Lazy Saturday

Not a whole lot going on today. There were things I was going to do today, but I can not remember what they are at the moment.

But here are some things of great importance I managed to get done this week!!

1. Cornelius went to the vet for his cat shots. Unlike Fat Fred, Cornelius is not fat. Cornelius is here now. If I get anywhere near my bed, Cornelius shows up. But if I am in ANY other room Cornelius runs off if I try to capture him. I think he is bi-polar or something.

2. TRUCK LIGHTS FIXED! I got some extra reverse lights for the truck. I first wired them directly to the reverse lights (on a 2002 Toyota Tacoma this is the RED wire with a BLACK stripe). This overloaded a circuit and popped a 10A fuse. So I got myself a relay! A relay uses low current to open a switch, which then allows higher current (or a higher or lower voltage) to pass through. I ran a 12v hot lead directly from the battery to the back of the truck. This lead is connected to the "12V in" part of the relay. The "12V out" is wired to the extra lights. The "switch input" on the relay is connected to the reverse light circuit. Finally the ground is connected to the truck frame.

Now when I shift into reverse, a very low current (less than 100 mA) runs to the relay through the factory wires. This current opens the switch, which allows current direct from the battery to flow into the extra lights. A fuse at the battery and another at the lights prevents any possible fires or other bad stuff. The current required to activate the relay is so low that it does not place any extra strain on the reverse light circuit.

So now I have 110 watts of halogen lights when in reverse! It is like headlights in the back of the truck. Well not exactly headlights, more like fog lights. But it is a hell of a lot brighter. No more running into stuff in reverse!

3. Begin the quest to seek out a job. It seems that the State of Florida requires one to seek a job while on unemployment. I can fully understand this. Of course I HAVE been seeking a job - but not in the eyes of the State. All the running around I have done so far does not count. I have to apply to at least two jobs every week, and take whatever is offered to me.

So here it is. My former job was VERY specialized. Pretty much there is only ONE place in the USA where that job exists, and that was where I was working. The closest similar job would be with the United Nations in NYC, the Office Of Foreign Missions in DC or somewhere else in the world, or the US State Department. The State Department is out because I was never a federal agent. OFM will be hard to break into because I really do not have the right degree. The UN would be cool - but it is in New York. I can not afford to move to New York. Cost of living in Miami is high, but NYC is even higher!

I tried to explain this to the nice lady who called, but it seems that the State either does not understand or does not care.

But no problem! Rules are rules. Policy is policy. Screaming at the brick wall gets you nowhere. So if Florida wants me to apply to at least two jobs every week I can do this. After all, it is not a whole lot to ask.

So I updated my resume. It is a great resume! I included many details from my last job, and of course added in my teaching experience.

So now I have a very specialized resume. Everything on it is true, and I did not leave anything out. It is not padded, as most resumes are. But it is not exactly the sort of thing an employer for a low level job will be looking for.