your king is in check? Castling is some weird move wherein if your king and your rook have not moved and have no pieces between them, the king moves two spaces towards the rook and the rook then takes the space the king skipped over. There is another weird move called en passant which I haven’t quite figured out but has to do with that first move the pawn can do where it can move two spaces instead of just one and somehow it gets captured. To be honest, these rules sound like the type of house rules you learn about when you go to your friend’s for a sleepover and the whole family starts doing weird stuff while playing “The Game of Life” and you are like, “Whoa, we only get to get married once, right?” and they are like, “No! You can get married as many times as you want!” “Uh, guys, I don’t think that’s how the game goes,” you say but then they insist it is.
I have lots of job prospects, if by job prospects you mean stuff to do that doesn’t pay well (or at all). Other jobs looming on my horizon are:
Sewing better seat covers for the banquette in Brighty. I had picked out a lovely crackled cotton and then realized my foolishness at putting nice fabrics inside a trailer that is a refuge for dirty dogs and people covered in forest duff. I got some heavy cotton canvas and tossed it over the seats. It isn’t holding up so well to the active lifestyle here so enter Cordura. This heavy and waterproof fabric is what backpacks are made from and will hopefully protect the seats.
Wiring the third brake light on my new-to-me canopy. I have wanted a canopy for some time now and even ordered a new one. Sadly, due to Covid the new one was going to take about four months to be ready (October to February) but then yesterday I found a used cap. And I paid a third the price of a new one, so that’s nice.
Turn cargo trailer into makeshift yoga studio. One cannot stretch out or up in Brighty. And doing yoga in 40 degree rain outside is not working out for me. Once I get bundled up for the weather, a forward fold or down dog is kind of difficult, plus the rain runs up your nose. I have a cargo trailer and bought a little heater but obviously I don’t want to close up the trailer while I am inside it (dangerous) and leaving the door and ramp open defeats the attempt to heat the trailer. I bought some heavy plastic meant for putting on the outside of houses to help insulate them. It is clear and the plan is to make a drape like the one that covers walk-in freezers. With a little heat and some light, I will be getting back into the zen of things. I hope.
Seal aforementioned cargo trailer against the incessant rainforest elements. The roof of the trailer needs periodic attention to prevent water from getting inside. It’s not fun but it is necessary. Really best done in the warmer, dryer months but I was forbidden from any kind of bending or lifting by the back surgeon so what can ya do? I could take the trailer down to Arizona but that seems excessive, even for me.
So that’s on the docket for the next couple of days. What are you up to?
Susan, so glad to hear you are recovering from your surgical experience. My to do list has been full dealing with the aftermath of leaking water lines in my 1968 era home. Leaked into two closets full of life’s memories and necessities. Fortunately, the majority were saved. So new repiping, ceiling repairs, etc, etc. And like the song says, “one thing leads to another”. Staying healthy. Wishing you the best in Forks.
Watch The Queen’s Gambit.
Of all your wonderful posts so far, this is my favorite.