Leap of Faith

I took a leap of faith. I was approached to take on some contract work for a couple of months. It comes with a potential for full-time work or other contract work following this project. Given the current situation ("shelter-in-place") and the uncertainties that come with that, I decided to take the work. There is no guarantee for post-project work. But at the moment getting back to work, being the bread winner again and ensuring some stability in this crazy time is important to me.

I have not done this kind of "self-employed" or "contractor" work for over twenty years. The times and the rules around it have both changed. In some ways it feels safer. I have created a "limited liability company (LLC)" to handle to income and other items. This option was not available twenty years ago. There were not even these basic types of options or protections for "independent contractors". Back then it was a way for a company to use and abuse you without having to hire you or give you benefits. And for us it led to a number of tax issues. I was young and naive when it came to finances. I still am naive in many ways about taxes and finances. It is a subject for which I have no interest. But I do know today things are better for "contractors". We will still have to deal with our own taxes (quarterly per the government). But with modern software it is much easier, even if it is still painful.

The other side of the coin is that this new path is somewhat scary and fearful. I have been an "employee" for so long I am neither fully comfortable nor accustomed yet to working for myself. Fortunately my brave and supportive wife is my co-pilot, navigator, snack queen and music director on this crazy adventure we call life. She is always there in these times and I am eternally grateful for her. I know this is scary and fearful for her as well, but she tries not to show that for my sake.

Will this turn out to be the path to the future? Doing contract work and being my "own man"? Perhaps. I do not know, but my hope is that this will be successful and lead to great things. I am trying to listen and be confident that this is the path the Lord has laid out for us. 

Renaissance Man

Finding a new job is hard. In a time of change, uncertainty, fear and even panic job hunting is very hard. I certainly had to adjust my expectations around the job hunt. No one is knocking down my door to hire me (how is that even not a possibility? LOL). I have had contacts and reach outs for which I am very grateful and appreciative. And I have been applying for jobs through online sources at the rate of about one per 2-3 days. But the reality at this moment is that companies are not just hiring. I understand given the current situation. I have worked to keep my hopes and outlook positive that decent employment is out there for me. My wife has helped tremendously, but even she is feeling the stress and enormity of the current world.

I had several interviews, some of which went well and others just okay. A hopeful opportunity did not progress because the interviewer and I did not "click". It felt like he was looking for someone to guess the answers in his head. He would ask a question, I would answer and then he would tell me the answer he was looking to hear. Pretty much a "no win" situation. I have the chops to do about anything I try. I am a Renaissance Man. But I am not good at mind-reading (no one is). That part of job hunting is the frustrating part. You have maybe 30 minutes to prove to a complete stranger how "perfect" you are for some deeply embedded ideal they have of the person they seek.

Back to the Renaissance Man thing. I have always thought of myself as a polymorph. I am "comb shaped" (very good at a lot of things--like fingers on a comb). Someone once said "Mike knows things... ." It is strange how things work. Before all the chaos of COVID-19, my wife took me to museum to see a travelling Leonardo da Vinci exhibit. He is one of my idols and historic favorites (along with Mr Einstein). He personifies the definition of "Renaissance Man". The way he thought and saw things. The way he explored and questioned and then learned. Da Vinci was never satisfied with what he already knew. He wanted more. I see myself in that same mode. And now we are binging on the "The Tudors" about Henry VIII and his wives (set at the beginning of the English Renaissance).

So when it comes to finding a new job, I find myself challenged and not a bit frustrated. Why do people not give me a chance? I can do the posted jobs if someone were to just take the small risk. I know some people see it as a big risk hiring an unknown or someone who does not fit their preconceived notions perfectly. But I see also (and have personally experienced) that people do not see it as a big risk to unload or terminate someone for whatever reasons.

The world is "upside down" right now (see my previous post), so I need to hope and believe that someone will take the risk and bring me on once things have steadied. I need to continue to be grateful and count my blessings for the things I have. Faith is important, especially at the moment. We all need faith, even a "polymorph" like me.