Deja Vu All Over Again.

Well it didn't take long to land myself my first job here in America, I only had my work permit for four business days before being hired at a woodworking factory. I honestly thought it should have been a shorter time frame before finding a job but as I look back at it now, I think this was meant to be, let me explain.

After getting my permit on Friday I applied for a few jobs online that same night and then went out and bought all the major papers on Sunday. I scrolled through all the jobs and found what I thought would be a perfect fit for me, a metal shop looking for CNC and other machine operators. So I head down to the place on Monday morning and ask to apply for the position of CNC operator, thinking that my many years of experience on these machines would be a definite asset. I fill out a huge application and hand in my resume to the receptionist and she asks me to wait in the lobby. The next thing I know I'm getting a tour of the plant and being told the company policies, strategies, what they make and how they run things. They must have had about 30 CNC's in their shop with most of them standing still. Apparently they have work to keep all the machines going at once but nobody to stand there and run them. Oh man that's got to be good news for me. After my tour was finished and we talked a bit more I was introduced to the plant manager, the one man who stands between the actual owner and everybody else. This guy had his receding hairline slicked back, the top two buttons of his shirt were undone to reveal his gold chain and to tell the truth, he looked more like a guy I'd buy a used car off of rather than run a factory. So this guy starts "laying down the law" with me about how things are run, what he expects of employees, what employees should expect of him and that sort of stuff. The meeting went very well and he said he would talk things over with the first guy I met and get back to me later. From the time I went in to apply to the time I left was almost two hours! I was very confident I was going to get this job and it fit very nice. It was dayshift, close to home, running machines I like and am familiar with, and the starting wage was satisfactory.

After Wednesday went by and I didn't hear back from them I was disappointed. I had even sent off a letter to them thanking them for the interview and tour and told them I was excited and looking forward to hearing back from them. But for some reason, it was never meant to be.

This totally reminded me of my last job. I remember back almost eight years ago when I was applying for work and that there was always this one ad that showed up in every paper. The problem was that it was 45 minutes away so I always just pushed it to the back burner. Well one day, just like what happened here recently, I found a job that was close to home, paying well, and my interview included a tour of the company. I was very excited about landing this job but for some reason, that job too fell through. So out of pure frustration I said to myself "the hell with it" and I headed out to Cloverdale and applied for that dumb job that was always sitting in the help wanted ads. I remember walking up the stairs and asking the receptionist if I could apply for the general laborer position. She asked me to hold on a second and after a short wait a guy with a receding hairline and unbuttoned shirt came up to me and asked if I ever had any back problems. I told him that no I didn't and that I was available to start right away. That was all that was said, nothing else. By the time I got home this guy had returned my call and left a message on my machine to start the next day at 8:00AM. It turned out to be an alright job I guess, I went from a general laborer in 1996 and by the time I quit to move to the states I had been there almost seven years, the last four as a shift supervisor. :)

Man, this is getting long eh? Anyway, I see the similarities happening here and it's almost carbon copy. Again, I thought I had landed the perfect job that was close to home and well paying but ended up not getting it. Again, I decided to say "the hell with it" and I went and applied for a job that has been in and out of the papers since I arrived in the USA at the beginning of August. In fact, Julie's cousin owns a metal work shop right next door and was leary of me applying there, he didn't think the pay would have been good enough and the turn over rate seemed high. Oh well, after waiting for a work permit for over three months I just want to work dammit!.

So I go to the company and apply for a job as a machine operator. There are about 12 other people there applying as well. As I'm filling out the application I watch as each applicant is being told that all they are doing is accepting applications for now and that they will go through them over the next few weeks. However, when it came to my turn they dragged my directly into the owners office. Cool. The owner's name was Bruce and he talked about his company for a little while and asked what type of machines I used to run, what my position was before, and little about my work history. He then started talking about company policies regarding calling in sick, slacking off, raises and stuff and to tell the truth, I was starting to tune the guy out because I thought to myself the last thing I need is to hear a shit load of policies for a company I'm not even working for again. Except this time he stopped and said to me that he was going to start me at such-and-such wage per hour and when could I start? Huh? Say what?

Hired right on the spot, imagine that. The wage was exactly the same as the other job, this job was actually CLOSER to home being a whole 11 minutes away, it's dayshift with overtime available, and it's in woodworking instead of metal work. What the hell just happened here??

Oh well, I just hope that this job will turn out to be as successful as my last job. This is definitely one time I hope history repeats itself.

A Sigh of Relief and A Breath of Fresh Air.

Today was a big day, I finally got my work permit from INS! After jumping through hoop after hoop for the past three months the American government is allowing me to work. It's been one hell of a confusing process and I feel so a sense of relief now that it's over. The daily frustration of seeing all kinds of good jobs in the papers and online and not being able to apply for them was really starting to build up, especially since the holidays are coming. It would have been different if I was able to work from April to July, those are not traditionally expensive months. But when you start coming near the end of the year not being able to work hits harder than at any other time of year. Yeah yeah I know, I know. Everybody has been telling me not too worry because everybody understands my situation and they realize that my hands are tied but still, it's just a terrible feeling to have when you're used to having a check every two weeks for the past 7 years. I hate being unemployed. I mean I HATE it.

I think I was "lucky" enough to have gone through a stretch of unemployment at a very young age. There was a time when I was 18 or 19 years old and I couldn't find full time work. I was in one of those catch 22's that young people face when applying for work, everybody was looking for experienced workers, but how do you gain experience if nobody will hire you?

I'm lucky as hell to not have to be in that situation again, I have 7 solid years of experience all at the same company. I also started at an entry level position and by the time I quit my job to move to the USA I already had 4 years supervisor experience under my belt. The opportunity to prove myself is all I needed, and I thank my former employer for providing me with that chance.

So anyway, I met quite an amazing woman today while I was down at the INS office. After all the paper work was done and I was waiting for my picture I.D. to be handed me I had this mid 30's black lady approach me. She says she saw my passport and noticed I was from Canada, and was curious as to what part of Canada I am from. When I told her I was originally from Vancouver she replied, "Ahh yes, a Canucks fan huh?"

Say what?

Apparently she is a HUGE hockey fan and has been following hockey for a long, long time. This lady just wouldn't stop talking about hockey and even told me that her husband once said to her (and she imitated him in his thick accent), "Hey woman, you be growing up in Jamaica where it's 92 degrees in da shade, whatchu gonna know about hoc-kay?"

You had to be there.

So she continues to spew as much hockey knowledge out as fast as she can, as if it's been building up while living in a country that doesn't follow hockey (I know the feeling). She tells me she loves the New York Rangers and that Mark Messier is her favorite player. Ok so she isn't perfect, but whatever. She also goes on to say that she really likes following the Canadian teams because they are more authentic to the game and that they play the game "like it's supposed to be played". She went on to say she was disappointed to see the Quebec Nordiques and the Winnipeg Jets move to the states. Whoa! This lady is an old school fan! Her rant continues on with the local coverage of hockey, or the lack there of. She told me she has written letters to ESPN complaining about the lack of coverage and pleaded me to do my part in helping America discover hockey. Man, I thought I was nuts! I told her she was a very rare breed and that I thought it was awesome to find such a great hockey fan that shares my frustrations. I also told her that I hated New York because in 1994 they beat my hometown Canucks to win the Stanley Cup. Her response? "Yeah but Trevor Linden played awesome! He's one of my favorites too, and Kirk McLean played very well and almost won the series for Vancouver by himself"

I love this woman. What a breath of fresh air among the smog of NBA, NFL, and NASCAR coverage.

We ended up talking all the way down to the parking lot before going our separate ways. It still blows my mind that I'd find someone who is such a hardcore hockey fan that is not from either Canada or the US, but rather from a country where it's 92 degrees "in da shade man".

My Hometown

Monday morning I have to have Julies car at the shop to get it "winterized" and the rear brakes changed. This is a small little shop that has an awesome reputation. The only problem is that no matter what the job is.... they ask you to drop the car off and pick it up at the end of the day. I made an arrangement with the owners to have me be the first car into the shop so I can stick around and wait. It means getting the car to the shop by 7AM but I'd rather do that than be stranded all day with no wheels, plus this way we don't need to ask an Aunt/uncle/friend/cousin to give us a ride back to the shop to pick the car up.

I tried out a small little barber shop on the side of route 6 on Thursday. I only had him trim the sides and taper the back. I decided to give the long hair on top another try... Especially with winter winds blowing like crazy here. Price? 8 bucks!! sweeeet ;)

Sure gotta love small town USA. The barber shop had a hand written note in the front window saying something like "If you come here and find the shop closed, please call 555-whatever and leave your name and phone number. I'll call you back within 24 hours to set up a time when we can meet back here for your haircut" lol... say what?

The other day when I took Julies car into the shop the first time (oil change, flat tire), there was a guy dropping off his car just as I was leaving. He must have been in his 70's at least. This guy told the shop owner what he wanted done on his car and then said he needed a ride home. Well the mechanics were swamped with cars so I offered to drive the guy home, it turned out he lived near Julie and I anyway. So as I drove him home he was telling me stories of the area such as how it was like when him and wife first moved here. As we got to his house he said he used to raise horses and other animals but he couldn't maintain them anymore. Also he stated, " I've lived here for over 35 years and my wife and I practically don't know anybody" I stuck out my hand and said, "Well you know somebody now.... my name is Brian, It was a pleasure to meet you". He introduced himself as Leo and thanked me very much for the ride. I drove away thinking of the likelihood something like that happening in Vancouver without getting shot or mugged. :)

It seems everywhere I go now, people are recognizing me. The post office, the gas station, the corner stores etc etc etc. The people here just seem so laid back and willing to be friendly. Sure there are times when I miss the convenience of the big city but I'm really starting to enjoy the type of life a small town has to offer.

Dear America: Advice From A Canadian

Recently the American government released a brand new version of the $20 bill. Now, when I first heard this the first thought that crossed my mind was 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'.

This is my plea to the American decision makers to just stop this... stop this at once! Back in Canada we had the government introduce all these new fancy bills and it does nothing but cause headaches everywhere you go. As if the Canadian currency wasn't mocked enough already because of it's many different colors but then they decided to change the bills altogether. The coins were quick to follow and were shortly being stamped with new designs as well. I have no idea how many different quarters we have in circulation back home but it must be in the dozens.

I don't understand the need for these changes and I see nothing but a big waste of tax payers money and frustration from 'average Joe'. I'm not even going to try and figure out the thought process of the Canadian government but I honestly thought the Americans would know better. Here they have one of histories most recognizable symbols under their control and they go and mess around with it. Seriously, even in the poorest of countries and the most foreign regions of the planet what symbols are you going to find that most people know and understand? The golden arches, coca cola, and to a lesser extent the Nike swoosh are great examples of things that generations of families from all corners of the globe would likely be able to recognize. How about the American dollar? Is this not the one currency that is most recognized in the world? Is this not what other countries use as a guide when doing foreign exchanges, to be used sort of like a measuring stick? Everybody eventually converts everything into American dollars so the value of goods can accurately be calculated. The American dollar is strong, mighty, and represents all that is great and free about the USA and yet, now the government is going to change it? What the hell for?

Let me tell you some of the things that happen when currency is altered... even the slightest. First of all yes, you do generate heart palpitations among the coin trading masses. You know, the kind of people who drive station wagons in order to lug around a copy of every coin ever minted. Very nice son, I'm proud of you and your shiny new nickel now get that crap out of they way, Mom needs to go grocery shopping.

The bad easily out number the good. Before we look into any type of handling problems with this new fancy money you have to realize that the government commissioned some deadbeat artists for design ideas. Guess who gets to foot that bill? That's right, it's us who is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a sketch of an Inuit stickman putting on a puppet show with the skulls of baby seals. Gee, won't that look good on our currency!

One of the ideas behind this money change is to add security features. The problem that occurs though is that when the money is introduced to the people, nobody is sure of what it really looks like so counterfeiters run crazy for the first couple years. How will cashiers and bankers notice the little details that are slightly off when they are seeing all this for the first time? The old money has been around for so long that any inconsistencies can be caught easier and quicker because people are used to handling the currency everyday.

I remember at work once I was really tired and thirsty so I went to the vending machine with my last four quarters. Ah yes, I spot a nice cold can of Five Alive and start plugging in my quarters. One, Two, Three, Four... ku-chunk. The last quarter falls right through and lands in the coin return window. I pick it up and try again to put in the machine. Ku-chunk. This is the night that I found out that the new fancy currency my government has decided to spend millions on is not accepted by the vending machine. So as I'm licking the condensation off the back of the fridge to quench my thirst I think to myself, man this is really stupid. Imagine being stuck on the side of the highway late at night, having to walk miles to a pay phone just to have your one and only quarter fall through the slot? How ridiculous has the Canadian coins gotten over the years, well let me tell you a story.

Shortly after moving to the States my wife and I went to "The Big E". It's an annual fair that has tons of rides, games, and showcases that attract people from miles away. While walking through the games section we stopped to play a bowling game. For two bucks you get six balls to try and roll into holes of different point value. Well the machine doesn't actually accept the two dollars cash, what you need to do (according to the sign) was pay two dollars for a 'token' and the token is used to start the game. We gave the guy our two dollars and he hands me my token. It turns out to be a Canadian loonie. See? Even the traveling circus doesn't put much value into our currency.

I feel sorry for the American public as reports start to pile in about the new currency. I've already heard of counterfeiting rings producing thousands of these bills. The bills are sticking together at the cash machines so randomly, people are getting multiples of $20 more than they should. How is the bank going to prove who got extra and who didn't? Recently when at a casino I heard lots of complaints because the slot machines won't accept the new bills either.

I now hear that there is a new American nickel in circulation. I hope this isn't a trend of things to come but if it is.... Good luck America.

This Makes Me Sick

You know, there are a lot of stupid arrogant people out there in this world and sometimes their stories just make me sick to my stomach. It was because of these people that I shake my head at everyday that I decided to use the phrase "If Only Stupidity Was Painful" at the top of my page.

Ok, we all know the miraculous story of Jessica Lynch by now. You know, the 19 year old female soldier who was captured by Iraqi troops and hospitalized only to be rescued by a group of heroic American soldiers. The media clamped onto this like a bunch of barnacles and wouldn't let go. Jessica turned into an icon for America... a symbol of all that is wonderful about the troops even being there in the first place and I swear CNN started to sound like it was owned by Walt Disney. Sure I have to admit, many brave people risked their lives to rescue Jessica and I am not trying to take away from that at all. What pisses me off is that after all the effort was taken place to get her home safely she snubs the people that helped her.

It was recently reported on the TV news that one of the "main" soldiers that rescued Jessica from that hospital was now infact back in America himself. He was eager to see her again and wanted to arrange a time for them to meet, however, a statement released by her spokesperson said that Jessica was too busy to meet him but hoped to do so in the near future. Too busy?? Too busy to spend 10 minutes with a man who was partly responsible for saving your dumb ass? If it weren't for him she'd be too busy pushing daisies out in the middle of some foreign wasteland and nothing more than a statistic but she has the nerve to say she's too busy??

What really tops all this off is that TV is promoting an upcoming episode of "Dateline" as the first time Jessica talks about what REALLY happened in Iraq. Now, you know damn well that her and her publicists went to every damn network trying to sell this interview to the highest bidder and to do all that while making the guy who saved her sorry carcass speak with "her people" just turns the stomach for me.

This story had such a huge potential for a fairy tale ending of a great American story, and for some I'm sure it still does but for me, I could care less about her.

Back To "Normal"

Well it's official now, Julie and I are married as of October 18th, 2003. The day's events went off without any problems at all and everybody seemed to have a good time. Looking back I can't believe how fast everything went by and it's hard to realize that my family has been out here to Connecticut and gone home already. What the hell happened? We plan this thing for months and it's all over so quickly. Oh well, we were warned this would happen to us and sure enough it did. It's good thing we will have so many pictures of the big day to help remember everything. It's been over two weeks since we got married and we just got the rolls film into the shop today, everyone is eager to see them.

Tonight we also started working on the Thank You cards and did the finishing touches of putting things away and organizing. Finally!, we can see our living room again...lol.

Life seems so simple now and stress free. Although I'm still not able to work yet due to some Immigration restrictions (until January 5th anyway), I like the path our lives are taking now, everything seems to be falling into place. I managed to get my Social Security Number the other day and earlier today I went and got my Connecticut Driver's License. So now I'm beginning to feel like this is my home more and more, which I'm sure will come full circle by the time INS allows me to work.

But for now I'm managing to keep busy, there's always some little thing that needs doing whether it be small repairs around the house, running errands, preparing for upcoming events, or simply making dinner. Julie and I were lucky enough to get a shitload of cookware, dinnerware, silverware, and all sorts of appliances for our wedding so we are slowly breaking them all in. It sure has expanded our ability to be more creative when it comes to making meals.

With this amount of free time on my hands I find myself hand writing letters to friends and family back home. As I was writing my first one about a month ago I was trying to figure out when was the last time I wrote someone a letter. Besides the usual Christmas, Anniversary, or Birthday type cards I have no idea who I wrote my last letter too... but it must have been ages ago. Here I am living in a generation that depends on the "information super highway" and I'm heading back to the days of the Pony Express. I dunno, I think it's kind of cool and a lot more personal than a faceless email, even if the news you're passing along IS a week old and out of date.

I have a feeling that until January 5th rolls around I'll be having a lot of weird things cross my mind.

Be Prepared.