We've Learned Money Matters Most

44 weeks.
That's how long it's taken me to get a full-time job since moving into the Lifestory house last September. Yep, the better part of an entire year in search of a job I could stick with that would pay enough to cover all my costs, and that would also stick with me and not lay me off randomly (which has happened at least 3 times this year).

After getting tired of that whole game I went to an 'employment counselor' downtown named Nicola. She's actually been a real help and been surprisingly supportive given that her help costs me nothing directly. I guess government programs are good for something now and again... Through her office I was directed to a company called Transport Training Centres and took a 3 week course to get my DZ license. These people told me that there were lots of jobs for DZ drivers and that 98% of their grads got related jobs within 2 weeks of passing the course. Starting wages? Oh, about $18 an hour. Great, I said. Sign me up.

I won't get into too much detail on the course itself other than to say never, ever go to Transport Training Centres for any course, period. Our prof himself said the company doesn't really care about the students or the curriculum: the second they get your money they're on to the next dupe, lather rinse repeat. The books were outdated and had innaccurate information, the photocopies were nearly unreadable sometimes, the in-truck teacher was of very little actual assistance in learning to drive... just a frustrating experience all around.

This frustration was somewhat multiplied when I got back out into the jobhunt and found that there indeed are lots of driving jobs available, however...
-Most want AZ drivers, not DZ.
-Almost all require previous experience. This is understandable, but where did they expect the experienced driver that they wanted to hire got his first job when he _wasn't_ experienced?
-The only jobs that are anywhere near $18+/hr always require previous experience. The rate for new drivers winds up being equal to a top-rate temp job, exactly what I was doing before I gave myself another $3k of debt load to take their half-ass course.

I don't want to sound like an incessant complainer, the job hunt is always difficult, and as I passed my test on June 25th, getting the new job today puts me right on the 2-week mark, so I didn't have to wait all that long. Oh, TTC can use me in their positive statistics now, goodie. I suppose just being tighter on money now (and closer to being flat broke) than I've ever been makes me a little irritable.

As for the job itself, the only other irony is that it's not actually a permanent position. It's seasonal, so come November or so I'll be either job-hunting again or following in my brother's footsteps and going on unemployment for the winter. But, after all the stress of finding it, the job itself seems decently enjoyable and the guy that will be my boss is a pretty decent easy-going dude, as far as I can tell.

In other news, as you may have heard, I'm in a new band, semi-officially called Kingdoms. The lineup is pretty much the epitome of 519 band-member intermingling (for lack of a better term). My brother Paul is on bass (we were both in Skylight Drama once upon a time), Jordan Valeriote of Race Well Run fame is on rhythm guitar, lead guitar is covered by Chuck Brooker who was previously in Take Victory with other former RWR guys, and Hutton (who SatConned me into playing with him last year) is on vocals. We've been writing and practicing as a full group for just over a month now and have 3 songs of our first set of 6 done. We have a lot of plans in store but I won't reveal them all just yet. Suffice to say we plan to appear on the scene with a bang, and my usual impatient self can hardly wait.

One last aside before I head off to the gym:
In the unlikely event that any young aspiring drummers wind up reading this blog, I'll say this. DO NOT BUY DRUMS FROM A CUSTOM COMPANY. When you look at what you get vs. the cost, it's a waste of your money. I have yet to hear a custom kit from any band within 200 miles that sounds like it's worth the money they inevitably spent on it. It's a vanity thing, that's what you're paying for. Forget the multi colored stripes, powder-coated hardware, offset tube lugs and novelty-shaped snare vents. Buy your drums from a company that's been around for more than a few years and isn't run by a couple of kids in their garage. And in the name of Travis Barker, Joey Jordison or whatever drum god you worship, LEARN HOW TO TUNE! It's not that hard.

Ok, one more thing. (I've had a lot of blogginess stored up that I'm venting all at once here...) I've posted a link to this video before on Facebook. But since Facebook doesn't allow embedded videos (well, it might but I have a certain disdain for FB applications) I'll stick it here instead. Mr. Carlin's rant here is more applicable to my occasional American friend, granted... but who cares. Oh, disclaimer for any readers who might be A: sensitive to salty language or B: my parents... Mr. Carlin is a tad vulgar.
Enjoy.
CT.