The Interview

I had hoped for some more feedback on the previous post, but since there was praise from the master I'll deal.

As near as I can tell this started with Evil Twins Wife. These questions were submitted by Alex.

1. You have just made a huge career change. What got you interested in nursing?
I don't know if interested is the right word. Nursing kind of fell into place. In late 2006 I could see the handwriting on the wall at my current job. The wireless industry is becoming more and more commoditized and Michigan has had a shrinking economy for a while now. Mona and I knew that I was not in a long term job.

We thought about relocating and me staying in sales. I also started thinking about other fields, since sales can be a tough gig sometimes. A friend who was in hospital administration told me 6 or more years ago that I should go to Nursing school. My Mom used to tell me that if I wanted to quit my job and go to school to become a speech therapist that I could move back home while I was in school. I leaned heavily towards becoming a dentist.

Before this job I was in the dental industry. I spent 5 years calling on 26 of the most prestigious universities in the world, mostly in their Endodontic (root canal) clinics. I got to know some incredibly smart and in some cases famous (one guy is mentioned in Finding Nemo) dentists. And because I was so fascinated by the field I learned a lot. I used to sit in on post-doctoral seminars just for fun. 90% ore more of it was over my head, but what I did pick up helped me to have conversations at a near peer level with a lot of the residents and department chairs.

I have lots of stories about some of the people I met, and I have a great deal of respect for them and what they do. One in particular is Dr. E. He runs a program in another state and I called him when I was considering going to dental school. He and I talked and he gave me some advice an suggestions. Based on my age and family status dental school was possible, but it would be tough.

Nursing just kept bubbling to the surface. Mona and I saw these accelerated 2nd degree programs and she decided one day to see how long it would take to complete a program, pre-req's included. She worked up a schedule of pre-reqs at the local community colleges and did all the leg work.

Once I saw the plan and after we talked it over, nursing seemed like the best return for the investment of time and money. I expect to end up in administration or sales again, but the sales gig would have to be in the medical device or equipment line and the money would need to be big.

If I can get a masters in health care paid for by the hospital I work for then I might do that. A small part of me things a PhD in Nursing might be cool. And I have heard from some people that if I did that I might be able to get a significant break on tuition for The Peanut if she attends someplace I teach at. That would be helpful too, since I've only approved the Ivy schools, MIT or Stanford for her.

Anyway, once Mona and I talked it over, I registered for a couple of classes and a year and half later (seven months behind the initial time table) here I am.

2. Congratulations! You have won the 10 million dollar jackpot in the lotto! What are your plans for the money?

Is $10 Million enough to have some people whacked and not go to jail? If not I would use it to fund my campaign to become Emperor. I would be Emperor Jorge the Terrible, benevolent despot.

Seriously though, $10 million is enough to get some security, but not enough to join the ranks of the uber-rich.

With that money I'd need to do some stuff. First, get The Peanut into one of the schools mentioned above. Second I'd start looking for businesses to get into. Ideally it would be something that I could do more or less for fun that would also turn a profit. The idea of buying a really, really nice boat, hiring a crew and running it as a live aboard SCUBA charter appeals to me. I'd let it more or less run itself and book a trip a few times a year just to go diving.

I'd also have to use about half a million for go nuts money. My dream has always been to own and fly a P-51D Mustang. I'd have one built while I was learning to fly and spend the time I wasn't diving flying around with the Yankee Airforces B-17 doing airshows around the country. I know, I'm a dork. But in this fantasy I'm a dork with $10 Million in the bank. So there.

I've also promised to hire my best friend, Jefe. Jefe's job will be to be my watch. It would be his job to tell me the time whenever I ask. "What time is it Jefe?" "9:58, Jorge." "Good work, Jefe."

3. What is the last white lie that you told? Why did you tell it?
I kind of danced around the question "When did you check out?" that Ajax asked me today. I just couldn't tell him it was pretty much December 1st.

4. Tell us one odd or interesting thing about yourself that not many people know.
This is a difficult question. Sure there are things that not many people know, but darn few of them are interesting. And the interesting things are the things that most people do know about. And I am a collection of oddities, but I've never taken pains to hide them.

How about this. What if I told you I killed a hippie in the mid seventies and got away with it? Not buying it? What, just because I was born in 1970 doesn't make it impossible. OK, fine. You got me. I've never killed a hippie.

OK, maybe this. I have always felt a little out of place. I am kind of an anachronism. I really feel that I would have fit in well with "The Greatest Generation." I really identify with that cultural ethos. I could see myself enjoying old time comedy on the radio; Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Abbott & Costello and all the rest. I wouldn't be at all uncomfortable in suit and tie at a baseball game in the spring or fall. And I love to wear hats. With the exception of the war, I love the whole idea of the 40's, back when men were men and women were glad.

Otherwise how many people know I'm a SCUBA instructor? I've been diving in the following bodies of water: Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, the Niagara River (above the Falls, thank you) White Star Quarry, Portage Quarry, the Detroit River (one of the few civilians to do this legally from the US side) Spring Mill Pond (for fresh water jellyfish) a lake who's name I don't recall and one rather large aquarium.

5. What was your worst customer service experience? (This can be a restaurant, store, etc.) What did you do about it?

Oh I don't know. I've had a few and I generally do something about it. The one that still makes me laugh was at a TGI Friday's in Rochester, NY. I went in there for dinner and the place was dead. I was seated and then ignored. Luckily I had a newspaper with me, so I read for 30 minutes. After that I took one of those little plastic stands with the drink special cards in it and tapped it a few times on the brass rail by my table.

When the server showed up I invited him to sit down. Then I told him that since he kept me waiting for a half an hour that I would keep him waiting for half an hour. I gave him the sections of the paper that I was done with and we sat together and read for a while.

He tried to get me to order a couple of times and I just told him that it hadn't been 30 minutes yet. Some of his friends walked by and laughed at him. The manager may or may not have come by. We waited 30 minutes and when we were done I placed my order.

My suspicion is that my food got spit on, but I was ammused and what are you gonna do? I still left him a 20% or so tip.

So that's it. It is supposed to be a chain thing, so just comment "interview me" and I will e-mail you questions for your blog. Please leave your email address if I don't have.