Seeking God's will in the Haze of life...

Since graduation, I have been on a long tiresome road to determine how to spend the rest of my years.

At first my goal was simply to find a job in my field...and God provided. I got a job at Championship Productions in Ames (yeah, no commute!) working on a contract basis and getting paid per project. When I started there I was on a three-month contract, and when the contract was drawing to a close and my boss hadn't spoken to me about an extension on that contract, I assumed I needed to find a job...FAST!

After a lot of "suggestion" by my roommate, Holly Boston, I applied for a Barista position at Stomping Grounds. I was excited to learn more about coffee and espresso and how to make it well. Much to my surprise I was hired within four days of applying. Soon after landing a job at good ol'e SG, my boss at Championship Productions offered me the opportunity to stay on. Now I had a second job, and wouldn't have to worry about making rent or finding freelance jobs.

It wasn't long before this got daunting. I dreaded getting up in the morning to work on boring Sports Training Videos, and couldn't wait to leave and make coffee and lattes at Stomping Grounds. I wasn't sure I wanted to give up the video world completely, but I knew I wanted out of the video world I was in. So I turned in my notice at Championship and was excited to get into the freelance world (secretly hoping it wouldn't interfere with my coffee making endeavors).

It has taken me a long time to get things wrapped up at Championship Productions, and along the way my roommate, Katie Allen, brought my attention to a job opening in Des Moines at Fox channel 17. I applied (what they hey, it's good experience), thinking I was under qualified and uninterested, only to be called for a phone interview less than a week later.

Before long I was offered a job that seemed a little boring and monotonous, and a little skimpy on the pay. I wrestled with weather or not to take the job for a while and eventually declined the position.

I figured the video world was over for me. I would work in freelance and see where that went, but Stomping Grounds would probably be my primary source of income...hey, maybe I'd even become a manager eventually - or move on to open my own coffee shop? Then I received a surprising call from the general manager of Fox 17. He asked if I had turned down the position because of the job or because of the money. He said he may be able to work out a job for me, but it would pay about the same amount. I told him from what it sounded like I would probably be interested in the job. So I waited a week to hear from the one doing the hiring. When I finally did hear from her I had an on-the-fly phone interview with her (which, I think, went terribly), after which I was told I'd hear back from them in about 2 weeks. And so I did. I was offered a job, and feeling like they had created a job just for me, I felt like I couldn't refuse. So I will be working in Des Moines eight hours a day, five days a week starting on June 26th. But I couldn't handle the thought of giving up my dream of owning a coffee shop someday (or the possibility of never being able to master my latte art), so I begged my boss at Stomping Grounds to let me work some evenings and weekends.

Holly and I decided that I will be working in the video industry to save money for my coffee shop. I love it, and I think I just might want to spend the rest of my life doing it! And if I hate this video job...Jon, will you PLEASE take me back as a manager?