Jobless in Tacoma - Healthy on the Cheap

What an awesome day! Since I had put out a ton of resumes this week and was in a stall, I decided to blow out the cobwebs. So I packed a picnic lunch, put on a ton of layers, and got out on the bicycle at 9:45. My first destination was the Mad Hat Tea Company downtown, which I've been wanting to check out for a long time now--not only for their teas, but to post a note on their barter board. By the time I got there, my fingers were frozen (in spite of the two pairs of thick gloves I had on), so it was heaven to walk into that warm, cozy, welcoming place full of couches, books, artwork and interesting stuff. http://www.madhattea.com/

Tobin not only let me bring my bike in, but insisted I try a few different green teas. I ended up staying there nearly an hour, talking to him and some other customers who wandered in. They have really got a great business going there, and I think it would be fun to have a Saturday morning tea party there sometime with a bunch of folks. I did buy a bag of specialty tea for $4.50, but that was the only money I spent all day, and it will last a long time.

After that, I biked over to Dock Street and up over to Ruston way. A little before noon, it was warm enough for me to stop to eat my lunch and read my library book. I had brought a hard boiled egg, some jelly toast, an apple and some nuts, all from home. Food always tastes better after exercise and fresh air, and I pretty much inhaled it.

The next leg was going up at Ferdinand and over to Vassault/Narrows Drive, then south to catch the trail that goes along Highway 16. I ended up taking that east all the way to the end, a little past Steele at S. 25th. Then I headed north back home.

The icing on the cake came when I got a call to come in for an interview next Wednesday morning. Guess I'd better get a few more rides in before I lose my freedom!

Jobless in Tacoma - Surviving & Thriving

"The Best Revenge is a Successful Life"

Ha--that line was probably written by the people who hope you don't take revenge on them! But, seriously--now that you have joined the rest of us in the quest for a new job, I thought we could share tips for growing our mind, saving money, keeping healthy and staying positive.

Absolutely first on my list was to channel my anger and frustration into constructive action. My mantra to myself: Do not let yourself get into a funk. Toss the boob tube, get up early, take some exercise and fresh air; then get on that computer, or to the library, or to Worksource, and hit it hard. The one thing you have now is time, so use it wisely. Get out the old boxes and files, and dig up the school dates and employment history you need for a full application, resume and cover letter. Get them made and save them for easy access. Once that is done, search this site for one-stop access to jobs posted on all the popular sites:

Jobs in Tacoma, WA

One of the best things I did was to start looking for free or cheap ways to supplement my knowledge, add abilities to my resume, and keep myself sharp for interviewers and testing. People in all fields can benefit from some basic accounting, either to learn anew, refresh what they know, or go to the next level. Admins can get off phone duty and advance their careers with accounting skills under their belt. Warehouse workers with some inventory control knowledge can move up the ladder. Department managers who actually understand budgeting are rare birds and are much desired over those who don't.

I found a fantastic website created by an accountant, and downloaded a huge PDF folder of easily understandable drills, exams, answers, explanations, and even fun crossword puzzles and word scrambles! These cover everything from basic debits and credits on up. The entire package was priced ridiculously low at $30. It is something I will use forever and strongly recommend. Here's the link: Click here to view more details

And, if you want to know how to ace the interview-- Click Here!

As for saving money . . . first and foremost, unless you are sick or taking lots of medications, screw the Cobra. I found high-deductible catastrophic insurance to tide me over for $119 a month, as opposed to nearly $500 for Cobra. Just scroll to the health insurance ad above right and click for fast quotes.

Speaking of healthy, another way to stay that way is to walk and bike everywhere, which saves on gas, too. It's a great way to blow out the cobwebs after sitting at the computer all morning. Here's a Tacoma bike map to get you going! http://yakima.co.pierce.wa.us/bikeatlasonweb/grid_04.pdf

Also, cook most of your meals at home. Rice and beans are cheap and fit easily in a backpack. Coupons and grocery wars abound. Watch the ads and get creative! Feel free to share recipes and grocery specials here.

Now for having fun on the cheap! After all the work above, you have earned it. And there is nothing better to chase away the funk than to stay in touch with fun and folks. Treat yourself to a few coffee shop mornings. Relax, read the paper, jaw with the locals, and maybe even pick up a few leads! You will find you are far from alone in being jobless. And after all the beans and rice at home, get out for a happy hour. See links to my favorite spots to the right and feel free to share yours. Remember, dancing is exercise, too!

My first blog--more to come!