An Update

It has been a while since my last post.  Why?  I started thid blog in part to find a community of like-minded existential careerists.  Since then I’ve been laid off, joined a career transition program, and met all kinds of like-minded existential careerists. I’m getting in real life what I was looking for online.

And speaking of real life: it’s keeping me busy!  Things taking up my time these days, in order of hours/week:

1. Sleep.  8-9 hrs /night.  It’s wonderful.  I feel more healthy than I have in years.
2. Consulting.  Who would have thought?  I am an SR&ED consultant.  I secure refunds and tax credits for Canadian companies in compensation for time and money that they spend on “Scientific Research & Experimental Development.”  It’s pretty interesting work: I get to research and report on R&D work that is being done in all kinds of different industries.  I get to use two of my key strengths: fast learning and technical writing.  And YES, I am using this as my ticket into the environmental and clean-tech sectors.  I’m working on getting some green companies as clients.
   And I’m currently working a radio engineering contract, as well.  Why not?  Can’t let all that expertise just go to waste.
3. Researching the Green industries.  There’s just so much going on right now!  The Green Energy Act, Smart Grid, the new carbon economy (go Obama! shame on Canada!), the hydrogen economy, electric cars, renewable energy, CCS, new pollution regulations, etc.
4. Networking.  I’ve met some great and interesting people lately.  It’s amazing, the connections you can make when you ask EVERYBODY you know:  “do you know anyone working in…?”  And I’ve just co-founded a networking group of “classmates” from the career transition program (which is more or less done now).
5. Playing with the kids and helping out around the house more.  This is nice. 
6. Music.  I’ve been going to more live shows, and jamming with my friends more.  (But I still don’t practice  )

I’m spending almost no time job searching right now. The consulting work is keeping me busy, and I guess it’s less scary than networking and going to job interviews, so I’m letting it take up most of my time.  If I’m still serious about getting an engineering job in the energy business (for example), then I should get disciplined about spending at least 50% of my working hours doing the job search.  Yes, I said “If…”.  Alternatively, I could just stick with the SR&ED consulting work.  It looks like I could make a comparable income.  And it may eventually let me in the back door of the clean-tech industry.  Maybe I can evolve from SR&ED consulting to carbon emissions consulting.

Or is that just me taking the path of least resistance?  I don’t know.

For now I’m almost too busy to think about it.  And busy is good.

-Johnny