A New Career

It's been several months since my last post.  I have a few good reasons for that.  I'll get to that shortly.  My ultimate goal for this blog was to have some fun, which I normally prefer, but also to feature many of my friends who are fellow pastor's kids.  We all have interesting stories to tell about growing up in the church and I want to share that with all of you.  I promise I will get to those stories.  I have a few of my fellow PK friends already lined up to share their stories with me which I will pass on to you.  I can assure you they will be worth reading.  However, I wanted to devote this particular post to what's been going on with me lately.  Indulge me.

I have been working since the age of 16.  My very first job was a busboy at a coffee shop in Oxnard, CA called La Trampita.  It was a summer job but I remember enjoying it immensely.  The coffee shop was located on the peninsula and part of a large resort called Casa Sirena which was owned by Princess Cruises.  Yes, that Princess Cruises aka the Love Boat.  Of course I was teased big time for working for that company however I never saw bikini clad women come into the coffee shop during my short tenure.  But I digress.  Anyway, I completed that job then later worked for Target, Subway and finally State Farm Insurance in 1990.  I started in the mail room and slowly worked my way up to other jobs in the company.  I had a long career there.

Notice I wrote had.  March 7th, 2017 it all came to an end.  26 1/2 years gone in a flash.  I'm not going to dive into the details as to how and why it ended but know I never stole nor did I harass anyone.  Corporate America certainly isn't what it used to be.  The bottom line will always be the bottom line.  This was the first time I was let go from a job.  I had left the others on my own power.  

So what's a middle aged guy like me going to do after he gave over a quarter of a century of his life to a company he thought cared about his well being?  It was not an easy time for me hence why I have not written on my blog for quite some time.  You can't help but have some embarrassment.  How do you explain to your family and friends you made one small mistake that cost you your entire career.  Fortunately this story does have a happy ending.  

While working, I did earn my bachelor's degree in 2008 which has provided the opportunity to become a substitute teacher for several school districts.  I am finally using my degree which is something I didn't get to do at SF.  I can't say enough how happy I am in this new career.  I actually look forward to going to work now.  I haven't had that feeling in quite some time.  Like the saying goes, when one window closes, God opens another.  I truly believe in that.

In conclusion, I can't thank my family and friends enough for standing by me during this rough patch.  It's not easy being unemployed.  Let me encourage you with this:  you can start over.  If I can start a new career at the age of 49 then you can as well at whatever age you happen to be.  Pursue your dreams.  You won't regret it.

Thanks for reading.  I appreciate you all.  More to come in the next couple of weeks.  

Peace and blessings!!

Daniel Z.