Always Learning and Working

In the last two days I got to go to a campaign school put on by the Missouri Farm Bureau.  Holmes Osborne and I went together and I learned lots.  I have not been in anything resembling a class since graduation, but I really liked it.  I took enough notes that I am going to be reading and re-reading for days.  

It was really interesting to listen to what the presenter had to say.  She managed to present in a way that was non partisan and could pertain to campaigns of all sizes.  She provided us with information that will help me to be a successful campaign manager.  I felt like such a nerd, but I was so excited learning about all of it and taking notes.  I got home and have gone straight to work, editing many of my ideas that I had put down in writing because her ideas made sense.

While all of my learning was really exciting I found out some very exciting news as well.  I got the results for the FOST test that I took a few weeks ago.  I passed the test, and with this I begin the next step of the process which is writing personal narratives.  

Life as a Campaign Manager

In the last few days I have been starting the work as a Campaign Manager.  I find this work fascinating.  I'm working on doing a large number of tasks early like working on fundraising and setting a plan from now to November.  It's really interesting seeing the amount of work and planning that goes into campaigning, even a small race like a State Representative race.  This Thursday and Friday I am going to Jefferson City with Holmes for a campaign school being put on by the Farm Bureau.  It should be very interesting to see what the recommend for how campaigns to run and what method to take.  While the campaign is only in its beginning I'm really excited to see how it pans out.

I also as campaign manager went to the Warrensburg Democrats meeting where I met Clint Zweifel the current Missouri Treasurer.  He is running for reelection and it was very nice to meet him and listen to him talk about his experiences as Treasurer and why he is running for reelection.

Slacking

So I've been slacking on my blog recently.  Recently I've gotten the chance to substitute teach.  This is great for me as I'm hardly working at all at the Italian Restaurant as they are closing down and moving to the Kansas City suburbs.  On Thursday I subbed in Family and Consumer Sciences class.  I felt like a glorified  baby sitter as I handed out work sheets.  Today I worked as a sub teaching high school chemistry.  I actually knew a little bit about this class having taken Chem 1 and 2 in high school.  After passing out a test and sitting for the Honors Chemistry 2 class I actually was able to help for Chem 1.  For this class I passed out work sheets and then was able to help with the work sheets.  I felt kind of like a teacher.  Kind of.  As a friend of mine put it, "being a substitute is interesting.  You have no responsibility and no authority."  It has made for an interesting couple of days.  

Campaign Manager

Today I met with Holmes Osborne who is going to be running for the 122nd District of Missouri.  He has run before unsuccessfully, but is attempting to run again.  In exciting news I am going to be his campaign manager!  After talking to him the beginning part of this process is going to me fundraising.  Fundraising is important to a campaign as it is important for a candidate to have money.  Things will start to pick up more after the redistricting is done sometime in November.  Then the big push will be in March after he officially files with the state.
I am not sure on the hours or salary yet, but anything is going to be great.  I am really excited to get started campaigning and see where it takes me!

Small Town Living

Living in a small town, especially after four years in down town St. Louis, is a bit of a culture shock.  There are many great things about small town living, and a few draw backs.  The best thing about small town living though is the people.  I really believe that what they say about people being friendlier in small town America.
The people have been really nice here helping me to look for a job.  Whenever people hear that I do not have a job they instantly start to brain storm if they know anyone that can help me.  While, many times they  all know the same few people, but it's still really nice to have all of these people helping me.  People that are involved in politics in town have all been really helpful.  Even the ones who have the opposite political views of me.  They just seem excited by the fact that I want to get involved in politics that they are glad to help.  I know that I have already written about friends and family helping me, but here in town it seems like everyone wants to help you.  And it is really nice.

Things to Occupy My Time

With a large amount of to spare in my life there are a large number of things that I have been doing.  One of my large amount time killers has been playing ultimate frisbee.  But with frisbee season being over I'm having to find new things to occupy my time that isn't being taken up with job applications.  I am still playing frisbee, but on a more casual basis, possibly playing in a tournament in early November.
One of the things that I have decided to do is to cross things off of my bucket list.  I'm going to run in a half marathon in Warrensburg on October 29th.  I have not really been training for it, but I was able to go on a trial run of 8.5 miles today with little problems.  Hopefully in the next three weeks I'll be able to get ready to do the full 13.1 miles.  I think I should be able to do it as long as I have the time to keep running on a daily basis I should be fine.  For my first one I'm not shooting for a phenomenal time, I'm just looking to finish it while running the whole thing.
Another one of the exciting things I have planned in the near future is a trip to Spain in mid November.  I can not wait to get over there and explore Spain and the Spanish culture.  Also a certain Laura Kelly is currently studying in Spain and having her as my tour guide will be pretty amazing.
Other than those two big things in the next month I'm just going about my business trying to find a job and reading the news.

The Never Ending Search

Applying for jobs has become what feels like a never ending search.  I get very excited when I think I find something, then get to come back down to Earth as nothing has panned out yet.  Thus far since graduation I have applied for around 125 jobs if not more, with today including seven more job applications.  And now with my diminishing hours at my current waiter job I get to start applying for temporary jobs as well.  I can only hope something turns up soon.  Be it either a new temporary job or a full time job.  

I didn't realize the economy was this bad

So today I found out that the restaurant where I work is ending the lunch shift and all shifts Monday effective this Monday.  Which drastically changes the amount that I work from getting close to 40 to very little.  I usually work lunches and the all day Friday and Saturday, but that is going to have to change.  Mostly because there is no lunch shift.  I understand that business is hard, but I feel like I should have been given some warning that my hours were being drastically reduced.
This change in hours makes me wonder how long this business model can work.  I can't imagine it would work forever, but I've been known to be drastically wrong before.

Substitute Teaching

Recently I became a licensed substitute teacher for the Warrensburg School District.  This is kind of exciting because I now have a second possible way to make money.  However when it comes to job hunting being a sub is not exactly what I am looking for.  Hopefully I can start subbing soon, but at the same time I'm looking forward to subbing with apprehension.  I remember how terrible students were to subs when I was a student, and I can't imagine that students have gotten any better.  Hopefully I get a call soon to start as some more income would be nice.

Tipping

Just FYI this post has very little to do with my adventure of trying to find a job, rather I'm getting up my soap box to write about tipping.  

Recently I have been working as a waiter at a restaurant at home to make money and find a way to get off my rear end.  Waiting isn't a bad job, where I get to meet lots of people and I am constantly on my feet.  The most frustrating thing about being a waiter is the tips that people leave.  10% is the minimum that a waiter expects for their work.  15% is what I am looking for if I believe that I worked hard on your table.  The most frustrating thing is when people tip under 10% which tends to happen at lunch.  I work mostly lunch shifts and it seems that people don't feel the need to tip nearly as much at lunch as they do at dinner.  The people at lunch work just as hard as the people at dinner.  The only difference is that the restaurant is usually less busy.  So for whomever is reading this I can only hope that you now take an extra second before you leave your tip.  

The Little Things

In this point in my life where I find myself at times discouraged and frustrated the thing that I find that helps the most is to enjoy the little things.  Like last night after my test I watched the Lion King and drank Capri Sun.  And I tweeted all about it (see over on the right).  My night of seven year old reminiscence was very enjoyable and reminded me that while things may seem frustrating at times, I can always slow down and do things that make me smile.  And in this holding pattern in my life, enjoying the little things is something I have to do to make sure I keep my sanity.

FSOT Pt. 2

I don't know what I was expecting when I took the Foreign Service Officer Test, but it was not what I expected.  It wasn't better or worse just different.  First the test wasn't a written test, rather it was on the computer which was different.  I think that I liked that better as I spend more time on a computer now anyways.  The test center also offered me ear plugs and a wet erase board as my scrap paper.  I liked having the wet erase board as scrap paper.  I think it went rather well and I will find out my results in 3-5 weeks.  I can not say a whole lot about the test, as there was all of these fun threats about divulging things and government copyrights, but I believe it went well.
Also, thank you so much to all of my friends and family who sent me some sort of message today saying good luck on the test.  It was really nice to get all of the messages of support.

Standardized Testing. Again?

For the first time since the fall of 2005 I will be taking something along the lines of a standardized test.  This test is the Foreign Service Officer Test and is by the same company that did the ACT.  This brings me back to my Junior year of high school which was the last time I took the ACT.  I got the score I wanted and I was done.
This time the stakes are a little different.  Rather than my score determining which College I will go to and how much scholarship money I'll be able to get; this one is the first step in the application process to be a Foreign Service Officer with the State Department.  Should I do well the application process will continue with the average application process taking around 18 months.  This test appears to cover a wide variety of topics, with one multiple choice section being on English (Much like ACT English), one section on yourself, an essay, and one section on things from Economics and Management, to World History and Geography.  Trying to study for this test has been difficult with the reading list of things that might help being four pages long.  None the less I have been reading from that list for a while and tomorrow I shall find out if I read enough.  Should be fun!