Today has been busy. We have a new music director at my church and tonight was the first rehearsal of our worship team with the new leader. He is a great musician and I'm so excited. It is also the first time I've been to a mid-week practice in about 8 months because I started teaching evenings in January. The job has been over for a couple of months, but I was so out of the habit that I never started going again. It was also a good time to worship God. I love worship music. The words to several songs especially spoke to me this week. Here are the lyrics to one of them.
Lord Reign In Me
by Brenton Brown, Copyright 1998
Over all the earth
You reign on high
Every mountain stream
Every sunset sky
But my one request
Lord my only aim
Is that You’d reign in me again
Lord reign in me
Reign in Your power
Over all my dreams
In my darkest hour
You are the Lord
Of all I am
So won’t You reign in me again
Over every thought
Over every word
May my life reflect
The beauty of myLord
‘Cause you mean more to me
Than any earthly thing
So won’t You reign in me again
This song is not where I am living every day right now, but it is where I need to be. This song is my prayer. My eyes have been looking down again and I've been too occupied with myself and my concerns. Lord, give me your vision for my days, my week, my life. Take my goals and put them in the correct order. Just like the exercise, I have also gotten lax again about spending time in prayer and studying the Bible. I have been so frustrated because I'm having trouble focusing on what kind of career to focus on and where my skills and temperament fit the best. God, help me to see clearly and give me a vision for a purposeful and satisfying vocation. Take my frustration and cover me in your peace. Thank You!
August 17, 2005
August 16, 2005
I'm Writing Again.
I have been unable to write anything for the last several days unless it was whiny tripe. I've been feeling discouraged and blah. I'm writing tonight before I go to sleep because I want to get over this bump. It has been over a week since I have exercised. Today I went to another insurance interview. Those seem to be the only companies that are showing any interest. I need to get a focused vision of what I really want to do so that I can take effective steps and know where to look. I guess that is my agenda for this week. My sister has been having a terrible time in Oklahoma. Today we got the news that her car engine is deceased. One good thing happened today. I met a friend and we had a great Thai dinner. I ordered asparagus in a yellow curry (but dry, without the coconut milk) with chicken. It was delicious. We had a great talk about life. She is about my age and also single. We have a lot of things in common as far as challenges and how we feel about things. For example, we both set ages for ourselves to adopt children if we found ourselves still single. I gave myself until 35, she chose 40. I have passed my deadline, but had already changed my mind about volunteering for single parenthood after seeing several friends raise newborns and toddlers. They had husbands as active fathers, but even two people are stretched thin with small children. It truly takes a village. I enjoyed being "Aunty Cheryl" and helping out; I also enjoyed going home. I am totally over that biological clock thing.
One more day until the two-year anniversary of my return from Korea. No specific plans how to mark the occasion.
One more day until the two-year anniversary of my return from Korea. No specific plans how to mark the occasion.
August 12, 2005
Friday!
Yeah! It's Friday. Yesterday was the big job interview. I was kind of worked up and nervous on Wednesday. Surprise! When I took the company name down over the phone, I spelled it wrong by a couple of letters. Remember, I was barely awake when I got the call and did the short phone interview. He didn't offer the spelling of the name and I wasn't thinking clearly enough to ask. Besides, I thought it sounded simple enough. So it was not an aerospace company that offered language training to pilots and traffic control workers. It was an insurance company and they are looking for sales people. I got through the first in-person interview and then they asked me to return in half-an-hour to sit in on an informational meeting about the company and fill out a candidate profile test. The profile test was questions about what motivates me, would I lie, would I steal, what are my strengths and weaknesses, etc. I decided that it wasn't the opportunity for me and told them so later in the evening when they called me back to see if I would come back for a final interview.
Today I applied online for two more positions- a Marketing Specialist- Writer, and a Merchant Investigator. The second job is for an online retail company, so I'd be checking out the merchants that are participating to make sure they are serving the customers properly and checking for fraud. It sounds like it could be challenging and fun. I don't expect to hear back from them because I don't have all the experience that they want in retail and don't know anything about fraud prevention. I made my quota to file for unemployment, so that is the most important thing. Next week I'll finish the series of workshops. I hope I'll learn more good stuff and really get prepared to market myself in some new areas and make this a successful career change.
August 18th, next Thursday, will be the two-year anniversary of my return to the United States to start my new life. I should find some way to mark the occasion. My life here is still under construction, but I am full of hope. God has good plans, and I'm trying to follow His path.
What Not to Wear will be on soon. Better go now.
Today I applied online for two more positions- a Marketing Specialist- Writer, and a Merchant Investigator. The second job is for an online retail company, so I'd be checking out the merchants that are participating to make sure they are serving the customers properly and checking for fraud. It sounds like it could be challenging and fun. I don't expect to hear back from them because I don't have all the experience that they want in retail and don't know anything about fraud prevention. I made my quota to file for unemployment, so that is the most important thing. Next week I'll finish the series of workshops. I hope I'll learn more good stuff and really get prepared to market myself in some new areas and make this a successful career change.
August 18th, next Thursday, will be the two-year anniversary of my return to the United States to start my new life. I should find some way to mark the occasion. My life here is still under construction, but I am full of hope. God has good plans, and I'm trying to follow His path.
What Not to Wear will be on soon. Better go now.
August 10, 2005
Teaching in Korea
A couple of people have asked what it was like teaching in Korea. They were thinking of going there and teaching themselves. I thought I'd post my answer in case more people were interested in hearing what it was like.
I had a great time in Korea. As long as you have a bachelor's degree (in any subject) you should be able to get a job. The language schools really want native-speakers who can teach conversation and listening. Research your school before you go because there are lots of bad ones that don't treat people fairly and aren't honest. Try looking in the forums at Dave's ESL Cafe. Ask the representative of any school you are considering if you can have the e-mail of a foreign teacher working there who can vouch for the school and give you information about the local life. I recommend the experience of teaching overseas. The culture shock will be substantial and you will have lots of challenges. Any kind of teaching training you can get before you go would be helpful. The university jobs are better (fewer teaching hours, better pay, and better working conditions) but you generally need a master's degree. Most schools in Korea pay for your housing and the wages are fair, so you can save money or pay down debt. I made good progress on my student loans while I was there.
Seoul is a large, very crowded, fast-paced city. It was both exciting and stressful. When things got really overwhelming, I would go to Gyungbok Palace and walk around. It is a spacious, tranquil oasis in the middle of urban mayhem. Walking through the gate, I could breathe deeply again. For interesting reading on this palace, Minsoo Kang wrote a very descriptive though scholarly essay on its long history.
I also lived in Kwangju, which is far South of Seoul. It was very interesting to see another part of Korea. Seoul is the business and population center of the whole country. Literally almost 1/3 of the total population lives in the city or in the surrounding suburbs. Kwangju is a small, provincial city that has a history of being a conservative holdout. It was the site of famous labor protests. The pace was slower and the people more relaxed and friendly. There was traffic, but it was still easier to get around. After you had been there a while, it felt like a small community; you recognized many faces when you walked around the downtown area. The surrounding countryside is very pretty. About 50 minutes away are the Bosung Green Tea Plantations, neat rows of tea bushes terraced into the mountainside. Just outside the city is a Confucian scholar's garden, Sosoewon, which is about 600 years old.
As far as the experience of being a foreigner, it was both fun and difficult. I didn't know any Korean language before I went. It was hard to adjust to being helpless in some situations, but I had people at my school helping me. The most basic, necessary things you learn pretty quickly. Thankfully, the writing system is very easy to learn, so you can sound things out and start to read subway stops and things. A lot of those signs are also written in Roman alphabet, which helps. The Korean culture sometimes keeps foreigners at a distance, but they are also hospitable and kind. Occasionally bouts of anti-Americanism break out because of political things, but I never felt unsafe.
It was a hard decision to make, leaving Korea. I was torn because I had become so comfortable there, liked my job and had good friends. At the same time I had been living far away from my family for a long time. I finally decided that it was time to return to Washington State and live near my family. The longer I stayed in Korea, the harder it would have been to leave.
I had a great time in Korea. As long as you have a bachelor's degree (in any subject) you should be able to get a job. The language schools really want native-speakers who can teach conversation and listening. Research your school before you go because there are lots of bad ones that don't treat people fairly and aren't honest. Try looking in the forums at Dave's ESL Cafe. Ask the representative of any school you are considering if you can have the e-mail of a foreign teacher working there who can vouch for the school and give you information about the local life. I recommend the experience of teaching overseas. The culture shock will be substantial and you will have lots of challenges. Any kind of teaching training you can get before you go would be helpful. The university jobs are better (fewer teaching hours, better pay, and better working conditions) but you generally need a master's degree. Most schools in Korea pay for your housing and the wages are fair, so you can save money or pay down debt. I made good progress on my student loans while I was there.
Seoul is a large, very crowded, fast-paced city. It was both exciting and stressful. When things got really overwhelming, I would go to Gyungbok Palace and walk around. It is a spacious, tranquil oasis in the middle of urban mayhem. Walking through the gate, I could breathe deeply again. For interesting reading on this palace, Minsoo Kang wrote a very descriptive though scholarly essay on its long history.
I also lived in Kwangju, which is far South of Seoul. It was very interesting to see another part of Korea. Seoul is the business and population center of the whole country. Literally almost 1/3 of the total population lives in the city or in the surrounding suburbs. Kwangju is a small, provincial city that has a history of being a conservative holdout. It was the site of famous labor protests. The pace was slower and the people more relaxed and friendly. There was traffic, but it was still easier to get around. After you had been there a while, it felt like a small community; you recognized many faces when you walked around the downtown area. The surrounding countryside is very pretty. About 50 minutes away are the Bosung Green Tea Plantations, neat rows of tea bushes terraced into the mountainside. Just outside the city is a Confucian scholar's garden, Sosoewon, which is about 600 years old.
As far as the experience of being a foreigner, it was both fun and difficult. I didn't know any Korean language before I went. It was hard to adjust to being helpless in some situations, but I had people at my school helping me. The most basic, necessary things you learn pretty quickly. Thankfully, the writing system is very easy to learn, so you can sound things out and start to read subway stops and things. A lot of those signs are also written in Roman alphabet, which helps. The Korean culture sometimes keeps foreigners at a distance, but they are also hospitable and kind. Occasionally bouts of anti-Americanism break out because of political things, but I never felt unsafe.
It was a hard decision to make, leaving Korea. I was torn because I had become so comfortable there, liked my job and had good friends. At the same time I had been living far away from my family for a long time. I finally decided that it was time to return to Washington State and live near my family. The longer I stayed in Korea, the harder it would have been to leave.
Interview Preparations
Tomorow I have an interview for a teaching related position. It may actually be teaching, but I won't find out any details until tomorrow. Preparations for the interview: printing out fresh copies of my resume and contact information of past employers. I also bought a new top to wear to the interview. I'm also going to use some notecards and write down some important things that I want to include in my answers to those delightfully fun interview questions. My personal favorite, "What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?". My answer to that one is, "My strengths are listening to people, thinking creatively to solve problems, and cooperating with others as a member of a team. My weaknesses are being particular about details and putting pressure on myself to meet other people's expectations." The company is over an hour away. If I get the job, who knows how I'll get there. I don't have a car and can't afford one. But that's getting too far ahead, since I don't actually have the job yet. Dad is really excited for me. He wants to know that I have a good job and I am well provided for. Well, I wouldn't mind that, either.
I had a good night's sleep last night, so I have some energy back. Haven't done any exercise this week, though. Not good. Tomorrow afternoon I will do the walking tape.
I had a good night's sleep last night, so I have some energy back. Haven't done any exercise this week, though. Not good. Tomorrow afternoon I will do the walking tape.
August 09, 2005
Undivided Heart
I’m still really tired. It was very nice to see my aunt last night. Didn’t sleep too well. Mom woke me up and handed me the phone. Good morning, time for an impromptu phone interview. I guess it didn’t go too badly, though. I was invited to come to their office on Thursday for a face-to-face. I had no idea what the company was, so I googled them. They are an international aerospace tech company that also offers language training to pilots. Wow, a teaching position. It seems like it will be a very corporate atmosphere. I’ve been advised to “dress for success” when I come to the interview. Not that I don’t usually wear nice clothes to an interview, but I have never worked in a corporate setting and most of my clothes are not quite that formal. I’m glad that I bought that blazer! Took a long nap this afternoon. I’m still making progress in Ezekiel. Here is one of my favorite verses.
Ezekiel 11:18-20
“They will return to it (the land of Israel) and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
I have heard this verse many times and read it quoted here and there. I love this verse. It is so easy for my heart and my attention to be divided so many ways. There is another similar verse.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Ezekiel and Jeremiah were prophets at the same time. They lived right before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian empire. I like these verses because it is describing such a close relationship between God and believers. God did keep his promise to bring the exiles back to Israel. Nehemiah came back with a group of exiles and descendents that had been born in Babylon. Together they rebuilt the city in the face of opposition and threats from their neighbors. The temple was also eventually rebuilt. These verses offer hope in the middle of a dark time. God’s purpose was not to annihilate Israel, but to cleanse and restore His people. These verses also look forward to the new covenant (or contract) God would initiate with all people through Jesus. Now believers have the spirit of God living directly inside them, to guide and help them. We can have the same closeness with God described in these verses.
Ezekiel 11:18-20
“They will return to it (the land of Israel) and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
I have heard this verse many times and read it quoted here and there. I love this verse. It is so easy for my heart and my attention to be divided so many ways. There is another similar verse.
Jeremiah 31:33-34
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
Ezekiel and Jeremiah were prophets at the same time. They lived right before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian empire. I like these verses because it is describing such a close relationship between God and believers. God did keep his promise to bring the exiles back to Israel. Nehemiah came back with a group of exiles and descendents that had been born in Babylon. Together they rebuilt the city in the face of opposition and threats from their neighbors. The temple was also eventually rebuilt. These verses offer hope in the middle of a dark time. God’s purpose was not to annihilate Israel, but to cleanse and restore His people. These verses also look forward to the new covenant (or contract) God would initiate with all people through Jesus. Now believers have the spirit of God living directly inside them, to guide and help them. We can have the same closeness with God described in these verses.
August 08, 2005
Back Home Again
I got home about 8:45 PM last night. It was a great weekend. I worked hard and had a lot of fun. Today I’ve been taking it a bit easy. There was an e-mail from an insurance company inviting me to an informational interview. I called and RSVP'd. I also took care of miscellaneous business- phone calls, gathering laundry, etc. A pretty routine day, not too hectic. I needed rest after the weekend. As usual at church retreats, we didn’t get a lot of sleep. My aunt is coming to spend the night. She couldn’t get on the flight tonight, so she will leave tomorrow. Instead of going back to stay near Grandpa, she’ll come here and stay with us. Her husband is a pilot, so she flies standby. It's always a gamble whether she'll get a seat. I’m glad, because now I’ll get to see her. More tomorrow, she’ll be here soon.
August 04, 2005
Away for the Weekend
This week has been a whirlwind. I haven't gone to sleep yet, but shortly after I finish this post my head will be resting on a pillow. I've been up late finishing some things before I leave for the weekend. I leave before lunch today and will come back Sunday evening. It's a church thing. My aunt is also in town, but because of the job workshops and this weekend, I won't be able to see her this trip. She came on Monday and will stay through the weekend for her high school reunion. Not much to say right now. I'm exhausted and obviously I won't be able to post anything this weekend. I'll catch up on Monday, I promise. Since I joined BlogExplosion, several people have left kind comments. It really encourages me to keep writing and posting regularly. I appreciate those who have taken the time to leave a comment. Thank you very much.
July 31, 2005
Evaluating the Week
Let's see how I did on that list of things to do this week.
Pray every day as 1st priority.
1. Apply for unemployment
2. Search for job listings online.
3. Rework my resume in a functional style.
4. Think about creative ideas for job/career directions.
5. Exercise 5 days.
6. Apply for at least 3 jobs.
I’ve been praying each day (not always before I do other things) and making progress in Ezekiel. It is a very interesting book. Right now I’m still in the gloom and judgment part of it, but there is a ray of hope. God marked a remnant of faithful people to save from destruction. They were the ones who refused to bow down to the idols of the day and were saddened by the corruption and vice that they saw around them. How can that apply to myself in today’s culture? What idols am I personally tempted to bow to? (selfishness, money/success, overindulging physical appetites). You see, the Bible is absolutely relevant, even the Old Testament. (God, please help me to stay true to you.) Now some are offended at the very idea of judgment. Let me just say this. If you really read the Old Testament, God would give warnings to Israel and do everything he could to remind the people of what was right and what they needed to do before he handed down the punishment. It wasn’t capricious and He did not take pleasure in it. Jesus provided the ultimate answer to that cycle. God knew that none of us could fulfill the law perfectly. The purpose of the law is to open our eyes to see that we have done wrong and that we need God. He sent Jesus to take the punishment so that we could be reconciled with God by believing in Jesus and asking for forgiveness.
I did everything, except I’m short one day on exercise and didn't meet the minimum job applications. I could do a walking tape tonight after it has cooled off. I was thinking today, “Once I start working, how am I going to keep up with this journal, exercise, and everything else?” I’m so spoiled now, having plenty of time to do all these personal things and the down time to just let my mind wander. I’m the kind of person that needs to have some down time or space during the day to recharge and refresh myself. I’m spending hours looking at job listings, too, but at home at my own convenience and pace. OK, stop whining, Cheryl. We have a new saying in the house that a friend of my mother’s introduced a couple of weeks ago, “Put on your big girl panties, and deal with it”. Work is a part of life. Once I have a new job, I’ll be excited about it and glad to have somewhere to go and be productive.
I applied for only one job, not 3. The reason is that it’s hard to find job listings that fit me very well. That’s the trick of trying to go a new career direction- you don’t have prior experience in the job you want or all the qualifications that they are asking for. I’ve found technical writing jobs, but they are not entry level. Even office jobs want more software experience than I have. I don’t know how to use Access or Power Point. I’m still getting familiar with Excel. They also want experience in an office setting. I don’t think I want to be an executive assistant, anyway. The library jobs I’ve found require one or more years of experience and a degree or at least some training. Good thing that tomorrow I’ll be going to the WorkSource workshops on identifying skills and finding job/career fields that suit you well. That should provide some encouragement and hopefully I can get a few new ideas. I need new ideas.
Pray every day as 1st priority.
1. Apply for unemployment
2. Search for job listings online.
3. Rework my resume in a functional style.
4. Think about creative ideas for job/career directions.
5. Exercise 5 days.
6. Apply for at least 3 jobs.
I’ve been praying each day (not always before I do other things) and making progress in Ezekiel. It is a very interesting book. Right now I’m still in the gloom and judgment part of it, but there is a ray of hope. God marked a remnant of faithful people to save from destruction. They were the ones who refused to bow down to the idols of the day and were saddened by the corruption and vice that they saw around them. How can that apply to myself in today’s culture? What idols am I personally tempted to bow to? (selfishness, money/success, overindulging physical appetites). You see, the Bible is absolutely relevant, even the Old Testament. (God, please help me to stay true to you.) Now some are offended at the very idea of judgment. Let me just say this. If you really read the Old Testament, God would give warnings to Israel and do everything he could to remind the people of what was right and what they needed to do before he handed down the punishment. It wasn’t capricious and He did not take pleasure in it. Jesus provided the ultimate answer to that cycle. God knew that none of us could fulfill the law perfectly. The purpose of the law is to open our eyes to see that we have done wrong and that we need God. He sent Jesus to take the punishment so that we could be reconciled with God by believing in Jesus and asking for forgiveness.
I did everything, except I’m short one day on exercise and didn't meet the minimum job applications. I could do a walking tape tonight after it has cooled off. I was thinking today, “Once I start working, how am I going to keep up with this journal, exercise, and everything else?” I’m so spoiled now, having plenty of time to do all these personal things and the down time to just let my mind wander. I’m the kind of person that needs to have some down time or space during the day to recharge and refresh myself. I’m spending hours looking at job listings, too, but at home at my own convenience and pace. OK, stop whining, Cheryl. We have a new saying in the house that a friend of my mother’s introduced a couple of weeks ago, “Put on your big girl panties, and deal with it”. Work is a part of life. Once I have a new job, I’ll be excited about it and glad to have somewhere to go and be productive.
I applied for only one job, not 3. The reason is that it’s hard to find job listings that fit me very well. That’s the trick of trying to go a new career direction- you don’t have prior experience in the job you want or all the qualifications that they are asking for. I’ve found technical writing jobs, but they are not entry level. Even office jobs want more software experience than I have. I don’t know how to use Access or Power Point. I’m still getting familiar with Excel. They also want experience in an office setting. I don’t think I want to be an executive assistant, anyway. The library jobs I’ve found require one or more years of experience and a degree or at least some training. Good thing that tomorrow I’ll be going to the WorkSource workshops on identifying skills and finding job/career fields that suit you well. That should provide some encouragement and hopefully I can get a few new ideas. I need new ideas.
July 28, 2005
Summer Heat
I exercised today! Instead of doing the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds tape, I actually walked outside. I went to a local park and walked 3 times around the perimeter. It is a very small park, so it was probably just a little over a mile. It took 25 minutes. Being outside was a nice change, but it was hot. We’ve been having gorgeous summer weather. After the walk I had a fruit juice popsicle (no sugar added). which cooled me off right away. Then for dinner I ate a huge portion of a family favorite, Chicken Picante Casserole. My brother-in-law teased my sister over the phone by telling her what we were eating for dinner tonight. I could practically hear her scream over the phone! Our family had this casserole it for the first time about 15 years ago, maybe longer. It’s a layered chicken enchilada sort of thing, except we no longer bother to layer it. We just tear up all the corn tortillas and mix up the chicken and everything else together in a giant bowl and then put it in a 9 X 13 pan to bake. It tastes just as good and is much less fuss than layering everything. It is a full fat recipe. We’ve tried to use low-fat cheese and substitute some other ingredients, but the flavor never stood up. I haven’t been making any effort to eat healthier. That is the next step and I’m not excited about it.
I now have the top I was salivating after yesterday, plus a great pair of grey pin-striped slacks! They didn’t have those at the other store. I promise, or I would have bought them at the first store because that is the store that I worked at over the holiday season last year. Now every time I go into that store I get to catch up with the women that I worked with. There was big news yesterday, one is engaged and another is pregnant. They gave me an application, too, and said that they’ll start hiring some seasonal help soon. Probably for back to school and then keep people on through Christmas. I took the application, but have no intention of turning it in because I really don’t like working retail. My coworkers were great, but it isn’t a job that I could support myself with. The only full time positions are management.
I found a couple of really interesting job listings today, though. One is as a student advisor. I could do that really well and I pray that I can get an interview.
I now have the top I was salivating after yesterday, plus a great pair of grey pin-striped slacks! They didn’t have those at the other store. I promise, or I would have bought them at the first store because that is the store that I worked at over the holiday season last year. Now every time I go into that store I get to catch up with the women that I worked with. There was big news yesterday, one is engaged and another is pregnant. They gave me an application, too, and said that they’ll start hiring some seasonal help soon. Probably for back to school and then keep people on through Christmas. I took the application, but have no intention of turning it in because I really don’t like working retail. My coworkers were great, but it isn’t a job that I could support myself with. The only full time positions are management.
I found a couple of really interesting job listings today, though. One is as a student advisor. I could do that really well and I pray that I can get an interview.
July 27, 2005
A Day of Fun
I saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today and did some sale shopping at my favorite clothing store, Lane Bryant. Tried on almost half the store before I started finding things that I was happy with. For some reason everything was looking better on the hangers. I ended up with one pair of jeans, a light sweater, and pajamas. They have a lovely top that goes underneath the sweater, but they were all out in my size. I liked it so much that I asked them to call other stores to find my size. They found one at another mall about 30-40 minutes away. I will pick it up tomorrow. I wish I could show a picture. It is sort of a camisole top, but the straps are wider, more like a tank top except it is not a knit fabric. The color is sky blue and the sweater matches. The top has satiny fabric overlaid on the bust with some sheer, organza type fabric that crosses over. Didn't I tell you a picture would be better! The words make it seem lame, but I promise it is lovely. I didn't exercise today, but I can still fit in 5 days this week. Why the frivolous outing today? Because a friend had the day off of work and came over to visit. She lives a little over an hour away, so we don't get together often. We both thought that the movie was a lot of fun. Johny Depp was definitely quirky and creepy as Willy Wonka. I bet he was having a great time. I remember Kate Winslett saying in the DVD extra documentary that Johny would constantly goof around and entertain the boys on the set while they were making Finding Neverland. She described him as a great big kid. He is clearly very intelligent, but I can also see that he embraces a childlike sense of wonder and a delightful imagination in some of the roles that he choses and the freedom he has to abandon himself to very silly antics. Take Pirates of the Carribean for example, or Edward Scisorhands, another Tim Burton film. I think Depp and Burton have similar dark, silly and quirky humor. Oh, don't forget the glee with which Depp played the hopelessly inept and endlessly enthusuastic director of B movies, Ed Wood. Tim Burton directed that as well. Corpse Bride, another stop-motion animated feature by Tim Burton, was one of the movies previewed. It looks great and goes directly onto my "Must see..." list. Do you remember Nightmare Before Christmas? Not for every taste, but I loved it.
July 26, 2005
A Great Start of the Week
Happy at the end of the day. I lit a couple of candles and have a glass of red wine to set the mood while I type this update. I exercised yesterday and today, so I’m on track for my goal of 5 days of exercise this week. I finished my resume and cover letter, making the changes that the Work Source counselor suggested. I updated my online resumes at Careerbuilder and Monster.com. They hadn’t been touched since October 2003. Yesterday I applied for unemployment. It took about 15 minutes on the phone. For some reason I was dreading it, but it wasn’t bad at all. I have also been praying and reading the Bible like I should. I started the book of Ezekiel, which I don’t believe that I’ve ever read through. Only about 7 years ago did I start appreciating the Old Testament. Before that I thought it was old, dusty, violent and unpleasant history. What made me change my mind? I started reading it regularly. (Yes, novel idea, I know.) I had a One Year Bible, which gives you readings each day from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a few verses from Proverbs, and the New Testament. Reading it this way helped me appreciate how common themes are woven so intricately through the whole Bible. The New Testament also quotes and refers directly to the Old Testament fairly regularly. There are reading plans that you can get online and follow. Verse of the Day has several plans outlined, each organized differently. For example chronological or by literary style (poetry, prophecy, history, letters). The cat has gained another 3 ounces. Mom weighed her yesterday.
July 24, 2005
Sunday Drive
Today was a really beautiful summer day. We've been having a heat wave for the last week, except for Friday when it was very rainy. A heat wave for Washingtonians, that is. The highs have been in the 80's (Fahrenheit) and we all think we are melting. Dad proposed a leisurely afternoon drive, so we went toward Mt. Ranier through some of the little towns in the valley. We stopped in Wilkeson and had delicious ice cream at a cafe/ice cream shop in the town center.
What's Really My First Task?
To do this week:
1. Apply for unemployment (I’ve never done this before and I’ve been putting it off. But I do need the money. Suck it up and do it.)
2. Search for job listings online.
3. Rework my resume in a functional style.
4. Think about creative ideas for job/career directions.
5. Exercise 5 days.
6. Apply for at least 3 jobs.
Most importantly, pray before I do all of these things. None of the things I need to figure out and changes that I need to make (exercise, eating healthy, career, etc.) are going to happen if I don’t pray. Recently, however, I’ve been making excuses not to pray. Chores, activities, writing, surfing the Internet. I am going to make sure I do first things first, and that means not cutting prayer and Bible study short. I can do all things through God, but without him everything I do is worthless.
John 15:4
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me."
Oh, someone directed me to this site regarding the Palm Pictures. Evidently it is a production and distribution company that has been around for a while.
1. Apply for unemployment (I’ve never done this before and I’ve been putting it off. But I do need the money. Suck it up and do it.)
2. Search for job listings online.
3. Rework my resume in a functional style.
4. Think about creative ideas for job/career directions.
5. Exercise 5 days.
6. Apply for at least 3 jobs.
Most importantly, pray before I do all of these things. None of the things I need to figure out and changes that I need to make (exercise, eating healthy, career, etc.) are going to happen if I don’t pray. Recently, however, I’ve been making excuses not to pray. Chores, activities, writing, surfing the Internet. I am going to make sure I do first things first, and that means not cutting prayer and Bible study short. I can do all things through God, but without him everything I do is worthless.
John 15:4
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me."
Oh, someone directed me to this site regarding the Palm Pictures. Evidently it is a production and distribution company that has been around for a while.
July 22, 2005
New Movie Feature at Comcast OnDemand!
Today was the last day of Serengeti Trek. It was a great week with the kids. If I have the time next summer, I'll do it again.
I am so excited about something that I discovered last night. There is a new feature in the OnDemand section of Comcast digital cable. It is in the Free Movie section, called Palm Pictures. I am guessing that they want to associate by name with the "Palm D'Or" of the Cannes festival. It is a film festival hosted on cable TV, featuring independent, foreign, and short films. Viewers can vote for favorite movies and they claim it can affect decisions to release some of these films in the theaters or on DVD. Sounds kind of cool. I checked out what movies were there and found a good Korean film, JSA (Joint Security Area). It is a murder mystery/political thriller set at the DMZ. I hope that I can get my dad and brother-in-law to watch it with me. Anyone who may read this and have access to OnDemand, I highly recommend this movie. It was a huge blockbuster in Korea when it came out in the late 90's. The story is tense and dramatic. Dealing with North and South, it could easily have fallen into simplistic cardboard characters, but the main characters are complex and compelling.
Today has been busy. The only thing I haven't done in the past three days is to take any action about my job search. I need to get that new resume done and scour the 'net for good jobs. I also need to make calls and do research about the kind of job and career I really want. I actually wish that I could find a good work-at-home opportunity that wasn't sales or a scam.
I am so excited about something that I discovered last night. There is a new feature in the OnDemand section of Comcast digital cable. It is in the Free Movie section, called Palm Pictures. I am guessing that they want to associate by name with the "Palm D'Or" of the Cannes festival. It is a film festival hosted on cable TV, featuring independent, foreign, and short films. Viewers can vote for favorite movies and they claim it can affect decisions to release some of these films in the theaters or on DVD. Sounds kind of cool. I checked out what movies were there and found a good Korean film, JSA (Joint Security Area). It is a murder mystery/political thriller set at the DMZ. I hope that I can get my dad and brother-in-law to watch it with me. Anyone who may read this and have access to OnDemand, I highly recommend this movie. It was a huge blockbuster in Korea when it came out in the late 90's. The story is tense and dramatic. Dealing with North and South, it could easily have fallen into simplistic cardboard characters, but the main characters are complex and compelling.
Today has been busy. The only thing I haven't done in the past three days is to take any action about my job search. I need to get that new resume done and scour the 'net for good jobs. I also need to make calls and do research about the kind of job and career I really want. I actually wish that I could find a good work-at-home opportunity that wasn't sales or a scam.
July 21, 2005
Live to Eat
My family likes food. I enjoy eating good food. While I'm not an especially picky eater, I do feel that life is too short to waste time eating boring or unappetizing food. I am not talking about eating fancy all the time. I like a wide variety of foods. There are two fast food items that I can't resist. One is a Frugals' bacon and swiss burger (they use thick-sliced smoky bacon and real swiss cheese, not processed cheese). The other is a jumbo sized burrito with quacamole, sour cream and everything else from Taco Del Mar. Mom and I watch the Food Network sometimes. We especially like 30 Minute Meals and Food 911. We've also seen random episodes of some other series, like Calorie Comando, Paula's Home Cooking and Everyday Italian. We have tried some recipes and gotten ideas for tweaking familar dishes. I found the only chili recipe that I will ever use again on Calorie Comando (Turkey Sausage Chili). Be careful with the chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, though. We cut those in half and it was still very hot. I like heat, but in moderation. A couple of weeks ago Mom surprised Dad by making Tyler's chicken satay recipe from a Food 911 episode. It was delicious and very easy to make. Here are some of the recipes I've printed out and haven't tried yet.
* Coconut Shrimp with Red Curry Sauce (Food 911, same episode as the satay)
* Spaghetti and Meatballs (Food 911, the meatballs are stuffed with fresh mozzarella)
* Grilled T-Bone with Chipotle Chili Rub and Cilantro-Lime Compound Butter (30 Minute Meals)
* Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce, White and Wild Rice with Walnuts (30 Minute Meals)
* Stuffed Baby Eggplant (Food 911)
* Ottoman Empire Yogurt Soup (Food 911, same episode as the eggplant)
* Pan Seared Salmon with Sour Cream and Dill (Food 911)
If you want any of these recipes, they are at the Food Network website. There is a very handy "find an episode"search where you choose the title of the show and can type in topic words, like "Thai", or "eggplant".
* Coconut Shrimp with Red Curry Sauce (Food 911, same episode as the satay)
* Spaghetti and Meatballs (Food 911, the meatballs are stuffed with fresh mozzarella)
* Grilled T-Bone with Chipotle Chili Rub and Cilantro-Lime Compound Butter (30 Minute Meals)
* Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce, White and Wild Rice with Walnuts (30 Minute Meals)
* Stuffed Baby Eggplant (Food 911)
* Ottoman Empire Yogurt Soup (Food 911, same episode as the eggplant)
* Pan Seared Salmon with Sour Cream and Dill (Food 911)
If you want any of these recipes, they are at the Food Network website. There is a very handy "find an episode"search where you choose the title of the show and can type in topic words, like "Thai", or "eggplant".
July 20, 2005
The Cat Came Back
Selfish me. I put the cat down so that I could type. Ahhh, she still has claws on her back paws. They were digging into my shoulder; she just leapt up and is settling down again across my arms. Her fascination with computers started at the neighbors' house. He wrote his whole master's thesis with Scruffy draped over his arms. She is indeed a well-educated and most helpful cat. I don't, however, recommend her as a typist. She will not take no for an answer, but what respectable cat would? That was before the cat sharing arrangement started, about 3 years ago.
You see, originally, Scruffy was owned by other neighbors down the street. They moved and she stayed behind (lost or abandoned, who knows?) She camped on the doorstep of our neighbors' house in the middle of winter. Our neighbor doesn't like cats at all, but she couldn't leave a forlorn little beast to die in the cold. Scruffy stayed there and the husband became quite fond of her. He was home a lot studying and writing and they bonded at the computer. After some time she was banned from the neighbors' house and allowed only in their garage. Why would they do that? It is a long story, but the short version is that Scruffy had an accident on the rug and you don't want to mess with that woman's house, ever. About that time, Mom was asked to feed Scruffy while the neighbors were away on a trip. She loves cats and has actually wanted to have one for years, but my dad refuses. He swore when our last pet passed that there would be no more. While she was pet-sitting, she would bring Scruffy to our house and let her sit in her lap and cuddle for a while every day. Ever since then, Scruffy has become a regular visitor at our house. She is quite elderly and recently has been ill. Mom and the neighbors took her to the vet. She is slowly gaining weight. Mom weighed her again on Monday and she was 5 lbs. 3 ounces. You can't tell by her behavior that she was ever sick. In fact, my Dad even said, "Look at her run!" as she jauntily jogged into the kitchen for a drink of water. My brother-in-law is working on his class work. Maybe she will help him, too.
I took a survey for a study of blogging and bloggers. You can participate if you have a blog. It didn't take too long.
You see, originally, Scruffy was owned by other neighbors down the street. They moved and she stayed behind (lost or abandoned, who knows?) She camped on the doorstep of our neighbors' house in the middle of winter. Our neighbor doesn't like cats at all, but she couldn't leave a forlorn little beast to die in the cold. Scruffy stayed there and the husband became quite fond of her. He was home a lot studying and writing and they bonded at the computer. After some time she was banned from the neighbors' house and allowed only in their garage. Why would they do that? It is a long story, but the short version is that Scruffy had an accident on the rug and you don't want to mess with that woman's house, ever. About that time, Mom was asked to feed Scruffy while the neighbors were away on a trip. She loves cats and has actually wanted to have one for years, but my dad refuses. He swore when our last pet passed that there would be no more. While she was pet-sitting, she would bring Scruffy to our house and let her sit in her lap and cuddle for a while every day. Ever since then, Scruffy has become a regular visitor at our house. She is quite elderly and recently has been ill. Mom and the neighbors took her to the vet. She is slowly gaining weight. Mom weighed her again on Monday and she was 5 lbs. 3 ounces. You can't tell by her behavior that she was ever sick. In fact, my Dad even said, "Look at her run!" as she jauntily jogged into the kitchen for a drink of water. My brother-in-law is working on his class work. Maybe she will help him, too.
I took a survey for a study of blogging and bloggers. You can participate if you have a blog. It didn't take too long.
July 19, 2005
At the Close of the Day
I’m happily tired. Satisfactorily busy. The Vacation Bible School is so much fun, even more than I expected. I actually didn’t know quite what to expect, since I’ve never participated in it, except when I attended as a child.
I had that appointment with the job counselor at Work Source this afternoon. She had some excellent advice about my resume and cover letter. I am going to make a functional style resume that focuses on my skills and what I have done at my jobs. She also told me that my cover letter was way too detailed and told me what to cut out of it. I'll be working on that.
Mom and I exercised today for the first time in 5 days. We are not going to quit!
It has been fun to spend some time hanging out with my brother-in-law. We watched Billy Elliot last night. I haven’t seen him in three years. I only met him for the first time 3 days before my sister’s wedding in April 2000. They met online and had a long-distance relationship. I was also in Massachusetts at the time, so I didn’t see my sister much during her engagement, either. But my family embraced him very quickly. He has a great, off-beat sense of humor that fits in well with all of us. He is also is head and shoulders above anyone else that my sister ever dated. He treats her well. He gives her pedicures, manicures, cooks, and encourages her. He helps her stay focused and motivated on her goals for her health and career. I am not sure exactly how much weight she has lost in the last year-and-a-half, but it is close to 100. She is gaining her health and her confidence. They also support each other spiritually, reminding each other to pray through all difficulties and to gain strength from reading and studying the Bible. I know it is hard for her waiting back in Oklahoma until he has a job here. I know that both of them will do what it takes to make sure that she comes here to Washington before too long. He estimates a couple of months.
I had that appointment with the job counselor at Work Source this afternoon. She had some excellent advice about my resume and cover letter. I am going to make a functional style resume that focuses on my skills and what I have done at my jobs. She also told me that my cover letter was way too detailed and told me what to cut out of it. I'll be working on that.
Mom and I exercised today for the first time in 5 days. We are not going to quit!
It has been fun to spend some time hanging out with my brother-in-law. We watched Billy Elliot last night. I haven’t seen him in three years. I only met him for the first time 3 days before my sister’s wedding in April 2000. They met online and had a long-distance relationship. I was also in Massachusetts at the time, so I didn’t see my sister much during her engagement, either. But my family embraced him very quickly. He has a great, off-beat sense of humor that fits in well with all of us. He is also is head and shoulders above anyone else that my sister ever dated. He treats her well. He gives her pedicures, manicures, cooks, and encourages her. He helps her stay focused and motivated on her goals for her health and career. I am not sure exactly how much weight she has lost in the last year-and-a-half, but it is close to 100. She is gaining her health and her confidence. They also support each other spiritually, reminding each other to pray through all difficulties and to gain strength from reading and studying the Bible. I know it is hard for her waiting back in Oklahoma until he has a job here. I know that both of them will do what it takes to make sure that she comes here to Washington before too long. He estimates a couple of months.
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