For any of you who didn’t read my most recent blog or even those who did but weren’t sure what I was talking about so vaguely, I guess the secret is out. I have posted it to my LinkedIn account and you all know that if it is on the Internet, it must be true.
A couple of weeks ago, I left my job and am now looking for my next opportunity.
I’ve been trying to stay in a routine as much as possible. I’ve been getting my desk in my home office every day at nine and working on the job hunt until my usual “Go Home” time of 4:30 p.m. To date, I have sent out a couple of hundred cold calls to businesses and organizations around Oxford County and have been checking the job boards every day. Given my druthers, I’d like to find something in Ingersoll or Woodstock, even St. Marys and/or Tillsonburg, but am not opposed to heading back to London if that’s where my path takes me. I was talking to someone the other day and I said that I basically am open to anything where I can create content, probably of the written kind. (I’ve even thought that a job where I did research would be a good fit.) If anyone knows of a job that would fit me, please feel free to reach out.
I have had several people reach out to me, wishing me luck and offering advice, all of which has come in handy. It’s made me think about different options and different ways to go about things. It’s also been great to hear that people have confidence in my ability to find another great job.
I will say that while I was never a fan of the “work from home” routine that we underwent during COVID, it has been good to be around the house these last couple of weeks to help my Mom with things. She’s got twice the energy I have at half her age. She’s repainted the second floor bathroom and is about to embark on doing the same to what we call “Cathy and Jack’s Room” (where they stay when they come to visit).
About twenty years ago, I wrote the second novel I ever completed and it remains my favourite of all the ones I’ve written. It’s always been my dream to get it published (especially since I have almost completed the pseudo-sequel to it). It’s tough to get in with publishers in this day and age but I found one that might take a shot at it. This past week, I wrote up the cover letter and have been working at enhancing the excerpt that I am going to include in my query. Wish me luck. If I can stay home and write novels, that’s my career path going forward.
Last Sunday, I decided to “disconnect” for the day. I didn’t have my phone with me. I didn’t sit in front of the computer, scrolling through social media. Instead, I stayed in bed and read for the entire morning. Didn’t check in with the Internet until late in the day and let me tell you, it was great not scrolling through memes posted by people I don’t know, hearing the same narrative repeated ten times, not seeing posts about TV shows I’ve never watched or seeing ads for products that I mentioned one time to my Mom but somehow phone heard about.
I didn’t stay in bed all day. My Mom and I ended up watching “A Complete Unknown,” the Bob Dylan biopic. My Mom wasn’t too keen on it but I’m a sucker for music biopics, so I enjoyed it. It also got me on a kick where I’ve been listening to Bob Dylan tunes (mostly the upbeat ones like “From a Buick 6” and “Tombstone Blues” off his Highway 61 Revisited Album).
Not sure how many people will get the reference but I’ve been checking out stuff on the WWE Vault channel on YouTube. Much like listening to music, sometimes I like to have some noise in the background as I work away. I was watching/listening to World Class Championship Wrestling’s Thanksgiving Star Wars 1985 event, the 1989 Royal Rumble and the 1988 Survivor Series earlier in the week.
One thing on the horizon for me is visiting the offices of Shelf Life Magazine and picking up the new issue, so I can update the website. I will be meeting with Paul Sutter, the editor, on Monday (weather-pending, of course).
I’ve also got some projects connected with my work with the Ingersoll District Nature Club.
I’ll give a special shout-out to the Nature Club. If anyone lives in Oxford County and would like to get involved with an organization that’s involved with nature, stewardship of the Lawson Tract, preserving significantly sensitive wetland in our Carolinian Zone, becoming more involved with the community and meeting new people (or knows someone who fits that criteria), think about getting involved with the Club. They have several outings throughout the year (including the upcoming Christmas Bird Count on December 27), host a Library Lecture Series at the Ingersoll Library, and help clean up the Lawson Nature Reserve. Check out their website for more info, including how to become involved.
As always, if you want to discuss anything covered above (or below), chat me up on Facebook Messenger – either by text or voice message – or via email.
johnmilner.ca 