Long time, no post.. but things going well!

Well, I must say that it has been a long time since I posted on my own blog. Shame on me!
Anyway, here is some reflections at this moment in time. My last post talked about job loss and those close to me probably thought I was doing a self-reflection on my situation because I had my military retirement ceremony just ten days prior to the posting. In reality, I wasn't really looking for a job. I was still on vacation for a long time and enjoying the fruits of my labors and the rewards of my 20 years of sacrifices from my service. No worries. I have a website that let's me dabble in some artwork and sell those items which does well. I have been volunteering non-stop helping homeless veterans and others and I continue on that path. Just like I did when I was in the military. When I was inport, I was hunting ways to help! Just who I strive to be. I have taken a few trips, enjoyed a few guests, and begun to share some great times with some great people and even greater family members. I have taken part in events that I had generally missed during my times at sea and just have really been enjoying myself. I have re-entered the job market and am narrowing down the selection. So, things are going well. The last post was in fact a response to plea from a few others who complain that they lost their jobs and just don't know what to do. I will let that post speak to the merits of that situation, but I can safely say that the unfortunate nature of the world, (not just right now, not just the current job market, etc.) is that we are part of an ever-evolving community. Technology advances, techniques advance, jobs change, and so forth. Therefore, just to compete it takes perserverance that is not just given to a person. It takes an objective look at oneself and the world around them. I have used this statement many times and it rings true in this scenario: if you are looking to make the world conform to what you want without a touch of giving in or giving back, then good deals pass you by and you will find yourself struggling. It may be a long time and it may be a hard road. So, I offer instead of trying to force the world to conform to you, then learn about the world and about those areas that influence what you want and see where you fit so that you can strengthen your position, your knowledge, your skills, and abilities to make you the best candidate or poise yourself for striking out on your own. Whichever is not easy, but the rewards in the end are worth it. Anyway, enough of that! You know who you are and there are several and I don't type anything that I don't tell a person in conversation as well. To them, I say good luck and keep your head up!

So, let's play catch up! I completed a semester of graduate study in the spring and will be doing some more coursework in the fall. I have been taking other instructional courses along the way related to business topics that I enjoy. I was recently elected as Vice Commander for American Legion Post 434 in Chula Vista, CA and I have been having a ball. We supported the San Diego Veterans Stand Down and it was a big success. I started a little late, but was still able to hone in on the gracious support that our members always provide to these worthwhile events. This year, we collected about $3,000 in clothes which really helped out the homeless veterans of San Diego. Plus we served food, volunteered right and left. It was a very rewarding time. You can read more about it by punching it in the search engine here.
Also, I got the chance this year to entertain my family. First, my parents traveling from Kansas for my retirement ceremony and my Aunt and Uncle traveling from San Francisco for those same events. It was a great time! I had just regained contact with my Uncle Forrest and Aunt Cheryl and really enjoyed seeing them again. We took in the sites of San Diego and had a blast! Then, just recently my sister and her family flew in from Kansas as well. I have 3 nephews and let me tell you it was a treat to have them here. We hit Sea World, downtown, beaches, the fair, and on and on. We went to a Padres game and just did as much as we could fit into a week. I really enjoyed it all and know that they did as well.
These are a few of those things that I did not have the ability to do when I was active duty and traveling alot. These are also the things I had been doing to occupy my time until now. I sort of waited until all these festivities were over to throw my hat in the job market ring. The beauty of life after "service", you can still serve and there are plenty of ways to do it, but you can do it at your own pace. And, the national defense is not at risk of your efforts. ;)
Oh well... things are going good!