Day -92

I should write something to you, I feel like owning it to you as there are around 40 daily followers, some days as much as 70, the peak being over 100.

But I'm out of ideas, veins are drained...

Day -93

Wednesday 27th of February.

another day missed. no excuses.

Day -94

Tuesday 26th of February

Oh, was there a day -94? I must have missed it.

Day -95

I visited labour force bureau today as I need “työvoimapoliittisen lausunnon” (statement for me being available for the job market or something) to claim unemployment  allowance (comes to the effect in the summer, if still unemployed).

I was told not belonging to “priority club” yet (not sure what are the requirements, but I might have a chance for the membership, if unemployed long enough ?), thus I can’t make appointment in advance, but I need to wait for the next available clerk to take me in. Like in our health care system, where people are treated first-in first-out basis.  The main difference is that doctors give you medicine to recover, but these clerks do not give you a job to walk out with.  But the waiting time is equal, two hours they claimed, but I walked out after 15 seconds.. Maybe some other time.

Day -96

Yet another day with floorball, these tournaments are biweekly.

I also applied the Museum job today:).

Day -97

..hangover..

Day -98

Today at 15:00.

R.I.P

Tonight at 24:00



Day -99

99 days to go. 

We had a though today with Virpi that I should take a temporary job for 3-6 months, just to get ball rolling again. 

And we saw a nice ad for project-type-of-job in museum, here in Pori. That would be for six months and pretty interesting. Nothing to do with SW business, but that's ok. I must apply! 

But wait a minute. Six months from now would mean till end of the summer. Summer without a break. But when would I have time to play golf? I can't work during the summer, can I. 

Yet another job to miss... :)

Day -100

It's not enough to find a job to myself only, but now I'm searching behalf of my son also; he needs a summer job you know, for a month or two. I just wonder if he is right to trust me finding a job... ?

Day -101

I saw a very strong dream last night. A dream which was highly motivating and inspirational. That dream is a reason why I'm awake at 05.00 in the morning and no hope falling to sleep again.

You might expect me to tell you some fascinating dream now, but the dream was on having ... a job :). I was visiting my old -previous- work place and mates in Tampere and telling them that I'll be back- like Terminator or Väyrynen always do- and I descriped ideas on how I would improve certain processes and got people behind me, and...

It was a long dream and won't tell more, but had somehow extremely strong impact and felt so real. I'm a bit dull and tend not to believe on dreams, but this one woke me up big time.

Like when I quit smoking more than year ago: I saw a same dream a few times where I actually smoked a cigarette, just one, and when I woke up in the morning I cursed myself for breaking up my decision not to smoke, until I realized it was just a dream...

Anyway, it's no go for sleep and better to accept that fact. I'll download the morning, local, paper, pour some coffee and kill some time. You know, I have all day to get tired and fall a sleep again as there's no need to be fresh at the office... :)

Have a nice day you hard working gentleman and ladies!

Day -102

My headphones, the best I have, stopped working during my bicycle journey to the city this morning. Higher tones are completely gone and some mid tones too. Don't know what happened, but it happened during this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHlzwJSnkfI

I don't fancy ear buds, but those are all what I got left and I just must survive until.. I got new ones. Well, I only use headphones when running or cycling, so not a big deal.

Day -103

There seems to be less and less jobs available in Finland, believe me, I have had a close look of the market some 8 months now.

Satakunta is hopeless for any software related jobs; there are some metal industry, offshore and engineering workshop type of management jobs available every then and then, but those are not interesting and don't even fit to my profile.

Pirkamaa is a bit better, but market is slowing down there also. There are software engineering jobs available, but that do not fit my profile either.

Uusimaa is the most lively place for software management related jobs, and maybe the most stable area, but I'm not ready to move down there yet, maybe ever.

Varsinais-Suomi has not shown any interesting vibration and pretty much closed for me.

Pohjanmaa, well, there are metal and power industry, but same as in here Satakunta, no go for me. I have applied some of those jobs on that industry area, but with negative results. Actually most of those companies have not even bother to reply or make any contact to inform "sorry bloke, you are not interesting enough", zero info.

So, the head is turning abroad. First the close neighbour, Sweden. Am I serious? Well, kind of. What the heck, why couldn't we live in Stockholm? There are some Telecommunication business positions available (perfecto) and about to apply another job around Stockholm tomorrow, and will continue to do so from now on. I have seen that "applying" is not the same than "getting" a job, so nothing to loose there :)

Day -104

It's been long time coming, and today it's here!!
The evening is expected to be smashing and full of loaded tension.
You are expected to scream, shout, sweat, be angry and.. enjoy with 6500 others (sold out). And I just can't wait anymore..

Today is

(Pictures from Ässät.com web page)

Day -105

Check out this article, if you want to know eye movements related to ads (for English speaking only: click the link inside the text)

super blow and u i

Day -106

The day was mentally quite rough. My girlfriend's father passed away last Sunday and today the decedent was prepared and transferred to his home town morgue. Funeral to follow next week.

Seeing the decedent makes you stop; there isn't much to say and makes you humble. And makes one respect the life we live, our life.

Day -107

Our President decreased his salary by ~20% (160K to 126K) earlier this year. Some politicians are planning to follow that example during this year. And encouraged by this "good will" gesture, I'll decrease my monthly "salary" following the same principle. (And here I mean the % level and NOT from 160k to 126k J).

The truth is that I have over spend during my first 8 months as unemployed. I haven't bought any expensive gadgets or anything (sight), but those trips to West Europe are the main reason. So I'll have some financial challenges ahead, if I don't make corrective actions now. The "salary" level is now adjusted with the earnings-related salary (to be paid by YTK, an unemployment fund), which will (?) be my income source starting from July.

Day -108

Did some jogging this morning after a long period of silence. Still hate it, and too much snow, and no sun shine and ... but makes you feel good afterwards. And the days are getting longer; one day the sun will shine and birds will sing, one day. And when that day comes, you are sweating at the office and I'll keep on running. Wanna swap? :)

Day -109

good night

tö börd

Day -110

We had a look of couple of properties today. They were quite nice, but we don't consider those to be serious contenders after all.
It's funny though how the budget tends to increase while searching. And let's see how far we can bend our budget, remembering my status, which still does not look any more promising than last week this time.( Banks seem to be trusting me getting a job sooner than later by offering us higher mortgage :); and surely I will.. one day )


BTW, below flat wouldn't be too bad option - it's a bit small,  I admit- but I like the open (and outdoor) space in a middle. It's not next to Pori, but we could bend the boundaries if necessary :)
A Flat

Day -111

.. I learned today that Kimi and Jenni are not together anymore, somehow I have missed the news...

you may understand that there are nothing to tell today by reading the above sentence

Day -112

There's another floorball weekend ahead, this time for 45 and over serie. Tournament is on Ylöjärvi.
My better half is laying next to me and having a high fever and there's a risk obviously to get caught by the same flu. I have skipped couple of rounds of flu around me lately and I " decided" to skip this one also. Famous last words?

Day -113

I visited recruitment fair today here in Pori, having new opportunities on my mind obviously.
The outcome wasn't really what I was after, couple vacancies for welders and assemblers, and summer works for youngsters. I didn't feel like belonging neither of groups. So walked out empty handed.

Day -114

Another job applied. This time in Finland and Tampere.  There are 4 applied jobs in a a queue, under processing.

Day -115

This is what I'll try to sell. There's no hurry though.

http://www.jokakoti.fi/kohde/b7a79?2

Day -116

I joined Experteer, career website focusing on senior-level professionals, some months back as it was required to be able to apply one of the job advertised elsewhere. I paid the fee for six months just to find out that the job in question wasn't available anymore.

The site has shown to be useless. There are not many jobs advertised via their pages (Finland) and there are many old jobs which are not available anymore (like from October). I haven't found any benefits being part of their services and regret being rushed to pay the fee.

Day -117

The house hunting has started: We had a look of couple of houses in Pori today - the older and the bigger one is in category "maybe, but needs heavy decoration", and the newer one is "out". We'll continue hunting in weekly basis.

And I was wrong saying that we can't get a mortage without me being employed: bollocks! We got an approval right away, and that gives us a good start to build our "new life".

So there are now three separate activities ongoing in parallel; selling, buying and employment. Might be interesting journey ahead :)

Day -118

Saturday night and no stories to be told. So, have a nice evening and "see" you tomorrow.

Day -119

For the first time, I applied a job outside of Finnish border. Not expecting to get it but sounded interesting, and I have nothing to loose. A role in Skype, in Stockholm.