Woulda, shoulda, coulda

From WiseGeek.com:<br /><br />"For many of us, there is a clear distinction between what actually happened and what we <em>wished</em> would have happened in a given situation. Sometimes people realize a number of options they could have or should have taken instead of the action they actually took. This feeling of regret or second-guessing is summed up in the expression <em>woulda coulda shoulda."</em> <br /><br />A friend of mine made a new year's resolution to stop her "woulda coulda shoulda" habit. Each time she says one of these words she has to put a quarter in a jar. She then proceeded to tell me about her vacation, and said "we should have made our reservations....". She stopped, and said "whoops! Another quarter!".<br /><br />It's so easy to slip into a pattern of regret, where we wish we'd made different choices. We often criticize ourselves for making bad choices, thinking we could have, should have, done things differently. I often do this to myself, then I proceed to berate myself for the bad choices I made when I know better. Does this do me any good? Absolutely not. If anything, it perpetuates a feeling of defeat and that I'm just not good enough or smart enough to lose weight. It makes me feel weak and helpless to dwell on my failures. It serves no real purpose. <br /><br />I've decided I'm done with the past. I posted recently that 2010 was a lost year. I didn't gain weight, I didn't lose weight. Now January 2011 is a lost month. I continued my no gain, no lose pattern.. <br /><br />It's time for me to stop looking back at my failures and time to start looking forward. I have the Big Climb in exactly seven weeks. On March 20th, I'll be climbing 1,311 stairs (69 floors). I can't cancel or just not show up for this event. I'm the team captain, and many of the team members are coworkers. As a team captain I'm required to be present. It would be not be cool of me to drop out, it's not an option.<br /><br />I call 2010 my lost year, starting and ending at the same weight, 180. Now January 2011 is another lost month. Starting and ending at 180 pounds. Not exactly where I'd hope to be, but not at the 239 pounds I started at February 19, 2008.<br />The good news, February is notoriously my month to lose weight. I've started many successful diets in February. In fact, February 19 will mark three years of Weight Watcher meetings. I don't know why it's my month, perhaps because spring seems like it's just around the corner and spring is my season (with summer a close second). Spring means skimpier clothing, and right now, none of my size 10 summer clothing fits. <br /><br />Moving forward now...

Woulda, shoulda, coulda

From WiseGeek.com: "For many of us, there is a clear distinction between what actually happened and what we wished would have happened...

Read more »

Disney Documentaries Divert the Dream and Delves into Depression

I am a big Disney fan, and love many things that come out of that company: the Parks, the movies, the channel, and other things, too. Recently I heard about three documentaries that were coming out that were about topics not usually discussed among Disney: one was about Walt Disney's goodwill trip to South America in the 1940s, another was about the time in Disney Animation between 1984-1994, and the third was about the life of the Sherman brothers. All three of these were hailed by critics, so that interested me even more. A Disney documentary that was receiving good press like that? I had to check it out.<br /><br />Luckily all three came out on DVD at the same time in December (and also appeared OnDemand with Comcast), so I was able to watch all three. And man, these are not your normal Disney fluff, that's for sure. This is all about the happy times, but also about the sad times too.<br /><br />I am happy that people thought these were good topics to present, before it got too far out of people's minds. I say this in particular for the Sherman brothers' story - both of the "Boys" are in their 80s now, and to hear their story out of both of their mouths was amazing.<br /><br />I enjoyed all these movies, but all three left me with a slightly sour taste. When one feeds on Disney for too long, it is kind of difficult to see that there is reality behind the dreams and fantasy.<br /><br />Let's start with <b>Waking Sleeping Beauty</b>, which chronicles Disney Animation from the mid-80s to the mid-90s. The Disney movies that came out of this time (especially the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and the Lion King) really helped shape my childhood. I thought this movie would talk more about how those movies were developed, the voice actors, how the characters were shaped, and so on.<br /><br />Instead, most of the movie talked about the power struggle between Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Roy E. Disney. With each triumph, those three had to ruin it with their quest to be top dog in Disney Animation. And left in the wake of their storm was all the poor animators and directors and producers who just wanted to make good movies.<br /><br />I was really hoping to enjoy this movie - and when the movie focused on the animators and the goofy stuff that happens, it was enjoyable. It was too bad that the height of the animation had to have so much negativity going on in the background.<br /><br />I watched <b>Walt and El Groupo</b> during Christmas vacation, and that movie had lots of fun aspects. It was fun to watch, especially since I had, in the past eight months, watched <i>Saludos Amigos </i>and <i>The Three Caballeros. </i>They showed how parts of those movies were inspired by the travels that Disney did with his animators.<br /><br />Yes, the trip was basically a goodwill trip so that South America wouldn't join the Nazis, but it seemed like the welcome parties from all the countries involved were very willing to show Walt and his crew the fantastic parties that they could throw.<br /><br />I liked listening to the letters that the animators' children read in the documentary, and I also liked seeing the real-life inspirations side-by-side with the animation that was used.<br /><br />The saddest part was at the end, when it turns out that this big research trip churned out very little results. They set it up for this big triumph, then at the end the South Americans interviewed said that very little of the research was used in the movie.<br /><br />It was nice seeing lots of video of Walt Disney, though. It made me want a bigger documentary out there featuring just Walt. I'm going to have to look that up...<br /><br />The final movie I just watched tonight. It's about the Sherman brothers, and it's called <b>The Boys</b>. Out of the three documentaries, this was the best one, in my opinion.<br /><br />The son of each brother got together and documented the lives of their fathers and their careers spanning their entire lives. Both Dick and Bob Sherman are still alive, and it chronicles how these two men who did so much together now live halfway around the world from each other and don't speak to each other any more.<br /><br />When they were honored with a window on Main Street in Disneyland last year, I was really confused why only Dick Sherman was at the special ceremony they had. But watching this, it helped me to understand it a little better, but was still sad. To see two brothers feel like they had no connection with each other is very depressing. I have brothers and can't fathom how they would just choose not to be around each other.<br /><br />That said, the movie is not just about the fall of their relationship. It also shows the <i>thousands</i> of songs that these two brothers wrote together. I had no idea how many songs they wrote for Disney and for other companies, too! They showed clips of the movies, they showed Dick pounding the song on the piano, they showed Bob and Dick kind of "composing" together, and they interviewed singers and other Disney honchos. The mood was far lighter than I thought it was going to be, but still, at the end I was sad.<br /><br />I am still happy that Disney is willing to put out movies like this that pull back the curtain on what's going on while they're making the magic. To me, it was quite the eye opener. If you are curious about any of the events that are chronicled in these movies, I would urge you strongly to see these movies. They are very well made and have different effects that enhance the movies more than usual.<br /><br />Just be prepared to suspend your infallible Disney beliefs for a few hours.

Disney Documentaries Divert the Dream and Delves into Depression

I am a big Disney fan, and love many things that come out of that company: the Parks, the movies, the channel, and other things, too. Recent...

Read more »

How to answer, "Tell me a little about yourself."

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/7t/ar5l0xq6szf88r05d47t.gif?time=12/10/2010%205:37:35%20pm" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://emj.cbdr.com/artieimages/7t/ar5l0xq6szf88r05d47t.gif?time=12/10/2010%205:37:35%20pm" /></a></div>To a painter, an untouched canvas holds unlimited possibility for a bold new creation. But for each artist, the potential for something great is counterweighed by the potential for unparalleled failure.<br /><br />Similarly, excitement and anxiety loom over job interviews. When you present yourself to an employer, you hope all the right words come out and you woo them. You only practice the perfect responses to questions, never the wrong answers. But in the back of your mind you know that you might end up sounding like a terrible candidate who no employer will ever hire, even if you're actually the perfect person for the job.<br /><br />For a job seeker, the blank canvas is the open-ended question. When the right answer requires more than a yes or a no, job seekers need to take advantage of the freedom they have with their responses, not fear it. But perhaps no question intimidates job seekers more than "So, tell me a little about yourself."<br /><br />You have many ways to answer, and the best response might depend on the stage of your career.<br /><br />David Copperfield you are not<br /><br />When Charles Dickens begins the tale of David Copperfield, the novel's namesake ruminates on his life. Where and when he was born and what he's to become. Leave that specificity and personal information to classic literature or your personal ads. Employers don't want to know about your childhood. They're concerned with your professional qualifications and any history that's relevant to the position.<br /><br />Here is some information you don't want to blurt out when asked to tell a little about yourself:<br /><br />· A brief summary of your childhood<br /><br />· Your dislike of your current boss and your desire to get a new job ASAP<br /><br />· The details of your current divorce proceedings<br /><br />· Your passionate religious and political beliefs<br /><br />· The fact that you're probably moving in six months and are just look for a temporary job.<br /><br />Employers don't care that you're the youngest of three children and played the bassoon in junior high. This personal information might naturally come out during conversation, but it's not what you want to lead with. Wherever you are in your career, remember that employers want to know what skills you bring and how you will help their businesses.<br /><br />If you're in college...<br /><br />College jobs can vary from part-time positions you take to earn extra cash or they can be entry-level positions you use as the basis for your desired career. Either way, you're at a stage where education is your most significant qualification. And if you have work experience, mention it as an example that you're responsible and have a track record as a good employee.<br /><br />Your answer shouldn't sound like: "I don't have any 8 a.m. classes because I usually stay out late. And I'll need weekends off."<br /><br />Your answer should sound like: "I'm a full-time student studying education. I worked as a barista for two years and then as a sales clerk at for the past two summers, so I have plenty of experience working with customers."<br /><br />If you're just out of school...<br /><br />When employers hire new graduates, they know they're not getting seasoned workers with decades of experience. They also know they're getting workers who might not stick around for very long but who are current on the latest technology and trends.<br /><br />Your answer shouldn't sound like: "I just graduated last week and have a list of ideas on how to improve your operations. You're doing a lot of things wrong."<br /><br />Your answer should sound like: "I just received my B.A. in marketing with a 3.9 GPA. My courses in account management give me a strong foundation to begin my career with XYZ company, and I'm excited to learn from the industry leaders here."<br /><br />If you're mid-career and looking to switch industries...<br /><br />Many workers who specialize in one field for several years begin to think about exploring other industries. Either they grow tired of their jobs or they realize their skills can be put to better use elsewhere. Whatever the reason, their focus should be repackaging their experience for the new industry they want.<br /><br />Your answer shouldn't sound like: "Well, I've been a manufacturing supervisor for 15 years. I don't have any experience as a sales supervisor or in sales at all."<br /><br />Your answer should sound like: "For the past 15 years I was a supervisor at ABC Manufacturing. You might wonder why I want to move into sales at this stage in my career, but much of my time has been spent negotiating with vendors and meeting with CEOs. Although the industries might be different, the skills are the same."<br /><br />If you're easing into retirement...<br /><br />Seasoned workers might not want to devote the majority of their week to working, but they aren't ready to leave the workforce entire. When interviewing for part-time or contract work, these workers want to play up their experience and commitment to the job.<br /><br />Your answer shouldn't sound like: "I've had enough 50-hour weeks. Let the young workers try to keep up with that pace. I'm ready to finally relax and earn some extra money so I can finally quit for good."<br /><br />Your answer should sound like: "I've seen the industry change over the past 40 years and am eager to see where it goes in the future. As consultant, I'm eager to share my vast knowledge with clients in order to help their business grow."<br /><br />By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

How to answer, "Tell me a little about yourself."

To a painter, an untouched canvas holds unlimited possibility for a bold new creation. But for each artist, the potential for something grea...

Read more »