Sunday, December 7, 2008

My Game And The Universe

O.K. so you'd have to have been dead or vacationing on some deserted island for the last six months to miss the news that things haven't been going well economically lately.
Around here we have been feeling it more than I want to admit. The construction industry, which is the main driver of our local economy has all but disappeared. This affected me directly because the underground construction Contractor who I had a contract with recently ceased operations. Most of the other Contractors in the area have gone away also. This left me with a Service Truck, a truckload of tools, extensive mechanical knowledge and skill, and a disappearing market to apply them to.
So I put up a garage, small but adequate, printed some cards and started doing mechanical work independently. This was fine for a few weeks, because everyone who had asked me to do work for them over the last year came in. But the thing about doing repairs is that if you do them right, you don't see your customers again until something else goes wrong. Think about it. How many of you woke up this morning and thought to yourself," I wonder if my mechanic needs some work?". My guess would be none of you. Now that I've blown through the initial wave of customers I now have to promote myself and cultivate a whole sustainable client base. Self promotion is a little outside of my comfort zone. I've never been a salesman or even been very social. Another thing is that I don't really like strangers coming to my house. I originally only wanted customers that I knew personally, or people that had been referred by someone I knew. Apparently I don't know enough people. My phone hasn't been ringing for the last few weeks
As a result, I have taken a part time job at a huge pay cut with an Auction House here in town. My beautiful wife suggested I go talk to them because I have had so much fun buying at their auctions. I agreed, thinking that the change might be good for me. We also feel that if I enjoy what I'm doing, I will be in a better allowing state and good things might happen. I only wonder if I'll be able to pay the bills working for so little.
I also have a second interview with a local Dealership for a Service Technician position. I know that I don't want this job, but if I can get the money I want, I almost feel obligated to take it. Some of you might be thinking, "What's he whining about? Most people would be happy just to have one job." Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the opportunities but in the past if I applied for a Dealer Tech job. I'd be hired on the spot. No waiting. No multiple interviews. I'd have the job before I walked out. It just seems like a step backward to me .
These are some of the things that have me a little stressed out. Now when I get stressed and don't quite understand what's going on, I sometimes start grasping for reassurance in odd places. Some people use Horoscopes, or Tarot, or just try to see signs of good things to come in everyday activities. Not me. I have a more accurate way of determining what the immediate future will bring. Today I learned that things are going to be turning in my favor very soon. How do I know this? You ask. Simple. Today my Son and I went to the Golf Course. We played a few holes and I have overcome the snap hook that has been plaguing me for the past five months. That's right! I'm hitting it good, and when I'm hitting it good, all is well in the universe. That's all there is to it. I hit it good today. So you can expect things to get better . The price of fuel will continue to fall. Those of you who are out of work will find awesome jobs. The weather will be nice. People will be nice. Why? because I'm hitting it good. You can all thank me, and pray or meditate or visualize or whatever you do that my game continues to get better. Because think about it, the better I play, the better the world gets. Just imagine how great this world would be if I qualified for the PGA Tour. That's the only job I really want.