The Beat Goes On in General

Jumped out of bed at 0455. Took a nice hot shower. Drank three big cups of coffee and a 40oz bottle of water. And watched the clock.

At 0630 I really needed to pee. Poured my fourth cup of coffee down the drain.

From 0630 until 0700 I calculated and recalculated the time distance problem from here to Bath. Could never get it above twelve minutes.

I launched at 0705, arriving in the visitor center at 0715. Introduced myself to the girl behind the glass and told her to please get medical to expedite, lest I pee my pants.

A couple of minutes later I had delivered the sample, done the breathalyzer and was escorted back to the visitor center. I was confused. I knew there was more to the medical screening.

“We have to wait for the results of the urinalysis.”

It completely escaped me that wasn’t done on site – instantaneously.

Then this afternoon I went to the store for some mushrooms and strawberries. I was gone from home all of 15 minutes.

And I had missed a call.

Nurse practitioner wanted to go over the questionnaire. I answered a few questions – “Where were you exposed to asbestos?” “USS Saratoga, USS Constellation, USS Enterprise.”

Then on to the questions about my heart surgery.

When I filled out the “ list all surgeries” portion of the questionnaire I almost left it blank. “None of your fucking business.”

But the stupid way I was raised made me answer the question. I fucking knew I shouldn’t have answered, yet I did anyway.

There are times when being honest does you no favors.

Me and some of my friends have a saying: “You know when you are trying to be honest and do things the right way and you look around and realize you are the only one following the rules?”

Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.

Now I have to get letters from all my doctors giving me clearance to work full time. In a desk job.

Notice Walmart never asked a health question at all. And that was a physical job.

Orientation is a week from Monday. Monday is a holiday, and the rest of next week is school vacation. So none of my doctors are available. There is a slight chance I can get a letter faxed from my PCP. Otherwise I am on a three week med hold.

Lesson learned. If it is none of their fucking business, don’t tell them. At my 6 month appointment with my surgeon he told me I was cleared to do anything I could do before surgery.

Quick review of the timeline:

In May of last year I decided I had sat on my ass long enough and shotgunned resumes out all over the place. Net thrown wide.

I got two callbacks. Bed Bath and Beyond, which turned out was a part time job. Walmart who offered me a job, which I took.

Three long months of doing the vampire thing. Sleeping during the day, working at night. Good, honest labor. A lot more physical than you might think.

In August I got called in for an interview at BIW. I’d applied for a designer job, but a guy I had phone-worked with in the past (he was in the DC company program management office while I was in Data Management) intercepted my application and dragged me into the weirdest interview I’ve ever had.

Now I’ve done murder boards in the Navy. Hostile affairs where nothing you say can be correct so you have to defend every decision you have made and wait for the next volley.

This interview was weirder because it seemed most of the dozen or so managers there didn’t know why they were there. They asked questions, I answered promptly.

Walking me to the door (badge required to walk around on your own) Steve said I was in.

I quit Walmart the next day.

So:
Application 01JUN22
Interview 27AUG22
Offer 24OCT22
Failed to Piss in a Cup 31OCT22
90 day waiting period over: 04FEB23
Initial med screening 17FEB23
Days until scheduled orientation: 4

I should give up. But it is just too good an opportunity. A short drive to work and a lot of money by Maine standards.

If I was still in the DC area I would be making 3x what I am being offered.

And I would be in the DC area. Which I swear is the most soulless place of the planet.

I guess I’ll just keep beating this dead horse until it comes back to life.

Last updated February 18, 2023