Ten month update

Another long hiatus from the blog.  I apologize for that.  The job search has been rough.  I've been searching for a job, on average, about two to five hours a day.  I've been in contact with no less than five recruitment agencies and at least three independent recruiters not affiliated with an agency.  I've had three interviews.  Three.  That is downright depressing.  I don't know if its my resume (all recruiters I've spoken with about it said there's nothing wrong with it) or if they do a google search and find this fine blog and it somehow has pissed them off but either way I'm living in a state with an unemployment rate that's well below the national average and I can't seem to get an interview, let alone a job.  That has an impact on a person, from a self-respect and self-esteem point of view.  I've been fighting depression on and off the entire time.  My unemployment benefits end soon.  I think.  I got a weird message after my last call in then a letter with 'details about my case' that looks identical to the letter I got when I first signed up.  No explanation as to why I was receiving it.  *sigh*  Yet more frustrations in an already high stress and frustrating situation.

On the other hand, I have been doing a lot of volunteering for Pack N Pounce, helping friends and neighbors with various things and generally keeping busy.  At night, I've been writing.  I scrapped the web comic idea because it was way too time consuming with very little hope of a return on the investment.  I've successfully completed a novel of over 88,000 words and edited it and polished it.  I've started searching for an agent and I got my first rejection letter.  If J K Rowling got seven before successfully selling one of the best selling series of all time, then I figure I've got about 69 more to go at best.  I'm trying to keep my spirits up and my family has been helping me with that.

This past year has shown me how important family is.  I've been blessed with great parents, a wonderful wife and four awesome children.  I get along quite well with my in-laws who are great people.  As I mentioned earlier, I get along very well with Rick and Brenda and their kids (who are adults and the only family that's local).  My siblings and their families have been great.  I cannot express the gratitude I feel to all of these people for all the support they've given me during this tough time.  I love you all.

This is probably going to be my last post for some time.  I'm starting a blog about the background for the world setting that my novel (and several short stories) are set in.  It may help sell the book and even if it doesn't, it'll be great to have it all written out for me to refer to in my writing.