East to West and Learning Patience

          Moving from the east coast to the west coast is teaching me to be very patient. On the east coast everything happens fast. People drive fast, talk fast, walk fast, and respond to an email fast. There is no reason to be patient on the east coast, because you don’t have to wait very long for anything. The only time people have to wait in the east is in traffic. Even in traffic everyone is honking, yelling, and changing lanes just to get two cars ahead. This is patience on the east coast. On the west coast (mainly just Oregon) everything is the opposite. People drive slow, walk slowly, and respond to an email REALLY SLOW! I have learned, in Portland, when someone says they will contact you early next week they really mean Thursday-ish. Sometimes they don’t get back with me for weeks. I understand people are busy and I need to take a more laid back approach. People in Portland are just never in a rush and will get things done when they get them done. The only people who defy this logic are those who went to school or grew up in the east.

            I really need to be more Portland! I need to learn patients! When waiting to hear back from a job it always seems like forever, but when people take their time getting back to you it takes even longer. I know I will get something back eventually but come on! I started doing yoga and telling myself daily that I am thankful for what I have. I have the idea that if I am calm, I will be more patient. I will keep you posted as to how that goes.

The Housewife

Since we’ve moved to Portland I have been looking for a job in the planning field. I started out very confident in my ability to find a planning job in the “city of planners”! That was three months ago. I have gone through all the common stages of looking for work: the “I will so get a job fast” stage, the “this is my week” stage, the “how can I get a job when all the jobs want experience and how do I get experience without the job” stage, the “reevaluate what I really need” stage, and now “the right job is out there for me; I just need to find it” stage. I have made it my full time job looking for a job. While Nick is at work I spend all day looking for work. Every time I think I may have a shot it doesn’t work out. So, I sit at home, look for work, make dinner, and clean. I am a housewife.

Nothing against housewives… I think if you can do it that’s great! But, it is definitely not for me. After my first few days sitting at home doing my thing while Nick was at work I got to thinking. I thought what do these women do with their time after the place is clean and dinner for a week is made? I did all the cooking and cleaning (granted with Berkeley’s fur the place needs swept daily) in day one. After a few days I talked to my Dad and asked him this question. His answer: “this is when you have your affair.” I asked my Mom this question and she said: “this is when you take up and activity with an attractive trainer.” REALLY???!!!! This is what these women do? Being a housewife is really not for me!

This discovery motivated me to look for work even harder. I thought I was being aggressive before, but now it’s intense! I am doing everything in my power to find work now! I had an interview on Thursday and I am waiting to hear back. I am still looking and applying though. Maybe I have moved back to the “this is my week” stage…