Identify the Idiot in You

Every generation has seen a trend in the job preferences by graduating students and professionals. During the days of our forefathers the most sought after jobs were from the public sectors including defense services and the nationalized banks. Later the trend upgraded to engineers and doctors. Today the trend is to become software professional or be a part of the IT Industry in any role. It’s not that the students are not able to think beyond these professions, but also because of shear peer or parent pressure, and also because of their inability to identify the Idiot in them. The recent success of the movie 3 Idiots has inspired many, capturing the real life problem faced by each one of us. In the movie Aamir Khan plays the lead character who helps his friends to identify the Idiot in them.

Understanding ones passion and overcoming the confusion of career choice within could help an individual succeed in his or her career, and enjoy the same as well. This will also make us recession proof.

For example choosing the right MBA specialization is very crucial, it’s most likely that you will be getting your first job in the area of your specialization. If you happen to choose a wrong specialization, you may be offered a wrong job and rather it would become very difficult to make a switch offer after your first job. Workshops and counseling sessions are offered with an objective to clear the insecurities and dilemmas students face on account of multitude of available options, multiple decision influencing factors and lack of guidance on conducting scientific self-diagnosis.

Loratis offers four programs in this category. Each program is designed to match the profile of a candidate in order to choose the best solution that would lead to a successful career. It helps the candidates to get full clarity on their aptitude, personality, passion, and career direction.

Dr. Rathi, who promoted the Loratis Career School six months back, has been advocating this message through his seminars and talks for the past 15 years. He addressed more than 25000 engineering and management students in these years across Asia Pacific. Through Loratis, he is serving the students and young working professionals manage complete career management cycle – from Career Direction, Employability Skills, and Orientation Programs to Job Placements. Instead of ‘finding the idiot’ he has tagged it as ‘Finding the True North’.

PS: Please visit our website: Career Counseling

[Via http://loratis.wordpress.com]

ZekeGames looking for new pixel artist

Hello everyone! This is SunnyKatt here, lead programmer and designer of ZekeGames.

After talking it over with the other team members, we’ve decided that it would be best to look for a pixel (sprite) artist for Bleare Kingdoms.

A sprite artist would allow us to be much more efficient and save us time as we try to release Build 4 before the IGF 2011 deadline.

Anyone can apply, whether officially or unofficially. So here is a basic description of what is going on:

Job Description:

Team Pixel Artist. You will be making the pixel art for Bleare Kingdoms (and if you hang around long enough, possibly other games of ours).

This is an unpaid (volunteer) position. Because we are not (at least right now) selling any of our games and we are a hobbyist team, you will be a hobbyist pixel artist.

Information, presented in Q&A form:

How much time to I have to devote to my team?

This is a hobbyist position, so you can do this in your free time or whenever. As long as we get the grapihcs we need for the next build, it doesn’t really matter. You won’t have to sacrifice your other hobbies and you won’t have to waste all of your free time working on our team. However, if we need graphics from you badly, we would prefer you didn’t hold us up.

How long will this position last for?

We would like to have you as long as we possibly could, but we understand that things come up in life and you may be forced to leave sometime down the road. We ask that you be sure you can at least be with us for a year or more. You’re joining a team, not taking up some freelance position for a little flash game.

Do I have to be a certain age or have experience?

We don’t care about what age you are, as long as you are mature on the internet you are fine. As for experience, we don’t require any. That doesn’t mean you can’t be good at what you do – you’re applying for an artist position, you had better be an artist. We will be looking through sample work of people that submitted to join so hopefully we can choose the level of skill we are aiming for.

What style will I have to work with and from what viewpoint?

We aren’t going to try and force you to sprite within a pre-destined style entirely. We’re going to be flexible on that, considering you are going to be the game artist. We are, however going to be specific about a few things.

1.) The art is going to be pixel art. Not photoshopped graphics and textures like in other games, this must be actual pixel art. You can use whatever program you want, mspaint works fine. Pillowshading is unacceptable.

2.) We’re going for a simpler approach than what we had last build. If you aren’t sure of what we mean, click on the download link to be taken to the buld 1 page. Notice how the grass has all kinds of weird specks and textures in it. We’re cutting back on the number of decals alot, so we want a simple base color that is easy on the eyes for the grass, and a few grass decals spread out nicely.

3.) The view is overhead, or birds-eye-view, or topdown. Whatever you call it, the camera is directly above the view of everything in the game, so be prepared to draw from that angle. We need all samples of your work in this viewpoint, because some artists can be good at a platform view but really mess up when it comes to topdown.

What benefits will I get from joining you guys?

You are joining  a team of talented people. We are not the team who makes a few games and are forgotten about, and we are not likely to drop a project. Our code is efficient, our organization is thought out, and our commitment and passion are in full force. We plan on entering Bleare Kingdoms into the IGF (Independant Games Festival) for the 2011 festival, and (hopefully) we can go down to GDC 11 to present the game and attend various IGF shows. You are not obligated to come at all, this is an option. We will be asking for blog and magazine reviews and interviews, and hopefully other outside sources will find us as we attract attention. If you are still in school and you do well here, a scholarship could be a possibility for you if you are lucky.

If we do end up deciding to sell BK, you will get a cut of the profits, so don’t worry about that. Basically, popularity and the rewards of working on a prestigious project is what is headed your way.

Okay, I’m in. How do I apply?

This is going to be kinda informal. You can post here saying you are interested, Email SunnyKatt at SunnyKatt@live.com, or post in a relevant thread on other websites where we are announcing this. We may request examples from you or have you sprite some stuff for us so we can get a feel for how you work. We all look forward to working with you!

KEEP IN MIND: We may not choose anyone at all in the end. This is an idea we are playing with, and we’re pretty sure we will follow through. If we cannot seem to find the candidate we want, we won’t hire one at all. Just keep this in mind when applying please.

-SunnyKatt

Contact Email: SunnyKatt@live.com

[Via http://blearekingdoms.wordpress.com]

Full disclosure: plugs for my work & colleagues

Wow. A kickoff to an annual day of recognition for one campaign, a dedicated fundraising effort on a primetime TV show watched by nearly 40 million people, and the beginnings of a new flagship campaign — all in one week — all the combined efforts of the wonderful people I work with.

My About page says it: that anything I say on this blog is from me and by me only, and not endorsed by my employer – and that’s true. Usually I am subtle when giving kudos to the issues I work on, and use banners or buried links to show what I’m focused on 9-10 hours every day, but today is different. Today – it deserves a real mention.

This is a shoutout to the great work of the United Nations Foundation. To the great work of my teammates and my department, Public Affairs, and all of the other staff involved in these amazing and impactful projects. This is to say that even on the days when we want to tear our hair out, go hide in the corner, close out our emails, and say “no,” that the power of  saying “yes” to inspirational and innovative ideas is so worth it in the end. It’s so worth reading emails or tweets from our supporters, giving us props for our shoutout on American Idol, for pledging to end malaria, for empowering girls around the world. It’s worth the emails that our team shares immediately after a win, full of pride and virtual pats on the back and sighs of relief that the hard part is done.

Sometimes in our daily work, we get caught up in the negative moments and the frustrating times – but in the last three days, I can truly say that I have been able to come home and still say that I feel so honored and fortunate to work at a place like the UN Foundation, and with such amazing, passionate, hard-working people.

And with that:

-Sign up to Sleep Out to End Malaria on April 24, the Eve of World Malaria Day at www.nothingbutnets.net/sleepout.

-Visit www.unfoundation.org/idol to donate to help the UN help Haiti rebuild and recover.

[Via http://jennasauber.com]

A trip to the other side of the building

I’m sure a lot of you, if not all have come across this particular issue in your student life.

You know you need to give your career a start and you are constantly being reminded that there is a Career’s Office somewhere in the building.

You imagine naively that the Careers Office is a beautiful bright room where your dream job is waiting for you and where these angel-like people are there to guide your every step towards it. You know you need to bring your CV along and you have no worry about your Comic Sans font and your numerous bullet points.

Finally, you find a lady there waiting for you to put your name on the list and pick an hour.(as if there are so many students waiting to go in) ..Seriously, most of the people I know have never set foot in the office, some in their final year don’t even know in where the office is and some get particularly irritated at the sound of  it.

I got a 10 minutes session. I walk in , this someone reads my CV in a few seconds (I don’t blame them, they didn’t need more) and tells me I need to change the font and put my grades on. And that was it. I don’t know what I expected, but that has put me off visiting the office since. I probably expected someone to help me with my job search. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was an alien recently teleported at Middlesex University so I had no idea what jobs are out there and how to reach them. Oh well, that was in the past. And I have come a long way since.(I encountered the benefits of career blogs, websites, etc)

I guess what I’m trying to say is if you are determined enough, you can do it your own way. What I’ve learned in my life as a student here is that if you expect people to push you in the right direction you miss out on the learning process. And as this wise man once said:

‘Success is not a place at which one arrives but rather the spirit with which one undertakes the journey’

[Via http://elizalucescu.wordpress.com]

Rolling the Dice: A traveler's fears

I have been in Thailand since October now and I am just starting to discover my fears.  Fears of the traveling horizon ahead of me.  I have  traveled a lot since I have been teaching in Lang Suan, but it was easier.  I traveled for a few days and then always came back to my job as a teacher.  I always came back to my little house.  I always came back to my bed (albeit an extremely uncomfortable one and most of the time the beds were more comfortable while I was traveling).  I always came back to a sense of home. 

And now I won’t have any of that.  This was my last weekend in Lang Suan.  Next weekend, I am embarking on a weeklong excursion to Malaysia and Singapore.  I will be back in Lang Suan for a few days and then I am heading off to explore the rest of Southeast Asia.  And this thought daunts me to no end.

Coming to Thailand was a huge step for me.  It took me a short time to adjust and now I have to learn to adjust again.  I am going to get to see historical monuments, breathtaking vistas, and learn about foreign cultures that others dream about.  I’m going to live out of my suitcase and “couchsurf” with people I have never met.  And it won’t end in Southeast Asia.  If I can raise the funds, I am going to travel to Europe or South America in August for a year or so.  With all these thoughts in my mind, I wanted to write about my fears of traveling.

My main fear is not having a home.  I’m going to be bouncing around, not having a sense of place, not having a set group of friends, and never being comfortable.  Home is one of the staples of our being.  We need a place to call our own.  We need people to call our own.  We even need “stuff” to call our own.   We trade all of that for a chance to witness places we only read about in books and on the internet.

I’m also scared of missing out on everything happening back in California and the rest of the US.  That includes new music, new movies, sporting events (mainly the Olympics), my friend’s relationships and jobs and pretty much their lives, my family and my dogs.  Yes, I can use the internet to stay in tune with all of these things, but its not the same.  There’s nothing like hearing a new song on the radio or viewing a preview for a much anticipated movie or being there when your best friend meets her future boyfriend.  I heard about the Super Bowl and now I’m hearing about the Olympics.  I don’t want to watch the Olympics on the internet.  I don’t want to choose which events I want to stream online.  I want to tune in for those six hours they are on at night and I want to see them all!  Its just not the same and its hard to only see my loved ones on the computer (but thank God for Skype, right?!). 

My fear is that I’m putting my life on hold.  I graduated college and got a job right away.  I started building my life, my future and my savings.  Traveling puts all that on hold.  I feel like I’m not doing what I’m “supposed” to be doing.  I should be working and building a career, but I am far from that.  I want a family one day and we all know I’m not close to that either.  I know I’m young and I have my whole life ahead of me, but its just scary!

I have so many people writing me and telling me how jealous they are of what I’m doing.  They wish that they had done this before they started their family, or law school, or working.  But the truth is, every once in awhile, I’m jealous of them.  I’m jealous that they know where their life is headed and what they will be doing in five years.  At this point all I know is that I want to travel.   I don’t know where I will be in five years let alone tomorrow!!

I know I’m on the right path, but sometimes its hard getting that reality check!

[Via http://thetravelingdreamer.com]

A Busy Girl Has to Eat: Pizza

I came home from work and paused a moment, wondering if it had been a bad day or if — in some strange way — the hectic pace had been enjoyable.  I was too tired to really figure it out and haven’t given it much thought since…  Well, not much thought until now, obviously.

Movies romanticize the career woman.  I can picture it now… Kate Hudson strutting down the sidewalk in her adorable heals, chatting on her cell phone and — with her other hand — holding a Starbucks Coffee.  She skips up a few stairs and soon finds herself in her office, which is decorated to perfection.  Sliding into her office chair, she kicks off her heels and sets her coffee down on the desk… a desk completely free of any kind of clutter.

Then, flash into reality… My reality at the office.    Papers are flying everywhere and landing wherever they may on my desk.  The phone is ringing off the hook.  And my beverage is a little styrophone cup filled with a very strong — but obviously not Starbucks — brew. 

The highlight of my day was actually a wrong number that I dialed.  I reached an older woman who obviously did  not owe my company any money, nor had she ever heard of the security services we provided.  She was concerned that she was the victim of security fraud, and I spent a few moments to assure her that I was not trying to collect money from her — I had just dialed a wrong number.  Most people would have just hung up the phone.  But she wanted to talk!    Before long, I knew that she had lived in the little apartment for 14 years, had two kittens, and was caring for a sick brother.  She was so lonely that I forgot — in the few minutes that I was on the phone with  her — that I had a conference call to get ready for or even a refund that needed filing within ten minutes.  She reminded me that sometimes you do just need to slow down and focus on the people around you, even if it’s ‘just’ an elderly woman on the other line who’s desperate for a friend.

By the end of the day, I did find that I was exhausted.  Tuesdays are usually fish nights, but I had little motivation to put together the marinade and bake the salmon.  Sooo, I made use of the grinder rolls that I had recently taken out of the freezer to make a grown-up’s version of little pizzas.

First, broil the bread so that it’s crisp:

 Spread on some pizza sauce that has been pre-warmed (I found an all-natural pizza sauce that’s really good, although I’d really like to make one from scratch next time).

Then, add whatever toppings you want!! 

I served pear slices and carrot sticks on the side for some c*r*u*n*c*h, as my sister would say. 

The weatherman is calling for a mix of snow and rain during the next four days, so here’s to hoping that we won’t get an ice storm like last year!

[Via http://lovingsimplemoments.wordpress.com]

How Do I Get Over My Ex's Cheating And Be A Man

Now some men can manage tension, there are a couple of guys who consider that it is not easy to forget an ex girlfriend. They will try to go back to that girl or just ring her every day hopping that will influence her to re-ignite the old flames which passed months ago.

Basically you must understand if you are not capable in getting over her after searching online, you have a job to do. Do you know why? Because she doen’t wanna hear your bullshit anymore, it’s likely that she doesn’t even return your calls, if you didn’t get a hint, she is avoiding you. Probably she’s already forgotten that you exist but poor you, recalling about all the special things you did together. I’ll tell you brother you’ve got to get your game correctly.
Why can not you forget her, not because you have so many dear, she or she is the most beautiful queen of Spain since last year, there is no Mr. woman. You can not forget her, because you have an internal hole. Yes, I repeat, you have an inner (BIG) of vacuum. You have not yet found a solution in order to meet you believe you can from her. Not! She will not be effective, to fill you out. In fact, no one can do for you, while others may directly separate you, but you have to satisfy it.
Do you understand?
Click Now – Ways to Get a Bitchy Exgirlfriend Fast.
Here is what I mean; the vacancy I’m uttering about is named neediness. Many guys are not capable to be themselves, they have to have a woman on their side to feel like real men. The less cool trait is that, they think the other person (girlfriend) will get them feel real. If they don’t get one, they become weak. They don’t have positive self-image and they can’t be themselves till they get the approval of others. If you are included in this group of human beings then you should evolve to change that character at once.
You want to find out what the vacancy, you may want to ask why you love this girl so bad, causes what you do. Once you get the answer to dig, then more for more answers. These can serve to know about yourself. It could be as large or feel necessite for adoption. Once you pick the right solution for actions you feel are important. Is to discover something new, risky companies, discovering new skills it can be anything. Once you lived your needs until you feel important and self-confident person, the magnetic and attractive women.
Our e-book will guide you fill out the inside, you can progress, start a new relationship and, if necessary under vacuum.

[Via http://bobdevicwin.wordpress.com]

Jerks

Before I went to Seoul with the girls, the school told me to take my passport with me and to visit the US embassy while I was there. I had to get an affidavit to notarize that background check I got. Unfortunately– I forgot to take my passport so I couldn’t take care of it when I was there. So to get my paperwork going, the school sent me back to Seoul on Friday (it was just a teacher work day). I didn’t want to spend the night by myself so I left on the 6:30am bus, got there at 11am, waited at the embassy for 2 hours, then got back on the bus to Gwangju. It was a long day but I finally got all the paperwork I needed.

 I had never been to an embassy before and was excited. When I got off the subway, I was looking for the American flag. I was expecting a very nice building— I mean, I thought the US was this great country, so I just expected a great embassy. To my surprise, the US Embassy was the ugliest and oldest building on the block. Compared to all of Seoul’s LED lights and futuristc designs, the US embassy looked like it was built in 1959. It was that really ugly tannish brown brick color– Very retro in a tacky way.

After going through all this security, I took a number and waited in this musty room. It reminded me of a trip to the DMV– before Stanford was Governer. I was surrounded by American citizens. Some were Korean-Americans, some military, and others just plain people like me. Those were the people that I was greatly embarrassed by.

 While sitting patiently enjoying my day off work, I observed the stereotypes the world has about Americans and found them to be repulsive. Just within 10 minutes of waiting, I heard more foul language than a rated R movie, saw body parts of bigger women that shouldn’t be exposed, and heard sad stories of single Army-mothers who didn’t know who the father of their new baby was. I felt so much shame for my country. I began wishing for the better life that waited outside the embassy walls–the Korean life. I know Korean’s say bad words. I know Korean families have broken homes and that many women chose a lifestyle selling themselves for sex, but for now- I am blind to most of that. I can’t understand people when they cuss in Korean and I can’t over hear conversations of sadness….and I appreciate that. Koreans may push their way through the street and bump into you with saying “excuse me” but I have never seen a Korean explode in anger or rudeness like I did in that embassy. Respect is a fact of life in Korea, as it should be everywhere.

[Via http://rachelmcdougall.wordpress.com]

Day 3: Job 35-42; Genesis 12-21

Today we finish Job and return to Genesis.

Job

Elihu’s rebuke continues in chapters 35-37. The rebuke is stirring, provoking, and humbling for Job (and me too), but it is overshadowed by God’s very own rebuke, which covers chapters 38-41. Both rebukes are interesting and affecting, but Elihu’s rebuke is very much a warm-up for God’s main attraction. As you know, the book concludes with Job apologizing (“[T]herefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”, he says in 42:6), with Job’s friends repenting, and with God restoring Job’s fortunes.

Memorable Quote

Job is full of notable quotables. Here is just one from today’s selection:

• 34:6-7 (ESV)
  

  If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
  And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
  If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
  Or what does he receive from your hand?
  Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
  and your righteousness a son of man.

Comments on the Entire Book

Many of the comments I’ve seen on Job make similar statements. Now that I’ve taken in the book for myself, here are my thoughts on some of the statements I’ve heard.

“Job is a book about suffering.” Absolutely, the theme of suffering stands tall in Job. However, I am more effected by the theme of God’s goodness and man’s foolishness/silliness/pride.

“Job does not solve the problem of suffering.” A couple years ago, Bart Ehrman popularized this view. My knee-jerk reaction to this is to disagree, although I might be able to concede parts of his argument. Based on my reading, I would say that Job does indeed address the problem of suffering: Suffering comes from Satan; goodness, relief, and blessing comes from God. (Interestingly, Job created much of his own suffering by assuming that God was the cause of his problems; perhaps this shadows man’s keen ability to create trouble for himself.)

“Job did not sin throughout his suffering.” I’ve heard variants of this since I was kid. I may be missing something, but I disagree (for now) for a few reasons:

• First, Job’s attitude is in the dumps. There are moments where he is angry or frustrated without sinning, but there are other moments where his pride and his “I don’t deserve this!” attitude are too much.
• Second, as 42:6 says, Job repents. Why would he repent if he hadn’t sinned?
• Third, both Elihu and God rebuke job. Why would they rebuke him if he hadn’t sinned?

Genesis

Chapter 12 introduces us to Abram (Abraham). He answers God’s call to move away from home; he divides the land with Lot, who chooses the lovely but deceptive land of Sodom and Gomorrah; he eventually receives a son, Isaac, from his old wife Sarai (Sarah).

A Couple Themes

• Blessings. God offers Abram what will become a Bible-long blessing of a “great nation” in 12:2. After defeating Chedorlaomer, Abraham receives a blessing from King Melchizedek of Salem (14:19); you’ll remember that Jesus was “after the order of Melchizedek”. God offers Sarah the blessing of a son (17:16), a blessing to which Abraham upon hearing “fell on his face and laughed” (17:17).
• Covenants. God offers Abram a lot of land in a covenant (15:17). He later offers an “everlasting covenant” (17:7) signified by circumcision (17:10-14)  that assures Abram that he will “be the father of a multitude of nations” (17:2). Finally, Abraham made a covenant of peace with Abimelech (21:27).

A Few Interesting Things

• Abraham’s laughing. He laughs when God tells him that Sarah will have a child (17:17), and he laughs when God tells him he’ll forever bless his multitude of offspring. In both cases, Abraham is actually laughing at God. Eek.
• Abraham’s half-truths. In dealing with Abimelech, abraham tells Abimelech that Sarah is his sister, not his wife (20:2), so that no one would sleep with her. Abimelech discovers the lie and insists that Abraham and his descendants not deal falsely with him again (21:22-24).
• Sodom and Gomorrah. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is unsettling and disturbing. Abraham’s convincing of God to spare the cities if 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, and then finally just 10 people are found faithful there is interesting (18:27-33); the subsequent destruction of the city demonstrates the city’s horrible condition. The rescue of Lot and his family (19:1-11) is dramatic and haunting; I was particularly disturbed by the men of the city trying to break into Lot’s house to capture the angels.

[Via http://whatireadintheoldtestament.wordpress.com]

Professional Goals

I had a meeting with my boss about my personal professional goals for this year. There will be a lot of changes expected for this year. Our CEO is trying to change our organization as an effective organization. I was told that I will be more involving in the projects that will be aligned these organizational goals and my boss want me to work with more closely with strategic team. It will be challenging but very exciting opportunities for me. I am very excited about this.

[Via http://gambisroom.wordpress.com]

Drifting

For lack of a better word, I am drifting.

Floating in a sea of things I’ve been meaning to do and mistakes I’ve been meaning to fix. Suspended, barely conscious, moving from one boring class to another awkward party, from that long lost friend to the girl i never wanted to see again.

I am tired of having nothing to tire me out. I am a little rusty and out of practice but I am going to start paddling my hands, waddling my feet and swim towards something… anything.

First task: Get A Job

God save the fool that hires me.

[Via http://bobbiez.wordpress.com]

Software Developers

Send applications to David Voice dvoice[at]eutopiaonline.com About Jmango

Experience:

• Senior application developer: at least 2-3 years experience or at least involved in 4-5 projects in the past as developers doing backend coding
• It’s an advantage if developers involved in integration projects between two different systems
• Web projects developments would be of preference

Technical Skills needed for integration with JMango Gateway

• Able to learn a simple scripting language – JMango scripting language.
• Best to throw them the manual and give sometime to write a piece of code to do a simple mobile screen flow
• Or even give them the authoring tool on the web console to create a sample flow
• Analyse and develop code for web service integration (i.e SOAP) or simple HTTP POST interface –> This is what JMango API needed
• Its an advantage for the developer to have know how in the space of:

SMS messaging: SMPP protocol, SMSCenter
Mobile Internet and Java Application download

Technical Skills for building applications:

• The skills vary depending on type of systems – Development skills for Windows, Java or web scripts (PHP etc..) are different.
• There is no specific skill requirements of what system is required to integrate with JMango gateway other than the previous section.

Technical development skills:
Familiar with:

• Object Oriented programming language with at least one of the following programming languages and framework: Java and .Net
• Web front end development: HTML, CSS and Java script.
• Model View Control framework

Technical architect skills:

• Should be able to design an application or system based on business requirement and product specification.

Programming skills: J2EE – Java

• Using of Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Eclipse IDE
• J2EE web application development: JSP
• Application development framework: Spring, Hibernate
• Operation and deployment using Application server: Tomcat, Websphere

.Net – CSharp

• Using Visual Studio IDE  (2005 onwards)
• IIS Web Application server
• Microsoft SQL server
• Using development framework

Other web application scripting languages and skills would be bonus: PHP 5.0

• Operate and manage open source database PostgreSQL, MySQL
• Operate and manage Apache webserver
• Develop web UI with Ajax

[Via http://needtrabaho.wordpress.com]

Suburban homeless: Rising tide of women, families

Homelessness in rural and suburban America is straining shelters this winter as the economy founders and joblessness hovers near double digits. “One of the things that we’ve noticed is a lot more unsheltered, mostly men who claim this is the first time they’ve been homeless, who indicate that it’s due to a loss of wages or loss of job, because of

Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100216/ap_on_re_us/us_suburban_homeless

[Via http://monstermike.wordpress.com]

Our Education System & What Has Changed

I am going to preface all below with the disclaimer that I don’t consider myself, in the contemporary sense anyway, an expert on this subject. I do have a 1990’s education degree and I have done a lot of study on the subject on my own. I was fortunate on my last trip through a university that I had a couple of professors that introduced me to some rather radical writing on the subject that I doubt that I would have found on my own.

In obtaining this last degree, I had to go through the practice teaching part of the curriculum. That experience was one of the main reasons that I did not intensely pursue a job teaching in the public schools. I had done some short term teaching previously without the certification. I taught in a one room school back in the 60’s, and did 2 years part time in a vo-tech teaching electronics to high school age kids. When I had my own business, I emphasized learning and taught in my own way customers that did business with me. So, with that background out of the way, let’s examine what I think I have observed and learned.

It was emphasized to me during my last trip through the university system that all learning was skill oriented. Within a very general and broad perspective, that is true I think. However, it was never defined just what skills the educational system was responsible for. I was handed the broad and rather obtuse explanation of skills in critical thinking that I did not personally observe taking place, skills in numbers that I did not observe taking place, and skills in language that I also did not notice taking place. Rather, the skills I saw were predominately located in rote memorization of pre programmed curricula with little or absolutely no critical thinking, no critical reading and little thinking skills at all. Within the university system, I saw no integration in the various subjects, but rather stand alone discreet areas of study.

Now what this means within higher education is that you have specialized knowledge of a certain area with no association of how it interacts with other areas. Thus, the physicists doesn’t understand much if anything about biology or classical literature, and this seems to be true across the board in every area of study. There are of course, individuals which do integrate their specialization with other areas, but my observation is that they are far and few between.

So, this leads me to an examination of what is ‘education’ all about, which leads me to examining the history of what we call ‘education’.

When I started to examine the history of education it appeared to me that there was a division between what is commonly called ‘classical education’ and ‘modern education’. My impression was that ‘classical education’ consisted of what we generally call a ‘liberal arts’ curriculum similar to the classical education of the ancient Greeks which is very broad and integrates many areas of specialized study and how they interrelate. This is not very popular today because it doesn’t result in specialized high paying jobs upon graduation. Thusly, higher education has become a job training expenditure of time and money. It may be hard for people to understand this, but it was not always like this.

I know that when I started my college work in 1959 I was more interested in learning a broad range of subjects than in specializing in a particular area, my hunger for a broad range of subjects was nearly insatiable. Most of my friends in college at that time felt the same way. What I hear today is a denial of usefulness of a generalized curiosity of a broad range of subject, rather an attitude of “I don’t need to know that for the job I want and don’t bother me with this stuff”. I found the same attitude in the public schools system, just at a lower level. Why do I need to know algebra, or history, or classical literature or how to write or …. whatever. I would submit that the result of this kind of educational endeavor becomes shallow to the point of spending a ridiculous amount of time developing curricula that only leads to some kind of job training, in other words, an academic vo-tech.

I would also submit that this has lead to some very undesirable social consequences. People that are good at algebra and trigonometry and can’t find their city on a map, or have no idea what the founding father of our constitution had in mind and what information they drew on, or the history and definitions of a variety of governing systems, and the critical evaluations of events throughout modern times, much less ancient times. Continue Reading…

[Via http://americasos.wordpress.com]

$5 worth

A woman came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find her 5-year
old son waiting for her at the door.

SON: ‘Mummy, may I ask you a question?’

MUM: ‘Yeah sure, what it is?’ replied the woman.

SON: ‘Mummy, how much do you make an hour?’

MUM: ‘That’s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?’ the woman
said angrily..

SON: ‘I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?’

MUM: ‘If you must know, I make $20 an hour.’

SON: ‘Oh,’ the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: “Mummy, may I please borrow $5?”

The mother was furious, ‘If the only reason you asked that is so you can
borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march
yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being
so selfish. I don’t work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.’

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door..

The woman sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s
questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the woman had calmed down , and started to think:

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $5 and he really
didn’t ask for money very often.The woman went to the door of the little
boy’s room and opened the door.

‘Are you asleep, son?’ She asked.

‘No Mummy, I’m awake,’ replied the boy

‘I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier’ said the woman.
‘It’s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here’s the $5
you asked for.’

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. ‘Oh, thank you Mummy!’ he yelled.
Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The woman saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his
mother.

‘Why do you want more money if you already have some?’ the mother grumbled.

‘Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,’ the little boy replied.

‘Mummy, I have $20 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home
early tomorrow.
I would like to have dinner with you.’

The mother was crushed. She put his arms around her little son, and she
begged for his forgiveness.

It’s just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should
not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with
those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to
share that $20 worth of your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace
us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel
the loss for the rest of their lives.

Source: Friendly E-mail

[Via http://masoodmemon.wordpress.com]

Letting go of your career...

I was once a well paid Network Engineer for some of the bigger global Telecom companies. When I was laid off in late 2007 I had a tough time finding a new job because the area I lived in wasn’t a major technology hub and because my last employer had paid me a very competitive salary which scared off hiring managers (especially as the economy began to dry up). I got some offers, but they would have required me to travel extensively on international contracts and as I had two toddlers at home it wasn’t a decision I was prepared to accept. I kept trying and as the weeks and months rolled out my competition for those few jobs got bigger and bigger as the financial crisis worsened.

My wife was born and raised in Brazil and we had invested in an apartment a few years earlier and with little luck in the job market in the US we decided to strike out for adventure and try in Brazil.

Getting work in Brazil has been a bit difficult as well since it takes a while for anyone (even someone conversational in Portuguese, like I am) to build up their language skills to a necessary level that would allow them to work without any issue. I also have the added disadvantage of having a lot of experience and a great resume, which scares hiring managers in Brazil as well when I am in pursuit of a lower paying job.

In short, it’s been tough. However, I am working with my father-in-law who runs his own real estate firm and am helping to market about a half billion dollars worth of investment real estate. And I am working online and doing consulting work for American technology and business firms. Things are slow at the moment but they show great potential.

Giving up on that safe, sturdy, nine-to-five paycheck has been one of the toughest decisions of my life. It was one that has brought me excruciating pain at times, especially when I see the stress it has brought my family. However, we are all together, I am not on the road somewhere away from my wife and kids. I can put my sons to bed at night and kiss my wife goodnight every night. That’s been my sacrifice and it is worth it.

I have been in Brazil eight months and opportunity is definitely in the air. Capitalizing might take a little longer, but every conversation, every book I read, and every new place I visit helps me grow, helps me feel alive and new.

Although I would not have chosen a life of unemployment, it has pushed me out the door to a new adventure. Letting go of the past and all the apparent job security I had is just a means of opening up my life to new opportunities. I’d say anyone can do that, regardless of where they are living.

[Via http://letgorightnow.wordpress.com]

Another Quick Life Update

Not much to report, but I wanted to let you guys know I’m still here and thinking about the blog!

I’m still drastically unmotivated and sick of work, but slightly better than I was a few days ago. Everyone seemed to notice that I wasn’t my normal self, I’m still not, but I’m better for sure.

I’ve already decided that if I decide not to go to university in September, I’ll go travelling or have a very long holiday. That’s something for me to aim for and look forward to, somewhat. I have a few places in mind, and it all depends on how much money I save up. South of France, West USA, Alaska, Canada, Russia, Japan… They’re all places that I want to visit at some point, or have visited and like the life there.

I’ve been quite ill lately too, I had to take 2 days off of work, stayed in bed for over 17 hours on one of the days and watched Gran Torino. What a fantastic movie, one of my favourites. I am man enough to admit that I actually cried towards the end, although the catalyst for this was certainly my illness, and mood.

I’ve also been listening to A LOT of Between The Buried and Me lately (I ordered the albums “Colors” and “Alaska” from Amazon a week or two ago), and it’s ground breaking stuff. It’s beautiful, every genre that they incorporate, every riff, every vocal technique… Is for purpose, it puts forward emotion and the mood of the piece. It tells complex stories, with very metaphorical and deep lyrics in some cases. They are all true role models to musicians who are growing and improving.

Lastly, I received an anonymous card for Valentine’s Day. It’s bugging me because I don’t know, firstly, if it’s serious or not, and secondly, who it is, so unfortunately it’s achieved very little, but there’s a part of me that wants to believe that it’s real, and in the case that someone actually thinks of me in that way, I feel a bit better about my life. I just wish I knew who it was. Ah well.

PS: Some more, decent blog posts soon! I promise!

[Via http://kolddoom.wordpress.com]

Baby Daddy Maker

My mother’s unemployment nearing the year mark when the office space that she was using for her freelance lawyering was finally able to be occupied by a rent paying tenant.  She had been able to make the mortgage and her car payment with the work she had done there, and had made some good contacts.

But she knew that she wasn’t going to be able to run her operation out of her home with any sort of credibility, and she still hadn’t found a private firm that was hiring yet.  So she went to the only place that seemed to be hiring in 1983; the state government.

My mother applied for a position as a staff attorney for the Wayne County Friend of the Court.  They were the division of county government that oversaw child support disputes.  It was the only growth area of the law, or so it seemed.  The job would be thirty miles away, downtown in the city, in a high rise building.  But it was a government job, she told us kids, so it meant less late nights and absolutely no Sundays (she didn’t say much about Saturdays, though).   State jobs meant unions and if she was able to keep the job for a few years, it would also mean security, a pension and other benefits.  It also meant state holidays would be her holidays, for a change.

It all sounded good to me; a steady paycheck with less hours, even if the commute was a killer.  I didn’t really understand that my mother would be a lawyer in an urban environment and all the stressors that would entail; I just hoped she got the job.

A few weeks later, she came home giddy.  She’d gotten the job.  She was the newest lawyer for WCFC.  Her position was in the Paternity division.  I didn’t know what that meant; this was before Maury and Jerry and even before the Burt Reynolds movie of the same name.  I asked what that meant, paternity.  She replied that her job would be to represent low income, unmarried women in child support disputes.  Part of her job would be to prove who the child’s father was, because often a man’s defense to a child support request was to state that he was not the biological father of the baby.

I found it rather ironic that my mother’s new job was all about sex when she had been so uncomfortable talking about it with us at home.  Still, we all breathed a sigh of relief as my mother put on her business suit and went off to work to make men daddies.

[Via http://myformerlife.wordpress.com]

My Dewey Color System® Career Testing Results

Best Occupational Category: You’re a CREATOR

Keywords:
Nonconforming, Impulsive, Expressive, Romantic, Intuitive, Sensitive, and Emotional

These original types place a high value on aesthetic qualities and have a great need for self-expression. They enjoy working independently, being creative, using their imagination, and constantly learning something new. Fields of interest are art, drama, music, and writing or places where they can express, assemble, or implement creative ideas.

CREATOR OCCUPATIONS:
Suggested careers are Advertising Executive, Architect, Web Designer, Creative Director, Public Relations, Fine or Commercial Artist, Interior Decorator, Lawyer, Librarian, Musician, Reporter, Art Teacher, Broadcaster, Technical Writer, English Teacher, Architect, Photographer, Medical Illustrator, Corporate Trainer, Author, Editor, Landscape Architect, Exhibit Builder, and Package Designer.

CREATOR WORKPLACES
Consider workplaces where you can create and improve beauty and aesthetic qualities. Unstructured, flexible organizations that allow self-expression work best with your free-spirited nature.

Suggested Creator workplaces are advertising, public relations, and interior decorating firms; artistic studios, theaters and concert halls; institutions that teach crafts, universities, music, and dance schools. Other workplaces to consider are art institutes, museums, libraries, and galleries.

2nd Best Occupational Category: You’re an ORGANIZER

Keywords:
Self-Control, Practical, Self-Contained, Orderly, Systematic, Precise, and Accurate

These conservative appearing, plotting-types enjoy organizing, data systems, accounting, detail, and accuracy. They often enjoy mathematics and data management activities such as accounting and investment management. Persistence and patience allows them to do detailed paperwork, operate office machines, write business reports, and make charts and graphs.

[Via http://steven3x.wordpress.com]

Need a Job? Cause I need a MIni ME.

I’m looking for my mini me.  Someone who can cook and answer the phone, talk nice to clients, help with shopping, day to day operations, and give me a day off  (or two) every week.

You must be level headed, intelligent, an excellent chef with a catering background. The ideal applicant is not afraid to work early in the morning and is a driven by the love of food, and the need to create excellent meals served graciously everyday. This person must be a dedicated hospitality professional, love people, and my dog Maizee.  (Just seeing if you’re paying attention)

My mini me (and I say that only because I’m 6 feet tall)  is proficient in EXCEL, WORD, can sound like me when posting on the blog, and help with the viral marketing I already have in place.

How much for this fabulous position?  I’ll let you know after I see your resume.  It will start as a part time job on an hourly basis, with the option of working parties at party rates.  I will tell you this.  I have never offered this much before.  I’m willing to pay because I need help and I need to trust the Shoppe will run well in my absence. There will be a trial period with 3 candidates before anyone is awarded the position.

Please submit your resume and tell me why I should pick you in a cover letter. My e-mail is on the side of my blog.  And I look forward to hearing from you.

[Via http://partytips.wordpress.com]

Cut the Umbilical Cord

 

Greetings. It has been an interesting past few weeks. Things have happened in my life that can be considered major changes. One of which is the welcoming of a new job. Yes, I am now among the working class once again. It feels really good to be back to work. Over the past 7 months, I have done what was necessary to support a steady flow of income while I was unemployed and now I can do better with this new job. Thinking about that, I cannot help but wonder why people do not do the same thing when THEY are going through hard times. There are people out there that are perfectly content with doing nothing about their situation when they find themselves without an income stream. Why is that? Is that how they do it? Its becoming more and more rare to see a young adult actually extend him/herself to create an keep up a job. Rather it is easier to mooch off of the parents or beg from their friends (that is if their friends are working). What does that say about that person’s character? I for one do not accept the “there is nothing out there for me” type statements that you hear from the young adults when you lecture them on the basics of providing for them selves. It seems like it is easier to complain about it than do something about it.

See, generally kids out live their parents. It’s uncommon for that to go the other way. So IF the parents are the ones who “Go” first, then what happens to the young adults AFTER they/we are gone? What do they do then? Who do they “hook up” to after the parents die? I’ve heard that the parents “take care” of their kids by willing the remaining cash and other income streams to the kids but what exactly does that do? To me, what that says is “persevere, and when they die you get it all”. Not a very smart way to think if you ask me. See, the way it suppose to go is like this; Child graduates from high school, and either enters the military, or goes off to college, or wakes up the next day, buy’s the morning paper, and looks for a job. That to me is EFFORT, and effort grants support, IF it is sincere. I have no problem providing “core” necessities in the way of money, rides, food, etc. to a person who is making a sincere EFFORT to become what I call a “Productive Member of Society”. However, if I see that they are not being sincere, then why should I support that with cash and prizes? It’s like lighting money on fire and throwing it down a hole. Interesting. See, my new job has incorporated the option of hiring “seasonal” staff, and 90% of that seasonal staff are young adults, so I know they’re out there, it’s not like that mentality is becoming “extinct”.

I guess it’s just the rest of the masses that I see everyday asking for a hand out, or throwing a temper tantrum when mom or dad won’t buy that video game or other widget for the child. It’s disgraceful. One time, I went to the movies, and watched as a father brought his son to the movies and the kid was having a tantrum because he wanted money for this and money for that and pitched a royal bitch because he got a different flavor soda than what he “usually” gets. I almost felt sorry for the father. ALMOST. I just sat there and watched and thinking I was glad that I was not that kids “father”. I can tell you right now, that kid would not have had the same opportunity to have that tantrum if I was his father. There would have been no movie. The child’s actions would have cost him his movie time, plus he would have had a stinging sensation in his rear end once we got back to the car. His father should have got his son in check QUICK but he didn’t. That was a bad situation for the parent. Look, if you are an adult that has a job and provides for the family, or if you provide for yourself, good for you. If you have kids, that’s great. If those kids take advantage of you and your resources then you NEED to get a handle on that because if you do nothing, you will have a “freeloader” on your hands and when he/she is 21 and STILL living at home, and that will be your “reward” that you have not done enough of what it took to raise the child. Raising children is tough but it’s a pretty cool thing, Cutting the umbilical cord once they become adults is an even cooler thing. I raise my step children to look out for the future, prepare themselves by getting a good education and then making a decision to go with the military or college. If they (after it’s all done) decide to not do either, then they are left with only one option. GET A JOB and be on your way.

 “That’s How I Do It.”

[Via http://christianlogay.wordpress.com]

Award From Purple Hatter !

Hi Friends !! I have been once again I have an award!!! This time I’ve been  honored with an award from Purple Hatter ! Thanks P.H This award is beautiful 

[Via http://tasneemrocks.wordpress.com]

today

Today was awsome! Got an offer for a new job, which I accepted! I start for Ohio Health on March 1! Nervous, but can not wait to get outta of hell

Also, we have so much snow, and I hate snow BUT….it was cold out. I mean, it was cold, but not bitter, so I took Zoie to play in it! It was her 1st snow play day!! She, like her mother, hated it! She cried the whole 5 mins we were out there! Even while standing on the sidewalk, where all the snow was shovel’ed, she cried! But I forced her to make a snow angel

So dont want to go to work tomorrow

[Via http://cloel.wordpress.com]

Tables turned - a recruiter tries to find a job

After decades of working with job seekers of many stripes on finding a job, and finding many candidates to fill jobs, I am looking for a job – sort of.

Just to stay in context for this piece, I need a specific job so let me give you the criteria.  This isn’t about just finding a corporate recruiting job.  Its about finding a job that I’ll bet many, many boomers like me would like to find and maybe its about suggesting that more employers could consider this criteria to attract excellent candidates and, its about me finding a job.

After over 30 years of steady work I finished my last contract on January 15th.  It felt right to resign after completing four years of what should have been a 1 year assignment following the sale of my niche job board – www.canadianretail.com – to CanWest in 2005.  (You can easily read my entire career by checking out my profile on LinkedIn at    www.linkedin.com/in/brendadumont )

From then to now I have been taking stock and came up with what I could offer an employer (an exercise I have often recommended to candidates unsure of how to proceed with a focused job search)

• A solid, national understanding of the Retail industry in Canada.  Who the players are, the associations, interactions, what the challenges to the industry are, how job seekers in and outside the industry view the industry and a historic understanding of the development of recruitment trends for the industry.
• A solid understanding of online recruitment – probably a better understanding of the introduction of job boards to Canada than most, which job boards have succeeded why and which ones faded offline due to many reasons, primarily poor design or underfunding.  Also, in this area a sharp understanding of the evolution away from strict utilization of job boards for online recruitment to all sorts of nifty new tools including social media, virtual job fairs, jobs2web type stuff and jobsinpods.  Love em all!
• Computer saavy – really computer saavy, including social media as it relates to recruiting.
• Marketing smarts – having had to sell and market the services of my two companies plus Drake’s and advise and participate on sales and marketing efforts  for the last four years I’ve done a lot of selling and developed and executed many marketing plans.
• 3 decades of experience recruiting for and within the retail industry in Canada.
• 3 decades of passionately executing and training customer service at a level that still garners praise today.

Plus I am reliable as the sun, full of energy and passion for the industry, creative as all get-out, and you’ll always get extra effort from me.

Ok, I’m a real superstar.  But, and here’s the big but, here’s the criteria for the type of position I’d like to find and haven’t got a whiff of as yet……………

• I want working on a consulting basis, I don’t want to be anyone’s employee.
• As you can imagine, and many employees and co-workers and previous bosses will heartily attest to – I am self-motivated and self-directed.  (I suspect many senior and executive level boomers are).  It’s good to make it clear what you expect from me, but I don’t need a detailed road map of how to get there unless you can prevent me from falling into a political man-hole with specific instructions.
• I’d like to work from home.  I am very pleased to travel, but I’d like to undertake something that requires day to day interaction with a computer and a high speed internet access with occasional travel to maintain and develop relationships.
• I’m OK with short term consulting work or consulting work where I work part-time every day or three days per week or…… Throughout my career I was at my best with multiple challenges, multiple clients, varying interactions, people, requirements, etc. etc.  Lots of us boomers had to be generalists more than specialists during a significant portion of our career.
• I don’t want to accept recruiting assignments.  I dearly loved my headhunting days and my reputation is still largely based on those days despite the fact I haven’t conducted a search for over 10 years.  If I wanted to be a corporate recruiter, start up another retail recruitment search firm, or work for an existing third party recruiter I don’t think it would be difficult to find a position.  Many boomers have been bankers, teachers, government employees – you name it.  But in the final phase, don’t want to stick to what they’ve always done.
• It doesn’t have to be retail – I am an avid and educated gardener, have a BCIT diploma in Hospitality, Food Services Management, am a rabid advocate of the beautiful Cowichan Valley, could embrace something Tourismy and I’m a dedicated foodie.

To date I have carefully searched, using advanced and basic methods, all the usual job boards including usedvictoria.com, craigslist, and some very local ones like Black Press’ www.bcclassified.com, starting today I am Twittering, blogging, LinkedIning, and Facebooking my credentials and criteria, and I’m beginning what always works best in a job search – networking, networking, networking.  So, know of a job for me?  I’ll keep you posted as to the various processes and eventual success (rule one – think positive) of this job search!

[Via http://retailrecruit.wordpress.com]

So you want to be a writer? Part two.

The following is my opinion, not to be confused or associated with any writer, blogger, or publisher linked to my site.  The views expressed here are simply an observation about being a writer.  If you are offended by honest reality and are seeking a momentary escape into the realms of fantasy turn back now.  This isn’t the droid you’re looking for.

 

I am often amused at the lengths to which writers will go to attract readers.  Not only do we sit in front of the computer (so aptly titled “the electronic succubus” by myself) but the amount of time we spend doing why I humorously have come to call “self-prostitution”.  Readers are very much like prey animals in the sense they tend to avoid writers the way the deer population get nervous around the start of hunting season.  In fact this analogy is quite apt.  I have tons of friends here on the Internet who are writers, publishers and so forth. I spend hours each day blogging and promoting.  Occasionally, like the homo sapein crouched beneath a tree with a shotgun across his lap, I await the appearance of the elusive creature called the reader.  For those of you who have ever hunted you know this to be a cold, lonely and often frustrating time spent with yourself.

This is a breakdown of what I spend each day doing.  Please don’t think I’m making this up or trying to get you to buy a book out of pity or remorse. Hell that isn’t the object of this blog.  I’m just tossing out a bit of harsh reality to any would-be author. 

1. I get up, have a cup of coffee, a cigarette, and kiss my wife good morning (not in that order).
2. I check my email.  Going through the various author, reader and promotional groups I belong to due to having five different publishers.  I answer or delete my email or fire off posts to said groups.
3. I take a shower.
4. Usually I have breakfast in front of the electronic succubus while I finish #2 up.
5. I visit Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and this website to see if I have comments, mail or anything of interest involving my writing career.
6. Another cup of coffee and cigarette.
7. I send out either submissions to publishers or review sites.
8.  Now it’s about noon, I’ve been up since eight o’clock I usually start writing or working with a manuscript that’s in the editing process.
9. I call my job to see if it’s casual day or do I have to get dressed up.
10. I stop all this and talk to my wife for an hour, have her drive me to work, and we sit and talk in the car some more until I have to go inside and listen to people bitch about their stupid cell phones (or mostly cell phone bills).

 

Sound like fun?  For all you would-be writers with stars in your eyes and an unshakeable belief you are the next Stephanie Meyers or J.K. Rowling this is what “working class” authors do every damn day.  I don’t mean to scare you, but dammit this is how it is.  Only three percent of all authors make it as a living.  Period, end of fantasy.  It sounds really harsh, I know but it’s the truth.  Most writers spend all day in front of the computer (stay-at-home Moms and Dads that is with a spouse who works full-time).  Other times not included in the above list we do a lot of what I’ve come to call “ego stroking and feather preening”. 

Here’s more reality, it’s called the true worth of reviews and/or “reader” contests.  Not to burst any bubbles out there or perhaps offend anyone but I’ve found reviews about as useful as tits on a two-by-four.  Writers spend time cajoling and begging for reviews and in return we get more fodder for our websites or the publisher’s website.  Ask yourself this, “When did I bother to read a review on any book/movie/graphic novel?”  The answer that will come to you is, “Not bloody often, or usually if I’ve picked up the book because I like the cover art.”  That’s about how useful a review is.  Most review sites are filled with would-be writers or actual writers supplementing their income (if they get paid) trolling for ideas (a constant reality) or just people who want to read and not have to buy the book (the ever-present “Why buy the cow when I’m getting the milk for free” type).  Not all fall into this category, just the majority.

Reader contests, in my humble opinion are even more useless.  Do you know who votes for these?  You guessed it the writer, the writer’s friends, family, peers in the industry and the writer’s co-workers.  To prove my point I didn’t cast a single vote for my book in a recent reader’s poll.  I finished in the top twenty—and spent five minutes laughing about it.  Why?  Because I know who voted for me—the same people I’ve named already. Well except my family I told them not to bother I was running an experiment.  If this sounds cruel and unfair, sorry it’s the truth fairy and he’s not always pretty folks.

While we’re on the subject of a bit of self-delusion I want to put my two cents in about pen names.  My name IS Christopher Newman.  I refused to dream up some classy, promotional friendly personae to attract the interest of the “wild, elusive reader”.  Sorry that just isn’t me.  I did combine Oscar Wilde’s name with another to make it appear I’m in the same league.  To me this is just the stuff dreams (or perhaps folly) are made of.   My wife and I spend time howling in mirth at the various giggle-inspiring pen names some people conjure up.  In fact it’s one of my favorite hobbies.  This is second only to laughing at titles of books.  I try really hard not to name anything hokey or trite.  Some publishers re-name your books without giving you a say, this is another terrible truth in the industry.  Just thought I’d send that your way.

The publishing industry is perilous.  With the advent of the Computer Age every Tom, Dick and Harriet think they’re a writer.  This is why “submission guidelines” on a publisher’s website are so convoluted and precise.  They’re weeding out people who aren’t serious about it.  Equally honest are the sharks out there people.  Those agents, publishers and so forth who prey on the equally abundant animal known as “the unsuspecting amateur author”.  Type in the following “Publish America Scam” and you’ll be shocked.  In fact before you submit to any publisher, agent, etc type their name in and put “scam” at the end.  Shocking isn’t it? 

So you want to be a writer?  Do you think you can live the lifestyle?  If the above doesn’t make you cry or flinch perhaps you’ve got what it takes to be one.  However remember you’re probably going to be in that 97% majority called “working class authors”.  For those who reach the pinnacle remember this, be thankful you made it.  Don’t piss and moan about how tough it is to go to book signings, red carpet galas or other big-time promotional events.  The rest of us would give our left arm to be in your shoes.

[Via http://christophercnewman.wordpress.com]

To Be Alice

To find the strength to be her. To see the rabbit hole and choose it, though it is a dark, unseen path, and embrace that abyss of unknown, of possibilities, of the light that will inevitably breakthrough. I am hovering just above, like looking down into a deep well, and it is eerie, it is peaceful, it births a great angst and curiosity.

I am choosing it. I am leaping in eyes wide open. I am falling. I am…

In a few short months, I will be submitting my two week notice. Several brief sentences that neglect all I really wish to say, to scream, to chastise with such a venomous tongue. But I am but a plebeian in this charade. A great play of corporate life and ethic that is as false as the reflection of Dorian Gray.

My retreat is unknown. Applications submitted, but acceptance refrains for months or even eternally. But I cannot wait for the fates of graduate panels to accept or reject me. The two dimensional glimpse of all I am in a few short essays and 20 image portfolio. On paper am I pleasing to read? Do my words intrigue and validate a desire for journalistic study? Or am I just a paper doll figure? Words that dull the mind and pain the heart with each line? I can but hope that they find something worthy in my writings, in my images. It is like waiting for a rose or a poorly scripted kill line.

No matter the outcome, my decision is firm. My pending notice is known, and I will leave to venture into an unplanned chapter. I simultaneously sense the paradoxical coupling of terror and liberation in my first breath away from the cubicle. And though I have no concrete agenda or backup plan, I will choose it nonetheless. I have found my heart so ill these past few years, and what has sustained it through it all has been the arts, the need to find light through the lens, and to put words to paper. Have I not earned this for myself? Do I but deserve the chance to plunge into the unknown rather than follow the poorly constructed outline that the masses are expected to conform to like automatons programmed to live just to work?

I am empty but filled with hope, passion, an a yearning to feed the creativity in me that has been so long neglected. I will have no job. I will have no security. I will walk each step with instinct and the knowledge of the life thus far lived. I will not let another take my choices for this life. If one is all we get, then why wait? Why waste a day living by another man’s demands? Always is there the choice of the self. The second that is forgotten is the moment power over me has been given to another.

I will find my way…but first, I must take the leap down the rabbit hole.

[Via http://lotusuprising.wordpress.com]

Is Talent Overrated?

It’s a fact of life that when you live in Southern California there’s less opportunity to read than there is when you live in New York City or any other place where you have to rely on mass transportation. After all, when you’re crammed into a sardine can with your fellow human beings pressed all around you a good book or a cheap newspaper can be the life-preserver that saves you from drowning in too much contact with your fellow human being.

Granted, there’s always the sport of people watching which is pretty interesting, especially when you’re there’s a myriad of people from all over the world sitting on top of you but all in all, you end up getting a lot of reading in.

So I’ve turned to audio books. Yes, I know it’s a geek thing but at least I have them on my iPod, well maybe it’s not so cool since it’s a Classic and not a Touch, but hey, books take up a lot of space and 64GB just doesn’t cut it. I listen while I’m sitting in my car and while it’s not the same, at least I’m listening to someone reading.

And one of those books is: “Talent is Overrated” by Geoffry Colvin. Colvin’s book sets out to dispel the idea that people are born athletes, musicians, writers – well you get the idea. Basically he says it’s hard work that wins the day. Hurray for the tortoises of the world! He makes a pretty good case that someone like Mozart became a genius by working really hard from a very young age with a father who was not a musical but a pedagogical genius. That’s pretty compelling.

So, as a recruiter, if I’m looking for “talent” am I looking for the wrong thing?

Well, yes and no. I think of talent as a raw material or if you’re more technologically savvy you can think of it as bandwidth. The real question is, is that bandwidth being used properly? Like empty bandwidth or a raw material like crude oil there’s potential in talent. But is that potential being realized? And it goes beyond schooling or starting out with a great company. Those things are great for a resume but the real question is, what has the candidate accomplished?

Colvin uses Jeff Immelt, CEO of GE and Steve Balmer. CEO of Microsoft as examples of talent that was refined from the beginning. They started together at P&G and he uses them as examples of people who have distinguished themselves from all the others who started out at P&G at the same time. Now, I would say that yes, they’ve both distinguished themselves but in my mind, they haven’t really achieved anything good for their companies, but that’s another discussion.

It’s enough to say that regardless of pedigree, and yes, there are some companies that love pedigree (Ivy League, Harvard Business School etc.) these are not necessarily indicators of achievement. It’s what you do with the talent you have that counts.

So if you’re putting together your resumé or interviewing, make sure you speak to achievement. Here’s a tip, try framing your achievements in terms of SMART: Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, Time Bound. In other words, what did you do, how did you do it, what was the result compared to the goal, did you make your goal on time?

People have said to me, “you’re a talented recruiter,” and I always say, it’s not talent, it’s skill.

Remember, your skills are your job security.

Best,
James Seetoo

[Via http://jamesseetoo.wordpress.com]

You Want To Open a New Account...Is This Correct?

Today was phone call day.  I had to call approximately 129 places to get some questions answered.  Had to call the county animal control department (and no, not because the world’s worst dog bit someone, though I’m sure that will happen eventually) to ask where my dog’s new license was.  Had to call the DMV to ask someone about a confusing vehicle registration form I got in the mail.  (Confusing because it was from Ohio and we don’t live in Ohio anymore…and we have already titled our cars in our new state.)

Most calls went surprisingly smoothly.  Actual people answered the calls, which was great.  Then I called our bank.  I had to talk to the automated man, who wanted me to chat with him before he would transfer me to a breathing representative.  He told me to state my reason for calling.  I said, “I have not received my 1099 tax form”.  He replied, “you want to open a new account…is this correct?”.  No this isn’t correct!  What’s worse, it’s not even remotely close to what I want!  I think I actually shouted, “No!  Jesus Christ!” into the phone.  (Sorry for taking the Lord’s name in vain, but I was really pissed off.)

The automated man took pity on me after my wildly inappropriate response and transferred me to a very helpful, very nice, very human woman.  But after I finished the call, I started thinking.  It may actually be brilliant what these large companies do with the automated receptionist.  When a  fake man says, “you want to open a new account”, I can picture a customer thinking, “what the hell?  Sure.  I’ve been on the phone this long, I’ll open another account if it gets me talking to a real person sooner”.   Maybe “you want to open a new account” is the universal response to anything a customer says.  And if just one person opens a new account in response to that prompt each day, that’s better than no one opening a new account that day, right?

So I started wondering…what if I used this tactic in my home?  What if I heard what I wanted to hear and responded to my family member’s various requests with a request of my own?  Would it make them forget what they had wanted and instead want to grant my wishes?

For example:

My husband says, “I need you to take the dog out and feed her this morning”.  I respond, “you want to give me a shoulder rub…is this correct?”.

My daughter points to a book she wants me to read, and it happens to be a very long, very irritating book to read and I’m just not in the mood.  I respond, “you want to go take a nap…is this correct?”.

My dog stands by the door, indicating she needs to go out.  It’s cold and snowy and she’s already pooped and peed six times on this particular day and it’s only 10 am.  (So, really, the only reason she wants to go out is to bark ferociously at the neighbors, which is just embarrassing.)  I respond, “you want to go upstairs and sit quietly…is this correct?”.

A Jehovah’s Witness comes to the door and asks me if I want to be saved.  I reply, “you want to shovel my driveway and then pick up all the dog poo you find…is this correct?”.

When I was working, this would have been a nice coping mechanism (though I doubt I ever would have been gutsy enough to try it).  My boss says, “I need you to cover someone’s homeroom ” (and it was always the homeroom filled with the most poorly behaved kids).  I reply, “you want to give me a raise…is this correct?”.

If I try this little mind game often enough, maybe one of the people above will be confused/taken aback/gracious enough to say, “what the hell?  why not?”.

I may launch this great experiment tomorrow morning.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

[Via http://momromp.wordpress.com]

Equal Employment Opportunity

For the last 5-6 decades, women and ethnic minorities have sought equal employment opportunities. These include the desire for a) equal pay for equal work; b) jobs for women and minorities in high-pay, high-prestige occupations—in approximate proportion to their members in the general population; c) a fair chance for women and minorities to be promoted to better jobs based on merit; and d) recognition of the special problems women and minorities face.

Even though the number of working women has grown many times faster than the number of working men, they are concentrated in clerical and service jobs, where they earn less than men for the same work—even when education and work experience are equal. Women also suffer from untrue stereotypes and absenteeism and emotional instability. And they sometimes have to do much better work than their male colleagues to be promoted.

Business can help create equal employment opportunity by providing women with role models—examples of productive and successful women—and by promoting them when they deserve it. Business can also offer flexible work schedules, day-care facilities, and leaves of absence for child-care when necessary.

Business can help minorities to achieve equal employment opportunities by actively seeking them as employees, by redesigning job requirements so as to rely more on skills and less on traditional backgrounds, by financially supporting minorities who want more education, and by placing minority employees in mainstream jobs where rapid promotion based on ability is customary. Many businesses are also helping minorities by buying some of their supplies from minority-owned small businesses.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, and my Lectures.

[Via http://asifjmir.wordpress.com]

"Doubting God and Words of God"

The night fell heavy in the heights of the mountains and the man could not see anything. All was black. Zero visibility, and the moon and the stars were covered by the clouds. As he was climbing only a few feet away from the top of the mountain, he slipped and fell in to the air, falling at great speed. He could only see black spots as he went down, and the terrible sensation of being sucked by gravity.

He kept falling. and in the moments of great fear, it came to his mind all the good and bad episodes of his life. He was thinking now about how close death was getting, when all of a sudden he felt the rope tied to his waist pull him very hard. His body was hanging in the air.

Only the rope was holding him and in that moment of stillness he had no other choice other to scream: “Help me God”.

All of a sudden a deep voice coming from the sky answered, “What do you want me to do?”

“Save me God”.

“Do you really think I can save you?”

“Of course I believe You can.”

“Then cut the rope tied to your waist.”

There was a moment of silence and the man decided to hold on to the rope with all his strength. The rescue team tells that the next day a climber was found dead and frozen. his body hanging from a rope. His hands holding tight to it. Only 1 foot away from the ground.

Conclusion: And We? How attached we are to our rope will we let go??? Don’t ever doubt about the words of God. We should never say that He has forgotten us or abandoned us.

[Via http://tasneemrocks.wordpress.com]

Kitchen recipe to clean your computer

Just I thought it would be useful for you….

While there are a variety of measures to clean out old files from hard drive, there is just one method to naturally clean a computer.. Some easy steps for cleaning have been incorporated in the book Extraordinary uses for ordinary things.

A solution of white vinegar and water is the best natural way to clean computers, according to a report. Expert recommended the cleaning of computer in monthly basis, but many people just do not known from where to begin.

For cleaning dirt off PCs and peripherals, begin with ensuring that you have all pieces in the ‘off’ position. Then mix equal part of white vinegar and water in a bucket, dampen a clean cloth in the solution and squeeze out the excess, and wipe all pieces down. Avoid spraying directly onto the hardware. Use cotton swabs to reach in to tight places and between keys on the keyboard. To clean the mouse, remove the tracking ball in it and clean it with cloth dampened with the vinegar solution

[Via http://tasneemrocks.wordpress.com]

a new job and a new beginning

A few hours from now I will be signing an employment contract with a local hospital. I’m honestly excited for this new post as this will be my first time working in a hospital. Although I’ll be assigned in the Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs), I’ll still get to have a feel of the “hospital” environment

Keeping my fingers crossed for this new job. Hope I get to meet great colleagues (as in SPD and Moral) and enjoy my time there

[Via http://docjepwi.wordpress.com]

Economic Growth in Canada

freefall ends in late 2009

How about that, there was significant growth in Canada in all sectors.
Not quite time for champagne, but the economic world of Canada is certainly looking brighter than it did early in 2009. Instead of seeing double digits declines in production, sales and profits, we are seeing the opposite. Double digit growth in all sectors quarter to quarter through the end of 2009.
It’s still too early to make a solid prediction that we are on our way to the levels we saw at the peak in the beginning of 2008 for sure. However, the news is good all around us. Resource prices are high, projects that were shelved have been restarted, and Canada is becoming a more nimble player in the global economy.

It’s time for everyone in Canada to focus on what will help work in our future rather than thinking about the calamity of the past 2 years. Steven C Davidson – Pursuit Placement Group

[Via http://pursuegreatness.com]

Re-al-i-ty

I want to retire at 55.  I will.  I want my children to be successful in whatever they pursue. I want them to believe in the Lord that supplies our needs, I want them to be good citizens and moral people with the fiber and the internal fortitude to sustain the inevitable winds that will come.  I want them to dream daily, meet their own written down goals and I want them to always view the glass as half full. 

My re-al-i-ty allows me to take the mask off of my eyes and realize that my life although not perfect is wonderful for me and for my children.  I have a job that allows me to take care of my children, I have a nice home that I own and pay for all by my little lonesome, I have a network of friends and family that sometimes amazes me, I am blessed with a good church and a strong belief that God is in my life. My real-i-ty tells me that there are going to be times when I don’t know how it is going to work out I just stand on the words that I read in my bible that if he did it for them he will do it for me.  I just have to stand at the red sea and walk through and it will part.  

My work week has been intense.  My boss has been gone for a week and I have worked my booty off doing my job and his job.  My son had a game yesterday and my 11-year-old had an D.A.R.E. graduation ceremony at the same time.  I couldn’t do both, so I went to the 11 year olds graduation.  He was so proud of himself and he received the Community Service award.   He is my quiet child and I love him muchos. Tonight I went to my older sons game, then took my daughter to brownie’s came home took a shower and now I sit and think about blogging.  I am happy.

[Via http://yolandebarial.wordpress.com]