My New Chapter

♪ Turn the page... ♫

Have you ever picked up a new book and just couldn't wait to open it to the first page and begin the adventure? That's how I'm feeling.

♫ Start it up... ♪

Yes, time to get started. Rev up the tired rusty engines. Fuel up the empty gas tank. Put the career in "D" and zoom on down the highway. Towards my encore career. My new destination.

♪ I'm sooo excited...and I just can't hide it... ♫

My soul feels like singing! Haven't felt this way in a long, long time. Never thought I'd be so happy to say...

Rabbit Rabbit! Heralding the Arrival of June

So...I have this super girlfriend. On the first of each month she says "Rabbit Rabbit". And it must be said before you speak any other words. I think its a good luck thing. I had never heard of this tradition before. I've tried it. Hasn't garnered any luck for me at all. Maybe it only works for my friend? She is pretty lucky. Think I'll have to find some kind of good luck charm for me... rabbit's foot? lady bug? bamboo? Nope, tried them all. Nada. Nil. Zilch.

Oh well.

Ok. Here we are. The beginning of June.

Rabbit Rabbit.

On the job front:  Hubby is working. He's not crazy about his job but he's gotten a few other offers so he's keeping his options open.

As for me:  Nada. Nil. Zilch. Not for lack of trying. I'm still sending out a gazillion (or so it seems) applications and resumes. Had one interview that I thought went well, but apparently didn't as no job offer was forthcoming.

However....I'm beginning to wonder if the non-job status is fate stepping in. You see, my youngest son is leaving the military. This week. He and his wife and 3 children are heading north to regroup. And they'll now be stationed at my house. Yup, you heard that right. My little tiny cramped 50's ranch. With the postage stamp sized yard. Oh boy.

We've been going crazy trying to rearrange the place to accommodate 5 more people, 3 of which are under the age of 10, and 2 more dogs. Child proofing. Dog proofing. Making room. Emptying closets and bureaus. Installing a girl's sleigh bed (thank you to a very generous friend!) and multi-colored bunk beds for the boys (found at a bargain price on Craig's list). Setting up a second guest room in our finished basement (which meant closing up shop on our home gym downstairs-but I figure I'll get a workout just keeping up with the grandkids and dogs). Reconfiguring all the rooms of the house and the backyard.

Lists have become our new best friends. We check off each item as we move along at a rapid fire pace to get things in order prior to the big day. This weekend was the final preparations: yard sales to pick up some good used toys for the kids, yardwork and installation of new doors. All that's left is to fill up the cupboards and fridge with food for the homeless troops about to appear at our doorstep.

Actually, the renovations and changes we've made since we received this proclamation from young son have us thinking this might just work out okay...if only on a temporary basis. And with me not working, I can be here to oversee our new housemates and enjoy time with the grandchildren who I adore. My mood is always lifted when I'm with them. They're fun, and funny. They're sweet, and loving. Never a dull moment. And its summer and there's so much we can do that I couldn't do otherwise if I was bogged down with a job. The zoo. Parks. Museums. Festivals and fairs. The beach. Fishing (um, that one they can do with grandpa...just sayin'). Blowing bubbles. Taking care of grandma's butterfly garden. Working in grandpa's vegetable garden. Walking the dogs. Visiting family. Backyard b-b-q's. Or just laying on a blanket in the backyard and watching the clouds roll by. And at night, the constellations.

So many fun things!

And maybe, just maybe...it's fate's way of filling my soul just when I need it most.

Or is it luck?  Rabbit...Rabbit........

If It's May, It Must Be Time For An Update.....

May. Such a special month. It ushers in images of flowers and feelings of warmth. Winter is a just a lonely cold figure in the rear-view mirror. Sunny days and beach outings are up ahead, around the bend.

Normally, it's a time when my mood is lifted. Life is good.

Normally.

But things aren't so normal anymore.

No Stone Unturned - My Ongoing Job Search

Photo Credit - Sean MacEntee (Flickr)

 

April, 2013.

Time for an employment update to my loyal readers.

Yeah, you!

And...nothing new to report.

I must say this whole process has been quite the journey. And an eye opener. A mind opener. Finding a job has become my job.

Looking for work is so much more than knocking on doors. Gone are the days of just filling out applications and submitting resumes. Job search strategy has elevated itself to an art form. And I've done everything I can to educate myself on what I need to do to locate that elusive job.

But mostly, I've stepped WAY outside my comfort zone, outside my box. And I must confess, it's a very uncomfortable place to be. But I can do this. I have followed every piece of helpful advice I've received from my career counselor and my loving friends and family. I've followed up on every lead sent my way. I have tried not to leave any stone unturned. For I'm learning that you just never know where that good fortune may be found.

Thank you one and all for your support, advice and encouragement.

Note to Self - Keep Your Chin Up

It's the end of March. 2013.

No news on the job front.

I've applied online. In-person. Been to job fairs. Done some networking. Followed up on leads. Taken some college courses. Performed some volunteer work. 

Note to self:  Keep your chin up. After all, what's the alternative?

As that cartoon fish once sang:  "....just keep swimming...just keep swimming...."

Employment Update

One month into 2013. And......

Photo Credit - Khalilshah (Flickr)
Unemployed.

Resumes sent. Applications submitted.

No response.....yet. For either of us.

Wish I had better news and a more cheerful update for you.

But we haven't given up.

I'll keep you posted when there are good tidings to share.

Wish us luck!

Quiz of the Day: Job or Career or Both?

If it's Friday, it must be payday!

Is that you? Does your job consist of 40 hours and a paycheck? Or do you think of the time you spend devoted to employment as a step in your career and your wages as a welcome benefit? Does it have anything to do with loving what you do?

In other words, do you have a JOB or a CAREER? Is there a difference?

Photo Credit - o5com (Flickr)

What Works?

On the flip side from my last post, I read another quote recently: "Nothing will work unless you do." - Maya Angelou.

That I believe. Do you?

I whole heartedly believe in working hard to achieve a goal. Sure, it'd be great if it all came easily. Lord knows, I've prayed for easy solutions and outcomes. Because let's face it, work is hard!

We all know people who want to take the easy road. If they have to work at something, they'll do their best to find the easy work-around. Maybe they're lazy? Maybe that's what they learned growing up so it's the only way they know? Maybe the easy way worked once and they're waiting for lightening to strike again?

Let me share a story: I have a good friend who likes to enter sweepstakes. She's been pretty successful and often shares her good fortune with family and friends. Many call her "lucky". Some have been jealous. But she'd be the first person to tell you how hard she works. She doesn't depend on luck. She invests a lot of time, effort, and, yes, WORK into her hobby. And it pays off. As I believe it should. She's not firing off an entry blank here and there. She's at it day and night. Follows the rules to the letter and supports the sponsors. But her critics still claim she's "lucky". They pout and say they never win. Well, as she often replies, "You can't win if you don't enter." Which to me means, how do you expect to get anything if you don't put any effort into it?

I truly believe if you put your heart and soul into something, then you'll reap the fruits of your labor. Sometimes you might not get exactly what you want or what you hoped for but you may get what you need (see "You Can't Always Get What You Want" - Jagger/Richard).

For me, the satisfying feeling of accomplishment is multiplied ten-fold when I've succeeded at something I tried really hard for. So yes, not much will work for me unless I do. It's up to me. Make it work!

Confucius Says - I'm Confused!!

Did you ever hear the saying by Confucius: "Choose a job you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."

I've heard it many times but not sure if it's entirely accurate. What do you think?

I mean I get it. It's supposed to mean if your occupation includes doing something you're passionate about, you won't think of it as work (that dirty little 4-letter word).
I'm not so sure about that. For even if you're passionate about something, and absolutely LOVE what you do that earns you a paycheck, there are bound to be days when you have to toil and labor to get the job done.

Let's take nursing. Most nurses I know chose the profession because they love being the caregiver. They truly want to help people. But I'm sure there are days when it's not so rosey. When its more about charts, protocol, paperwork, training, etc. than actually tending to a patient. And that's when it crosses over from being a passion to being a job. It becomes "work".

I haven't found (i.e. chosen) a job I love yet. Probably because I don't know where it is or what it is. At this point, in this economy, I don't think I have the luxury of waiting around until it finds me or trying on different jobs until I find the one I love.

So tell me: are you in a job you love? If not, do you know what it is you'd love to be doing? And if you were in that job, would you consider it work?

As Roger Daltrey sang....."Whooo Are You"....

♪♪♪...Whoooo are you....who who...who who...Tell me whooo are you...♫♫♫

Photo Credit - Hang_In_There (Flickr)

Do your coworkers know the real you? Are you afraid to let them see your true self? Or are you such a confident secure person that you let it all hang out? Maybe you think your're doing a good job of presenting a certain face but you've learned your coworkers are not fooled at all?

Revealing question? You bet!

Florence Nightingale I Can Not Be

So I posted yesterday about my ultimate fantasy job. And that begged the question: What kind of job would I NOT want to ever do?

The first occupation that comes to mind is anything in the medical field. I think dealing with patients day in/out would be way too difficult for me. It has nothing to do with blood and/or guts, needles, scalpels, etc. I'm not particularly squeamish about all that.

Photo Credit - Alex E. Proimos (Flickr)

It's just that I don't think I'm emotionally tough enough to deal with the pain and agony. The life and death. How could I keep my feelings at bay and be all business like when nursing an injured child or critically injured baby? My maternal instinct would surely kick in and I'd be wanting to take that little one in my arms and hold them, rock them, and try to kiss the hurt away. I just don't understand how nurses and doctors do it day in and day out - how do they hold in their emotions? Not become overwhelmed or unaffected by the human suffering all around them? Not break down when they realize that all of their medical technology and knowledge won't be enough?

No, the medical field is not for me.

How about you? What job would be too hard for you? Emotionally? Physically?

Found My Dream Job on Southwest Airlines! (sort of)

Are you blessed to be able to work in your dream job? Is it everything you've wanted? Hoped for? If so, then consider yourself very VERY lucky. I'm not thinking it's the norm.

If your job is more nightmare than fantasy, do you ever stop and think about what you would rather be doing? If you could wish upon a star for the ultimate job, what would it be? Who would you be?

Me? Depending on the day of the week, where I'm sitting, who I'm talking to, my mood, the weather, etc...I could come up with lots of ideas.

I've often pictured myself as someone who works in an archive - a curator - keeper of the artifacts. Maybe at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Or the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Ah! I would so love to be able to just be in close proximity of all that glorious history!!

But recently on a return trip from visiting my kids and grandkids in Florida, I read an article in the Southwest Airlines magazine, Spirit, about a guy named Tristan and his really really amazing job. And I want it!! (the job, not the guy....I AM a married woman, after all....)

Job Title:  Margarilla

Employer:  Margaritaville/Jimmy Buffet

Photo Credit - Jonf728 (Flickr)

Tristan can be found working the tours of that ultimate beach musician...the messiah of parrotheads everywhere...Jimmy Buffet. He also co-manages the Margaritaville brand's marketing. What? How did he get such an uber fantastic job?

How cool is that? It's like the perfect occupation for me. I qualify on many levels. Let's count the ways:

√  Margarita     (my fav cocktail, natch!)
√  Music           (duh! no question I'm a HUGE music fan not to mention a lover of
                          songs about oceans, paradise and juicy fruit!)
√  Travel          (only my number one hobby!)

Now THAT'S what I call a fantasy gig! If you read my previous post on relaxing, then you know how much I adore a good margarita. Nothing like a tall, icy glass of liquid sunshiny goodness...bring on those limes! (but hold the salt!)

Now how do I find a job like that? Wait a minute, can something like that even be called a job? It's from another latitude...with a totally different attitude than anything I've ever experienced before. 

 

Sigh...I know, I know. Fat chance. But hey, I can dream, right? So - back to the sky gazing...now where the heck is that shooting star? And can ya hand me that cheeseburger... thanks.

What's There To Like About a Job?

Do you like your job? Did you like your last job?
For me, it's not a simple answer. It's a "No, but...." or a "Yes, but..." or a "Sort of" or a "It depends"......
Not easy to answer.
I was at my last job for over 11 years. I wasn't entirely happy with every aspect of it when I began. What made it enjoyable and kept me plugging away day after long day was my boss. She was super. The best. Whatever she asked of me, I'd gladly do it. She was always respectful and told me how much she valued me quite frequently. I couldn't have asked for a better boss and I doubt if a better one exists.
However, a sad day came 9 years into the job when she was part of a big lay off at the company. One minute we were chatting in the ladies room and about to sit down for our weekly meeting, the next I'm told she's gone. Poof! Just like that my job changed. For a while, I didn't have a boss. I was lost. I was a department of one. Eventually, I was assigned to another woman and that's when my job took a nose dive. The new supervisor seemed nice enough. But there was never the connection I had with my previous boss. The work load doubled. The hours and days grew longer. I became stressed. And worn out. Burnt out, was more like it.
Part of the reason for the burn out was the nature of the job. It started where I worked for many attorneys in the department and worked on everything from real estate to patient privacy. But eventually I only worked on the privacy issues which basically involved customer complaints. Thousands of complaints. And each one had to be investigated and addressed. Most of them ended up as baseless.
So if you asked me if I liked my last job, i would have mixed feelings about it. The beginning of my tenure was always different. Kept things interesting. I felt like I was a respected and important cog in the wheel. I was needed. I was doing vital work. The end....not so much. It was tiring, stressful, and most of the time....thankless. There was no one handing out "attaboys". No platitudes of gratitude. I didn't feel appreciated or valued. And then they showed me the door.....
It was certainly a sad way to end what had been a really good job at a really good employer.

How Do I Relax? Let Me Count The Ways.....

Like I mentioned in a previous post, I'm a hard worker. It's always been tough to leave work at work and go home and just relax. But I did find a few things that helped me to unwind and I'd like to share them with you:

1.  Mix margarita
2.  Drink margarita
3.  Repeat

Yes, I'll admit...I lean on the alcohol a bit....as needed.....just sayin'.....

But there are other things in my relaxation arsenal:

1.  Take off the 3-piece suit and put on my old sweats.
2.  Get down on the floor and play with my three dogs and kitty
3.  Chat with friends on social media
4.  Run on my treadmill while watching the Ellen DeGeneres show
5.  Stretching and yoga
6.  Turning on my iPod and listening to some of my fav music (with glass in hand-see above list)

And then there are those really stressful workdays where I just want to go home to silence. Total quiet. No tv. No iPod. No exercise. No noise at all. I head to my woman-cave, light some incense, dim the lights, sit cross legged on the floor and close my eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out. Ommmmmmmmmmm.......

She Works Hard For The Money.....

I grew up in a family that didn't usually have 2 nickles to rub together. Times could be tough. But the one thing I knew is that my dad worked very hard to give the family what we needed. He owned his own landscaping business. The hours and days were long. And he only took Sundays off. That was church day; he never missed the Sabbath. When the weather turned cold, the landscaping business took a hiatus. My father would then take odd jobs. Plow snow. And work in the local factories.

My older brothers would help him with the landscaping after school, on weekends and on vacations from school. Even us girls would help out as much as our skinny little bodies could. So I got to witness first hand how hard my dad worked. It was very labor extensive. Hard work, for little money. I watched as he struggled through nursing a cold or an injury. He worked without complaint. But I knew he had great satisfaction out of being his own boss. Owning his own business. Being an honest business man. And supporting his family.

Flash forward to my work experience. I started working when my youngest turned 3. And I've worked hard ever since. I think the work ethic was ingrained in me from my dad. When I work, I'm going to give 100% to whatever task I'm assigned. And whether I'm feeling under the weather or dealing with a health crisis, I would not let anything deter me from my job.

My last job was supposed to be 9-5. Not so. It became round-the-clock, 7 days a week. I was given a laptop and a blackberry so I could work anytime, anywhere. That was a dangerous thing to do for someone like me. With technology like that in hand, there's no way a work-a-holic like me would not be idle. The workload had become intense. The mountain of work kept getting higher. So work-a-holic me took the work home and convinced myself that by working at night and weekends at home, I could somehow catch up. Ha! Wasn't going to happen. But no one could convince me of that. So I kept plodding along.

I was scared that the boss would think I was slacking if I couldn't show her that I was making every effort to do the work. I had visions that she would call me on the carpet and grill me about why the work was piling up. And she would crack the whip and tell me to put my nose closer to the grindstone and gitterdone!

My health problems kept rising, I still pushed forward. I did not complain. I did not take a sick day. I could work from home if I couldn't physically make it into the office.

In the end, it wasn't enough. I was shown the door. My committment to the job was not enough to keep me from getting laid off.

But you know what? I'm not going to change. I believe in hard work. I believe in giving 100% no matter what I'm doing. And I really try not to complain. I just do it. I can't change. I'm my father's little girl.

Work Work Work - BlogHer Challenge

So you've probably read a few of my recent posts and may have wondered...."what the heck is she talking about?.....why is she going on about what she's so good at...and who cares if she thinks she's a follower...and how come she's suddenly thinking she wants to be a teacher???" What's going on?

 

Here's the scoop. I recently accepted a challenge from the BlogHer website. NaBloPoMo (i.e. "NAtional BLOg POst MOnth") for December. Writing a post a day. December's theme? Work.

 

This should be enlightening. Interesting. There's sooo much that can be written about work. Just that four-letter word can mean so many different things to so many different people. A career. A job. Homework. Housework. Stay at home parent. Adult caregiver.

 

Feel free to join the conversation. Leave a comment. A response. I'd love to get your feedback and thoughts on "work". What does it mean to you?

Teacher! Teacher!!!

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a teacher. I used to play school with my sisters. And my dolls. They were the students. I was always the teacher.

Photo Credit - Cogdogblog Alan Levine (Flicker)

My dad must have gotten an odd job cleaning a school because one day a few old wooden desks appeared in the back yard You know the ones where the chairs are attached? With an inkwell hole in the upper corner? I lined them up, sat my sisters and dolls in the chairs and started their daily lesson.

My husband says I still act the same way (except I don't try to teach my dolls anything these days). And that I missed my calling. I should have been either an English or history teacher. I just can't help it. I have this compulsion to always impart my wisdom and knowledge on him and anyone else who unknowingly and mistakenly gives me their undivided attention. Sorry! Can't help myself!

And don't think my need to teach is limited to academia. Oh no. It doesn't stop there. I'm also a driver's ed teacher extraordinaire! I've taught many people how to drive: my kids, one of my sisters, a niece and nephew. And they all passed their road test with flying colors, thank you very much!

I just love teaching. Showing others what I've learned. I almost feel like its my duty to share what I know because I want everyone to be "in the know".

Oh dear. Maybe I should re-think my career reinvention. Perhaps I should look into teaching. But what field? What level? Argh!!!

Why do I make things so much harder on myself? Teacher! Teacher! I need help!

Where Do I Fit In?

Talking to my career counselor has been an eye opener. I've done some soul searching. And researching. I'm beginning my job hunt with the aim of getting a job where I'll be happy. Comfortable. In other words, a good fit.
Of course, we'd all love to find a job that fits our wish list of "got to haves". And I'm well aware that with this economy and the lack of jobs out there, my chances of finding the "perfect" job that fits all my criteria is probably very slim.
One of the criteria I've been asked is what role do I feel most comfortable in at work. A leader? A follower? Or a collaborator?
I think I can safely eliminate "leader". I've never at all felt comfortable in that role. I'm too shy, and have always suffered from low self esteem. So no way would I want to be thrust into that position at work. Where all eyes would be on me. Ugh! No way! I think the only aspect of leader that is enticing to me is the prospect of recognition, raises and promotions.
A follower? Well, sometimes. It's so much easier to be a follower. With someone else being the leader, there isn't much pressure or stress on the follower. But then again, the follower will probably never be recognized for their work. It's usually the leader who gets all the credit for a job well done. So by being a follower, don't be surprised when you are overlooked time and again when its promotion time or time for a raise. Followers don't get noticed. And they don't get as much respect as the leaders.
And there's collaborator. I think that's me. Though I'm more of a lone wolf at work, I like being part of a team sometimes. When we're all working on a common goal. And everyone is equally responsible for their part of the project. If the members of the group are the right mixture and all on the same page, there's usually an energy that electrifies everyone to continue to pull the project together to a successful conclusion. I like being part of that. And I think I make a very good teammate.
How about you? What role are you the most comfortable in? And why?

Writing - I'm a Pro

I've been working on a resume. Make that a few different resumes. (I'm giving myself a better chance at employment by heading down a few paths hence the need for more than one.)

Part of creating this 8½ x 11 personal billboard is highlighting my skills. What do I do best? Tough question since I'm my own worst critic so it's hard to look at myself and say "Gosh, aren't I great at this?".

So I got in the imaginary "way back" machine and took a long look at all the jobs I've ever had to see what stands out. I thought about what I loved to do at each job. And what my employers told me they thought was something I was very good at.

And there it was.......writing. It stood out loud and clear. And if I go back even further (ahem....back to the stone age period of my youth) i remembered how much I loved my English classes and the "writing" projects and homework. Yah, I know. Such a nerd, right? But I adored words. The dictionary. Adjectives. Prepositions. The thesaurus fascinated me. Sentences. Paragraphs. Grammar. Spelling. Poetry. Essays. Short story. No composition was off limits.

Heavens, I salivate over blank notepads and comfy jumbo grip medium blue ink pens. My hands just start itching to fill the paper with WORDS!

Each job I've had gave me lots of opportunity to write. Draft letters. Briefs. Contracts. Data Requests. Investigative reports.

The opportunity to write was there. But therein lies the problem: I was writing for someone else. Writing for something else. Not for me. Not my thoughts. Not my point of view. I eventually developed writers block and haven't written for pleasure in many years.

But now is my time. I'm taking full advantage of this bump in my career road to finally write for me. What I want. Even if no one reads it. Even if no one likes it. And I've found that the block is lifted. I wake every day ready to fill the page. (Okay, so now its a blog page and not a notebook.) But hey! I'm thrilled!

Not sure how long this phase will last. For all I know, I'll soon be back in the 9-5 grind, pumping out the written word for someone else and the block will return. But I'll try my best to continue to hone my craft as long as I'm able. Because gosh, its something I'm good at. What I'm a pro at. 

Writing.

Unemployment Update

So....I'm still unemployed. So is hubby. So far all this togetherness and stress has not led us to kill each other. And that's a good thing.

But I've been working...preparing myself for the hunt. Job hunt, that is. Shared a lot of what I've learned so far with hubby. He still isn't using my favorite tool.....THE (dreaded) LIST !!