At last, I can share my good news…

A week and a half ago, I began my job search. I stayed up late on Tuesday night to e-mail resumes to about 10 employers. I went to bed and was awaken early the next morning by two separate phone calls from companies wishing to schedule interviews. I scheduled both for the next day, as to not seem over-eager. The following day—Thursday—I went to Fairfax City to speak with a company called Exmplar. They are a small e-marketing firm of about 17 people (a la Roku). I was very excited about the possibility of working there, even though the pay was less than what I was getting at GTSI. There was a lot of responsibility attached to the position, because there are so few people in the company. I basically had to do everything the entire e-marketing department at GTSI did—which, honestly, wasn’t THAT much. It just involved a lot of vendor relations (i.e. talking to customers), which I really didn’t have experience—or talent—in.

After my interview with Exmplar, I had a phone interview with AOL, which lasted my entire drive back to South Riding (a clue as to what the commute to Exmplar would be like everyday). AOL was interested in having me fill a 6-month contract position (with the possibility of further employment). I honestly wasn’t very interested, but I agreed to come to the AOL campus the next day for a face-to-face interview. I had my mind set on working for Exmplar, should they offer me the position (which I had no doubt they would—that’s how well the interview went). Exmplar had a permanent employee position, while AOL only had a temporary contract position. Plus, AOL was AOL. I’ve always disliked AOL, ever since they began whining about how Microsoft was too successful (I’m a stanch supporter of capitalism). But in my current state, I was in no position to ignore any possible employment opportunity.

Friday afternoon, I went to the AOL campus. I was able to take a back road there, and the trip took less than 10 minutes. The campus was huge—there were 5 giant corporate buildings roughly in the shape of pyramids. I parked and waited in the huge, impressive lobby. Two of the team members I would be working with came to bring me to their department area. They were two young, laid-back individuals wearing jeans and t-shirts. The guy had visible tattoos and piercing. I was impressed with the lack of a dress code. I met Julie the manager and spoke with her for about half an hour. Julie was cool—young and trendy. She’s been with AOL for seven years, so if she started working there right out of college, that would make her roughly the same age as me. The other team members looked younger than me—like they were just out of college.

Julie’s team is in charge of the Expressions portion of the AOL software. They manage all the buddy icons, desktop wallpapers, sounds, smileys, etc. Their work is the most visible and often-used portion of AOL. They get the most attention from customers, as well as the corporate heads. They’re in the spotlight. By the end of our talk, I told Julie I was so impressed with what they were doing and with the environment there, that I could start for them as early as Monday, if they wanted me.

After the short trip home, I received a call. AOL offered me the position, and I accepted.

So, this is the saga of my job search… On Tuesday I applied. On Wednesday AOL called and scheduled an interview. On Thursday I had my phone interview. On Friday I had my face-to-face interview, was offered the job, and I accepted. In all, my job search lasted four days. Alas, I did not start working the following Monday, because of a weeklong background check. I started working the next Monday (yesterday) and am now officially working at AOL.

At this time, I would like to send a big “F-You” out to everyone who criticized me for quitting GTSI in order to take a two-month sabbatical and pursue a career I believe God has called me to. I took those two months off, as He requested, and got my side writing career started. I am now focused on what God wants me to do in life, and I am returning to work in the hopes of funding these endeavors. I don’t want to gloat, because it’s not because of my own power and accomplishment that things worked out so well. It’s all God’s doing. He called, and I answered. I stepped out in faith, and He rewarded me with a clear vision of my calling and an incredible new job to make up for the two months I was unemployed (and then some).

I am now making more money than I ever have before. I work in the best possible environment, with zero job-related stress. The work I’m doing at AOL is incredibly easy, and I have a comfortable, private cube to work in, as well as a zillion corporate perks (including gyms, restaurants and a Starbucks right inside the office building!). I will be able to cut my giant debt in half (in just 6 months) and fund my convention trips this summer, as well as the printing of my self-published work.

Praise God, for this is His doing!

Do not put your faith in money or “security,” because there is no security outside of God’s will, and there is no wisdom outside of His will. If you do not come to God when He calls, then you set yourself up for failure and heartache. That is the lesson I have learned these past two months.

Put God first. Seek first His Kingdom, and all these things shall be added unto you.

P.S. Just so you know, here is a list of some of the companies/groups associated with AOL and its parent company Time Warner… Warner Brothers, Looney Tunes, the WB, DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman), Wildstorm (Jim Lee, J. Scott Campbell, Cliffhanger), Washington Capitals… etc. Just imagine some of the publicity/promotional pieces I’ll be able to participate in, as well as some of the public events and premieres I may be able to attend!

I just received the best news I could possibly imagine. I found out that—on my mother’s side—I am descended from Vikings! My ancestors are the great heroic warriors of Iceland and northern Europe!

Yes!!!

I am a Viking. …and a Filipino Viking, to boot!

I shall forevermore eat my lumpia raw, and drink my Coco Rico from giant, iron goblets. I shall grow sparse patches of facial hair and wear flip-flops made of wolf skin. I shall sing of all my wondrous journeys and adventures using a karaoke machine. My jitney shall be my chariot, and it shall carry me into many a battle.

Basically, I’m descended from savages on both sides of my family. …And, you know what? I think that’s bitchin’.

Valhalla, here I come!

So, I’m sitting here in my armchair with my feet propped up and my laptop resting on my pelvis keeping my gonads nice and toasty. I guess I’ve forgotten to update my very public Internet journal with the latest and greatest my life has to offer. I guess I should spout off on what I think sucks and what I think rules, who I’ve got a crush on and who I can’t stand, where I hope to go tomorrow and where I’ve already been…

I’ll play this monkey charade tonight—if only to pass the time until O’Reilly comes on.

I’ve been productive today. I’ve cleaned out boxes, put things away, hung pictures up, did laundry, etc., etc., etc. I, of course, didn’t do any of the major, important tasks I need to accomplish—like cash out my 401K, switch over my health insurance, forward my mail to my new PO Box, cancel my renter’s insurance, or send out job resumes. This is what one calls “procrastination.” I am a master at this skill—in fact, you can call it my forte. Nevertheless, I feel content, knowing that I got other things accomplished—things which will now cease to distract me from my major chores. Any little bit helps, I guess.

I watched the two Conan movies last night. Conan the Barbarian rules the school. It’s so much better than I remembered it to be—and I just watched it a couple years ago. So much of the movie is the back-story of how Conan becomes the barbarian. And that’s the best part. Still, I gotta give props to his prayer to Crom towards the end of the movie… He asks Crom for help, then finishes with these words: “And if you cannot grant me these things… Then to hell with you!”

Other notable media experiences this week… I watched some old-school fantasy movies like Jason and the Argonauts, Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, and Clash of the Titans. I ordered Ulysses and the other two Sinbad movies online and can’t wait to watch them. I also ordered Red Sonja on VHS (because it’s not released on DVD). I am so into mythic fantasy right now. I really want to write a story in this genre now, while my interest is waxing.

I read the entire BONE series in a couple days. I have the eight trade paperbacks. The ninth—and final—book is yet to be released. BONE is so good. It’s a great fantasy story with great cartooning and adorable characters. And it’s funny. It’s remarkable how one man—Jeff Smith—can do it all himself.

I also read the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic TPB. I think the comic is fantastic and better than the movie (which I thought was fun and adventurous). Alan Moore is the king of comic writers.

This past weekend, I saw three movies pretty much back-to-back-to-back. I went to the grand opening of the E Street Cinema in D.C., which was featuring screenings of Bubba Ho-Tep hosted by non-other than the movie’s star—the affable, unequivocal Bruce Campbell! Bruce came in after each showing to host a half-hour Q&A session, which was very humorous and interactive. Afterwards, I met up with friends in Clarendon, and we went to see Big Fish—a touching, fantastical gem, well worth the acclaim it has received. The next morning, Roberta and I went to Manassas to see The Last Samurai. The movie was great, but the theater was bitter cold. The heater was broken, so it was as cold inside as it was outside. The manager, afterwards, gave us all vouchers for a free movie (which I’m sure I’ll use on Master & Commander later this week).

And that’s pretty much my life. Lots of procrastinating and movie watching. I’ve been fleshing out some stories in my mind, but I need to start getting things down on paper. I also need to recruit more drawing talent. I have some really great new ideas—inspired by an unlikely source—and not enough manpower to see them through.

And, yes, I’m officially looking for another job now. I’ve had my break and I’ve gotten two comic projects started. No novels yet, but they will come. I need capital to fund all of my ambitious projects. It’s time to go back to marketing.

Well, she called on New Year’s Eve, and I got up at 5 o’clock on New Year’s Morning to travel down to West Virginia and have lunch with my dear friend from high school—Miss Donna. Er… Mrs. Donna.

I picked her up at her parents’ place in Lewisburg. I said hello to her parents, then introduced myself to her husband. Rather than head to lunch, as we had planned, Donna’s mom suggested we go see the Shanghai Parade in downtown Lewisburg. I was absolutely starving, but the idea of seeing the Shanghai baby (a grown man walking the streets in nothing but a diaper and festive banner) aroused something deep within my horrible troubled mind. For whatever reason, I was surprised to discover that Donna’s husband was coming with us.

After much exhilaration vis-à-vis my fantastical autocar (honestly, I only had it professionally cleaned and vacuumed the day before out of sheer pragmatic necessity), we traveled quickly (and quite smoothly, I might add) to our destination. I wasn’t paying attention, so we ended up turning onto the parade route. For the next couple blocks we waved to the onlookers, who were—no doubt—enjoying the view (I only say this because they could see their reflections clear as day on my glistening car surfaces, and were incontrovertibly reveling in the site of their own astounding hairdos). We pulled down an off street, parked and walked down to where the brunt of the festivities was to be held. As we walked, I noticed the restaurant we were hoping to patron—the very cozy Food & Friends—was closed for the holiday. Of course, I imagined, that meant we’d be eating at Applebee’s or another such impersonal, corporate establishment.

The parade itself was astonishing. Absolutely paramount. I can’t decide if I liked the normal people on bicycles the best, or the bright red septic tank cleaning truck—both were pretty indicative of the parade as a whole.

Afterwards, we indeed headed to Applebee’s for lunch. I was starving, so I had the chicken-fried chicken (now, my personal favorite Applebee’s dish) with two sides of garlic mashed potatos, as well as an iced tea and a delectable Oreo milkshake. I won’t bore you with further details of our dining.

To cap our day off, we went down to the extraordinary new bowling alley on the outskirts of town. We bowled two games, and Donna’s husband won them both. Throughout the day, I kept thinking to myself, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife,” and surely enough, I stopped looking at Ryan—for that was his name—as an intruder on an old friendship with an old flame, and began viewing him as a new friend himself. It wasn’t long before I no longer had to force myself to think of him as so—I, in fact, began to effortlessly relate to him as an equally enjoyable male friend. We laughed and joked, and when it was time to say goodbye, I did so with much warmth in my heart and a deep appreciation for these—my two Arizona friends.

…who, incidentally, may be moving to Falls Church, Virginia in the not-too-distant future!

I’m back in the saddle—back on the Internet. That unruly horse I abhor the moment I’ve mounted it. That bitter toxin that incapacitates my movement and confounds my mind. That foul thief that steals my money and snatches away my time. It is a detestable umbilical cord—a damnable connection to all that is evil in this world. A front row seat to all sorts of misery, melancholy and mischief. And when it is taken from me, I do not rejoice in its absence, but rather scream out to it like an intoxicated junkie. I am convinced that I must not be apart from it. And so it has me. And I have it—once again.