Dave Tull - I just want to get Paid

Man o man! Talk about lots to do and not much time! Jason commented at some point, "See, being home or not working doesn't mean just sitting on your butt." That is SO true, I cannot believe it. AND I am so hopeful this will keep up until "the right thing" comes along. 

However, it's kind of making me nervous at the same time. I'm afraid I'm moving too quick, maybe focusing on the wrong things - or not putting things on the list with the right priority. I know so much of finding a job is a "timing" thing.

So - here's kind of the deals available to me "in a nutshell".

Opportunity #1 - I have an opportunity for a cooking gig one night a week total of 10 hrs week, pay fits the unemployment criteria and there are no benefits. They are willing to let me do this until I find a "real" job. This will/would start the first week in October. I think it sounds kind of fun and interesting. They are willing to let me be as creative as I want (provided I stay within the budget) and I could really focus on local/fresh produce/products. I see little/no reason to not take this offer. 

Opportunity #2  - Includes the option above - but adds cooking for another segment of a faith based business until they hire someone to do this job, because it involves working with children. So it would need to be VERY short term for me because:

1. we know how I feel about kids - and what boring cooking    
2. the added hours would qualify it to offer benefits AND take up enough of my time I couldn't look for a "real" job. (or write)

Opportunity #3 - Is designing a "full out" Food Ministry for this organization. It would include cooking on-site for the organization PLUS other groups. Overseeing the upgrade of the current facilities, community outreach - maybe in the form of a community garden/cooking component, and allow me to do cooking classes/catering/cookbook development on the side. It would have a huge management component - and once it got "big enough" other staff would be hired so it could grow the ministry accordingly. This too is very appealing to me, despite me saying I didn't want a career in food. My concerns are:

1. How quickly could we grow it so I could hire additional staff?
2. Do I have the right vision - and is it sustainable? 
3. Am I biting off WAY MORE than I can handle/I am skilled to do?

I have promised them 3 proposals by next Thursday. Most of all, they are looking to get some ideas on how to structure things - even if I'm not involved or only involved part-time. Of course - this is right up my ally and I am as excited as all get out to be thinking about this/organizing it.

Opportunity #4 - TOTALLY OUT OF THE BLUE (or at least to me), I received a call for a 2-4 weeks of playing if I want. All expenses would be paid - plus something that would meet the unemployment guidelines. This too is very attractive - and if I didn't have Opportunities 1-3 listed above, I would have immediately said yes.  

I need to have a time line of when I could be available the interested party of Opportunity #4 by next Tuesday. I realize this is BEFORE I submit proposals for Opportunities 1-3, but it would give us/me something to work towards. I can also tell the parties in 1-3 about Opportunity #4 - and see if we can't get things moving a little quicker.

I want to repeat my concerns at the top of this. That this is all coming at me really fast - and I am afraid of going "too-fast/not fast enough". I know it's important that I use my time wisely. That I make good LONG TERM decisions about my life and future and career. Except for Option #3, all of this is short-term stuff - and just hinges me on trying to get everything in the right order. I don't want to waste the best job search time (between now and Thanksgiving) and not do everything possible to get find a new career that focus on corporate education/writing/public speaking components to it.

And now I've spent far too much time on this - and have Dr. Whiney yapping in my ear - and I need to get going so I can get a few more things done before I leave to hear John Grisham.