I wish I could say that I packed with purpose and vigor today now that we have a place in New York, but I didn’t. I cooked a little in the morning, felt sorry for myself in the afternoon, pulled my now-long-enough-for-a-half-ponytail hair back with a coral-colored scrunchie (don’t judge me), and then felt better in the late afternoon after Lisa Jarmon saw her finished house on Ellen. I love when people get stuff.

I’ve been freelancing for the past 3 years and have been really lucky to be able to accomplish many of the goals I set for my solo writing career so a few months ago I knew I was ready to re-enter the job world.

And Good Lord, no one told me how hard it would be.

When I graduated from college I found work in less than 5 weeks. This time around it’s taken me 8 months to get 3 interviews. The companies I want to work at the most, and the positions I feel most qualified for, are the ones that are the hardest to penetrate as an outsider. I’ve worked at a large media corporation so I know that internal movement  is the most common. But as an experienced professional in my field it’s frustrating to feel like I’m not even being given a fair chance. I wish someone would hold American Idol style auditions for journalism jobs because I would totally try out. Being on JI (Journalism Idol, obvi) would allow me to present my skill set to hiring managers and managing editors who normally only look at a certain type of candidate. But being on JI wouldn’t be all about me thinking I’m awesome, it would force me to take a hard look at myself as a writer and editor. Am I the guy singing “Like A Virgin,” or am I the Kelly Clarkson of the group?

I guess we’d find out now wouldn’t we?

The Boss always uses sports analogies when giving me pep talks about staying focused on my goals. His examples often involve Kobe Bryant’s dedication to his craft, and because I have a deep admiration for superior athleticism (I cry every time I watch the one Olympics promo that NBC released so far), these examples usually help me. Putting Kobe’s personal life aside, there is no denying that Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. On the court he is a force to be reckoned with. His drive, his ambition and his dedication to the game inspire me. But today as I reflected on something The Boss said to me, I realized that I’m not like Kobe. He’s had such a winning career that staying motivated probably isn’t his biggest challenge. Kobe has 5 championship rings and 2 NBA Finals MVPs. He’s been an All-Star 14 times and won the Slam Dunk Contest when he came into the league AS A TEENAGER. And that’s not even all he’s done professionally. But what would happen if Kobe played for 8 seasons (number of months I’ve been looking for work) with only 3 appearances in the Finals (number of job interviews I’ve had) and lost to the other team each time? Would he still be as focused? As driven?

When I brought this up to The Boss he said, “Okay, forget about Kobe. What about Abraham Lincoln?”

What about Abe Lincoln?

Honest Abe had a career with some major disappointments. He lost his mom and the woman he was going to marry; he had 2 failed businesses; he ran for office nearly a dozen times and lost; he couldn’t get into law school; he lost his job and was even homeless as a child. For nearly 30 years the guy just couldn’t catch break. But then he was elected president. And today he is credited with practically abolishing slavery.

(Of course legal freedom for all slaves in the United States didn’t come until the Thirteenth Amendment passed in December 1865. Lincoln was a strong supporter of the amendment, but was unfortunately assassinated before its final enactment).

I killed that moment didn’t I?

The point is that Abraham Lincoln didn’t give up on his dreams because he believed in himself and his abilities; all he needed was a chance. Nearly 150 years after his death historians still rank Abraham Lincoln as one of the greatest presidents of all time in categories ranging from public persuasion and economic management to international relations and moral authority.

I don’t know if Journalism Idol will ever materialize, but if it does Ryan Seacrest’s manager will probably be all over that. And if RyCrest can go from a little boy with a Georgia accent as thick as molasses to a young adult with a spray tan (gag) and frosted hair (double gag) to a man with exceptional enunciation and a Today show correspondent, then let my job search continue, Virtual Companions! Because a day will come when I finally get my moment to shine…I’m just really hoping it’s before I’m forced to implement my Plan B: wear a body sign that reads “Unemployed Journalist. Please Hire Me!” and stand in Times Square handing out my resumes while secretly hoping I bump into Tina Fey.

Mother’s Day wishes from Newlyweds-Dish!