Archive for August, 2009

The ticket did not lead to a life changing adventure

My boyfriend and I went to the Bodies Revealed show at Foxwoods Casino yesterday. We have been talking about going for months, maybe even a year. I was especially excited about it because I’ve always been pretty scared of what’s going on inside our bodies. I never got the unpleasant opportunity to dissect a frog or baby pig in high school and have sort of made it my business to stay away from blood and guts at all costs. For some reason though, the Bodies Revealed show was intriguing. I didn’t get the overwhelming feeling of wanting to run in the opposite direction when I heard about it, so I figured it might be okay to check it out. Here’s the underwhelming story and why I felt compelled to tell you my review (it does have an interesting twist, I promise I won’t waste your time).

Sunday, August 30, 2009 3:30 PM – We arrive at the ticket booth and the woman selling the tickets asks if we want the audio tour or the regular tour. The regular tour consists of no sound or stories, and the audio tour consists of “tons more interesting facts and really adds to the experience.” We buy the audio add-on for $10.

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Enfield Reminder News – Monday, August 10, 2009

Career counseling workshop offered at Enfield Public Library

BY TOM PHELAN

“Interviewing is just like dating,” career consultant Angela Lussier told her keenly interested audience at Enfield Public Library. The seminar on Wednesday, July 29, was the fifth in a series of eight sessions designed to help job-seekers develop or improve their skills in the marketplace.

The recent session was titled, “Top 10 Rules Most Commonly Broken in the Interview.” The theme set in her opening remarks carried throughout the list of 10 mistakes.

She said that mistake number 1 is making a bad first impression. Showing up too early is not a good idea, but about 10 minutes early still gives you plenty of time. And, of course, don’t be late. Being completely prepared is also essential , she said. Know who you are going to see, get directions to the location, know where you should park. Dress for success the first time and every time you interview with the company. Send a follow-up thank you letter within 24 hours.

Lussier had a unique solution for mistake number 6 – not doing anything to stand out. “What are you going to say in a thank you note to someone who interviewed you among 30 people?” she asked rhetorically. Then she related an interviewing technique she had used to help people distinguish themselves.

She said that when she called people to set up the interview, she would tell them, “Bring your résumé and bring something that represents yourself.” That would catch most people unaware, and after a brief period of silence, they would inevitably ask, “What do you mean by that?” Her reply would be, “Whatever that means to you.” Then she would bring the call to an immediate end. She was giving her potential interviewees a chance to stand out. Those who brought nothing to the interview were shown the door without being interviewed . Anyone who tried to make do with a last-minute selection, such as their car keys, were not given serious consideration.

Many of the people in the audience for the fifth session of the career workshops had been to some of the previous seminars. By their questions and comments , it was evident that they had been on the job-hunting trail for a while, and had some experiences with interviewing . None of them appeared to be first time job-seekers right out of school.

Privately, after the session, Lussier said the series of seminars started out with about twice as many people as attended the fifth session. The earlier events included more young people, many of whom were interested in the topics of résumé building and personal branding. Now, as the series has passed the midpoint, just about all the people who show up have been to most of the other sessions. Lussier estimates that about 50 to 60 percent of the people are currently looking for employment because they are out of work. The remainder have been coming to hear what she has to say because they are employed in jobs with which they are dissatisfied. One person, she said, has been working in retail for many years, but finds the work unrewarding and without much of a future. Another person is coping with a disagreeable boss, and is looking for a way to move into a more agreeable employment situation. Undoubtedly, all those who are faithfully attending Lussier’s sessions are determined to improve their chances of making a change in their employment status.

The remaining sessions in the job seeking series are scheduled for Wednesday evenings at the Enfield Public Library through Aug. 19. For more information about programs at the library , visit the Web site www.enfieldpubliclibrary.org.

Who knew this meant stop? Taken in NYC, 6/08

For the first year that I was a licensed driver, I thought blinking red lights meant to slow down, not come to a complete stop.

I attended driving school when I had my permit, but somehow overlooked this somewhat critical point about the laws of the road. Maybe it was because I was handed a manual and told to read and memorize everything. I must have went through hundreds of intersections without stopping once. How I didn’t die, I have no idea.

Today is the first day I’ve told that story. I was always embarrassed about how stupid I was for not knowing what something as simple as the blinking red light meant! So how did I find out that blinking red lights meant to stop?

By being a passenger and observing others.

I watched them slow down and come to a full stop before proceeding. I thought to myself, maybe I should ask if they are required to stop, or if they are just being extra cautious? Not to be thought the fool, I kept my mouth shut and felt inwardly dumb for not knowing the rules of the road. Read the rest of this entry »

Thank you for pre-registering for:

“Lose The Fear, Sell Yourself, Get The Job: My Non-Threatening Networking Event”!

"Success is not about having talent, it's about having courage"

So you are prepared, I’ve listed out all the important information for the night. Feel free to post comments or questions at the bottom of the blog. You can also use this as an opportunity to introduce yourself to others before the event!

Date: Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Time: 6-8 PM (Please arrive at 5:45 so we can get started on time!)

Location: Student Prince Café – 8 Fort Street – Springfield, MA

NOTE: PRE-REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED AND EVENT IS AT FULL CAPACITY.

If you are going to skim through the page, please  make sure you read section #5: “What to bring” so you are prepared!

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