As the Marc Turns... a soap opera...
When we last saw our hero Marc, he was.... uhh... hey, I forgot... so let's just see what's been happening eh? 
I have been going through the ringer trying to get the job situation tied down... I have it narrowed down to 3 who want me....
(1) A magazine distributor... driving around the south stocking up magazine racks... this *appeared* to be the best paying and simplest job... more on this later in the story...
(2) The largest Chevrolet dealer in the world... got hired, and was supposed to go in on Monday, but accepted the magazine job instead... everyone I talked to said this dealership is a nightmare... I have sold cars before, and to be honest, I really hated it.. even though I did well... it's a really yucky business to be in, and was going to do this as a last resort...
(3) Woodworking show demonstrator for a fairly large company who makes specialty woodworking tools. For those who don't know, this is my "thing"... you can see some of my work at http://www.woodhelp.com
There are some really weird things about this job that are making me very, very, VERY leery about it...
(a) They are commission only... which is a risk of course.... If they have a bad show, I have a bad show... i.e. no moolah...
(b) They do not pay any expenses... I would have to pay for all my own airline, hotel, rental car, food, etc expenses... The "potential" pay is supposed to make this a "mute point" according the guy who offered me this job...
(c) I have to fly to San Antonio for training, and they will pay for the hotel but not the flight!... Why does that just sound so weird to me??? Of all the things, this stuck in my craw Big Time!
(d) No bennies at all.. I would be a 10-99 contractor... so pay all my own taxes, health insurance, all that...
Good things about this job are:
(a) I love woodworking!
(b) I get to travel all over the US... 26 shows in 26 different cities from October through May... 3 shows are close enough to my hometown of Costa Mesa Ca for me to be able to see my daughter...
http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/index.php?pageName=Show_Calendar
(c) I get June through September off!... no pay, but the job is "supposed" to pay so well that I can sail a few months with just the money I saved during the shows... Hmmm.... 
(d) I get a complete set of their equipment to take home and install on my own machines in my shop... mine to keep... the more I know about them, the better I can sell them eh....
(e) The shows run Thursday through Sunday, so I would be off Monday through Thursday... fly out on Thursday, fly home on Sunday night...
(f) There is a great chance of making some contacts through the shows... those guys will be doing the same thing, selling at a show, and know lots and lots of people... who knows...
(g) They REALLY want me... the last conversation was over 1 1/2 hours long, and the guy said "I want to be honest... we think you are perfect for this, and it is very difficult to find someone who has 30 years of woodworking experience and a lot of sales experience AND instructor experience! ... i.e. the ability so sell, get up in front of a crowd of people and talk, and be a woodworker... I am guessing that is a fairly true statement... and it is always nice to be wanted 
Back to the route magazine job... they pay well... but seem so flaky on some things it scares me... it is 6:30am right now... I was at the terminal at 4:30am to ride along on a guys route to learn the paperwork and stuff.. was supposed to be gone for 4 days, so bags all packed and stuff.. waited there until almost 5:30am, nobody showed up... The guy I was supposed to ride with was in the office the other day when I was there filling out the new hire paperwork... and I could hear him whining about the route, and could hear the boss say over and over.. "we don't want to lose you, what do you want to do?"... this went on for a long time, and I was thinking "uh oh" ... the boss called me yesterday and said that this guy told him he could not read a map, and that he was sending me with him so I could read the map for him, and he could show me the paperwork and stuff... what?????? Good grief... Ever get that "uh oh" feeling about a company?... they pay for food, $20 a day, and when I told him I had some special "needs" and would be getting my food from a grocery store and not a restaurant, he said "we only pay for receipts from a resturaunt"... I said "I don't really eat at restaurants, but I can certainly provide receipts from the grocery store" he said "nope... restaurants only"... huh???? I get nervous about stuff like that...
I have some decisions to make... and a lot will depend on what the boss says at 8am when I call him to let him know the guy never showed... I wish they would just let me go out on the route... how hard could it be???
I have to let the Woodworking job know of my decision on Monday... and I have told them that I would do that and not leave them hanging... I had planned on working the magazine job and then making my decision, but it is already Tuesday and I don't know any more than I did!
*sigh*.....
Thanks for letting me babble... sorry it was so long... I needed to put this into words to help me sort all of this out...
Comments and suggestions cheerfully accepted!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast
I have been going through the ringer trying to get the job situation tied down... I have it narrowed down to 3 who want me....
(1) A magazine distributor... driving around the south stocking up magazine racks... this *appeared* to be the best paying and simplest job... more on this later in the story...
(2) The largest Chevrolet dealer in the world... got hired, and was supposed to go in on Monday, but accepted the magazine job instead... everyone I talked to said this dealership is a nightmare... I have sold cars before, and to be honest, I really hated it.. even though I did well... it's a really yucky business to be in, and was going to do this as a last resort...
(3) Woodworking show demonstrator for a fairly large company who makes specialty woodworking tools. For those who don't know, this is my "thing"... you can see some of my work at http://www.woodhelp.com
There are some really weird things about this job that are making me very, very, VERY leery about it...
(a) They are commission only... which is a risk of course.... If they have a bad show, I have a bad show... i.e. no moolah...
(b) They do not pay any expenses... I would have to pay for all my own airline, hotel, rental car, food, etc expenses... The "potential" pay is supposed to make this a "mute point" according the guy who offered me this job...
(c) I have to fly to San Antonio for training, and they will pay for the hotel but not the flight!... Why does that just sound so weird to me??? Of all the things, this stuck in my craw Big Time!
(d) No bennies at all.. I would be a 10-99 contractor... so pay all my own taxes, health insurance, all that...
Good things about this job are:
(a) I love woodworking!
(b) I get to travel all over the US... 26 shows in 26 different cities from October through May... 3 shows are close enough to my hometown of Costa Mesa Ca for me to be able to see my daughter...
http://www.thewoodworkingshows.com/index.php?pageName=Show_Calendar
(c) I get June through September off!... no pay, but the job is "supposed" to pay so well that I can sail a few months with just the money I saved during the shows... Hmmm....
(d) I get a complete set of their equipment to take home and install on my own machines in my shop... mine to keep... the more I know about them, the better I can sell them eh....
(e) The shows run Thursday through Sunday, so I would be off Monday through Thursday... fly out on Thursday, fly home on Sunday night...
(f) There is a great chance of making some contacts through the shows... those guys will be doing the same thing, selling at a show, and know lots and lots of people... who knows...
(g) They REALLY want me... the last conversation was over 1 1/2 hours long, and the guy said "I want to be honest... we think you are perfect for this, and it is very difficult to find someone who has 30 years of woodworking experience and a lot of sales experience AND instructor experience! ... i.e. the ability so sell, get up in front of a crowd of people and talk, and be a woodworker... I am guessing that is a fairly true statement... and it is always nice to be wanted
Back to the route magazine job... they pay well... but seem so flaky on some things it scares me... it is 6:30am right now... I was at the terminal at 4:30am to ride along on a guys route to learn the paperwork and stuff.. was supposed to be gone for 4 days, so bags all packed and stuff.. waited there until almost 5:30am, nobody showed up... The guy I was supposed to ride with was in the office the other day when I was there filling out the new hire paperwork... and I could hear him whining about the route, and could hear the boss say over and over.. "we don't want to lose you, what do you want to do?"... this went on for a long time, and I was thinking "uh oh" ... the boss called me yesterday and said that this guy told him he could not read a map, and that he was sending me with him so I could read the map for him, and he could show me the paperwork and stuff... what?????? Good grief... Ever get that "uh oh" feeling about a company?... they pay for food, $20 a day, and when I told him I had some special "needs" and would be getting my food from a grocery store and not a restaurant, he said "we only pay for receipts from a resturaunt"... I said "I don't really eat at restaurants, but I can certainly provide receipts from the grocery store" he said "nope... restaurants only"... huh???? I get nervous about stuff like that...
I have some decisions to make... and a lot will depend on what the boss says at 8am when I call him to let him know the guy never showed... I wish they would just let me go out on the route... how hard could it be???
I have to let the Woodworking job know of my decision on Monday... and I have told them that I would do that and not leave them hanging... I had planned on working the magazine job and then making my decision, but it is already Tuesday and I don't know any more than I did!
*sigh*.....
Thanks for letting me babble... sorry it was so long... I needed to put this into words to help me sort all of this out...
Comments and suggestions cheerfully accepted!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast 
Wow Marc... you do have some tough decisions to make. I know you love your wood working, and I know that would be what you would want to do the most, but I wonder if the stability of the magazine job (once you learn the job) would be better. Good Luck to you in your decision, and let us know what you decide.
Susan
Marc, it sounds to me like you have already made up your mind. The woodworking gig has way more positives than negatives it seems. I'm not saying what you should do...you are the only person who can decide that, but it sounds like you have some options...do what your heart tells you is the right thing to do, and do something you will enjoy. Life is too short to be working a job that you hate if you can help it. Good luck with your journey and your decision. I know you will make a good one.
HI Marc Mrac ..lol
I'm young and i know i have a long "weigh" to go before i can consider myself full of knowledge, but.. one of my most favorite things to do as a child was listen to my grandparents tell their little "way back when" stories". One in particular was about finding a job, and then finding a job you LOVE. Anybody can get a job, anywhere, anytime, but to find a job you love, doing what you do best and enjoy doing is a no brainer. In this case my grandfather went from being an engineer building dams all over the state of GA, to becoming a fishing guide on the lakes and rivers of GA (big $$$ difference) because half the time he ended up liking the folks he took out,ended up getting drunk with them during their trophy fish fry and saying "aww it's on me", but he absolutely loved it, and wouldn't have changed his decision for the world. I would love to be able to say that money isn't everything, but we all know it must be a whole lotta something for people to carry on the way they do abou it. But, Marc, if you love doing wood working and that's where your heart is i think you should go for it. You never know, you might meet Bob Villa, and he may see some of your work, and invite you to co-star in This Old House or something...lol.. Everything happens for a reason, this opportunity is in front of you for a reason, and i dont think you should pass it up!!!! Good Luck , and Best Wishes.. on your career move.
PS ..I know what it's like to long to be in another job. My passion is cars, i worked on them rebuilding damaged and wrecked cars for 8 years before i went to nursing school. I miss it soooo bad... plus cars dont argue back when you're trying to fix them, people do, ALOT!!! - Legh Ann
Wow, Marc....what a dilemma(sp?)...I don't think anybody but you can assist you in that choice though ....
I personally don't like "fishy promises", strange claws, and comission-based earnings, or not having "stable" income and or schedule.... but that's me....I also am a strong believer that Job is NOT just a source of income, but it should give one some moral/creative/emotional or whatever else satisfaction.... I pity people who are miserable about their job... but again this is just me...
The great thing is that You DO HAVE all those choices and you are able and willing to work.... right?
And of note I did enjoy reading your post..(Ever thought of writing as a profession?)..
Best of luck to you in your choice, hugs, Rita
And of note I did enjoy reading your post..(Ever thought of writing as a profession?)..
Best of luck to you in your choice, hugs, Rita 
Since you would have so much time "off" could you not do the woodworking gig and still work something else Monday-Thurs for "steady income" until you can give the woodworking thing a chance and see if the income is there as indicated, you never know until you try. Hugs and prayers that you can make the decision you are happy with, Theresa
DANG!! Babe those are some TOUGH decisions!!!
Here's the piece of advice I give my kids...wish someone had given it to me when I had the option of making a "career" decision...
"FIND SOMETHING YOU LOVE TO DO, AND FIND A WAY TO MAKE MONEY DOING IT."
Now... I KNOW your first "smartypants" response to that will be to say that you COULD get a job hooking, and you would LOVE that and make money doing it, but you KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!
I just think that if there is a way to make money doing the woodworking deal, I'd go for it. Set yourself a time frame. If it doesn't work within a certain time frame, end it and look for something else.
But if it DOES work, just think how HAPPY you will be in your job!! That is something you have been yearning for for long time!!
I wish you all the best my friend.
Luv ya!
Tami
Marc:
I don't think I have met you at one of the gatherings yet but from the web site I saw I would agree with Sandra Botts, do the wood working, maybe at craft shows. The fall and spring are full of those shows and if the price is right for that show, they will sell. Good luck on your decision and your wls journey. I think you had your surgery just a little while ago. I do lurk mostly here and then post when I feel like it.
Take good care of yourself and good luck on your decision
Mary
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