outsourced and homeless

I moved into my new apartment yesterday. I have had to endure a lot in the past 9 months or so but I know I have been more fortunate than many. I heard from many others who were in the same position as me but who had children to support. I don’t have any. The circumstances of the past two days stand in such stark contrast to the events of past months. How quickly one’s life can take such a dramatic turn. I slept like a log last night. I may just sleep for the next week. To be able to lay in a comfortable, clean bed after taking a hot shower and a shave; how much we take for granted in our everyday lives. This past month has been one of great trepidation and hope. I took several risks. I give myself credit for my research on harmonic trading patterns. This project of mine, and the results I was able to obtain from the research, helped me immensely when it came to Forex trading. I also took a risk by over-extending myself even further in order to get access to some funds for survival and investment purposes. I signed up for something called the 60 Minute Payday in which I (somehow) qualified for a cash loan. More on this later. More on many things later. For the time being, it’s back to bed for me – to quote myself “the somnolent sleep of youth”.

I took this small video on Sunday. It was awkward and weird to film myself looking at an apartment. I could tell the landlord was uncomfortable. If you listen closely towards the end of the video, after I say, “I don’t want to take up any more of your time,” the guy says “Good”!

The place was a pig sty and was too small for me anyway. I would have had to wait until March 1st to move into it. Believe it or not, I am actually in a position now to be somewhat picky. I didn’t need to take the first place I looked at. I am so used to living in the car that I can look at a few more places. I am going to look at a place in the next couple of days which is a furnished condo. Because it is up in the Vernon area, it’s a good price considering the size of it. It is vacant (unlike the last place), so I can move in anytime if I like it, however, I don’t think I will take any video this time when looking at it.
Snowing AGAIN today in NJ. Looks like we will get at least six more inches. I am so ready to be plugged back into the real world. Shouldn’t be long now. I will publish a post pretty soon to explain how it is that I am getting back on my feet.

I have gotten three emails from different body shops, all of which pertained to the same job. They are looking for someone with Cloud Computing experience so this would obviously be a good fit for me. As I have stated in recent posts and in my most recent video, I am working on other things now which are finally panning out. I don’t really care about this job so, as a result, I didn’t just sign their “NSA” (non-solicitation agreement) document. It was a ludicrous document, so I sent it back with edits and told him that if he wanted to modify it the way I suggested, I would sign it.
I spoke to two of them on the phone and was caught off guard at first because they were referring to themselves as “Paul” or “Mark.” Their accents were very thick. The so-called manager who was to speak to me on the next call was supposedly named “Mary.” Yeah right.
The one guy didn’t know what he was talking about. He was asking me “how many years experience do you have with Microsoft Azure and VMWare”? First of all, Azure just came online. Second, there is no correlation between Azure and VMWare. He was implying there was some linkage between the two.
Next, he was referring to Cloud computing and VMWare as “Telecom” jobs. I said that these had nothing to do with Telecom!
Pasting correspondence now:

Hi, Greetings for the day!!
Please let me know your interest for the position given below, do send me your updated resume. And send me the years of experience you have on every skill in requirement and rates you looking for.
Appreciate your response.
Job Specifics
Location: Cranbury, NJ
Salary: BOE
Type: Long-term contract

Candidate must have experience supporting Applications in a Cloud Environment
Cloud Server Computing and Support experience
Amazon & MS Azure technologies are a must
Cloud Computing with VM Ware
Cloud Architecture Design & support

Have a blessed day.
Thanks&Regards,

Rahul ……[name removed by me]

Sales Manager
[name removed by me]

Next, I spoke to him on the phone (somehow he was “Paul” at this point). He said he was going to send me this agreement to sign. Here is the next email with the agreement:

Hi Rob,

Greetings for the day!!

Please confirm your availability, comfortibility on $65/hr 1099 (All Inclusive) and  given below is NSA document, fill the blanks and send me the signed copy ASAP.

Non Solicitation Agreement

1. When [name removed by me]. (the “Company”),has submitted your profile to our Client, you will not directly or indirectly solicit the business of Client (or otherwise deal in any manner adverse to the Company interest) or provide any software engineering, consulting or programming services for a period of 3 months to any Client of the Company where you are introduced by the Company. Furthermore, during the course of Evaluatory interviews and other meetings that the Company organizes between you and its Client, you agree that you will not offer your services directly or indirectly to (or otherwise deal in a manner adverse to the Company with) the Customers or prospective customers of the Company.

2. In the event that you breach the provisions of this Agreement, you agree to pay the Company as liquidated damages and not as a penalty a further sum of US Dollars Ten Thousand. You acknowledge that liquidated damages in such amount is reasonable under the circumstances in light of the fact that significant damages and expenses will be suffered or incurred by the Company and in recognisition of the difficulty and further expense of proving the exact amount thereof.

You further agree that: (1) the Company shall be entitled to injunctive relief as well as damages for any violation by you of the above clause (which shall survive the termination of this Agreement and your employment); (2) California substantive law shall govern this Agreement and its enforcement; (3) jurisdiction and venue is proper in any proceeding to enforce rights hereunder filed in any court located in California; and (4) paragraphs 1 and 2 are intended to be enforced in accordance with their terms but that such terms shall be deemed modified as necessary so as to render them valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permissible by applicable law.

Agreed and accepted with the express intent to be legally bound.

Signature: ___________________________________________________________

Name (As per the Passport): _____________________________________________

Home Address: _______________________________________________________

Social Security (Last four digits): # ___________________
Date: ___________________________

Thanks&Regards,

Rahul ……[name removed by me]

Next, my response to this:

Rahul, this document makes no sense. The wording is improper, completely ambiguous, and borderline deceptive. If you want to revise it in the manner I have below, I will be happy to sign and return it. (I made revisions and struck out 90% of it)
Rob

His Response

Sorry I can’t allow anyone to make changes in that, neither I understand the updated or revised copy of yours as it is completely ambigious for me and don’t make any sense.
Thanks&Regards,

I decided to make another short video of the large snowfall we had yesterday. Not a whole lot to it. Some nice scenery and me talking about how I am looking at an apartment in a few days. Looks like that may be next week but no matter. My aunt died this past week and the funeral is in Massachusetts. Sadly, I can’t go (for many reasons), foremost of which is shame. I would not be able to hide my situation from my relatives. Secondly – to repeat the usual theme ad nauseam, I don’t trust the car to get me there and back. 
I have also gotten some interesting emails from questionable Indian “Body Shops” recently. At least I think this is what they are often referred to as. They are most likely one or two-man operations. I will create another post and include the email correspondence between us.

Get a small laser pointer. Make sure there is some sort of loop around the base so you can put this around you finger. Then, hold the pointer in your hand in such a way that you are clasping your hands together and dangling the pointer down towards the surface of a table or desk. Move your head close to your hands. Your head should be at roughly the same height as your hands as the pointer dangles beneath the palms.
See the beam of light hitting the surface below.
Okay, then take a dime and place it on the surface beneath the pointer. Feel your heart beating in your chest (or in more extreme cases), in your hands and fingers themselves. Then, shine the beam down and concentrate on keeping it within the diameter of the coin. It will wobble and bounce with your breathing and pounding heart. By concentrating on keeping the beam within the particular diameter, you can lessen the severity of the pounding heart. Just make sure to keep your breathing rhythmic. Since this is part of the voluntary nervous system, this has to come first.
If you are successful, keep at it. Draw a small circle on a piece of paper and use this instead of a dime. In fact, you may need to start with something smaller than a dime. Keep at it until you can keep the laser (and that crazy heartbeat) as still as possible.