I am again employed...

[bmattock]

I have been unemployed for the last couple of weeks, but today I got a call from a prospective employer and was offered a job, which I accepted. Looks like my wife and I will be moving to sunny North Carolina in the next few weeks. They still have to do a background check/drug screen on me before the offer becomes final, but at least it is 'official' as far as that goes - I'm employed again!

If I suddenly go silent for a week or so, you guys will know why...I'll be driving cross-country!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[back alley]

hey bill that's great news.

congratulations!!

joe

[bmattock]

Originally posted by backalley photo
hey bill that's great news.

congratulations!!

joe

Thanks Joe! I can't tell you how excited I am - I took a leap of faith, quitting my last job without having another one lined up. I hadn't changed jobs in seven years, I was most comfortable in my last job. But the constant travel and so forth was getting to me, so I did a gut check and jumped ship. I was beginning to get worried, but it looks like everything will be ok now.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[Brian Sweeney]

Congratulations and Good luck on the New Job.

[rover]

Good luck Bill, that is good news. I was out of work since mid-December (the old shop shut down their US operations) and just started a lucrative new temporary assignment today as a matter of fact. It is good that you found something so fast. Being at home could be nice for some, but I really didn't like it much at all. Some of us are meant to work I guess, at least for now.

[Oldprof]

Sounds good! I hope your final clearance goes through and you will be headed for North Carolina. Drive carefully.

[SolaresLarrave]

Good news from both of you, Bill and Rover! I'm really glad you guys are back on the labor saddle. :D

[GeneW]

Bill and Rover, good news indeed! Glad to hear it!

Gene

[wierdcollector]

Great news Bill. P.S. Looking forward to some travel shots when you get settled into your new place.

[Rich Silfver]

Congratulations - happy to hear it all worked out.

"Change is good"

[bmattock]

Originally posted by wierdcollector
Great news Bill. P.S. Looking forward to some travel shots when you get settled into your new place.

I plan to take three days to drive out there - Interstate I-40 and head east for 1600 miles or so. You can bet I'll be taking some film and a few rangefinders - and making pit stops where it seems necessary.

In the meantime, here's a photograph I took right after hurricane Isabel came ripping through the town I'll be working in - I happened to be there on an assignment for my previous employer at the time...

Thanks for all the kind words, everybody! Congrats, Rover!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[bmattock]

The town of Speed, North Carolina has a post office. Yes, the town's name is 'Speed.'

[bmattock]

Last one - you can see why I fell in love with the place! The American Southwest is beautiful, no doubt - but the Southeast is not without its charms as well...

[Oldprof]

Bmattock wrote:

"... The American Southwest is beautiful, no doubt - but the Southeast is not without its charms as well ..."

Yup, it's brown versus green. :D

[rover]

Hmmm, Speed North Carolina. Are you moving into a real life Dukes of Hazzard situation Bill?

[taffer]

Glad to hear that Bill ! Hope to see some pics from that long driving !

Oscar

[Brian Sweeney]

Rover,
The Dukes of Hazzard are simply a stereotype image of a now-gone age. We Southern Boys keep the Tach under 2500 these days.

My Titanium Foil, Dual-Viewfinder, Brass-reinforced, External Selenium Meter, Black Lacquer Nikon SP can blow the doors off of your Bessa R any day.

[bmattock]

Originally posted by Oldprof
Yup, it's brown versus green. :D

With a lot more of that wet stuff. What's it called again? Oh yeah...water.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[bmattock]

Originally posted by rover
Hmmm, Speed North Carolina. Are you moving into a real life Dukes of Hazzard situation Bill?

I like to think of it more as a "Mayberry" kind of situation. With fast cars.

Andy: "Barney, what did you do to the patrol car?"
Barney: [sniffs, hitches up pants] "Yeah, Andy, it's got a hemi."
Opie: "Hit it!"

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[oftheherd]

Originally posted by bmattock
I have been unemployed for the last couple of weeks, but today I got a call from a prospective employer and was offered a job, which I accepted. Looks like my wife and I will be moving to sunny North Carolina in the next few weeks. They still have to do a background check/drug screen on me before the offer becomes final, but at least it is 'official' as far as that goes - I'm employed again!

If I suddenly go silent for a week or so, you guys will know why...I'll be driving cross-country!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Bill and Rover, congrats both of you! I also know what it is like to be out of work and looking. Really feels good to have something.

Bill, be careful of those jobs that require clearances and drug screens. Sometimes without warning, they require RF alignment checks. Sometimes they search personal possessions for lens mount adapters between systems. Can't be too careful when it comes to security you know.:o :D

Are you sure you can make 1600 miles in three days and still take photos? I guess roads and traffic are different, but I remember in 1967, driving from El Paso to where ever it was in east Texas, that it took 24 to 26 hours. That was steady driving. But, whatever, enjoy the trip as much as possible, and stay safe.

Best of luck to both of you Bill and Rover!

[bmattock]

Originally posted by oftheherd
Bill, be careful of those jobs that require clearances and drug screens. Sometimes without warning, they require RF alignment checks. Sometimes they search personal possessions for lens mount adapters between systems. Can't be too careful when it comes to security you know.:o :D

They assure me that I'll be fully collimated on arrival.

Are you sure you can make 1600 miles in three days and still take photos? I guess roads and traffic are different, but I remember in 1967, driving from El Paso to where ever it was in east Texas, that it took 24 to 26 hours. That was steady driving. But, whatever, enjoy the trip as much as possible, and stay safe.


Well, as it turns out, I lied. According to Yahoo Maps, it's more like 1810 miles, not 1600. However, if I were to drive it straight through, they claim it can be done in 28 hours. I can see how they can claim that - with the exception of Dallas, Memphis/Nashville, and Knoxville, where I have to detour around them by taking the I-40 'beltway' in each case, it's lots of 500 mile stretches of nothing but highway. I used to drive from Omaha to Denver (500 miles) in about 9 hours, so it's do-able.

And, I won't be making this a vacation-type photo journey. Rather, I'll just be keeping my eyes open for things that need to be photographed as I drive along, and stopping to do just that when the situation calls for it. This will add to the fun of the trip for me, as well as help keep me focused (no pun intended) and alert.

I'll be making the trip alone - my wife will follow once I'm settled in corporate housing (30 days free) and we'll have our goods shipped by professional movers. Gone are the days when I rented a U-Haul and tried to do it myself.

OK, maybe 4 days. Hard to say. I can't drive 20 hours straight like I once could. I'm old, man. It sucks.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[oftheherd]

I hear that. I used to drive 24 hours at a time and of course be tired, but it was doable and I could even do some things when I got there. No more! Anyway, be safe and enjoy some of the scenery. Looking forward to some photos.

[rover]

Hey Bill, this whole working thing just isn't what I thought it would be. I haven't taken a picture all week, and I haven't been able to take the film I shot on Saturday to be processed. Maybe being unemployed had some advantages.

[pshinkaw]

Bill:

Congratulations on your new job!

I just came in from NC and Tennessee last night. Not quite so sunny (it was raining) but lost of lovely greenery nonetheless.

Very photogenic place.

Buzz me offline and I'll share what I know about roads with you.

-Paul

pshinkaw@yahoo.com

[bmattock]

Thanks, everyone! I just got word today that all my background checks, drug test, and etc had been sucessfully completed, so I am officially hired. I will be driving to North Carolina on Wednesday, hope to arrive on Friday night. Start work on Monday, March 29th.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[Oldprof]

Great news Bill. I hope you enjoy your new job and your new community.

[back alley]

sometimes, i wish that i were moving...

joe