I’ll be taking my second road test tomorrow. I’m positively petrified about my parallel parking skills, or lack thereof. I know that I’ll be coming to complete stops at all red lights, checking for No Right On Red signs. That’s for sure. 
Keep me in your prayers.
-John
I finally created a new design for my site. Now I need to start adding content. I am very happy with what I came up with. I won’t post a link to it until I’m done, though, so you all will have to keep waiting. 
-John
I decided that TheWayIFeel.net is boring. I’ll keep the blog, but it will be part of my new personal website, which I have yet to build. Shouldn’t be long.
Tests have an interesting way of identifying your weakest points. I discovered that yesterday. See, I never paid much attention to those signs that said “No Right Turn on Red“. I pretty much forgot that they existed yesterday.
“You’re going to need to make sure that you read all of your signs”
“Got it” (Comes to red light. Comes to complete stop. Makes a right turn once it’s safe)
“Did you read all of your signs?”
“Oh crap!”
I failed the test for one major infraction; a mistake that was completely my fault.
Oh well. I’ll take it again in 2 weeks. At least I now know to look for those signs and obey them.
~
I’m pretty sure that most of you know that my family is having some issues right now. That hasn’t changed at all as of late, and I’d appreciate it if you could pray for everyone on my family as issues are sorted out. Pray especially for my sisters. I’m off now. I have part of a 3-hour drive ahead of me, as we’re going to visit Paramount King’s Island today. This trip might be a good thing–it might help get our minds off of all of this, even if for a short while.
Later,
-John
runner and jb, welcome to my blog!
Hey all,
My friend René’s father is in the hospital right now with serious respiratory illness. His condition is very, very grave. I care a lot about this friend, and am praying that her father regains his health. I would appreciate it if you could say a prayer for René’s father.
Thank you.
-John
I’m probably going to grow my hair to my shoulders. It’s pretty long now. I’m at the stage now where my hair isn’t short and isn’t long. It’s a great pain to manage your hair when it’s at this point.
After about 18 months of driving, I’m finally taking my road test! The test will be today at 12:30 PM. If I pass, I’ll get my probationary license, which allows me to drive myself anywhere I want. However, I can’t take any friends with me unless one of them happens to be at least 21 and riding shotgun. My probationary license will automatically switch to a regular license once I turn 18.
I practiced driving quite a bit yesterday and my mom helped me perfect my parallel parking. I believe I’m ready.
Well, I’ve been filling out my shopping list at www.fireworks.com. Here’s what I’m getting this year…
Bottle Rockets (Click on picture for more details)
BOTTLE ROCKETS w/REPORT
^ 4 packs of those, with 144 rockets per pack.
JUMBO WOLF PACK
^ 4 packs of those, with a dozen rockets per pack.
LARGE MOON TRAVELER
^ 4 packs of those, with 72 rockets per pack
PHANTOM WHISTLING BOTTLE ROCKETS WITH STARS & REPORT
^ 2 packs of those, with 144 rockets per pack
TRIPLE WHISTLING BOTTLE ROCKETS WITH REPORT
^ 2 packs of those, with 144 rockets per pack
WOLF PACK BOTTLE ROCKETS WITH REPORT
^ 2 packs of those, with 144 rockets per pack.
Smoke
Phantom Mammoth Smoke
^ 4 packs of those, with 3 canisters per pack.
Smokeballs
^ 4 bags of those, with who knows how many per bag.
Firecrackers (You would have thought I learned my lesson by now…)
Hydro Crackers
^ 4 packs of these, with 100 per pack.
I thought I’d hold back this year and not get too much. What do you think? 
-John
I looked in my newspaper on Wednesday this week and saw this:
Make $15.50 an hour
PT/FT
Call 555-1234
Being the poor person that I am, I called the number. After answering a few questions, I set up an “interview” at a local office suite. At this point, I had no clue what I was in for. All I was told was that I would be “interviewing for a sales position at Vector Marketing, selling products made by Cutco.” The lady on the phone asked me if I was good with people. I said “Sure”. She said “I thought so, because of how you have been conversing with me”.
Uh-huh. Right on, lady. You can’t tell how people are socially based on a phone conversation.
On Thursday morning, I went in for the interview. How surprised was I to see 6 other people in the office suite, each filling out an application! I grabbed a clipboard and started filling out mine.
After 30 minutes of waiting (and seeing two dejected candidates leave the office after exiting the manager’s office), I was called in. I handed my application to the manager, a woman named Stephanie. She reviewed it, asked me a few questions, and then asked me to stay for the “Interview”.
Oh yes! I’m salesman material!
And so were 5 other people who conveniently were “interviewed” at the same time as me. Ok, it wasn’t an interview. It was a presentation. I am under the belief that “interviews” are held on a one-on-one basis.
“As I hold this rope, try to cut through it with this [rather dull] serrated knife”
“Now, cut through the rope with this Cutco knife”
Oooh! Ahhh!
“Watch me cut through this penny with a pair of Cutco shears”
Oooh! Ahhh!
“Cutco is this. Cutco is that. We do this. We do that.”
And so this went on for over an hour. Once my butt was completely frozen, we were told to complete two essay questions.
Question 1: Name 5 goals you want to achieve in 5 years
Question 2: Explain the Cutco sales rep payment plan as best as you can
I finished the essay questions and waited as each candidate entered the manager’s office and then exited. One walked out of the building dejectedly. One walked out with Vector papers in his hand, and was offered a handshake by the assistant manager.
“Welcome to the team!”
My turn. I walked into the office with sweaty palms. The manager reviewed my essay questions.
“John, we can’t hire everyone that applies. But I like your application and I think you’d make a great addition to our team. Welcome!”
She then scheduled training for a few hours later.
Thursday: 4-9
Friday: 10-4
Saturday: 9-3
Holy crap! 17 hours? Oh well, at least, even if we get paid minimum wage, we’ll make ~$100.
Haha. I should live so long.
One of the first things that was explained to me at the training/presentation is that I am an independant contractor.
“You’re very lucky to be an IC. That means that you can set your own hours, essentially setting your own wage!”
Oh yes. And that also means that
“You are quite lucky to get this training for free! When college students take it for credits, they have to pay for it”
Please. Spending 17 (unpaid) hours of my life sitting in a metal chair learning all about how great Vector Marketing is and learning about how to sell knifes is not what I would consider worth paying for.
“You make $15.50 per appointment. Each appointment lasts about an hour”
WHAT? What a stretch! I was lied to! I walked into this office suite earlier that day thinking that I would make $15.50 an hour fulltime. $15 an hour x 8 hours a day = $120 a day. $120 x 5 days a week = $600 a week. $600 x ~50 weeks a year = $30,000 a year, which is not bad at all for a college student or anyone who is living on their own.
I was lied to.
I later learned that I wouldn’t walk into the office and be presented with a list of names and addresses of interested customers. No, I have to ask people I know to watch my knife presentation. Then I have to ask them to refer their friends to me.
Essentially, I have to find my own work.
I called this morning and quit. I’d rather work for a cheaper hourly wage as an employee than work as an “independant contractor” for a company that deceives its job candidates.