It
rained this week. As a matter of fact, it's rained every day this week, something the region needs because of the drought, but rain tends to impede me on various levels. As a consequence we didn't have many people show up
at the park. Actually, only one regular showed up, and I blogged
about that in the Barry's Kitchen blog.
After that person left, I noticed someone else camped out, that is to say, he was lying on a piece of cardboard some 30 yards away. I approached him thinking to offer him some chili and I discovered that it was someone who'd come for dinner in the past, someone I'll call Arnell. He's been on the street for a while. Talks a lot. Kinda non-stop, actually. A lot of it is typically about how he and his siblings were each cheated out of six figure inheritance by their uncle but how he's working to overcome that and create a career in the entertainment industry seeking anything and everything to get exposure. He bragged about completing a 4 figure gig and looking forward to getting that check in February and getting off the streets for good. I hope that works out for him.
He mentioned that he stopped coming around for dinner because he wanted to avoid being around other homeless people - the ones who'd adopted a passive stance and were content to get by. He gave examples of people now successful in the industry who'd been in circumstances similar to his but through persistence and perseverance had gotten their big break. He was willing to work as hard as it took to get where he wanted to be.
I bring this up because it's in contrast to what I've done all my life; I've coasted. Throughout my IT career every new job was through a referral or because a head hunter contacted me. I had certain skills and abilities that were in demand. The bottom line is that I need to become more aggressive in getting myself out there and being intentional about it. But there's a lot of inertia to overcome, and I confess that at the moment, I'm struggling with just getting my rear end out the door. But it has to be done. Even in the pouring rain.
After that person left, I noticed someone else camped out, that is to say, he was lying on a piece of cardboard some 30 yards away. I approached him thinking to offer him some chili and I discovered that it was someone who'd come for dinner in the past, someone I'll call Arnell. He's been on the street for a while. Talks a lot. Kinda non-stop, actually. A lot of it is typically about how he and his siblings were each cheated out of six figure inheritance by their uncle but how he's working to overcome that and create a career in the entertainment industry seeking anything and everything to get exposure. He bragged about completing a 4 figure gig and looking forward to getting that check in February and getting off the streets for good. I hope that works out for him.
He mentioned that he stopped coming around for dinner because he wanted to avoid being around other homeless people - the ones who'd adopted a passive stance and were content to get by. He gave examples of people now successful in the industry who'd been in circumstances similar to his but through persistence and perseverance had gotten their big break. He was willing to work as hard as it took to get where he wanted to be.
I bring this up because it's in contrast to what I've done all my life; I've coasted. Throughout my IT career every new job was through a referral or because a head hunter contacted me. I had certain skills and abilities that were in demand. The bottom line is that I need to become more aggressive in getting myself out there and being intentional about it. But there's a lot of inertia to overcome, and I confess that at the moment, I'm struggling with just getting my rear end out the door. But it has to be done. Even in the pouring rain.
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