Update XVIII: 15 Miles From Lunch

[J-Mann]

I don't think the idea of this "vacation" is all that strange. My family never went on any elaborate trips together, and a few of our getaways involved long-ish drives and short stays. If that's the Brown family's idea of a good time, let them have it.

The specifics ... mainly the fact that their 32-year-old son tagged along and stayed in the same room ... are odd, but not unheard of. I've traveled with my parents to events at different times over the last decade.

[J-Mann]

Jeff, I know the "worth" question comes across as offensive, but it's actually reasonably good interview preparation. Why do you believe that you're worth $20 an hour ... or $11 an hour? Your honest answer as to the attributes that could make you worth that amount (rather than a "my parents have discussed and determined that's what I need to make" answer) may help you think through what you bring to the table ... and maybe reveal some deficiencies, as well.

Additionally -- and I think this is a question worth pondering and answering -- why aren't you considering two jobs? I agree with you that $11.00 an hour multiplied by 2,080 hours per year is better for you than $8.00 an hour. BUT -- if your own employment background or skillset don't lend themselves to a stable and consistent $11.00 an hour position (and so far, they flat-out have not), isn't it worth considering two jobs -- one full time and one part time -- that pay less but are more-stable for you? It's not as if you don't have the time for a part-time job, and millions who find themselves in similar financial circumstances pursue two jobs as an option.

[J-Mann]

Jeff, I know the "worth" question comes across as offensive, but it's actually reasonably good interview preparation. Why do you believe that you're worth $20 an hour ... or $11 an hour? Your honest answer as to the attributes that could make you worth that amount (rather than a "my parents have discussed and determined that's what I need to make" answer) may help you think through what you bring to the table ... and maybe reveal some deficiencies, as well.

Additionally -- and I think this is a question worth pondering and answering -- why aren't you considering two jobs? I agree with you that $11.00 an hour multiplied by 2,080 hours per year is better for you than $8.00 an hour. BUT -- if your own employment background or skillset don't lend themselves to a stable and consistent $11.00 an hour position (and so far, they flat-out have not), isn't it worth considering two jobs -- one full time and one part time -- that pay less but are more-stable for you? It's not as if you don't have the time for a part-time job, and millions who find themselves in similar financial circumstances pursue two jobs as an option.

As far as the two jobs, I get worn out very easily.  I've answered this before, but I've always been attacked for it, but if I take on too many things on my plate, burn out comes very fast.  I have actually physically passed out from being too tired.  Two jobs would almost certainly eliminate my weekends, leaving me virtually no time to rest.  It would be more disastrous to my health than my eating and exercise habits.  I physically cannot work two jobs.  I admire those who can, but I physically cannot.  It's not because I'm lazy, but it's my personal health.

And the first part of the post?

[J-Mann]

Among the litany of issues you may have Jeff, execution is chief among them.

You do have a vision for yourself -- from what I can tell, it's to be an independent provider, a head-of-household who puts in a Dick van Dyke style day, comes home after a solid eight hours to trip over the ottoman and into the arms of your housewife and your 2.4 children, waiting for you in your modest ranch-style house with the white picket fence.

The problem is, vision without execution is worthless. Anyone can say that they know they need to practice the skills they need to build a career. Anyone can say they need to exercise and lose weight. In fact, anyone can set an arbitrary goal associated with their vision -- even baby steps -- and if they don't actually do anything to work toward that goal or vision, it's worthless.

Jeff -- this is largely your modus operandi.

If you're ever, ever, ever going to pull yourself out of this seemingly endless cycle, you'll need to actually follow through toward your vision. Based on your work performance, I suspect that your actual execution on the job is more like the type of person who hopes to hide in the workplace and hope the boss never notices you, rather than someone who is actually interested in building a career.

You're not wrong to believe in yourself, and while I don't think you're anywhere near a good judge of your own abilities, it's not wrong to have a dream. But you're painfully bad at actually following through on, well, anything.

You ought to try something very simple in order to start making progress. This is an old story about (I believe) Andrew Carnegie. Each night before you go to bed, take a 3x5 notecard and write the five most important things that you can do the next day, and rank them in order of importance.

My guess is that this list would never include "Watching four football games" or "Eat at Braums." The list should be meaningful and important things that help you build toward your vision. Make the first (as an example):

1. Spend one hour doing AutoCADD training on Lynda.com
2. Take a 20-minute walk
3. Go to the grocery store and buy a week's worth of fruits and vegetables
4. Call and email contacts at CADD school to ask about potential connections for the job search
5. Research how to sublease your Tulsa apartment, in the event you land a job in OKC

At the beginning of each day, review your list and knock off the items one by one. Make sure these items build toward larger goals and, ultimately, your vision.

[J-Mann]

Among the litany of issues you may have Jeff, execution is chief among them.

You do have a vision for yourself -- from what I can tell, it's to be an independent provider, a head-of-household who puts in a Dick van Dyke style day, comes home after a solid eight hours to trip over the ottoman and into the arms of your housewife and your 2.4 children, waiting for you in your modest ranch-style house with the white picket fence.

The problem is, vision without execution is worthless. Anyone can say that they know they need to practice the skills they need to build a career. Anyone can say they need to exercise and lose weight. In fact, anyone can set an arbitrary goal associated with their vision -- even baby steps -- and if they don't actually do anything to work toward that goal or vision, it's worthless.

Jeff -- this is largely your modus operandi.

If you're ever, ever, ever going to pull yourself out of this seemingly endless cycle, you'll need to actually follow through toward your vision. Based on your work performance, I suspect that your actual execution on the job is more like the type of person who hopes to hide in the workplace and hope the boss never notices you, rather than someone who is actually interested in building a career.

You're not wrong to believe in yourself, and while I don't think you're anywhere near a good judge of your own abilities, it's not wrong to have a dream. But you're painfully bad at actually following through on, well, anything.

You ought to try something very simple in order to start making progress. This is an old story about (I believe) Andrew Carnegie. Each night before you go to bed, take a 3x5 notecard and write the five most important things that you can do the next day, and rank them in order of importance.

My guess is that this list would never include "Watching four football games" or "Eat at Braums." The list should be meaningful and important things that help you build toward your vision. Make the first (as an example):

1. Spend one hour doing AutoCADD training on Lynda.com
2. Take a 20-minute walk
3. Go to the grocery store and buy a week's worth of fruits and vegetables
4. Call and email contacts at CADD school to ask about potential connections for the job search
5. Research how to sublease your Tulsa apartment, in the event you land a job in OKC

At the beginning of each day, review your list and knock off the items one by one. Make sure these items build toward larger goals and, ultimately, your vision.

Jeff, I do hope you treat this opportunity better than the last and actually follow through on bettering yourself. Scoring a new position is not the end of your challenge; it's the beginning.

Will you at least try this method for a period of time (not say "that's a good idea!" and immediately dismiss or tell us "I'll think about it," but actually do it)? You can post your top five here and use the forum as an accountability tool, which would be an incredible benefit to you.

Now is about actions, not words or optimism or warm fuzzies or delusion. Action. What will you do to ensure your success from here on out?

[J-Mann]

Lol. A  big time defense contractor hired Bushie in 10 minutes. Another BS job he's pulling on us.  Oh and RIP Granny.

Jeff never sent me the actual job description, and I certainly question such a hiring practice, but there are short-term and entry level CAD positions available through this company. By the look of the job posting I found, they are hiring several short-termers, possibly to relieve some workload. Their experience requirements are quite low.

[J-Mann]

Has anyone reviewed this job yet? It sounds a bit...strange...that a large defense firm hired Bushie that quickly. His first job sort of made sense, small mom and pop operation, but this sounds strange.

I've PM'd it to J-Mann and Smash, who both have "approved" of the job.  During the interview, he asked me about 10 questions, which I gave the correct answers to, and performed a drafting demonstration right there in the interview room.  They told me as I was walking out it would be a week or two before they reached a decision.  So, I proceeded to head up to Tulsa to that customer service job fair when I happened to get hungry and stopped at the McDonald's on the Turnpike between OKC and Tulsa.  I sat down to eat and happened to check my phone and had a voicemail from my recruiter.  I first thought, "Oh crap, no job."  Then, I checked my email on my iPhone and saw an email from her that said "Offer!!" in the subject line.  I checked the voicemail and sure enough that's what she said.  The voice mail was already 25 minutes old and I was already 65 miles up the road, so about an hour given city traffic at 10:45-11:30 in the morning.  I called her right away and confirmed the details and then I proceeded to choke down my burger and got back in the car, called Mom, Grandma, and then posted on FB and the Forum, then I got off at the next exit and proceeded to head back to my parents so we could talk strategy.  It may have been 30 minutes that elapsed between interview and offer, but still not much time.

Let's be honest: the presence of a job offer had no impact on the speed with which said burger was consumed.

[J-Mann]

I just don't understand these companies hiring practices. Unless he's lying on his CV... I would never, ever hire Bushie based on what we know about his work history.

The quickest I've ever been hired for a job was 2 days between interview and offer. I just don't understand... especially when CADD has actual issues of technical knowledge requirements and PROFICIENCY. Surely that needs to be assessed and verified?

I had a tentative same-day offer for my current position (pending reference and background checks), although my interview lasted seven hours.

I've also hired on-the-spot before ... though that was only in cases of low-level positions and due to my own inexperience. I put candidates through their paces now and usually do some internal polling and analysis prior to making an offer, but a quick turnaround on a lower-risk position is probably more common than you might think.

[J-Mann]

If this job is in OKC, can you just break the lease in Tulsa and move out of there, presumably paying some sort of penalty?  How high would such a penalty be?  Cheaper than maintaining two separate apartments for all this time?  Or is breaking the lease legally impossible?

You're assuming continuous employment for the next 3-6 months. The track record isn't good enough for an assumption like that, MM.

You're right, you cannot assume something that's not there.  However, I can do my best and by doing the things that I mentioned yesterday evening, I can make it 3-6 months of continuous employment, or longer.

Your challenge will be to actually do them, and until you actually respond to it, I'll continue to recommend the "Top 5" method for you as a way to hold yourself accountable to accomplishing things that will actually improve you. Talk is cheap, and you've done a lot of talking over the last several years -- oughta, gonna, wanna, then coulda, shoulda, woulda.

It's still rather frustrating when you consider how many people with far better work histories than Jeff have to spend months or years unemployed before they finally get an offer.

Life is not fair.

What an egotistical and prideful response. You so often lament harsh responses to your innumerable struggles, yet -- because you're on top of the world today -- you've no understanding of others'.

On the other hand ... I certainly understand what you're saying, Indy, but are those same people doing what we so fervently prompt Jeff to do? Are they accepting jobs they may think are beneath them so they can make ends meet? I know a lot of people (myself included) have an incredibly hard time thinking they're worth any less than $XXX,XXX, so they may stay unemployed rather than be underemployed.

[J-Mann]

If you're ever, ever, ever going to pull yourself out of this seemingly endless cycle, you'll need to actually follow through toward your vision. Based on your work performance, I suspect that your actual execution on the job is more like the type of person who hopes to hide in the workplace and hope the boss never notices you, rather than someone who is actually interested in building a career.

You ought to try something very simple in order to start making progress. This is an old story about (I believe) Andrew Carnegie. Each night before you go to bed, take a 3x5 notecard and write the five most important things that you can do the next day, and rank them in order of importance.

My guess is that this list would never include "Watching four football games" or "Eat at Braums." The list should be meaningful and important things that help you build toward your vision. Make the first (as an example):

1. Spend one hour doing AutoCADD training on Lynda.com
2. Take a 20-minute walk
3. Go to the grocery store and buy a week's worth of fruits and vegetables
4. Call and email contacts at CADD school to ask about potential connections for the job search
5. Research how to sublease your Tulsa apartment, in the event you land a job in OKC

At the beginning of each day, review your list and knock off the items one by one. Make sure these items build toward larger goals and, ultimately, your vision.

Requoted because I can tell already, we're back to usual -- quoting dates and meaningless activities like "staying with various family members," "seeing if the apartment is OK" and "shopping with Mom." Those aren't meaningful activities, Jeff. What are you going to do to start thriving instead of simply surviving?

[J-Mann]

If you're ever, ever, ever going to pull yourself out of this seemingly endless cycle, you'll need to actually follow through toward your vision. Based on your work performance, I suspect that your actual execution on the job is more like the type of person who hopes to hide in the workplace and hope the boss never notices you, rather than someone who is actually interested in building a career.

You ought to try something very simple in order to start making progress. This is an old story about (I believe) Andrew Carnegie. Each night before you go to bed, take a 3x5 notecard and write the five most important things that you can do the next day, and rank them in order of importance.

My guess is that this list would never include "Watching four football games" or "Eat at Braums." The list should be meaningful and important things that help you build toward your vision. Make the first (as an example):

1. Spend one hour doing AutoCADD training on Lynda.com
2. Take a 20-minute walk
3. Go to the grocery store and buy a week's worth of fruits and vegetables
4. Call and email contacts at CADD school to ask about potential connections for the job search
5. Research how to sublease your Tulsa apartment, in the event you land a job in OKC

At the beginning of each day, review your list and knock off the items one by one. Make sure these items build toward larger goals and, ultimately, your vision.

Requoted because I can tell already, we're back to usual -- quoting dates and meaningless activities like "staying with various family members," "seeing if the apartment is OK" and "shopping with Mom." Those aren't meaningful activities, Jeff. What are you going to do to start thriving instead of simply surviving?

He;s certainly the king of the mandane.  

I can't get over how they fit in several family dinners into one weekend.  

Unnecessary car trips to do things that could be done online or over the phone...constant dinners to "visit" with distant relatives or church acquaintances...taking multiple medications throughout the day...occasionally getting up to move around...

...Jeff's typical daily routine mirrors that of a 70 year-old woman.

My guess is that the constant listing is an attempt to look busy ... "Look at how much stuff I have to do!" ... when in reality, so much of it is unproductive or what most of us would consider "sidebar activities," like buying pants. I think we're in for another round of avoiding productivity or positive change and hoping to go unnoticed.

And Jeff, I don't know what government office will be open on Saturday, November 1, so you can vote. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think early voting is handled in a government office of some sort (it is in Kansas, anyway), and those people are even more clock-bound than you are.

[J-Mann]

If you're ever, ever, ever going to pull yourself out of this seemingly endless cycle, you'll need to actually follow through toward your vision. Based on your work performance, I suspect that your actual execution on the job is more like the type of person who hopes to hide in the workplace and hope the boss never notices you, rather than someone who is actually interested in building a career.

You ought to try something very simple in order to start making progress. This is an old story about (I believe) Andrew Carnegie. Each night before you go to bed, take a 3x5 notecard and write the five most important things that you can do the next day, and rank them in order of importance.

My guess is that this list would never include "Watching four football games" or "Eat at Braums." The list should be meaningful and important things that help you build toward your vision. Make the first (as an example):

1. Spend one hour doing AutoCADD training on Lynda.com
2. Take a 20-minute walk
3. Go to the grocery store and buy a week's worth of fruits and vegetables
4. Call and email contacts at CADD school to ask about potential connections for the job search
5. Research how to sublease your Tulsa apartment, in the event you land a job in OKC

At the beginning of each day, review your list and knock off the items one by one. Make sure these items build toward larger goals and, ultimately, your vision.

Requoted because I can tell already, we're back to usual -- quoting dates and meaningless activities like "staying with various family members," "seeing if the apartment is OK" and "shopping with Mom." Those aren't meaningful activities, Jeff. What are you going to do to start thriving instead of simply surviving?

[J-Mann]

Jeff. What are you going to do to start thriving instead of simply surviving?

I am going to go to work everyday and put everything I have into my new job.  I will hang out with my church family in both OKC and Tulsa when I can, so long as it doesn't interfere with my job.  My job comes first.  I will also continue to hang out with my biological family as we are a very close knit group.  I will also continue to read my Bible every night (though I've slacked off the past few weeks) and see what God has to say to me each night.

I would suggest you try the daily list to hold yourself accountable to progress. "Putting everything I have into my job" is a pipe dream without actions to determine what it takes to reach that level.

[J-Mann]

Jeff. What are you going to do to start thriving instead of simply surviving?

I am going to go to work everyday and put everything I have into my new job.  I will hang out with my church family in both OKC and Tulsa when I can, so long as it doesn't interfere with my job.  My job comes first.  I will also continue to hang out with my biological family as we are a very close knit group.  I will also continue to read my Bible every night (though I've slacked off the past few weeks) and see what God has to say to me each night.

I would suggest you try the daily list to hold yourself accountable to progress. "Putting everything I have into my job" is a pipe dream without actions to determine what it takes to reach that level.

I've already mentioned a couple times what I am going to differently.  I am not going to repeat it again.

Then you've missed the point of the original post, which was a daily task list that helps you to achieve things like "do well at my job." Don't get cute with me, Jeff -- I'm legitimately trying to help you and you throw it back as if you've got a record of success to rub my nose in. You don't.

You'd do well to listen to SOMEONE for a change. It's a system I personally use and I can promise you it makes a difference. You're ignoring it entirely, which is why I'm saying there is no difference from what you've said before. When have you not said "I'm going to put my all into this job?" That's not what's in question -- it's the actions you will take, both regular and varied, on a daily basis to make it happen.

Why you outright ignore or reject the advice of successful people (and I'm referring to a system used by people far more successful than me) is a mystery.

[J-Mann]

J-Mann, I will do things how I see fit to do them.  I can't promise to follow your checklist entirely.

"Do things how [you] see fit to do them." How's that working out for you? I'm trying to tell you that your "plans" aren't action-oriented, which will be what's required to truly improve. The one semi-decent one you've stated is to "play with AutoCAD for 45 minutes each night," and even that is weak. "Pay attention to detail at work" is vague nonsense.

You don't have to post it here (you're obviously afraid to make any commitment that could result in me or anyone else holding you accountable); just try to think in action-oriented terms.

Don't commit to "playing with AutoCAD." Challenge yourself to "Study and master the associative array functionality."

Don't commit to "paying attention to detail." Challenge yourself to "Work with my supervisor to create a detail review checklist to use prior to any drawing submissions."

Sometimes items stay on your list for days, or weeks. Sometimes you knock them out in a day. The important thing is that you take action to build toward those larger things that you need to do.

God is still working on me, chiseling away the bad and molding me into the Jeff that He has called me to be.  I'm a tough project and my God is the only one that truly knows me and the only one who can properly mold me and make me.

I know this has been said ad nauseam: I really think sometimes God is trying to speed up your molding by putting you in contact with people who can truly help. You're just too stubborn to accept that.

Jeff, are you a 10 year old at recess? No, Good. Then don't play at your AutoCADD, work at it damn it.  In the words of the great philosopher, Never Half-Ass Two Things, Whole-Ass One Thing

Yes. This. Like.

[J-Mann]

I am very excited about this job.  If I do it correctly, it could lead into a major breakthrough in my career.  Instead of predicting my failure, continue to give me constructive advice on how to do it correctly like J-Mann has done.  I still may push back, but I do read and ponder what you post.  This is a huge opportunity for me and I can't afford to screw it up.

Then accept the guidance.

I'd expect pushback if I advised you to murder your parents or convert to Islam. I find it far more difficult to accept pushback when I'm offering you simple methods to excel at work and manage your own life better.

Success requires discipline, not hope.

[J-Mann]

[J-Mann]

bushie it sounds like you are just going to be a burden on poor granny.

I have to have a place to stay and I can't afford rent at two apartments, and I am not going to sublease the Tulsa Apartment, so I can't see how you can say something so outrageous, when you know darn well that will not be the case.

Keeping the Tulsa apartment is smart since this job is only 3 months........but Granny will be cooking 3 meals a day, extra laundry, extra cleaning, extra utilities, and your constantly visiting never ending supply of wayward aunts and uncles to make dinners for.  Poor Granny, indeed.

I will do my own laundry while I'm there and I will help fix dinner.  Her other daughter and son-in-law will be coming through October 30 and leaving November 4 and then her niece and nephew will be coming through November 12-15.  After that, there won't be any company until the aunt and uncle come back through in March to celebrate his dad's 90th birthday.  They only come through to check on their elderly parents.  My aunt always does the cooking and cleaning while she visits and invites his dad over for most of the meals so as to feed them at one time.  Grandma and his dad only live 6 miles apart.  Grandma (aunt's mom) will be 89 in April and his dad will be 90 in March.  Grandma is still strong, but her short-term memory is starting to slip and his dad can no longer drive or see or hear that well.  Part of my duties while I live with her will be to help take care of her and make sure she's okay and be an extra set of eyes and ears for Mom incase she needs help.  The time will come that Grandma will no longer be able to live alone.  For now, though, she is doing great for an 88 1/2 year old other than a little slip in the memory.  I'll be waiting on her some as she waits on me some.

I'll usually try to keep my comments constructive, but ... this is disgusting. I absolutely cannot fathom imposing on my own 88-year-old grandmother, let alone having an expectation that she "waits" on me in any way while I get free room and board from her. Even if I was down and out. That's the point where I'd scrub toilets to earn enough money to care for her.

Yuck.

[J-Mann]

I suggest you sublet your Tulsa apartment and use the money from that to find temporary accommodations in Oklahoma City. If the job lasts, then you'll be abandoning your apartment anyway. And if it doesn't, you won't have thrown away what is likely $800 a month on an apartment that sits empty with an extravagant cable package that won't be watched.

Also, keeping an apartment there so you can put 212 miles round trip on your car on weekends to have a church picnic and watch football alone is utterly ridiculous. As if you weren't throwing enough money away by sitting on an empty apartment 100 miles away, you decide to rack up miles on your car and gas by making a meaningless trip.

[J-Mann]

I suggest you sublet your Tulsa apartment and use the money from that to find temporary accommodations in Oklahoma City. If the job lasts, then you'll be abandoning your apartment anyway. And if it doesn't, you won't have thrown away what is likely $800 a month on an apartment that sits empty with an extravagant cable package that won't be watched.

Also, keeping an apartment there so you can put 212 miles round trip on your car on weekends to have a church picnic and watch football alone is utterly ridiculous. As if you weren't throwing enough money away by sitting on an empty apartment 100 miles away, you decide to rack up miles on your car and gas by making a meaningless trip.

Again, I'm not doing anything wrong.  I'm a different duck.  I'm not a wrong duck.

It's not "wrong," Jeff. It's financially wasteful. And the fact that you've become so irritated and keep reiterating how right you are is revealing. You know you're holding onto an apartment you're not living in, an expensive cable package you're not watching and will try to justify that all by wasting gas and mileage to have a weekly confab with a church group you've known for all of a few months. At this point, you're not facing the reality of that foolishness and are too proud to admit otherwise.

[J-Mann]

Listen, guys, I know my decisions are rarely popular, but this one is no worse than any of the previous decisions.  You are trying to get me to admit guilt.  I can't find where I should admit guilt, because my conscience is completely clear.  If you were here in Oklahoma with me you would understand where I'm coming from a lot of times.  If you sat in on the family meetings you would understand.  As it is, you are all arm-chair quarterbacking and pointing fingers.  You did know that every time you point a finger you have three pointing back at you, right?  Do not judge me.  I'm not a horrible person.  None of you are any better than me.  You're not any worse, but none of you are any better.

This is patently untrue in almost every way. I fall short in the sanctimony department, but by nearly every other measure, I am better than you. I don't say that egotistically ... I say it in amazement that you don't latch on to those who have had success in life and ask how to replicate the methods by which they achieved their outcomes, particularly when such advice is freely offered.

I have long been here to help you, Jeff, as have many others. It's time to grow up, accept some help from non-enabling sources and mine it for all it's worth. The smartest thing you could do right now is to invite more criticism, ask for more help and actually learn lessons from what others share.

[J-Mann]

It's my money and if I want to be "financially wasteful", I should be allowed to.  I should not be subjected to hours of insults and character assassinations because of it.  I'm seeing clearly what kind of people some of these posters are, and frankly, it is disturbing.

In the midst of some solid advice aimed at helping you financially, this is quite possibly the single most disgusting comment you've ever made. You walk into flames and pretend to be in a cool breeze. Best wishes, Jeff. I'm done.

[J-Mann]

Why do you continue to try to discourage me?  Do you realize that doesn't help anything?

Neither does encouraging you.

People encourage you to practice your skills so you make yourself invaluable at your job. You "plan" but never do.

People encourage you to eat better in order to be healthier and combat some of your physical ailments. You "plan" to but never do.

People encourage you to exercise. You "plan" to but never do.

What do you want to go on your tombstone, Jeff? Think long and hard about it -- if "Couch Potato" or "Chronically Unemployed" suit you just fine, so be it. If not, do something to change it. You'll "plan" to but never will.

It doesn't matter whether people encourage you or discourage you. You are incapable of changing for the better.

[J-Mann]

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat on ESPN.  That's what I'm watching tonight.

How could you stand a bright, loud television with a Grade 8 headache?

It's come way down since I got a 5 hour nap today.  It is now a Grade 4, occasionally Grade 5.  If it were still the way it was this morning, then I would be in bed right now.  As it is right now, it is moderate, at best.  That's a result of 1) prayer, 2) migraine pill, and 3) rest.  If it continues at this lower level, then there is no doubt I'll go in tomorrow.

You're lying to everyone on here and to yourself. King saw through your BS -- your headaches are so bad you can't work and need to sleep all day but not so bad that you can park yourself in front of the television non-stop (as I'm sure you've done for the entire 11 days you've had this headache) and watch games that no one in their right mind would care about.

You refuse to drink water.

You refuse to stop eating junk that is medically proven to exacerbate headaches.

You refuse to stop watching TV.

You refuse to do anything more than "plan" to do better. You refuse to do.

Tell us why, again, that anyone should be wasting time encouraging you?

[J-Mann]

I just can't imagine how someone in apparently so much pain wants to do nothing about it.

Because it's all about doing what's most expedient and facilitates laziness. I actually believe Jeff when he says his headache was so bad this morning that he had to leave work, and if his boss allowed it, so be it.

But rather than try to get himself well in any way, he continues to eat like sh[ink], drink nothing but headache-inducing soda and get literally no exercise. Plus he watches hours and hours of TV, because it's easy.

Successful people don't do "easy" -- therefore, Jeff will never succeed. He doesn't have it in him in any way other than to just talk and "plan." Useless words backed up by years of inaction.