This morning I felt good... relaxed, I was glad I parked there in Kentucky and I was charged to go a long way today.
I drove into West Virginia and I was floored. West Virginia, has possibly the best landscape I have seen in the entire U.S. It wins the award for the Most green, which is really saying something. And it certainly isn't real touristy, there isn't any tourist traps that I could find, which in some sense is really nice. I stopped out in Charleston for a while, its the smallest town that has a little skyline I have ever seen. The entire state feels like a little time warp back into a hundred years ago. But I had an apointment to speak to someone in channel five news. He told me he had nothing for me, but he knows a station in Clarksburg WV who had an opening for a reporter, that I would probably be very qualified for.
Since Clarksburg was two hours away, I decided to check Charleston. Not much really going on there, at all. But I checked out the mall and I talked to a recruiter for the National Gaurd. I told myself I would search that out until after the trip was done. Military was sort of my full proof back up plan, that sounded really enticing at this point. But, I was feeling week, and I broke my promise to myself. I spoke to guy and it looked great. It looked like a great fit, maybe not the national guard, but another branch would work just dandy. It felt nice to be stable, until this conversation happend.
"Its not that you're not physically fit. You're not fat, crippled, or dumb. You have a good build, not too skinny, not too anything. And I believe you are a tough guy, I'll bet you probably could muscle it out and survive the basic training boot camp. Just this trip you're doing alone tells me your an ambitious man. But, the Military doesn't take risk with Asthmatics. There can be exceptions made with the right medical records, but generally speaking it doesn't ever happen. The U.S. military is unfortunately not an equal opportunity employer. They can't afford to have you collapse with a back pack on the field knowing ahead atime you have asthma. I'm sorry kid. But I wish you well on your journey, I think you'll do alright."
Oddly enough I took it well. Maybe it just hadn't hit me yet. But as of right now, I have a job to do, and now I am working without a net.
I cheked out Clarksburg WV and noticed that the entire town smelled like an ashtray, and I think some of the locals still miss the Jerry springer show. But I walked into the news station for the reporter job. They made me fill out an application that looked like a starbucks application. I told them I have a professional resume and contact reference and a demo-reel. But they wanted the application for me to put the same stuff in writing too. As it turned out, when I was finished, they were losing a reporter yes, but it didn't look as if they were replacing him. Now I was getting shut down by market 161 in the country. Not to worry, I didn't know that I was real ecstatic about calling Clarksburg my new home. As pretty as the land was, and as charming as the people were, it was a bit too far from civilation.
I just rolled on through West Virginia after I checked out WVU in Morgantown. I liked that West Virginia is its own little time warp, it definately hasn't been too updated. When I got into maryland in the evening, I realized something about all of the states I have been in. It only takes about 15 minutes after you pass a state line before you figure out that everystate has an identity. Its own unique characteristics. I always knew that of course, but way more so than I even imagined. Maryland felt like a time warp as well, but it felt much more like a Norman Rockwell painting. It seemed very colonial and very sweet, almost darling. A real change from West Virginia and Kentucky.
I rolled into Columbia Maryland late at night and I got caught up with my long time friend Annie and her husband Matt. They said they are willing to house me as long as I need. Which I would never take advantage of, but it is so great to hear that now. I haven't had too many places to stay out in the east, so this could be a good home base.
We talked alot, about jobs and about whats out there for employment and living. We had some deep discussions and one Thing Annie said to me that I don't ever want to forget is, "If you really want to live, you have to feel."
Scripture: Proverbs 3:13
I drove into West Virginia and I was floored. West Virginia, has possibly the best landscape I have seen in the entire U.S. It wins the award for the Most green, which is really saying something. And it certainly isn't real touristy, there isn't any tourist traps that I could find, which in some sense is really nice. I stopped out in Charleston for a while, its the smallest town that has a little skyline I have ever seen. The entire state feels like a little time warp back into a hundred years ago. But I had an apointment to speak to someone in channel five news. He told me he had nothing for me, but he knows a station in Clarksburg WV who had an opening for a reporter, that I would probably be very qualified for.
Since Clarksburg was two hours away, I decided to check Charleston. Not much really going on there, at all. But I checked out the mall and I talked to a recruiter for the National Gaurd. I told myself I would search that out until after the trip was done. Military was sort of my full proof back up plan, that sounded really enticing at this point. But, I was feeling week, and I broke my promise to myself. I spoke to guy and it looked great. It looked like a great fit, maybe not the national guard, but another branch would work just dandy. It felt nice to be stable, until this conversation happend.
"Its not that you're not physically fit. You're not fat, crippled, or dumb. You have a good build, not too skinny, not too anything. And I believe you are a tough guy, I'll bet you probably could muscle it out and survive the basic training boot camp. Just this trip you're doing alone tells me your an ambitious man. But, the Military doesn't take risk with Asthmatics. There can be exceptions made with the right medical records, but generally speaking it doesn't ever happen. The U.S. military is unfortunately not an equal opportunity employer. They can't afford to have you collapse with a back pack on the field knowing ahead atime you have asthma. I'm sorry kid. But I wish you well on your journey, I think you'll do alright."
Oddly enough I took it well. Maybe it just hadn't hit me yet. But as of right now, I have a job to do, and now I am working without a net.
I cheked out Clarksburg WV and noticed that the entire town smelled like an ashtray, and I think some of the locals still miss the Jerry springer show. But I walked into the news station for the reporter job. They made me fill out an application that looked like a starbucks application. I told them I have a professional resume and contact reference and a demo-reel. But they wanted the application for me to put the same stuff in writing too. As it turned out, when I was finished, they were losing a reporter yes, but it didn't look as if they were replacing him. Now I was getting shut down by market 161 in the country. Not to worry, I didn't know that I was real ecstatic about calling Clarksburg my new home. As pretty as the land was, and as charming as the people were, it was a bit too far from civilation.
I just rolled on through West Virginia after I checked out WVU in Morgantown. I liked that West Virginia is its own little time warp, it definately hasn't been too updated. When I got into maryland in the evening, I realized something about all of the states I have been in. It only takes about 15 minutes after you pass a state line before you figure out that everystate has an identity. Its own unique characteristics. I always knew that of course, but way more so than I even imagined. Maryland felt like a time warp as well, but it felt much more like a Norman Rockwell painting. It seemed very colonial and very sweet, almost darling. A real change from West Virginia and Kentucky.
I rolled into Columbia Maryland late at night and I got caught up with my long time friend Annie and her husband Matt. They said they are willing to house me as long as I need. Which I would never take advantage of, but it is so great to hear that now. I haven't had too many places to stay out in the east, so this could be a good home base.
We talked alot, about jobs and about whats out there for employment and living. We had some deep discussions and one Thing Annie said to me that I don't ever want to forget is, "If you really want to live, you have to feel."
Scripture: Proverbs 3:13
Waaaaaandy, good to hear that you are still truckin along. West Virginia is very pretty but the people are interesting and I'm not sure if you would enjoy it there. I love Maryland and the D.C. area. I spent a summer out there and it's awesome. Tons of singles wards, lots of history, and lots of job opportunities. I hope you find what you are looking and what you deserve. Good luck!!!!
ReplyDelete