PARKER CONSULTING ROCKS!!!

Thanx to Ray Tafoya of Tucson Initiative Placement Services, I was just hired to do surveys over the phone. John Dollinger is the manager and he seems relaxed and courteous, like Vester was at A.C.O.R.N. I begin next Monday.

BACK TO JACKSON

On Monday, I went to my first class and learned that Frank was the trainer. I've heard a lot of bad news about him but for the 3 days I was in class, he was fine. We started out with 13 students and Frank told us that 24-25 had signed up for the class. He also said Jackson had a 97% success rate!!! On Tuesday, we started with 8 but were down to 7 before the end of the day. I believe that Frank expelled one of the students (Wesley) because he wasn't trying hard enough. Wesley may have psychogical problems in addition to whatever brought him to Jackson.

On Wednesday, we started with 7 but were down to 6 before 9 AM. A guy named Bob just got up and left.

On Thursday, I had forgotten to set my alarm so I didn't get up until 8:15, 15 minutes late for Jackson. I called and Frank told me I would have to start over, beginning on this coming Monday.

In the meantime, I've gotten an e-mail from the UA and it looks like I will get to be at least a temporary replacement worker for the Human Subjects Protection Program. Dr. Dahl will contact me to schedule another interview. I also got back with the Tucson Initiative Placement Services, a job finder company that Arizona's Voc Rehab program is paying to find me a job, and I have an appointment with Ray at 1 PM today.

BACK AT JACKSON

I had three options: (1) get a job by Friday (2) re-enter the Jackson program (3) leave the Catalina House.

I chose (2) because (1) didn't occur. When I went back to re-enrol, I said "Hi" to Frank and I waved to Mrs. Lupe. I didn't get a reaction from either of them.

Suzie, the receptionist, was friendly and courteous.

BACK TO SQUARE ONE

I'm back to looking for work. I lasted at Sears for about 3 weeks and I was fired because I neglected to call in sick. I had no valid excuse for not calling in. I don't think I could've lasted much longer because I was running out of empathy for customers' problems. The job was great when I could do some trouble-shooting over the phone and not so great when I has to listen to angry customers.