So here I am. 38 years old. It seems so odd to think of myself as “old” but let’s face it: I’m not young any more.
I’m not exactly svelte anymore either. Bean Sprout told me yesterday that I was “putting on a little weight” when I grabbed two blueberry muffins. These weren’t the giant, cannibals-would-confuse-them-with-human-heads muffins. Regular muffins. He tried to make me feel better by saying at one point, he was up to 200 pounds. Must be hell.
Beezlebubba threw a hissy fit over his passwords again. There has to be a way for better user security, but how the hell did someone get to his point in life being absolutely clueless about the basics of using a computer? I’ll bet Snowflake doesn’t have these problems.
One of my 101 goals to complete in 1001 days is to spend concentrated time each month on organization. I feel this unusual need to organize and simplify my life. I am not a domesticated housewife by any means, but perhaps because I spend so much time here now I feel like I want control over my space. Additionally, I think I have learned to live on a whole lot less and I don’t have the need for the excess purchases from years ago.
Along with being an organizational project this will also be an emotional project for me. I grew up with parents with a net worth over $1M, but we lived like paupers. I bet I wore the same hand-me-down-shirt to school 2 out of 5 days because I didn’t have other options. My jeans (as in singular pair of jeans) were always several inches too short. I was lucky if I had one decent pair of sneakers. My winter coat was always 5-10 years old, as most of my clothing options were because those were the cousins I would get hand-me-downs from. When I was very young I didn’t know the difference. But it is not a good thing to be different in anyway when you are an elementary aged child.
I can remember in about fifth grade being teased about my clothing by sixth graders in the hallways. It made me conscious of the fact that my coat was ugly, my pants were ready for the flood, or that we were supposedly poor.
I began babysitting and most of my money went toward either clothing or shoes. My first real job was when I was a sophomore in high school at a clothing store. Do you see where there may have been some security issues with clothing? Letting go of excess clothing will restore some balance to my life. I can contribute my “letting go” of objects such as clothing due to finally feeling comfortable in my lifestyle. I think I can let go of a lot because I know that if I really want or need something I am financially secure enough to be able to purchase it or that I am smart enough to “make it work” as Tim Gunn from Project Runway would say.
Through a wordpress.com blog that I randomly happened upon a few nights ago I ran across a book review that subsequently resulted in a purchase from Barnes and Noble. In the book Unclutter Your Life in One Week (2009), Erin Rooney Doland suggests starting your home organization projects in areas that you will see on a regular daily basis so can immediately appreciate the benefits of organization. She suggests areas such as bedroom closets, work desks, or home entrances as great first organization projects. If there is one major downfall of our home, it is the lack of adequate storage space. Being truthful, it is also my lack of utilizing the space we currently have as efficiently as possible.
I am choosing to tackle my husband and my closet, clothing, and shoes as my first project. Now that I no longer work outside of the home, I have a wordrobe of used clothing that could be donated to Goodwill or Salvation Army for someone who will use it, rather than it sit in a storage tote under my bed. I will keep several key pieces of work clothing such as three suits, 3 shells, and maybe an expensive piece or two that I am not willing to part with. Other than that, it is my goal to donate the rest of my work clothing. Wish me luck! This will be very difficult for me to let such a huge part of my wardrobe (and former life) go.
Casual clothing is another area that needs to be reevaluated. I consider casual clothing as articles that are everyday or out to see friends or dinner. Basically non-work clothing. This area seems to be out of control because I have not changed sized since I stopped growing in high school. That means I haven’t grown out of anything unless I have grown out of the style. I am also sentimental and some outfits trigger memories of where I wore it or where I’ve been in the article of clothing. Author Erin Rooney Doland made a great suggestion for letting go of emotional pieces. She recommends taking a digital picture (and backing that up) of the emotional object. It is true that what I like the most about certain pieces is the memories that they trigger and the same effect could be achieved by an electronic album especially when it comes to clothing.
Another note about my casual clothing is that I almost always go for key pieces or newer pieces. There are so many old outfits I will never wear again simply because I know I have a better option. It is time to let all those extra pieces go! I also hope to maintain a streamlined closet by following the one in, one out rule. If I make a purchase of a new casual piece I expect to get rid of a piece in my closet. That will be a toughie and I know I won’t always follow the rule, but I am going to give it a go!
I haven’t decided about workout clothing. Here is a fact: I rarely work out. But sometimes I do get on a health kick and give it a go for a week to a month. This is an area I can’t make any promises. But what I will do is take all keepers out of my main closet and move those to the tote under the bed. That seems like a reasonable compromise, right?
Shoes will be the hardest of all. Almost all of my shoes are at the very least $100+ investments and it will be so difficult to part with those I haven’t worn in the past year. Plus I have so many colors and styles that I don’t want to purge any pair that I feel I may regret. There is something about a fabulous pair of heels that makes me feel like a million bucks, probably psychologically linked to my semi-damaged childhood. Shallow, I know, but the truth none the less. My goal is small but something I hope to acheive. I want to part with 10 pairs tomorrow. My first thought was I would be lucky if I could get rid of 5. But I thought back to my casual clothing; there is always a newer pair or a key pair that I almost always go for. I need to let go of some of my shoes. This will be hard but it will significantly organize and unclutter my home.
Now it is time for a good night’s sleep because I’ve quite the emotional task tomorrow. I hope to report to you with news of success, and maybe even a downloaded photo of my new organized closet.
Although I involved myself in some non-book work today, it hasn’t been far from my mind. In fact, I’ve put together a nice outline for the book proposal, if I do say so myself. Ha! It is turning into a wonderful experience. I love that with every word written, note taken, interview transcribed, chapters are springing to life. Authoring a book length work has turned into creating a series of essays that weave together and connect information to make up one larger body of work. As a short story and essay writer, as well as a former journalist, my training is such that I say a lot in as few words as possible, thus putting tremendous weight on each word, sentence, and paragraph. When Mike initially approached me about collaborating on Anything But Ordinary: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives, I thought this tightness would work against me; however, it is actually working to my advantage and is also keeping my voice and style in a comfortable place. Bonus!
I’ve divided the proposal into a few sections, each tackling a different aspect of the book. Again, this organization has made the work more pleasurable and less taxing. Seriously, the last thing a creative writer wants or needs is to follow a pre-fab proposal format. I have, of course, been influenced by Cricket Freeman’s article, “Nonfiction Book Proposals: Make Your Proposal Stand Out,” which is found in the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents (19th Annual Edition), published by F+W Media, Inc. Ms. Freeman is very detailed and specific when discussing the changing trends in publishing, as well as how to put together a kick-butt proposal that goes the extra mile. Ultimately, that is my goal. I am not someone who does only what it takes to get by, I’m always running beyond the finish line. This trait has served me well in my personal and professional life.
Overall, I’d say this day was pretty great. I take pride in the fact that I have an organized creative process that allows me to avoid that mind-numbing paralysis that often happens to writers who are easily distracted and overwhelmed. Yay me!
I’ve recently wrote a post regarding my hardships on finding a legitimate job and on top of that, working for a company that I’m passionate about. Please let me give you an example of what I consider… not legitimate.
From Jennifer Sparks
Reply-to jennifer.sparks102@gmail.com
To jowens89 [at] gmail [dot] com
Date Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 5:14 AM
Subject HR Department for Jessica Owens
Dear Jessica Owens
Our HR Department has encountered your contact details for future employment consideration. The position available with our Organization is an administrative position allowing employees to work out of their home or home office. This Online Vacancy pays the employee a salary of $2,000 per month. After a period of no less than 1 year employees will be eligible for advancement to open staff positions.
Can You: Work 3 – 5 hours Each Week? Afford an extra $2,000 Monthly? Submit Daily Updates Via Email? Visit The Post Office Twice Weekly? Purchase Items at Your Local Store? Complete Online Training Courses? Company Background: Our Company specializes in the rehabilitation and nourishment of Global Economies worldwide. We develop and implement solutions that have an overall positive affect on Global Economy.
Job Function: The Online Managers basic duties will be to purchase necessary items for the Company in their local area. The manager will then ship the items to a domestic shipping agent within the United States. The agent will never incur any out of pocket cost or expense. Any and all funds to fulfill duties will be provided to the manager in advance.
Requirements: 21 years and older, Reside within the United States, Credit Score of 600 or higher, Computer with Internet Access, Local transportation, and Cell Phone or Home Phone. If you currently work full time or part time you can still apply for this job. We can adjust to your current work or college school schedule. Compensation & Benefits: Guaranteed $2,000 monthly salary, full health & dental (after 6 month trial period), 1-month paid vacation each year, and Company provided life insurance.
Apply Today: Vacancy is limited. Interested applicants should ACT NOW. Respond with your full name, address, contact number, and the reason why you think you would be a great candidate for this position. A member of management will then contact you with more information. It is very important that you respond with all of the above information or you may not be considered for employment.
Important Notice: We are proud to be among the Companies who operate their business affairs Online. We invite you to share the experience of how employment will be for nearly all jobs in the future.
Please note this is a legitimate offer for employment. Do not reply if you are not seriously ready to begin working immediately. We use an Employment Agency to prevent SPAM and non interesting offers for employment. Company details will be provided after your interest is confirmed.
I completely classify this as NOT A LEGITIMATE JOB. They even say right in the email in the last paragraph that this note is a legitimate offer for employment so what makes me think it isn’t?
Aside from the obvious fact that this is a make-money-at-home offer, I can’t check out the company unless I try to search the email address or the woman’s name who contacted me. And when I did Google her name and/or email address, I literally only received 3 results with little or no information indicating the person or the company contacting me.
Secondly, I wasn’t able to tell where she got my contact information. Perhaps if it was from a recommendation or a mutual colleague, I would have been much more inclined to respond. Buuuuut… She didn’t. So I’m not.
Final decision. Not Legit.
Coincidentally, I had a second job offer when I woke up this morning…
This particular job offer contained the web address of the company I was being asked to work for. He gave examples of my blog posts and explained why he thought I would be a great candidate for his company. His website was very plain but gave some credentials, a photo, and examples of where his work has been posted. He was fairly candid but also didn’t explain where he got my contact information.
It seemed potentially legitimate so I responded to his email, even though I’m not convinced that it is something golden at this point.
There are clear cut signs on what isn’t a legitimate company to work for, but it begins to slowly become a gray area from there. Just like a job seeker is offering recommendations to potential employers, companies that are start-ups looking for volunteer interns, such as this particular offer, needs to do the same. He obviously isn’t going to pay me, or if he is, it will be a very insignificant amount. He’s in need of my services just as I’m in need for a good job. Employers in this situation need to be just as candid as those seeking a good position at a good (legitimate) company.
Inside Out, presenter of the annual Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival, is seeking a creative, dynamic and enthusiastic Festival Assistant to assist the Manager of Operations with managing the daily operations of the organization and its initiatives for the 2010 Festival. The Festival Assistant position reports to the Manager of Operations. Responsibilities:
• Outreach and co-ordination of community sponsors
• Co-ordinate office volunteers including: overseeing staff needs, recruitment, orientation, scheduling and appreciation
• Assists Manager of Operations in the coordination of Special events
• Assist with office systems management (phones, computers, printer, fax)
• General office administration including: annual Inside Out archives, oversee office supply/stationary ordering, etc.
• Coordinates and distributes all internal communications including staff meeting agendas, meeting minutes, general office communications and during the Festival, daily staff memos.
Requirements Experience:
• Previous administrative experience is required
• Experience working in the non-profit arts sector
• Previous marketing and promotion experience
• Previous experience working for a film festival
Skills:
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent computer skills (Mac environment) and knowledge of software programs including Microsoft Office (including Excel and Word), FileMaker Pro, Photoshop
• Ability to work to strict deadlines
Additional Information
Term of Contract: This is a fulltime contract position beginning January 25, 2010 and continuing through to June 4, 2010.
Remuneration: $450 per week
Deadline for Applications: Friday January 8, 2010
Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter, indicating where you saw the posting, to:
Email: inside@insideout.ca or Fax: 416.977.8025
Please put “Festival Assistant Position” in the subject line of the email.
Inside Out is committed to access and equity, which includes a commitment to achieve diversity among its staff, board and other volunteers. We encourage applicants who reflect the broad diversity of the LGBT communities and communities that we work with, in particular those who are members of the Aboriginal, ethnoracial and trans communities.
For more information, please visit http://www.insideout.ca.
AVG Free provides the bare necessities when it comes to security, but that should be enough for savvy Windows users. You’ll get a combined antivirus and antimalware engine, LinkScanner, and e-mail scanning. AVG Free 9 introduces a few new features, with improvements focused on performance, including claims of faster scan and boot times. One new feature is the Identity Theft Recovery Unit. Only for users in the United States, ITRU is a business partnership with Identity Guard which provides “consumer identity theft solutions,” accessible only from the AVG toolbar in Firefox and Internet Explorer.
The interface is nearly unchanged from the last version, and generally it’s easy to use. From the main window, though, you must double-click to get further information on any feature, whether virus scanning, LinkScanner settings, or updating. Streamlining this to one click would be helpful. A scheduling utility automates both scans and updates, while the upgrade ad at the screen’s bottom can be easily hidden using the Hide Notification button. When starting a scan, a slider makes it easy to jump between Slow, Automatic, and Fast scans: the faster the scan, the less comprehensive it is, so users should take advantage of the scan optimization that is recommended during installation to speed up that first scan. A progress meter for regular scans would’ve been useful, though. Should a virus create serious problems, AVG creates a rescue disk to scan your computer in MS-DOS mode.
The LinkScanner feature protects you from third-party code exploits before they load in your browser and for ranking search results. Annoyingly, when you install its optional toolbar, it commandeers your new-tab page, decidedly inappropriate behavior. The program doesn’t obviously tax your system when scanning or when running in the background, although CNET Labs determined that it will significantly slow down your system’s boot time, and slightly delay shutting down. AVG also detected some image files as threats, when two other scans decided they weren’t–we decided these were false positives. AVG might not be the fastest or the most effective free security option, but it still gets the job done and you’re better off with it.
Publisher’s description
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is an anti-virus protection tool available free of charge to home users. Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability.
The new 9.0 edition is faster, safer and easier to use. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition gives you free rock solid protection for your basic security needs. The combined anti-virus/anti-spyware scanner in AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition runs up to 50% faster than earlier versions and doesn’t get in your way. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition also delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques, which can quickly and accurately determine whether or not a web page is hosting a phishing attack. Additionally, version 9.0 comes with basic anti-rootkit protection to ensure protection against sophisticated hidden threats.
CNET Editor’s Note:
The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download.
To learn more about AVG products and to ask questions and receive answers from AVG company representatives, please visit CNET’s dedicated AVG Forum.
What’s new in this version:
Version 9.0 runs and installs faster, delivers new anti-phishing detection techniques and introduces the AVG LinkScanner to proactively screen the Web pages you haven’t even visited yet. For added peace of mind, you also get safety ratings for your Google, Yahoo! and Bing/MSN search results.
If you have a job, you probably have a job description. This allows your manager to keep you centered on the tasks which are vital to maintaining a mission-centric focus for your forward-looking organization. It is also useful when your manager wants to evaluate you, discipline you, or assign you a completely random task which is justified by the phrase “additional duties as required.” (Kind of like TV game shows where the points are tripled in the last round making all of the rounds that come before mere window dressing.)
We need job descriptions, though, because modern jobs are so complex. In the early days of humanity, the typical job description for a hunter/gatherer would have read:
Hunt
Gather
Unless, of course, the human resources cave had gotten wind of the fact that the hunter/gatherer group wasn’t following tribe policy in regards to using fully-formed, ISO 9000-compliant job descriptions. Then the manager over the hunter/gatherers would have had to get out his tablet and chisel and come up with something a little more robust.
Job Title: Hunter/Gatherer
Job Focus: Provide food for tribe members using accepted hunting and gathering techniques in a manner consistent with the standards established by industry norms.
Job Qualifications:
Significant experience as a member of a tribe-sustaining hunter/gatherer team, preferably in a harsh climate.
Proven record of accomplishment at killing medium-to-large game animals with primitive tools.
Advanced knowledge of hunting and gathering techniques; Masters degree preferred but not required.
Job Duties:
Communicate effectively with individuals at all levels of the tribe including the Chief’s cave.
Demonstrate effective teamwork skills with other members of the hunter/gatherer operating group to include working effectively in close quarters with stone-tipped spears and sharpened stone axes.
Identify, develop and evaluate hunting strategy based on knowledge of established tribe objectives, regional characteristics, and dietary needs of tribe members.
Coordinate and participate in the distribution of food to tribe members.
Additional duties as assigned.
Under this description, the poor hunter/gatherer would be so busy communicating, demonstrating, identifying and coordinating that he’d never have time to actually get food for the tribe. When he sat down with his manager — the Director of Tribal Resource Gathering and Dissemination — the conversation wouldn’t go well.
“Well Thag,” the Director of Tribal Resource Gathering and Dissemination would say, “You missed your quarterly target for the total amount of food gathered for the tribe. Can you explain that?”
Thag would think, Ugh! How could he possibly be expected to find time to hunt and gather and serve on the Tribal Color Scheme Steering Committee, Chair the Standards Compliance Team and head up the intra-cave softball tournament. Besides, didn’t upper management understand that someone with his skills and talents would be severely underutilized as a mere hunter/gatherer?
Had early humans actually used modern job descriptions, mankind would probably have starved to death centuries ago. Womankind, on the other hand, would have seen that mankind was being aggressively stupid and would have solved the problem herself. Most likely, mankind probably would have included her accomplishments in the quarterly report, but at least the tribe would have gotten fed.
Another reason the ancients didn’t need job descriptions is because they didn’t have to worry about salary and benefits. Do you think that the guys who built the pyramids had health insurance and a pension plan? A typical job description for them would probably have included phrases like “must be able to shoulder heavy loads while being whipped repeatedly,” “must be skilled at chiseling stone,” and “additional duties as required.”
The salary and benefits part would have said, “all meals provided by Pharaoh, no special diets permitted,” “living space in slave quarters provided free of charge,” and “cost of drinking water will be deducted from the employee’s salary.”
Fortunately, in these more enlightened times, salary and benefits statements tend to be along the lines of “compensation commensurate with employee qualifications,” “generous travel allowance for qualified applicants,” and “all employees are expected to contribute to the office coffee fund.”
The one thing you’re not likely to find in a modern job description is a truly honest picture of what your job will be like. Let’s say that you work as an administrative assistant. Your job description will probably be full of phrases like “create and modify documents using standard office software,” “coordinate the manager’s schedule,” “assist in implementation of company policy,” and “additional duties as required.” In truth, you’ll find yourself “writing memos for the boss when he gets too busy to do it himself,” “covering for the boss when he’s late … again,” “enforcing company rules even when they don’t make sense to you,” and “pretty much holding the company together with your bare hands.”
Job descriptions that honest are tough to come by. Which is probably why we don’t have job descriptions for family members. After all, who’d ever want to be a parent if they really understood what it involved.
Job Focus: Provide food, shelter, love and guidance for one or more young humans for a period of not less than eighteen years.
Job Qualifications:
Ability to look at random blobs of finger paint, crayon or other artistic media and discern that the purple blob is Daddy and the yellow blob is Mommy.
Ability to make appropriately sympathetic noises for every skinned knee and bruised elbow.
Ability to remain calm and supportive in the face of genuine injuries including bleeding head wounds and compound fractures.
Ability to endure school plays, concerts and recitals in which your child is clearly the only one with talent.
Ability to love your children enough to let them go when the job is finished.
As for salary and benefits … parenting is a job you pay to do, but the benefits speak for themselves.
