Yesterday I had a second interview for a position that has three roles all melded into one…Application Analyst, Business Analyst, and Project Manager. The first interview was with the hiring manager, Sandi. We had a good meeting and both of us parted feeling encouraged about the fit. This was confirmed when I received a call the very afternoon requesting a second interview.
The second interview was scheduled for a week later. In the interim I developed viral laryngitis and could not speak without coughing. As I got closer to the date of the interview I realized that I would not be able to talk. I had no choice but to ask for an alternative date. I was very happy to get a call back with a new date and time.
It has been almost a year since I was last employed and this was the first second interview I have had during this time. Needless to say I started working myself up into a knot about the interview. I tapped into my resources for coaching in preparation of the interview, such as, what is the purpose of meeting with upper management, what is the purpose of meeting with the team and so forth. I got some very good advice and realized I needed to just relax and go with what I know.
I researched the company, took the job description, broke it down and filled in my experience for each requirement. There were several software programs that required experience so I researched each one and aligned them with my previous software experience. The long and short I don’t think I could have been any more prepared then I was for this second interview.
The day has arrived and my appointment is at 12:30. I left the house an hour and half early so that I could have a relaxing lunch at Panera’s . At I-43 and Good Hope traffic came to a stand still as the two left lanes were closed and traffic was merging. It took me 40 minutes to get from Good Hope to the Silver Spring exit. My relaxing lunch now turned into a mad dash. The good news is I managed to get something to eat and be on time for the interview.
The first meeting was with the team, Denise and Jan. The position was described to me as being administrative, providing software support, managing upgrades, implementations and deployments along with vendor management. While I was listening I started realizing I am potentially over qualified. Both Denise and Jan have been with the company for 30 yrs each and with that information I made some assumptions about the culture. We had a good discussion and on the way to my next appointment they stopped by and showed me the work area. One standard Grade-A cubicle.
The second meeting was with the Director of Information Systems, Gary. Gary has been with the company for 15 years, prior to that he was with a software development company for 21 years. This interview was more qualifying of my experience. When we reached my most recent positions and technologies I worked with I needed to explain what they were. I made the assumption he is old school technology and the company is old school technology. We had good conversations and Gary and I parted with an agreement the job requirements were understood.
This is the jest of the second interview. I had anticipated it, prepared for it, and stressed out over it and left feeling anti-climatic. This job is just like all the others which is just a means to an end. After not having a job for almost a year I was so very excited about this position only to realize it will kill my soul just like all the others did. I drove away with many thoughts racing through my head … what do you want, what will make you happy, am I being true to myself, can you just suit up and show up and ignore things. God! I haven’t worked in a year, I finally get closer to landing a job then I ever have and I am asking... Is this really what I want? Why? I need health insurance. So, in order to have health insurance the answer is to take a soulless job. Yes. In the current state of things beggars can not be choosers. I need to consider this job as a door and go with it.
However, funny thing…no offer has been made. I wonder what they are thinking?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
December Snow in Wisconsin
This is a story that circulated around the office many years ago. I thought it was appropriate for the eve of our first snow storm. Enjoy!
December 8
6:00pm It has started to snow The first of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat by the window watching the soft flakes drift down all over the area. It was BEAUTIFUL!!
December 9
We awoke to a big beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering the landscape. What fantastic sight! Every tree and shrub covered with a beautiful mantle. I shoveled snow for the first time in years and loved it. I did both our driveway and our sidewalk. Later the snow plow came along and covered up our sidewalk with compacted snow from the street, so I shoveled it again.
December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Oh well, I am sure we will get some more before the winter in through.
December 14
It snowed 8 inches last night and the temperature dropped to 20 degrees below zero. Shoveled the driveway and sidewalk again and the snow plow came by and did its trick again.
December 15
Sold my van and bought a four wheel drive so I can drive in the snow and bought snow tires for my wife’s car.
December 17
Still cold, below zero, and icy roads make it tough to drive. Also fell on my ass from ice on the sidewalk leaving the house.
December 20
Ad 14 inches of the white shit last night. More shoveling is in store for me today. The goddamn snow plow came by twice.
December 22
We are assured of a white Christmas because 13 inches of the white shit fell today and with this freezing weather it won’t melt till August. Got all dressed to go shovel (boots, snowsuit, heavy jacket, scarf, earmuffs, and gloves) once I got outside I had the urge to pee!!
December 24
If I ever catch that son-of-bitch that drives that snow plow I will drag him through the snow by his balls. I think he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at 100mph and throws snow all over what used to be my lawn.
December 25
MERRY CHRISTMAS! They predict 20 more inches of the F@#&@ white shit tonight. Do they know how many shovels full of snow 28 inches is? The snow plow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with the snow shovel.
December 26
We got the 28 inches and then some. I must be going snow blind or have a severe case of cabin fever because my wife is beginning to look good to me.
December 27
The toilet froze. If you go outside look out for the yellow snow!
December 28
The house if for sale. Heading south……
December 8
6:00pm It has started to snow The first of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat by the window watching the soft flakes drift down all over the area. It was BEAUTIFUL!!
December 9
We awoke to a big beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering the landscape. What fantastic sight! Every tree and shrub covered with a beautiful mantle. I shoveled snow for the first time in years and loved it. I did both our driveway and our sidewalk. Later the snow plow came along and covered up our sidewalk with compacted snow from the street, so I shoveled it again.
December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Oh well, I am sure we will get some more before the winter in through.
December 14
It snowed 8 inches last night and the temperature dropped to 20 degrees below zero. Shoveled the driveway and sidewalk again and the snow plow came by and did its trick again.
December 15
Sold my van and bought a four wheel drive so I can drive in the snow and bought snow tires for my wife’s car.
December 17
Still cold, below zero, and icy roads make it tough to drive. Also fell on my ass from ice on the sidewalk leaving the house.
December 20
Ad 14 inches of the white shit last night. More shoveling is in store for me today. The goddamn snow plow came by twice.
December 22
We are assured of a white Christmas because 13 inches of the white shit fell today and with this freezing weather it won’t melt till August. Got all dressed to go shovel (boots, snowsuit, heavy jacket, scarf, earmuffs, and gloves) once I got outside I had the urge to pee!!
December 24
If I ever catch that son-of-bitch that drives that snow plow I will drag him through the snow by his balls. I think he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at 100mph and throws snow all over what used to be my lawn.
December 25
MERRY CHRISTMAS! They predict 20 more inches of the F@#&@ white shit tonight. Do they know how many shovels full of snow 28 inches is? The snow plow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with the snow shovel.
December 26
We got the 28 inches and then some. I must be going snow blind or have a severe case of cabin fever because my wife is beginning to look good to me.
December 27
The toilet froze. If you go outside look out for the yellow snow!
December 28
The house if for sale. Heading south……
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
My Thanksgiving memories…
When I was a child most of my holiday meals were at the mess hall. I am not sure what the reason was but I can only speculate. Maybe the commissary didn’t stock turkeys and all the fixings. Maybe the stoves in military housing couldn’t accommodate a turkey, or the turkey burned every year. Whatever the reason, we would get dressed in our Sunday clothes and go to the mess hall.
At the mess hall there was a special area for the dependent families. This doesn’t mean a special room it was just a sectioned off part of the hall. The tables were decorated with paper turkeys and pilgrims to commemorate the holiday. Now these tables were not the usual dining table with chairs, they were cafeteria tables. I remember how hard it was to straddle across the bench to set down for dinner. However, I have no memory of how my Mother did it in a pencil skirt. I guess I am left with a mental picture of a 30 something, 5’11” in heels and a pencil skirt straddling a bench. Anyway, back to my Thanksgiving eating memory. Once we had settled at our table we would wait till the chow line had diminished enough for us to go through. We would get our standard chow tray, plates and utensils and place them onto the tray slide. This was cafeteria style so you would hold out your tray and the cooks would place your dinner on the plates. There was no customizing…you got what you got.
I had no idea how delicious a home cooked Thanksgiving meal could be till I married into the Colloton family. Mrs. Colloton made the best turkey, gravy, potatoes, stuffing, pies, and macaroni and cheese. When dinner was over I was always amazed at how this woman could pick every morsel of meat off the turkey till the carcass was bone dry. It was quite the art form to watch. The next week it was all about turkey soup! Mrs. Newland could also make a mean turkey and the family would bring a cover dishes. Everything was yummy and the Newland boys were always entertaining.
So, if you are doing the math we are up to almost 40 years and I have yet to make a turkey dinner. This is probably a good thing as the only way I know to cook is mess hall style. What are your Thanksgiving memories?
At the mess hall there was a special area for the dependent families. This doesn’t mean a special room it was just a sectioned off part of the hall. The tables were decorated with paper turkeys and pilgrims to commemorate the holiday. Now these tables were not the usual dining table with chairs, they were cafeteria tables. I remember how hard it was to straddle across the bench to set down for dinner. However, I have no memory of how my Mother did it in a pencil skirt. I guess I am left with a mental picture of a 30 something, 5’11” in heels and a pencil skirt straddling a bench. Anyway, back to my Thanksgiving eating memory. Once we had settled at our table we would wait till the chow line had diminished enough for us to go through. We would get our standard chow tray, plates and utensils and place them onto the tray slide. This was cafeteria style so you would hold out your tray and the cooks would place your dinner on the plates. There was no customizing…you got what you got.
I had no idea how delicious a home cooked Thanksgiving meal could be till I married into the Colloton family. Mrs. Colloton made the best turkey, gravy, potatoes, stuffing, pies, and macaroni and cheese. When dinner was over I was always amazed at how this woman could pick every morsel of meat off the turkey till the carcass was bone dry. It was quite the art form to watch. The next week it was all about turkey soup! Mrs. Newland could also make a mean turkey and the family would bring a cover dishes. Everything was yummy and the Newland boys were always entertaining.
So, if you are doing the math we are up to almost 40 years and I have yet to make a turkey dinner. This is probably a good thing as the only way I know to cook is mess hall style. What are your Thanksgiving memories?
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Art of Hanging out the Wash
The other day I was thinking about hanging out laundry and remember the day my Appalachia Grandmother learned me on the hanging out the wersh. (Smoky Mountain Accent)
This was 1967 and I was sent to live with my Grandparents till my Father was transfer from Andrews Base. At that time there was resentment towards the government’s mandate for integration. My Dad was not able to get on-base housing so we lived off base. I was in middle school and coupled with the normal trials of being in middle school I was harassed because my Dad in the service. The service being representative of the government. I was taunted in class, beat up in the girl’s bathroom and followed home from school. These were very turbulent times and my parents felt I would be safer in the South. So off I go to live with Rose and Ransom in Western North Carolina.
The first couple of weeks were fun to be at Grandma and Grandpa’s house without my parents and brother. I loved the attention. Then all the attention became too much as I was watched all the time. I couldn’t go any where by myself. I had to stay at the house. I began to think I was sentenced to hell having to live with these old people. I was registered to go to the local school but school didn’t start for three months. My Mother told me to be a good girl and make sure I help out my Grandmother.
One day my Grandmother asked me to go hang out the wash. Like any other 14 year old I took the basked of clothes and carried it like it weighted a ton. Once I made the long journey across the yard to the clothes line I began hanging up the clothes. I hung each article with the most anguishing effort. My Grandmother sat on the back porch and watched this entire dramatic display. When I was finished and came back to the house she told me I did it all wrong. I thought, Oh My Gosh, how can you hang up clothes wrong!?
This is when I learned on how to hang clothes on the line. You hang all your towels together, shirts together, socks together, pants together. The sheets go facing the road and under clothes are hung between each item on the line. This way no one can see them from the road. You NEVER! hang your under clothes together and she took all the clothes off the line and made me do it all over again.
I want it to be known that all my adult life when I hang clothes out I hang them just like I was taught.
This was 1967 and I was sent to live with my Grandparents till my Father was transfer from Andrews Base. At that time there was resentment towards the government’s mandate for integration. My Dad was not able to get on-base housing so we lived off base. I was in middle school and coupled with the normal trials of being in middle school I was harassed because my Dad in the service. The service being representative of the government. I was taunted in class, beat up in the girl’s bathroom and followed home from school. These were very turbulent times and my parents felt I would be safer in the South. So off I go to live with Rose and Ransom in Western North Carolina.
The first couple of weeks were fun to be at Grandma and Grandpa’s house without my parents and brother. I loved the attention. Then all the attention became too much as I was watched all the time. I couldn’t go any where by myself. I had to stay at the house. I began to think I was sentenced to hell having to live with these old people. I was registered to go to the local school but school didn’t start for three months. My Mother told me to be a good girl and make sure I help out my Grandmother.
One day my Grandmother asked me to go hang out the wash. Like any other 14 year old I took the basked of clothes and carried it like it weighted a ton. Once I made the long journey across the yard to the clothes line I began hanging up the clothes. I hung each article with the most anguishing effort. My Grandmother sat on the back porch and watched this entire dramatic display. When I was finished and came back to the house she told me I did it all wrong. I thought, Oh My Gosh, how can you hang up clothes wrong!?
This is when I learned on how to hang clothes on the line. You hang all your towels together, shirts together, socks together, pants together. The sheets go facing the road and under clothes are hung between each item on the line. This way no one can see them from the road. You NEVER! hang your under clothes together and she took all the clothes off the line and made me do it all over again.
I want it to be known that all my adult life when I hang clothes out I hang them just like I was taught.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The 360 of Life
This summer I participated with a group of recruiters who were organizing an event called the Milwaukee JobCamp. The purpose of this event was to assist people with learning the skills necessary for searching for a job. There were sessions on Resumes, Interviewing, Social Media, Dress for Success, and round table discussions.
During this project I met and worked with many dynamic people, Jayne being one of them. Her role in this project was to secure paying sponsors for the event. She is a gifted Salesperson and her efforts in generating sponsorship contributed to the overwhelming success of the event. I really enjoy Jayne’s energy as she is very thought provoking, a passionate learner for varying points of views and opinions, an adjunct professor at UWM and a great person to know. Like many of us, Jayne too is unemployed.
Last Saturday night Jayne invited me over to visit with her and a couple of her friends, Karen and Terri. As it turns out we are all unemployed and life is lean for all of us. We came with wine, of the price point of Two Buck Chuck, and Jayne put out a bowl of almonds. So, here we are, a bunch of 50 some-things too broke to go any where sitting in a Eastside Flat eating stale nuts and drinking cheap wine. Who would have thought? A year ago we were downtown, dressed to the nines drinking martinis, fine dining, and going to the theater.
It is an amazement how quickly life can change. Instead of commiserating about our circumstance we instead had a good ole girlfriend night. We talked and talked, played with our camera phones, watched Jayne monitor her son’s whereabouts on a GPS link between their phones and drank some more wine and talked some more. Jayne does Astrology so we moved to her study and played with the stars throwing out birth dates of husbands, boyfriends, children and each other. The only thing missing was a Ouija board. Instead of a bunch of 50 some-things it was like we were 12 again. It was a lot of fun. The only thing that interrupted this moment was when the pizza delivery man came and we instantly went into cougar mode. What cute honey… hum hummm
During this project I met and worked with many dynamic people, Jayne being one of them. Her role in this project was to secure paying sponsors for the event. She is a gifted Salesperson and her efforts in generating sponsorship contributed to the overwhelming success of the event. I really enjoy Jayne’s energy as she is very thought provoking, a passionate learner for varying points of views and opinions, an adjunct professor at UWM and a great person to know. Like many of us, Jayne too is unemployed.
Last Saturday night Jayne invited me over to visit with her and a couple of her friends, Karen and Terri. As it turns out we are all unemployed and life is lean for all of us. We came with wine, of the price point of Two Buck Chuck, and Jayne put out a bowl of almonds. So, here we are, a bunch of 50 some-things too broke to go any where sitting in a Eastside Flat eating stale nuts and drinking cheap wine. Who would have thought? A year ago we were downtown, dressed to the nines drinking martinis, fine dining, and going to the theater.
It is an amazement how quickly life can change. Instead of commiserating about our circumstance we instead had a good ole girlfriend night. We talked and talked, played with our camera phones, watched Jayne monitor her son’s whereabouts on a GPS link between their phones and drank some more wine and talked some more. Jayne does Astrology so we moved to her study and played with the stars throwing out birth dates of husbands, boyfriends, children and each other. The only thing missing was a Ouija board. Instead of a bunch of 50 some-things it was like we were 12 again. It was a lot of fun. The only thing that interrupted this moment was when the pizza delivery man came and we instantly went into cougar mode. What cute honey… hum hummm
Friday, September 18, 2009
Breadth or Depth .. What is the Answer
I have never been in one place, job, or relationship to develop any depth of experience. In my blog on August 13, 2009 “Child of Change” I shared that I have moved 25 times in 54 years, attending 13 schools, four colleges and 17 jobs. This certainly does not lend the opportunity for depth. I do, however, possess breadth, a board brush of life.
Is this a bad thing? I am not sure. When I landed in Milwaukee some 30 years ago I remember I had a hard time fitting in. I had always been with people just like myself, military dependents. We shared a transient upbringing and change was no big deal to us. Our time spent and our conversations were filled with diversity and experiences. It was exciting to learn what another had learned and to share with another. Friends would come and go and there was always something new going on. The one constant was a friend and their family was short term and soon there would be someone to fill their place.
Now that I am in Milwaukee I was faced with an environment where people’s horizons expanded a five block radius. Their children, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, bothers and sisters all lived within that same radius. All social functions revolved around family gatherings, weddings, funerals, graduations, or impromptu dinners. There were no opportunities to spend time with a new friend as they were always obligated to the family. These people also had generational succession within companies. The Grandfather, Father, Son, Brother and so on all worked together. They had depth with work and family but not breadth. I couldn’t relate to them and neither could they relate to me. At that time I had moved 13 times, had lived in five different states and two different countries. I had breadth but not depth.
This disparity shortened through the years as I tried to adapt. I got married, had children and got involved within the community. I have often wondered if I missed out on a normal life. Well maybe normal is not the right word, how about a life filled with structure, routine and complacency. The question now is, do I want to fit in? Fitting in is not so important to me any more. I think it is because I have become comfortable in my own skin.
I have had one long relationship since I have been in Milwaukee and it is with my Mother-in-Law. Through the years I have learned that she and I have a lot in common. We both have had a transient upbringing, we both married the same type of man and we both have the same type of relationship with our children. I have enjoyed our many conversations through the years and our time spent. She has been a very special friend considering the dynamics around us and we are both comfortable in our own skin.
So my question today is, how do I package my experiences both personally and professionally to reinvent myself for the next stent of my life. The one element I would like to include is change.
Any thoughts out there???
Is this a bad thing? I am not sure. When I landed in Milwaukee some 30 years ago I remember I had a hard time fitting in. I had always been with people just like myself, military dependents. We shared a transient upbringing and change was no big deal to us. Our time spent and our conversations were filled with diversity and experiences. It was exciting to learn what another had learned and to share with another. Friends would come and go and there was always something new going on. The one constant was a friend and their family was short term and soon there would be someone to fill their place.
Now that I am in Milwaukee I was faced with an environment where people’s horizons expanded a five block radius. Their children, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, bothers and sisters all lived within that same radius. All social functions revolved around family gatherings, weddings, funerals, graduations, or impromptu dinners. There were no opportunities to spend time with a new friend as they were always obligated to the family. These people also had generational succession within companies. The Grandfather, Father, Son, Brother and so on all worked together. They had depth with work and family but not breadth. I couldn’t relate to them and neither could they relate to me. At that time I had moved 13 times, had lived in five different states and two different countries. I had breadth but not depth.
This disparity shortened through the years as I tried to adapt. I got married, had children and got involved within the community. I have often wondered if I missed out on a normal life. Well maybe normal is not the right word, how about a life filled with structure, routine and complacency. The question now is, do I want to fit in? Fitting in is not so important to me any more. I think it is because I have become comfortable in my own skin.
I have had one long relationship since I have been in Milwaukee and it is with my Mother-in-Law. Through the years I have learned that she and I have a lot in common. We both have had a transient upbringing, we both married the same type of man and we both have the same type of relationship with our children. I have enjoyed our many conversations through the years and our time spent. She has been a very special friend considering the dynamics around us and we are both comfortable in our own skin.
So my question today is, how do I package my experiences both personally and professionally to reinvent myself for the next stent of my life. The one element I would like to include is change.
Any thoughts out there???
Monday, September 14, 2009
Doing the Right Thing
In any industrial loading dock in any city is a man named, Joe. Joe is second generation European decent living in the USA. He brings with him strong values, morality, and pride. One day Joe came to work on the loading dock sporting a black-eye. When his co-workers saw the black eye they began to heckle him. “Hey Joe, did your girlfriend give you that black-eye?” “Hey Joe, did your Mama smack you?” After enduring much ribbing about his black-eye he decided to tell his fellow co-workers how he got his black-eye.
Joe said, “Being a good Christian boy I went to church on Sunday. I listened to the priest, prayed, and sang. Sitting in front of me was this bigga fat lady. I noticed that every time this bigga fat lady stood up to sing her dress was stuck in the crack of her ass. Well like a good Christian boy I leaned over and pulled the dress outta the crack of her ass. POW! she smacked me in the face.” Joe’s co-workers were just besides themselves and heckled Joe for days. Joe just kept to his work and ignored them.
The following Monday Joe comes to the loading dock very quiet, keeping his head down. Joe’s co-workers were standing shooting the shit about what they did over the weekend. Joe usually is right with them in a spirited exchange of brags but this Monday Joe went right to his station. The co-workers began to hassle Joe and when Joe looked up he had another black-eye. Oh, this was too much for the co-workers to bare and could not pass up the opportunity to give Joe a hard time again. As usual Joe could only take so much of the unrelenting borage of teasing.
Joe said,” O.k O.K I’ma gonna tell you once and only once what happened. Being a good Christian boy I went to church on Sunday with my good friend, Ernie. We listened to the priest, prayed, and sang. Sitting in front of us was this ah same bigga fat lady. We noticed that every time this bigga fat lady stood up her dress was stuck in the crack of her ass. Wella I know that she doesn’t like it when you try to help her so I just let it alone. When I had my eyes closed singing my heart out my friend Ernie leaned over and pulled the fatta ladies dress out of the crack of her ass. I knowa that she doesn’t like that so I quickly stuffa it right back. POW!
Joe said, “Being a good Christian boy I went to church on Sunday. I listened to the priest, prayed, and sang. Sitting in front of me was this bigga fat lady. I noticed that every time this bigga fat lady stood up to sing her dress was stuck in the crack of her ass. Well like a good Christian boy I leaned over and pulled the dress outta the crack of her ass. POW! she smacked me in the face.” Joe’s co-workers were just besides themselves and heckled Joe for days. Joe just kept to his work and ignored them.
The following Monday Joe comes to the loading dock very quiet, keeping his head down. Joe’s co-workers were standing shooting the shit about what they did over the weekend. Joe usually is right with them in a spirited exchange of brags but this Monday Joe went right to his station. The co-workers began to hassle Joe and when Joe looked up he had another black-eye. Oh, this was too much for the co-workers to bare and could not pass up the opportunity to give Joe a hard time again. As usual Joe could only take so much of the unrelenting borage of teasing.
Joe said,” O.k O.K I’ma gonna tell you once and only once what happened. Being a good Christian boy I went to church on Sunday with my good friend, Ernie. We listened to the priest, prayed, and sang. Sitting in front of us was this ah same bigga fat lady. We noticed that every time this bigga fat lady stood up her dress was stuck in the crack of her ass. Wella I know that she doesn’t like it when you try to help her so I just let it alone. When I had my eyes closed singing my heart out my friend Ernie leaned over and pulled the fatta ladies dress out of the crack of her ass. I knowa that she doesn’t like that so I quickly stuffa it right back. POW!
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