Jobless--Blessing in Disguise??

I wanted to talk about my job experience from over the years. I often think of myself now as an entrepreneurial guy that has tried many things to get ahead in life over the years. I remember as a young boy in elementary school buying things such as candy and gum and turning around and selling it at school for a profit--you know just a few cents made on each piece.Later as I got older, I would mow or rake yards for extra money. Somewhere around 10 or 12, I started delivering newspapers. In those years papers were delivered in the afternoon during the week and in the early morning on the weekends. My younger brother had one also- both were right around our house and neighborhood. Eventually I would take on a second route a mile or so from my house. We got started with paper routes because of an older kid down the street from us had routes-he basically gave me the idea to do that for money.My mom signed us up for that adventure, and after school we would basically walk our routes with our paper bags slung over our shoulders. It was alot of work and we learned responsibility quick. Mom was a single mom who would eventually be raising three boys. At the time she didnt have a car, so we couldnt drive the routes.You had to deliver the paper by seven on the weekends and that was tough on two young boys. Mom would help out some by rolling papers or bagging them--lol- and waking us up on Sat and Sunday. I remember struggling many times with the weight of the bags of newspapers and many times running late on the weekends. I made what was good money for a little boy and was able to buy shoes and clothes for myself--because if I didnt buy the nice, more expensive things I liked --I wasnt getting them!!! When I turned 16 I started working at Sedgefield Country Club as a busboy. I had to wear a tuxedo shirt and a bowtie, but I made way above the minimum wage. I enjoyed that job and didnt work that hard mostly--although at the time I didnt have a car so I would have to catch rides with people--which was a pain. I also had a couple of retail jobs after that.Later, I graduated from high school in 1992 and in January of 1993 I started working at a new steakhouse-Austins Bar & Grill in High Point, NC. Thats where I was born and had lived all of my life. I was hired as a waiter and would find that I liked the money I was able to make. I never expected to stay as long as I did; I just saw it as a job and a source of money. I did continue to work there off and on--but mostly on -fulltime lol. I worked there as recently as October 2008 Furniture Market- a big event around here. They opened a second Austins in Greensboro and asked me if I was interested in becoming the manager there. I took it feeling well prepared since I had worked there for so long and I had done every job in the restaurant to help out over the years. I thought and still think that I am a good match for a restaurant manager job-the entrepreneur in me would rather own one though-lol.I would end up "leaving" because they thought they couldnt afford to pay a manager any more. There was a fire there one year and they closed for a while to remodel. I was lucky enough to get a temporary job as a manager at the High Point Country Club. I really liked that job-- getting to hire and train the whole staff. In 2003 we had a tragedy happen in the family, and would start working some for my uncle. He owned a furniture delivery service where I would become a driver. Its not what I wanted to do in life, but I made lots of good money--as much as $900 in three days and $1500 in five plus tips. I also got to see the country. I would come home and work Austins sometimes when I was available.I tried to start a couple of businesses in the next couple of years, that wouldnt work out.--I will do a separate post to talk about them. Last year-2008- I tried something new--I tried to apply for restaurant jobs, etc and was finding nothing. I filled out a manager application and a regular app at Walmart--I didnt think it was exactly right for me, but I was willing to take a chance. They called and offered me a job as a cashier--boy I thought I was too good for that at my age--but I decided I would take it to get my foot in the door and hopefully move up. Within a month or so they moved me up to a supervisor job. I was very happy with that, but the money was not that good. It definitely wasn't what I was used to. I held on hoping to get a good paying assistant manager position. I told anyone who would listen what my goal was- even the store manager--which was a risk in itself. Unbelievably, he was on my side and was going to try and help me move up. I later found out that when you start a new position-IE-supervisor job--you have to wait a new 6 months to be considered for the manager position. Well , I never made it. I had many bills and low pay--it caused friction between my girlfriend and I-who was working also. I ended getting fired right before Christmas for a no call, no show--from an argument with my girlfriend. Trust me I know better--I have always tried to be the best employee--not just one of the group.They told me I could come back to work and I would just be written up. When that time came they ended up taking me in the office to write me up and ended up firing me. Well I have definitely learned a lesson. That's where I find myself now- unemployed for the last couple of months--continually searching for a job-sending apps and resumes left and right-having no luck. My uncles biz is way slow with the economy now--but he let me run a couple of trips to make some money-but it has been tough on me the last few months. Sorry to ramble--just wondering, anybody out there have a story to share? I know it will turn around for me-I have been optimistic--Its just taking longer than I thought it would.