The Wrenched Connection

I’m not much of a self-promoter.

If you don’t believe me, try finding Sir Bacon in the phone book.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no self-confidence issues.

Ok, some.

But for the most part, I am very proud of who I am.

And what I do.

Or what I did.

I just don’t talk too much about it.

I was always of the belief that he who tries hardest wins.

Ha.

You can file that one right next to good things happen to good people.

Sure, good things do happen to good people.

And hard workers do win.

Sometimes.

And sometimes they lose.

But the people who really win are the ones who know how to play the game.

And the people who usually lose are the ones that don’t realize a game is being played.

And believe you me, it’s all a game.

And there’s a new game every day.

Even in unemployment.

Every single day we have a chance to find a job.

Until the day that we no longer want to play the game.

And then it’s GAME OVER.

And let’s not go there.

As part of my most recent epiphany, I decided I want to take a hard right turn in my career.

Well, in my working life.

My plan/hope is to take about 50 steps backwards, start on the ground floor and join a field that I love.

Sure, I loved what I did.

But loved is the correct tense.

As my mom says, that old life is yesterday’s news.

It’s out with the trash.

Well, she wouldn’t say that about MY life.

She’s my mom.

But she would say that about something that is in the past.

So as I try to move forward down this new road, the biggest challenge is finding somebody to give me a chance.

And not just anybody.

SOMEBODY.

You see, I'm trying to enter a world that not many get the opportunity to enter.

And to get there, I’m going to have to get somebody big to sign off on it.

Somebody who wears a tie.

And drives a fancy car.

And has a big comfy leather chair.

In their double XL corner office.

I need that person to give me that chance.

And in order to get my name in front of that person, I’m going to need help.

Lots of it.

But it is possible.

In my many years in the working world, I have had the great pleasure of working with many “big time” people.

And I have never had a problem talking to those “big time” people.

About sports.

About movies.

About food.

I love talking about food.

But I don’t usually talk to them about me.

Certainly not about me needing something from them.

Well, the rules of my life have changed.

I didn’t create these rules.

I just have to live by them.

Now I’m still not totally comfortable with this new me, but I did take a giant step a few nights ago.

Around Midnight, 12:19am to be exact, I fired off a private email to one of those “big time” people.

I mean BIG time.

What the hay?

What do I have to lose?

Well, I haven’t heard back yet.

And I might never.

But in this case my victory may just be sending that note.

And I wasn’t done there.

My friend David wouldn’t let me.

He calls me pretty much every day, usually after reading my blog, and he finds new ways to inspire me.

I think he was a little miffed that he had to learn about my new career goals via the blog.

But that hasn’t stopped him from pushing me.

The latest push came yesterday.

While we were thinking of people I should contact, the light bulb went off.

I remembered this guy who is more plugged in than a surge protector.

And before I could get the guy’s last name out of my mouth.

David said, CALL HIM!!!!

TODAY.

So I called him.   Today.

But I didn’t get through.

In fact, the only number I had for him was disconnected.

Since I hadn’t talked to him a long time, I didn’t find that too weird.

But I didn’t stop there.  This is the new me.

I went online to see if by chance he was on Facebook.

Or Twitter.

Or My Space.

Or Haboo, Friendster, hi5, Tagged, Orkut, Flikster, Netlog or any of the other social networking sites.

But before I got to any of those.

His name popped up under news.

And the news was that this great connection of mine... was disconnected.

Just like his phone number.

At least for the next year.

Lets just say that in the words of Bobby Fuller, my connection fought the law.

And the law won.

Apparently, he had some really good connections too.

But he did some really bad things with those really good connections.

And Johnny Law didn’t like what he did.

And neither did the judge.

And for the next year, he will be paying a big price.

I guess I can cross him off my list.


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