Today I want you all to go check out this link:
http://playingforchange.com/
I discovered it about 3 or 4 years ago and visit it regularly - it's amazing what music can do! My favorite song? The first one - Stand by Me.
Go check it out and let me know your thoughts on it.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Top 10 Ways to Flub Your Interview!
I recently sat on an interviewing committee and wow! I have seen some ridiculous things done. Let's learn from others mistakes, shall we?
The Do NOTS of interviewing:
1 - Text under the table while interviewing. Seriously. Do you think we don't know what you're doing? Even if your phone is silent, we saw you pull it out and sit it on your lap and we see you texting. Way to go!
2 -Tell us how you waste time at work doing everything but work. This is helpful for me to know. Now I want to call your current employer so that they know too.
3 - Research the group you're interviewing with. That way, when we ask what new project you think we should get involved with - you can tell us all the stuff we're already doing! That's impressive!
4 - Tell us how you will go over your bosses head to get things done that you think are important, whether they approve or not. Yep, that's what we're looking for, someone with a personal agenda who doesn't know how to work on a team and will cause trouble in the group.
5 - Point out how the other candidates haven't done the things you've done, even though you don't know who else is interviewing. I mean, you've made an educated guess on how lazy and stupid they are, right? That's got to count for something.
6 - Tell us incorrect information about the group you're involved in. I mean, no one on the committee is going to know anyone you currently are working/volunteering for, right?
7 - Dress like you're hanging out at home or headed for a workout. Seriously, what says "this is important to me" more than coming to an interview in ripped up jeans, a tee or sweats more?
8 - Talk incessantly about your ideas. Nope, we don't have a list of questions for you, go ahead, just talk. We won't cut you off. The next interviewee will.
9 - Call us by the wrong name...a lot. That really works for all of us. If you don't remember a name or can't pronounce it, either don't use it or ask to have it repeated. We don't expect you to remember our names right now, there's a lot going on. But if you mispronounce my name 5 times in one interview, I'll remember you. Not fondly, but I'll remember you.
10- Use sexual innuendo. That really gets our attention. We will definitely want you on our team. No, not really - see, that was sarcasm.
The Do NOTS of interviewing:
1 - Text under the table while interviewing. Seriously. Do you think we don't know what you're doing? Even if your phone is silent, we saw you pull it out and sit it on your lap and we see you texting. Way to go!
2 -Tell us how you waste time at work doing everything but work. This is helpful for me to know. Now I want to call your current employer so that they know too.
3 - Research the group you're interviewing with. That way, when we ask what new project you think we should get involved with - you can tell us all the stuff we're already doing! That's impressive!
4 - Tell us how you will go over your bosses head to get things done that you think are important, whether they approve or not. Yep, that's what we're looking for, someone with a personal agenda who doesn't know how to work on a team and will cause trouble in the group.
5 - Point out how the other candidates haven't done the things you've done, even though you don't know who else is interviewing. I mean, you've made an educated guess on how lazy and stupid they are, right? That's got to count for something.
6 - Tell us incorrect information about the group you're involved in. I mean, no one on the committee is going to know anyone you currently are working/volunteering for, right?
7 - Dress like you're hanging out at home or headed for a workout. Seriously, what says "this is important to me" more than coming to an interview in ripped up jeans, a tee or sweats more?
8 - Talk incessantly about your ideas. Nope, we don't have a list of questions for you, go ahead, just talk. We won't cut you off. The next interviewee will.
9 - Call us by the wrong name...a lot. That really works for all of us. If you don't remember a name or can't pronounce it, either don't use it or ask to have it repeated. We don't expect you to remember our names right now, there's a lot going on. But if you mispronounce my name 5 times in one interview, I'll remember you. Not fondly, but I'll remember you.
10- Use sexual innuendo. That really gets our attention. We will definitely want you on our team. No, not really - see, that was sarcasm.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
BE YOU!
I'm at a time in my life when I can feel perfectly free to be ME. Yes, everyone should feel free to be themselves their entire lives, but for some reason, as a teen or young adult, people will try to tell you how you should be.
My parents used to try to make me go outside to play. They would actually lock me out of the house. Well, guess what? I'm stubborn and unless I wanted to do it, I wasn't doing it. All they did was create a wall against the outdoors in me. Once I moved out and was on my own, I discovered that I love to play games outside and ride bikes and camp and raft/canoe...all sorts of things. But their insistence on it made me rebel.
My college roommate hated that the majority of my friends were male. She thought it made me look like a whore. Please. Men and women can honestly be friends without sex entering into it. I've had many male friends and chances are I was trying to help them fix their relationships and talk them out of being stupid, not trying to sleep with them. Ewwwww!
I was criticized for 'job hopping' by someone who had the same job for over 25 years and would retire from that same job. I really hope that she loved what she was doing and had been happy that entire time. Me, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I mean, I knew what I was good at, but didn't know how I could implement it in a job. I'm good at being in charge, organising and getting people involved. It took a long time, but finally someone else saw my talents and here I am! I love my job and wouldn't trade it for anything - I've worked at my current place of employment for almost 10 years now - that's amazing for me - I never worked anywhere more than a couple years before.
People often say to me 'When are you going to grow up and listen to other kinds of music?' What?! I listen to all kinds of music, I just prefer punk. I'm sure I don't LOOK like I listen to punk, but let me tell you a secret kiddies...you can't tell what people are like by looking at them. I have a goth/punk soul and it shines. I look the way I do so that I can work where I love to work...but that doesn't mean I have to be boring or listen to what others listen to. I adore the Fratellis and Ramones and Violent Femmes. If possible, I would wear all black and dye my hair funky colors and cut it all weird. But I can't. That doesn't change who I am.
My parents used to try to make me go outside to play. They would actually lock me out of the house. Well, guess what? I'm stubborn and unless I wanted to do it, I wasn't doing it. All they did was create a wall against the outdoors in me. Once I moved out and was on my own, I discovered that I love to play games outside and ride bikes and camp and raft/canoe...all sorts of things. But their insistence on it made me rebel.
My college roommate hated that the majority of my friends were male. She thought it made me look like a whore. Please. Men and women can honestly be friends without sex entering into it. I've had many male friends and chances are I was trying to help them fix their relationships and talk them out of being stupid, not trying to sleep with them. Ewwwww!
I was criticized for 'job hopping' by someone who had the same job for over 25 years and would retire from that same job. I really hope that she loved what she was doing and had been happy that entire time. Me, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I mean, I knew what I was good at, but didn't know how I could implement it in a job. I'm good at being in charge, organising and getting people involved. It took a long time, but finally someone else saw my talents and here I am! I love my job and wouldn't trade it for anything - I've worked at my current place of employment for almost 10 years now - that's amazing for me - I never worked anywhere more than a couple years before.
People often say to me 'When are you going to grow up and listen to other kinds of music?' What?! I listen to all kinds of music, I just prefer punk. I'm sure I don't LOOK like I listen to punk, but let me tell you a secret kiddies...you can't tell what people are like by looking at them. I have a goth/punk soul and it shines. I look the way I do so that I can work where I love to work...but that doesn't mean I have to be boring or listen to what others listen to. I adore the Fratellis and Ramones and Violent Femmes. If possible, I would wear all black and dye my hair funky colors and cut it all weird. But I can't. That doesn't change who I am.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Delayed by a train
I am a naturally prompt person. I hate to walk in somewhere late or just make it in time. I like to be 5-10 minutes early for everything. I can't figure out if it is a symptom of where I work, but NO ONE is ever on time for anything. It makes me crazy. You know what I decided to do?
When I'm running the meeting, event or activity...I start on time. If you come in late, too bad for you, I'm not stopping to 'catch you up'. Come in quietly, pick up your packet and sit down. Do not interrupt to say why you were late - I don't care. Unless there's a zombie apocalypse or a herd of stampeding hippos, I really don't see a reason for you being late without notice. Don't ask the people around you to tell you what's going on either, now they can't hear what's going on.
I mean, it's simple. Be on time. How hard is that?
My roommate in college was habitually late. I always believed (and still do) that it's because nothing bad had ever happened to her because of being late. She would go to class at least 5 minutes past the time it started and sometimes as much as 30 minutes after. The professors never said anything to her, just let her sign in and gave her the assignments and took her papers. I know some professors now lock the door at the start of class and you can't come in. Good for them! She showed up at my wedding late - she just had time to get ready before we had to walk down the aisle. Oh yeah, she showed up at the bridal shower late too...and she had the cake. *rolls eyes* Then she got a full time job. She was always late and her bosses called her on it. She said that when she got caught in traffic, she couldn't let them know she was going to be late. So they bought her a cellphone...and paid for it. Apparently she assumed that it was permission to be late ALL the time, because that's what happened. She would leave later, get caught in more traffic and arrive later. But it was okay because she called. The last I knew, she was still running late, I don't know because she's so far behind. I assume at this point that she's approximately 5 years behind schedule.
Morale of the story? If you're coming to MY meeting, be on time or I'll leave YOU behind.
When I'm running the meeting, event or activity...I start on time. If you come in late, too bad for you, I'm not stopping to 'catch you up'. Come in quietly, pick up your packet and sit down. Do not interrupt to say why you were late - I don't care. Unless there's a zombie apocalypse or a herd of stampeding hippos, I really don't see a reason for you being late without notice. Don't ask the people around you to tell you what's going on either, now they can't hear what's going on.
I mean, it's simple. Be on time. How hard is that?
My roommate in college was habitually late. I always believed (and still do) that it's because nothing bad had ever happened to her because of being late. She would go to class at least 5 minutes past the time it started and sometimes as much as 30 minutes after. The professors never said anything to her, just let her sign in and gave her the assignments and took her papers. I know some professors now lock the door at the start of class and you can't come in. Good for them! She showed up at my wedding late - she just had time to get ready before we had to walk down the aisle. Oh yeah, she showed up at the bridal shower late too...and she had the cake. *rolls eyes* Then she got a full time job. She was always late and her bosses called her on it. She said that when she got caught in traffic, she couldn't let them know she was going to be late. So they bought her a cellphone...and paid for it. Apparently she assumed that it was permission to be late ALL the time, because that's what happened. She would leave later, get caught in more traffic and arrive later. But it was okay because she called. The last I knew, she was still running late, I don't know because she's so far behind. I assume at this point that she's approximately 5 years behind schedule.
Morale of the story? If you're coming to MY meeting, be on time or I'll leave YOU behind.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Read the Label!!
"We are not soup cans, we do not need labels." I agree. Why does everyone insist on trying to label everyone else?
I mean, does it make it so if you label me 'corporate sellout'? What about 'goth'? Is that going to define who I am? I don't think so. I've been labeled a lot of things in my life and most of them were so wrong it's ridiculous. Do you want to know who I am? Get to know me first. I have met some of the most interesting people I know by just talking to them before I decide for myself who they are.
Some of the labels I've gotten and the reasoning (as much as I can figure out):
1 - 'stuck up' - because I was super shy and didn't talk to people
2 - 'bookworm' - because I like to read. Seriously, have you tried it?!
3 - 'prep' - I happen to think polo shirts are an acceptable way to dress down at work without breaking out the tee's
4 - 'know-it-all' - because I graduated from college. Honest to gosh, that's what he said!
5 - 'unstable worker' - because I had switched jobs frequently figuring out what I wanted to do
6 - 'townie' - I had lived in the college town long enough after college to be one
There have been many, many labels - some good, some bad and some just plain ugly. None of them are ME. Mostly labels are just inappropriate, unfair, wrong and hurtful.
So, who am I? I'm a voracious reader, a family person, intensely loyal, multi-tasker, punk-rock music listener, a fan of art and handmade items, a dreamer, a wisher on stars, a blogger, an administrator, a list maker, a mother, a wife, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a shoulder to cry on, whimsical, off-beat sense of humor, fan of all things British, a collector of trivia, there's so much more that I could put here.
You will notice that nowhere in that list are what kinds of clothes I wear, what color I am, what religion I am, what my sexual orientation is or what my hair/makeup is like. Those things don't make me who I am. People are always amazed to meet me and then to stop by my office and hear my music. One woman said, as she walked in, "Are you seriously listening to ICP?" "Yes, yes I am", I responded. She just walked away looking confused. So that day it was ICP, maybe tomorrow it will be the Beatles...or the Ramones...or Hank Williams Jr. It doesn't matter - I can like them all - they all live together in my files.
I mean, does it make it so if you label me 'corporate sellout'? What about 'goth'? Is that going to define who I am? I don't think so. I've been labeled a lot of things in my life and most of them were so wrong it's ridiculous. Do you want to know who I am? Get to know me first. I have met some of the most interesting people I know by just talking to them before I decide for myself who they are.
Some of the labels I've gotten and the reasoning (as much as I can figure out):
1 - 'stuck up' - because I was super shy and didn't talk to people
2 - 'bookworm' - because I like to read. Seriously, have you tried it?!
3 - 'prep' - I happen to think polo shirts are an acceptable way to dress down at work without breaking out the tee's
4 - 'know-it-all' - because I graduated from college. Honest to gosh, that's what he said!
5 - 'unstable worker' - because I had switched jobs frequently figuring out what I wanted to do
6 - 'townie' - I had lived in the college town long enough after college to be one
There have been many, many labels - some good, some bad and some just plain ugly. None of them are ME. Mostly labels are just inappropriate, unfair, wrong and hurtful.
So, who am I? I'm a voracious reader, a family person, intensely loyal, multi-tasker, punk-rock music listener, a fan of art and handmade items, a dreamer, a wisher on stars, a blogger, an administrator, a list maker, a mother, a wife, a sister, an aunt, a friend, a shoulder to cry on, whimsical, off-beat sense of humor, fan of all things British, a collector of trivia, there's so much more that I could put here.
You will notice that nowhere in that list are what kinds of clothes I wear, what color I am, what religion I am, what my sexual orientation is or what my hair/makeup is like. Those things don't make me who I am. People are always amazed to meet me and then to stop by my office and hear my music. One woman said, as she walked in, "Are you seriously listening to ICP?" "Yes, yes I am", I responded. She just walked away looking confused. So that day it was ICP, maybe tomorrow it will be the Beatles...or the Ramones...or Hank Williams Jr. It doesn't matter - I can like them all - they all live together in my files.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Fun with Food
I have to start with saying that I do not find that when faced with eating a meal, that it is strange to eat all the sides before the main dish. Everyone knows that if I am given, for example, a burger and fries; that I will eat all the fries first. It's not weird, it's perfectly normal.
I don't have an issues with my food mixing, I am perfectly happy to mix potatoes and corn. I don't care if my food touches, the more the merrier! I just prefer to eat my sides FIRST and ALONE.
I don't condemn anyone for eating a bite of each side in turn...live and let live, eh?
I don't have an issues with my food mixing, I am perfectly happy to mix potatoes and corn. I don't care if my food touches, the more the merrier! I just prefer to eat my sides FIRST and ALONE.
I don't condemn anyone for eating a bite of each side in turn...live and let live, eh?
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