News for today's 2018

Forum "Intérim et handicap"

1:30 AM Anonymous 0

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfzu8Y6bMvJgPLtyc-6mHqZJfR_wRm93vVkYB0l1NIQeVHRNUK12-1wdMW39-KEHL28C9ig35Sg6TUGbjkQZ9g-5ny7Kb_eX_bwIJSYkj1vFoniCAsVRm2GLcFoY6hJzXgJjszGG4GiYr/s1600-h/au+centre+de+l%27emploi.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382819620292507314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfzu8Y6bMvJgPLtyc-6mHqZJfR_wRm93vVkYB0l1NIQeVHRNUK12-1wdMW39-KEHL28C9ig35Sg6TUGbjkQZ9g-5ny7Kb_eX_bwIJSYkj1vFoniCAsVRm2GLcFoY6hJzXgJjszGG4GiYr/s320/au+centre+de+l%27emploi.gif" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 75px;" /></a> Un Forum Intérim et handicap aura lieu : <ul><li>le Mardi 08 juin 2010 de 9h30 à 17h <li>Complexe sportif du BRGM - Rue Buffon - 45100 Orléans-la-Source</ul> <a href="http://www.aucentredelemploi.fr/doc/liste-8juin.pdf">Liste des entreprises présentes</a> Un interface de communication en Langue des Signes Française (LSF) sera présent sur le forum. Accès par bus - Ligne 20 ou N - arrêt "BUFFON" Accès Tram - arrêt "Université-l'indien" avec navette adaptée aux personnes à mobilité réduite. Plan d'accès : <iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=brgm,+Avenue+Buffon,+Orl%C3%A9ans&hl=fr&cd=1&ei=vCgFTNKtLsPxOZL2sYAL&sll=47.830458,1.937587&sspn=0.015027,0.007368&ie=UTF8&view=map&cid=2256573941559129817&ved=0CCYQpQY&hq=brgm,+Avenue+Buffon,+Orl%C3%A9ans&hnear=&ll=47.830458,1.937587&spn=0.006295,0.006295&iwloc=A&output=embed"></iframe> <a href="http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=brgm,+Avenue+Buffon,+Orl%C3%A9ans&hl=fr&cd=1&ei=vCgFTNKtLsPxOZL2sYAL&sll=47.830458,1.937587&sspn=0.015027,0.007368&ie=UTF8&view=map&cid=2256573941559129817&ved=0CCYQpQY&hq=brgm,+Avenue+Buffon,+Orl%C3%A9ans&hnear=&ll=47.830458,1.937587&spn=0.006295,0.006295&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Agrandir le plan</a>

Forum "Intérim et handicap"

Un Forum Intérim et handicap aura lieu : le Mardi 08 juin 2010 de 9h30 à 17h Complexe sportif du BRGM - Rue Buffon - 45100 Orléans-la-Sour...

Sometimes I'm just tired of fighting the fight

1:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

Today was one of those days. A day where I didn't want to exercise, but I did anyway. A day where I was hungry all day, and I felt like a bottomless pit. I just wanted to eat all day, but I didn't. Today was one of those days where I wanted to lay down my sword and give up the good fight. I don't get these days too often anymore, but they still happen. When they happen I have to remind myself why I'm doing this, why I'm in a constant state of being on guard, why I've accepted it's okay to be hungry sometimes. I have to remind myself why I can't always give in to my desires to eat until I feel full, and that I have to exercise. It's not optional. This is now my life. There are many reasons I don't give up on myself. Number one is my self-confidence and self-esteem issues. I remember the sad 51-year old woman that weighed 240 pounds in February of 2008.  I remember how much I hated myself for letting my body get in such bad shape. I've never felt uglier or sicker than I did at 240 pounds. Considering I've always had a very bad self-image, that's saying a lot. I remember the one pair of size 20 black slacks I owned, that I wore every single day. I remember the ugly size 3X tops, designed for someone much older than I felt in my heart. My body felt every day of 51 years, but in my heart, I still felt like I was in my twenties. During that time I couldn't imagine going on in life and reaching old age, not feeling and looking like I did. My health was a wreck in Feburary 2008. Everything hurt. My blood pressure was 180/110. I was a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen. My knees and ankles were in agony. Just walking at a slow pace on a level surface caused intense pain in my chest, knees and ankles. I had difficulty breathing. I didn't exercise. I thought I couldn't exercise without killing myself. Just walking from the parking lot at work in to my office, I often thought I was going to have a heart attack. My marriage was in serious trouble, mainly because of my low self-esteem. If you hate yourself how can you believe anyone else can love you? You can't, it's simply not possible. I assumed my husband was as disgusted and disappointed in me as I was in myself. It was a recipe for a very toxic relationship. In a word, I was MISERABLE on every level. When days like today happen, when I'm really not feeling it, when the desire to track my Points and stay within my limit doesn't feel within my grasp, and when I don't feel like exercising, I have to remind myself how far I've come in the last 2 1/2 years. Even though I'm not at goal yet, I've come a long way. Seventy-five pounds off my body has made a world of difference in how I view myself, my marriage, and my world. I don't hate myself anymore. I'm not disgusted by myself. I expect my husband to be proud of me. Yes, me. Just as I am now. I'm in the best physical condition of my entire life. My resting pulse is 49, my blood pressure is 120/60 (no medicines), and my cholesterol and triglycerides are below normal (137 and 68). I wear a size 10. I've worked hard to get here. I refuse to let a bad day screw with me. I'll never go back to the person I was when I started this process. I simply can't imagine that will ever happen, regardless of how much I like food, I like myself better. Anyone who has followed me for any length of time knows I've had slip-ups with my food. I even re-gained 25 pounds last fall. I was sure I was on my way back to 240 pounds plus the obligatory regain of an additional ten pounds. Somehow this time I found the strength within myself to fight back. I picked up my sword and went back to battle, losing 17 of the 25 pounds (so far). I'm going to keep waging the battle until I get to goal and maintenance for life. I'm not giving up the fight. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

Sometimes I'm just tired of fighting the fight

Today was one of those days. A day where I didn't want to exercise, but I did anyway. A day where I was hungry all day, and I felt like ...

I remember when it started, this love-hate relationship with food

3:18 AM Tukiyooo 0

I remember the very first time I woke up in the middle of the night feeling hungry. I was fourteen years old and wanted to lose fifteen pounds. It was the summer of 1970, and my mother had planned a three-week vacation for the two of us to fly from Fairbanks to New York to Kansas City to Sacramento to Missoula to Seattle and back home to Fairbanks. We visited relatives in every city, some of whom I'd never met in my entire life. I wanted to be skinny for the trip in August. At the beginning of the summer I was 140 pounds (5' 6"). I wanted to weigh 125 pounds. I thought I was hideously fat at 140. All my girlfriends weighed under 120 pounds. I was obese in comparison. Back then I didn't know about cardio and strength training. I did things like sit-ups, leg lifts, donkey kicks, jumping jacks. This was pre-internet . I think I read about the exercises in some magazines. I didn't exercise very much or very often. I also didn't know much about nutrition back then, and the importance of a balanced diet. Instead I crash dieted cutting my calories down to 800 calories a day. In two months I lost 10 pounds and was down to 130 pounds. I wanted desperately to get down to 125. The night before the trip I woke up at 1 a.m. I was starving. I remember not allowing myself to eat. I was so hungry that I couldn't sleep. Finally, after tossing for over an hour I got up and ate a tomato, and went back to bed. I weighed that morning before getting ready for our flight. I was 129 pounds. I was so mad at myself for not getting down to 125 pounds. I thought I was fat. I've looked at pictures of myself from that trip. I was so skinny. I actually looked malnourished. I didn't look healthy. I was pale and thin. Yet I still felt fat. That was my first big diet, forty years ago. I'm still trying to lose weight, but now my goal is 135-140. Funny how things change, but stay the same. I'm still waking up in the middle of the night, wanting to eat because I'm hungry and trying not to eat. because I don't want to gain weight. Sometimes I win at this and sometimes I lose. Tonight I didn't win. I ate, but it was controlled eating, about 400 calories, or 8 Points. It wasn't planned eating, but I have the Points available, so I ate. I am not beating myself up about it. Even though I know I'll probably see a slight gain tomorrow, it's all okay. I will always have this love-hate relationship with food. I love it for the  obvious reasons. It makes me feel good, it gives me energy, it tastes good, and I get a lot of pleasure from eating. I hate it because I think about it too much, and thoughts of it often consume me. It makes me fat if I eat too much of it.  You would think after all these years I'd have this figured out. I'm closer to understanding it than when I was a girl of 14. I've learned to accept my body with all it's flaws and to appreciate it's strength. I'm still working on my food issues, trying to accept that it's okay to eat if I'm hungry. If I can come to peace with the food, I just might be okay. Maybe someday.

I remember when it started, this love-hate relationship with food

I remember the very first time I woke up in the middle of the night feeling hungry. I was fourteen years old and wanted to lose fifteen poun...

Reflections On Oklahoma IV

10:26 AM Tukiyooo 0

The Olkahoma IV National Consultation On Native Ministries is over and I am in the Chattanooga airport sorting it out. There was a lot of pain and frustration in the room. The human lot involves a share of that -- but these folks had more than their share and the form it took for them was a specific brand of oppression called conquest, colonialism, or "the doctrine of discovery." The question was how to move forward. There were a lot of ideas -- including institutional solutions like separation from the Episcopal Church, a non-geographic diocese for indigenous peoples, an indigenous bishop, etc. There was also a major focus on ordination -- not so much on Ministy of All Baptized. I sometimes had the sense that some wanted to be ordained as a way to be healed and validated. Heaven knows we all need healing and validation, but speaking as one who has been ordained 3 times now, I'm pretty sure it doesn't work for those purposes. I am quite open to all of the instutional options that were suggested, but I wish we could look more at the interpersonal dynamics, local ministries, and a spiritual solution. There will be more conferences. There will be time for all these conversations. The Jamestown Covenant is a good framework for a broader discussion. One thing came up appropo of my previous post about apologies. The presenter who advocated separation from the Episcopal Church emphasized that the Church has never apologized to Native Americans for our complicity in colonization. This failure was contrasted to the Anglican Church of Canada's apology. I was pretty sure I rememberd that we had and certainly thought we should if we had not. But then a Native American bishop responded in our small group. She had been deeply involved in Jamestown I when Presiding Bishop Edmund Browning and the President of the House of Deputies extended precisely this apology years before the Candadian apology. So we have at least done this -- and under less pressure than Canda was experiencing in that sad time. The issue is not whether we acknowledge past wrongs and ask forgiveness. The issue is amends. How do we go on to create a new relationship out of the ashes of colonialism and conquest? The ideas for a future all had merit and all had some downsides. My hope is that these different approaches can somehow be integrated into a new way forward for indigenous peoples and that the rest of the Church can make rooom in its structures to honor the unique way of this population. The challenge of being the church -- like the challenge of being human -- is always to live in the creative tension of unity and diversity.

Reflections On Oklahoma IV

The Olkahoma IV National Consultation On Native Ministries is over and I am in the Chattanooga airport sorting it out. There was a lot of pa...

Planning de la semaine du 31 mai au 04 juin 2010

12:47 AM Anonymous 0

<h2>Permanences </h2><ul> <li>Le Conseil Général du Loiret sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans - le lundi 31 mai de 9h à 12h30, - le mardi 1er juin de 9h à 12h30 et de 13h30 à 17h, - le mercredi 02 juin de 13h30 à 17h - le jeudi 03 juin de 13h30 à 17h - le vendredi 04 juin de 13h30 à 17h <li><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/solidarits-nouvelles-face-au-chmage.html">Solidarités Nouvelles face au Chômage</a> - mercredi 02 juin de 10h à 12h30 <li><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2007/11/boutique-de-gestion.html">Boutique de Gestion</a> - vendredi 04 juin de 09h à 12h30 (sur rendez-vous)</ul> <h2>Ateliers </h2> <ul><li>CV - mardi 1er juin de 9h à 12h30 et mercredi 03 juin de 13h30 à 17h <li>Lettre de Motivation - mardi 1er juin de 13h30 à 17h <li>Préparation à l'entretien - jeudi 03 juin de 13h30 à 17h <li>Pôle-emploi.fr - vendredi 04 juin de 10h à 11h30 <li><a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2009/07/atelier-situtilises-tu-trouves.html">Sit'Utilises tu trouves</a> - vendredi 04 juin de 14h à 16h</ul> <h2>Information collective </h2> <ul><li>Boutique de Gestion - lundi 31 mai à 14h</ul>

Planning de la semaine du 31 mai au 04 juin 2010

Permanences Le Conseil Général du Loiret sera présent dans les locaux de la Maison de l'Emploi du bassin d'Orléans - le lundi 31 ma...

Weekend musings

4:56 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div style="text-align: center;">Who's counting Points?!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Yes! That would be ME! After two mediocre weigh-ins in a row, I decided it's seriously time to get my game on. Yesterday's weigh-in was a paltry 0.4 pound loss. I can do better than that!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Not counting my Points for two weeks resulted in a total loss of 1.2 pounds. I weigh 163.6. I've been up and down a few pounds from this for years!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, actually my four months of traveling last fall had me with a gain of 25 pounds, and I was up to 180.4 January 9, 2010, so in five months I've lost 17 pounds. I'm happy about that, but still, I really should be at goal. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Exactly one year ago on May 31, 2009 I weighed in at 155.2. I honestly don't know what I've been doing the past year. Gaining, losing, gaining, losing. Semi-maintenance. Not a terrible thing, but darn it, I'm not at goal! This means I really shouldn't be in maintenance mode yet. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Big Results Require Big Changes</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">So this keeps popping back in my head. It's something my Weight Watcher leader has said over and over. If you want big results, you have to make big changes. I even read the same thing in a magazine lately (Shape, Women's Health or Weight Watchers - can't remember which). </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">This means I need to change things up. What I'm doing simply isn't working. I haven't been tracking my Points with gusto for months. I start the day, then I give up. Mainly because I'm pretty limited on Points now. I get 20, and even though I eat all of my 35 weeklies, it just doesn't feel like much food. I think I don't track my food because then it makes it easier to cheat.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">I usually track my food on-line on line, at work and at home. I also carry the 3-month tracking journal in my purse, and I have the Weight Watchers mobile app on my Blackberry - there is simply no reason not to track. Other than I'm lazy, and I have a secret desire to cheat.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">So I have a new tactic. I'm eating almost all Filling Foods. This is the suggestion of my Weight Watcher leader, Janis (who I totally LOVE!). I'm still tracking, not quite ready to give that up, but when you look at my tracker, it's almost entirely green diamond foods. It's true what they say, they do help with a feeling of fullness.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm still off added sugar 100%. I almost gave in after hearing about the new pretzel-chocolate-caramel 2-Point bars at Weight Watchers. How they're the best ever bar Weight Watchers has ever made. I was in line with a box in my hand, I glanced at the label. First ingredient, enriched wheat flour (bad, never eat anything with the word "enriched" in front of it), second ingredient, SUGAR. OH MY FREAK! NO! I quickly put the box back on the shelf and left. That stuff would be crack for me. Pure and simple, I'm a sugar addict. I can't have it in my possession. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Amp Up Your Activity!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">This week's Weight Watcher topic was Amp Up Your Activity. Anyway who reads my blog knows I'm a gym rat. I hit the gym six days a week, every week unless I'm out out town. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Lately though, my workouts have been kind of lackluster. My heart (literally) just hasn't been into working out. I go, I do my thing, but sometimes I don't give it my all. Sometimes I do it half-hearted. Sometimes I even leave the gym early, before my minimum required hour is completed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Last week I made an effort to try swimming. That didn't work out too well for me. I kind of hated it. So that's off my list. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Yesterday's workout was fabulous. I did an hour of cardio, a new weekend rule for me. An hour of cardio and 40 minutes of strength on the weekends. I have the time, and yesterday I had the desire. It was probably my best workout in weeks.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Preferably I'd like to be outside on my bike, but our weather here in the Northwest sucks lately. As soon as I see some sun, I'll be back on my bike. Right now it looks like it's going to downpour any second. It's been like this for weeks, and the forecast is more of the same. I'm so jealous reading every one's blogs about the great weather they're having. Even Fairbanks, Alaska is having weather in the high 70's with sun. What the heck?</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Blogging</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure why or when this happened, but I've kind stopped posting on my blog on a consistent basis. I know it's key and what's helped me keep on track for the past three years. It's essential I post something every day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> Not being accountable is my downfall. I can hide a 5-pound gain from my husband, but I can't hide it from you. Weird how that works, but that's just me. I feel the strange need to be 100% honest here about my struggles, my failures, my successes. People who only know me through this blog, know more about my daily struggles with weight than anyone in my non-blog world.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">My goal weight?</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Not sure why I'm wordier than normal today. Maybe because I'm hyped up that I'm determined to get to goal. I'm not even sure what my goal is going to be. It was 135 pounds when I started, but as I get closer and this gets harder, I'll have to see where I land. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Technically at my height, 5' 6", Weight Watchers high end of the scale for a healthy weight is 155. That's tempting, but it's not where I want to be. My goal has always been a size 8, but truthfully, size 8's are a lot bigger these days than when I started trying to lose weight 30 years ago.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Truthfully, I love the idea of losing 100 pounds, which would be 139. I guess I'll have to see how it goes. ********** Mickey, helping me enter my food into the online tracker. So cute. :) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr-EUup65P78Hf266B9m3GU0tnjwQAgV1eSOCCHJUSn5yl_DQlMpPkOImqJuTcYl-jHspX-Qc945MtHcZQEVxxSkBIrNxbyT6DtnXY5c9nMs1I4DVeaudIkb9PpgtcO69Fkm95fdmNUWX/s1600/Mickey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr-EUup65P78Hf266B9m3GU0tnjwQAgV1eSOCCHJUSn5yl_DQlMpPkOImqJuTcYl-jHspX-Qc945MtHcZQEVxxSkBIrNxbyT6DtnXY5c9nMs1I4DVeaudIkb9PpgtcO69Fkm95fdmNUWX/s320/Mickey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div>

Weekend musings

Who's counting Points?! Yes! That would be ME! After two mediocre weigh-ins in a row, I decided it's seriously time to get my game o...

What Was Wes Thinking?

8:58 PM Tukiyooo 0

Tonight, on the luxuriantly arboreal and Anglophiliac campus of the University of the South, here in the Rebel’s Rest guesthouse, I iron my clerical shirt, cassock, rochet, and chimere. Such garments wrinkle when packed for travel. So I iron and as I iron I think of the string theorists who aspire to formulate a single comprehensive theory to explain the entire physical universe – and I know that I can never come anywhere near understanding just this day. It has been complex. I suspect that these two things are important parts of the context: Before I arrived (while I was stranded in airports by Carolina thunderstorms) the people gathered here for the 2010 Native Ministries Consultation were dealing with the “doctrine of discovery,” acknowledging the grievances of First Nations Peoples, what native singer Bill Miller referred to tonight as “historic trauma.” The other part of the context is that we have a really tight agenda which strikes one as a cultural oddity but then that could be stereotyping. I’m just saying that it’s part of the context of the day. Here is one mysterious story from the day. This morning I talked with a Maori man who told me with some pride about the time he had told off Wes Frensdorff. Since Wes is so highly regarded in Nevada, I was surprised and curious. He told the story of a Roland Allen Conference (Roland Allen was a missionary to China who invented the ministry model on which Total Ministry was based) in Hawaii. The Maori people in attendance felt deeply alienated and excluded at the conference. I am not sure I understand why – but I think that following agendas and sitting around tables for structured discussions is just not what they do in New Zealand. So they boycotted part of the meeting, and then showed up for a session Wes was leading. The Maori man stood up and interrupted the session, saying he had some things to express. Wes said there would be a time for that later but right now they were going to do what the agenda said. The man was not having it. An argument ensued. I don’t know how it ended, but it included the Maori man saying to Wes. “You’ve told us what to do long enough. Bishop, sit down and shut up.” About a year later, Wes visited New Zealand. He telephoned the man several times, leaving messages saying he’d like to have a conversation. The calls were not returned. So Wes found someone who knew where the man lived and got them to drive him to his house. Wes met him there and apologized. Just a few months later, he died in the plane crash. Why did Wes apologize? I feel sure I would have done the same thing at the conference, tried to keep the meeting going according to plan rather than let a heckler take it over with no authority other than the intensity of his feelings. But would I have been right? In one of our meetings today, a First Nations person said we “disguise oppression as order.” Did Wes realize that sticking to the agenda was wrong? Or was it a case like Matthew 5 of being on your way to the altar and remembering that your brother has a grievance against you? I don’t understand the other man’s anger either. There was clearly some sense of insult in the act of regulating a meeting with an agenda. Was it part of an old grievance, a historic trauma? Was it part of the “doctrine of discovery?” As I listened to the story, I identified with Wes and felt an anxiety as if I were the one being challenged, having the meeting wrested from my control. And when I heard of Wes’s apology, I thought that I would like to apologize like that – even though I don’t know what he was thinking. Tonight we attended a remarkable concert by the Grammy Award winning Mohican musician Bill Miller. Bill talked as much as he sang because he had a message for the audience. It was that living in historic trauma is a dead end. The historic trauma is real, but the way to life is to claim victory over it. Needless to say, one cannot tell anyone else that about their historic trauma. It’s something we have to come to for ourselves, but Bill Miller was able to say it. He told the story of his hatred of his father, a violent, abusive, drunken man. He looked forward to his father’s death, but when it happened, he discovered that his father had been forgiven by God and found happiness for the first time in his life at the end of his life. Bill was able to forgive his father and found freedom from his historic trauma. He was able to live anew instead of living in his old grievance. It was one of the most moving testimonies I’ve ever heard. I wonder something about apology. I wonder if anything we ever do is so unambiguously right that there isn’t something to regret in it. Philosophers call it a “moral remainder” – the bad part of even the best things we do. So maybe sometimes the question isn’t whether we have been wrong enough that we are obliged to apologize – asking that just puts us on the defensive – maybe the question is: would an apology help the other person move on beyond their sense of grievance? Would it set someone free?

What Was Wes Thinking?

Tonight, on the luxuriantly arboreal and Anglophiliac campus of the University of the South, here in the Rebel’s Rest guesthouse, I iron my ...

Kyle’s Birthday

7:53 PM Tukiyooo 0

Wednesday was Kyle’s “golden birthday”! I took the day off work and we spent the day together! We started out our day together with a run! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-G0tm6eaMojSn_2-CgO43jW-MJW6XcUWB90jxTlq1eoB3YDZPnV4Qiowej3umkAiav5_PomcZXTT2vp5a3ID2TsVwkQqoyIBDvWT3cqSycJAid3U3wByEB2CjD3pt81ATJmeUvzK4bve/s1600-h/DSC07396%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07396" border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_P7FGKzyL1YxU3Z5xI6ijNNWeHvOjQJ01tTksoNPVXqokLbrVxJgE6i5HsJx0ljK-H89iiJz5QETBGLvV9EMc7nrYICyGlmn1SmWhVgbaZFzdBEB5w9oM5hrVj1Zdd09jFI5bOqmjzUSc/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07396" width="404" /></a> We ran 2.6 miles for Kyle’ s 26th birthday! Kyle said it would have been much cooler if we could have ran 26 miles!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpTpWBCL_b0gfshjNXiY53rGtTp3gB3VyOXj69Ko5HjLjOnfij_DJBeQpbkUVY9s512rPvCNc3CdNVFb7YBiP7qx2kBtz1wWZN-dXGPJ5xJ_r4obrVaulT7M6t86F0S37VBfwQkut3Sl0/s1600-h/DSC07401%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07401" border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzPCgDtS4O-Pqg9v1PiZz1wDGF7s3egtOUFQUqmJ4fYd3MsVZ9anNNXylvbntj4zzcvkEKGbUShEy7VtTN3NlnzGo6p2A42DXiTsY-CAOqImGAg7nKFVqpcf8U_Bus4VpwmZOBmU98Gzu/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07401" width="404" /></a> After our run I made breakfast for me and the birthday boy! He loves chocolate chip pancakes! Good stuff!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq6Qrm_zuSPg9szBt7uiDxPEIGVkSHksf9NBZI8gcJK40UhHbZA5mCM-N2rID6txE7iOAqU_UlJen93qJx8tRJMsdkx94VDyvq2IcOh69HIxz8osaiif-rPMJQJz-I9CajKwc3TUi-8Pv/s1600-h/DSC07403%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07403" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86tBJLh8x8SAVfLLxinOWJ7dWgS8JakNGS3OyCPgIMO2pKaaQ1MglpTJQoBShWcrvE7BI1ixFiuiAnRDUhkYrmGwOIH_LfwUaMFvSm-cUqNMZsZwL-fPXj_llQZ4S3IFKDErkI242C1Bl/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07403" width="404" /></a> We spent our day running a few errands. Kyle got a new cell phone and we had to get a few things ready on Kyle’s car. It was an overall easygoing, relaxing day! We couldn’t wait for our early supper. We had purchased some “Chicago style” pizza from <a href="http://www.giordanos.com/">Giordanos</a> and had them shipped here on dry ice. We tried this when we were in Chicago in February and Kyle LOVED them. It was perfect to have on his birthday!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvBaqFRfN1PfoIIRTKWmOu9wfFzURd2gwKia92VGLLPHHfR41CM7XirA0g_OO4dCUf3iJS6ONNUdq4f4TqnmHI9vmstPwYZo8DHES22EFW01cm22Xw4DgJTZQ_EzqCd5PBb2flzo740Xs/s1600-h/DSC07404%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07404" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7yTXt4D8ScUCn8HA8-Iu-tXqeLj6GXPDhfYiy9O4-UFScRqRg-mhFSiB_PCvQdFdjnkzrv8K3U9DxZqELs-xq_BCn6tRp9hk9NwXS4kWcvzDMcKEr0tXf9BRz5BHQap5zErKUPF_r_A1/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07404" width="404" /></a> MMMMmmm good!! I had 1 piece and 2 bites of another one and was STUFFED!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8qN_GYZFUObaEIH3Ty7FO4L1VQKkcoSZrsW3RBi6tZA_nOXw32dWL7HFPaJyTZ8Z1IV6OnjnJsN3vJZwyqtkwiVH-zUvn1ptz5L6fkuY7sdQsKnCZx-8_R7NJ6h1P2aPxOUq2pm69qy7/s1600-h/DSC07405%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07405" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUzim4-dO_7Hs7CHcDggEZJegVt3Cwb7SOoXtyQB5TyDeaIQh1UCc2vDRmiU56_I-zFgfKhykOucquizZftkBnyHhP442Oh-t3C3fzMjOuBUOWNbIfnUDQw6TaV1LXOW1Shaq-nAzzYDD/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07405" width="404" /></a> And Kyle’s birthday would not be complete without a trip to the Dariette!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGWNEgK10lr8xBJtKf5hGohI-Nk9S-O2wb8T_cdOI9Aiky77uCjpAbjeRM29PA7yEEUNH5TQd19XnMLrXw2awmMAONmuXBPz2Dp2M4NtxJrrbrZGFXdxfg50paBdzo9gFIsDaEwtUUaMO/s1600-h/DSC07406%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07406" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOOyYRIEM4Reu-hGhQSIFve76lSxVYIEWKTjnztSeS22er0Oigb1vp2rOmkJaCxJ-RAT6zt7PMMac8cn90SyhA3cY0MXIqx31MJflsdQnsB8nob8aUztTxmE45VoE2twtLAUdBC_Gy_-N/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07406" width="404" /></a> We each got our classic favorites, Kyle got a peanut butter cup whip and I got a lemon ice cream cone! <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="200"><img alt="DSC07407" border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzT-nkdIdDYzHxeKE8TgMeaMrn-cP1Ei19adTEqt7uRKAcjlczsGBV-hhVdjSTTAeJtDeqpQNTAjPQNcbkkDevvmyrrNiadh3Dg593ofQ6J2JDgxl1o70leE0ScvKarS4XC5hV-feylWak/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07407" width="204" /></td> <td align="center" width="200"><img alt="DSC07409" border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYr85n_h_D1eKq-wMFXSAsV5tzZBgTe9t0jbh7Z-ayREipbVjzLJpyEyDTozGLkpyDp_QoYnqfMUAbMhc_Y3V1q_OjCc-FyJGCOOVeFm_0l1yutJjauv6BdeUYkriTaJc2LYkt8VFgT5P/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07409" width="204" /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> If you missed my post earlier today you should check our what I did for Kyle on Saturday! <a href="http://bangertfam.blogspot.com/2010/05/surprise.html">Click here</a>! I think Kyle had a great birthday, he very much deserved it! Lots going on for me right now! <ul> <li>Tomorrow I work.</li> <li>I need to pack tomorrow night.</li> <li>Bright & early Saturday morning I am headed out on a work trip to Austin, TX for 5 days.</li> <li>I get home late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning.</li> <li>Friday night Kyle and I leave for our race! </li> </ul> Hope everyone has had a great week and is looking forward to their long weekend! Tomorrow’s Friday!

Kyle’s Birthday

Wednesday was Kyle’s “golden birthday”! I took the day off work and we spent the day together! We started out our day together with a run! ...

Episcopal Leadership

10:44 AM Tukiyooo 0

News flash from College for Bishops: The good news is that my scores as a "transfomational leader" are much improved from the marks I got when I'd only been in Nevada for 6 weeks. (Grading was done each time by some of the staff and a few clergy). I'm glad it didn't go the other way. But the big footnote on that "improved" score is that I don't believe in the transformatoinal leadership model anyway. It's too individual, too heroic, too hiearchical, too top down. We have a program this afternoon on "complexity leadership" which strikes me as far more appropriate for the church, especially a church committed to Ministry of All Baptized. It's about groups working together as equals instead of working under the same boss. Leadership is not top down. It is leading out to each other as equals and, when the administrative structure is hiearrachical, it's leading up, speaking up, offering our insights. Complexity leadership is about the interactions among group members that affect the whole group for good or for ill. This is much more the kind of leadership I believe in -- and most of my worst mistakes have come from having gotten hoodwinked into trying to lead the old fashioned transformational way. My main job needs to be enabling groups of people to come together for creative, innovative interaction. The Ministry Development Commission has been especially creative and proactive recently. I feel good about my small part in midwifing the birth of that group -- but the creative leadership is being done by them. Often people think the bishop is a ruler, the one who calls the shots. But that's not what our vows say, and it is rarely what the canons allow. We are more often facilitators and spiritual guides. The whole point of the English Reformation was to shift authority away form purple shirted individuals barking orders into the hands of groups of Christians, working through issues in fellowship. The Church is a context for people to grow into the full stature of Christ. People don't grow through cow towing to domination. People grow thourgh convesation and fellowship, learning to speak thier own minds then work togther, especially when we don't all agree. Tyranny is far more efficient than democracy. But democracy is more human. The Church needs to be human, deeply human -- that is better than efficient.

Episcopal Leadership

News flash from College for Bishops: The good news is that my scores as a "transfomational leader" are much improved from the mark...

Just so ya know!

7:00 AM Tukiyooo 0

Just so ya know!

Happy Thursday everyone!! I hope everyone is have a GREAT week!! I sure am! Yesterday Kyle [my husband] celebrated his 26th birthday! I took...

Maybe swimming isn't for me

10:42 PM Tukiyooo 0

I tried something different this morning. I did my normal cardio workout (intervals), today it was the elliptical for thirty five minutes, then a few lower body weights for about twenty minutes, then swimming again, for only twenty minutes. The reason for only twenty minutes of swimming:  I almost drowned in five foot of water. I'm serious. While I was in the middle of my fifth lap of doing the backstroke, I somehow flung a bunch of water up my nose as I was inhaling. I panicked, started coughing, choking, and gasping for air. I tried to stand up but couldn't touch the bottom of the pool. My mind couldn't register this because I was sure the pool was four foot, even in the deepest area. I'm 5' 6", I should have been able to stand up and touch bottom. There were only two other people in the pool with me, swimming the lanes on each side of me. As I coughed and choked, they kept swimming. I grabbed onto the plastic rope that separates the lanes and gathered my composure. I was mainly embarrassed, and a little bit afraid. Then I saw the sign on the edge of the pool next to me. It said "5 Ft.". Okay. I can touch the bottom. I stood up, on my toes, with my head tilted back and quietly walked a few feet until I was in the four foot area. I swam a few more laps but I'd lost my momentum. After the pool I went into the dry sauna for six minutes (thermometer said it was 205F degrees...I think it must have been broken). Then I went into the steam room for six minutes. All day I was absolutely physically exhausted. It wasn't a hard workout so I'm not sure why I was (and still am) so wiped out. Someone recently told something that's making me rethink this whole swimming thing. They said recent research has shown older people are happier people. The reason is because older people have figured out what they like to do and what they don't like. Now that they're older they focus on just the stuff they like, and forget the stuff they don't like. I've never liked swimming. I don't like water in my face in up my nose, or the taste of chlorine. I don't like wearing a swimsuit. I don't like the fear I get that I could drown in five feet of water. I don't like that I can't wear my heart rate monitor or my iPod. I don't like the silence. I don't like other people in the water with me. I don't like that it's so hard for me and that it hurts. I don't like it that I don't like. Everyone loves swimming, right? What do you think? Should I just forget about the swimming? Maybe I should try an aerobics class or something else? My gym has spinning classes, but only at noon, so that's not an option. In my twenties aerobics was all the rage, high impact aerobics. Remember "no pain, no gain"? I must have heard that a hundred times in all those stupid step aerobic classes I took in the 80's. I really need to do something different. The gym with it's daily grind is losing it's charm. I go, but I don't go enthusiastically. At least not lately. Maybe when and if it ever stops raining around here in this hell hole called the Pacific Northwest, I can get back to riding my bike. I just need something new, but maybe not swimming.

Maybe swimming isn't for me

I tried something different this morning. I did my normal cardio workout (intervals), today it was the elliptical for thirty five minutes, t...

Un site d'offres d'emploi dédié au secteur des cafés, hôtels et restaurants

9:05 AM Anonymous 0

Un site <a href="http://www.emploi-cafe-resto.fr" "target=_blank">www.emploi-cafe-resto.fr</a> a été mis en place par Pôle Emploi en partenariat avec les plus grandes fédérations et syndicats professionnels de l'univers des cafés, hôtels et restaurants. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf07KGh53t-cOoZIBJxyYKXPeImaGvvJjbYlsGFBzqLB4mL7rjaYcC9qkfCN-QkMjEZm0EBJTIr6IlbMwljqR8XRjQLd5el3uZWNpzUvUR1ZigSqJ5QpN3ZS1ipo2ByR720GuL9LmCnlOn/s1600/emploi-cafes-hotels-restaurants.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475620698229802434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf07KGh53t-cOoZIBJxyYKXPeImaGvvJjbYlsGFBzqLB4mL7rjaYcC9qkfCN-QkMjEZm0EBJTIr6IlbMwljqR8XRjQLd5el3uZWNpzUvUR1ZigSqJ5QpN3ZS1ipo2ByR720GuL9LmCnlOn/s200/emploi-cafes-hotels-restaurants.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 200px;" /></a> Les demandeurs d'emploi peuvent consulter les offres d'emploi du secteur et postuler en ligne, mais aussi s'informer sur les métiers. Les employeurs peuvent déposer gratuitement leurs annonces, consulter les candidatures ...

Un site d'offres d'emploi dédié au secteur des cafés, hôtels et restaurants

Un site www.emploi-cafe-resto.fr a été mis en place par Pôle Emploi en partenariat avec les plus grandes fédérations et syndicats professio...

Facing the Scale

5:40 AM Tukiyooo 0

I have to start my post out today by saying THANK YOU guys SO much for all the encouraging comments from my post <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/05/confessions.html">yesterday</a>. You guys are the best!! My breakfast this morning was more like desert! I mixed up my oatmeal with a sliced banana, 1 T peanut butter, and 1 t of mini chocolate chips for a total of 6 points. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g4aj672GzglEbyhUsX2wZW0brLoIZGEXMOp0gtHAoX0-4VD5My2szc8C6oFybzKVZLdmsgkcIrS1yPkGbaV0KEbKKeGCabCKJXAYeqDSaOC261cSYOjUoqCde3-nY8-yIlCelKt5JEa7/s1600-h/DSC07388%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07388" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85oVbdJAKlz4eWAHx-Ya4bJbyyKemHfNhNdBwh4fOy7JmglHJ6ZlMG0puPppFKU9p678V6l0MNQslP_8KrXTmo7FmEgFS3I0Ff4cdxYnPH7CdyvfWwUesgtGhXv1Bem32MjOznJNbEh3n/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07388" width="404" /></a> I couldn't believe that my oatmeal held me over till lunch! I might have to have this breakfast more often! Lunch today was a smart ones for 5 points and 1 cup of fruit salad for 1 point. Click <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/05/confessions.html">here</a> to get the recipe. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL1NAbFn6ZSK0NpL_qCkUtNZG_48VRchoDi6buH0ajAn6o54XrsVtPqvlDT4r070oH4um5zTkmk5cxpoMNwomvXkphBtGSFFt3znNjGB-do4CF8vWTlMVvtZ_KRF73D5qGek84bU8yK91/s1600-h/DSC07389%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07389" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ByCEBuIQRIbUwrvx9RFv31GlPXFuCdUOZ89-rkgt3ScR4GBb4wlAoPbwq5wqZGJdSr-Hyp1R_aQpdXRGR9q6YvE1G2t9gsz5VyHzFyRJAmLDrFTxKTtL1vqTwoYABbuByjFpkcBexeFG/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07389" width="404" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCC3A3xg0PdmX3Zq5LFJPEvFLAIhIa8aDVzpqRZ77lU31zsn5T88fJSQJ_NNyAgk8MQKsdqCPUc_madLvn4Kta6m0rcybmEYNFM58WnKnk-gq_i4VAEO7c-1kCIMT7rugxxHBn08zAR9Z6/s1600-h/DSC07390%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07390" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYexBXSvHx8dL-c55c8n1WW6vO9ayDv5hjS8_fUNMWtnOoNOTn2RMlF4DAFxrerISCPA78vXZwLRKQOCkpAQVstqdP5hLPrsVXLJ4uvSa3ELLkZnvrF6IcQaJ__2ZlIPKDZgdqPsRQkf7/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07390" width="404" /></a> I had a great afternoon at work! Oh and how could I forget….my sister started a new job today [she moved home from Florida last week]…at the same place I work!! So not only are we sisters, but now we’re co-workers! When we got off work we came home and made supper right away so we could get settled in to watch the Biggest Loser finale!! My supper was a great mix, 2oz whole wheat pasta, 3oz chicken, 1/4 ff mozzarella shredded cheese, and zucchini squash for a total of 7 points. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX14l-5aOi1D-NFA1ibLKrLJpOZvGf4st0foBNTi3IA5SA5V-OP-rJkDf65KdSndrnDbjJwwqDWATFzC2TdXLQcpRYhXvPO09qoAUPVzEYf2IqPUXTfRMzIvVpwgC_8ff_-kxiodVzxwyw/s1600-h/DSC07391%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07391" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57uN85hJWQ3uKGdsYkWePx71f0zyF_4yUQOekE9RaKQ_FK85QSe23WZ5El4PrhhBZ7IYaUwY3b4cy_344geFYDYBnpfQisEtsI-xkVVQ1ijFR62Xv00SYiZaGOXObN2TPJ5VNCkeBt41K/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07391" width="404" /></a> Tuesday’s are my WI day. I stepped on the scale this morning and was SO scared at what it was going to say. It wasn’t pretty, but I need to be accountable so I’m going to tell you guys! The scale said 173. Yuck! But not for long….it’s going to go down, down, down!! Wish me luck guys!! TUESDAY’S STATS POINTS = 19/23 WEEKLY ALLOWANCE POINTS = 0 used/35 remaining ACTIVITY POINTS EARNED =    0 today/0 week WATER =  120 oz EXERCISE = none One more thing…I’ve been catching up in blog land and it seems like a lot of people have also had a rough few weeks! Well I don’t think <a href="http://www.bobbimccormick.com/">Bobbi’s</a> post yesterday could have come at a better time! <a href="http://www.bobbimccormick.com/?p=7706">Check it out!</a>

Facing the Scale

I have to start my post out today by saying THANK YOU guys SO much for all the encouraging comments from my post yesterday . You guys are ...

What's the Big Deal About Being Overqualified?

5:11 AM Anonymous 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/hs/ar5m3x9763ydx0vhd9hs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/hs/ar5m3x9763ydx0vhd9hs.gif" /></a></div>Scouting through job listings, you spot a position in your field. The prospective employer is looking for somebody with a bachelor's degree and four years of relevant experience. Having a master's degree and seven years under your belt, you hurry to apply, figuring that your higher credentials will at least score an interview. But your phone never rings. Instead of working to your advantage, being overqualified for a job can be a red flag that keeps employers from wanting to know you better. While it may be difficult to overcome their objectives, knowing the basis for their concerns can help make your job search more fruitful (and perhaps make rejection more palatable). The money issue When Charlotte Tomic moved to Florida about three years ago, she applied for various junior public-relations positions because of the lack of openings for senior professionals in her field. Due to the experience shown on her résumé, she found employers weren't interested. "There's never even been a discussion except for one job where I was actually offered the position," Tomic says. "They said they knew I was overqualified, but they needed help. I was willing to take the job, but it made no sense because of the salary. It wasn't paying enough to leave my freelance solo practice." Money is a key reason people work. Even if you are willing to settle for a lower salary because of the tough economy, employers worry that you will jump ship as soon as you find another position offering compensation more in line with what you are used to earning. Other strikes against the overqualified According to Duncan Mathison, co-author of "Unlock the Hidden Job Market: Six Steps to a Successful Search When Times Are Tough," hiring managers ask themselves three questions: 1. Does the person have the ability and skills to do the job? 2. Is the applicant motivated to do the job in that it meets her needs, interests and values? 3. How will this candidate fit into the group, the organizational structure and culture? While you clearly may have the skills, a lower job means that the number of competitors who are also qualified is greater than if you were applying for a higher position. The sheer number in the applicant pool can work against you. Likewise, Mathison says, "Questions two and three could work against you because the hiring manager will assume on the long term the lower-level job will not meet your needs or you won't fit into the structure. The manager might also feel threatened if you are qualified to do his job." Easing fears -- and getting hired Ford Kanzler of El Granada, Calif., has been told that he was overqualified many times during his 30-plus years in technology public-relations management. In one instance, though, he was able to turn that potential negative to his advantage. "I told the hiring manager, 'I agree. I'm more than qualified for the job, but that means I'll be able to come in, hit the ground running, create desired results in a short time and require virtually zero management. I can operate as your wing man, and together we can really get the job done fast and well.'" Kanzler landed the job and worked for the company for several years. Mathison agrees that sometimes it pays to get the issue on the table and ask the prospective employers if they see any pluses to your candidacy based on your higher qualifications. "Tell them that you too had concerns that the job might not be a fit but applied because factors beyond the title were important to you. Promise that if at any point you feel the job appears too low or not one where you will bring the full engagement needed to excel in the position, you will withdraw your candidacy. Your willingness to walk away tells them you are motivated if you stay in the game." Tailor your résumé Finally, remember that a good application for any position should be created to match the employer's needs as closely as possible. While experts generally don't recommend lying or "dumbing down" a résumé, simple (yet truthful) changes can make you a more desirable candidate. A few edits to consider: <ul><li>Changing terminology, if appropriate (for example, "manager" can become "project team leader" to match the language of the job description).</li><li>Shortening years of service by dropping early jobs if the years sound too long.</li><li>Toning down executive-sounding titles, especially if inflated (for example, calling yourself by a managerial title rather than showcasing that you were vice president in a company with only five employees).</li><li>Dropping a degree in favor of an "Additional Professional Training" statement describing topics on which you have advanced knowledge.</li></ul>Hopefully, the result will be the greatest change of all -- a foot in the door. Get the latest job search news and advice on CareerBuilder.com's job blog, "The Work Buzz," and follow us on Twitter @CBforJobSeekers. By Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder Writer <a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

What's the Big Deal About Being Overqualified?

Scouting through job listings, you spot a position in your field. The prospective employer is looking for somebody with a bachelor's deg...

Developing Your Selling Points

5:09 AM Anonymous 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/my/ar5m388745lps4nnp3my.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/my/ar5m388745lps4nnp3my.gif" /></a></div>Imagine you are an advertising executive assigned the task of getting people to try a new soft drink. Before you pitched the product to consumers, chances are you'd examine the item carefully. How does it taste? Is it lower in calories than other beverages? What features distinguish it from other drinks? The process is much the same for job seekers -- only this time you are both the marketer and the product being peddled. Before trying to "sell" yourself to prospective employers, it is worth taking time to evaluate your attributes and the best ways they can be presented. Pinpointing strengths Experts agree that honest self-assessment is paramount when seeking to identify your selling points. Enlisting the help of a few trusted friends and colleagues who know you well also can be helpful, but ask them to give specific examples to back up the strengths they list. (Evidence will help keep the comments truthful rather than just supportive or nice.) Paul Klein, director of the career services center at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio, suggests making a list of all the job responsibilities that you've had, no matter how many or few times you've done them. "For example, if you work at a fast food restaurant and spend 99 percent of your time flipping burgers, it's still very important to include the other 1 percent of your job, which might entail opening or closing the store or taking money from the cash register to the bank. Although this only counts for 1 percent of your job, it's extremely important, as it indicates a level of management skills, trust and responsibility." Presenting your information While you might be an excellent typist, an employer looking for an experienced cook is probably not going to care. Worse yet, skills that would have made a hiring manager take notice may be lost within a sea of information. Instead of a cover letter that could be used for 25 different jobs or a résumé detailing every experience you've ever had, focus on the skills that pertain to the job in question. Take cues from the job ad as to what might be important, and show with positive language and concrete examples how your strengths match the employer's needs. To say you have great writing skills is one thing. To state that you helped your last employer achieve greater communication between departments by creating a monthly newsletter is another. Klein offers these tips to further help job seekers trying to decide what to include: If you work for a name brand employer (IBM, Microsoft) that should get highlighted on your résumé. If you work for a solid employer with a great reputation in the field that you're going into, that should be highlighted. If you're working for an organization that no one's heard of, emphasize the position, its responsibilities and your accomplishments. Selling yourself at the interview Sara LaForest, co-founder of Kubica LaForest Consulting (a management consulting and performance improvement company serving clients nationwide), notes that when your application leads to an interview, consistency across your verbal and written presentation is essential. She recommends seeking a trusted friend or coach to help with a practice interview in which you "articulate your strengths as aligned to the prospective role and use specific evidence (behaviorally-based examples) that demonstrate the outcomes of your skill strengths." "Practice responding to questions that focus on your strengths, why you would be good for this job and 'why should we select you'- type questions," LaForest says. "Practice responding in a conversational tone -- even if the question surprises you. Exuding a calm confidence, discussing your strengths and reinforcing them in a matter-of-fact way with evidence to support your statements is powerful." Making the sale A last thought to consider: Just as you would be leery about a product making too many claims, so might a person making hiring decisions. "Sell yourself responsibly," LaForest cautions. "Nobody likes a pusher. Specific to selling yourself to prospective employers, ensure you clearly understand their needs and priorities. Do this by listening sincerely and asking clarifying questions. Listen first -- and more than you talk." By Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder Writer Get the latest job search news and advice on CareerBuilder.com's job seeker blog http://www.theworkbuzz.com/ and follow us on Twitter @CBforJobSeekers. <a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Developing Your Selling Points

Imagine you are an advertising executive assigned the task of getting people to try a new soft drink. Before you pitched the product to cons...

Why Your Job Search Is Not All About You

5:08 AM Anonymous 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mq/ar5f2sf6s55tjtdfd6mq.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mq/ar5f2sf6s55tjtdfd6mq.gif" /></a></div>We all get calls from telemarketers. Their generic, impersonal sales pitches typically yield responses like: "Really? Why would I let you spend 10 minutes telling me about your vacuuming services? I have a vacuum cleaner in the closet." Click. Chances are you have received this type of call. And chances are you have hung up before you even know what the caller has to offer. Were the vacuum company to peek in your window for a few hours (creepy -- but go with me here) they'd find out you were a single parent with three kids, two shedding cats and a bad case of seasonal allergies. With this new background information, the call might go something like: "Hello Ms. Murphy! Since you're so busy you barely have time to vacuum these days, I'll send my professional cleaning service to your home. In addition to saving you time, our filter-equipped vacuums will get rid of the pet hair on your furniture and decrease the amount of airborne allergens in your home!" Since the telemarketer just solved three of your most pestering problems, you're probably more inclined to listen to his or her sales pitch. Vacuum cleaners and allergies aside, applying to a company without targeting your application to its needs is a lot like making a random courtesy call. Employers aren't going to pay attention to you unless they know what you can do for them. Solve a problem, land a job "You have a job for one reason: to solve a company's problem," says Debra Benton, author of "Lions Don't Need To Roar" and "The $100,000 Club." "You do not have a job because you need or want one; that is irrelevant to the marketplace." That means you need to stop focusing on what your strengths are and start focusing on how your strengths can help the company you'd like to work for, Benton suggests. Putting it all out there -- strategically Rich Dukas, president and CEO of Dukas Public Relations, says that targeting your cover letter to address the needs of each company you apply to is the only way to get noticed. "Specificity rules," he says. "I am impressed when a candidate spends the time to learn about our firm and tells me in a cover letter and interview how they would directly contribute to our business. Generic cover letters don't cut it." Using employer-centric language when applying to a position can also help, Benton advises. "Every part of your communication should be them-oriented instead of you-oriented, from the first word in your cover letter," she says. "Instead of writing, 'Dear Mr. Smith, I'm interested in a job at XYZ ...' your letter should start with 'Dear Mr. Smith, You have an exciting position at XYZ that I'm interested in ...'. Just making the first word 'you' versus 'I' is the start of a myriad of ways to be company-oriented." Tina Chen, director of operations at Carlisle Staffing in Illinois, says today's tough job competition makes it especially necessary to focus your job search on the needs of employers and how you can make their organization a better one. "Employers are no longer just looking for 'qualified candidates' but rather those who will go above and beyond to justify their seat, so job seekers really need to stay ahead of the curve and lay their best assets on the table," Chen says. The bottom line: Employment is a relationship Although it is important for your communication with a prospective employer to stress how your skills can meet its needs; employment is ultimately a relationship, and you still need to keep your own interests in mind. "Take a step back, assess the potential employers that you would like to work for, do your homework and decide if there could be a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. Look at it as 'job dating.' In order for the relationship to work, both parties have to bring something to the table," Chen advises. Kurt Weyerhauser, managing partner at Kensington Stone, an international search firm in California, also compares employment to a long-term relationship. "It's like a marriage of sorts," he says. "Most of us who are married realize that we wouldn't be married if leading up to the wedding it had been all about –'me' or, for that matter, all about my spouse's interests. The key is to understand that while your primary interest is you, it's not your sole interest." By Kaitlin Madden writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, "The Work Buzz." She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. <a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Why Your Job Search Is Not All About You

We all get calls from telemarketers. Their generic, impersonal sales pitches typically yield responses like: "Really? Why would I let y...

Should You Leave Your Cell at Home During an Interview?

5:06 AM Anonymous 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bg/ar5f8h05zm2pchsthhbg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bg/ar5f8h05zm2pchsthhbg.gif" /></a></div>True story: After a move to a new city, I finally land a job interview after weeks of sending out résumés. The company offers good pay and great benefits -- not to mention that the job is right up my alley and right down the street from my apartment. The interview is humming along nicely, when "BLEEP BLEEP BLEEEEP! ... BLEEP BLEEP BLEEEEP!" My interviewer is mid-question when she jumps out of her skin at the sound of my cell phone loudly ringing from my purse. I could have sworn I'd shut it off. I spend the next 20 seconds rifling through my bag to find the offending device and another 10 seconds powering it off. As I apologize and refocus my attention on the interviewer, I can tell our whole vibe is off balance. She is clearly annoyed and I feel like a fool (both of which are total confidence killers). In case I left any doubt in your mind, I was not called back for a second interview. Lesson learned: Don't let your cell phone get the best of you. "In many cases, attitude trumps aptitude when it comes to candidate selection. Bringing a cell phone with you says a lot about your attitude," says Laurent Duperval, president of Duperval Consulting in Montreal. "It sends the message that your focus will not be on your job. If I, as an interviewer, can't get your full attention for a few minutes, what will it be like once you have the job? " Chris Laggini, vice president of human resources for information-technology service provider DLT Solutions, echoes Duperval's sentiment, saying, "Bringing or using a cell phone or BlackBerry during an interview would only indicate to the interviewer a general lack of respect and good judgment, and would indicate that they would exhibit the same behavior during working hours if they were to be hired." Laggini adds that the only acceptable reason for bringing a cell phone to an interview is if you need to be connected to receive an emergency call of some kind. In that case, he suggests that you discuss the matter with the interviewer beforehand. So what's the best way to make sure your phone doesn't interrupt your interview? Leave it at home or in your car. That way, you'll be assured that your phone won't disrupt your interview. If you have other obligations that day and can't leave your phone at home, or if you take public transportation and can't leave it in the car, at least make sure you turn your phone off before going into the interview. Sue Thompson, a career consultant and founder of Set Life Free Seminars, provides the following advice to her clients: "Become proficient with your phone's voice mail setup so you are able to quickly record a new voice mail [greeting] as you go into a meeting or interview, something along the lines of, 'I'm about to go into a meeting. I will return your call by 4 p.m.' Then turn it off." Despite our best intentions, though, sometimes -- like in my own interview -- plans go awry. Should your cell phone unexpectedly ring in the middle of your conversation, Duperval advises that you apologize and quickly silence the phone or turn it off. "Most phones have a button that allows you to send the caller to voice mail or to silence the phone immediately. As long as you don't answer the phone or say, 'Oh! I have to take this,' the interviewer should understand," he says. By Kaitlin Madden writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, "The Work Buzz." She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. <a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Should You Leave Your Cell at Home During an Interview?

True story: After a move to a new city, I finally land a job interview after weeks of sending out résumés. The company offers good pay and g...

Putting Yourself in the Interviewer's Seat Can Give You an Advantage

5:05 AM Anonymous 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/wb/ar5l4kt6k5061j39ygwb.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/wb/ar5l4kt6k5061j39ygwb.gif" /></a></div>By Alison Craig, author of "Hello, Job!" What did you think of your last interviewer? Did you feel as if you were mortal enemies? Or were you on the same team? I know that can sound extreme, but many people view a job interview as a fight or a competition -- a duel of wits. Actually, it's just a conversation and collaboration to find the best candidate for the job. So have you ever thought about the job interview process from the interviewer's perspective? As a job seeker, you are more concerned about yourself and your personal needs. That is natural, but this selfish attitude could stop you from getting what you need and want: a job. A job interview is like a graceful dance in which two people come together and find out whether they are in sync. There are three main components to all job interviews at any level: 1. Your personal agenda. 2. The company's agenda. 3. The common ground you both stand on. Now here is the thing: The interviewer already sees and understands all sides. And if you as the job seeker can see the different sides as well, you could have an edge on your competition. You'll be able to communicate more effectively about how you can help the company and how you are the perfect fit for the position. First think about that common ground. What do you and the interviewer have in common? To begin with, you both want to fill the position. You both want to be working rather than looking for that right fit. See yourself as being on the same side as the interviewer. The more you can find out in your research about the company (and the specific interviewer when possible), the more common ground you are likely to find. Next, think about the motives: yours and the company's. Have a clear idea about what you are looking for and why you're well-suited for the job. That sounds obvious, but if you're coming from a desperate any-job-will-do place, you won't be convincing. What is the company's agenda? There will be specifics for each job, and remember that all companies are looking for two things: flexibility and loyalty. How flexible are you? Are you willing to take on new tasks to help the company or are you only going to do what is strictly written in your job description? The more you're willing to grow and stretch as the company grows, the more valuable you will be. Loyalty also matters. As much as you don't want to keep looking for a job, a company doesn't want to keep training new employees. It's costly to keep replacing and retraining. So if you are loyal by nature, and you want to grow with a company and be there through thick and thin, then you are an ideal candidate. So is that the end of it? Know what the company wants and mirror it, right? Not so fast! If you don't have qualifications, or you don't believe in the mission of the company, be honest and upfront. That will make you memorable, you both will know where everyone stands, and you won't waste each other's time. You're helping the employer find the right person for the job, and if you aren't it, simply say so. It might be tempting to say whatever will land you any job, but by lying, you could you get stuck in a job that isn't right for you and end up looking for a job all over again. What's even more likely is that you won't land the job anyway. Your body language, that nonverbal communication, will rat on you. There's even a TV show on the Fox Network about this very thing, "Lie to Me." You may lie with your words, but you cannot lie with your body. So what is your personal agenda? Do you want the job or just the money? When you apply for a job, are you thinking about how you can help the company and whether you're just what they are looking for? Companies want people who want to work, want to grow, want to help and want to be proactive. If you are such a person, it will show. So as you prepare and polish for your interview, practice seeing yourself from the other side of the desk, and go in knowing that you and the interviewer are on the same team, simply finding the right match for the job. <a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Putting Yourself in the Interviewer's Seat Can Give You an Advantage

By Alison Craig, author of "Hello, Job!" What did you think of your last interviewer? Did you feel as if you were mortal enemies? ...

Reflections on Rwanda 1994

11:42 AM Tukiyooo 0

I just finished Left To Tell, a compelling memoir by a survivor of the Rwandan genocide. Imaculee Ilibigaza spent nearly 3 months cramped shoulder to shoulder in strict silence with a group of women in a tiny bathroom, while murdering mobs made periodic searches of the house where she was sheltered by a Hutu pastor. During that awful time she had a profound encounter with God through her desperate prayers for deliverance. Her book is not a theodicy but it is a testimony to the presence of God in the midst of evil and a tribute to the the human capacity to find grace even in the context of horror. Her relationship with God enabled her to survive and to move through grief to to a life of joy. It even set her free to forive the murderers of her family and friends. Not long ago I read a biography of the German theologian, Paul Tillich, including his escape from Germany just as the Nazi reich was beginning its campaign of violence against those who did not support their hatred. Reading such books in these times compels serious reflection. The Church has a theology and a spirituality, not a political philosophy. But politics is always susceptible to spirits that are larger and more powerful than ideologies -- sometimes, spirits of mercy, justice, and reconciliation; sometimes spirits of hatred, fear, and blame (Rene Girard). Whatever our political convictions may be, Christians have a duty to infuse politics with a godly spirit and to resist the spiritualy of malice. The Ugandan legislation imposing death for homosexuality is an example of a spirituality of malice. The Arizona immigration legislation is not as bad as that, but it is plenty bad enough. However, my concern is broader than specific legislation. I would not equate the extremist rhetoric of today's American politics with the Rwandan madness -- but it is deeply troubling -- not in its content, not in its political positions -- it is troubling in its malice, its dehumanizing of those who differ. Christian may hold any variety of political and economic theories. But we cannot forget each other's humanity, which means we cannot forget when we speak of each other that we are speaking of God's children. Our calling is always to bless and not to curse. The habit of blessing grows. The habit of cursing grows. They grow in opposite dirctions. Our basic freedom is to choose which direction we as individuals and as a society choose to follow.

Reflections on Rwanda 1994

I just finished Left To Tell, a compelling memoir by a survivor of the Rwandan genocide. Imaculee Ilibigaza spent nearly 3 months cramped sh...

Like a fish out of water

9:54 PM Tukiyooo 0

That's how my swimming went today. You know, when a poor fish is on dry land, flopping and flipping around, gasping for air. Well, that was me, but I was in the water. Talk about being out of my comfort zone. Now I totally remember why I quit swimming at the gym a couple years ago, it was because I'm not good at it. I tend to avoid things I'm not good at doing. I swallowed a lot of pool water the first twenty minutes as I attempted to keep my face in the water, then turn to side for air. Turns out I can't hold my breath for more than ten seconds without the fear of drowning overcoming me. Then Mr. Olympian swimmer had to join me in the pool. I mean, it was 5:15 a.m. for heaven's sake, why wasn't he home sleeping? He was a really good swimmer and got in the lane right next to me, and he was a show off. For every lap I did, he did two. It was slightly embarrassing. After about six laps of the pool, I finally gave in and did the backstroke. I'm pretty good at it and had read some tips in the Women's Health Magazine on form for the backstroke. I really got into it, tightening my abs, reaching straight up at a 45 degree angle and back as far as I could, twisting my core  slightly with each stroke. It felt like a good workout, but I had to rest after every four laps because I could barely breathe. It was like I was completely out of shape. I managed a total of 25 laps and I think the pool is 25 meters long. That's not great, but my goal was only twenty. I was in the pool 50 minutes, so although that's not a very long workout, it felt like hours with all that of huffing and puffing and inhaling water. Seriously, it was like my first time on the StairMaster or on the elliptical, except I had the added bonus of drowning.  I think Roxie is right and I need a lesson or two on how to swim. At this point I can't say I loved it because it was really difficult. Especially with all that water in my nose and mouth. Also my right ear was plugged with water most of the day. I'm not sure this is the right exercise for me, but I'll probably do it a couple times a week, but in conjunction with some strength training. My back and shoulders are sore in places they're usually not sore so I know I worked a few new muscles that I don't normally use.  Today was a major hungry day for me, and I went way over my Points. All healthy food, a ton of fresh vegetables and fruits, fresh halibut and a handful of those delicious, calorie/fat laden hazelnuts my husband bought last week. I asked him to get a few at the bulk foods. By a few I meant maybe 1/4 cup. I want to make a really delicious salad we had in Denver at the Spicy Pickle. It's called the Forest and had hazelnuts, along with sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, onions and Portabella mushrooms, and chunks of roasted chicken on a bed of fresh spinach. Sprinkled with...roasted hazlenuts and served with a Balsamic vinaigrette. Really yummy. He came  home with three freaking pounds of hazelnuts. Why?

Like a fish out of water

That's how my swimming went today. You know, when a poor fish is on dry land, flopping and flipping around, gasping for air. Well, that ...