I need a job

It's been about 2 1/2 months since I was told I was being let go and I still haven't found a new job. The market for biotech jobs was pretty hard already and now we're entering graduation time. I don't have to compete with any undergrads. But graduate students will make things harder.

I have much stronger faith this time than last time I was job hunting. But I'm human and the faith waivers from time to time. When I get a couple emails in one day saying I wasn't chosen for a position, it hurts. Knowing everyone else who was laid off w/ me has found a new job, it hurts. I've interviewed for a few jobs and 2 of them seemed cool. One I REALLY wanted. and of course, those are the jobs I never heard anything back from. Not even a rejection so I could get some feed back.

The biotech industry had little niches, once you settle into one it's very hard to move to another. For example I don't have experience with protein purification except for DNA and RNA or immunoassay experience. Alot of job descriptions want ELISA and Western Blot experience (Sorry to anyone who doesn't know what those are but you can read about it on Wikipedia). So I'm stuck in a niche of working with DNA and RNA on a molecular level. There are jobs out there, I've found lots, and applied to them all. But so far they haven't been "the one."

Being home isn't too bad. I get to sleep in (yes to me 7:30 is sleeping in b/c for work I have to be up by 6) and then spend some time cuddling with Reese while we wake up. Then downstairs for breakfast and some morning cartoons on Disney. The rest of the day varies. Sometimes errands, or playdates, or outings. Some days we just hang out at home playing or doing some preschool work. Overall staying home with the kid is pretty easy, but it's driving me crazy.

I need adult interaction. And my kid needs kid interaction. I feel like I am doing her an injustice having her here with me. She needs to be around a group of children learning to play and work with them. There were always kids she didn't get along with, so she was learning early how to handle that situation. She had teachers with state approved curriculums and all the resources to carry out those curriculums. I'm a school person. I wasn't a straight A student or anything, but I put a high-value on school education. The teachers in preschool went to school to learn how to teach my kid and help her. Sure there are things I know naturally and I can turn a grocery store trip into a lesson about fruits and counting, etc. But in my mind, I cannot match what she would get in an actual school.

Also like I said I need adult interaction. I miss sitting around at lunch and talking about stuff with adults. I miss having deadlines and trouble shooting problems. I even miss meetings, which is scary.

Finally there is the wedding. Our date is still being held and it's only 5 months away. I'm going to start checking out photographers and florists and gathering information but we haven't officially signed anything for that date. So far unemployment has covered all my bills and other incidentals (except the car accident) so we haven't touched out savings. I have a very large tax refund coming as well. We have enough money to pay for the wedding. But if I don't have a job we don't know if we'll have enough money to have a place to live post wedding. Maybe this is a big test of faith from God. We know He wants us to be married. Maybe we should sign the papers and trust that things will come together as He wants. But it's really scary. And I don't have alot of support from my mom right now. Previously she offered Mat and I a place living here for a few months post marriage to save up some more money. But if we drop a couple thousand on the wedding she might not be so willing b/c she thinks it's a waste of money. Anyway that is a whole separate blog.

Please keep praying for me and my strength and patience. Pray for Reese that together she and I can grow together during this time and learn from each other.

Wrong Forecast - Hey the Weathermen do it all the time

Yeah so that blog storm didn't end up coming through. I really miss my laptop and the ability to be able to sit a type wherever, whenever. My job took back their laptop, understandably. And I dropped my other laptop, possibly cracking a circuit board or something. I don't know but if it turns on about 5 min later the screen fades out to nothing.

So here I am at home with lots of fun things to talk about but I never get around to actually sitting and writing them. Hopefully I'll start getting better.

On the topic of weathermen we went to DC on Saturday for the last day of the Cherry Blossom festival. The weather forecast said it would stop raining around noon so we left around 11am for the metro expecting to emerge to sunshine. Surprise surprise the weatherman was wrong. At 1pm as we came out at the Smithsonian it was still very cold and wet.

We decided to hunt down some lunch but also wanted cover. The Smithsonian Castle Information building as a cafe so in we went, along w/ 1/2 the people in DC. Everyone was sitting on the floor eating their food. The food choices were a bit odd and none of the sandwiches were appealing - sorry I don't do pear and orange on my turkey sandwich or maple pumpkin spread w/ my ham - so I decided on a hot dog. They had salads but $9 for a small container of lettuce was too ridiculous to me. Unfortunately they ran out of hot dogs as we ordered Reese's so Mat had to go back outside to a vendor to buy ours and bring them back in.

After we ate we decided to go to the tidal basin. But quickly got cold, ok I got cold b/c I dressed expecting sunshine and 60F weather that was promised. We turned around and headed to the opposite end of the mall for the Air and Space Museum. Again most of DC was in there so it made actually seeing any exhibits a challenge. Eventually Reese got tired of being inside and wanted to see Cherry Blossoms. It was about 4 and the weather had finally started to improve. With the rain most of the blossoms were gone but it was still a nice walk down to the Jefferson.

Mat being the smart man he is realized we needed to figure out dinner, and this time we preferred not to do hot dogs. After asking for some directions we started walking and I saw the sign for the waterfront. I knew there were restaurants near where the dinner cruises leave so we started walking. Luckily not to far down we found Phillips and enjoyed a very yummy seafood buffet.

After dinner we headed back to the Jefferson for the fireworks. Mat and Reese went off to get my some coffee b/c I was cold, my feet hurt, and it let Reese run around a bit. During which I spotted some people getting married at the Jefferson. I don't know if they did the real ceremony there or not b/c it was about 3 min but I saw them kiss and then the bridal party joined them for pictures. Pretty cute idea. While waiting for Mat and Reese to come back a groundskeeper told us we wouldn't be able to see the fireworks from where we were. There were about 200 people at the Jefferson who thought they were at the right place. But after some research I figured out that the fireworks were going off . . . . . Down by Phillips where we had just walked from. :-( Back we went and we saw most of the fireworks, our view was blocked a bit by boats. Reese liked the fireworks, but the ducks were more fun.

After the show off we walked to the metro. Reese fell asleep in her stroller which was good. The trains weren't too crowded but we did encounter some rude people. A mom with two preteens who slid under me to sit in the seats directly under the sign that say those seats are for seniors or people with disabilities. Granted I am neither but everywhere else in metro to signs contain a picture or people with baby strollers as well. B/c that way you can tuck to stroller out of site. And I was raised to give my seat up to older people.

Anyway overall is was a fun day because we were all together as a family. We learned lots of good things for our next trip to DC.

Funny Reese Story - The day before Reese went upstairs in the morning to get dressed. Curious after a few minutes I went upstairs and Reese is standing in the hallway staring a the guest room. When she sees me she says "Mommy I thought there was a Bear upstairs!! But it's just Grammy snoring" This was almost as funny as when she told Grandad he like white wine "Because you're hair is white"

Blog Storm's a Comin

Wow I have soo much to write about. Maybe during nap time I'll crank a few out. However I had to write about the funny stuff that just happened right now.

My little girl is becoming WAY too independant. While I was checking email she came and asked me if she could have some cereal while holding a box of Shredded Wheat. I said sure, figuring she'd plop down on the floor and grab a handful out of the box. Next thing I know I hear the fridge being opened. I run to the kitchen to see what's going on.

Reese had climbed onto the counter, gotten down a bowl, filled it w/ cereal (without spilling any on the floor) and was now getting the milk out to add. Luckily the milk was almost empty so w/ supervision I let her pour it in. Then she grabbed a spoon and sat down at the table to eat.

Back to the computer I go and a few minutes later I see Reese walking to me with a carton of OJ. This morning she had asked for OJ but since there was none upstairs and I didn't feel like getting any from the basement I told her she was having apple juice. So where did the OJ come from?? She had gone downstairs, opened the fridge there, gotten out OJ, and brought it upstairs to me. She's done this a few times and it's pretty helpful if I am feeling lazy so it was cute. She puts the OJ down and then walks up to me with a full 1/2 gallon of milk. Apparently she had brough both upstairs. That's some arm strength for a 3 yr old.

But the cuteness doesn't end yet. Since she had brought a gallon or each upstairs she new that the basment now had less of each. So she promptly grabbed a dry erase marker and her stool. If she new how to spell she would have written Milk and OJ on the shopping list board. But instead she asked me too. while I'm writing she hops up on the counter again, gets me a bowl, fills it with cereal, and says now I can have cereal and OJ with her.

So much cuteness how could I not sit down and have a snack with her :-)