Finally, some peace

Work has been a bit hectic the last few months because I was in what they call the "on-boarding" phase, or the training cycle. I was following people around, learning their jobs and entirely dependent on their schedules. Some worked 1st shift, others 2nd, and one guy worked 3rd. I haven't been able to settle into a routine, and most importantly, I haven't been in control of my own time. As of this last Monday, I started my own shift (2nd shift), and I am free to spend my time as I see fit.

So, now that I have a steady schedule and am now in control of my own time, what lies in my future? First off, I intend to enroll in classes at Univeristy of Texas at Arlington in the Fall (which starts in August) and take my first steps toward completing an Electrical Engineering degree. Second, I intend to update my blog a bit more regularly (like I used to). Third, I am going to write my book and post it on Authonomy, a site recommended by friend Captain Joe. I'll keep you posted on my progress, and hope to have something readable by my birthday (August).

Cheers, people, and best wishes!

-Sailor Matt

Firefly, etc.

I've owned the TV series Firefly for well over a year now, having purchased it with a Target gift card I received for Christmas in 2007, and until now I still hadn't watched it. I knew all the chatter- I heard all about how it's one of the greatest science fiction television shows ever created, but still I procrastinated (take note, Mr. Logan). One major issue is that I don't like to just throw on a show in the afternoon. I need to set the mood, to create an experience out of it. It's almost like I'm taking the show out on a date. There usually needs to be food, hopefully a desert included, and preferably some alcohol as well (I love my craft beers). If I don't take the time to make this viewing an actual 'event', I feel like I'm just turning it on because I have nothing else to do, which makes me feel like I'm wasting my time, which I utterly hate. HATE. HATE!

So, I never got around to watching Firefly, specifically because my prime TV-watching time is in the evening with my wife, and she would never ever ever want to watch a silly sci-fi show like Firefly (she actually tells me this)- although, for some reason, she enjoys Heroes and Lost. Go figure. An interesting thing, though... her cousin told her a while back that she thinks she'd probably like the show because it's not your typical sci-fi/Star Trek-ish kind of stuff. So, my wife finally agrees to watch Firefly with me. Additionally, this coincides with our 'pizza night', which is an extra, doubley awesome bonus! You see, every Saturday night the wife and I spend time together making a homemade pizza, and since nothing good is ever on TV on Saturday evenings, we usually watch TV series DVD's: We've seen the first two seasons of Rome (which are phenomenal) and the first two seasons of Eureka, and now we're watching Firefly. Somebody pinch me, I think I'm dreaming!

Sadly, we're creeping up on the end of Firefly, with only two episodes left. We usually catch two episodes a night, so we've got next week covered. Then we have the movie Serenity, which will cover the week after that. Which TV series will the wife and I pick up next? We both really like Big Love, so that may be a possibility, and her brother definitely recommends Deadwood, so we might try that. True Blood is definitely on the list, but I'm not sure if season one is out yet...

Anyway, there you have it- another little glipse into my quaint life. Take care, friends!

-Sailor Matt

What have you been up to lately?

The days have been all sorts of busy, friends. Two weeks ago I worked 2nd shift, and last week I switched to days. I worked yesterday (Saturday) afternoon, and I go in again tonight (Sunday) at 9:00. I work 3rd shift all next week, then back to days for a week after that, then I start my permanent shift assisnment on 2nd shift. So that's that.

I've decided to take three college classes in August: Calculus I, Spanish I and Physics I. In order to keep up with the course load while going to school full time, it's important that I pick up with my calculus and spanish self-study plan, which fell by the wayside a few weeks ago. So, I shall continue the self-study plan with renewed vigor.

My writing has been neglected, but I'm hoping that after my training cycle at work comes to an end next month, I'll have more time to refocus my efforts in that arena.

I plan for this week to be a flurry of productivity, bringing all of my programs back online, so to speak. The frustrating part of the last month has been the training cycle at work: most of my time was spent inefficiently waiting for someone else, so I could see how they do their job.

On a different note, I figured I'd share with you guys the most delicious treat of all time. Behold:

They're like three bucks a box, but eating one is an amazing experience. Try one today!

Cheers!

-Sailor Matt

*Crawls out from under rock*

Hey guys! Where've ya been?

See, that's how I try to make it sound like it's not MY fault that this blog hasn't been updated in a while...

So, now that you're back, here's what you've been missing:

My new place of employment runs a very hectic schedule! Trying to learn everything I need to know is like drinking from a fire hose! The first two months of my employment is strictly an "onboarding" process, where I meet with each element of the business operation and learn a bit about their job. I won't actually be taking on my maintenance manager role until sometime in April. Allow me to illustrate:

Despite the hectic life of this "company man," however, I have recently gained a renewed inspiration to complete my writing project, and will hopefully be able to share something with you guys in a few months.

In the mean time, I've only this to say:

"Roaaarrrrrr!"

-Sailor Matt

Why hello, how are you?

Heya folks! I just wanted to let y'all know that I'm still alive, and doing good. The new job's great, although the learning curve is pretty steep! Additionally, I have some family in town this week, so the schedule's been doubly hectic. I'll post again soon (prolly this weekend) about various things, and look forward to catching up on each of your blogs, where relevent.

Toodles!

-Sailor Matt

My New Job

The job hunt for me has been a very painful process. I've been unemployed the last three months, and the strain on our finances has been stressful. When I got out of the Navy in November, I anticipated a little lag in the job market due to the upcoming holidays, but the economic crash reared its ugly head and dropped a wet blanket on my job-hunting party. Sure, I could have stayed in the Navy until things got better, but that would have required a minimum of a 1-year commitment, and along with that the fear of being sent to Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, or elsewhere. Additionally, I had hit the 10 year mark, half way through a military career. It was time to either get out, or stay in and make it a career. Anything else would just be spinning wheels. In fact, my wife and I felt like we'd been spinning our wheels for the last two years, just working and waiting for the day I got out.

So, our lives are no longer on hold. It's time for us to make a fast and furious break into the civilian world! Getting a job wouldn't be difficult, I thought. I've got ten years experience in electronics maintenance, operations management, leadership, Lean Six Sigma (process improvement stuff), project management (almost have my PMP cert), quality assurance inspection and management, and an MBA/Technology Management degree. I've managed the 24-hour operations of a calibration lab at sea- 21 technicians across two shifts, 12 hours each, seven days a week. Finding a civilian job should be a piece of cake!

Wrong. Frightfully wrong. I've been on a handful of interviews, and was offered one job that paid 30% less than I was making in the Navy. I turned down that offer, but was fearful that maybe I'd just passed up the only opportunity I was going to find in this economy. It had been two months by then, and my reserve stash of cash was running low. Painfully low.

Then an opportunity opened up with a snack food manufacturing company. They needed a maintenance manager, and I needed a job, so it was a good fit. I breezed through the first interview, and was invited to a second interview at the plant. They gave me (and two other candidates) a tour of the plant, and we got to sample a variety of snack chips right off the line, still warm. Delicious! Then I sat through a series of 4 interview panels, each with two interviewers. I interviewed with 8 people within two hours, and was experiencing complete mental and emotional exhaustion by the end of the process.

A week later, I was offered the job. They offered great insurance benefits, full pension plan, 401k with matching contributions, 8% annual bonus and a salary 10% above what I was making in the Navy. Unbelievable. I nearly cried. So many people are out of work... I easily could have been one of thousands waiting in line at the unemployment office, desperately looking for something, anything, that would allow me to make my rent payment this month. I am so blessed, and yet I think of those two other candidates who still need to find work...

I start work this upcoming Monday, and I'm uber excited. The last three months I've been waking up at 6:00 AM every day eager to do something, anything. I've been itching to get back to work, to be productive. Finally my wife and I can move forward in our lives. Additionally, I get to cross something off this year's list.

This picture should clue you in on a few details I've omitted. For privacy reasons, I've left out any searchable words that could prove problematic. I doubt I've written anything in these blogs that would prove harmful to my character, but employers can be fickle fairies sometimes. Anyway, they sent me some pretty cool swag:

Best of luck to each of you on your own career journeys!

-Sailor Matt

Look mom, I did my homework!

OK, the title to this post is a little silly. My mom has never in my life asked me if I'd finished my homework. But look! I have something to show you:

It's math homework! Well, it's not really homework, because that implies that someone assigned it to me, but it IS a collection of completed problems from lesson 1.1 in the Calculus book I borrowed from the library. It was long and tedious, but I'm very proud of myself for having completed it.

My current routine when I wake up every morning is as follows: read two chapters from the Bible, study one Spanish lesson from my 30-day spanish book, read one chapter from my electronics book, and complete one lesson from my Calculus textbook.

At bedtime, I read another two chapters from the bible (they're short), and I read a bit from whatever fiction book I'm running through (currently, The Subtle Knife).

I start taking college classes toward my Electrical Engineering degree in August, and I want to be prepared (I plan to take Calculus I, Physics I and Spanish I). Why am I studying the stuff now when I could just wait to learn it all during class? Reason being, I will be working full time while taking three classes, and I don't know how well I'll be able to keep up. It's my first time sitting down in a college classroom (despite having two degrees), and I fear taking three classes at once while working 40 hours might be overly ambitious. Then why am I taking so many? Good question. Here's why:

I have 24 months of college benefit (called the Montgomery GI Bill) remaining, part of my military benefit. With this benefit, I would receive a check in the mail every month while going to school. I would use that money to pay for tuition, and may still have a few hundred dollars left over each month. In August, however, this benefit changes significantly. Starting in August, the government will pay 100% of my tuition straight to the school, they will send me $1000 a year to pay for books, supplies, etc., and, if I'm going to school more than half-time, they will send me $2,000 A MONTH as a living expense stipend. That's incredible! To qualify, I have to take at least 9 credits, or three classes. How long is a semester? 4 months? That's $8,000 in my pocket... well, to put down on debt, anyway. SO... pre-learning Calculus and Spanish will help with the transition to a bricks 'n mortar college experience.

Wish me luck!

-Sailor Matt