February 15th, 2024 paycheck

Created:

Short-term assets are below 6 percent. Time to start spending more time on the job application front. Not to say I haven’t been putting my résumé out there, just not dedicating specific time to it.

I managed to get 2 interviews that seemed promising. Given my history, that’s a lot. I’ve applied to well over 36 positions I was interested in considering further. Historically, I wouldn’t have had 1 interview, much less 2.

I do feel bad sometimes when people are delivering what they believe is bad news because I tend to disassociate my emotions during the conversation. I’ve been told it can come across like I don’t care or didn’t really want whatever opportunity was lost. That’s not why I do it, though.

They’re already in a tough position of saying, “Not you.” Why make them feel worse and escalate whatever emotions they’re having? I think we can sometimes believe everyone else is an emotionless psychopath but us. It’s odd.

The other reason I do it is to not try and sway, manipulate, or persuade someone from a course of action they’ve chosen.

To be clear, I do this in most relationships; even a romantic partner or interest breaking up with me. So, using a relationship analogy: I’ve walked up to you and given you the means to contact me. We go on a date (interview). You say, “Not interested.” I say, “Okay, thanks for making the time and considering me.” That just seems like good etiquette.

So, I don’t fully understand the “you weren’t that interested” interpretation. I’m very pull-based and consent-driven. You are communicating that you are pushing me away and withdrawing consent. There’s a slippery slope leading to illegal activities if I do something other than walk away.

I’m admittedly eluding to an example involving high tension, and relationships are still relationships.

I will say, I appreciated that 1 of the interviewers called instead of sending email or a letter. And, I appreciated that the other sent an email instead of leaving me hanging.

All that said, I’m not super-stressed yet.

My plan is to continue an 8 hour workday. 2 hours on the primary book. 1 hour on the secondary book. 30 minutes on one of the others. Roughly 2 hours for all things marketing and infrastructure. Leaving roughly 2 hours dedicated to the job search.

It won’t be spray-and-pray applying, though. But, it also won’t be as laid back as an application here and there either.

Of course, I’m a frugal minimalist and don’t need a lot to live on, so, I do have that going for me.

I will say, I did appreciate my response to a question in the second interview. The question was, “What are you looking for in your next role?”

  1. I want to be hired because they want me for me, not just a body.
  2. Every decision we make is to help foster self-managing and self-organizing teams; even if it doesn’t feel that way to the teams at the time.

All right, back to money.

I’ve been pretty restrained on dining out, which is a luxury I was trying to cut back on last year. I’m feeling pretty healthy and hoping I won’t be spending as much on medical things this year. I’m contemplating reducing how much I smoke tobacco as well, because it’s a luxury habit—like dining out.

As I’ve been working on the money book, I’ve been contemplating changing the expense account name from “medical and mental” to “self-care.” I think this will cover more ground and better reflect what I’m trying to do there. For example, if I join a gym, that would go there. If I buy gym equipment, it goes there. Haircuts, which currently fall under “miscellaneous” would go there.

So, yeah, moving right along, putting myself out there, and pushing in the directions I’m pulled, without becoming the “asshole at the bar.”