Sorry for being far from here lately. I’m quite busy with my work routine and french classes.
My contract at the Ministry of Agriculture is ending and I’m still looking for something else after that. Meanwhile I’m loving my french classes and my classmates. There will be happy-hour tonight. Wich usually means lots of fun.
Mutuca is getting bigger and heavier. I’ll post a pic of here soon. She’s lovely. Excellent behaviour.
I’m not running, nor playing tennis, or cycling. Nothing at all. Only few exercises during the weeekend. Wich is a shame. I swear, as soon as my french classes ends, wich will happen in two weeeks, I’ll be back on the sweat! At least I walk Mutuca four times a day, which is also good for me.
For those who don’t know (I only have 2 readers, and both of them know this, but whatever), before studying architecture I was supposed to study marketing. That dream lasted about, three days. Still, it was a major that I chose after a lot of thought, since it does involve certain art tricks and for that, it will always have a space in my heart (ps. cheesy is the new black).
Now I realize that those two majors aren’t exactly different paths, and that takes me to announce that this Barbie is now available in a new (dream) job presentation.
Architectural Marketing. You’re intrigued, aren’t you? Basically I want to leave the hard job of actually designing the house to other people, but I would help them convincing someone else to give them money to do so. And how, you ask… with pretty pictures, of course.
Can you say fucking beautiful?
(Credit to ArchiCentral and National Geographic for the pictures)
I made it a point last night to listen to your State of the Union speech. I have to say that you have delivered a very motivating speech. And by the way, I find you to be one of the most gifted orators. You made your points across with articulacy, passion and a great sense of humor.
Dear Mr. President, your speech came at a time when Scott Brown shocked the nation by winning the Kennedy seat in Massachusetts and drove through his victory the Democrat party into a frenzy of concern and dismay. So there was lot of cheering up to the “depressed” Democrats in your speech last night. That’s right, Mr. President: “We do not give up. We do not quit”. It may prove to be a “good thing” in its timing in terms of going back on track and focusing on the American people’s need in the Main Street before losing the “bigger battle” in November.
Now turning to the content of your speech, I felt that you got your priorities straight. You devoted about two-thirds of your speech to the economy as it is number one worry of American people. You are right the list of “what’s wrong with this nation” goes on and on but I am glad that you put unemployment as number one on that list and you mentioned the word “jobs” 29 times in your speech. Seventy percent of the US Gross Domestic Product is brought in by consumer spending. Consumers will not spend while they are unemployed or fearful of losing their jobs. And your first order was for the Congress to work on passing a second jobs’ bill. What I liked the most in that proposed bill slashing tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas and extending them to companies that create jobs in the US. That’s right, Mr. President. It is time to stop the bleeding and keep the jobs within our borders.
Mr. President, you said in your speech “They (the American people) don’t understand why it seems like bad behavior on Wall Street is rewarded, but hard work on Main Street isn’t”. The fact is that most Americans realize (or they’re beginning to) that they have been screwed over by your administration with the help of your Wall Street “advisers,” the Fed and the Treasury. While the “too big to fail” firms on Wall Street were bailed out in multi-billion dollars from tax-payers money, the average person on Main Street is looking for a job, a way to avoid his house being foreclosed and how to recoup his devastating losses in his retirement account and obviously gets furious when he reads about the bonuses those bankers are pulling in.
Mr. President, media keeps sharing with us that your approval rating has collapsed. I think you have answered that well when you said:” when I ran for President, I promised I wouldn’t just do what was popular -– I would do what was necessary”. Americans are out of jobs and they are much more interested in finding work than fixing a broken health system. And by the way, nobody seems to know what your health plan is all about. Besides, majority of people (including doctors) are apprehensive of the government taking over America’s health. People see the healthcare bill is 1,990 pages long or 363,000 words and say they do not want another “insane” tax code. So Mr. President, kudos to you in terms of doing what is necessary to save the American people.
Dear Mr. President, you claim you were a Constitutional lawyer. I was disappointed not to hear anything in terms of how to stop the unconstitutional madness with money creation and operation. I am disappointed that you did not mention anything about what our Founding Fathers warned of and that is that an entity can produce an item and consider by law that this item is money, lawful to use for the settlement of all and all out of thin air. All Congressmen and Senators must be taught a class in money, fiat money, gold and the Constitution. Mr. President, you make the perfect professor since you taught Constitutional law. It is sad to see that the only thing these political bums want to do is to be reelected.
At the end, Mr. President, people voted for you because you represented to them change and hope. I urge you to go back to the basic themes and programs you adopted in your run for President:” Let’s seize this moment — to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more”.
Nu beu cafea de o luna.Nu am simtit mari schimbari sau o dorinta acuta de a bea cafea
Mai departe ziua continuie ca de obicei in ultimele saptamini: verific posta, facebook, odnoklassniki. Apoi vine rindul siturilor cu anunturi de angajare.
Caut serviciu, sunt in cautare , dar fara vreun rezultat pozitiv
I saw an ad on Craigslist today that just made me LOL.
There’s a company seeking part-time “Contemporary Erotica Writers” for their 2010/2011 catalog of full-length novels.
They say the only requirement for the job is that you have “a contemporary perspective on good, kinky sex” for books that “overtly mix the female and male perspectives.”
This made me wonder about applying for the job of “Contemporary Erotica Writer”…
- Is the rate $3.99 a page, $2.99 each additional page?
- Are the books only available in hard cover?
- Do all the books have happy endings?
- If the stories are too short, who makes them longer…a fluffer?
- Do the men in these stories last at least 2 minutes longer than actual men?
- If you get fired as an erotic writer, does that mean you’re also lousy in bed?
- Is there a “Sr. Contemporary Erotica Writer?”
- What if your parents read one of your novels and tell you, “Good work!”
- What exactly is the female perspective on good, kinky sex…spooning with a blindfold?
- So what are you wearing…
*****
Andrew Wisot is a freelance writer for The Jay Leno Show and an US Weekly Fashion Cop who’s “between jobs.” Andrew will blog for LOLs until he’s employed again or 50,000 miles, whichever one comes first.
I have successfully managed to arrange my escape from my job! Went to see my boss today and, as it turns out, I was only obliged to give one week’s notice to quit. As tempting as it was to say “Well, I’ll bugger off next week then. Ta-ra!” I decided against it so I can actually have a bit of money on hand in order to go to PAX.
Because this exciting news means that I will definitely be going! I’m stoked. The last time I went to a big industry event was when they still did them in Europe. I attended ECTS (the European Computer Trade Show, if I remember rightly) with my bro, and that was a long time back now. I’ve heard my buddies in the Squadron of Shame wax lyrical about PAX in the past and have been incredibly jealous. Now I get to join in the fun. It’s going to be an awesome time, and I can’t wait to finally meet some of the guys I’ve only ever spoken to on Skype before… or in some cases (Mr Bowlissimo!) only ever typed things to.
Also, my Bayonetta article got promoted to the front page on BitMob. People dig the IF thing, so I wrote another one. I also downloaded the Inform interactive fiction toolset to have a play with. Inform is bizarre – it’s a programming language that works very similarly to plain English. I’m going to knuckle down and have a good go with it this week – probably at the weekend.
So – two good things in one day. It’s a nice change. It even managed to distract me from the fact that the kids in my class were being stupid noisy bastards all day and the meeting we had after school was beyond pointless. Now I have a countdown (which I haven’t calculated yet) I can relax a bit more. Except for the fact I don’t have a new job to go to yet. Still, I have a couple of applications in for some exciting jobs, the closing date for one of which is this Friday, so I’ll have to wait and see if anything comes of that.
Then there’s the possibility of doing some freelance work. This would be ideal, especially if I could combine it with some music teaching work. I like music teaching. People pay you and you work with them on an individual basis. You don’t have thirty annoying children all talking to each other and not listening in front of you. Much more pleasant and less inclined to make you want to throw things.
That’s that for today. I’m going to go play some Star Trek now.
Went out to hunt for another job today. Boy…nothing makes you more tired than that, all the driving and different tasks you preform just going from establishment to establishment. I did not find one, but I may be getting a call back from a Storage place. Here is what impressed this manager about me:
-My outfit (Sport coat, Izod sweater, jeans, and dress shoes)
-I had a resume with impressive credentials (most teens don’t even have a resume)
-My vocabulary
-Willingness to work
I know I know…this is probably something that you either already knew or have been doing for the last decade, but hey…it might give some good ideas to some others out there.
That is all for today, I promise that later this week that there will be some more, better, and more in dpeth posts.
Top from A-Wear, wore with black tights and orange All Saints cardie
Working the brekkie shift in Today FM this week… which explains why it’s lunchtime and I’m in bed.
I love clothes and I enjoy nothing more than putting an outfit together. But 5am?! I.Can’t.Even.See.Straight.
Honestly my vision is fuzzy for the first ten minutes when I wake up and my teeth hurt.
Safe to say I am not a big fan of early mornings but I love working (explains why I am in a ridiculously good mood of a Monday) so I just have to roll with it. I get used to the super early starts after a day or so and it’s nice to finish work and still have the day free! When the show ends at 9am all I want to eat is lunch or dinner(!) not breakfast food – believe me it’s hard to find a place that serves veggie sushi or baked potatoes before 12pm!
So my alarm goes off at 5am… I have an idea what I want to wear (or I have it planned from the night before if I’m organised!) but I’m cold! I don’t want to wear tights! I don’t want to wear a t-shirt or cute dress! I want a hoodie and fluffy boots! Now, bear in mind I am not a hoodie fan – except if I am staying in watching TV… but early mornings make me forget all my lovely clothes. Mainly because it’s dark and I’m cold.
But hey it’s nearly* summer so soon dark and cold mornings won’t be an issue… oh wait… It’s Ireland.
*by nearly I mean absolutely ages away… but I try to convince myself that summer is just around the corner.
Job Title Marketing Coordinator I
Company HNTB
Location Plano, TX
Category Marketing
Posted By abishop Chat
Date 2010-01-20
HNTB is a great place to build a rewarding career.
With more than 93 years of profitable growth, HNTB is one of the most respected engineering, architecture and planning firms in the nation.
Employee-owned, with more than 3,400 employees and 62 offices nationwide, HNTB serves clients with integrity, technical excellence and a commitment to performance providing quality work, on time, on budget and to the client’s satisfaction.
At HNTB, we’re committed to making success happen for our clients, our employees and our firm.
To learn more or submit your resume online, visit the company’s Website at www.hntb.com .
Works on standard and routine proposals and with direct support and involvement from Senior Marketing Coordinator, Team Leader and/or Marketing Manager.
Coordinates proposals/presentation preparation including scheduling project milestones and reviews, conducting reviews and working with Project Champions/Project Managers to ensure quality material is submitted and delivered on schedule.
Schedules and conducts project kick-off meetings with project champions/project managers, principals and other staff to strategize for a winning proposal and/or presentation.
Researches, gathers and edits proposal materials, including gathering boilerplate text, verifying, and formatting proposal information.
Ensures that the various aspects of the proposals (Technical Scope, Staff Qualification and Experience, Biographical Data, etc.) and other marketing materials are accurate and delivered in a timely manner. Coordinates design and production of materials for proposals and presentations with graphics staff.
Assists with Mega projects, supporting Senior Coordinator, Team Leader and/or Marketing Manager by completing the following: Prepares proposal materials, including gathering boilerplate text, verifying, and formatting proposal information.
Ensures that the various aspects of the proposals (Technical Scope, Staff Qualification and Experience, Biographical Data, etc.) and other marketing materials are accurate Researches and gathers information for proposals and presentations to include resumes, forms, etc. format and edit content, or rewrite if necessary.
Researches background information for pursuits including supporting Momentum input.
Coaches and coordinates technical staff in interview rehearsals.
Coordinate design and production of materials for proposals and presentations with graphics staff
The HNTB Companies are an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/V/D
As a condition of employment with The HNTB Companies, you must be able to provide documentation of your eligibility to work in the United States in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
We are living in the era of McD culture, where in we want everything instantly, no patience to wait for “any thing” Nothing was created instantly All great careers were built upon hundreds of small efforts, none of them got there overnight Patience and tenacity of purpose are worth pursuing Few days of activity and purpose won’t change everything around us Success is a cumulative process It takes time to fully transform circumstances It takes effort and belief to preserve and stay tuned until you hit the goal post Work and Wait, hold on; hold fast; Hold out Patience, Persistence and Perspiration are the only 3Ps to success
Atheists, Atheists, Atheists. (That was tough to type for some reason) They’re like their own little exclusive club.
“Well, I don’t like the Christian side of things… and I don’t like the other religions, they’re just a bit weird. It’s too bad there’s not a third choice.”
“Wait a minute. Let’s make our own association and not believe anything.”
“Hey, that’s not bad. We could call it Anti-Godists.”
“No no. That’s a bit wordy. Let’s call it Ha-ha-we’ve-got-our-own-thing-now-leave-us-alone-ists.”
“No, that’s wordy too. What about itheists, you know, with a small ‘i’. Kind of like ipod. It’s catchy ya? …itheists…”
“Ummm…no.”
And so it went on till the eventual conversion to Atheists (big “A”). Sounds a bit more legitimate.
But there’s a backfire in this plan. By rejecting God, they put him in the spotlight. They firmly pronounce that they don’t believe in God and give all these reasons. It’s like they have to justify breaking off from the norm. The good thing about it is that it sparks a thought in the hearer. The hearer entertains the eventual thought, “What do I believe?” This question is altogether approved by religion. It’s good to figure out what you believe. And if you don’t know… go find out.
From a different perspective, the curse word “GD” might just get phased out by Atheists and Christians alike. For instance:
Construction workers are building a structure and one of them hits his thumb with a hammer.
Worker A: “Owww! God!#$*@!”
Worker B: “Oh, I’m Atheist. I don’t believe in God.”
Worker A: “Oh… so it’s just *!$%@!?”
Worker B: “Right… we’re trying to get rid of God and you’re not helping.”
Worker A: “Well, that just doesn’t properly communicate what I’m feeling.”
Worker C: “Yes… and while we’re at it, I’m a Christian and don’t like the use of that word either.”
Worker A: Uh, I thought the founding fathers came here to get away from oppression.”
Worker D: (mockingly) “ Ooooh. Help! Help! I’m being repressed.”
The New York Times published a report from the Pew Research Center today saying a new trend is emerging- men are now marrying women with more income and more education than themselves. To see the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/us/19marriage.html
The women interviewed report difficulty finding a partner who can grow with them, share common goals and values, and intellectually stimulate their minds long term without being intimidated. Another woman even shared that men were often intimidated and quoted a friend as saying, “You’re confident, have good credit, own your own business, travel around the world and are self sufficient. What man is going to want you?”
In “Closing the Leadership Gap Add Women, Change Everything” Marie Wilson writes that one barrier to women in leadership roles is “the unacknowledged societal fact: High-ranking jobs, and the ability to do them well, are based on a two-person model-one on the front lines of work and one in support of that effort at home.”
Interesting timing for such an article, as my weekend was spent having difficult conversations with the person I love about whether or not we have common goals and how that may play out in our relationship. Unlike the women in this article, I am blessed enough to have someone in my life who is not too intimidated to openly and honestly say she never wants to hold me back. A woman who recognizes that our paths are likely to lead us in different directions, and that the lessons we learn in the meantime are still worth having. My boss (CEO for a major non-profit) and I often discuss how difficult it can be to be successful at work, without any support at home-and she has a stay at home partner, who just isn’t very good at the job. Since our discussion today might mean more responsibility, I got to thinking about Marie Wilson’s idea that you really need a two person model to make it all work.
I like to believe I am superwoman and can do it all. On many days I can. But on days like today, I admittedly cannot. I need a safe place to land at the end of the day, and sometimes, I need someone else to keep all the balls in the air on the home front. I always say it takes a village, (the proofreader program will say this is cliché, but it is staying, and ps can you tell the proofreader I started this blog so I didn’t have to be edited. I don’t give a damn that it is in passive voice) and many of the roles in the village are currently filled. I have the assistant to hand things off too when I am about to pull my hair out. I have the workwife, who was away dealing with her real marriage for awhile, but is now back and bad. The workwife does the organizing of work related fun things, gifts, reminders, etc-so that role is filled. I have the friends who cheer me on, and the friends who check me. I have the friends who work hard and party harder. I have the amazing team who work together with I synergy I am in awe of. I have the girl who loves me and gets me and is the caregiver of all things furry. What I am currently hiring for is a housewife. Interested?
Housewife Duties Include:
Dropping the laundry off to the laundry lady (God I love Miss Connie), picking it up, and putting it away.
Planning menus, shopping for food items, and maybe cooking once a week. (I love to cook, so I can’t relinquish all control)
General picking up around the house, but I don’t want to tell you what needs to be done. I want you to figure that out yourself.
You would need to get me and how I think. You might need to have a thick skin and a good sense of humor.
It would be nice if you could stick around just until I get home, share a cup of coffee with me, and let me download my day. Sometimes also known as spewing, venting, or emotionally vomiting.
Weekly deep cleaning rituals would be nice, but I don’t mind doing this on weeks when my life is less chaotic.
Organize dates between me and the girl, for this you really need to know me, because what I like to do varies with my mood. If I am single, your duties might include scheduling.
Organize the birthdays, cards, shipping of things, and bill paying.
Sex is not required, and room and board is negotiable. Pay starting at $20,000.
Ok, really I’m just gonna stop there, although I’m sure there are other things I’d like taken off my plate. I was all hot and bothered about this post after a 12 hour workday, but now at midnight, it really doesn’t matter that much. I like to be the caretaker, and I can be a little bit of a control freak, so I’m not sure that my bright idea will work too well for me in the long run…
I know one thing for sure; even on my most overwhelmed days, I refuse to buy into the hype that feminism has failed me, or that I can’t have it all. I just haven’t seemed to strike the balance, not yet, but I will….one day.
I’ve thought a lot about this post, especially since it’s about something that only happened in the last forty eight hours. I often remember the phrase “A thought is never fully formed until it has been expressed.” and for me the best form of expression is writing. I need to have things written down so I can see what I think about them. It makes me useless in an argument because I can’t marshal my responses. I look at both sides of what’s being said, and often cave without arguing back. With Mrs Dim, I’ll quite often take her opening speech and run through how I think the argument (oops, meant “discussion” there…Sorry!) will go. Odds are, I’ll find I’ve run out of responses before we really get into it. This isn’t because she overwhelms me or is authoritarian or anything spooky or depressing like that : The fact is, if we’re having a difference of opinion, it’s usually because I am being resistant to change or reluctant to take on responsibility for something (see my previous post).
It may seem daft that I say I’m resistant to change after speding sixteen years moving from house to house, having three kids and numerous minor jobs. Here I am, thousands of miles from the country I was born in, saying I don’t deal well with change. Well, it’s true. I like routine, I like things to sort themselves out and then I can cope with them being the same every day. Having got Tiny Weasel into full-time schooling, I could relax into running my own day between 9 and 3, fitting odd things into that schedule when necessary.
A while ago, when we were living in Bournemouth and not sure if we’d ever get to Canada, I wrote a magazine article called “Giving up the dream” which talked about the fact that I would have to stop being a full-time writer and go back to regular employment if we were going to stay in the UK. There was no other way we’d cope with the financial reality of life outside the RAF. And besides, with the kids in school and the writing business only growing slowly, there was no reason not to. I had hoped that coming out here, where the house prices are lower and the exchange rate was so good, that we could carry on as we were, and I could survive by increasing the number of published plays. Of course, I also had my grand plays to be visiting Rock-Star-Playwright at the local school and colleges, feted by all and showered with money for deigning to appear and discuss my process.
Well, the plays are still being written. We add new titles every month and our business plan for the next year is healthy enough, but the projected earnings don’t match up to the projected shortfall if we go ahead with the house purchase we’re both considering. Me getting a regular job is the only sensible solution, and this is what Mrs Dim said to me, in a very reasonable tone of voice on Saturday afternoon. I’d like to say that I nodded sagely and instantly suggested several courses of action that we could work on.
I didn’t. I sulked like a teenager. I whined and bitched. I muttered about having wasted the previous ten years building up a business only to throw it away. I said I would only be able to get a stupid shift job at Starbucks, since I’m qualified for nothing, and what good would that do? When this didn’t get me anywhere, I brought the dog into it. How was she going to get her morning walk if I go out to work? Pathetic, isn’t it?
Mrs Dim was more than a little disappointed. From her point if view, I was being very slow and unsupportive. She had shown me the accounts spreadsheet the week before and indicated how the incoming and outgoings wouldn’t match up if we take on a mortgage, or even if we just carry on the way we’re going now. I looked blankly at the lines of figures and nodded hopefully. I did not leap up and suggest I get a job and, bless her, right then she didn’t ask me. She gave me more time to figure it out myself, and when she felt it couldn’t wait any longer, she pushed the issue and I reacted like a spoilt brat.
Why? Well, have I mentioned that I don’t cope well with change? (Please understand, I am aware that everything said in this paragraph is an EXCUSE and not a REASON. I’m explaining my point of view, not asking you to agree.) I have exactly the life I have always dreamed of: I have time to write my looniest ideas down and send them away to my publisher, I get to tidy and clean at my own pace, I get to walk the dog in the fresh air at least twice a day and I don’t have an in-tray. I’ve worked in many different types of jobs in my time, and never really found one that I enjoyed. I worked behind a bar, behind a desk, behind a shop counter, in a factory and it’s only since I’ve been working for myself from home that I’ve been happy with the working hours and conditions. If the kids are ill or there’s a crisis at school, I don’t need anyone’s permission to shut down the computer and go get ‘em.
But the point here is not how comfortable I feel in a new work situation. The point is that Mrs Dim has said there is a family crisis on the horizon, and I’m the one who can do something about it right now. If I step up and find work, I can stop that crisis ever arriving, and what kind of husband or father would I be if I just curl up under the desk and hope it goes away? It’s not like she’s asking me to stop being a playwright, and there’s plenty of examples of people out there who acheived more than I do on a daily basis while holding down a nine to five job. If I can’t carry on writing, reviewing and appraising while I turn in eight hours a day somewhere, then I don’t deserve to have all this time at home playing at being a famous writer.
On the other hand, if you know anyone who wants to hire a writer for a couple of thousand dollars a month, I can send you the number to call….
Over the past week, I have been reviewing the process of getting two job offers, and then making a decision . . .
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
At the end of my last post, I had 1 job offer that was not ideal, but offered some security for myself and my family. The other option was to stay on hourly and wait for something better. I was looking for some wisdom to make the right decision.
Since I had been open and honest with my hourly employer from the beginning through the entire process, I thought he and another coworker would be good sources of wisdom, so I asked them to set aside lunch to chat with me . . .
Instead, without me knowing, the two of them went off to a local restaurant and talked it over, apparently calling back to the office to ask financial questions several times . . . All this in order to offer me a full-time job.
In hindsight, this may have appeared to be presumptuous on my part, as if I was trying to force the issue with a threat to leave. This was in no way the case. I was honestly looking for insight and wisdom.
At any rate, just before lunch, they called me and asked me to meet them at the restaurant where they gave me the verbal offer before I even had an opportunity to ask my questions. Quite simply, the work I had done in the past month as an hourly employee made me valuable enough to them to take a small risk not to lose me.
Quite frankly, the base salary was slightly lower, but the cost of commuting would more than make up for that. The financial benefits were also slightly lower. So, the real decision was much more than financial.
One of my friends recently suggested that my aggressiveness probably helped me. In fact, it almost cost me this job before I got it. A couple of long-term employees almost rebelled at them offering me a job. Bottom line is a quote I came across recently: “At first, the line between confidence and arrogance appears quite thin. Time and teachability reveal the difference.” As time goes on, I think those employees will understand the decision that was made and will enjoy having me around.
But, in the end, being “the total package” I mentioned in my previous posts won out over any personal difficulties. They said, “There is just nobody else like him on the market right now.” In an industry with 17.8% unemployment? I’m quite surprised to hear that, but that is what they said.
The real deciding factor for me was that I had been open and honest with this employer about our ultimate desires and goals in moving to the Towson area. This employer not only will allow a certain level of flexibility for us to do these things, there are some things in the works within the office that will actually make it even easier.
I believe the work profile is a better match, the business organization is more in line with what I was looking for, I feel like I have made friends quickly with several employees, and several other more personal aspects of this job made the decision quite easy.
So, I made the decision, and am now working full-time as a Project Architect for Curry Architects in Baltimore, Maryland.
the roof or I got a raise? The answer is b! I got a raise!
A pretty decent one too, not just a cost-of-living/inflation one.
I was very touched because–besides being useful–such an action is boss speak for “I appreciate having you around.” Especially in these times, when one could theoretically be an ungrateful douche if one wanted.
“Charm is the quality inothers that makes us more satisfied with ourselves.” – Henri Frederic Amiel
Everybody and their dog can think of someone they know that is charming. This is the kind of person who always seems to be on the up and up. They are happy and have a skip in their step. They’re someone we like to run into. We look forward to seeing them.
Not only is a person who is charming interesting, they also seem to be successful in their lawn care landscaping business.
Being around someone who is charming makes other people feel better.
But the question that seems to arise in our minds is aren’t these “charming” people being fake? Or even better, what the “heck” does this really have to do with a lawn care or landscaping business??
The truth is most charming business owners are genuinely authentic and are in fact very powerful lawn mowing business owners.
So the question is, just how charming are you?
A lot of people land in around 4-6 out of 10. Don’t despair, you can raise your level on the scale of charm in a number of ways.
Smile. Give out compliments and be friendlier on the job site. Give your employees or customers sincere compliments. Charm just plain makes people feel better about themselves. So make it your mission to brighten the atmosphere of your company, your office. This will pay rich dividends in the long run.
Successful Lawn Business Strategies
http://www.HowToStartYourLawnCareBusiness.com
http://www.HowToGrowYourLawnCareBusiness.com
Did you ever wonder why when you’re down, things always seem to go from bad to worse? Maybe it’s just me but the fact is, the list of events that led me to this point is both long and humorous…if you aren’t me. There are times when I feel like God’s joke – except I’m the only one who gets to appreciate the punchline…in spades.
I’m not findin’ it funny, I have to say.
First of all, I hate this horrible, bitter-cold weather, so my mood is already in the mosh pit at the worst death metal concert ever, getting slammed from left and right with no chance of regaining balance before the next hit. On top of that, let’s add a sinus infection that will have me not breathing through my nose for who knows how long, with an allergy to all the “decent” meds that could possibly help me. Oh, and by the way, I’m mildly anemic, so the ibuprofin I need for my major back pain is making me bruise like I’m getting beaten when I’m not – just clumsy.
This is only the beginning.
I should save this for “last but not least” but I have never been able to wait to share things – I have a weird cut I got on the tip of my index finger while playing with my dog. I have no idea how it occured, but it is also now infected, so it hurts to type. That has comedic value if you know me at all. I’m also hormonal, which translates to mean “slightly insane” in man-speak. If you know the phrase “everything I touch turns to s**t”, you know the frame of mind you’re dealing with at present.
I think I have a classic case of the January Blues. I want to do things but the weather is so bitter and ugly, I also want to hibernate. The tooth I had a root canal on a couple of years ago cracked all the way down to the root (and apparently the nerve), so I had a bit of an appointment yesterday with another to come for a crown fitting. This would be great if it meant I’d be queen but no…it just means another expensive bill we can’t afford. Plus a toothache and corresponding ear ache.
Good times.
A good friend of mine would call this situation “ridonkulous”. I must agree. I have at least two vertibrae that have decided that staying in place is boring, so they flip out to the sides on a regular basis, which makes for a wonderful driving experience just before dance class. I have arthritis in my lower back as well as two bulging discs aside from all that, so that when I lie on the floor in agony from the first issue, the second one says, “screw you, you’ll still hurt, no matter what you do”. Thanks, Easterbunny! Bawk-bawk!
On that note, I’ll leave you to stew on something else I find amusing.
People don’t understand what country girls are like. Chances are, if you live in a big city, you know nothing about the hardships of rural life. There are wonders too but – here’s an example. You get an ingrown toenail. I’m betting most ladies and gents who live in sayyyy Hollywood, CA. go to a podiatrist immediately for that if they ever do have a problem at all, seeing as they all get pedicures.
When I get an ingrown toenail, I dig it out myself. That’s right, I said it. It’s far easier to me to do it myself than to have some guy poking around my sensitive extremeties with a sharp object. If anyone’s gonna have a sharp object here, it’s going to be me. Also, no one can hear you if you swear…so there’s that.
Ps. I subject-hop. Welcome to my mind. Enjoy the ride.
“Who am I?” Seems like an easy enough question… yet, I’m laying here on my bed unsure of what to say. I guess it’s a question I’ve struggled answering my whole life and one I’m guessing others may have a difficult time answering too. But, here I am – a grown, 22-year old – and I’m still unsure of everything. Does it ever get easier?
Here’s what I’ve figured out so far. My name is Erica. I recently graduated from college with a degree in mathematics, one I thought would be slightly recession proof. However, I am being proved wrong as I am currently unemployed and slowly drowning in student loan payments. I should stop and thank God right now that I’m still alive and floating thanks to my amazing parents. Moving on… besides the exterior points, I have an unquenchable passion for life, music, and loving a world that has forgotten what love is. And, I must admit that every moment I sit doing nothing or looking for a job I’m not sure I’ll completely enjoy, my heart aches because of the million other things I could be doing that could make a difference in a life.
I know all the logical reasons for obtaining a steady, well-paying job. My dad has done his best to drill my brain with that information. And at this point, there’s not much I would love more than that. I just want more than that. I still dream like I’m 8 years old. I still believe in true love. I believe with all my heart that anything is possible through my God. I believe that anyone can reach their dreams when their eyes and heart are focused on the right thing.
Life is certainly scary and unpredictable. I’m not sure I would enjoy it any other way though. So, here I am, growing up… facing giants… enduring heartache… climbing mountains… yet believing, holding on to faith, laughing, and loving every moment of it. After all, hardship develops strength, patience, and endurance. Always remember that wherever you are, you’re never alone, and there’s always something to live for.
The Spirit of the LORD leads Ezekiel to the gate of the Temple. Here he comes across twenty-five men who are giving wicked advice. They are saying that soon it will be time to build houses in Jerusalem, and we are protected like meat in a cooking pot. From a commentary I was looking at, it suggests that these men were saying that everything was going alright. They’re basically saying that there is a fire going on outside of the pot (Jerusalem), but the pot keeps the meat from the fire. I guess they are ignoring the fact that the meat is still getting cooked; anyways, the pot will soon be shattering. Ezekiel is told to prophesy against them for their wickedness. Then all of a sudden, these guys start dropping dead like Ezekiel (remember he’s in Babylon) is some sort of voodoo doctor. This causes great distress to Ezekiel because he fears that God will wipe Israel from the face of the Earth (11:13).
But God has a plan and he lets Ezekiel in on it: “I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again. They will return to it and remove all of its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.” (11:17-19) This is incredible! God is saying that he’s really angry, but he’s never going to forget his people. He has a plan to bring them back and all of these things did end up happening. Sometimes we have to go through some really hard things to realize God’s plan. In this case, the hard things were as a result of their sin, but I think it often works that way for us as well. We go down a path of sin and suffer for it, but God so often redeems it when we come back to him (Think of a former drug addict who talks to kids to keep them from doing the same thing).
So the vision ends and Ezekiel is back in Babylon. He gets word from God, who says that, “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” (12:2) This makes me think of Jesus who is constantly saying, “He who has ear to hear, let him hear”. Obviously a lot of hyperbole, but still a lesson to us. If you see things and hear things around you that are not right, you have a responsibility to act. One thing I do like about this chapter 12 is in verse 4 where God says, “Perhaps they will understand”. He’s giving them somewhat of an out. He’s saying that they still have a chance to maybe alleviate some of this and to turn things around. There are indeed times in the Bible where God does actually say that it’s too late, but I like to think that as long as you have breath, there’s an opportunity to turn things around in your life no matter how screwed up they are. Perhaps you will understand.
A couple interesting things to wrap up this chapter. Ezekiel predicts how Zedekiah (last King of Judah) will leave Jerusalem and meet his demise (12:12-14). Apparently the Israelites had a proverb that all these bad visions from prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel never happened or they’ll happen a long time from now. God does not like this. “For in your days, you rebellious house, I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign LORD.” (12:25) Don’t ever tell God what he will or will not do; don’t tell God when his visions will come true. God has this great way of throwing these sort of things back in our faces. It’s like when God reacts to Job’s anger and starts going off that Job wasn’t there when he created the mountains and the seas and all this other stuff and that he had no authority to question God. If you tell God that you will never do anything, there’s a pretty good chance that someday you will do that very thing. Kind of like Murphy’s Law…
so, since a few days i’m doing some studying for the next exams and it’s okay, not that amazing, but well… it has to be done and for this it’s okay. one thing, i really not like is, when the exams are:
in my birthday week. so, maybe exactly the weekend before i’m going to be a rabbit-mum and i don’t have time for my precious babys, because i’ve to go to university and study, etc. that’s sooo uncool.
not the thing i’d like to do, but i have to do it. grrr. it’s some kind of my job to do it. and i’m gonna make it.
this day i dreamt about a girl, who was a very close friend of me once, but she isn’t interested in contact since more than two years. i missed her for long time and i didn’t know why she was like this. but we had lots of fun and this i’m really missing badly. the fun, but also the nice talks with her. she wasn’t that complicated and we had a great story together.
Recently I saw the movie Up in the Air, starring George Clooney. By the way, I highly recommend this movie. It is a great film about introspection, work life vs personal life, the value of human connection and more. Don’t expect a lot of action, this one is for the “thinkers.”
What struck me most during the movie is when Clooney’s character is consoling an employee he had just fired. “How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams?” says Clooney to the grief-stricken father of two.
This got me thinking, how much money would I have to be offered to give up my dreams? Would I give them up in the first place?
At first, I thought this was an easy answer: obviously, I’d pursue my dreams. But once I took a minute to think about this, I found that this question wasn’t as easy to answer as I had thought. After all, dreams don’t pay the electricity bill. They don’t pay my rent or for the shoes on my feet. Dreams are just that: dreams.
Last week’s #u30pro featured a question that got me back to thinking about the movie. The question was “In this economy, do you quit a job if its not in line with your plan?”
Sometimes life gets in the way and people lose sight of their dreams, working jobs they don’t enjoy for the comfort of a consist paycheck. But what if you have the chance to make your dreams a reality? Do you settle for the paycheck that will put food in your refrigerator? Or do you patiently wait for your dreams to come true?
If you have been following my two previous posts (you may catch up here and here), you have hopefully found some helpful tips on searching for a new position and presenting yourself in the application, resume and cover letter. So, now what do you do when a company actually wants to talk to you?! Don’t panic. They like you at this point. If they didn’t like you, they wouldn’t want to talk to you. They like what they see on paper (when will that term be a thing of the past? I’m looking at your credentials on a screen, not paper!), so you now need to prove that you are the same, if not better, in person.
Snag:
• Your first impression is the first interaction, not the interview. Your first interaction with a potential employer will typically be a phone call or email from a recruiter, HR rep or assistant who would like to schedule an interview. You will probably be caught off guard, so learn to compose yourself quickly. As I mentioned in my last post, you should be sure to leave the most appropriate phone number and email address so that your first impression can be positive. If you are not in a position to have a conversation (for example, biking…true story), don’t answer your phone. We will leave a message, and you may call us back. Be polite and accommodating with whoever calls you, as they may relay a poor attitude to the hiring manager.
• Interview in your pajamas. To save time and cost, phone interviews are becoming increasingly popular. This means that all you need to worry about is the content of your answers; this also puts more pressure of the content of your answers. Prepare for a phone interview as you would for an on-site interview: research the company, come up with meaningful questions and remember what you included in your resume. When scheduling your phone interview, work with the recruiter’s schedule, but try to request a time when you will be completely undistracted. A land-line is definitely preferred over a cell phone. If you have no other choice than to have children or pets with you, take every measure to ensure they are entertained (Curious George is my method of choice for entertaining children; the dog goes outside). Then, get comfortable, relax and treat this as a true interview…because it is.
• Okay, now get dressed. Because you are going for an on-site interview. Ere on the side of slightly more conservative than you suspect the average employee is dressed, and make sure that you are comfortable. You want for the interviewers to be able to focus on the conversation, and that is hard to do if you are constantly pulling on your stiff shirt. Avoid bold fashion statements, and skip the perfume or cologne…you can never predict an allergy.
• Answer the questions. Unless I am interviewing you for an elected office, avoid acting like a politician. If I ask a direct question, answer it directly. If I ask for examples, please give examples.
• Ask the questions. I want to know that you are sincerely interested in this position and my company. Look at our website, Google for more information, think of questions related to the business, the culture, and the position. Bring paper and pen to write down information that I give you…look invested.
• Know the numbers. At some point in the process, we will need to discuss money. Let us bring it up first, and be prepared with a confident answer, giving your most recent wage and what you would be looking for. We want to know that if we make you an offer, it will be something you are comfortable with…we don’t want to be laughed at. You may give a range, rather than one dollar amount, but you need to be honest.
• Follow up…in a non-stalker-like fashion. Yes, you are selling yourself, but you don’t want to look like an auto dealer. A professional email or note sent after an interview, highlighting how your skills could be used in the position, is always appreciated and shows genuine interest. Arriving to the office the next day to find 15 missed calls from your cell phone, not appreciated.
• Accept already! So, you received a job offer. Congratulations! Take the time to review the offer and the benefits package, discuss the option with your family and friends, and then follow up with the company as soon as possible. Don’t let us rush you, but don’t leave us hanging. We like you, we really like you, and we want to know that you like us, too! This begins your new relationship on a positive note.
Now you have a great new job to start the new year. Resolution #3: done. Resolution #4: spend less money at Starbucks…I can’t help you there.
Got back to Perth on the 3rd of Jan and it was bloody hot coming out of the airport, especially as I’d been in either air conditioned comfort or the freezing UK air for 3 days.
Was nice to get back home though and one of the first things I did was to skype the kids.
Poor Henry, being small, burst into tears when I spoke to him and wanted me to cuddle him (we’d being doing lots of that and I miss it too). They’d had the remainder of their presents and were pretty happy.
The next day, Monday 4th I had to prep for an interview (sorry if any work people read this – its true, its not that I’m really unhappy with my job or company, it just pays to explore the market every now and again – if I get the new job, I’ll be over the moon as its a good opportunity, if I don’t, its a shame but I’ll carry on and continue to focus 100% on my current job – does that cover my arse enough?) which was a pain – it was a presentation on stuff that I don’t know anything about, so I had to put in 1/2 days work to get to grips with what I had to do.
The interview the next day went well I think, although I haven’t heard yet – its always hard to gauge what an interview panel really think - I’ll let you all know what happens as soon as I know anything.
So, we’re almost upto date – back to work this week already although very little is happening at the moment as a lot of people are still away. I have a big project to take part in this month, although I’m not sure what my active involvement as technical architect will actually be as this is going to be a hands on exercise, I’ll find out on Monday.
Well, thats a load of text without any pretty pictures..so, to remedy that..here’s some I took the other night
Its another beautiful day today, so I may pop out to get some photos this afternoon
Due to certain circumstances (mainly, the Progesterone kicking in on the first day!) we are officially calling this Day 1. Now starts the rotating meds, etc, and we’ll have labwork done on Day 22. Gib goes tomorrow for his lab test; wish him luck (although I think he needs more “happiness” than luck!). I worked 7a-3:30p, then went back for 3 hours, 7p-10p, and am now heading to bed to get a few hours before working 7a-3:30p AND 11p-7a tomorrow . . . whew, makes me tired just typing it! Emptied the pill box for today: check; brushed my teeth: check; down to wishin’, and hopin’ . . .
This week, listening to the news of the French Belgian radio (RTBF), I heard a new about a pessimistic forecast about the unemployment in Belgium for 2010. Following a study led by Philippe Defeyt, economist and member of the board of directors of the IDR – Institut pour un développement durable (Sustainable development institute), the unemployment rate in Belgium should reach a historical level in 2010 compare to 1970, with a rate of 14,6% of the working population, representing a number of 750.000 unemployed people.
The IDR analyzed few macroeconomics variables from 1970 until now. If the number of jobs increased of 17% compared to 1970, the total number of working hours done by this working power is lower compare to the number in 1970 (less 5% in 2010 compare to 1970). During 31 years, the working population increased of 1,3 million of people, but the available jobs increased only of 650.000 units, it means only the mid of what should be necessary to give a job to everybody.
These are few elements included in the study. But what was amazing, is the reaction of the minister of employment, Joëlle Milquet about the figures related to the unemployment forecast. She told that these figures were totally overestimated, giving a worse picture of the situation. Really ?
Here is the question about the definition of an unemployed people. Following the minister of employment, the definition of unemployed people includes the workless people looking for a new job. It means that the unemployed people who are 58 -60 years but not looking for a job because considered as too old, are not taken into account. Following Philippe Defeyt, the two categories are included in the statistics, as they are facing the same problems when they are looking to their bank account at the end of the month.
It is a bit difficult to understand why a category of unemployed people are not taken into account by the statistics of the government, when such government includes political parties defending social values, and when they are claiming to develop social politics to decrease the poverty. Belgian is one of the countries where the rate of unemployed 50-60 years old people is the lowest. It is totally senseless to ignore such people from official statistics.
By reading this, I remember my studies, where one of my professor of statistics defining statistics as ‘the Best way to lie”.
Institut pour un développement durable – http://www.iddweb.eu
ok, i am happy in my job. i can deal with the usual ups and downs, but i enjoy what i do and i think i’m doing pretty well at it.
so why, oh why am i looking at these job offers? i don’t understand. i shouldn’t be doing this. i’m making myself unhappy by longing for a job that’s unattainable for me, and i’m not even talking about the qualifications needed. there will be a ton of other people applying. the more qualified, the more educated, the always-better-ones.
i shouldn’t have clicked on that website. stupid me.
plan for 2010: improve my skills so that maybe next year i will be a good fit. one of that skills will be language. so should i learn spanish (no knowledge but i sort of speak portuguese) or should i improve my french (it’s a basic level and benefits from my portuguese)?
shit, i can already tell i will not get much sleep tonight because this will be running over and over in my head…
Look for services that cater to pet owners.
Pet-friendly hotels make it easier than ever to bring pets with you on the road. Many offer amenities such as pet sitting, dog walking and even pet-pampering spa treatments. Do research ahead of time to find the perfect hotel that fits your needs. Be sure to ask about their policies — for instance, many hotels require your pet to be on a leash at all times and never be left unattended in the room.
Also, check with your car insurance company to see if your pets are covered. With Progressive’s Pet Injury coverage, your dog and cats are covered — at no extra charge — if they’re hurt in a car accident and your Progressive policy has Collision coverage.
Get your pets used to the car and make them feel comfortable.
Often, the only time pets ride in the car is when they’re visiting the vet or groomer — so they may not always associate a car ride with positive feelings and may even be afraid to ride in the car. Teach them instead that car rides can be fun by taking them for short road trips to a dog park, a friend’s house for a play date, or just to a new place to take a long walk.
If your pet’s anxiety persists, consider over-the-counter products that can help reduce stress and anxiety.
If you plan to keep your pet in a travel crate while riding in the car, it’s important that you familiarize your pet with its crate by having it rest inside the crate around the house — the more familiar pets are with their surroundings, the more comfortable and secure they’ll be once inside the car.
Some pets tend to get car sick. Try not to feed them for a few of hours before the trip.
Make sure your pet has proper identification.
Just in case he or she gets lost while traveling, you want to be sure your pet is wearing up-to-date ID tags. The most important thing that needs to be listed on the tag is an emergency contact phone number, but it’s also a good idea to mention if you’ll offer a reward if someone returns your pet to you or if your pet needs any medication.
Prepare a doggie bag.
A pet travel pack is a great way to make sure you’re prepared for anything — and is something that can remain stocked, so it’s ready to go with you at a moment’s notice. Make sure it contains cleanup supplies, a towel or bed to serve as a comfortable resting place, portable feeding/watering bowls, food and water, a pet first aid kit, and lots and lots of toys to keep pets busy and well behaved!
To Keep Tails Wagging in the Passenger Seat
Restrain your pets for safe car travel.
Free to paw their way around the car, unrestrained pets can be a distraction to drivers and can get injured if the car makes a sudden stop or is involved in an accident, even if it’s just a fender bender. Secure your pet in a crate or with a harness to keep it safe.
Don’t let your pets ride with their heads out of the window.
While most dogs love to hang their heads out of the car window and feel the wind in their fur, it’s best not to indulge them. They can easily be injured by debris flying into their eyes.
Never leave your pets unsupervised in the car.
Just like people, dogs and cats are susceptible to heat stroke — even if it isn’t that hot outside or the car windows are left open — and can even be stolen. Make sure you know where your pet is at all times.
This story is written as a narrative so I think it is very easy to “picture” the reading. The verse that popped off the page for me was vs. 5 Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. Hmmm, the Lord keeps talking about the state of the heart TO ME.
In the first 2 chapters God tests Job not just once but twice, and he did not sin against the Lord. Then we meet Job’s 3 friends:
Eliphaz the Temanite, he is a descendant from Esau (yes of course we will read this in genealogy pages later ) No wonder he gives bad advice, look at Esau!.
Bildad the Shumite, a descendant of Abraham so he will appeal to family traditions
Zophar the Naamathite, not sure where from, will use his own point of view to explain God.
Today we read the first conversation with Eliphaz who suggests that Job is suffering because he is being punished from a sin he must have committed, and that if he takes his case to the Lord and repents all will get better. Don’t think for a minute we can’t be Eliphaz! Job is in the pitt of his life and Eliphaz is pointing out all the possible stuff that may have gotten him there. Eliphaz says “Who, being innocent has ever perished?” God eventually will rebuke Eliphaz for his false advice.
There is a difference between Trial and Consequence for Sin. The Bible repeatedly talks about purification through fire (trial) ! Burn out the impurities! It refines us! Pure gold when in a fire, becomes more valuable, and yet moldable by its handler!
A craftsman was once asked when purifying silver “How do you know when the metal is Hot enough in the fire” The craftsman said, “when I look at it and can see my own image in the reflection” God is the craftsman.
Well well. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? So long that I don’t quite know how to start. Or start again, rather. I’ve been wrestling, lately, with deciding what to write and what not to write. I know (having heard it again and again) that the less I write and the more I just put out videos, the easier it makes everything seem, and thus the “better” at all this I must be, right? Well, ya know what? I think that’s a load of bullshit. I think damn near everyone struggles, wrestling art out of the birth canals of their imagination and into the real, corporeal world. So, I’m just going to go ahead and be honest about it, otherwise I don’t know how I’d start this dialogue up again.
Getting funding through Kickstarter was a wonderful, affirming experience, and I am so grateful to everyone who helped out. I truly, truly, and deeply am. Without diminishing that, it’s also a bit of a double-edged sword. Before the funding came through, this was just my little, process-oriented project. It could be good, it could be bad, and it could most definitely be ugly. I could stop whenever I wanted, and I had no one to please but myself (ha… saying that now I’m not sure I truly believe it. Even if it’s true, it never really felt that way). Suddenly, though, when the funding came through I had backers. Producers, if you will. I felt like, suddenly, I was answerable to someone, like I had a boss, almost. I think this was mostly in my head, but I suddenly felt a ton of pressure.
While recognizing that A) this pressure was almost entirely coming from myself, and B) that pressure isn’t necessarily a bad thing (I generally function really well when I have a deadline), I still let it get to me. I stressed out about this and that, the details, the minutia. I imagined that my audience would now be far more critical than they were before, after all, many of them (more than 150) were now a paying audience, and some of them had paid quite a lot. I wanted everything to look and sound perfect for them. I wanted to start back with the perfect episodes. Well, waiting for “perfection” is both maddening and fruitless. It’s an idea, a concept we strive for, but I’m not sure that it exists outside of our imaginations.
I also have spent a lot of time focusing on details I’d never thought about before. A lot of this came from trying to “upscale” the show. My attempt to make this project bigger and prettier starting with my first episode back opened the door for many more logistical complications than there had been before. Some of these may have been necessary (i.e. I had to learn how to use my new camera, which is about 50x more complicated than my old one), and some of them may have been seemingly extraneous (I attempted to build a greenscreen in my living room with just a greenish sheet and a couple cheap lights). I think, in one way or another, I learned some lessons from all of these things, which will likely prove very valuable down the road, and that’s a good thing. That said, it very much distracted me from the point and purpose of this project. It’s not about stunning HD video, or special effects, or something like that; it’s about character, and it’s about story-telling. That is the very soul of this project, and I lost track of that for a bit. Finding that again, and realizing that that’s pretty much all that matters, was a big, big relief.
It took getting distracted and losing my way for me to take a step back, survey the landscape, and regain sight of what is vital. As far as my investors go, I’m incredibly grateful to them, and am no longer scared of “letting them down”. Why? Because I’ve made it this far into this project, and I’ve done a lot of work I’m really proud of. Getting back into it, it’s not about doing what you think everyone (or the majority of people) will like, it’s about doing the best work I can, to satisfy myself, to judge the ideas/episodes/comedy based on my own standards, and to learn via the experience. Same as it always was.
Staring down the barrel of twenty-five more episodes is incredibly daunting. It’s easy to look at that and feel overwhelmed or unequal to the task. What I need to remember, though, is that when I first started this project, twenty-five episodes ago, it was incredibly daunting then, too. I didn’t know how I was going to do it. I didn’t have a map for how I would get through it, and I didn’t really have a plan. I just held my breath and jumped in. I learned how to swim by swimming. So, I’ve been out of the water for about three months. It’s not that I’ve forgotten how to swim, it’s just hard to motivate yourself to jump back into the water when you know how cold it is, and you know how turbulent it can get. Human beings, however, are survivors, and once we’re in a situation, we adapt. We develop new skills to get us through different conditions. We have learned not only how to stay afloat in heavy water, we’ve learned how to surf the waves.
I saw an ad on Craigslist today that just made me LOL.
Top from A-Wear, wore with black tights and orange All Saints cardie
Recently I saw the movie Up in the Air, starring George Clooney. By the way, I highly recommend this movie. It is a great film about introspection, work life vs personal life, the value of human connection and more. Don’t expect a lot of action, this one is for the “thinkers.”
If you have been following my two previous posts (you may catch up here and here), you have hopefully found some helpful tips on searching for a new position and presenting yourself in the application, resume and cover letter. So, now what do you do when a company actually wants to talk to you?! Don’t panic. They like you at this point. If they didn’t like you, they wouldn’t want to talk to you. They like what they see on paper (when will that term be a thing of the past? I’m looking at your credentials on a screen, not paper!), so you now need to prove that you are the same, if not better, in person.
