Landed a job after a 1 year layoff

[Sgt.Stedenko]

Hola Amigos,

Today I got the final call. I passed my drug and background check and start work Monday.

I've been shitting myself since I had to piss in a cup yesterday fearing the test would fail. I've been a daily smoker for the last 4-6 years with only a couple of days off due to travel or whatnot. My last puff was one week ago today when my back went into severe spasm mode and I took a couple of one hits to kill the pain. I didn't have any interviews lined up when I toked, so I thought what the hell. The next day I get a call from my new employer that they want me in for an interview on Monday. They call back later that day and tell me to be in their office the next day for paperwork and a drug screen.

I immediately go into Oh Shit mode, looking for help passing the screen. I decided to dilute instead of substitute and hope for the best. Using advice from JJ and some others, I did the Gatorade/water and Certo fruit pectin chug with a B complex vitamin one hour before to get some color back in my pee.

It worked.

Now I can quit eating peanut butter, tuna, ramen, soup and all the other cheap shit since I dont have to live off the measly unemployment checks.

Honestly, unemployment has opened my eyes and made me realize how little you need to survive. I always made paying my mortgage, utilities and other bills top priority and used whatever was left over for food, gas, etc. I haven't bought alcohol in over 6 months, haven't eaten out in almost 4 months.

It feels good to be able to breathe again.

 

[Frozenguy]

Congrats!! That is great news
I understand what you mean when you say:

Honestly, unemployment has opened my eyes and made me realize how little you need to survive.

I too went through something similar, hell I still kind of am, and think to myself my god how much money I wasted before. Not wasted necessarily, but spent thinking I had to when I didn't. It is a damn good lesson for someone like me.

 

[greenmatter]

good news Sgt. ....... congrats.

and 1000 thank you's for not starting another "how do i pass a piss test thread"

good luck with the new gig

 

[WelderDan]

I feel your pain man. I went from $60k a year to $275 a week unemployment to jack shit when the unemployment ran out. It took 2 years to find anyone that would hire me, and that was through a temp agency.

And it ain't like I wasn't looking for work from day 1. I get weekly calls on my resume, but no offers.

At least I have a job. It's physically demanding and 12 hour shifts are a drag, but they make up for it with low pay.

 

[paladin420]

Congrats Man. Now you can spend more on your Grow so you can eat better if there is a next time... I also hav a list of what I hope to never eat again..goodluck.

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

Congratulations Stagger Lee, I have been looking for 7 months and I am pretty hopeless.

 

[Cheerful]

Way to go, SS!! I know what you're feeling...the sense of RELIEF is overwhelming! I'm back at work (3.5 mo now) after 2+ years of no job.

I am thankful for the experience of learning to get by on next to nothing... I haven't had cable since mid-May...I used to have the TV on all the time. Now, I miss it so little that I'm not in a hurry to get reconnected!

Again, congratulations, Sgt.!!

 

[strawbrrygirl]

Congrats Sarge! I have been waitin for my walkin papers for a year or so now! I work in the paper industry. So bye bye job! My company is now doin 4 day work weeks! I would not mind losin my job so much if all the energy that they use to ship books went in a positive direction! But thats not gonna happen!!!! Good luck on your new employment brother!!

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

Going from 60K to 23K on unemployment was an eye opener.

Especially with two teens, an ex, and my own house I didn't want to lose.

I sold a lot of personal goodies (power tools, computers, audio equipment, grow gear) on ebay and cl. Paid for daily needs with rolled coins. Traded some homegrown for others.

 

[Maj.Cottonmouth]

Thank god for ebay!

 

[rick shaw]

Congratulations,I hope you do well. I'm still unemployed and had similar revelations about expenses. I look at prices/costs in a whole new way. I'm cheap to keep.

With you new knowledge and appreciation of money,you will go even further.

Godspeed to you.

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

This has been good for my kids as well. They realize life isn't all puppies, unicorns and rainbows. They both have learned to start saving money from babysitting and lawn care instead of blowing it on clothes and ice cream.

The only advice I can give to those still looking is keep your head up. Good things come to good people, and most peeps here on IC are great people. Problem solving, DIY'ing, the ability to think outside the box are all traits employees are looking for. Too bad you can't list your grow skills on a resume.

 

[HueJass]

Impressive that you puffed days before and still passed. That sounds like a recipe for disaster. I've beat the test with a friends clean piss strapped to my leg a couple of years back. It worked like a charm, but not for the faint of heart. Congrats on your new gig.

 

[Exo-Warrior]

ive worked as a bricklayer for the past 9 years, its great in summer but in winter my hands crack and my back kills me, but id never be able to not work its good for my soul.

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

I'm skinny with a high metabolism. Probably 4-5% body fat. Nothing for the THC to bind to.
I ate a lb. of bacon the night before to add some new clean fat.

 

[Anti]

I've lived on much less than $20,000 a year before, but I didn't have any teenagers, an ex-wife or a mortgage at the time.

Lived out of my car for months at a time as a younger man. Lived in hotels for awhile.

I can get by with so much less than my gf who went from living with her parents to having a good job at graduation and buying her own place. She'll complain that she's broke and then go out and buy a bunch of crap she doesn't need or even really use. For her, being broke means not having a bunch of money in her savings account, "just in case."

When I say I'm broke that means there's nothing at all in the bank and nothing in my wallet.

Perspective!

Sgt. I'd like a little more detail about your "beating the test" regimen (or links) since I have an interview tomorrow and might need it, if you don't mind.

 

[Cheerful]

Yep, that's why I had to go the Quick Fix route. Heavy toker, and many excess lbs of fat... I think that whatever I might have tried, in terms of dilution, flushing, etc, would have released more THC into my system... didn't see the point. My estimate for myself is that I'd have to completely stop for 90 days to pass a test "naturally".

 

[Sgt.Stedenko]

Anti,
Here's what I did.
Woke up about 4 hours before my test which was at 10 am.
I drank 1 quart of gatorade with a packet of Certo liquid fruit pectin mixed in. Followed that up with another quart of water. Pissed about 5 times before the test. On the drive to the test, I drank another liter of water and took a B complex vitamin to add some color back to my pee.
During the test, I pee'd into the toilet first, then put just enough in the cup to meet the guidelines and finished off the pee in the toilet.
Here's the thread with the info from JJ and others about dilution. I didn't do the creatin thing because I didn't have enough time.
http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=97121&highlight=drug+test+gatorade
I think it depends a lot on your body fat content. I've passed several tests with no dilution on 4 days notice.
Good luck on your interview.

 

[HighDesertJoe]

Congratulations Sgt I'm happy for you and the family.
I'd set two alarm clocks tomorrow.

 

[KUSHEATER1]

great news it's been over 2 years for me and still looking so congrats.