Time Off

So it has begun, the nerve-wracking time off from work. In one way it's nice because I don't have to worry about getting up early every morning, I don't have the stresses of work or sharing an office with someone who I do not feel very comfortable around.  However, there are the other stresses from being home such as wondering where my next career move will be, financial concerns if nothing pans out before the money does and the (what feels like the remote-) possibility of heading back into depression, especially if money issues affect being able to medications. 

The one nice thing is that although I would still love to be working for Chevron, financially, what's going on could be a ton worse.  I turned in all my company stuff yesterday and now have no access to anything Chevron.  However, I am on their payroll until November 9.  This means that benefits are will remain in place through November 30 and that I will continue receiving my normal semi-monthly paychecks.  If I don't have a job by November 9, I then qualify for 8-weeks of severance pay, plus unused vacation (1.5 weeks).  In other words, we should be OK with money until the end of the year.

I have never enjoyed job hunting.  I would rather negotiate the purchase of a car before job hunting.  Fortunately, though, it appears I may have a lead on a potentially promising position with Kaiser Permanente (in Pasadena).  A friend of mine who actually took over my first analyst position at Chevron, let me know about the position, which just got posted this week.  From the sounds of it, this would be a great move for me as the job sounds very similar to what I have been doing.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed and praying and hoping that something comes of this.  I've been told that I will be contacted, but so far, no call.  Therefore, I assume nothing yet about it.

In the meantime, this next week should be pretty productive as I will be establishing communication with the Chevron people (a specific corporate team) that will be looking out for other Chevron positions that I could perform based on my experience and the like.  I will also be attending a webinar orientation for the company that will help me market myself, sharpen the resumes and such in order to successfully navigate the job market (outside Chevron).  Both of those services are paid for and provided by Chevron...not bad.

One thing that has very quickly become the highlight of every week for me, especially with the current circumstances, is coaching Skyler's soccer team, the Green Gators.  It has been so much more fun than I expected.  It's awesome to watch the kids get better and better each week,  We've now played 4 games and have 6 to go.  Our first two games, we tied.  Our last two games, we've won!  So we are undefeated after 4 games: 2-0-2.  I would not have expected this based on my significant lack of knowledge of soccer.  In that sense, this has been a good learning experience for me as well as the kids.  I think some of them know a lot more that I do about the sport.  Some of them are just flat-out studs/studettes!

Thanks to my friend, I was able to take in one last Dodger game this year last night.  Of course the Dodgers lost 7-5, but what happened in the game did not compare to my experience in my seat.  For the first time ever, in about 25 years of going to Dodger games, I caught a game ball!  We had pretty good seats on the Loge (second) level about seven rows behind third base.  The ball initially landed two rows and one section past me, but took a hop or two off a chair and/or fan who didn't know how to catch.  All this while my friend was up getting a drink or hitting the restroom...but, oh well.