Map to failure

When I started this blog years ago, I didn't know I'd still be at it by this time.  The mess of an economy I walked into has now stolen nearly six years of my life, and the meter is still running.  I have plenty more posts left in me, but as a placeholder until I have more time, I'd like to revisit one of my first posts.  I had a map where I was keeping track of all the states I got rejected from in my quest to become a financially independent librarian, declaring that my new goal was to fill it out completely, so that I could declare that every single one of these United States has told me individually that they want nothing to do with me (since the goal of gainful employment is unattainable for a librarian these days, I may as well focus on something doable).

After my hard drive died a while back I replaced that ugly map with a much sleeker one, now filling in a blank US map rather than crossing out the states in a full map.  It looks much better, I think.  You'll also notice it is now quite a bit more full:

I only have 18 more states to go.  As you can see, I can now travel the country from coast to coast in an unbroken path of states that have been specific about not wanting me to stay.

Some of these states will be harder than others.  Florida is not the hardest state to find openings in, I only need to find one I actually seem right for.  Montana, on the other hand, rarely has openings.  The hardest spots to fill, I think, will be:

-Montana
-Hawaii
-West Virginia
-Rhode Island
-New Mexico

Alaska might be pretty tough, too.  Florida and Nebraska are only a matter of time.

Give Up.

Give up.  I will forever love The Postal Service for using that as the name of their album (and for being The Postal Service).  I mentioned before that this is what I’ve done: given up, declared myself a “failed librarian.”  So it may or may not surprise you to find out that I still apply for library jobs.  It used to be that I did so in genuine hopes of getting a job.  Now I do it because I at least have to try, even without hope, I have to try.  I’m paying 280 every month for student loan bills, and I’ll be doing so for the next 10-15 years.  If I didn’t pay for the privilege of being employable as a librarian, then by God, I paid to waste my time and everyone else’s by applying to those jobs. 

Besides, I have a new goal.  After all, I fail at my goals, so here’s one I can either succeed at for once, or be glad I failed at.  The goal is this: I’m trying to get rejected from every single state in the USA.  I want to be able to say, with more than just a hint of pride, that not one single state in this country wants me.  That I have asked to go to work for each and every one, and they have all told me separately and in no uncertain terms that I can fuck off in any direction of my choosing.

This is my progress so far:

You'll notice I've had a few rejections from Canada as well.  Canada is just a bonus.