ouch

best job? (via
http://adamiss.tumblr.com/post/308045108/the-butthead-who-won-that-insane-get-paid-100k)
‘Best Job’ Winner Stung By Venomous Jellyfish http://www.buzzfeed.com/yahoo/best-job-winner-stung-by-dangerous-jellyfish/

job [in] security

via a colleague's twitter post:

http://www.theawl.com/2009/12/the-end-of-the-00s-top-10-jobs-i-lost-this-decade-failing-up-sometimes-but-mostly-sideways-by-jackson-west
this an account of 10 lost jobs by someone with real skills.

one despairs.

(one could)

lunch

lovely lunch with a coworker who moved from one office to another, but still within our shop. and her son.
we talk a little bit about The Worry, but mostly we have lunch.

it's nice

later, though, later. again, in tears in my office, on the treadmill, in my house.

one grows so very very weary.

there's work

and there's work
and there's granola.
consider this: http://providencegranola.blogspot.com/2009/12/gone-fishin-but-still-tickin.html

asylum

a friend, a colleague has, for months, been working with a refugee woman from Mali on an asylum case.
I'm one of many people who have also been part of this process, but my friend and this woman have bled tears. Our friend from Mali has suffered unspeakably.

this morning she and her daughters and son and husband were granted asylum and never have to go to Mali. Can't go to Mali.
Don't want to go there.

She and her husband can work. Their son can go to community college as an actual in-state student.

watching the prosecutor (from homeland security), the lawyer for my friend and the judge each perform their job, part performance, part for the record, part miracle part justice done.

small justice. huge injury already done. a chance for something else; surely something better for her children.

for that, much gratitude.

and for my own job, for this moment, for its own learning and teaching and for the small ability to help pay for this lawyer whose work escorts justice across the tiny hearing room.

The Jobless, in their own words

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/12/14/us/poll-unemployment.html?hp&hp?hp

at the New York Times

work

generally one wishes to maintain one's employment

some days maybe not so much, but more than not.

Did I learn anything today at work?
Yes, I did.

Is anyone's life better because I went to work?
ah
not so clear.

Answered some questions, complied with a few requests and pushed back in writing.

must consider actually doing something. tangible?

hmm

maybe, maybe not

http://www.despair.com/hope.html

Plan B

this just in:

Dr.Frasher Daniels
Assistant Director,
First City Monument Bank.

This is to acknowledge the receipt of the information your next of kin
provided to us and to re-confirm from you if you truly instructed her to
make the payment of $46 that is meant for the delivery of your $ 6.3million
ATM card to the address she provided.Be aware that we accept whatever she
issues to us as evidence if we do not hear from you within the next two
working days.We await your swift response.

Email contact : frasherdaniels@w.cn

cc

Kesten Peters
Executive Director,
Banking Operations And Country Business Manager
First City Monument Bank Nigeria.
Tel:+234-706-712-3113




________________________________________________
Message sent using UebiMiau 2.7.9

the nature of work?

I'm not sure who, if anyone, is reading this, or quite why I've made it up.

I think as a way to deal with uncertainty, to comment on and/or assuage anxiety, to mock what's mockable without taking personal, petty, vindictive or otherwise targeted pot shots at people or events. I have no problem owning what I say and being vitriolic if vitriol is what's required.

but for now, this is sort of a filing cabinet, or maybe more like a cigar box or a bunch of bits of napkins and backs of envelopes all related to work, to having work, to being afraid of losing a job, of wanting to (re)invest in the workplace but fearing a deeper disappointment down the line.

so ,

what?

hmm.

I'm not sure.

and the nature of work?

not sure about that so much either. Trying to learn from, understand the example of Ted Sizer as he's been explained to me - and as I should likely try to learn through my own reading and exploration. to listen. to wonder why. to pierce and to poke when that might help something that needs to change change.

and to find the inappropriate or appropriate humor as required as well.

hot dog

someone is leaving our workplace.

K sent a message regretting the fact that the person has to leave (family reasons) and praising her work.

Followed shortly after by this:

C. LOVES HOT DOGS!

Please join us as we

raise a dog to

wish her farewell

and thank her

for being an irreplaceable part

of our family.

date

time

place

[me again] help me, god. i can't swim

Ted Sizer

10 common principles

http://www.essentialschools.org/pub/ces_docs/about/phil/10cps/10cps.html

there's the job and there's work

remember what counts

stay in school

something I learned about through my (current) job

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5914322n

another thought about bnd

thinking about something a friend said about buy nothing day and about the fact that christmas isn't about things

(http://pleasedontfireourass.blogspot.com/2009/11/black-fridaybnd.html)

what about the people who woke up early early on black friday to buy things they actually just need? not presents, not christmas, but clothes and things they and their families need to have and can get cheaply?

it's complicated.

this, from a woman who appears to grieve in dollars. this too, must pass.

time to tithe up.

and this

http://despair.com/

wait. it gets better

re: yesterday's wonderful news!i

this just in:

Dear all,

At 11:30 this morning in the second floor hall, we’ll gather for a short time to congratulate [one] and [another] on receiving their Awards. We’ll have a yummy ganache cake to mark the occasion. Please join us!

Best,
K

wonderful news!

no, K

wonderful news is you're not going to fire anybody

this is very nice for those two people. it's great for them. we're genuinely glad for them that this has happened.

but please don't mess with our heads and give us Wonderful News! and think we'll be
happy when the scope of wonderful is so very very limited.



From: K
Subject: Wonderful news!

Dear all of you,

I am delighted to announce that two members of the team have been
recognized for their extraordinary service to our workplace: [one] has
been selected for a Particular Award, and [another] has been
recognized with the other award. I¹d like to take a moment to
summarize their achievements so that we can all be reminded‹and appreciate
anew‹their contributions to our work and to the organization as a whole.

The Particular Award is presented to a staff member who has been
here a short time and has made an immediate and significant impact.
[one] fits this description perfectly. Having joined us just 2 years
ago, [one] has in short order transformed our approach to finance
and administration. [One] invented new systems of analysis and
reporting; and discovered and addressed significant budget challenges; and

improved the enrollment management protocol, thereby enhancing
revenue predictions. and

more and more and more;

a lot more.

and:

The Other Award is presented to a staff member who has
implemented innovative programs that have had a resoundingly positive
impact. We would would be hard-pressed to find a staff member more
innovative than [Another]. [Another's] beautifully conceived solutions
have transformed our ability to use technology effectively to
support more and more

and much much more.

I know you will join me in thanking them for all they have done for us
and in congratulating them for these well-deserved awards.

Yours,

K

at one university

http://www.browndailyherald.com/simmons-warns-faculty-painful-budget-cuts-on-the-horizon-1.2108680

and this

In Job Hunt, College Degree Can’t Close Racial Gap

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/us/01race.html

two things

1) stay in school, but please, too, pay attention while you're there:

http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/143548/Primary-school-leavers-unable-to-read-write-or-do-arithmatic-

and

2)

Career Horizons - Impacting your future.

Greetings! The recent unemployment numbers were interesting, and encouraging. Educational attainment Sept. 2009 Oct. 2009 Less than a high school diploma 13.7% 14.7% High school graduates, no college 10.0% 10.2% Some college or associate degree 8.1% 8.5% Bachelor's degree and higher 5.0% 4.6% www.bls.gov Tim Wielinski Horizon Search, Inc.

http://www.pointandpost.com/jobs/search.asp?dn=www.horizonsi.net

Five Things to Consider For a Happier Life By Deborah Hancock 1.) You are really and truly the only - yes, only -darn person you can control. There's no question that you can affect others, you can, and you should. But change them? Nope, not in this lifetime, not on this spiritual plane. That doesn't mean that we all can sit by and say "ho hum, well, then, there's nothing I can or should do except do my own thing." That's a cop out. What it DOES mean is that trying to control others is futile and crazy-making at best, and a recipe for unmitigated disaster in many, many circumstances. Once you really come to terms with this, every day gets easier. Make peace with this one quickly. 2.) Nobody gets a free ride. Yes, I know that's an old chestnut, but it may take some doing to really absorb the fact. I still remember the moment when someone (a man who taught me a number of extremely painful yet important lessons) said to me in surprise when we were on the topic: "EVERYONE suffers. EVERYONE 'gets screwed.' Nobody escapes it. Nobody has a charmed life." It took until then (and I was well over 20) for me to realize that my suffering was not "special," or anything of the sort, and that everyone else (or even a few select lucky bastards) was/is not living a constantly easy, happy, stress-free existence. Problems are part of life. Learn to see that this is okay. 3.) We are never, ever given just one chance at happiness or fulfillment. It is easy, (and I think it's perhaps human nature) to believe that our entire future happiness and good outcomes in life can hinge on a particular thing, such as "this particular relationship working out," or "getting into this school," or "getting this job" or "making x number of dollars." Again, that's not a cop-out inducer to believe that you don't have to do the best you can in life, you will find yourself far more fulfilled if you DO. However, it is certainly a relaxing-inducing knowledge, once you can find it, that there are ALWAYS going to be other deep, soul-level, meaningful opportunities for us, if the one in front of us, for whatever reason, does not come to fruition. To believe otherwise is to limit yourself, the universe, and your higher power, (if you believe in one) to a level that is really, when you think about it, not only painful but also pretty arrogant. Work this one out, and things become a lot easier. Really. 4.) Listen to others (who have shown they're worth respect) but go your own way. Both bits of this one are challenging. For instance, your mother, just by virtue of being your mother, if you are an adult, does not, in and of itself, make her opinion very useful or helpful to you - particularly about things that she herself has never experienced. There's a fairly obscure saying, though, that goes something like this: "If one person tells you you have a tail, you can laugh. If two people tell you you have a tail, then best turn around and LOOK." In other words, of course, it's not smart to just ignore every bit of advice/opinion you are given, particularly if you start to hear things over and over. However, ultimately you have to live your own life and it's the only one you have at this moment anyway. If you decide that what your soul is telling you to do is to move to Italy and learn Italian (with the last $1,000 in your checking account...) and you are sure that this is what you most want and need to do, then GO, regardless of what anyone says. Hey, it worked out well for Elizabeth Gilbert (author of "Eat, Pray, Love".) If you wait till what you want is going to please everyone you might as well forget it. Life is short, and people who are completely invested in completely pleasing everyone are usually pretty darn unhappy. 5.) It's your job to take care of yourself. Yes, some conservative types who meander into this article might be surprised to hear a liberal type like myself spout this last one, but it is my firm belief that in today's world (and perhaps always, I don't know) in order to be happy and successful we have all got to take personal responsibility for our own lives, advocate for ourselves, and not simply sit by and expect someone to come along and fix (any) problem. This also means that after a certain point, you can no longer blame your parents or the Government or whatever for your problems, you will have to make some choices and take some actions, and so on. If you struggle with this one, it might be helpful to start by thinking, say, of going to a doctor's office (ick!) If your leg hurts, and you go to the doctor but don't tell her that your leg hurts, how can you possibly be surprised if she doesn't do anything about your pain? Learn to advocate for yourself. You are the one who is closest to knowing what you need. You can have a hand in making sure your needs get met. If you wait by the side of life for someone to notice that you are in pain/need help/etc., you can be waiting a very long time indeed. Deborah Hancock is a writer and an intuitive spiritual advisor with clients all over the world. She blogs at http://www.manicmeltdown.com, among other places. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Deborah_Hancockhttp://EzineArticles.com/?Five-Things-to-Consider-For-a-Happier-Life&id=3194398

Dealing With a Demanding Boss By Andrew James Bradley When you are working within a large organization, you may carry a lot of expectations and a lot of hard work may be expected out of you by a demanding boss. Being unable to perform up to the mark may lead to the boss showing signs of anger and frustration and this may lead to a creeping nervousness amongst the employees and a declining drive to achieve the assigned targets within the stipulated time. There are some bosses who may never be satisfied while looking for high productivity and correspondingly inflated bottom lines. When a particular task is assigned to you and you are unable to complete it, the boss may not like to hear any excuses due to the excessive pressures of performing under tight deadlines. He may always want high productivity consistently. Working with a demanding boss is also a great learning experience and it gives you an insight into the temperament of a demanding boss that may prove beneficial to you in the long-run. There are times when we grumble at the comments passed by a demanding boss but this in itself should be taken as a great learning experience - learning to live with an uneasy boss. When we work with a demanding boss, he may not like to delve into details while keeping his focus on the final results and the bottom line to see if the results are desirable or not. The common belief is that it is a bad idea to annoy a demanding boss who hardly understands and is always bent on criticizing his subordinates. In essence, bosses are not worried that you made a mistake; rather, the focus of their criticism is your attitude or way of doing things. Employees should not take the criticism personally. The reasons why a boss gets upset when we do not complete an assigned task and waste precious time frolicking around in the office or taking unnecessarily long breaks for lunch stretching into hour on end. All that a boss may want is for the employees to work efficiently and be spontaneous in work. If you have any specific problem it is advisable to discuss it with your boss as it is also in his interest that a suitable solution to the problem is found. Resolution of such issues may lead to frustration, and a subsequent lack of interest in the work. If we find a proper solution or ideas to resolve the interpersonal problems, it can lead the boss to trust you and give you charge to take up rest of the responsibilities in the organization. He can be demanding at times but you have to see the underlying reason and subsequently evaluate the situation after getting the facts right. In a nutshell, if you are tactful and honest you can easily handle a demanding boss, contribute to the organization and still have a wonderful experience at the workplace. Andrew James offers a no cost video showing you step-by-step how to overcome negative thinking patterns. Please visit http://www.stopthenegativewaves.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_James_Bradley *New openings Weekly* Link to all CURRENT OPENINGS Director, Psychometrics (4790) -PhD, K12, Department Management. $100k+ Test Development Laison (4791) -$70k+ I/O Psychologist (4792) -Ph.D. Consulting. Business Dev. Social Studies (4793) -Test/item development. Telecommute opt. Asst Dir Research (4794) -Exp with Grants & Proposal Writing. Sr. Psychometrician **FILLED** -K12/NCLB. Strong client relation skills. $100k+ DOE ELL Policy Lead (4788) -to $125k Psychometrician (4783) -Certification. Strong IRT, communication skills. $90-120k Assoc. Director Content (4785) -K12, Test Development. $80-90k Psychometrician (4784) -Ph.D., Licensure / Certification. $80-$100k Sr. Education Consultant (4782) -Ph.D., Psychometrics, Policy. Item Writers (4789) -Science, ELA, Math. With online experience. Program Director (4734) - MS in Educational Measurement, I/O Psychology or related. $60-70k Sr. Psychometrician (4778) - High-profile position for new project initiative. $150K+ potential. Editor (4779) - Certification / Assessment industry experience. To $90K. This is a partial list. It changes frequently. If you are actively seeking a job change, contact Tim Wielinski in confidence at 319-268-1900 ortim@horizonsi.net

touch wood

still working.

acutely aware of the thin thin line.

thin.

hoping to grow empathy. big challenge.

big.

really really big.

keep me!

keep me!

inevitably, though, then, someone does get sent away.

fired.

time to chew on this.

maybe ask some questions?

read? research?

learn something?

hmm

black friday/bnd

looking at posts on facebook; many friends (real friends, fbfs) reporting their intention to buy nothing (although/even if the buy nothing day manifesto includes suggestions of / an imprecation about going off line altogether)

but here's a thing. one of my friends wrote about being showered and ready to go shopping this morning at 2 o'clock

so

how much is buy nothing day about consumption and green and good things and how much is it a class-based luxury to say to people around us, oh. well. i'm not buying you stuff. i'm saving the planet or contributing to x, y and z.

and/or

how much is it that some people can 'afford' to wait to buy things less dramatically on sale.

I'm not sure that I'm asking the questions that need to be asked, but seeing H's post about shopping makes me realize that people with many small kids and this and that in their lives really do want to make christmas, in part, about stuff - this doesn't make them evil or ignorant stuff-consumers, necessarily. it's what people with limited economic resources do to make the ability to provide stuff stretch a little further.

maybe we need to (re)examine that nature of gift as gift?

hmm

saying thank you

grateful for family, friends, love, a home and meaningful employment?

check.

uncertain about the enduring quality of meaningful employment?

umhmm.

considering next steps.

maybe.

meanwhile, a picture:
http://1800roosevelt.blogspot.com/2009/11/happy-thanksgiving.html