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The Philadelphia Eagles, an organization already known for classy behavior and fans who demonstrate the highest levels of respect, dignity, and hospitality, have taken another step forward in improving their public image by signing Michael Vick.
Please note this is not so much a post about what a bad guy Michael Vick is / was. For the record, he did plead guilty and serve his time. It doesn’t change what he did, but he has done all he can to accept responsibility and move forward.
That said, could you ask for a (potentially) better pairing?
Or broadcast, in this case.
Every work day, my wife and I start the morning with breakfast and the news. At 7:00, our local news ends and transitions to The Today Show on NBC. The first 30 minutes are generally okay, being more “newsy” in feel than the rest of the broadcast. That said, I don’t think there’s been a day when I haven’t been frustrated by some of the stories they choose to cover (and the depths at which they’ll cover them).
Michael Jackson?
Nadia Sulaiman?
American Idol?
Honestly, if they spent half as much time covering legitimate news as they do / did those stories, maybe half the South wouldn’t believe President Obama was born outside the U.S. and maybe people would see through the b.s. people like Sarah Palin spread about possible changes to the health care system. But that’s not what gets the ratings.
To be fair, this is not a problem solely connected with The Today Show – that’s just the one we watch most often.
Anyway, on to the comic…
Because I know you care.
The weekend was a good one. Friday at work wrapped up with some (potentially) exciting news, then transitioned to drinks with the wife and a good friend. We were home by 8:45 and asleep within an hour. I woke up ten hours later.
Apparently I was tired.
Other weekend highlights include:
- Seeing (500) Days of Summer
- Enjoying homemade beef teriyaki (with homemade teriyaki sauce to boot… I win)
- Getting the house cleaned up
I recognize some would take issue with the last bullet, but I’ve got to be honest. While the process of cleaning is at best draining and dull, the result is usually worth it.
As far as (500) Days is concerned, I recommend seeing it. It’s funny, honest, and I can’t recall seeing a movie like it for some time. Additionally, the soundtrack kicks ass featuring – among others – The Smiths, Simon and Garfunkel, Spoon, Feist, Carla Bruni (yes, that Carla Bruni; and a “well-played” to the wife for calling it out), and Patrick Swayze.
What. Like you’ve written anything better than She’s Like The Wind.
Anyway, check it out.
As an update to the last post, tiny Dunmanway Town played a young Liverpool side today. It was a valiant effort (from the sounds of it anyway), and the result was a respectable 1-0 loss.
In other Liverpool news, Xabi Alonso is gone and – pending a favorable medical exam – Alberto Aquilani will be playing at Anfield this season.
Finally, Texas A&M football kicks off in 30 days.
Fall is awesome.
Not much to this post other than to point out that it’s raining for the first time in 53 days.
That’s right – we haven’t seen rain in 53 days.
I spent a considerable amount of time in the Northwest (Oregon) and, odd as it may sound to some, I like rain. It’s cleansing and it makes and keeps things green. It also makes you appreciate warm sunny days, of which we’ve had an (over?) abundance of lately. So thank you, rain, for coming today. Consider yourself missed.
Twitter is something I have a hard time getting behind. The mere idea that I’m doing something so incredibly important and / or significant at any given moment – so much so that others would find it interesting – is one I can’t comprehend. That’s not to say there aren’t those people out there. Athletes, movie stars, Jon Gosselin… these I get. But me? Really? Doubtful.
I suppose, though, there are some who would point to the similarity between having a blog and using Twitter. It’s an argument I can see and one that makes sense. The difference, at least in my opinion, is the overarching goal of the medium. Where Twitter is designed to capture (at best) quick snapshots of what’s going on in the poster’s life, blogs allow the writer to explore in greater detail those goings on and other, more weighty topics. But maybe I’m splitting idealistic hairs.
Regardless, please excuse me, I have to go yell at some kids who are on my lawn…
Earlier, I wrote some tips for people searching for work. It’s a noble effort. One that’s increadibly frustrating, time-consuming, and mentally taxing. We’ve all been there. That said, there is at least one sure-fire way to avoid some of the pain and frustration involved in the process.
Don’t Apply For Something You’re Not Qualified To Do.
If you’re reviewing a position description and you have to stretch your experience to meet the minimum qualifications, chances are you aren’t going to do anything but waste your time and that of the reviewer(s). More importantly, if there is a section called “Preferred Qualifications,” check your experience against those. If you don’t meet that level, chances are you won’t make the first cut.
Obviously there are some exceptions to the rule. We’ve all heard of that friend-of-a-friend-of-a-cousin who bumped into Donald Trump on the way into the elevator and emerged thirty floors later with a new job and a corner office overlooking Manhattan. But, to paraphrase a movie I recently saw, we’re (collectively) not the exception – we’re (again, collectively) the rule.
In closing, I offer some additional tidbits…
- Don’t include your picture with your cover letter / resume (unless, of course, it’s a head shot and you’re trying to be a model / actor / actress / etc…). At best, it’s awkward. At worst, it’s downright creepy.
- Don’t start and end your cover letter with the following: “Dear Madam or Sir, My resume speaks for itself.” Employers like confidence. They don’t like arrogance.
- Please, please, please be succinct, clear, and professional in your communication. A two page cover letter and a five page resume aren’t necessary for most jobs, and it’s likely not going to be read anyway. If for nothing else, think of the trees when crafting your documents.
Best of luck to you if you’re out there looking for work.
Obviously this blogging thing has been hit and miss, and that’s being incredibly generous. Posting has been light, and interest from yours truly has been largely nonexistent. Not that nothing has been going on – quite the contrary, actually. Truth be told, I forgot I even had the blog for a while. I suppose that’s a fair indicator of where this blog (and blogging) lie on my priority list. That said, the thought of deleting the thing is something I’m not yet willing to do. Maybe it’s my competition strength, or maybe I’m just stubborn. Whatever.
Anyway, in an effort to bring anyone who cares up to speed, here’s some updates from the recent months:
- We sold our house. This is pretty much the biggest and best update I can offer. Really. Nearly one year on the market, and a complicated closing with last-minute drama to boot.
- We’re taking a vacation in a week. I’m looking forward to this for several reasons, the least of which involves the current temperature of our destination – highs in the mid-60’s, lows in the mid 50’s. Quite a contrast from the 7-days-and-counting of 100+ temps we’ve been dealing with. Bring on the jackets, I say.
- At work we hired two new people and they started two weeks ago. They’re both excellent, and I consider myself fortunate to be able to work with people of their caliber.
And there you have it – some of the highlights. With that, here’s to trying to keep this ship from sinking.
And not in the religious sense, obviously, since it’s February 20. But the weather outside is wonderful, I’m off work early (noon today – yeah me), and Liverpool is first in the league table and just beat Man U 3-1 to extend the 1st-to-also-ran-gap by 20+ points.
Okay, so the last one happened in FIFA ‘09 on the Wii, but a win is a win is a win.
Hope your day is going well, too.
Dear Applicant,
A few pointers to make your next job search more successful.
First, don’t tell me you’re passionate about x, y, and z in your cover letter when x, y, and z are items directly associated with the field in which you’re applying. People are passionate about film, chocolate, books, friendships, etc… not about making sure the accounts balance at the end of the day, or that students have the best possible experience in their residence hall.
Second, I’d ask that you quickly glance at the space between the start of this sentence and the end of the previous one. See that gap? It’s called a paragraph break. We use them to end one train of thought and begin another. You might try using them, too.
Thirdly – and this is really important – the Thesaurus feature found in your word processing software can be a helpful tool on rare occasions, but should not be the crutch you lean on for every. single. sentence. Remember, you’re writing a cover letter, not a Doctoral Dissertation.
Lastly, keep it brief.
Sincerely,
A Frustrated Reader
