Monday Mix Up

So I get back from the gym and find the Ric Ocasek, the lead singer for the Cars has died. Eddie Money died on Friday. Guess it is sure sign that you are getting old when the artists from your teens and 20’s start dying. The scarily ironic thing is I saw an article about a week ago talking about how we were going to start losing a lot of music legends in the next decade and ran through a list of artists in the 70’s and above.

I don’t think you would consider Eddie Money a legend but he had several hit songs. Kind of just straight forward rock/pop which is really what I listened to back in the day. The Cars were certainly a much more influential band. They’re in the rock hall of fame if that means anything. More of a blend of rock with some new wave influences. Their first album was kind of a “must have” in my circles.

That is kind of the weird thing about music. Some stuff doesn’t age well but there are other songs you can put on and it is just like going back in time. Still sounds great. And you start thinking it wasn’t that long ago and you foolishly look it up and find out that the song is almost 40 years old. Where does that time go.

I read a lot of other blogs. Well maybe not a lot but several. Many are written by people much younger than I am. And this is not to make light of any problems they are describing because we all face struggles in life and those struggles are real. But I also hate to see people who are so young and so unhappy. It is a cliche but life is too freaking short and you need to enjoy as much of it as you can. Especially when you are young because there is so much still ahead of you and so many paths you can still explore.

Now I should move on so I don’t sound like some sad old time wishing he was young again.

I’ve been doing a lot of core stuff. Actually, a lot of obliques. Which I really didn’t know were a thing before I started working with a trainer. I do notice that most of the machines are geared for upper body and you see the guys with weights and that seems to be their main goal as well. I figure that most movement in dance comes from the core and so it makes sense to strengthen that.

There was a guy in the gym moaning about a football game over the weekend. This won’t mean anything if you don’t follow American football but he’s a Viking fan and they lost yesterday. According to him, they outplayed the Packers and should have won but their QB is one of the worst in the league. I know this because he told at least five people this. He’d do a couple of sets at something and then walk around until he found someone he knew and then launch into the football story again. For some people, I guess the gym is more social. Just a typical extrovert working the room.

So we are approaching the end of the free time that the company bought for me with my “career coach”. I don’t know whether she’ll consider me a success or a failure since I don’t have a job but, then again, I’m pretty convinced I don’t want one. Anyway, since I still have a little time left, I’m going to work with her to bring my LinkedIN profile up to their standards.

Technically, you aren’t supposed to say that you are looking for work and your employment history shouldn’t make it obvious that you are out of work. I don’t know why. If recruiters are really going to mentally cross you off a list because you are currently without a job, then this is just another problem with the whole job search thing.

They tell you that you can still list your current job which sounds like lying. Then they said if you are squeamish about doing this, then you could bury something in the fine print to point out that you no longer work there. Guess the recruiters just have a bunch of quick check boxes so they aren’t going to be doing a deep dive into your profile so they won’t catch it.

Since I’ve done a few things for my wife, I’ve decided to use her company and list myself as a “freelance consultant”. I cleared it with her and she just laughed.

The biggest problem is that they are going to want a photo. Seems like recruiters will just pass you by if you don’t have one. And it also seems like they are going to be judging you based on the photo. If you want a serious, senior level position, then you have to have that serious, senior level look. You know, the head and shoulders shot where you gaze out over one of your shoulders which is a position nobody takes naturally but I guess it oozes sincerity and seriousness.

I don’t have a photo right now because I hate having my picture taken. Its just a thing I guess. Now if I think about random recruiters judging me based on how I look, it just adds another reason why I don’t want to go back into the workforce. Anyway, I know she’ll suggest it so I’ll probably have to buckle and add one.

OK, I should stop my rambling here. Time to go find other things to do.