Yesterday, I gave you the unfortunate news about my newfound joblessness.  And, since I didn’t secure a job yesterday, today obviously marks day two of said joblessness.  Other than the Fall and Spring semesters of my freshman year in college, I’ve had a steady job since I was 15, when I began working at Chick-fil-A and smelling like waffle fries 3-5 times a week.  Needless to say, it’s a bit odd knowing that I’m not on a payroll anywhere this morning.  Fortunately for me, that means that I don’t have a boss or a deadline breathing down my neck for the first time in 12 years…well, except for sparty of course; that d00d knows how to crack a whip, for sure. 

I really appreciate all of those who commented yesterday and sent their condolences and wished me well in my job search.  And, to those who are in a similar position to mine or are feeling that the threat exists for them as well, I wish you all the best of luck too.  But, that being said, I’m definitely not fishing for pity or compliments; that’s not really the point of this exercise.  The idea is to chronicle the trials and tribulations of a guy with the new gift of too much time on his hands, make light of the situation, and tie it into a sports-related subject in some way or another. 

Anywho, since finding out I would be out of work, I’ve been fervently trying to find another avenue to generate income.  Most of my efforts have been founded on my qualifications and professional experience; but, I’m definitely leaving the door open to other ideas.  I did visit the unemployment office yesterday…which was conveniently located in my living room.  The online unemployment filing system has definitely made being a bum much easier and actually fairly convenient, at least for me.  While I’m waiting on that money train to arrive in the mailbox, I have to keep searching for jobs.  So, here’s a few of the “careers” I am considering along with a few suggestions I received yesterday:

 - Mail man (seriously)
 - Gov’t jobs: banker – will be gov’t soon enough(?)
 - Toenail trimmer
 - Mother of 15 – this one’s twofold and also depends on tabloid participation since A) I’m a male, and 2) I need to one-up the “Octomom” to keep the story fresh.
 - Treasure hunter – I live 1 mile from a beach; surely there’s a plethora of dabloons and pirate booty to be found.
 - Construction consultant in Vegas – good idea in principle, except that I would have the same net pay as I do at this moment after factoring in what would be guaranteed gambling losses.  Seriously, you would want to play me in poker…
 - Claiming ownership to an 840 lb emerald.

While all of those are wonderful ideas, I’m still open to more.  Feel free to offer a suggestion or two in the comments.

How does any of this tie into sports?  I can’t figure out a connection, so I’ll just opine about something random…Kurt Warner’s free agency and lack of contract situation:

Warner’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN.com’s John Clayton the 49ers are interested in the quarterback, but he declined to say whether Warner receive an offer. Bartelstein said he did not hear from the Cardinals, whose last offer was reportedly two years and $20 million. Warner wants $14 million to $16 million a year.

According to the source, the Cardinals’ offer is $10 million in 2009 with an option bonus for $10 million in 2010. There are not any guarantees in the contract, so it is effectively a one-year deal at $10 million if the Cardinals don’t want to bring him back in 2010.

With talks stalled between Warner and the Cardinals, the 37-year-old agreed to meet with the 49ers. The have been in discussions since Friday morning.

My initial reaction to all of this is to smack Kurt on the side of the head a little and tell him to get over it and take the money he’s been offered.  Why wouldn’t he want to go back to ‘Zona?  First, he just led the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance so they definitely have enough talent to remain in contention.  And, if he finishes out his career there, he’ll always be a hero in town for making them relevant.  Second, look at the 49ers.  They were pretty bad last year and aren’t really projected to be that much better.  Warner is a good-to-great quarterback; but, a field general of his caliber is not the only link the 49ers are missing.  Besides, it’s only a difference of a few million, right? 

Well, that’s the point where I ammended my reaction.  The guy has acknowledged that he’s only looking for two years and this will be his last contract.  A few million dollars is what I like to call generational money.  That kind of money, if handled properly, can still be around for his grandkids and/or great-grandkids to be able to harness for their own financial stability.  Plus, he has all the leverage to ask for more money; the backup is Matty Leinart, who’s always good for some tabloid fodder or an injury.

So Kurt, use your positioning and leverage to getcha some mo’ money.  Being a free agent footballer for a few more days is much better than being a grocery store bagger…which, by the way, I probably should add to my list up there.

Shameless self-promotion:
I’m now a free agent structural engineer in the Jacksonville, FL-area and willing to commute as far away as the Gainesville and Daytona areas.  I have 2 years and 10 months of experience and a MS; and, provided I can find work in a relatively quick time period, I will be eligible this May to apply for, and sit for, the October PE licensing exam.  Also, I’m actively searching for any civil engineering position that my degrees will qualify me for: structural (buildings, bridges, etc.), civil, geotechnical, transportation, etc.  So, if you’ve got a contact or would like to legitimately take a gander at my incredibly awesome resume, give me a shout at mizerle06(at)gmail(dot)com.

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