I have a second blog that I started well over a year ago. I use it like an electronic journal/diary. It is 100% private and only for me. I was looking through it and found a post dated a year ago tomorrow, February 26, that I decided was fun. I have copied it below to share with the rest of the world!
"The Trees Threw Snowballs at Me!
The trees threw snowballs at me today! And the very mean trees threw ice chunks! I had these thoughts this morning as I was walking to work and the remnants of last night's storm kept falling on my head.
I began to imagine the trees as alive and mischievous; stagnant objects seeking fun in whatever way possible. Think about it. The tree is pretty and adored during the spring, summer, and fall months. We marvel at the return of life after the long winter, we bask in the shade of the full canopy during the blistering summer months, and we feel nostalgic and collegiate with the shades of orange and red during the fall. But what do we admire during the winter? During the most frigid months the tree is a bare, skeletal trace of its normal self.
Trees must feel the lack of adoration they receive during the winter months, and I'm sure they resent it. We fickle humans seem to only care for something or show it notice if we find it socially pretty. The poor tree is painfully aware of this, resulting in feelings of anger and a desire for vindication.
Hence the snow and ice throwing. In the winter months the tree has few options in its arsenal. It can either break off its own branches, tossing them on cars and in roadways. Or it can collect copious amounts of snow and ice, storing these effective weapons high above us puny humans and waiting for the perfect moment to unload on unsuspecting heads below.
I understand this and therefore was not angry this morning when time and time again snow and ice fell down upon me from the many trees next to my favorite walkway. Instead, I laughed inside and cheered on the trees. I admired the strength, the cunning, and I promised to be back in the spring, summer, and fall to admire the trees' many other assets."
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Holy flying time Batman!
Seriously. Where does it go?
I had a first-round telephone interview today with Government X in some Western state that has a lot of earthquakes.
Government X called me 5 minutes late, which freaked me out a bit. Once they did call spent 5 more minutes telling me about the program and themselves. Then they asked me 4 standard questions they are asking everyone:
1) Tell us about your personal, professional, and academic background and how they compliment each other and your ultimate goals.
2) Why are you interested in Government X?
3) This is one to test your analytical skills - Tell us about an academic or work project in which you have had to employ analytical skills, the process you used to complete the project, the general goals of the project, and the eventual outcome.
4) If we were to call your references today what would they say your strengths and weaknesses are?
Then about 5 minutes for me to ask questions and then the general end-of-conversation pleasantries. Quick and to the point.
I did alright - thank goodness I did a lot of research on Government X and am currently in Capstone so I could use my capstone project for the analytical skills question.
I'm not too impressed with them. They can't tell me what the rotation schedule and special assignments will look like until a few weeks before I would get there, if even then (i.e., there is a real possibility that one could accept the job without knowing what the heck the job actually is). When I asked the current fellows how this experience has helped them grow as a professional they hemmed and hawed and gave some nonsensical answers (to the point that the HR coordinator jumped in with, "Is any of this actually answering your question?"). No help with relocation costs either.
I will know by the end of this week if I made it through the first round. If I do, there will be a written public policy assignment. If that is satisfactory, final interviews the end of March. Offers the beginning of April.
There you have it. The story of my first interview of my current job search.
Sorry to those of you in my immediate family that already heard this story.
Love!
~g
I had a first-round telephone interview today with Government X in some Western state that has a lot of earthquakes.
Government X called me 5 minutes late, which freaked me out a bit. Once they did call spent 5 more minutes telling me about the program and themselves. Then they asked me 4 standard questions they are asking everyone:
1) Tell us about your personal, professional, and academic background and how they compliment each other and your ultimate goals.
2) Why are you interested in Government X?
3) This is one to test your analytical skills - Tell us about an academic or work project in which you have had to employ analytical skills, the process you used to complete the project, the general goals of the project, and the eventual outcome.
4) If we were to call your references today what would they say your strengths and weaknesses are?
Then about 5 minutes for me to ask questions and then the general end-of-conversation pleasantries. Quick and to the point.
I did alright - thank goodness I did a lot of research on Government X and am currently in Capstone so I could use my capstone project for the analytical skills question.
I'm not too impressed with them. They can't tell me what the rotation schedule and special assignments will look like until a few weeks before I would get there, if even then (i.e., there is a real possibility that one could accept the job without knowing what the heck the job actually is). When I asked the current fellows how this experience has helped them grow as a professional they hemmed and hawed and gave some nonsensical answers (to the point that the HR coordinator jumped in with, "Is any of this actually answering your question?"). No help with relocation costs either.
I will know by the end of this week if I made it through the first round. If I do, there will be a written public policy assignment. If that is satisfactory, final interviews the end of March. Offers the beginning of April.
There you have it. The story of my first interview of my current job search.
Sorry to those of you in my immediate family that already heard this story.
Love!
~g
Monday, February 16, 2009
Optical Reality
While walking to work today I saw something I considered rather neat but that others, judging by their reactions when I shared this event with them, found rather boring.
Two Marine helicopters with the seal of the President of the United States of America buzzing downtown Chicago and weaving among skyscrapers.
Really, how many times in your life do you get to see Presidential transportation, live and in person rather than on film? Especially the Marine helicopters. Motorcade? Fine. Air Force One? OK, fairly recognizable although very off-limits. Marine helicopters in downtown Chicago? Pretty darn neat!
Caveat - If you live in Washington, D.C. your chances of seeing all three of the aforementioned modes of Presidential transportation greatly increases.
Caveat 2 - Chicago residents' chances of all three sightings also just greatly increased.
That's all. Just want to share and document an event I found fairly cool.
Love!
~g
Two Marine helicopters with the seal of the President of the United States of America buzzing downtown Chicago and weaving among skyscrapers.
Really, how many times in your life do you get to see Presidential transportation, live and in person rather than on film? Especially the Marine helicopters. Motorcade? Fine. Air Force One? OK, fairly recognizable although very off-limits. Marine helicopters in downtown Chicago? Pretty darn neat!
Caveat - If you live in Washington, D.C. your chances of seeing all three of the aforementioned modes of Presidential transportation greatly increases.
Caveat 2 - Chicago residents' chances of all three sightings also just greatly increased.
That's all. Just want to share and document an event I found fairly cool.
Love!
~g
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Nothing New
I have not written in over a week because there is nothing new to report. I am, and will remain, quite busy with school and work and voluntary commitments. I find that, although I am not in class three nights a week this semester, I am more mentally taxed than in past semesters and am in need of my weekends to recover. I am taking many more naps during the weekends than in past semesters.
The Capstone project is progressing well, after hitting a bit of a wall a few weeks back. It seems CPS and my group had two different visions for the deliverable (or, in CPS's case, 6 different visions), but the table of contents we recently sent for comments was returned with much praise and only a few minor suggestions. Yayy!!
I spent the day of love alone today, doing the only thing a single woman can: researching on the Internet while watching the Bourne trilogy. Nothing says "Love" more than boring tasks, thrilling chases, and more dead bodies than I know how to count. It is truly amazing to me those movies are only PG-13. Amazing and awesome.
I continue to be very happy with my new iPod, Nan. 1832 songs and some kick-butt games. Another significant purchase, in the form of running shoes, is in my very near future. My current pair are now a little over 3 years old and can no longer handle the amount of shock absorption that I need them to handle. My exercise class takes place majorly on a 40+ year old rubber track that now has the give of mountain rock. I walk away from each class feeling as if all of the little bones in my feet have been broken, and it takes me all of the remaining week to recover only to go back and go through it all again. I know that is not healthy for my feet or my body as a whole, and will be rectifying the situation soon.
A month from today Mom will be in the city, hanging with me and watching them dye the river green for St. Patrick's day. I am expecting lots of fun.
I have posted some ads for a summer sublet and am beginning the process of once again picking up my life. I do not know where I am going, but I am not searching for anything here. Come graduation I will hopefully move to a new job or move home to continue the job search rent-free. No offense to Mom, but I am praying for the former.
That's about all. For fun, and to continue the "What are you listening to these days" family exchange, I have stolen a quirky thing from Facebook and posted it below, with my answers.
Love to everyone!
~g
So here's how it works...
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle (Mine is always on shuffle)
3. Press play
4. For the first question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button TWICE.
6. Write down the title of the song - no matter how weird or silly it may be)
1. Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill - How The Grinch Stole Christmas Soundtrack
2. Wait - Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstacy Album
3. Mango Story - David Wilcox - East Ashville Hardware Album
4. The Cowboy Song - Sting - Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994 Album
5. So Long Jimmy - James Blunt - Unknown Album
6. Sara Beth - Rascal Flatts - Feels Like Today Album
7. Let Go - Frou Frou - Garden State Original Soundtrack
8. Saints and Sailors - Dashboard Confessional - Unknown Album
9. #1 Crush - Garbage - Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack
10. Straw Dog - Something Corporate - Ready . . . Break Album
11. Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar - Best Shots Album
12. Life Giver - Lawrence Laughing & Joanne Shenadoah - Emerging Power Album
13. Do You Know What It Takes - Robyn - Unknown Album
14. Somewhere Other Than The Night - Garth Brooks - The Chase Album
15. Track 7 - Enya - Unknown Album
16. John Doe No. 24 - Mary Chapin Carpenter - Stones in the Road Album (if you don't know this one you should! Amazing acoustic melody and story that captures the mind and wrenches the heart)
17. Late for Your Life - Mary Chapin Carpenter - Time*Sex*Love Album (one of Dad's favorites)
18. X-ray Eyes - Guster - Goldfly Album
19. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel - Unknown Album (unless the album is Bridge Over Troubled Water)
20. Hold On - Wilson Phillips - Unknown Album
Honorable Mentions:
Girls Like Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter
Life In a Northern Town - Dream Academy
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve Pipe
Right Now - Van Halen
Fields of Gold - Nadine Coyle (Dad, try to find this version! I think it is from a series called "Girls Aloud". It is amazing)
Mary's Eyes - Gaelic Storm
The Change - Garth Brooks
We Can Get There - Mary Griffin
Don't Let Go - Bryan Adams featuring Sarah McLachlan - Spirit Soundtrack (all of the songs for this animated movie were fantastic. Bryan Adams did nearly every song. I highly recommend checking out the soundtrack. The full movie title is "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron")
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies (Christmas is all seasons for me)
Let it never be said I can't appreciate all different types of music! My tastes truly are eclectic, although some genres I do prefer more than others. I tend to gravitate toward soft melodies, preferably acoustic, and lyrics that tell a story or say something meaningful. I do love the sound of a piano with an electric guitar though!
The Capstone project is progressing well, after hitting a bit of a wall a few weeks back. It seems CPS and my group had two different visions for the deliverable (or, in CPS's case, 6 different visions), but the table of contents we recently sent for comments was returned with much praise and only a few minor suggestions. Yayy!!
I spent the day of love alone today, doing the only thing a single woman can: researching on the Internet while watching the Bourne trilogy. Nothing says "Love" more than boring tasks, thrilling chases, and more dead bodies than I know how to count. It is truly amazing to me those movies are only PG-13. Amazing and awesome.
I continue to be very happy with my new iPod, Nan. 1832 songs and some kick-butt games. Another significant purchase, in the form of running shoes, is in my very near future. My current pair are now a little over 3 years old and can no longer handle the amount of shock absorption that I need them to handle. My exercise class takes place majorly on a 40+ year old rubber track that now has the give of mountain rock. I walk away from each class feeling as if all of the little bones in my feet have been broken, and it takes me all of the remaining week to recover only to go back and go through it all again. I know that is not healthy for my feet or my body as a whole, and will be rectifying the situation soon.
A month from today Mom will be in the city, hanging with me and watching them dye the river green for St. Patrick's day. I am expecting lots of fun.
I have posted some ads for a summer sublet and am beginning the process of once again picking up my life. I do not know where I am going, but I am not searching for anything here. Come graduation I will hopefully move to a new job or move home to continue the job search rent-free. No offense to Mom, but I am praying for the former.
That's about all. For fun, and to continue the "What are you listening to these days" family exchange, I have stolen a quirky thing from Facebook and posted it below, with my answers.
Love to everyone!
~g
So here's how it works...
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle (Mine is always on shuffle)
3. Press play
4. For the first question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button TWICE.
6. Write down the title of the song - no matter how weird or silly it may be)
1. Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill - How The Grinch Stole Christmas Soundtrack
2. Wait - Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Towards Ecstacy Album
3. Mango Story - David Wilcox - East Ashville Hardware Album
4. The Cowboy Song - Sting - Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994 Album
5. So Long Jimmy - James Blunt - Unknown Album
6. Sara Beth - Rascal Flatts - Feels Like Today Album
7. Let Go - Frou Frou - Garden State Original Soundtrack
8. Saints and Sailors - Dashboard Confessional - Unknown Album
9. #1 Crush - Garbage - Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack
10. Straw Dog - Something Corporate - Ready . . . Break Album
11. Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar - Best Shots Album
12. Life Giver - Lawrence Laughing & Joanne Shenadoah - Emerging Power Album
13. Do You Know What It Takes - Robyn - Unknown Album
14. Somewhere Other Than The Night - Garth Brooks - The Chase Album
15. Track 7 - Enya - Unknown Album
16. John Doe No. 24 - Mary Chapin Carpenter - Stones in the Road Album (if you don't know this one you should! Amazing acoustic melody and story that captures the mind and wrenches the heart)
17. Late for Your Life - Mary Chapin Carpenter - Time*Sex*Love Album (one of Dad's favorites)
18. X-ray Eyes - Guster - Goldfly Album
19. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel - Unknown Album (unless the album is Bridge Over Troubled Water)
20. Hold On - Wilson Phillips - Unknown Album
Honorable Mentions:
Girls Like Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter
Life In a Northern Town - Dream Academy
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve Pipe
Right Now - Van Halen
Fields of Gold - Nadine Coyle (Dad, try to find this version! I think it is from a series called "Girls Aloud". It is amazing)
Mary's Eyes - Gaelic Storm
The Change - Garth Brooks
We Can Get There - Mary Griffin
Don't Let Go - Bryan Adams featuring Sarah McLachlan - Spirit Soundtrack (all of the songs for this animated movie were fantastic. Bryan Adams did nearly every song. I highly recommend checking out the soundtrack. The full movie title is "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron")
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Barenaked Ladies (Christmas is all seasons for me)
Let it never be said I can't appreciate all different types of music! My tastes truly are eclectic, although some genres I do prefer more than others. I tend to gravitate toward soft melodies, preferably acoustic, and lyrics that tell a story or say something meaningful. I do love the sound of a piano with an electric guitar though!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Broke Down
My iPod is pretty much beyond saving. Mini and I had a good run, but it's time for me to move on.
That being said, I have been watching sale ads for about a month now and doing some online comparisons. I decided to stay with the iPod simply because I think Apple does MP3 players the best. While I will never own an Apple computer I am devoted to the iPod.
The Staples near me had a good deal this week so I decided it was time to upgrade. For only $10 (after rebates) more than normal retail I got:
Yayy for no more death songs on my Mini!
Love!
~g
That being said, I have been watching sale ads for about a month now and doing some online comparisons. I decided to stay with the iPod simply because I think Apple does MP3 players the best. While I will never own an Apple computer I am devoted to the iPod.
The Staples near me had a good deal this week so I decided it was time to upgrade. For only $10 (after rebates) more than normal retail I got:
- An 8 gig iPod Nano in silver
- A protective sleeve
- 4 screen protectors
- An audio splitter
- A car charger
- A wall charger
- A radio tuner
Yayy for no more death songs on my Mini!
Love!
~g
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
One for you, Dad
For lunch today I had a sandwich that was oh-so-very bad for me and yet oh-so-yummy.
From a Ma & Pop Italian restaurant near my college (seriously, Ma and Pop take the orders and hand over the food) I had a meatball sandwich. Everything was homemade... fresh meatballs, zesty tomato sauce from scratch, on a 3" roll of focaccia bread that was baked this morning, and covered in melted mozarella.
I went in with a woman from the college that I know well and who is apparently well-known by Ma and Pop. Ma was so excited to see friends (i.e. me) of this woman that I got treated royally. While we waited for our sandwiches Pop shoved little containers of fresh (made this morning!) chicken pasta salad at us to try. I smiled and called him sir as I thanked him and that earned me my sandwich quicker that what it would have been since Pop stopped taking orders and went back to wrap and get my food himself. The pasta salad, by-the-way, was also fantastic.
There are some things I am going to miss about the city!
Love!
~g
From a Ma & Pop Italian restaurant near my college (seriously, Ma and Pop take the orders and hand over the food) I had a meatball sandwich. Everything was homemade... fresh meatballs, zesty tomato sauce from scratch, on a 3" roll of focaccia bread that was baked this morning, and covered in melted mozarella.
I went in with a woman from the college that I know well and who is apparently well-known by Ma and Pop. Ma was so excited to see friends (i.e. me) of this woman that I got treated royally. While we waited for our sandwiches Pop shoved little containers of fresh (made this morning!) chicken pasta salad at us to try. I smiled and called him sir as I thanked him and that earned me my sandwich quicker that what it would have been since Pop stopped taking orders and went back to wrap and get my food himself. The pasta salad, by-the-way, was also fantastic.
There are some things I am going to miss about the city!
Love!
~g
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