Trip 13 Chinese New Year Banquet Thots

The Trip: Spring is still in tow on this hike-Manzanita Tree filled with blooms to the point of looking like snow.  Poppies continue to dot the hills, leading the way for other wild flowers to join the spring hillside bouquet.  I'm recovering from the banquet that we had for Chinese New Year-feeling like I'm hauling an extra 10 lbs of myself up the hills.  This is a good way to get over a food coma however-so I slog on. 

The Job Search: Applied for about 6-7 jobs this week.  All online-staying in the green scene or wellness sector mainly...altho every once in awhile a
Craig's List posting for a Office Manager or an Executive Admin looks so intriguing I also apply.  I've decided to crank up the reading AFTER the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade on Feb 19th-as we will be in the city watching Destiny and friends march.  Always a good time-I revel in the colors and fireworks.  Oh yes back to the job search.  I continue to link up with folks on Linked-In and continue to find this the best source to both apply for positions and do research on companies.  Take heart all you fellow job seeking hikers-I get on-line fatigue too-but have found two good jobs in the past on-line SO IT IS POSSIBLE to find and land a job this route!!! Had two lunches out this week with friends and potential networking folks...very nice to get out and get a bite to eat and talk about employment hopes-VERY energizing.

Life around the hike:  Other than Chinese New Year-I'm called in for Jury Duty-I'm going to take a deferment until summer so that if I need to serve-it won't impact Destiny's schooling.  (Postscript-yes I step up to the mike and ask for deferment...so don't be shy when you find yourself called as a juror...)
It's been raining, raining, raining...so hard to get out on the hill to hike-hoping to kick it up this coming week.

Cheap Thrills:  Adventures for the unemployed:  I get travel magazines here and there, so that I can cook abroad -in my own home. As I tell my friends  "I live on the Islands-I just haven't moved there. " So I live Aloha --with the spirit of adventure in my heart and amazing meals and great wonderful dreams come out of this place. 

so Gung Hey Fat Choy fellow hikers until the next post!
Sandy

Trip 12...On A New Year's Day

About the Hike:  Today is actually February 3rd, 2011 which for those of you that don't know is Chinese New Year of the Rabbit.  The weather was a stunning 70 degrees and sunny (Pity the poor blokes on the East Coast buried in snow).  There were more than a few hikers out today...and someone actually wished me "Happy New Year" I purposely went for a hike to day -because we celebrate this New Year in our family pretty big time....and the day always feels fresh.  The vista overlooking the bay was clear...and I told myself...somewhere out there is the place I WILL WORK!

About Getting Work:  OK I'm stuck in Outlook purgatory ie I'm reformatting some stuff and it's taking tooooo looooong.  I bought a book so that I can be an expert on Outlook-and want to jump in-but first I have to reconfigure this n that...ugh..well I am learning.  I bought a book on getting in depth with PowerPoint too...so I'm going the have the total MS Office gig under my belt.  I use the programs at my former jobs-so the upgrade should not be a large undertaking...I'll keep you posted.

Life Around the Trip:  Well it's two weeks of doing this and that for Chinese New Year celebrations-we have one banquet planned and will be up at the SF Chinese New Year Parade in mid Feb.  It's a happy, RED and delicious time for us. 

Cheap Thrills:  Adventures for the Unemployed  It's worth it to me to spend a few $$$ on software manuals and other books of interest -I buy them as cheapo as I can-usually the used section on Amazon. 
I have also taken to picking fruit off the various citrus trees in the neighborhood where I have asked permission from the tree owner-free fruit...always a good thing. I means I don't buy lemons, limes or oranges until almost May!

Sandy