The New Normal

Looking for a job is not easy. Matter of fact it can be down right miserable. Each rejection seems to bring out all of life’s fears, failures and insecurities.

As Director of Career Services, I advised students on structuring their resume, writing cover letters, uncovering hidden job opportunities and interviewing skills. The students mistakenly thought when that part was complete, the hardest work was done. In reality it had just begun. Getting an interview was a huge obstacle because there are so many candidates vying for so few open positions.

We discussed how to stand out from the other candidates to get the first interview. I challenged them to uncover skills they learned in summer jobs or volunteer activities and highlight it on their resume.

One important point that I shared was that many times the initial interview was because of who they knew. It may have been a relationship with a faculty member, their father’s friend or even the spouse of a distant relative.

The professional social networking websites like LinkedIn were a key resource to connect with someone. It was like mining for gold to find that one person who could help and give students a way to stand out above the crowd.

Today’s gift was to offer job-hunting assistance to a young man who is losing his job this month because of budget cuts after working at an organization for over five years. I will share my knowledge and experience to help him connect with people who can get him a job. The “new normal” of employment is to be continually on the lookout for the next opportunity and meeting people who may be valuable contacts in the job market.

In Giving,

Robin

Their Biggest Fan

After I earned my masters degree in Recreation Therapy I worked at a psychiatric hospital. Ironically, many of the places I’ve worked since then have a lot of similarities to that environment!

One interesting program at the psych hospital was to develop and deliver a self-esteem camp for children in the community who just needed a little encouragement. We screened for healthy, well-adjusted children. If they had psychiatric issues we placed them in more appropriate programs. For instance, we were also running camps for hyperactive children and for kids who had been arrested.

All in all, the two-week day-camp was very fun. Working with children who were shy, had been bullied or who just needed a bit more self-confidence was inspiring to me. Some of the most exhilarating activities were on the Ropes course. It contained various challenges to complete, like climbing 20 feet in the air to a platform and sliding to the other end on a wire zip line, climbing over a 10-foot-high wall and even walking a horizontal log suspended high above the ground.

We cheered the young children to perform brave acts and then we sat in a circle and talked about their experiences. Some discussed their fear and then the feeling of success when they achieved what they thought they could not do. Recently, as I was looking for something in my closet, I found a box of encouragement cards for parents to put in children’s lunch boxes.

Today’s gift was to give this box of cards to my friend whose daughter is struggling with taking care of her three young children. It is a particularly tough time for her daughter because of the difficulties of being pregnant. I thought these cards would help her give the children a boost. It will remind her kids that their mother believes in them and is their biggest fan.

In Giving,

Robin

A Fireman Who Could

Gary was standing in line at the post office staring at the letter in his right hand. He might have had a tear in his eye. He gave a warm greeting as he waited for the next available clerk. After the initial exchange of the state of Gotham City a.k.a. Klamath Falls, he talked about where the stamped envelope was going.

Our friend explained that he had taken a tour of the local fire department as part of a community event. There he saw a video that included a story about 6-year-old Tyler Seddon, who has Leukemia and is awaiting a bone marrow transplant. This is the second time he has been subjected to endless rounds of chemotherapy. The plea in the video was from his mother, Rachel. She said that Tyler loves police and firemen and asked that they send a birthday card to Tyler for his upcoming seventh birthday.

That is what Gary had in the envelope. When I researched it on the Internet, I discovered that his mother really just wanted cards from fireman and policeman. I knew that wasn’t me. My father, a retired fireman, would have certainly sent a birthday card if dad was still around. It got me thinking “Who could I ask to send Tyler a card.”

Today’s gift was to send a Facebook message to a friend in Beckley, West Virginia, who is a retired fireman and ask if he had heard about Tyler. I sent him the link with the address to send him a birthday card. Although I couldn’t fulfill Tyler’s request on my own, I was able to find  a fireman who could.

In Giving,

Robin

Not So Ordinary People

Rob and Jennifer Taylor appeared to be an ordinary couple with four children—three boys and one girl. That is until I heard their story.

They have been missionaries for most of their adult life. Rob served on short-term trips in Mexico and Guatemala while Jennifer was serving in Romania. Then they decided to take the plunge and move with their sons to Africa. Through their work they met and adopted, 3-year-old Rachael from an orphanage in Zambia in 2007. They currently live in Kafue, Zambia, Africa and are working at an orphanage where Jennifer teaches school. When I met them in Klamath Falls, Rachael and their youngest boy 13-year-old Will was with them. The two older boys, Luke 15 and Matthew 18 are in boarding school in Africa.

Luke and Matthew were not the least bit upset that they wouldn’t be making this trip to the United States. Both of the boys will probably follow in their parents’ missionary footsteps. Matthew has already completed a couple of his own mission trips to Mexico and Costa Rica. Luke is known for being loving, kind and generous.  He always has gum or candy in his pocket, but not because he eats it all. He gives most of it away!  He shares kindness to everyone around him.

I was inspired by the bravery of this young family to make a difference in the world by moving halfway around the world to help children in Africa. Today’s gift was to make a cash donation to their mission at their website. I feel blessed to have met these “not so ordinary” people.

In Giving,

Robin

Texts Gone Bad

Have you ever texted someone and the word you thought you wrote is not the one that you texted? Autocorrect can jumble the meaning of written words in a humorous way. Here are some texts that made me laugh:

Mom: You are definitely coming here for Christmas, right? I am cooking ham.

Melissa: Yes – and I’m bringing drugs.

Mom: Don’t you even THINK about bringing drugs into this house Melissa.

Melissa: Wow chill mom. I meant I’m bringing DOUG.

Mom: Well why didn’t you say that?

Elliot: Hey can you get pregnant before you come over today?

Tom: What???

Elliot: I meant to ask if you could get Pringles at the grocery store. Pringles . . . the chips . . . not pregnant

Tom: OMG ahhh hahahahah

Connor: I love thunder so much.

Bob: I know me too! Except when it makes my dog bark, so usually only when I’m outside.

Connor: My dad barks too, we have to comfort him.

Bob: I’m so sorry, I imagine his manly vocal chords cause much more commotion than a small dog.

Bob: Oh did you mean dog?

Connor: Yeah, no, duh!

Emily: Love you babe! Goodnight!

Brian: My love for you is so strong I would buy you a casket if I could!

Brian: Castle. I promise I meant castle.

Brian: Autocorrect why do you have to ruin me so?

Brian: Emily?

Brian: Hello?

Tinkler: J What are your plans for today then?

Sam: Nothing beyond seeing you dead

Sam: Dear!!!

Jim: Great news. Grandma is homosexual!

Sue: Okay?

Jim: Homo hot lips

Jim: Hot tulips

Jim: I am getting fisted now

Jim: Frustrated

Jim: GRANDMA IS HOME FROM HOSPITAL

Sue: Hahaha homo hot lips?

Dad: If you and your girlfriend want to come over for dinner, be here at 6

Dad: I’m grilling up some baby black kids. Gonna be delicious.

Son: As tempting as that sounds we both have to work til 11

Dad: Yeah, I meant baby back ribs. And more for me.

Ted: Come over, I miss you!

Sue: I’m too fat

Ted: Time to use that gym membership I got you.

Sue: Far, I’m too far

Ted: What?!!!

Unknown caller: I’ll always love you. Just want you to know Stacy.

Andrea: I believe you have the wrong number

Unknown caller: Stacy please don’t do this to me. I know I messed up but it doesn’t have to end this way.

Andrea: No really my name is not Stacy. You have the wrong number.

Unknown caller: Oh my bad . . .

Son: Ha ha mom. What does ++ mean

Mom: I puushed. The ttwrong. Buttons. Iiidontknowto erase

Mom: Your great aunt just passed away. LOL

David: Why is that funny?

Mom: It’s not funny David! What do you mean?

David: Mom LOL means laughing out loud!

Mom: Oh my goodness!!! I sent that to everyone I thought it meant lots of love. I have to call everyone back. Oh no!

A friend called me and told me about a text exchange she had with a co-worker who responded, “I wish that I had already started drinking, it sounds like you have.” My friend said, “Enough with the auto correct.” She couldn’t find the setting on her phone and was very frustrated.

Today’s gift was to help my friend turn off auto correct on her cell phone. Now, she is looking forward to not having any more “texts gone bad.”

In Giving,

Robin