Archive for March 2011
Literary Lust: Books I want NOW.
Posted on: March 2, 2011
Stupid, stupid 30 Day No-Shopping Challenge. It’s nowhere near my birthday and I have done nothing notable worth gifting (aside from posting on this blog begging for some biblio-esque goodness).
Here my “Books Worth Swooning Over” (and then purchasing!):
I adore me some Jen Lancaster- she is like a far more articulate version of myself (you know, with like a smart-ass opinion about everything). She has written of her love of pugs and has excellent taste in handbags- what is there not to love? I read her first book, Bitter is the New Black and was hooked.
If you need a good laugh but want it coupled with witty commentary and a vocabulary that is expansive and still hilarious- this is the author for you. You will not go wrong with any of her books- and when I am off this damn challenge I am buying pre-ordering her book and demanding the rest of them for my shelf. This will happen.
Jen’s sure-to-be-fabulous new book comes out May 3rd and is a stupendous deal at $13.64 for hardcover.
Pre-order If You Were Here on Amazon or other fine booksellers.
Jenny Blake is a popular person in the blogosphere. I adore posts, and her personal journey to getting this published is nothing short of notable and inspiring. I have already pre-ordered her book- it was available on Amazon for $9.10 with free Prime Shipping. It’s coming out later this month, but dude, that is a fabulous deal- $9.10??!
Ms. Blake’s book comes out March 29th and you can buy it here (or somewhere else if you are so inclined).
This little gem by Gretchen Rubin just came out in paperback for the fabulous price of $7.72 with free Super Saver shipping on Amazon (By it with Wish You Were Here perhaps, or you can always buy a copy for both of us?).
The Happiness Project just makes me happy- I have heard great things about this book and have totally enjoyed Gretchen’s vlogs and posts online so this is bound to be a great read.
- In: Career | College
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Our résumé is that notorious little piece of paper that often gets neglected and put off until we start searching for new job- but don’t wait for opportunity to find you, be ready with a slammin’ résumé!
Leaving your résumé to collect dust in your desk or in the realm of obscurity in the depths of your hard drive might be leaving opportunity on the table. Many of us approach our résumé with reticence- we only want to face it when we want to apply for a job. It almost seems counter-intuitive for those of us who want better careers and a more rewarding job to sit around and wait for opportunity to find us- so right now, go pull up your résumé or any other documents you might use, and print it out. If you don’t have one- make one.
Being proactive with your career and aware of your skills (and where they need improvement) will lead to opporuntity. Simply being ready for opportunity will bring it closer towards you.
Formatting: You can find templates online or use one of my favorite websites to build it- JobSpice.com. Depending on your career goals, include them in your search. Formatting a résumé for graduate school applications is totally different than applying for a job in finance!
Tailoring: If you’re “not sure what you want to do,” or what your résumé will be used for in the future- that’s fine! You need to start or update your résumé so that you’ll be ready for whatever comes your way. Scrambling to write a résumé when you have a job offer fall in your lap could reduce the efficacy of your application. Start with a solid foundational résumé and leave room to take out or highlight different experiences and skills depending on the application.
Proofing: Get a fresh set of eyes and have a friend or mentor look it over- this is key! It might be hard to accept feedback on this- but don’t take it personally. This is all about presentation- an employer will probably spend a minute or less reading this over, it needs to ROCK and do so quickly@ You may be really proud of your volunteer experience with Habitat for Humanity, college G.P.A. or a special honor- but if it distracts or detracts from your tailored, marketable skills for your industry that employers are highly discriminate over- it might be best to take it off without getting offensive.
Be sure to choose the right proofreaders though- it might be tempting to have your best friend take a gander at it, but find someone who can offer you poignant, constructive criticism- because your potential employer won’t be kind
Additions: I recently graduated at the top of my class with a B.A. in Sociology and Women’s Studies. Employers thought that was great, but could I format a document? Did I know how to use Excel or Photoshop? Do not underestimate the importance of simple skills around the office coupled with computer expertise or think that simply having a degree/job experience will be enough to make you competitive. In my experience, I found that a lot of employers wanted computer skills most of us don’t get in college. Look at your résumé and find holes in your skill sets- you can identify this by doing a job search online and gauging what potential employers in your field are looking for in addition to degrees or job experience.
Articles on Résumé Building:
10 Tips to a Kick Ass Resume @Bargaineering
10 Overused Resume Buzzwords to Avoid @LinkedIn Blog
How to Write a Resume @WiseBread
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
I heard this quote several years ago and remember thinking “What the h*ll does that even mean? I’m not afraid of myself and my potential, my fear is that I’m not good enough!” I sit here, blogging, nearly 5 years later and I think I’ve come to understand this famous quote- we may fear that we are inadequate, but what scares us most is realizing that we can dream and live however we want, but the we are the only ones responsible to make it happen.
Whoa, isn’t that scary? We hide our dreams and goals behind the fear of inadequacy, but truly, we are hiding behind the knowledge that nobody is holding us back but ourselves and in order to realize our own potential, we must look within ourselves. There’s no book, pill or bullet list that can figure it out for us- we have to have confidence in what we are now, and faith in what we are to become.
Lack of Vision: If you have heard yourself sarcastically utter, “Sure it’d be nice to….(lose weight, sign up for flight school, increase your income)” the key to what’s holding you back is not so much your lack of time, energy or resources- but really, the fear of what it would require to achieve those goals. “It’d be nice,” to have your retirement years paid for, but can you really see yourself doing it? Why not? If “it’d be nice,” then it might be a goal- but what’s keeping you from making it a goal? Why can’t you envision yourself doing it?
Ignorance: When I started blogging, it opened up my vision to all of the stuff I had no clue about: wordpress, graphic design, basics of HTML/CSS, social networking. I had read blogs for years and loved it- but never got how it really “worked.” I started realizing there was so much I didn’t understand and nearly shut down. I didn’t even know where to start- but take it day by day and enlist people to help you that have the knowledge- whether through friends or by reading up on it. You will not know everything when you begin a journey towards your goal- but start anyway. You will gain more from the process than from the finished product.
Alienation: Happy, fulfilled people aren’t obnoxious aren’t they? They’re always smiling and talking about whatever they’re working on with such zeal and enthusiasm- gross. But yet, don’t we long to be those people? It’s true, sometimes we fear that living a dream-oriented life and working towards it will change how people perceive us, and how we perceive ourselves- but trust me, it will change you and it will be worth it. You will love the person you are, and anyone else that doesn’t? Well, they can get out of your way- but it needs to be said that the transformation can be scary before you start it. After you start it, you won’t want to go back.
Intimidation: Off the top of your head, you can identify the people you admire and want to emulate. They have the life or the career you want. It’s like, they know something we don’t- but truly they’re just doing something we all know: find your goal and work on it a little bit every day. Don’t be intimidated by the size of the goal, or put off by the fact that it takes daily effort- if you’re doing what you love, small efforts make daily happiness.
It’s okay to be afraid, but do it anyway! I leave you with a quote:
“(S)he who is not every day conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
So go get ’em Tiger! Ruby says “Rawr!”
Rescuing Ralph: My Adoption Story
Posted on: March 1, 2011
- In: Home
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Meet Ralph. He’s a 7 year old foster pug that was relinquished from his owners because they were “too attached to their child,” as if having a child and a dog are somehow mutually exclusive. He is one of hundreds of dogs put in shelters everyday and his story is not unique.
I have been wanting to adopt a pug since moving out to Chicago 6 months ago. I was having a hard time finding “the right fit,” and didn’t realize that for purebreds (even if they aren’t documented) there is usually a waiting list. After several attempts to adopt that fell through at various organizations, usually based upon the sheer amount of stairs to my apartment or my lack of transportation, I was about to give up hope. I also had worries as to whether I could handle a dog with limited finances and limited time. Getting a puppy from a breeder would cost double that of an adoption ($300 for the puppy, plus at least $300 for vet bills, etc.) and training a puppy could be nearly impossible and be a drag for my roomies. It was quite a quandary- but I oddly had some faith that a solution would present itself.
Someone eventually made the suggestion that I should get in touch with a Pug Rescue and offer to foster- at least that way I could fill my need for a pug, and if it didn’t work out in the long term, I could still get my “fix.” I found out that if you can get in touch with a rescue and offer to foster, you’ll usually get placed with a dog much sooner if there’s usually a wait. My rescue is amazing- they offered to cover the expense of a leash and harness and cover the vet costs. If I decide to adopt, I just pay the typically adoption fee. Through fostering, I can have the joy of rescuing a dog from a shelter without any obligation if his personality would better fit with a different family who is looking to adopt.
Enter Ralph. Ralph entered my life a few days ago and has made quite an impression. In just a few days, I’ve experienced the heart-exploding joy of walking him around the neighborhood- impressing smiles upon random passer-bys as we go on morning walks. I have also experienced the tremendous strength and compassion of those who do this work all the time.
I took Ralph to the vet yesterday- the president of the rescue called ahead to cover the vet costs so I, as a student, wouldn’t have to front the money. Turns out little Ralphy has an infection in both ears, a yeast infection on the skin of his face (due to not being washed), and a bad tooth. He needed immunization shots and a serious ear cleaning. I was holding him on the table during the ear cleaning- and he collapsed in my arms. He had a reaction to the rabies vaccination and the vets were able to revive him with steroids and fluids. I was a nervous wreck- I was totally attached to this little guy after just two days.
I sat there in the waiting room as they gave him an IV and eventually heard him wake up and start whining and barking- I knew he’d be fine. I sat there, struck by how amazing life is (cliche I know), and also the resiliency of those who rescue animals. This was my first experience- other people go through this time and time again to save animals. I can’t imagine what it feels like to take in a dog with unknown health issues, only to find out they cannot be saved, or to lose them during treatment. I called the president of the rescue, and she did a tremendous job of comforting me, commending my bravery and relaying to “not worry about the unanticipated expenses,” as it usually costs more than the adoption price to get a dog healthy upon rescue.
An average dog adoption fee is $200-$300. The cost of treating a myriad of unpredictable medical conditions to make a pet adoptable is anywhere from $350-$600, plus the rehabilitation and socialization that goes into making them suitable to adopt is immeasurable.
If you want a pet- adopt or foster. Otherwise, support your local rescue or shelter, it saves pets, but I think- it saves people too.
Ralph and I are very happy- and we are very much looking forward to making an impression on the neighborhood on our next morning walk.
Frugal Beautiful 