DISPATCHES FROM THE GHOST MOOSE

I had tried to find an illustrator for my long awaited book, and it lost steam.  Maybe it's me, but when someone says they will send samples and we'd move ahead....silly me, I waited for samples.  But I will get back to it tomorrow. job search activity slow.  no matter what you read, the job market sucks.  or maybe for 60 yr old, non technical professionals, it sucks.  but, tomorrow is another day.  And a good day it shall be.  No doubt the best day of my life. However...today I played golf with a friend and his son. I couldn't have done that if I was working and we had a great time.  And planning to do it next week.  so even if I had a job offer, I couldn't start next week because I have to golf on Wednesday.  Probably the week after, too. and so, I need to finish up.  The new season of The Ultimate Fighter starts tonight.  That show is as stale as Survivor, but I will keep watching both. I was thinking today it won't ...

What a hot day today was.  We teed off at 6:50.  It was so foggy early on we could not see 50 yards ahead until the fog burned off on the 5th hole.  Then it got hot.  very hot.  I sweat a lot...ask anyone that ever played basketball with me.  and today my shirt was soaked through.  But at least I felt like I had done something, which was not true since all I really did was play a very shitty round of golf.  My hands were so sweaty I couldn't swing the club without almost losing it.  but it was still better than playing in the cold or the rain.  soon the leaves will be falling and that makes it tough to find your ball on the course. On Friday, I went downtown to have lunch with a former coworker, check in with my friend in the old building and then meet up with a group of former co-workers.  So sad that many are leaving or have left.  But that is how business is now...no loyalty on either side, no security.  I was at the ...

This is the end of the 3rd week of semi-retirement/semi-unemployment.  I would rather be busy, but I can't hire myself.  I am doing the usual early morning job search before I head to the health club.   I had an interview yesterday....as always, it seemed to go well, but when the phone doesn't ring, I will know it's them not calling.  so, I will keep scratching the dirt until I find a shiny rock. heading downtown today to meet up with some former colleagues.  A number of them have left or are leaving the company.  Life sure does go on.  Three weeks separated from my old company....I feel like wilson the volley ball (or was he a soccer ball?) (update - Wilson was a volleyball)  from Castaway.  Wilson fell off the raft into the water and Tom Hanks was unable to get to him (it) because his tether was not long enough.  And so wilson floated away, and Tom Hanks was rescued without wilson.  and so I am floating ever farther away fr...

Today I start my 61st yr on this planet.  Hopefully the 61st year will be better than the 60th, but time will tell.  My drivers license expired today.  So this morning, I looked up the addresses of the Secretary of State offices I could go to.  I decided to go to one in Elk Grove since the one in Schaumburg is always crowded.  So, at 8am I head to Elk Grove, and when I get there, I ask if I can renew my license.  Of course, they only renew commercial licenses there.  So, I  head to the Schaumburg office, stand in line to be told what line to stand in.  The woman asks if my address had changed, which it did.  She tells me I need a utility bill or bank statement to verify, and of course I did not have one.  I told her to use the old address and she said she couldn't.  So, I headed home to get the documents, and drove back to the place where I stood in a number of lines, waited for my number to be called, and got out of the plac...

I just made a pork loin in the smoker and it is good beyond description.  Maybe I should open up a food truck specializing in smoked meats.  I remember seeing a show on the Food Channel about the people who have food trucks and they say they work 16 hrs a day, but really love it.  Not a chance I would do something like that.  I bet they are just saying that to keep themselves from suicide when they realize how under water they are and they have to keep working 16 hr days to pay the bills.  but maybe if I had a squad of food trucks.... When I was at the liquor store the other day, I asked my friend where another person I frequently bother   I talk to  was at...I hadn't seen him in awhile and thought he may have moved on.  She told me his girlfriend had passed away, and had been off.   I stopped in there today to talk to him.  He was strong, but still getting his arms around it all.  Those times when real life smacks one i...

I haven't written for a few days.  and it's not like I had too much to do.  My friend at the wine store asks me how retirement is treating me.  and if I look at the time off as retirement, it is somewhat nice, although I would rather be busy working. I have a call this morning with the outplacement service I was provided, so there is a step in the right direction.  Although no amount of outplacement service will change the fact that I will be 60 yrs old in a week.  but we shall see. on Sunday, I saw my niece in a play, and she was very good.  She must be a good actress because I saw the character, and not my niece up there on stage.  That was the second play I had seen her in, and both were very well done. and on Saturday, my friend and I golfed at a course that we like.  It is about an hour away, so we usually play it once a year.   but, nice to play a new course for a change.  I wish I had some analogy to liken playing a new...

I am watching the Bears preseason game.   To say watching paint dry would be more exciting is an understatement. But, it is raining, and I am too lazy to do anything else.  There was a Chris Elliot clip where his dad says he would rather watch drying varnish, to which Chris says "Drying Varneesh is his favorite Dutch painter".  I couldn't find that clip, but a Chris Elliot clip is below.  He was the best, especially on the old Letterman shows.  .I was too tired to work out much.  I believe lifting weights 3 days in a row was a bit much.  wow...what an accommodation to old age...I used to play basketball every day.   Now 3 days of light exercise is too much.  eek.  and....I think I figured out this diet thing.  On Saturday I bought a bag of cheese pretzels and a bag of chips, just in case anyone stopped by to watch the fights.  No one did, and I ate both bags.  Today I bought a bag of chile cheese frito...

at least I think it's Wednesday....we retired folks don't keep track so well. I saw my friend who works at the wine store today.   on Monday, we were talking about a situation she was in the middle of, and she teared up in the middle of the store as she described the challenges she had.  and we finished our conversation, all was better.  and today when I stopped for wine (because red wine is good for the heart) she lectured me on enjoying each day of my semi-retirement until I get a job.  and also to be open to meeting someone.  so, the shoe was on the other foot today.  I however, did not break down and cry in the red wine aisle.  People are interesting, I must say.  and yes...she is aware of my best day ever approach.  she just has not embraced the concept.  Now I know how Jim Jones felt. I have been to the health club the last 3 days, trying to ramp things up a bit.  I get a nod from some of the regulars...probably they ...

My first day of unemployment.  I filed for unemployment on Saturday.  and I slept on the couch most of the day after falling asleep watching food shows  worked very hard on finding a new job today.  I have had at least 5 in person interviews in the past few months, and none of them warranted as much as a rejection email from the company I interviewed at.  .  Each of the places I interviewed with was obviously dysfunctional, so I am glad none of them did call me with an offer.  but such is life.  as my boatmate in Canada said, at my age, I am being interviewed so the company can check a box on the government survey.  There is no professional courtesy anymore.  Take time off work, put on a suit, listen to the lies they tell you.. then they don't communicate.  sad, and I hope those recruiters get the same lack of professionalism when they interview for jobs. Most of you have worked at shithole companies before, so you know this....yo...

a Sunday...but not really since I don't have a job to go to tomorrow.  maybe I should start looking for a job.  Things are a bit different this time - with only me to worry about, there is no feeling of urgency.  I have a follow up doctor appointment for my knee tomorrow.  Since I have been golfing for 4 weeks, I assume the surgery was a success.  I would probably know if it wasn't.  but now I have that pesky vicodin addiction.  (just kidding).  I had a very rare pleasure today - I met the child of my child.  It didn't really hit me before that I am now a grandfather.  but I am.  and it really does feel good.  I hadn't held such a small baby in a long time.  I guess you don't forget how, but I was a bit nervous. But she seemed to like me, and I did let her know I plan to spoil her from now on.  and....I played golf with my golf buds this morning.  The tee times are getting later - at 638, I think we were seco...

August....not to be a Debbie Downer, but in the month of August, we lose 45 minutes of daylight.  and that means later tee times.  but since my week in the wilderness, I am not as motivated to golf.  something about being all by ones self...alone...just you...away from it all..that puts it all in perspective.....now I know what Matt Damon felt like when he faked  being on Mars for 7 years in  The Martian or what Tom Hanks felt like when he faked being on an island for 4 years in Castaway.  of course, when I hit 5 shots in the woods Sunday, it will feel like I am back in Canada. Since I am done at work Friday, I am tying up loose ends before I leave.  I was talking to a coworker in the Chicago office we support and she gave me a card signed by the team thanking me for my efforts.  So unexpected and so wonderful.  I took the card to my desk and read the messages.  It really made my day, my week, my month.  Getting that card validate...