An open narrative about rejection

I saw the opportunity and thought how amazing would that be. I might as well try because what can it hurt?

I got an e-mail, they would like to talk. My heart fluttered, I might be someone they would be interested in. We talk, its normal. My hope begins to climb, its a slow start up to the overlook of what could be. Anticipation for much too long. My mind begins to reason with my legs. "Legs stop climbing" my mind says. My legs slow but are still climbing.

Another e-mail, they liked what they heard and want to conduct a first interview. I do a few cartwheels towards that overlook and my legs resume normal pace. My mind jumps in and begins to think about all the logistics, I look down and see how much progress I have made towards that overlook. SLOW DOWN, my mind  instructs. I am easily not the most qualified. I prep, I pace, we talk. Critical reflection for much too long. My legs stop my mind questions so many things I did wrong. But, maybe, it might be my opportunity and my legs begin inching me along. My phone rings, they would like to meet me on Skype.

A jump, a jog, I create a 5 tab plan for the Skype interview through my first 90 days. I begin to look at rooms for rent, I can see the overlook, its close, I could sit there for a few moments and be part of it. My head chimes in a few times a day, remember you could easily not be the one. So my brain plans that its a 50/50, my legs do slow but continue moving at a chipper pace.

It happens we see each other virtually. I am well prepared, things go well. I am not a great judge of self performance. three days of replay. My heat decides that were going full force towards the overlook. My mind has a hard time convincing even its self.

A call, this could be it. Were calling this a failed search and will be position again. I trip and begin to roll off the overlooks cliff. I am grabbing at grass, save face, be gracious, get the feedback, say things that will make them like you even though this went poorly.  And as i fall off my brain is working to save my heart.

The answer: me

Volunteering as a Career Builder Toolkit

An amazing resource that I need to keep for latter use!

Volunteering as a Career Builder
Volunteer Center United Way of Central Indiana
3901 N. Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46208
volunteer@uwci.org
317.921.1271

The Volunteering as a Career Builder Toolkit is designed to help those who seek to engage in
volunteering as a means to strategically advance their careers, build skills, and create more
meaningful experiences. This guide is a series of practical tools, exercises and examples that
will help you evaluate, communicate, and seek volunteer opportunities that will help advance
your professional goals. The activities in the toolkit build on each other but may be used
independently as desired. This toolkit has been designed for:

 Career starters – individuals who have recently graduated high school or college,
individuals starting a career for the first time or those who are returning to a career after
a long break
 Career changers – individuals who are seeking to shift or change their careers and need
to develop new skills or competencies to make themselves more marketable
 Recently unemployed – individuals who have lost their jobs and are seeking ways to
stand out from other candidates, maintain existing skills or make connections to new
careers
 Skill builders – individuals who wish to build or enhance professional skills and
competencies through volunteer service for personal or professional benefit
 Volunteer managers – nonprofit staff who manage volunteers and are interested in
assisting them build career skills through volunteering


Find it at: http://www.uwci.org/files/file/volunteerism-as-career-builder-toolkit-for-volunteers.pdf

Someone Is Going To Die Out On The Roads Up Here . . .

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Jim Fuglie

Somehow, yesterday, when I posted my Weekenders report on this blog, I missed the second half of an e-mail sent to me by a Williston friend. I feel badly, because the most poignant parts were missing. So I’m going to reprint his e-mail in its entirety today. Here it is. There’s nothing I could add to this that would make his point any more effectively.

Here is the problem—-far too many things do not get reported.  We hear of all these sexual assaults but never read a word about it.  People know it is happening.  Talk to any person that works at social services about what they now see happening in the community.  Never a word is printed.  All of the assaults and fights with injuries—old news that is not worth printing anymore.  Fights every weekend at bars that require medical services.  A huge number of “hit and runs” HUGE number, Huge.  Never a word. 

Out of state license plates are everywhere.  Drive through any apartment parking lot and it is all out of state.  My neighbors still have WA plates after 15 months—and those are expired.  A huge percentage of workers that can’t pass a drug test with one company, but are hired by another. There are a lot of people that believe the city wants a lot of things kept quiet as to not alarm people, but also not to let too many negative things out there.  We all know many of our “city fathers” and local politicians are making a ton of money as long as this continues.

Then there are the everyday issues.  Try to get any type of medical treatment. Hope you do not have an accident because the body shops are 2 to 3 months out. Oil change, a couple weeks wait.  Motel rooms are non-existent.  Families that have some sort of tragedy and have relatives come, no place for them to stay—makes for a pleasant experience when they have to pile in a relative’s house and sleep on the floor the night before a funeral.  Day to day life is like no place else.   We sure are glad our state has a surplus. 

I would like to see our state politicians come to Williston on their own dime, find their own lodging, need some medical care, and have a car problem.  Not be shuttled around by the mayor and council.  Oh, and when they are driving they can see the nasty looking mancamps, the disgusting disregard for how our landscape has been trashed, trucks everywhere, the 350 vehicles they will meet between Alexander and Williston which is 24 miles.  We never see a deer or pheasant anymore.  Stories from drivers that have a contest to see just how many deer they can hit. Destroyed roads.  The land has been destroyed–it is not the scenic place it has been for ages.  Sad. 

Worst of all, snow today and tomorrow, which means someone is going to die out on the roads up here.

Wish this kind of stuff would make the Herald but do not expect that to happen.  Surplus is good for some, but the impact sure is expensive.  

Finding those voices more inline with my own ... http://theprairieblog.areavoices.com/2011/12/29/someone-is-going-to-die-out-on-the-roads-up-here/