A Quick Trip

I was going over emails yesterday morning and really just have been so impatient by this job search. I've been either having the girl's friends over or shuttling back and forth in between all the job search stuff. I was so annoyed at the weather for the last two days in Chicago, that spur of the moment, I told the girl to throw a bag together and we were taking a short road trip. We went up to Grand Haven, MI and spent the night. I have vacationed there with my family twice before. Ironically, the house we rented happened to be right down the street from our little mom and pop motel. Here are photos from the beach, the house we previously rented, and the sunset last night.

A Week of Considerable Progress.....Ha!

The girl completed her first week of summer vacation. I've probably sent resumes to 15-20 positions that I know I am qualified for, but not even sure which ones I am most interested. When sending resumes and viewing job profiles, if I come across one that seems like a dream job, I make sure that I don't get too emotionally attached to the job as there is the most likely chance I am going to get stood up before I even get a date.

At the end of the week, there were finally a few more doors open, so I am hoping these turn into actual interviews. It has been nice getting to spend time with the girl while she's been off. It's been hard because the weather just ruins everything, but this week, outside will cooperate it looks like, so mama's going to work on the tan between searching.....

Bad Cover Letters

As promised, here are some funny examples of bad cover letters. It's kind of a moot point, I actually had a recruiter tell me that she doesn't even read the cover letters. However, in the spirit of doing things the right way, we need to write them anyways.

Hmmmmm! This sounds
like a graduation speech.

To Whom It May Concern:
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was
the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the
spring of hope, the winter of despair, we had everything
before us...". This quote from Charles Dickens captures
the essence of the business world today. We are
presented with opportunities for growth and a lot of
decisions need to be made which will affect all of our
futures. To deal with these choices, help is often needed.
This is why I would like to work for your company.
I have enclosed a copy of my resume which highlights my
skills and experiences. I believe your management
training position is the challenge and opportunity which I
am looking for in my career. I am confident I would be an
asset to your company. Your consideration of my resume
would be greatly appreciated.

I feel like this one gives a perception of arrogance, which is funny, because it's not written very well.

Dear Ms. Smith:
I am interested in applying for you management
training program. I graduated from College USA
with
a degree in Economics. I have done a lot of public
speaking and I have written many papers which
demonstrate my strong communication skills. I am
good at dealing with people and I am a hard
worker.

Why in the heck would you talk about your lack of experience in a cover letter. Seriously?

Dear Ms. Smith:
I should like to be considered a candidate for management training
position in your company. Though I have no previous working
experience in a company such as yours or in the position
advertised, my excellent organizational skills and enthusiasm will
more than make up for my lack of experience. Enclosed please find
a current resume.

This one is totally disorganized. Cover letters need to be short, to the point, and that's it.

Dear Ms. Smith:
I am writing to apply for the position of management trainee in
your company. I would like to be considered an active candidate
for the position.
With four positive years of college behind me, I am looking for a
new challenge and growth in a position that will permit me to use
my people oriented skills.
Enclosed you will find my resume and a list of the people that I
have worked with who I am sure can give you an excellent
background and additional information on the personal abilities
and energies I possess. As an action oriented, people person,
and team player, I'm excited at the potential for growth and
responsibility that this position offers, and I look forward to further
discussions with you.
I look forward to meeting you as you search to find the best
candidate to assume this important staff role.

Lastly, don't ever use the term "people person" or "people oriented" it has to be the most overused cliche in cover letters and interviews. Bad, bad, bad.

A Paid Vacation?

I realize that the last month at my job, all I did was worry constantly if I was going to keep my job. It left me completely blah with not wanting to blog at all...I just kind of ran out of things to say.

I'm feeling a little differently now. I had a nice week to decompress while awaiting various baits I have in the water to get some nibbles....with the state of the economy, I have a feeling it may be a longer wait than I anticipated. Seriously, I thought because I decided not to participate in this recession, I would just have a job offer a couple days after I was laid off. Instead, I am enjoying the first days of summer with Melody and caught up on every nap that is humanly possible.

The first thing I notice about a job search that is happening is that the old fashioned "do onto others" is basically thrown right out the door. I guess we can thank George W. for that. Human Resource Managers simply do not have the time to go through piles of resumes and send a letter that says "Thanks, but no thanks." If you are lucky, you get an email saying, "We will keep your resume on file should anything come up that fits your qualifications."

If I could find a way to put the "do onto others" attitude back in the job hunting business, I would do it. I think it means a lot to a prospective candidate to at least get some kind of notice that at least your resume has been received...even if it has been rejected.

I have been getting loads of phone calls and emails from either legitimate insurance companies who think my skills are a "great fit" and would I be interested in coming to an interview. When posed the question, "Is this a salaried position or 100% commission?" I get a lot of hemming and hawing. "Well, you have the POTENTIAL to make six figures your first year." No thanks folks, I'll take my mid-level 5 figures and call it a day.

I'm going to be writing about this because it is affecting so many people. I think my next post is going to be about the art of a good cover letter. Boy, have I seen some stinkers.

It's Been Awhile.

You know. Perhaps I've been uninspired. But really not, just busy by life.

The girl is in the "gifted program" at school. While I appreciate the thought, I have to say, it's no great shakes. I'm finding it harder and harder to accept that my daughter who is pretty much a straight A student has to compete for a spot in a handful of "select" high schools. Seventh grade is the benchmark, and maybe, just MAYBE, if she aces her grades; has perfect attendance, has awesome ISAT scores, and does well on her high school entrance exams, then maybe, she will get into one of the schools of her choice.

Dear Reader, many of you may disagree, making it in life is about competition, and better she learn that now? Perhaps. However, isn't that really due and appropriate when she goes to college? Shouldn't she be able to walk into any school that she chooses and go? If she doesn't make it into one of these "select" schools, I am faced with moving to the 'burbs or sending her to private high school.

I don't understand that. I grew up in a town where everyone had a right and an obligation to do well in school, but they didn't have to compete to get into high school. Isn't it enough that she is trying to keep her enjoyment for math, than piling the pressure of getting into one of these schools?

Why do I stay in the city of Chicago? Well, I guess I am making a choice of luxury. It's not for me. If my daughter and husband was willing to pack it up and move to Skokie tomorrow, I'd be there in a heartbeat. If Melody's father wasn't in town; and I never got remarried, I would be living back in Minnesota. But, I am here because this is my daughter's home. It is what she loves, what she knows, and where she has asked to stay. So, that is what we will try to do. I just don't understand why we can't bring all of the neighborhood high schools up to par to make them all select schools. It's maddening.

In other news......I've kind of reached a new point. On the one hand, I am trying to gather every moment with my kids. They will be off before I know it. Melody said the other day, "Mom, I feel like I was just in kindergarten and now we are talking about high schools" *she is only 12, but they psych them out about it in 6th grade*. Dearest friend Matt, I know that you and Ann are enjoying every second with Elizabeth. Always do so my friend......you are doing it the right way.

On the other hand, I am realizing, that these kids are going to have their own lives someday. And while I have always said that I am going to live with Melody in her dorm room at college; I am starting to see that I have to find myself again, besides being a mom.....otherwise I'll have some very happy therapist when they go off to college.

D.C.

Damn FaceBook. It sure gets in the way of blogging. This past week, I can blame it on traveling.

Melody and I went to DC with our good friends for Spring Break. I haven't been their in 28 years, so I was ready for some changes. Sure enough, things had changed. I was hoping for some personal insights on this trip. It has been years since I have gotten to take a full week off. I definitely got my weeks worth. Our kids, Melody, Anja, and Julia really were very well behaved, so we didn't have a ton of parent drama to deal with. We travel well together, and the love I have for this family is as close as my own family....we are lucky to have them.

So, rather than a travel blog, I will just give you some of my insights. We were there at spring break, so there were entirely too many 8th grade trips making their trip to Mecca. I really didn't have an issue with these groups until Wendy and I went to the Holocaust Museum. This is a quiet and reflective environment. The school groups with ill-behaved children put a damper on the experience, and I really felt like smacking many of these kids. I can understand even 6th grade not understanding the emotional impact of this event; but by the time you are 14, you should have a complete respect for institution you are in, and just because your parents aren't with you, doesn't mean you should have disregard for your surroundings.

The Holocaust museum was overwhelming and upsetting to me. Wendy was able to take it more in stride than I was. I found myself upset and not able to look at many of the exhibits. I remember my sister and brother-in-law making me watch a documentary on Auschwitz and that exhibit just brought it all back.

Mt. Vernon was awesome. It turned out to be very laid back because the line to get in the house was about an hour. We just walked the grounds. A friend was going through some personal trauma during that time, and I was able to take a phone call. It was healing to watch my daughter and her friends run and play on the grounds of Mt. Vernon and just soak in the fresh air and the beautiful atmosphere. Really made me appreciate the relationships that I have with people and to be thankful for the little things.

My very favorite place was the National Portrait Gallery. It's a much smaller museum than all of the other Smithsonian institutions we entered. We were there for two hours, but I could have just spent another half day there. They had a Duchamp exhibit that made me feel like an ass. I have completely bypassed this artist, and am definitely going back for a lesson.

This place was just full of treasures.

I could go on and on, and I am not, because it's late, and I'm tired. But we hit the Smithsonian Air and Space at Dulles. It was by far the most comprehensive museum from A-Z. We saw a Concorde; the Anola Gay; and the Space Shuttle all under one roof. It was awesome having Guido with us to give us the history of both the German and American fighter planes, it was like our personal Docent.

We went to the Museum of American History, the Spy Museum, and the Native American Museum.

Our biggest disappointment was the Library of Congress. I really wanted Mel to be able to see her father's books displayed in the stacks, but the library itself is only open to those 16 or older, so we weren't allowed in, which I think is a sham. But the building is fabulous. We missed the White House, except for driving by; and a few other places; but I feel like we packed a lot into this trip.

But I have to say, in the few times that I was able to walk around by myself, I kept saying to myself, "God, why did you have to take Tim Russert so soon? This is his town."

Kindle Update

I’ve had the Kindle for a little while now. I’ve joined the revolution in full force. I’m a few steps closer than my last post when I said I wouldn’t try to recruit anyone. But I don’t think I can cross the line of respect of true book lovers. Loving my Kindle does not mean that I have abandoned my love of printed books. There are some things you can never read on a Kindle; art books; anything with great photos, and children’s picture books. But other than that, it’s making my day every day.

Here is a link to a very fair commentary on the Kindle and why it’s good and why it might not be for everyone. SLATE ARTICLE

If the girl asked me today if she could have a Kindle I would have to say no. For some reason, saying yes to an IPOD is no problem; but saying yes to a Kindle is saying yes to giving up the trip to the bookstore and picking out her book and looking at it on a bookshelf. I think that is a decision that is to be made as an adult.

All the same, I love the darn thing, it’s become a friend.

The Time is Here, The Day is Here.....

As the writer of "A Sunny Thought" while I have written about bleak topics at times, I always try to come across with a positive message. This is how I get through life, it's been my mantra, which I got from my father, my sister, and my siblings who come out on the sunny side.

I don't talk about my divorce very much, because my daughter reads my blog, and I have enough class to not talk about dark dark times. But when I went through my divorce, I will share with you that my therapist at the time actually kind of fired me after a while and told me that she had never had a patient that went through such and even with such a good attitude and between survivial mode and positive thoughts, I came out of it on the plus side. I was not unscathed, as my family and dear friends know, but I think my attitude was pretty good. Part of that was I lost a lot weight, that I had slowly gained back after a crazy 100 pound weight loss after the birth of the girl.

While blessed with incredibly good looks (blush) I have also been been genetically gifted with shit metabolism and a broken thyroid. I'm the last person on earth to blame my weight on my thyroid, but it has played a part in the fact that the only way that I can actually lose weight is to have a daily workout that is not quite hardcore, but almost.

So, when I met Mr. Yen, I was by no means thin, but as I found out on Tuesday, I was eighty pounds thinner. My doctor, who is a friend and a mentor, laid it on the line. He said I can go for the lap-band surgery which is the lesser of stomach stapling, or do it by working out.

I'm not some fat slob that doesn't ever move....but it would be not true if I said if I didn't indulge in too much wine or too much bread.

For some reason, this has hit me really hard. I've had the "woe is me" song going for a few days. I've consulted with my best friends and said that the I need to curtail stat.

I am being compleltely honest about my vanity here. It's really hard for a person who thinks they are "all that" to realize that they are so unattractive and unhealthy. Thank God....THANK GOD, that my survival mode has kicked in and I am doing what I need to do, because I am certainly not going to be going through any kind of surgery to lose weight; and I am not going to be a 50 year old woman driving a cart at Target to get my toilet paper.

You know, it just sucks, because when you are fat, and in my situation, people automatically think you are a huge overeater or don't move. I don't over eat, most of the time anyways. I just pack on pounds if I don't move.

So my message to you people is as I am doing it, move damnit. If it pains you, if it is a pain because you are exhausted at the end of the day, just freakin' move....and then you won't be suffering the same plight as me which is going to take me a year to shed. Water should be your best friend......

By the way, the irony is, my blood pressure, cholesterol, lipids, blood sugar, and fatty things that clog your arteries were all below normal.........the only thing I have to fear is fat itself.......

xoxo