WISMILAK GROUP

WISMILAK adalah perusahaan yang bergerak di bidang industri sigaret kelas premium
memBUTUHKAN 100 SUPERVISOR

WISMILAK Membutuhkan 100 Supervisor di tahun 2010, meliputi :

SALES SUPERVISOR (SS)
PROMOTION SUPERVISOR (PS)
SALES ADMINISTRATION SUPERVISOR (ASA)

Syarat :
Pria (SS,PS), Wanita (ASA)
Maks. 30 tahun, diutamakan lajang
Bersedia ditempakan di seluruh wilayah Indonesia
S-1 semua jurusan, min IPK 2,75
Pengalaman min. 1 tahun
Menguasai komputer (MS Office)

Lamaran lengkap dialamatkan ke
HRD Dept.,
Grha Wismilak, Jl. Dr. Soetomo 27, Surabaya, 60000

Tanggal Penutupan : 20 Maret 2009

The Graduate Supplemental deadline must be approaching, because we’re getting lots of questions in the office! Here’s just a couple of comments on the most frequent. (Some have been addressed here already, but may be buried in responses to comments.)

Q: If I’ve already finished my degree, does my supervisor need to sign the cover sheet with my completion date?

A: If the transcript you submitted to OMSAS shows your degree conferral (i.e., you convocated in a June 2009 ceremony or earlier) then NO.  The transcript proves your completion. Or, if you convocated in a fall 2009 ceremony, NO.  You will need to submit an official updated transcript directly to our office to show this conferral/completion.  If you have recently completed your program, but have not yet received your degree (i.e., you will convocate in 2010), then yes, your supervisor must sign the cover sheet with your completion date.

Q: I am in a course-based graduate program that does not finish until August 2010.  Will I still be considered?

A: Our academic year begins on August 23, 2010.  You must complete your program prior to being allowed to enter medical school (all exams, papers, projects completed and out of your hands).  We are able to be more flexible with course-based masters programs as they are not subject to the same potential pitfalls as are research-based programs. Your supervisor or program director will need to sign the cover sheet, indicating your expected completion date. You may need to negotiate an earlier end to a practicum placement if you are scheduled to go til the end of August.

Q: I have a paper under consideration for publication, but it won’t be accepted prior to the Dec 4 for submission.  Can I send in the proof of acceptance after the deadline, once it becomes available?

A: Yes, but we cannot guarantee that late submissions will be able to be considered.

Woot! Tomorrow will completely suck but today is great!  I stopped into work today to test on some of the material I have been studying and checked my email.  I got an email from my supervisor that was a forward and discovered it was a kudos for me.  I tought class yesterday for some reservists and had a Lt. Col in my class, she wrote a note to my commander telling him how much she enjoyed my class and thought I was a confident teacher and did well with making sure that they knew what they needed to.  I am really happy about that, my supervisor told me to save it for my annual review so yay for having another point.

I am watching more scrubs today and in a few minutes I will probably start making those soups to get ready for tomorrow.  It will be a painful next week and hopefully not longer but I will get through it with soup…and the mass of other stuff I bought hopefully.  Any last minute tips for wisdom teeth removal anyone?

Find out why Methodist Health System in North Texas is a great place to work by the employees themselves. Watch Mary Jo, Clinical Nurse Supervisor. www.methodisthealthsystem.org … Methodist Health System Where Life Shines Bright Dallas Medical Center Mansfield Richardson Charlton Hospital Job Health video testimonials RN Nursing Nurse Career School Allied Health Diagnostic Technologist Cath Lab ICU Staff Physiotherapists Pharmacists Radiology Cardiology CNO PACU med surg / CWOCN doctor …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCKOMBrHqpM&hl=en

Recently I experienced the death of my mother. This meant that the Belfast Telegraph would receive a substantial sum of revenue from our family, which one doesn’t think about when they are grieving.
I reckon that the Belfast Telegraph made somewhere in the excess of £500 from our family, for what, not very much when you think about it, it seems to be more to with the culture of death and tradition.
It is a total waste of money to advertise the death of loved ones, and I believe that the amount of money that is made from this industry is unethical to say the least.
At the time I didn’t have a problem with this, some people may even get comfort from it, knowing who shares their grief at the passing of a loved one. But when I was billed for my personal insertion I phoned the number on the invoice to pay my bill, during the opening times listed, but I kept getting a recorded message stating the hours of business, after hanging onto and being charged for being kept on an open line after joining a queue, I had eventually to go into the Belfast Telegraph offices to pay my bill, because I was cut off, it seems to me that even the Belfast Telegraph don’t even know their own hours of business. What annoyed me was that I was charged for nothing, hanging onto an open 0870 line, and not being able to settle my account with the BT.
What further annoyed me was the insensitive way the BT staff carry out their business, a week after I had settled my account with the BT I received a reminder that my bill was overdue, when I phoned again I was answered this time by someone, an actual person for a change, but it might as well have been an automated service, because their only interest was in clawing money from the grieving with no sensitivity, I asked to speak to their supervisor but after a few minutes hanging onto the 0870 number, the supervisor went into hiding.
At a time of grieving you would think that BT, staff would be trained in the customer services of dealing with customers at probably one of the saddest times a person could experience. They could learn a lot on how Funeral Directors do their business, and another good example of customer services was the Registrar’s Office at Belfast City Hall, I could have been dealt with better, they were A1. I met a very carry individual when I was registering my mother’s death.
As far as complaining to the Belfast Telegraph I believe it would be a waste of time, because I think I would get the same short shift as I got when a supervisor went into hiding from me on the phone, that being the case imagine what spiel they would spew out in a letter.

I’m starting to notice that my ‘Funny process model’ series is not so much about process models any more… Hmz, maybe process models are not meant to be funny??? Well, here is a funny PhD comic then:

My meeting is scheduled for Friday morning every other week. The ‘Pro’ is true, the ‘con’ not, or not so far at least.

- Joos -

THE ANT

A FABLE… OR MAY BE NOT…

Every day, a small ant arrives  at work very early and starts work immediately.

She produces  a lot and she was happy.

The Chief, a lion,

was surprised  to see that the ant was working without supervision.

He thought if the ant can produce so  much without supervision, wouldn’t she produce even more if she had a supervisor!

So he recruited a cockroach

who had extensive experience as supervisor and who was  famous for writing  excellent reports.

The cockroach’s first decision was to set up a  clocking in attendance system.

He also needed a secretary to help him write and type his reports and …

… he  recruited a spider, who managed the archives and monitored all phone calls.

The lion was delighted with the cockroach’s reports

and asked him to produce graphs  to describe production rates and to analyse  trends, so that he could use them for presentations at

Board‘s meetings.

So the cockroach had to buy a new computer and a  laser printer and  …

… recruited a fly

to manage the IT department.

The ant, who had once been so productive and relaxed, hated this new plethora of paperwork  and meetings which used up most of her time…!

The lion came to the conclusion that it was high time to nominate a person in charge of the department where the ant worked.

The position was given to the cicada, whose first decision was to buy a carpet and an ergonomic chair for his office.

The new person in charge, the cicada, also needed a computer and a personal assistant ,who he brought from his previous department, to help him prepare a Work and Budget Control Strategic Optimisation Plan…

The Department where the ant works is now a sad place, where nobody laughs anymore  and everybody has become upset…

It was at that time that the cicada convinced the boss , the lion, of the absolute necessity  to start a climatic study of the environment .

Having reviewed  the  charges  for running the ant’s department , the lion  found out that  the production   was much less than  before.

So he recruited the owl , a prestigious and renowned consultant to carry out an  audit and  suggest solutions.

The owl spent three months  in the department and came up with an enormous report , in several volumes,

that concluded :

“ The department is overstaffed …”

Guess who the lion fires first?

The ant , of course,  because she

“showed lack of motivation and had a negative attitude”.

]]> http://bukandosenkiller.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/cerita-tentang-aris/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:15:56 +0000 zippon http://bukandosenkiller.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/cerita-tentang-aris/

Dengan langkah pelan, satu demi satu anak tangga itu ku naiki, Maxwell Building di pertengahan Juni itu masih ramai menjelang libur musim panas. Melewati loby, menerobos café, menuju ruang 300. Lorong yang mengantarkan ku ke sana bernuansa lembut krem dan merah marun, sedikit meredakan degup jantungku yang mengisyaratkan ketidaksiapanku akan materi di buku yang ku bawa.
Pintu ruangan itu sedikit terbuka, ku dengar jelas ada tiga orang sedang antusias berdiskusi…masih lima menit lagi dari jawdalku, tak ada salahnya ikut nguping, atau melamun, lebih nyaman daripada membuka lagi materi forecasting and inventory management itu. Hh…kakiku berangsur pegal, sekarang lima menit sudah menjadi lima belas menit, kenapa diskusi mereka semakin ramai..?? Namun sekonyong-konyong seseorang yang masih sambil berbicara keluar dari ruangan itu….dan dengan pandangan kaget menatapku…

“Koening…did you receive my email? ..ohh…dear…I’m sorry, this is my mistake, I sent the email about three hours ago to cancel our meeting today. And I hope you can come tomorrow afternoon. This is very very incidental…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…”, lelaki setengah botak yang belum bisa dikatakan tua itu berbicara cepat sambil terbungkuk-bungkuk menyatakan penyesalannya. Bungkukannya semakin dalam waktu dia tau aku harus mengambil bis dua kali untuk memenuhi janji pertemuan sore itu.
“It’s OK Aris… no problem. This is also my mistake, I just checked my email this morning. OK, I will come tomorrow, what time” Dan kami pun membuat kesepakatan baru untuk pertemuan besok sore.
Langkahku menuju halte bis tak lebih cepat dari pada waktu aku berangkat tadi. Bukan karena kembali memikirkan model logistik beserta segala turunannya, namun hanya karena kejadian barusan. Aku, calon mahasiswa PhD, masih berstatus ‘curi start student’, belum membayar sepeserpun ke universitas itu, yang belum tau dengan pasti beasiswa yang dijanjikan itu kapan datangnya, yang proposal penelitiannya masih bertaraf asal bikin, yang kemampuan english-nya sangat pas-pasan…diterima dan diperlakukan dengan begitu baik oleh seorang calon supervisor. Tentu saja ada rasa senang bahagia ku rasa, namun rasa malu berkali-kali lipat menimpa bahagia itu. Malu mengingat bagaimana aku dulu memperlakukan mahasiswa bimbinganku, yang jelas-jelas sudah menjadi mahasiswaku. Jadwal bimbingan sering aku putar balik sendiri sesuai kebutuhanku, membiarkan mahasiswa menantiku mengobrol asyik dengan kolega dan atasan sementara berpuluh pertanyaan, permohonan saran dan umpan balik akan apa yang telah dikerjakannya berputar asyik di kepalanya, atau dengan tanpa perasaan, mahasiswa yang telah sekian jam menungguku hanya ku sapa dengan, “besok aja ya, dah mau sore, mau pulang dulu, ibuk dah kangen nih ama si neng cinta…”
Hhh….kok bisa ya aku sekejam itu..??
Sekarang, satu setengah bulan sudah aku menjadi ‘real student’, dua kali seminggu sit-in di kelas program master di mana Aris yang menjadi dosennya dan mengadakan pertemuan dengannya setiap aku selesai mengirimkan hasil review tentang satu artikel yang dipilihkannya. Bagiku, mengikuti kuliah bukan saja untuk mengingat kembali materi-materi kuliah yang dulu aku dapatkan waktu aku mengambil program master, namun terlebih mengambil ilmu cara mengajarkan materi itu ke mahasiswa. Sejauh ini, beliau tidak pernah mengajarkan bagaimana menjawab contoh soal latihan atau menyalinkan definisi dan rumus. Kami, mahasiswanya, diajak menelusuri bagaimana sebuah model dibentuk dari sistem nyata, dan dari model tersebut, penggal demi penggal rumus pun tercipta, kemudian yang terpenting baginya adalah interpretasi dari solusi-solusi soal yang kami bahas bersama di kelas. Beliau menyerahkan sendiri handout-handout yang telah disiapkannya sebelum kuliah, satu persatu, langsung ke tangan mahasiswanya (ada sekitar 15 sampai 20 orang di kelas kami), mengirim e-mail tentang apa yang besok akan diajarkannya pada kami, bersedia dikirimi e-mail apabila ada pertanyaan tentang materi kuliah, atau meminta masukan terhadap tugas-tugas yang kami buat sebelum tugas tersebut benar-benar diserahkan, tidak pernah mengancam akan sanksi terlambat atau nyontek (mungkin karena kedua hal itu termasuk yang tabu dilakukan disini dan untuk nyontek sanksinya sudah pasti: dropout) dan masih banyak hal lain yang menjadi perhatianku, termasuk cara berbusananya yang benar-benar ‘simplicity’. Aris, dosen asal Greece ini selalu menggunakan t-shirt and jumper, bersepatu kain yang harganya tak lebih dari 5 pounds (yang ini mengurungkan niatku membeli sepatu boot kulit seharga 50 pounds).
Mungkin masih terlalu awal untuk menilai hal positif dari supervisorku itu, namun apa yang aku dapatkan cukup untuk menjadi bahan renungan dan niat ku untuk mengubah diri, mengambil yang baik yang bisa ku ambil, memperpanjang do’aku agar Tuhan menjadikanku sebagi dosen yang baik dan cerdas….

Penulis:

Koening,  Manchester.

I have the opportunity to observe and participate with businesses and organizations going through growth and contraction. In either scenario, execution is essential. What makes it so interesting from a psychological perspective is the role beliefs and assumptions play in the analysis, planning and execution. The beliefs and assumptions are often associated with a variety of emotional states that the leaders, managers, supervisors and employee experience under either scenario. Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend who said he wished he did not worry as much as he did during his very successful career. I had a colleague who is a risk manager and is worries about executing on a very aggressive growth plan. I have other colleagues who have laid off significant numbers of their staff due to the impact on the recession and experience depression and anxiety. In each case, the negative emotional states can can contribute to inefficiencies or delays in the execution of the plan. As one cognitive perspective says “Suffering comes from attachment”. One needs to present and nonattached while performing and executing on a plan. Look deeply into this and see if you are limiting your execution in some way.

Have a day filled with equanimity,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO & Psychologist

Mines and Associates

Ho il piacere di confermare che il 21 Novembre 2009 lo spettacolo Testa d’Asino (liberamente tratto da Le metamorfosi di Apuleio), scritto e diretto da Adamo Toma, nato all’interno di The No Direction Workshop 2008/09, I ed. con il titolo Il buio e oltre debutterà nella stagione di prosa del teatro No di Parma. Il 20 e il 21 sarò a Parma per super – visionare l’allestimento e le prove e per il assistere allo spettacolo.

I’pleased to confirm the opening night of the show by Adamo Toma Testa d’Asino (freely based on Apuleio’s Metamorphosis. The show will debut on the season of the teatro No in Parmat the 21th of November 2009. The show was born on The No Direction Workshop 2008/09, I edition.  The 2oth and the 20th I’m on Parma to oversee set up and rehearsal. I’m in Parma to see the show.

>>>Adamo Toma Official web space >>>the show on the Teatro No official website

As I’ve mentioned before we were to be given a supervisor to oversee our project and point us in the right direction over the coming months. Today we found our that our supervisor is Caroline O Sullivan, the head of our department.

We had a short meeting today without Caroline and one thing that we should nail down early is the hardware (touch screen) and what software we are going to run as well. We are looking at a bigger version of MTmini in combination with TouchLib at the moment but we will see what happens in the next few weeks.

Bye for now!

At last, here’s the droid we were all looking for: This is the frame in which you can clearly see R2-D2 in Star Trek.

This time there is absolutely no doubt about it: It’s confirmed by the sequence supervisor at ILM. Zoom in to see.

Source:
http://gizmodo.com/5405276/r2 d2-finally-discovered-in-star-trek

And How This Affects Us as Parents and Educators

Delana S

Wrapped in a blanket, Mary crept quietly to the kitchen and made herself a strong cup of tea.  With the kids still asleep, she opened her Bible and treasured the quiet before the storm.  This morning’s reading brought her to Philippians 4:11-13–I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  She mulled this over in her head confessing that she lacked the joy and contentment that she knew should be hers.  “Why?” she asked God.  “Why does contentment flee so often?” Flipping to a marked place in the Word, she read: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (I Pet 5:8-9).

Many of us struggle with the joy, peace, and contentment that we know should be ours in Christ Jesus. The enemy is not able to take away our salvation, but he can tempt us to sin and he can steal our joy.  When we recognize the areas in which we are vulnerable and arm ourselves with Scripture for those occasions, then we will be able to stand in the face of his attacks.  We will also be enabled to see how we can encourage our sisters and brothers around us who are “undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”  Three areas that the enemy likes to attack us and steal our joy are: accepting who God has made us to be, accepting what God has given us or withheld from us, and in knowing how to make good decisions and not second guess ourselves.

Who has God made you to be? For years this was a personal struggle for me.  In the past year or two, I have found joy and contentment in being who God has made me to be, though at times Satan still tries to attack me in this area.  Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life discussed the acronym SHAPE: Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Ability, Personality, and Experiences.  These things make up who we are, and our shape is unlike anyone else’s in the whole world.  Even if the–‘s,’ ‘h,’ ‘a,’ and ‘p’ are the same or very similar to someone else, your experiences are not the same, thus your shape is not the same.  It is often easy to look at other co-workers or other parents and see how God has gifted them and shaped them, and it is easy to see how they are seemingly perfect to be where they are, doing whatever they are doing.  Simultaneously the enemy likes to whisper in our ear—if you were only good at that like Sheila is, then…” Or, “If you had Steve’s spiritual gift then you could do that better, but because you don’t have it then you shouldn’t be doing this task or that project.

In a sermon I heard a couple of years ago, the speaker talked about us being tools in God’s tool belt and God being the Master Carpenter.  I left thinking about my own lack of contentment with my shape.  I wondered why I kept trying to be a hammer.  I looked at other hammers and thought that they were doing a great job and that I couldn’t do a good job because I couldn’t be a hammer.  All the while, God is looking at me saying something like “Silly tool, I crafted you to be pliers.  I need a good pair of pliers.  Stop trying to be a hammer and start being the pliers that I made you to be.”  Can you imagine cooking in the kitchen and your spatula is complaining that it cannot open cans.  It really wants to and tries really hard, but doesn’t succeed.  An ice pick in the same drawer rises to the occasion and opens the can, but the result is rather messy.  You probably get the picture.  The enemy succeeds in stealing our joy and contentment when he gets us thinking about what we are not instead of what we are in Christ.  If you do not know your spiritual gift or personality type, try to find out what they are.  Ask others how they see you.  Think about what you are passionate about and what your abilities are.  Seek to serve God through your shape.  Sometimes we have to do things in which we are not especially gifted.  Maybe you find home schooling extremely challenging, but there are no other options.  Perhaps language learning does not come easy, yet you know that it is necessary to accomplish your tasks or even to survive.  Perhaps those circumstances are when we need to focus on v. 13 and remember Who gives us the strength and ability to accomplish those things.  Even within tasks that do not come easily for us, we can find contentment in working with all our hearts and not comparing ourselves to someone else’s progress or ability.

What has God given you? The second area that Satan succeeds in stealing our joy is in the area of our possessions.  Interestingly, it isn’t always about what we wish we had.  Sometimes we become discontent and think we should not be blessed with so much.  Sometimes, the enemy whispers to us that if we truly were denying ourselves then we would sell everything and go live in a hut somewhere.  Maybe there is someone you know who lives with a lot less than you.  It is okay if they do so, as long as they are doing so out of conviction from the Spirit and not out of a desire to earn God’s pleasure.  Likewise, if God convicts you to give something up, you should do so; however, we must learn the difference between conviction and guilt.  The Spirit moves us to make changes in our lives.  The enemy condemns us and makes us feel guilty.  That is why it is so important to remember Romans 8:1. If we are feeling guilty or condemned, then we can know it is not of the Spirit.   Paul was content in the having and in the not having.  So, if the enemy cannot get us to feel guilty about what we have, he tempts us to be dissatisfied with what we have or what we are lacking.  Sometimes this dissatisfaction is with things like our house, car, or location.  Sometimes it is being discontent with people: our co-workers, supervisor, or company.  And, it can even be with abilities or gifts we don’t have…..or even unanswered prayer.  Two things that I have found successful in defeating the enemy in this area are praise and counting my blessings.  These definitely take determination (thus the part of the verse that says self-control).  When I begin to feel discontented about something, I either turn on praise music or sit down and write a list of all the things I am thankful for…or all the ways in which God has blessed me or my family.  The enemy is not picky.  It doesn’t matter if you have or don’t have, and it doesn’t matter if you think you have or don’t have; he is still able to tempt you to be discontent.

What decisions are at hand? Finally, the enemy tries to make us second guess decisions we have made.  Why did you accept this job or this teaching assignment?  Why are you home schooling?  Why aren’t you home schooling?  Why did you put your son in national school?  Why didn’t you put your kids in national school?  Why did you choose that curriculum?  Why did you choose not to answer the door?  Why did you give the man money?  Why didn’t you give that old lady some food?  The list is endless.  The enemy even likes to tempt us to second guess other people’s decisions that affect us.  For example, you may find yourself needing to submit (but not liking it) to a decision made by a husband, supervisor, or other authority figure in your life.  The enemy will want you to be bitter, hurt, or even angry with that person.  How can we keep our joy in times like these?  First, we need to learn to deal with what is the decision at hand.  So often we think about what we have already done and how we shoulda-coulda-woulda done it differently or better.  Stop! Past is past.  Look at the decisions that you are able to make today.  Pray about them, and move forward knowing that God will work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28).  Concerning schooling, consider carefully each child’s needs every year (including also your own personality, gifting, and availability).  Do you feel like last year didn’t go so well?  Do something different about the way you teach this year.  Since school has already begun, there are some things you can’t change about this school year.  Don’t worry yourself thinking that perhaps you made a wrong choice.  When a choice can be made, seek to make changes that God lays on your heart (and are within your ability to change).  Sometimes (or maybe often) God allows us to make certain choices—or allows others to do something—in an effort to shape or grow or prepare us for what He has down the road for us.

Even in the area of our health, we can be tempted to be discontent about a decision we have made or about a situation God has allowed us to experience.  However, God wants us to give thanks in all circumstances.  He has a plan and purpose.  Recently, I received a letter from a lady whose name fittingly is Joy.  She is faced with a current health situation that none of us would want to be walking through, yet she writes, “So, this is where we are and we are to be content.  The Father DOES have us in the palm of his hand and he often shows us that in clear ways and we are amazed.” Understanding these three areas of attack for ourselves is only part of the decisions and actions we need to take.  We also need to help our children understand when the enemy is attacking them in the area of who God made them, what God has given them (or not allowed them to have), and regarding decisions they have made or to which they have had to submit.

Enemy Territory– In more ways than one, we are in enemy territory.  The enemy is unable to have joy and contentment and would like to take it away from us as well.  He is prowling around and will attack us at the core of our being, disabling our view of who God has made us to be.  The enemy does not want us to be joyful in our abundance or in our shortages.  He does not want us to be joyful in our strength or in our weakness.  He does not want us to be content about decisions we have made or about decisions others have made on our behalf. Knowing that when our feelings of discontent overwhelm us that it is a direct attack from the enemy– is half the battle!  The other half is being armed to stand.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when

the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your

ground, and after you have done everything, to

stand.  Eph 6:13

It could be quite easy for us to simply ignore “Flourish” while completing other course work for this semester but we are also well aware that that would be unwise. “Flourish” is a full time job and neglecting it would prove to be downright stupid.

We have been allocated a supervisor already (which will be one of our lecturers) though we are yet to find out which one it is. The suspense is killing us

So, the plan is to talk with our supervisor as soon as we can next week and see what our next plan of action is.

Until later,
Sean

Well, strengthened by the comment of Anne on my last ‘funny process model of the week’ I dare to post this one from PHD Comics:

My only hope now is that Anne is right or that my supervisor does not read my blog (before March 1).

Enjoy the weekend!!!

- Joos -

P.S. My holiday was superb!!! Nice cottage, nice environment and nice girlfriend

I really don’t believe in a higher power, universal energy, or even karma (although sometimes I like to pretend I beleive in karma, ’cause it might lead to a meanie getting a well-deserved bite in the ass.  Yeah, I’m vengeful that way).

But, sometimes, I get the eerie feeling that something has happened that was meant to be.

Do you ever get that feeling?  Like someone (a mentor, a lover, a friend, a teacher), or something (an opportunity, a challenge) dropped out of the sky, usually unexpectedly, and influenced your life in a way that was SO FREAKING UNBELIEVABLY AWESOMELY PERFECT that you can hardly stand it?   And then that thing lead to something else that was awesomely perfect and then THAT lead to…well you get the idea.  Like it was meant to be.  Sometimes you see it more clearly in hindsight, but it’s there. 

I’ve been acutely aware of this happening serveral times in the past ten years.  I can actually trace a timeline of these events and pinpoint how they have lead me to where I am today:

1. I moved to Ottawa.  It seemed extremely far and I was scared shitless and really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, but my mom somehow convinced me I’d make a good journalist.  So off I went to Carleton U for journalism.  It was random, but being in Ottawa, at that University, worked out well for me.  It was meant to be.

2. That winter I took an elective course entitled “Natural History of Ontario”.  I only took it because I was an idiot freshman who didn’t understand how timetables worked and it was the only class I thought could fit into my schedule.  The class was taught by a naturalist of epic genius who is, without a doubt, one of the most amazing teachers on the planet.   I was enthralled.  With no hesitation whatsoever I quit journalism at the end of that year, caught up on science-ey stuff in summer school and came back in the fall as a new Biology student.  It all happened because of a moment of frosh naïveté, but it got me on a new career path.  It was meant to be.

3. In my third year of undergrad studies, I put a ridiculous amount of debt on my credit card so I could study bats in the tropical rainforests of Belize for three weeks. I thought it would be fun.  What it REALLY did was tell my brain, in no uncertain terms: YOU SHOULD BE A BIOLOGIST.  It happened because of a spur-of-the-moment decision, and I almost missed out on getting summer employment.  But it really sealed the deal of the whole biology/research/field work thing.  It was meant to be.

4. I met my future thesis supervisor.  She took me under her wing, showed me the ropes and then set me lose to prove to myself that I was capable of conducting meaningful research, and communicating about it.  I completed two theses with her guidance.  She made me work and write and speak and apply for things until my CV was pretty well-padded.  I could have worked with anybody in the university, but I worked with her, and she worked her butt off to help me grow.  It was meant to be.

Then I took a break.  I stepped away from the academic world for four years.  I worked in a lab, a park, a museum, and later in cubicles, getting farther and farther away from what I really loved to do.  Somehow, “what I want to be when I grow up” was a concept I was never fully able to materialize for myself.  I just knew I wasn’t terribly happy.  Then:

5. I got my current job, the one from which I’m fleeing shortly.  This was the clincher.  Not because I hate it, no, hate alone is not sufficiently motivating to make you leave a job that’s permanent, well-paying, and offering good benefits. 

What happened was, it exposed me to other people like me.  I mean the type of person I COULD have been had I carried on with my studies: researchers, academics, professors.   All in love with their work, their schools, their students.  I found myself insanely jealous.  I wondered why I felt that way.  I thought long and hard, then had my “aha!” moment, which sounded a lot like “Duh, you’re supposed to be DOING that kind of work, dummy!”  Oh.    Had I not been in my current job, where I was able to interact with these academics, the “aha!” would never have happened.  Or it would have happened a long time from now.  Possibly when it was too late to do anything about it.  It was meant to be.

6. So then I fished around for labs.  Dr. B seemed to be doing reasonably interesting work.  We chatted, clicked and then… he told me about an project he was working on…something completely new and outside of the realm of the research I was expecting to be able to do in his lab…something UNBELEIVABLY AWESOMELY PERFECT and totally unexpected.  To which I replied: sign me up brother!!!  It seemed totally meant to be.

 All of these events/people/circumstances have led me to where I am right now: about 7 weeks away from a new research program, a new university, a new degree and most importantly, a new career.   All of which I am so freaking excited about. 

Was it dumb luck that these things happened?  At the right time, in the right place?  Probably.  But I really think the reason it’s all turned out so UNBELEIVABLY AWESOMELY PERFECT is because I did a few things:

1. I kept myself open to new opportunities
2. I was willing to deviate from the path I currently had in mind for myself
3. I made myself take risks, even…no ESPECIALLY…when it scared the pants off me

These go hand in hand (and arguably all mean the same thing).  Whatever.  It works. 

Be open.  Be brave.

And when karma offers you a sweet deal, for the love of pete, TAKE IT!

If an inept or abrasive boss is ruining your workday, you may be taking that stress to heart, literally.

New research links having a poor supervisor to a higher risk of heart attack, and thats not all: people who dont like their managers also take more sick leave.

Source:
http://oregonwomensreport.com/2009/11/can-a-bad-boss-make-you-sick/

Today, again, I hodge-podged mannequins, which I have been doing for the past week and a half now. Though, unlike all the other times where nothing much else was going on in the studio other than work, my other supervisor, Leonard, who was the one that granted me this internship to begin with, gave a presentation about his work experience at Volcom and the company’s “image” to an art class from OOC. While I was in the back of the room busy finishing a mannequin, I set my iPhone on record. This is what I overheard: files.me.com/mklein7/8a7e2q.mp3

(Sorry for the low volume. I was pretty far away, and sorry it’s cut short. It was at the end of my shift, and I had to leave midway through the presentation.)