Well, it’s official. I no longer live in Texas.

In May of 2010 I was laid off from my job. I had been there almost eleven years, and I lost my job because several people on the opposite side of our region (D/FW) didn’t do their job properly. Rather than lay off those people, the boss took the opportunity to clear out the payroll of some folks who had been around for a while. Another guy who started the same time as me, and a guy who had twenty years under his belt were laid off the same time (interestingly, all of us and/or our wives had some medical issues in the past four years, too…it wasn’t mentioned but since ”bottom line” is everything, that probably factored into the equation [Note vague bitterness]).

I was unemployed for five months, during which time I worked harder than I had when I was employed. I installed a French drain in my parent’s yard, remodeled a bathroom for the in-laws, helped several people move or paint or the odd handyman job.

While my daughter was in school, I went on every field trip and every activity. During the summer, she went with me wherever I was working.

All the while, I was going to a corporate training program that was supposed to teach us what Human Resources wanted on a resume and in an interview (I discovered that they wanted whatever you did not have).

Also, I took the opportunity to do a bunch of volunteer work with my congregation (about forty to fifty hours a month). My congregation stepped up and helped me out, with job leads and such…a few people slipped us money to help us over the hump. Most of them were anonymous, so since I can’t pay it back, I’m paying it forward.

I was working twelve to fifteen hours a day—life was almost full to the max.

I went to fifteen interviews…and was told that I was not qualified to do the job I had done for fifteen years (I had practical experience but no degree in the field). So I re-enrolled in college, with the goal of getting a degree in business.

Life was too full at this point.

Last October, a friend of a friend gave me his boss’ number, and I interviewed for a job 150+ miles away from home, in Durant, Oklahoma. These guys loved me and my experience, and didn’t care that I had no degree—as long as I was pursuing one. The pay was good—better than what I was paid before by 25%. The goal (for the company and myself) was to find an opening in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, if possible. If that wasn’t possible, there was at least the consolation of a good job with good benefits.

The hospital I'm working at has been nothing but kind and helpful to me, and they accepted me whole-heartedly (even when I wore my Texas Longhorns polo shirt on “Celebrate Your Team Day”…I got some ribbing, but it was all good-natured). My wife picked on me, saying, “You jinxed us by making fun of Oklahoma all the time…somebody wanted to humble you and made you move there!”

They helped me find affordable housing, and have given me every tool, instrument and device needed to do my job (something my old company didn’t do). They also have encouraged me to take on certain roles that don’t actually require more time or energy out of me but look good on a resume.

I got well-established in a congregation up here and found a couple of pretty good guitar pickers (although they don’t play my style of music).

In short, it’s the perfect job in a nice little town…except it’s not at home.

We agreed to let the Armadillo Child finish out her school year, so I would go home on weekends and work out of town all week. It was tough on our marriage, it was tough on my child, it changed my relationship with my congregation…even the dog started treating me differently. They would come up here and stay for a weekend or during a school holiday.

Unfortunately, nothing materialized in Texas. There wasn’t any growth within the company I was working for, except in a few states/locations I didn’t want to go. The hospital came to me and offered me a job working for them (basically what I was already doing, but with a few extra perks), and I accepted.

We rented our house in Texas to some friends, and my nephew agreed to be the handyman/repair guy there for us, so I wouldn’t have to drive 150+ miles just to adjust the furnace or something…I didn’t sell the house because it’s almost paid off and we plan on being back one day.

My wife and daughter are arriving up here today, to stay. We plan on living here until I get my degree, and then we’ll see what materializes.

I am still a Texan through and through…I’m just temporarily displaced.

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I know about were you are geographically. I started to go to gunsmith school in Ardmore a few years ago but never got it together. I have driven through Durant on occassion.

Your still close inough to Texas to go see it on occassion, and at the rate of growth DFW will be moving your way and arriving in OKla. soon.

I'm about 50 miles east of the Red but in Louisiana, almost Arkansas.

Hope everything works out for you to the best.

Sincerely,
OL

_________________
I remember when we were free!

All I ask is that you come back for the Red River Shootout, not for my sake quite obviously, but for your sanity! Congrats on the job, I've been looking for 7 months & relocated from Virginia to Texas. It's definitely a tough market. Durant isn't TOO far, but I totally understand "it isn't home". The positive to that is you must be about 2 minutes from the casino! Enjoy, congrats & good luck!

_________________

What have you done with music?...wasn't your band also the Screaming Armadillos?
I have a friend from here in Tn.,who has moved to Broken Arrow,Ok.,iirc....his wife is from Ok....I know he really doesn't like it compared to TN....but they're closer to her parents.

To O'neal Lane-

It doesn't surprise me that there's a gunsmith school in this area...there's plenty of hunters and sport/target enthusiasts around.
What we need is a good dental school and some diction lessons around here.

To CarlyGuitarly-

I hope you find some work soon...it's tough trying to find anything nowadays, even formerly "fail safe" jobs are going away.
I don't gamble or drink, so the casino is just a shiny eyesore to me, but there are a few performers that are scheduled there I wouldn't mind seeing...Chuck Berry is upcoming, I'm not sure if it's worth the money, since he's so hit-and-miss, but I'd like to see him before he dies.

To RebelSoul-

The Screamin' Armadillos (as a group) will still get together and record and perform, it's just going to be planned out better. We haven't been able to perform much with my two homes/weekends-only-with-the-family situation...I couldn't very well say, "Hey honey, it's good to see you! I'm gonna go play with the guys!" I would wake up with the headstock of my Stratocaster in the bed (like the horse's head in bed with the movie producer in "The Godfather")...

We have three albums in the can, and plan on meeting up and finishing artwork on two of them...I hope to have them released soon, that will give me an excuse to have to gig, so I can sell the discs.

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

wow thats an emotional post right there.
im sorry for you but happy at the same time SA.
im glad to hear your family will be joining you today.
its tough working so far away when your family cant be with you.
sounds like they have a good dad, husband, and provider.
remember the story of jobe when you think of all thats going on SA.
sometimes we dont understand why things are happening the way they are
but again sometimes there is a plan behind it all for the better.

_________________
63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

That's strange, I did break out in a rash when I first moved here...not as bad as Job's festering pustules, but it's a weird coincidence anyway.

...and I think that Satan probably is behind this (just as in Job's case)...I know he controls the company that I was employed by for eleven years!

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

just dont waver as your being tested and you will be rewarded openly.

_________________
63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Having a family of Armadillos, screaming towards the Oklahoma border sounds like a good thing. You know what they say about change. I was forced to make about the same kind of transition about 20 years ago. I found that the new found freedom and expanded territory did me a lot of good. Going from Big Town to Small Town is a big shock Culturally, but we ajusted to it, and love it now, and wouldn't go back.
I have only one Oklahoma story, One hot summer day I was setting on a rock outside Enid OK. My companion asked me in a calm voice: Ar you afraid of SNAKEs? I said yes I guess. He said then don't move, there is a rattler right beside you. I survived and so did the snake.
----Danny,

My wife's grandmother is from Durant. We thought about heading out to OK a while back but changed our minds. Hope things go good for you out there.

_________________
Check out my new FB music page!

https://www.facebook.com/TheDevilandMe.Music

I'm in Broken Arrow. Good luck here in paradise SA......

_________________
The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Not to offend anyone's sensibilities, but since there's a Broken Arrow and a Broken Bow (both in Oklahoma), doesn't that mean there was a Native American who either needed to take better care of his weapons or got ran over by a buffalo?

Actually, I find a lot of the history of the state interesting...we camp with friends every year at Robber's Cave, and the story about that area is really cool. It's beautiful land up there, too. The rocky, hilly wilderness of Southeastern Oklahoma reminds me of Palo Pinto, Texas (my mother's home area).

The area I'm in (near Lake Texoma) has some nice vistas, too. The house I stay in is on top of hill, with about two acres total.
I get up and watch the sun rise from the front porch. I notice the sunrise and sunset are both Fiesta Red...maybe God's trying to make me happy, matching the natural phenomenon to my Stratocaster....maybe not.

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals