I haven't posted as much as I thought I would be with all this time off. I almost weighed in with my thoughts about what's going on in Ukraine and with the border, but didn't feel the motivation to do so. There's some chatter this weekend that the Obama administration is going to issue an executive order tomorrow that will grant refugee status to five million or so who are in this country illegally, and I guess if I want to I can weigh in with my two cents' worth on that. I have a belief that Obama will do it, though more for ulterior reasons than in helping out a future voting bloc for his party.
As it is, I'm still undergoing this transition of sorts. I'm finding things to do with the coin collection to help me keep busy, and I'm looking online for work. I haven't heard of any movement from the Colorado opportunities and so last week's focus was on contracting opportunities in Phoenix.
If I were to have my druthers, I'd rather work locally, but I'm not sure there's much in the way of work here. Two of my former co-workers who were forced out/let go months before I was have just now been picked up by another aerospace firm here in Tucson. Both of them are in contract-to-hire positions and I think I was in the running for one of them. That one firm was letting go of people last year but with them now having contract openings, it suggests that things are picking up in that segment of the industry.
They also have operations in Phoenix metro, and as of last week I learned that I was on the "short list" of the candidates they are considering. I would have to temporarily live in Phoenix out of a long term residence inn type hotel, or a one bedroom apartment for six months while Sheila runs things here in Tucson. We're hoping for Phoenix anyway as that I can come home on some weekends and Sheila can come up on the other weekends. That would give me time to figure out where in Phoenix I would want to live in case the firm decides to hire me after the contract is finished. And logistically, it would be easier to move there than to Colorado.
A lot of people in Tucson hate Phoenix, but I'm not one of them. Likewise, a lot of people in Phoenix hate Tucson, but I think the hate that Tucson has for Phoenix is borderline vitriolic while the Phoenicians tend to look down their noses at Tucson and leave it at that. As far as I'm concerned, I've really got better ways to expend energy than to hate a city that's a two to three hour drive away and a city that I don't pass through all that often. I mean, they're there, they're out of sight, they're some distance away.......why waste mental energy hating them?
As for Tucson, I really enjoyed many of my years here, but if an offer were to come from Phoenix I'd move there in a minute. The City Council has been suffering from an anti-business attitude for several years and it's getting to where the high tech firms don't want to come here. California has its Silicon Valley and Arizona has its Silicon Desert. Phoenix is adding jobs while Tucson is chasing them away. Why not move to Phoenix?
One drawback to Phoenix is the heat. It's worse there than it is here. The Valley of the Sun is roughly 1200 feet above sea level while Tucson is roughly 2500. Phoenix also doesn't get as much rain, so the desert looks a little more desolate.
As for positives, it's closer to Flagstaff, Roosevelt Lake, the Grand Canyon, and Prescott. And, they've got jobs. Not to mention I have friends up there already.
If a contract position should be offered me from up there, I won't waste very much time in signing.
That said, I'll still look around here.
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