My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
With great joy, I've discovered my minister has begun recording her sermons.
How strange to type that sentence! With a lifelong instinct to recoil against the notion of being "religious," the idea of not only attending a church sermon, but also regretting any day I miss a sermon just seems surreal.
After more than two years, I still feel like I am a strange fit with this church. If atheists in my region organized and met frequently to talk about how to make the world a better place, I would gladly be a part of that community. * But, despite the many atheists who will join volunteer groups with nonprofits, a mentality seems to exist that holds back many atheists from gathering to discuss ethics in a community setting. This type of venue has a solid association with places of worship.
So, after learning to get by without any sort of community, I stumbled, at age twenty-nine, across this church called Unitarian Universalist that encompasses beliefs ranging from "God is Love," to "I don't know what God is," to "there are many gods," to "we are daughters of the Goddess." Instead of following rules about belief, UU's follow a covenant, which is based on how we treat one another. While God, or a version thereof, still plays an important part in many of the central ideas of the church, in sermons God often is spoken of in an undefined way, or represented by an anthropomorphized tortoise, the warming mother sun, or something similar.
The assumption by most who hear that I attend church (including many other UU's) is that I am "religious" and/or have faith in some sort of God. I suppose no matter how open a group of people is, the instinct both to label and to assume everyone follows the majority beliefs of the group is too ingrained to be removed. I contemplate what it would be like to live somewhere populous enough for atheists to get together. The fantasy is, well, fantastic. I imagine a group of people, all with a sense of purpose, coming together to make the world a better place for everyone now, because it's all we have, and all they have. (And verging on breaking into songs by John Lennon.)
But of course, I know that's a fantasy: I know in any group, no matter on what our foundation is based, will disagree with some details and/or methods of implementation. So instead of trying to find a group that exactly fits my values, I look for one with my core values in common and a good "people feel." Because I found the minister and the congregation to be so casually accepting, I felt a sense of belonging in a group that, in the past, would have sent me running for the hills as soon as I saw the steeple.
As I've become more and more involved with my Parish, I've, of course, run across issues of disagreement between me and the majority, or me and a particular individual. However, instead of the issue turning into a point of contention between us, we both were easily able to accept the difference of opinion and listen to the different point of view. I can be honest about how I feel without being pressured or "preached to". Because of this, my "faith" in my community grew stronger after finding an issue in dispute.
I don't feel pressured by the sermons because, to me, they feel more like attending a guest collegiate lecture than a sermon. They lack the "do this or else," or "if you're doing this, you're going to burn" feeling that I associate with church. Instead, the church reminds me a lot of the positive aspects I experienced during college: sermons are like attending a class and hearing wonderful ideas from my professor, and the groups are like the student organizations and social groups (minus frat/sorority parties).
Obviously I'm simplifying this a lot; there are many more aspects and depths to the church which I haven't experienced. I'm translating my experience into a simile I can understand in secular terms in order to avoid the confusion of having an ever growing presence in a faith-based community. I seize every opportunity to be involved with church programs for fundraisers, working to help those in need, and so on.
Ironically, the outcome of me being more involved with church is that I care ever more about the sermons, yet I miss more sermons while volunteering for church services than I did before I cared as much. I try to look at the larger picture and be glad that I'm living the principals, but I still regret not hearing Reverend Hepler and Intern Minister Hall share their inspiring sermons.
The end result is me some evening, lounging on my EZ-chair, with headphones plugged into my laptop, listening to Reverend Hepler's sermons. The scene seems apropos of an atheist-humanist-Unitarian-Universalist. So yes, I can rejoice at the availability of sermons, and smile ironically, or genuinely, at my distanced intimacy with this community.
* note: yes, there is an atheist/secular humanism group in Boston, but one of the problems with living in the suburbs is you don't get to go to all the great things that happen in Boston, despite the 184,000 people who live here which should be enough to have our own events.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Surviving Unemployment in Massachusetts
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
This section is about finding ways to cut costs and access free products and services. I wrote this with survival during unemployment on my mind, but most of the ideas discussed are useful at any point of life. For information on filing for unemployment, check out my Unemployed in Massachusetts post, and for information on getting and staying employed, check out my Employment post.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Unemployment has tremendous impact on lifestyle. Adjusting can be difficult and many fall into the trap of using a credit card to maintain their current lifestyle. A few months of debt can take years to pay off even after one regains income. When unemployed, the solutions need to start with free, move to cheap, then go into debt only for living essentials. This article acts as a guide to meet the majority of needs through free resources.
There are three vital resources to anyone unemployed or underemployed: the library, giveaway websites, and community farms or a personal garden.
First Resource: Libraries
Many think of libraries as the place they had to go flip through card catalogs to find musty old books for reports in high school. Many great opportunities are missed due to this stereotype. A local library now can fill many needs, including job seeking, internet access, and classes. Instead of spending money on a book about resumes or job hunting, ask the reference librarian. He or she not only will show you the best books on the subject, but also may be able to guide you to additional community or internet resources. Most libraries now have free internet for patrons, so one can save a lot of money on paying for internet by utilizing this resource. Cancelling internet and cable saves a huge chunk of funds, and libraries carry DVDs for free, so you don’t even have to give up entertainment!
Second Resource: Giveaway Websites
Free websites, such as Freecycle and the free section of Craigslist, often are severely underutilized by people who would most benefit from their use. This often is because when one tries to minimize expenses, the internet is one of the first things to go; as mentioned above, using the free internet at the library will save you that money while still allowing access to such a vital resource. Many people post items they wish to give away on Freecycle. The majority of the items are in great condition, posted either because someone is looking to clear up space, or because they inherited unwanted items, or other reasons that have no effect on quality. Checking Freecycle once per day for needed items and posting a “wanted” message for needs before buying them will conserve a large amount of money. One of the first things to look for is something to help cook your own food cheaper. For example, one could ask if anyone has a rice cooker or slow cooker they no longer need. (Note: one must resist the temptation to ask for every interesting item. Excessive clutter can impede efforts to accomplish money saving tasks, such as cooking meals from scratch.)
Third Resource: Community Farm or Personal Garden.
To reduce expenses while unemployed, one may grow one’s own food or get a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share. Many farms offer the choice of paying for an entire summer of food up front or working for a share. The work often is minimal, only a few hours per week, and the return is vast. I was fortunate enough to benefit from this program at Hanson's Farm while I was unemployed. Alternately, if the living situation is appropriate, home gardening while using free compost is a fantastic way to get free, fresh food. Many garden clubs meet at libraries and are happy to offer a few extra plants as they thin them out. Freecycle, again, is a great resource which one may use to request specific plants from anyone who has extra to give. To grow a garden, one must either have a plot of land in which to plant or must use garden boxes, but utilizing freecycle helps porch-gardening significantly, as one can get compost, plants, and containers that others view as trash but can be repurposed as gardening boxes, a compost bin, or hanging planters.
Following these three simple tips will dramatically ease the financial burden while unemployed, as well as providing great resources to continue to use for improved standard of living after employment is achieved.
This section is about finding ways to cut costs and access free products and services. I wrote this with survival during unemployment on my mind, but most of the ideas discussed are useful at any point of life. For information on filing for unemployment, check out my Unemployed in Massachusetts post, and for information on getting and staying employed, check out my Employment post.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Unemployment has tremendous impact on lifestyle. Adjusting can be difficult and many fall into the trap of using a credit card to maintain their current lifestyle. A few months of debt can take years to pay off even after one regains income. When unemployed, the solutions need to start with free, move to cheap, then go into debt only for living essentials. This article acts as a guide to meet the majority of needs through free resources.
There are three vital resources to anyone unemployed or underemployed: the library, giveaway websites, and community farms or a personal garden.
First Resource: Libraries
Many think of libraries as the place they had to go flip through card catalogs to find musty old books for reports in high school. Many great opportunities are missed due to this stereotype. A local library now can fill many needs, including job seeking, internet access, and classes. Instead of spending money on a book about resumes or job hunting, ask the reference librarian. He or she not only will show you the best books on the subject, but also may be able to guide you to additional community or internet resources. Most libraries now have free internet for patrons, so one can save a lot of money on paying for internet by utilizing this resource. Cancelling internet and cable saves a huge chunk of funds, and libraries carry DVDs for free, so you don’t even have to give up entertainment!
Second Resource: Giveaway Websites
Free websites, such as Freecycle and the free section of Craigslist, often are severely underutilized by people who would most benefit from their use. This often is because when one tries to minimize expenses, the internet is one of the first things to go; as mentioned above, using the free internet at the library will save you that money while still allowing access to such a vital resource. Many people post items they wish to give away on Freecycle. The majority of the items are in great condition, posted either because someone is looking to clear up space, or because they inherited unwanted items, or other reasons that have no effect on quality. Checking Freecycle once per day for needed items and posting a “wanted” message for needs before buying them will conserve a large amount of money. One of the first things to look for is something to help cook your own food cheaper. For example, one could ask if anyone has a rice cooker or slow cooker they no longer need. (Note: one must resist the temptation to ask for every interesting item. Excessive clutter can impede efforts to accomplish money saving tasks, such as cooking meals from scratch.)
Third Resource: Community Farm or Personal Garden.
To reduce expenses while unemployed, one may grow one’s own food or get a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share. Many farms offer the choice of paying for an entire summer of food up front or working for a share. The work often is minimal, only a few hours per week, and the return is vast. I was fortunate enough to benefit from this program at Hanson's Farm while I was unemployed. Alternately, if the living situation is appropriate, home gardening while using free compost is a fantastic way to get free, fresh food. Many garden clubs meet at libraries and are happy to offer a few extra plants as they thin them out. Freecycle, again, is a great resource which one may use to request specific plants from anyone who has extra to give. To grow a garden, one must either have a plot of land in which to plant or must use garden boxes, but utilizing freecycle helps porch-gardening significantly, as one can get compost, plants, and containers that others view as trash but can be repurposed as gardening boxes, a compost bin, or hanging planters.
Following these three simple tips will dramatically ease the financial burden while unemployed, as well as providing great resources to continue to use for improved standard of living after employment is achieved.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
Filing for Unemployment
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to unemployment insurance. This is listed under Step Eight in my Employment blog. Since I live in MA, most of what I've been able to find about this concern specifically is related to the bay state.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
A lot of people find themselves in desperate situations because it is so frickin' difficult to get unemployment pay. I don't even mean the many, sneaky loopholes that are designed in the system to disqualify people who should get it (for example, if your employer refuses to give you a day off to see a doctor, then refuses to make any accommodations for a chronic without a doctor's note, you really should be allowed to quit, see a doctor, and get unemployment pay, but usually you'll be automatically disqualified under these circumstances). I mean even finding out who to call or where you can go just to find out if you could be considered.
Whether or not you think you'll be accepted for unemployment, if you're out of work, file immediately. The worst that can happen is they'll say, "sorry, no." If you wait, thinking you'll get another job quick enough not to worry, you could end up in a bad situation. The office takes several weeks to pass your information along to a case worker, who then takes several weeks to contemplate whether or not to review it, eventually looks it over and, if approved, issues unemployment pay backdated to the date you filed. Since it takes so long for approval, if you wait until you realize you aren't going to be hired immediately, you could run out of money before you finally get pay.
First: Applying For Unemployment in Massachusetts
Second: Information Needed to File a Claim
Third: Where to Go For In-Person Assistance
Surviving While Unemployed
1.
Applying for Unemployment in Massachusetts
When you become unemployed, even if you think you don't qualify, call the Office of Labor and Workforce Development / Department of Unemployment Assistance. I found out, much later than would have been ideal, that leaving a job due to a medical condition that could not be accommodated at the workplace means that you aren't disqualified from unemployment assistance. There may be other conditions that urban legend says are disqualifying but aren't: if you don't know, call and ask.
How to call:
From area codes 617 or 781 call 617-626-6800
All other area codes toll free 1-877-626-6800
2.
Information Needed to File a Claim
-Your Social Security Number
-The year you were born
-Your home address and telephone number
-Whether you have filed an unemployment insurance claim in Massachusetts or in any other state during the past 12 months
-Your last day of employment
-The names and addresses of all the employers you have worked for during the 15 months prior to filing your claim and the dates you worked for each of these employers. If you are reopening a claim, be ready with the same information for the past 8 weeks.
-The reason that you are no longer working or that your hours have been reduced.
-The names, dates of birth and social security numbers for any dependent children, if you are going to apply for dependency allowance.
-Your alien registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen
------ If you are not a United States Citizen: You must provide verification that you were legally eligible to work in Massachusetts and that you are currently eligible to begin a new job. Please be prepared with this verification.
Note: do NOT give any of this information to anyone OTHER than officials with the Department of Unemployment Assistance. If there is anything of which you're unsure, confirm at the phone number and/or at the official mass.gov DoUA website.
3.
Where to Go For In-Person Unemployment Assistance
MARLBOROUGH
508-786-0928
Fax 617-727-0676
201 Boston Post Road West, Fl2, Ste 200
Marlborough, MA 01752
(Across from Panera Bread)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 9:30am-5pm
NEWTON
617-928-0530
Fax 617-964-0929
449 Newtonville Avenue, Ste 130
Newtonville, MA 02460
(Corner of Walnut St and Newtonville Ave)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 9:30-5pm
NORWOOD
781-769-4120
Fax 781-551-9648
275 Prospect St, Ste 24 / P.O.Box 740
Norwood, MA 02062
(In the former Junior High North)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 9:30-5pm
NOTE: Most of these locations have unemployment filing on certain days and can patch you through to the phone help number on other days. The rest of the hours are for help with employment resources.
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to unemployment insurance. This is listed under Step Eight in my Employment blog. Since I live in MA, most of what I've been able to find about this concern specifically is related to the bay state.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
A lot of people find themselves in desperate situations because it is so frickin' difficult to get unemployment pay. I don't even mean the many, sneaky loopholes that are designed in the system to disqualify people who should get it (for example, if your employer refuses to give you a day off to see a doctor, then refuses to make any accommodations for a chronic without a doctor's note, you really should be allowed to quit, see a doctor, and get unemployment pay, but usually you'll be automatically disqualified under these circumstances). I mean even finding out who to call or where you can go just to find out if you could be considered.
Whether or not you think you'll be accepted for unemployment, if you're out of work, file immediately. The worst that can happen is they'll say, "sorry, no." If you wait, thinking you'll get another job quick enough not to worry, you could end up in a bad situation. The office takes several weeks to pass your information along to a case worker, who then takes several weeks to contemplate whether or not to review it, eventually looks it over and, if approved, issues unemployment pay backdated to the date you filed. Since it takes so long for approval, if you wait until you realize you aren't going to be hired immediately, you could run out of money before you finally get pay.
First: Applying For Unemployment in Massachusetts
Second: Information Needed to File a Claim
Third: Where to Go For In-Person Assistance
Surviving While Unemployed
1.
Applying for Unemployment in Massachusetts
When you become unemployed, even if you think you don't qualify, call the Office of Labor and Workforce Development / Department of Unemployment Assistance. I found out, much later than would have been ideal, that leaving a job due to a medical condition that could not be accommodated at the workplace means that you aren't disqualified from unemployment assistance. There may be other conditions that urban legend says are disqualifying but aren't: if you don't know, call and ask.
How to call:
From area codes 617 or 781 call 617-626-6800
All other area codes toll free 1-877-626-6800
2.
Information Needed to File a Claim
-Your Social Security Number
-The year you were born
-Your home address and telephone number
-Whether you have filed an unemployment insurance claim in Massachusetts or in any other state during the past 12 months
-Your last day of employment
-The names and addresses of all the employers you have worked for during the 15 months prior to filing your claim and the dates you worked for each of these employers. If you are reopening a claim, be ready with the same information for the past 8 weeks.
-The reason that you are no longer working or that your hours have been reduced.
-The names, dates of birth and social security numbers for any dependent children, if you are going to apply for dependency allowance.
-Your alien registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen
------ If you are not a United States Citizen: You must provide verification that you were legally eligible to work in Massachusetts and that you are currently eligible to begin a new job. Please be prepared with this verification.
Note: do NOT give any of this information to anyone OTHER than officials with the Department of Unemployment Assistance. If there is anything of which you're unsure, confirm at the phone number and/or at the official mass.gov DoUA website.
3.
Where to Go For In-Person Unemployment Assistance
MARLBOROUGH
508-786-0928
Fax 617-727-0676
201 Boston Post Road West, Fl2, Ste 200
Marlborough, MA 01752
(Across from Panera Bread)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 9:30am-5pm
NEWTON
617-928-0530
Fax 617-964-0929
449 Newtonville Avenue, Ste 130
Newtonville, MA 02460
(Corner of Walnut St and Newtonville Ave)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 9:30-5pm
NORWOOD
781-769-4120
Fax 781-551-9648
275 Prospect St, Ste 24 / P.O.Box 740
Norwood, MA 02062
(In the former Junior High North)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 9:30-5pm
NOTE: Most of these locations have unemployment filing on certain days and can patch you through to the phone help number on other days. The rest of the hours are for help with employment resources.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
Volunteerism
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to volunteerism. This is Step Seven in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Volunteering gives you great opportunities to try out different kinds of work without making a long term commitment, learn new skills, and make connections, while doing good for worthy organizations. Additionally, if you discover during volunteering that you love the work and the organization, you already have a connection and informal training, which will increase likelihood of you getting hired.
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to volunteerism. This is Step Seven in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Volunteering gives you great opportunities to try out different kinds of work without making a long term commitment, learn new skills, and make connections, while doing good for worthy organizations. Additionally, if you discover during volunteering that you love the work and the organization, you already have a connection and informal training, which will increase likelihood of you getting hired.
- My top recommended organizations:
- National
- American Cancer Society
- American Diabetes Association
- American Heart Association
- American Red Cross
- American Red Cross Blood Services
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
- Boston area
- Learning Center for the Deaf: Framingham, MA
- New England Center for Children: Southborough, MA
- Peace Abbey: Sherborn, MA
- Perkins School for the Blind: Watertown, MA
- Volunteer Search Options
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
Public Career Assistance Locations
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to career search resource locations. This is Step Six in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
in progress
Public Career Assistance Locations
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to career search resource locations. This is Step Six in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
in progress
Public Career Assistance Locations
- Massachusetts
- State Wide:
- Local:
- FPL (Framingham Public Library) Job Search Discussion Group
Currently scheduled: Thursday Feb. 16, Mar. 1, 15 & 29, 7:00pm
49 Lexington Street, Framingham, MA 01702 - SMOC (South Middlesex Opportunity Council)
300 Howard Street, Framingham, MA 01702 - Littleton Job Seekers
Thursdays, 2pm-4pm, Reuben Hoar Library, Couper Room,
41 Shattuck Street, Littleton, MA 01460-1263.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
Do Who You Are
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to career compatibility analysis. This is Step Five in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
in progress
Do Who You Are
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to career compatibility analysis. This is Step Five in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
in progress
Do Who You Are
- Free Online Personality Tests:
- Jungian:
- Myers Briggs:
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
Improving Skills
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to free resources for skill improvement to help you find a job, or get that promotion in your current job. This is Step Four in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to free resources for skill improvement to help you find a job, or get that promotion in your current job. This is Step Four in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
- Public Speaking.
I'm addressing public speaking first because it is both one of the most used skills, if not the most used, in today's careers, and because it's one that is least commonly pursued. We use this skill in everything from speaking before assemblies to going over stats with two supervisors. Skills gained from public speaking practice help you present clearly and confidently in matters big and small, in front of large audiences or in one-on-one sessions.
Unfortunately, public speaking is one of the most common phobias (Das), so many of us avoid speaking in public, which makes us worse at speaking publicly when necessary, which makes us even more afraid, which starts a vicious cycle.
The best way to improve public speaking is through practice. Take opportunities to speak when there isn't so much riding on it. Toastmasters is an excellent resource. They have a small annual membership fee and there are even public meetings you can attend without membership. - Computer Skills.
You absolutely must know how to use a computer. There's almost no career anymore that doesn't rely on computers. At the minimum, you should know how to use email, Microsoft Word, and Excel. Goodwill Community Foundation Learning is an excellent resource with free online learning for, among other things, basic computer skills, Excel, Office, and how to use Google.
The more you improve your computer skills, the more options for good careers open up to you. I recommend improving typing speed and accuracy to a minimum of 50 WPM (words per minute). You can find tons of practice programs by Googling "free online typing practice" or "free online typing test." It's nice to know your score: you can include it in the Skills section of your résumé.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
Interviewing
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to information and free resources to improve interviewing skills. This is Step Three in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Before Interviewing, find out the following:
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to information and free resources to improve interviewing skills. This is Step Three in my Employment blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Before Interviewing, find out the following:
- Who will be conducting the interview?
Write down his or her name and say it aloud a few times to memorize it. If you're unsure of pronunciation, ask the receptionist. - How will the interview be conducted?
This is very important: interviews can be one-on-one, with more than one interviewer, or group interviews, like round-table interviews. You need to know what type of interview you'll be in so you can prepare. - What is the interview schedule?
Do they limit their interviews to half an hour? Can it go for an hour or longer? Some of the team interviews, like round-table interviews, can go for hours. I've heard of some being series of interviews that last all day. - Where will the interview be conducted?
Google-maps the drive and practice driving there, if possible, at the same time of day the interview will be conducted. I had an interview in downtown Framingham with an estimated 12 minute drive. At the time I went there, the train came through and added another 10 minutes just sitting still. Fortunately, I always leave a minimum of 15 minutes earlier than my estimated commute requires, so I still made it on time. - Restaurant interviews:
A particularly tricky form of interview is restaurant interviews. Unless you already are extremely familiar with the restaurant, I recommend looking up their menu online or, if no online menu is available, stopping by to decide what you'll eat in advance.
This is especially important if, like me, you have dietary restrictions. I've gone in and spent 20 minutes talking with the head chef, writing up my options, thanking them profusely, and using the information to make the best choice.
Regardless of what you can eat, what you should not eat is: salad, any dish with spinach, pesto, or any other leafy vegetables that could get caught in your teeth, or anything with a sauce (which could splatter and get on your nice interview clothes). Don't order the most expensive thing on the menu, and never drink alcohol or a carbonated beverage. Usually I will eat a small snack at home before the interview so I can order something smaller. Bring travel toothpaste and toothbrush just in case you end up continuing the interview at the office after lunch.
These guidelines are also good to follow after employed for work meetings, board meetings, and so on. - Your Self-Marketing Pitch: it's very important to prepare your self-marketing pitch, not just for interviews, but also to have it ready in case you run into someone who is looking for someone with your job skills. Some people call this the "elevator pitch."
- Length: Your pitch should be a concise description of "who you are, what you do, perhaps how you do it, but most important, what your skills, expertise and accomplishments can offer an employer" (Pyne).
- Content: Your self-marketing pitch should focus on transferable skills. Memorize a version to use with happenstance meetings, but when you have an interview, tailor it to focus on the skills you have that you know the organization specifically is looking for.
- Presentation: Practice your pitch in front of a mirror or video camera: your pitch is not just what you say, but also how you say it. You want to look confident and make eye contact.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
Reference
- Pyne, Mike. Self Marketing Pitch 101. Presented at ETRC One-Stop Career Center, 201 Boston Post Road West, Suite 200, Marlborough, MA 01752.
The Search
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to effective job search strategies. This is Step Two in the Employment section of my blog.
Coming Soon
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to effective job search strategies. This is Step Two in the Employment section of my blog.
Coming Soon
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
You, On Paper
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to information you need for your résumé, what to have ready for your application (different from résumé), cover letters, references, thank-you letters, job acceptance letters, thanking references, and assembling a portfolio. This is Step One in the Employment section of my blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
You, On Paper:
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to information you need for your résumé, what to have ready for your application (different from résumé), cover letters, references, thank-you letters, job acceptance letters, thanking references, and assembling a portfolio. This is Step One in the Employment section of my blog.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
You, On Paper:
- Cover letter
Your cover letter should be no more than three paragraphs long (SMOC): be clear, concise, and to the point! According to SMOC, your cover letter should start by expressing your interest in the position, mentioning how you found the job, and then continue to show why you are a good candidate. It should not copy any part of our résumé but, instead, catch and hold the attention of the reader.
Always make sure you find out the name of the person to address the cover letter to. If the listing doesn't state a proper contact name, it's your job to find out! Call the company and ask the receptionist. If there's no phone number listed, Google the company. Keep looking until you find the right contact info. Including the name helps you in two ways: first, your cover letter will be more likely to catch the attention of the reviewer and actually be read and second, you will have demonstrated that you make the extra effort to do things right.
According to SMOC, your cover letter structure should be: - 1st paragraph: express interest in the position and where you found out about it.
- 2nd paragraph: highlight skills and/or education and why you are a good candidate
- 3rd paragraph: Affirm interest and request interview.
- Résumés
- Paper Résumé:
- Electronic Résumé:
Before I talk about specifics, with any electronic résumé that you intend to post on the internet, rather than just attaching to an email, be sure to remove your street address and phone number before posting. All professional job sites have methods to allow proper employers to contact you; if you leave your email, phone, and/or street address on a publicly displayed résumé, the main result will be a flood of telemarketers and spam emails. - Standard Word Format:
- ASCII format:According to ETRC, every résumé should have two versions of the electronic copy. When you submit your nicely looking Word résumé (which should be saved in a format compatible with earlier versions), include a copy saved in ASCII format.
Take your Word résumé and save a copy in ASCII by selecting File -- Save As -- Other Formats -- Plain Text. I like to add the word ASCII at the end of the file name for clarity. Then you will need to close and reopen the file to edit (open in Word by right-clicking on the file and choosing Word, or by opening Word first and then selecting the file to open).
Some of the formatting will get scrambled, so you'll need to clean up the file. Remove any weird spacing and symbols. Where bullets normally would be, replace with an asterisk (*). Job titles, which had been in bold text, should change to all capital letters. Your margins should all be set to 1", except the right margin, which should be 2.8" (ETRC). At the end of each line do a manual line break. This is easy: just hit Enter at the end of the line. Before you do this, make sure you've cleaned up any other little formatting errors and changed the job titles to all-caps; otherwise, the line will break at the wrong point. The following aspects of your résumé should be in all-caps when in ASCII format: YOUR NAME, SUMMARY, the QUALIFICATIONS header, the EXPERIENCE header, each previous EMPLOYER, and your previous JOB TITLES.
Review the final copy for errors, then print it out. Look over the print out: sometimes with ASCII, there will be errors that are obvious on a printed copy but difficult to see or invisible on electronic format. For example: I found I needed to hit Enter at the very top and leave a blank line, otherwise my first line would be right up against the name of my file, which always prints on an ASCII file printout.
You may wonder why you would ever use the ASCII version for a printed résumé, but some scanners recognize them better, so I always send both versions, paperclipped together. Usually, however, you will attach it, along with the cover letter and Word formatted résumé, to an email, or you will copy-paste your ASCII version into a box on the annoying online submission forms, which often don't allow you to attach a well-formatted file. - References
- Portfolio
- Thank-you letters
A thank-you letter should always be sent after each and every interview. This serves you by showing you are polite, that you truly are interested in the job, and that you always make the extra effort. Moreover, you can use the letter to, briefly, self-advertise. Also, be sure to include, on the final line, your intention to follow up on the interview, and reiterated gratitude for their time and consideration.
The best way to self-advertise is to mention how a skill of yours would be useful to a topic discussed during the interview (one more reason to always take notes during the interview). According to Paul Falcone, the thank-you letter can be a great opportunity to recover if there was a point during the interview when the interviewer found something to make them uncertain about your skills.
For example, during one interview, there was mention of children's programs I'd be helping with. I mentioned I had experience with children, but I hadn't included that experience on my résumé because the job listing hadn't included that requirement and because my related experience was all informal -- volunteering with my church (and, unless your job is with a religious entity, church service shouldn't be included on your résumé, even in the volunteer section). So in my thank-you letter, I mentioned that I had recently volunteered with an autistic child and a child with ADHD, and how rewarding I found the experience of working with children.
Another example, according to Falcone, would be if you were slightly lacking in one of the skills needed for the job: you could mention that you're enrolled in a class to learn that skill. Never try to avoid the topic when you're sure something is making the employer hesitate. If you don't ease their worries, they will assume the worst.
According to SMOC, thank-you letters can be email, typed and mailed, or even handwritten. Email is best if you send it the same day! No matter what format the letter, it should be sent as early as possible, and no more than two days after the interview. Also, include another copy of your résumé. - Acceptance letter
- Thank you letters to references
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
References
- ETRC. 10 Nov. 2011. Electronic Résumé Workshop. Presented at ETRC One-Stop Career Center, 201 Boston Post Road West, Suite 200, Marlborough, MA 01752.
- Falcone, Paul. When Writing Thank-Yous, It Pays to Be Self-Serving. National Business Employment Weekly.
- SMOC. 14 Dec. 2011. Cover and Thank You Letters. Speech presented at SMOC, 300 Howard Street, Framingham, MA 01702.
Employment
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to free resources to help getting good employment. This may seem like a non sequitur, but showing what resources are provided by our government, volunteers, and our community to help give us a hand up, is central to the basic principle tenets of my Ask Not blog. Additionally, part of what I ask in my blog is for everyone to step up and do what they can do make the world a better place for everyone, and how can I expect anyone who is struggling to survive to manage that?
Sections, listed below, will cover all the steps to take in getting a good job.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Step One: You, on Paper: This section will focus on information you need for your résumé, what to have ready for your application (different from résumé), cover letters, references, thank-you letters, job acceptance letters, thanking references, and assembling a portfolio.
You must have this information assembled before you start applying for positions: I lost a job once, after a fantastic interview, because they handed me an application, which they required me to fill out immediately, and I forgot what my pay rate was at one of my temp jobs and what date I had started one of the others. Many people won't have this problem: if you've worked the same job for 15 years, you're pretty sure to know what you're getting paid and can find out the start date pretty easily. But when you've been working for five temp agencies at a time over the last couple years, it can be easy to mix up information if you don't have a printed reference handy!
Step Two: The Search: Effective job search strategies. What to use, what not to use, and how to know the difference. Web verses paper, and direct (applications) verses indirect (networking, Linked-In, et cetera). How and when to follow up.
Step Three: Interviewing.
Step Four: Improving Skills. Skills should be improved at every opportunity, while employed, unemployed, or underemployed. Even if you aren't trying to find a job, improve any skills possible and you'll get the prime promotion opportunities!
Step Five: Do Who You Are. This really should be Step One, but it's hard to figure out your best fit if you're running up thousands of dollars on your credit card just to pay rent and groceries while lacking employment. So get a job first, then do some serious self-analysis in your spare time (while still Improving Skills so you're as desirable to your perfect job as it is for you). If you find yourself mildly satisfied but never thrilled in your work, even when the working environment is great, you're probably in the wrong type of job. Use these resources to help you figure out what careers are good fits with your interests and skills.
Step Six: Career and Resource Centers. These are places you can go to for free assistance, classes, books, job listings, career-search-related computer use, et cetera.
Step Seven: Volunteerism. Volunteering gives you great opportunities to try out different kinds of work without making a long term commitment, learn new skills, and make connections, while doing good for worthy organizations.
Step Eight: Unemployment. This may not seem like a step toward employment, but is necessary to discuss because so many people are finding themselves out of work and struggling right now. Money struggles can create a vicious cycle: you have to choose between groceries or having your suit dry cleaned, so you choose groceries, and blow the interview, which leads to longer unemployment, less money, repeat. Many people face this or a similar issue. Getting unemployment pay and/or finding ways to cut bills while unemployed are vital to regaining employment. I divide the topic in two: first, Unemployed in Massachusetts discusses how and where to file for unemployment insurance and, second, Surviving Unemployment discusses various methods of cutting costs, finding public resources, and other ways to prevent cashing out your retirement funds early in order to survive while unemployed.
I'm dedicating this part of my blog to free resources to help getting good employment. This may seem like a non sequitur, but showing what resources are provided by our government, volunteers, and our community to help give us a hand up, is central to the basic principle tenets of my Ask Not blog. Additionally, part of what I ask in my blog is for everyone to step up and do what they can do make the world a better place for everyone, and how can I expect anyone who is struggling to survive to manage that?
Sections, listed below, will cover all the steps to take in getting a good job.
Note that this content is fluid, as I research to add new, improve existing, and remove outdated information. Because of this, if you reference my blog, please be sure to include the update date in your source. If your document is important, it's recommended to print out the blog as it is at the moment you access it, and keep in handy in case it is needed for your sources.
Step One: You, on Paper: This section will focus on information you need for your résumé, what to have ready for your application (different from résumé), cover letters, references, thank-you letters, job acceptance letters, thanking references, and assembling a portfolio.
You must have this information assembled before you start applying for positions: I lost a job once, after a fantastic interview, because they handed me an application, which they required me to fill out immediately, and I forgot what my pay rate was at one of my temp jobs and what date I had started one of the others. Many people won't have this problem: if you've worked the same job for 15 years, you're pretty sure to know what you're getting paid and can find out the start date pretty easily. But when you've been working for five temp agencies at a time over the last couple years, it can be easy to mix up information if you don't have a printed reference handy!
Step Two: The Search: Effective job search strategies. What to use, what not to use, and how to know the difference. Web verses paper, and direct (applications) verses indirect (networking, Linked-In, et cetera). How and when to follow up.
Step Three: Interviewing.
Step Four: Improving Skills. Skills should be improved at every opportunity, while employed, unemployed, or underemployed. Even if you aren't trying to find a job, improve any skills possible and you'll get the prime promotion opportunities!
Step Five: Do Who You Are. This really should be Step One, but it's hard to figure out your best fit if you're running up thousands of dollars on your credit card just to pay rent and groceries while lacking employment. So get a job first, then do some serious self-analysis in your spare time (while still Improving Skills so you're as desirable to your perfect job as it is for you). If you find yourself mildly satisfied but never thrilled in your work, even when the working environment is great, you're probably in the wrong type of job. Use these resources to help you figure out what careers are good fits with your interests and skills.
Step Six: Career and Resource Centers. These are places you can go to for free assistance, classes, books, job listings, career-search-related computer use, et cetera.
Step Seven: Volunteerism. Volunteering gives you great opportunities to try out different kinds of work without making a long term commitment, learn new skills, and make connections, while doing good for worthy organizations.
Step Eight: Unemployment. This may not seem like a step toward employment, but is necessary to discuss because so many people are finding themselves out of work and struggling right now. Money struggles can create a vicious cycle: you have to choose between groceries or having your suit dry cleaned, so you choose groceries, and blow the interview, which leads to longer unemployment, less money, repeat. Many people face this or a similar issue. Getting unemployment pay and/or finding ways to cut bills while unemployed are vital to regaining employment. I divide the topic in two: first, Unemployed in Massachusetts discusses how and where to file for unemployment insurance and, second, Surviving Unemployment discusses various methods of cutting costs, finding public resources, and other ways to prevent cashing out your retirement funds early in order to survive while unemployed.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
Control and Time
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
(This is a repost of what I wrote originally on 10/13/2011, for a church-group blog, which we quickly abandoned.)
Last Sunday I attended Sudbury First Parish and heard Interim Minister Reverend Gary Kowalski‘s sermon, “How to Lose Control of Your Time and Life.” I found it an interesting deviation from the sermons to which I’ve become accustomed, which have a deeper emotional impact, but often are less intellectually stimulating.
Punctuated with bursts of humor, Reverend Kowalski presented a sermon in consideration of how we spend, and perceive, time. He began by referencing a Mary Worth newspaper comic strip in which the protagonist analyzes every moment of her morning routine in an attempt to budget an extra 12 minutes for sleep, and moved on to discuss an advertisement he saw for a watch designed to count down to the wearer’s expected date of natural death. (For an example of how this works, check out the internet Death Clock.) Rev. Kowalski professed astonishment at the thought of utilizing such a device, expressing the belief that, were he to wear such a thing, rather than being motivated to enjoy every second — as the ad claims will be the effect — he would likely be paralyzed by the constant ticking down of his life on display before him.
Although my summary hardly does justice to his eloquent and amusing sermon, the gist of Rev. Kowalski’s sermon was to live in the moment and not to schedule every second, allocating, trading, and selling segments of your life without ever truly being present in it.
I had recent opportunity to put Rev. Kowalski’s theory into practice. In June I found myself without employment. Although I now have part-time traditional work, my freelancing and one-time projects result in the typical week being split evenly between scheduled days and ad-hoc free-for-alls. To compound this unusual state of being, I went a few months without replacing my broken watch.
As a result, some days off passed flitting from task to task like a moth with ADHD, yet shortly after, a day would pass when I would be absorbed in an intense project for 10 hours before realizing I’d passed the day without pausing for any breaks. If I finished a project at 8:30pm, often I simply would go to sleep and awake at 6am with excess energy from an extra long slumber, while on other days I’d refuse to break focus until early morning hours, but I didn't have to worry about watching the clock, knowing I could sleep in as long as needed to recover the following day.
I stepped outside to weed for a few minutes and discovered 3 hours added to the clock upon my return inside. With a feeling of accomplishment, as well as a joyous post-gardening calm, I continue my day without regretting the “lost” 3 hours.
One of my favorite stories was told by Native American author Sherman Alexie during a visit to my alma mater, Keene State College. Alexie spoke of a book tour stop schedule at a Reservation. Alexie was delayed (due to details which I no longer remember), arriving several hours late for his speech. When he finally arrived, Alexie apologized for his tardiness, expecting an extremely impatient and anxious crowd. Instead, a man commented that Alexie wasn’t back on “Indian time” yet: they weren’t expecting him to show up for at least another day. I loved the story, both because Alexie told it so well, and because I adored the notion of people so laid back that they were fine with their paid celebrity author showing up anytime within a few days of his booking time. I get stressed waiting for the cable guy.
In many ways, my new semi-timelessness lowered my stress, improved my health, and increased my overall happiness. However, as pleasant as this existence was, as a temporary state of being, or part-time, I can hardly imagine allowing myself to lose control of time and my life permanently. Even if somehow employment were possible in this state (I suppose there are some writers, programmers, et cetera, who are highly skilled enough to make a living by results rather than reporting to anyone at specific times), I find myself having to make an extra effort to resynchronize with the rest of the world. I have to set alarms to remind me of meetings I used to remember on my own: not just the time, but even the day of the meeting. I forget the date. A few weeks ago, filling out a form the day after my birthday, I had to to be reminded of the current date. Many psychologists have found that having a set routine is extremely beneficial — for children in particular, but for adults as well (Asher).
How do we find the compromise? The sweet spot between the peace of losing oneself and the security of routine and control? Buddhism would teach the nirvana achieved when one finally allows the loss of self (O'Brien). Most of my previous employers would teach that I should schedule every moment of every paid hour, plus several extra unpaid hours, per day, just in case they wanted to use them. As I seek to increase my presence in the work force, I struggle with this conundrum. Every method I find seems to result in another contradiction — even going to a Zen Buddhist meditation meeting means, yes, scheduling in time in order to practice losing my sense of time and self.
I began writing this expecting to write about how my recent experiences have opened me up to the wonderful world of loss of control and time. I’ve found at the end I can’t attest to this glorious state of being from personal experience. Does this bliss exist in reality, or is it just a fanciful wish? If I were to achieve it, would schedule-bound control-addicted society label me mentally ill? Would they be correct to do so?
Would I care?
Should I care?
(This is a repost of what I wrote originally on 10/13/2011, for a church-group blog, which we quickly abandoned.)
Last Sunday I attended Sudbury First Parish and heard Interim Minister Reverend Gary Kowalski‘s sermon, “How to Lose Control of Your Time and Life.” I found it an interesting deviation from the sermons to which I’ve become accustomed, which have a deeper emotional impact, but often are less intellectually stimulating.
Punctuated with bursts of humor, Reverend Kowalski presented a sermon in consideration of how we spend, and perceive, time. He began by referencing a Mary Worth newspaper comic strip in which the protagonist analyzes every moment of her morning routine in an attempt to budget an extra 12 minutes for sleep, and moved on to discuss an advertisement he saw for a watch designed to count down to the wearer’s expected date of natural death. (For an example of how this works, check out the internet Death Clock.) Rev. Kowalski professed astonishment at the thought of utilizing such a device, expressing the belief that, were he to wear such a thing, rather than being motivated to enjoy every second — as the ad claims will be the effect — he would likely be paralyzed by the constant ticking down of his life on display before him.
Although my summary hardly does justice to his eloquent and amusing sermon, the gist of Rev. Kowalski’s sermon was to live in the moment and not to schedule every second, allocating, trading, and selling segments of your life without ever truly being present in it.
I had recent opportunity to put Rev. Kowalski’s theory into practice. In June I found myself without employment. Although I now have part-time traditional work, my freelancing and one-time projects result in the typical week being split evenly between scheduled days and ad-hoc free-for-alls. To compound this unusual state of being, I went a few months without replacing my broken watch.
As a result, some days off passed flitting from task to task like a moth with ADHD, yet shortly after, a day would pass when I would be absorbed in an intense project for 10 hours before realizing I’d passed the day without pausing for any breaks. If I finished a project at 8:30pm, often I simply would go to sleep and awake at 6am with excess energy from an extra long slumber, while on other days I’d refuse to break focus until early morning hours, but I didn't have to worry about watching the clock, knowing I could sleep in as long as needed to recover the following day.
I stepped outside to weed for a few minutes and discovered 3 hours added to the clock upon my return inside. With a feeling of accomplishment, as well as a joyous post-gardening calm, I continue my day without regretting the “lost” 3 hours.
One of my favorite stories was told by Native American author Sherman Alexie during a visit to my alma mater, Keene State College. Alexie spoke of a book tour stop schedule at a Reservation. Alexie was delayed (due to details which I no longer remember), arriving several hours late for his speech. When he finally arrived, Alexie apologized for his tardiness, expecting an extremely impatient and anxious crowd. Instead, a man commented that Alexie wasn’t back on “Indian time” yet: they weren’t expecting him to show up for at least another day. I loved the story, both because Alexie told it so well, and because I adored the notion of people so laid back that they were fine with their paid celebrity author showing up anytime within a few days of his booking time. I get stressed waiting for the cable guy.
In many ways, my new semi-timelessness lowered my stress, improved my health, and increased my overall happiness. However, as pleasant as this existence was, as a temporary state of being, or part-time, I can hardly imagine allowing myself to lose control of time and my life permanently. Even if somehow employment were possible in this state (I suppose there are some writers, programmers, et cetera, who are highly skilled enough to make a living by results rather than reporting to anyone at specific times), I find myself having to make an extra effort to resynchronize with the rest of the world. I have to set alarms to remind me of meetings I used to remember on my own: not just the time, but even the day of the meeting. I forget the date. A few weeks ago, filling out a form the day after my birthday, I had to to be reminded of the current date. Many psychologists have found that having a set routine is extremely beneficial — for children in particular, but for adults as well (Asher).
How do we find the compromise? The sweet spot between the peace of losing oneself and the security of routine and control? Buddhism would teach the nirvana achieved when one finally allows the loss of self (O'Brien). Most of my previous employers would teach that I should schedule every moment of every paid hour, plus several extra unpaid hours, per day, just in case they wanted to use them. As I seek to increase my presence in the work force, I struggle with this conundrum. Every method I find seems to result in another contradiction — even going to a Zen Buddhist meditation meeting means, yes, scheduling in time in order to practice losing my sense of time and self.
I began writing this expecting to write about how my recent experiences have opened me up to the wonderful world of loss of control and time. I’ve found at the end I can’t attest to this glorious state of being from personal experience. Does this bliss exist in reality, or is it just a fanciful wish? If I were to achieve it, would schedule-bound control-addicted society label me mentally ill? Would they be correct to do so?
Would I care?
Should I care?
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
References
- Asher, Liza. The Importance of Routines for Children. Mommd. Web. Accessed 13 Oct. 2011.
- Kowalski, Gary, Reverend. How to Lose Control of Your Time and Life. Speech presented at First Parish, 327 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA 01776. 9 Oct. 2011.
- O'Brien, Barbara. Nirvana. About.com. Web. Accessed 13 Oct. 2011.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
National Endowment for the Arts
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents :: Obama Administration Accomplishments list
Next
Lewis, Joseph. Obama signs stimulus bill with NEA funding. Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact. Web. Updated: Tuesday, February 17th, 2009. Accessed Sunday, January 22, 2012.
Next
- Accomplishment: increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
- What is it? Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (February 2009), President Obama increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to $50 million (Lewis), the highest level since 1992.
- Why does it matter?
 |
| Yeah, keep smirking. Wait 'til you see the new budget cuts. |
This question comes up again and again during town council meetings when the proposed "solution" for money troubles is to slash school budgets.
There are countless books, articles, blogs, et cetera dedicated to the study of art in relationship to the learning process, talking about how music aids memorization (remember Schoolhouse Rock?) and directly relates to mathematical ability, how art is useful directly through architecture, schematics, circuit diagrams etc, and indirectly as a tool for mental and emotional health, but even without any of those reasons, it's hard to imagine a world without the arts.
 |
| "Is there supposed to a giant hole on this side?" "Sorry, our architect went to an underfunded school. Just walk around it." |
I answer the question with another one: can you imagine living in a world that is 100% mechanically functional with no music or beauty? The arts make everything better.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
References
Lewis, Joseph. Obama signs stimulus bill with NEA funding. Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact. Web. Updated: Tuesday, February 17th, 2009. Accessed Sunday, January 22, 2012.
Accomplishments Made by the Obama Administration
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents :: Skip Down to List
I decided to research and blog about a different accomplishment made by the Obama administration. I'd heard about the few larger, more publicized achievements, and thought I would start with those, and keep going until I ran out.
I was stunned to learn I could blog twice a day (if I had the time) from now until the general election and still not finish the list in time. How could this much have been accomplished without being big news? I try to avoid conspiracy theories, so I thought about it for a while, and concluded that one of the reasons (others being a scandal on Celebrity Apprentice or something distracted everyone) is that most of them sound like gibberish without translation. If I saw a headline that said something about "ARRA" or "ECPA" or "Dodd-Frank," my eyes would glaze over before I got to an explanation (okay, not the last one, but only because it was such a huge National crisis, and repeated so often that I managed to learn it, even though the title had no inherent meaning in relation to the act).
In response, I made it my mission to make my list in three parts, to be easy to understand.
First: Name or short summary of the accomplishment.
Second: Explanation of what that means.
Third: Explanation of why it matters.
Because the third part, and sometimes even the second, takes up a lot of space, I've limited this introductory page to a list containing, for each accomplishment, the first part, the leader to the second part, and a link to a full explanation.
All of my entries focus on positive information. I will not include anything negative about anyone in these posts. For the reason behind this decision, read my About post.
You may notice the dates don't match up on many of my posts: I started posting on this subject before I realized I would have so much to write about, so when I moved the posts to my new blog, they all reset to the date I moved them.
More resources: Wikipedia has a great timeline, although I hesitate to get any important information from Wikipedia because, despite it being a fantastically convenient resource, anyone can edit it and the service relies on attentive users to notice and report erroneous information. However, the Timeline of the Presidency of Barack Obama seems accurate as far as I can tell.
I decided to research and blog about a different accomplishment made by the Obama administration. I'd heard about the few larger, more publicized achievements, and thought I would start with those, and keep going until I ran out.
I was stunned to learn I could blog twice a day (if I had the time) from now until the general election and still not finish the list in time. How could this much have been accomplished without being big news? I try to avoid conspiracy theories, so I thought about it for a while, and concluded that one of the reasons (others being a scandal on Celebrity Apprentice or something distracted everyone) is that most of them sound like gibberish without translation. If I saw a headline that said something about "ARRA" or "ECPA" or "Dodd-Frank," my eyes would glaze over before I got to an explanation (okay, not the last one, but only because it was such a huge National crisis, and repeated so often that I managed to learn it, even though the title had no inherent meaning in relation to the act).
In response, I made it my mission to make my list in three parts, to be easy to understand.
First: Name or short summary of the accomplishment.
Second: Explanation of what that means.
Third: Explanation of why it matters.
Because the third part, and sometimes even the second, takes up a lot of space, I've limited this introductory page to a list containing, for each accomplishment, the first part, the leader to the second part, and a link to a full explanation.
All of my entries focus on positive information. I will not include anything negative about anyone in these posts. For the reason behind this decision, read my About post.
You may notice the dates don't match up on many of my posts: I started posting on this subject before I realized I would have so much to write about, so when I moved the posts to my new blog, they all reset to the date I moved them.
- Accomplishment: Increased funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
(Details in my National Endowment for the Arts post)
- Accomplishment: Allocated $12.2 billion in new funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Act though the American Recovery and investment Act.
(Details in my Funding for Individuals with Disabilities post)
- Accomplishment: Dodd-Frank (DF) Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
(Details in my Dodd-Frank post)
- Accomplishment: Promoted internet freedom.
(Details in my Internet Freedom post)
- Accomplishment: Public Land Management
(Details in my Public Land Management post)
- Accomplishment: $789 billion in ARRA stimulus money.
(Details in my ARRA post)
- Accomplishment: Student financial aid reform.
(Details in my Financial Aid Reform post.)
- Accomplishment: Funded rewards for states with comprehensive education reform.
(Details in my Education Reform post)
- Accomplishment: Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010
(Details in my Jobs for Main Street post)
- Accomplishment: Established an Energy Partnership for the Americas.
- What does it mean? A voluntary, multi-country initiative to "promote clean energy, advance energy security, fight energy poverty, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions." (ref)
- Why does it matter? Cleaner air, renewable energy, reduction of global climate change, and economic justice. I don't think I really need exposition on this one.
- Accomplishment: Regulated CO2 emissions and created a task force for carbon capture and storage.
(Details in my Reduction of Carbon Emissions post)
- Accomplishment: Introduced Oil Spill Recovery Bill to remove oil company liability cap. (Details in my Oil Spill Recovery Bill post)
- Accomplishment: Improved USA's Global Standing.
(Details in my Global Standing post) - Accomplishment: Increased efficiency in the government.
(Details in my Efficiency in the Government post)
- Accomplishment: Created a National HIV/AIDS Strategy.
(Details in my Combating HIV and AIDS post)
- Accomplishment: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act / Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
(Details in my Affordable Care Act post)
- Accomplishment: $275 billion dollar housing plan.(Details in my Housing Plan post)
- Accomplishment: Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT).
(Details in my Repeal of DADT post)
- Accomplishment: $3.2 billion to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.
(Details in my Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program Funding post)
- Accomplishment: Implemented the Protecting Our Workers and Ensuring Reemployment (POWER) Initiative.
(Details in my POWER Initiative post)
- Accomplishment: Shifted focus of United States drug policy toward prevention and treatment.
(Details in my Drug Policy post)
- Accomplishment: Tax changes to encourage American companies to base jobs in America.(Details in my Offshore Taxes post)
- Accomplishment: Stood up for women's reproductive rights.
(Details in my Women's Reproductive Rights post)
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
More resources: Wikipedia has a great timeline, although I hesitate to get any important information from Wikipedia because, despite it being a fantastically convenient resource, anyone can edit it and the service relies on attentive users to notice and report erroneous information. However, the Timeline of the Presidency of Barack Obama seems accurate as far as I can tell.
About
My Blogs and Profile :: Table of Contents
MP3 recording of this post.
I called my blog "Ask Not," after JFK's inaugural address.
It's incredible how much resonance words spoken almost 20 years before I was born can still hold. I doubt there's a single American who doesn't know at least the first line of the speech, even now, over 50 years after it was performed.
Yet, listening to politicians, pundits, and comments from people all around me, I keep getting the impression that our society remembers the words, but has somehow lost the meaning. Instead of pushing ourselves to constantly improve, as individuals and as a society, we're bickering, passing blame, and looking for easy outs. Our debt is growing and we're falling farther behind the other major players in education.
There are a lot of different factors, but I believe the biggest contributor is we've fallen into a blame cycle. When something goes wrong, it's become more important to target someone else as fast as possible and to make sure you are not the one who is attacked, than to focus on solving the problem. Most politicians will not make the decisions we really need because they know if there is one single undesirable aspect, it will be featured on the news, radio, Twitter, Facebook, everywhere, while the 99 other components vital to our well-being are only mentioned in passing, or ignored completely.
I know so many people who want to do something to make things better, but don't know what to do, feel discouraged by all the negativity, or have lost faith in our political system. In 2008, I saw how much energy and enthusiasm Americans can still put forth when we really believe in something. I heard "Yes We Can" as a rally cry to believe in ourselves, not just until November 4, but for every day and for every aspect of life that we need to improve. Instead, the energy dissolved into partisanship, the banks collapsed, the economy collapsed and Americans felt abandoned and unmotivated.
I started this blog to do my small part to try to regain that "Yes We Can" mentality. We know we can work together and accomplish great things. For those my age and younger, it may have seemed like a brief burst of energy not to be repeated, but remember this expression came from the 1970s (Rodriguez), and built on a nationwide mentality to never give up and always look for some way to improve.
By pushing for improvement, encouraging each other, refusing to give up, and reporting what is done right so people in the public and in politics will feel like they have support when they make what can often be an exhausting effort to improve our country, we can make great accomplishments again. Sure, there will never be another first moon landing, but what about curing cancer? What about making sure every child in America has an education?
This is why I have made a commitment to share any and all information I can find about what we need to and can improve, best ways we can help, easiest ways to volunteer, and especially every bit of news on accomplishments made by the Obama administration and any other politician who has actively pursued improvements to our education system, technological advancements, volunteerism, and anything else we need in order to thrive as a country.
MP3 recording of this post.
I called my blog "Ask Not," after JFK's inaugural address.
It's incredible how much resonance words spoken almost 20 years before I was born can still hold. I doubt there's a single American who doesn't know at least the first line of the speech, even now, over 50 years after it was performed.
Yet, listening to politicians, pundits, and comments from people all around me, I keep getting the impression that our society remembers the words, but has somehow lost the meaning. Instead of pushing ourselves to constantly improve, as individuals and as a society, we're bickering, passing blame, and looking for easy outs. Our debt is growing and we're falling farther behind the other major players in education.
There are a lot of different factors, but I believe the biggest contributor is we've fallen into a blame cycle. When something goes wrong, it's become more important to target someone else as fast as possible and to make sure you are not the one who is attacked, than to focus on solving the problem. Most politicians will not make the decisions we really need because they know if there is one single undesirable aspect, it will be featured on the news, radio, Twitter, Facebook, everywhere, while the 99 other components vital to our well-being are only mentioned in passing, or ignored completely.
I know so many people who want to do something to make things better, but don't know what to do, feel discouraged by all the negativity, or have lost faith in our political system. In 2008, I saw how much energy and enthusiasm Americans can still put forth when we really believe in something. I heard "Yes We Can" as a rally cry to believe in ourselves, not just until November 4, but for every day and for every aspect of life that we need to improve. Instead, the energy dissolved into partisanship, the banks collapsed, the economy collapsed and Americans felt abandoned and unmotivated.
I started this blog to do my small part to try to regain that "Yes We Can" mentality. We know we can work together and accomplish great things. For those my age and younger, it may have seemed like a brief burst of energy not to be repeated, but remember this expression came from the 1970s (Rodriguez), and built on a nationwide mentality to never give up and always look for some way to improve.
By pushing for improvement, encouraging each other, refusing to give up, and reporting what is done right so people in the public and in politics will feel like they have support when they make what can often be an exhausting effort to improve our country, we can make great accomplishments again. Sure, there will never be another first moon landing, but what about curing cancer? What about making sure every child in America has an education?
This is why I have made a commitment to share any and all information I can find about what we need to and can improve, best ways we can help, easiest ways to volunteer, and especially every bit of news on accomplishments made by the Obama administration and any other politician who has actively pursued improvements to our education system, technological advancements, volunteerism, and anything else we need in order to thrive as a country.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
Reference
- Rodriguez, Arturo S. Statement from Arturo S. Rodriguez, President, United Farm Workers of America, Celebrating Cesar Chavez's Birthday 3/31/98-La Paz, Keene, Calif. United Farm Workers. Web. Retrieved 02/16/2012.
Contents
My Blogs and Profile
Use this page to easily jump from topic to topic within my blog
Use this page to easily jump from topic to topic within my blog
- About My Blog
- Accomplishments Made by the Obama administration
- Employment
- About, and Steps
- You, On Paper
- The Search
- Interviewing
- Improving Skills
- Do Who You Are
- Career Assistance Locations
- Volunteerism
- Unemployment
- Spirituality
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012.
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