Sunday, August 29, 2010

Memories of old

"There was a time."
I love that opening line from "Lucky Number Sleiven"!
Old typewriters. That's my old school. Only they didn't even have letters on the keys...they were blank...yes, BLANK.
The only way you know what each meant was to look up at the pull-down. There was your only reference to where each key was placed. You had to imagine each key's placement.
It was a way to teach you how to type without looking at anything else but the source material. You can't look at the keys or the paper. You had to look at the source, type it, correct it, and do it without backspacing.

This was my early learning. And I still retain it.

I can easily take a piece of paper, hand written or typed, and just type it out at 60 WPM...spelling and grammar corrected.

And because of that training, I think that way. When I write a story, a blog post, or an e-mail; I think in typing. It's an early gift.

In fact, when I started my first UNIX programming job, I had to work with international keyboards. I had to program on their keyboards, when things got harry. Many times the keyboards swapped keys, like 'Y' for 'Z', and shit like that. But, being so young and flexible, I could easily compensate. I don't think I can do that now. However, I still maintain my 60 WPM speed.

And again, it's because of the early training. I learned how to type without looking at anything. It became learned early on in me. My hands have never failed. I've never experienced anything even close to carpal tunnel.

I think...and the words just come out. If I had to write something on paper, I don't know if I could do it. It's not that I don't know how to spell and need a computer to help me. I can type faster with correct spelling than anyone can really just type. I type at 60 WPM spelling corrected!

And I can't find a job.

I fucking hate that. I'm talented. I've got an IQ of 221. I can build a computer from scratch. I know motherboards, memory speeds, hardware compatibility, how to repair ANY computer.

And I can't land a job.

It's like every employer is scared of me. And I'll take any little job. I've had interviews, but no one calls back.

It's not like I have a criminal history. There's no problem there.

It's that I do not have a history of supporting myself. In this recession, employers are only interested in people that have not had a problem supporting themselves. The rest be damned.

Their looking for the finest...and they wont find it in me.

I need a job. I'm talented. And I'll do anything.

I just need a job.


Sincerely,


-- Without Wax

2 comments:

An Irish Friend of Bill said...

keep on keepin on..

a lot of it is just about playing the game. doing what people expect you to do/say. or saying/doing what flatters their ego. people are very basic.

try to put yrself in their shoes..
what do you think they are frightened of? that yr not serious? that u cant do the job? u wont fit in?
try to figure out objectively ! what it is, and compensate accordingly. But everyone ! loves flattery and ego massaging conversation. they all fall for it :)

if i thought an employer was in doubt i wld consider saying to them, look I can understand you may have doubts based on my employment history, but i can honestly say that I would love to have the opportunity to work here, and as Im sure you know, you are under no obligation to keep me on if I can't do the job, so why not try me out and see for yourself? Im very confident that I can do this job and I really want to be part of a work team again, so if you think you might be able to consider that, I would be very grateful indeed.

..or something.
thats just the first thing came into my mind.
gawd knows. but asking won't hurt. its a start

sincerelysober said...

Thanks!

I'm sure that will work 1 out of 10 times. But, without trying 10 times, I'll never know. It's the Irish bull in me. I should try those ten times.

It's worth it to have a decent job. To have that respect back. To be able to shop for things you both want and need. And to be able to go out with friends to a bar socially.

There are so many great things that come with a full-time job...I can't count, and wont list.