| NEWS |
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| ...and Updates |
| As always, feel free to email me at wkargel@yahoo.com |
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| November 7th, 2002 |
| Lots of news to update you with... Where to start? Well, I won't go into too much detail of the hows or whys, but at the end of August I lost my job at IBM. This was something I was not expecting, but had a suspicion something was up after the company was (finally) announcing layoffs in the services sector...the sector where I worked. I blame myself just as much. I keep thinking that if I had done better in a number of areas (not necessarily my job performance) that I wouldn't have been on the "short list" for dismissal. But there is nothing I can do about that now but learn from the experience and move on...that I know now. For the next several weeks, my energies were focused on finding another job. I finally found one in the form of (ironically) another support position, but this time right where we live in Rome, GA! It is currently a temporary/seasonal position, but there is a reasonably good chance of a full-time position by the summer of 2003. Through Ranstad Staffing Services, I am contracted to be part of the technical support staff at Universal Tax Systems. Tax season begins in January, so I am in the midst of training...learning the UTS tax software called TaxWise in and out. There is a lot of information to absorb! Tax season is going to be very strenuous; very long hours on the phones for a couple of solid months. That is something I am prepared to deal with. It was something I didn't want to do, but I felt it was necessary to maximize my chaces of finding gainful employment. I got a haircut. So, for now, I look "corporate". Blech! Not that I look bad, mind you...but I much rather have the longer hair. Perhaps I will be able to grow it back out...then again, perhaps not...we will just have to see. A really big drawback is that I had to take a signifigant pay cut with this job...but then again, it sure beats having no income at all! After so much time with IBM, it is like starting all over again. In order to cut back on expenses, I have also reverted back to a dial-up Internet connection. Yuk again! Hopefully I will be able to have broadband Internet access again soon. During my "down time" in September, I took part in my sister Beth's event Cönvoy. I played bass on three songs onstage along with her and other fine players such as Kenny Howes! It was a lot of fun! I will post a pic of us together soon! I will be attending my friend Glenn Harveston's brainchild, the ProgPower USA 3 festival in Atlanta, November 15th & 16th. It will be a blast! More updates to follow soon, (I hope)! Cheers, Bill |
