Back To The Grind

Oh hi Joe!

Well, I guess we’re all back to the grind, I’m not sure if I’m going to tell you about the week or tell you some stories…let’s find out.

Everyone was back to work, as it were. Monday everyone had cleared out for work by 8. I started attending online Zoom meetings sponsored by the church employment office for job seekers. There are some nice people in there, all looking for work. I guess the disheartening thing is that they are all men, about my age. I attended every morning this week, I’m not sure if I plan to attend every day or not, but for structure and morale I plan to, at least for as long as it’s helpful I will. Also Monday I finally got a note back from that job I interviewed for. It wasn’t great news, but neither was it terrible news. My contact there said that December was busy and that they had gone through some management changes, so they were putting off hiring for that position for a few more weeks. I worry that I’m counting on that job too much, but as I was thinking, I’ve e probably gotten more jobs by persistence than anything else. My first agency job, my Olympics job, the job after that, my last job…so I think I’ll keep being persistent. Come to think of it, being persistent is how I got your mom to agree to marry me too.

Tuesday through Friday were about the same thing. I spent several hours each day searching for jobs, applying for half a dozen or so, I wrote my 30 second elevator pitch. I networked with several people from my past and asked a few for LinkedIn recommendations. Here one from my boss at my last job that hired me. 

I must express that his words were kind, and also bolstering. In life sometimes setbacks can lead to you feeling discouraged, you feel like you are less than you are. And as a read his recommendation it helped me remember what I’m capable of, what I’ve done professionally. I’m really grateful for his message.

It’s gotten colder this week, it feels like winter for the first time this year. It’s dusted snow, but nothing substantial. Looks like the mountains are doing pretty good for snow so far this year. Several of my Dallas friends posted that they got some snow, did you get any of that?

Mom has started her school law class. She was fairly nervous about it the night before her class, but in the most mom way, by the time she got home she was super into it. Your mom is such an amazing person. Jacob has been working on his last semester at Ensign college and is busy working on transferring to the U. He also was pretty nervous about that but has since worked through it and is feeling better about things. Often he comes home from work and tells me the predicaments his immigrant co workers are in. I’m sure many of the people you teach are in similar situations and our incoming presidents promises are making those situations worse. Jacob has a protective side to him, so he feels for them. A few months ago I contacted my old young men’s president. He was an immigration lawyer for the church’s big law firm. I asked him if he’d meet with Jake to talk about that a little bit. I know I know, I just want Jacob to be a lawyer so I can brag about him (Jake’s words, not mine). I don’t want to push you guys into anything, but I also can’t sit back and watch you sell yourselves short. So this week Jacob finally talked to my friend. He came back encouraged and at least willing to think about law school. He also got a little advice to give his friends at work.

Thursday and Friday nights your brothers and I watched the college football playoff games. It will be Notre Dame against Ohio State in the national championship game.

Saturday mom and I went to the Home show because she got free tickets. I must say being unemployed takes all the pressure off having those sales people in your face. I don’t have to lie when I say I’m not interested. The two things we were mostly looking at were pergolas for the back yard and permanent lights for the house. It seems to me the price of the pergolas are going way way up but the price of the permanent lights are coming down. Maybe someday. After coming home I finished painting the west wall of our bedroom. Only the south wall left and the last 1/4th of the ceiling. I never want to paint a room full of furniture again. Now that I’ve finished that wall, I can move the bed over there and use the medium sized ladder to reach.

As you know from the updates, we went to the Utes game after. I must say that the Utes looked much better, both offensively and defensively. Gabe Madsen is still not up to his pre season standard, hopefully he’ll get back to that. Apparently, OSU is supposed to have a fairly decent team, so maybe there’s hope for our Utes. Also, byu lost to Baylor, so in all of their superiority, the have the same conference record as the Utes, 1-3. They come to the Huntsman center next Saturday. It might be a game.

Today was church. I’m really enjoying late church. I sleep in till eight, go downstairs and build my models and play music for a couple of hours (it’s nice to be in my office without the pressure of the job search), come up to shower and get ready, then off to church. No stress. Today Ben gave the lesson in elders quorum. Man Joe, your brother did a great job. I felt the Spirit and I learned something. I felt comfort and purpose in my trial. I told mom afterwards that he’s going to be the type of professor the students will seek out. I am so proud of my boys—yes, that most certainly includes you.

Upcoming for this week besides the normal uncle Aaron and I might go for a drive around the Great Salt Lake. I’ll send pictures If we do.

Well, Joe, here’s your dad running out of stuff to say. It occurred to me that come this summer I might be including Jacob on these letters as he’ll be in Boston doing summer sales. Then come fall, I’ll add Ben because he’ll most likely be far away at school.

Lyity 

Pops