contentedly aggravated

i've been actively looking for about a 1.5-2 months now, and still, no really hopeful opportunities.

on the one hand, it really sucks that with 3 years of job experience at something that requires a fair amount of responsibility and patience, and a 4 year degree from the 'harvard of the midwest,' i am unqualified for most of the jobs i'd be interested in.

teaching was a blowout. but any of the other things i'd truly consider going back to school for just don't seem in the cards for me here. as far as doing some sort of social work/counseling, or even if i was to decide to pursue nursing, i'm looking at an easy 1.5-2 hour commute each way to go to school. other things, like physical therapy or chiropractics, aren't even available to pursue here, and if they were, they'd probably be right next door to the other schools that are too far away.

so academic pursuits are pretty much not an option here. that leaves trying to get a job on my current merits. that is not looking much better.

i found a few jobs that looked very much like what i was doing before, working with at-risk kids in residential settings, but they would have meant signing up for 3-4 hours in the car a day, too. there isn't much on our side of the island, and of the few apps i've put out (even with follow-up calls) i've heard nothing back so far except for 'wait for us to call you' or 'this could take 4 weeks for screening' and whatnot. and it's really rare that i see any good job openings to begin with, or if i do, i fall short of the experience or education requirements.

on the other hand, as frustrating as it is, i try to remind myself that at least i have the luxury of holding out for a job i want, that i don't have to work but choose to, and that most people living here have to take 2-4 jobs they really hate just to make ends meet.

COMPLETE TANGENT ALERT: i used to think that the phrase 'making ends meet' was really 'making end's meat', as if you could barely make enough money to get the really scrappy portions of tough meat considered less desirable for eating. silly girl.