STL is a small IS shop, and the DotCom Busts and massive Tech Layoffs have flooded the market with IS Workers, even in the STL area. Every place I apply at tells me that they get 30 IS resumes a week or more. So only the cream of the crop gets hired. Plus many are willing to work for less than the average on salary surveys.

I could go the Al Bundy route, and sell shoes, but then I wouldn't make enough money to pay off the house payments. $1200 a month for a house payment would be almost my entire shoe salesman salary.

Things I can do:

Write computer programs. (Visual BASIC, Active Server Pages)

Build custom computer systems. (AT or ATX form factors)

Design web pages and manage a web site.

Manage small Windows NT/2000 Networks.

I am willing to learn other stuff, like programming in Java/C++/OOP, etc. But most jobs want experts in those other areas.

I'll keep looking, thanks for thinking about me.