Hello, I'm once again writing in this blog thing and there's really a lot of things I could talk about. I think tonight I should do some self-examination on here. Of course, you are all invited to tag along. I assure you though, there's not much worth seeing. However, before I get started I just want to make a shout out to my awesome friends who have all made me feel so grand this weekend. Both today, yesterday, and even the short time I was home Friday were really amazing and although nothing is perfect and I am tired, I will remember all the truly good times for a many years. Thanks guys. You know who you all are. As for the great folks I did not hang out with...I want to hang out with you too! I miss so many people. Honestly!
So, onward. About three weeks ago I went through something referred to as a "Mock Interview" for my Intro to Cooperative Education class. This basically consisted of me preparing my resume the night before, borrowing a tie after realizing mine was at home, walking out into the hot weather in a full suit, and answering questions posed to me by an older student while being critqued on my interview skills and resume. Get this though, folks. It went insanely well. I got compliments on my suit on the way there and the interviewer said not only was my resume excellent, but I displayed a good deal of confidence in the interview and answered even the tough questions very well. Funny thing part two: I was not nervous for this interview.
Now, by itself this story is stupid. It is a waste of time to make you read it. Honestly. But here's the catch. I have been significantly happier since this interview (or at least that day) and I have also been far more confident in myself.
Did you all know that calling people is really one of my greatest fears? I'll put it off like no one's business. So if I call you, you can say with a great degree of certainty that either I really trust you and know you like me and do not mind hearing from me, I really want to have a conversation specifically with you, or I have a pressing reason to speak with you and can't find a way to put it off. I don't mean to offend people by that. In fact, what I mean to say is, calling people is a huge thing for me for some reason and even if I have not called you, you still are likely to be a top notch friend of mine. But I digress. After the interview I have stopped putting off calling people I need to call and emailing official people I need to speak with. I'm getting over this odd apprehension.
So what about this interview or this day brought about these changes? Well, I think in a way this mock interview turned my eyes to the future and finally proved to me, really made me realize, that I could deal with people successfully just by being me. I've seen it time and time again, but for once it stuck. This complete stranger, meant to critique me, found me confident and competent. That was grand. Also, it allowed me to look past myself and see that other people are in the same place as me...and as a name on a list, I can make my own expectations for myself and fulfill or surpass them by my own choices. I can make myself who I want to be. It's pretty empowering. I feel odd for saying that, by the way. ;-)
I think I've changed for the positive...and as silly as it sounds, I am seriously considering laying the blame on a mock interview that I was cursing not 20 minutes before I took it.
It is amazing how one little thing can impact a person...and even more amazing when it is noticed. Hey, maybe I'm wrong here, but one thing is for sure: I am changing and I have been a lot happier lately, despite some tough times that would have killed me not a year ago. I have to be happy about that.
Here's wishing you all the best!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Thursday, May 3, 2007
All things considered
Blog entries are a fickle thing. I never seem to be satisfied with them...or, as of late, finish them. However, this weighs on mind and therefore must be changed. So, in order to get the proverbial juices going, let me describe a fictional scene that I can see happening some day in the future (neither distant nor near, just the future; I dare not be specific). Rather, I'll tell a story.
The curtains, which are often the most underrated and overlooked component of any man's room, were what woke him up that Saturday morning, fluttering contently in the cool breeze of the morning. With that certain sense of disbelief that all people having upon just waking up, Jacob realized that he was indeed awake before sunrise on a Saturday (and not simply in the sense that he had not yet gone to sleep, as was often the case). It was certainly somewhat of a surprise to him, but all the same, he felt grand. Repositioning himself so as to face the window, as well as the rustling curtains, he took a deep breath of the air coming in off of the lake. Wonderful indeed, Jacob thought to himself, a smell of life and of a new beginning. He laughed at his humble attempt at prose, delivered to himself so early in the morning. Terribly unimpressive as usual, he chuckled. As the curtains settled with a lull in the breeze, Jacob pulled off the covers, pulled on his slippers, and turned off his alarm (set to 11:30, to allow him two hours to prepare for his lunch out with dear old friends, who just so happened to be in town for the weekend). Instead of heading to the bathroom though, as habit would dictate, he grabbed his robe and left the house to see the sunrise.
As he opened the front door of his house, now clutching a grapefruit juice, Jacob was once again struck by how strange it was that he was awake so early; the sky in the east was only just beginning to turn grey, and the stars were still visible in the sky. However, stranger things had happened, so he wasn't about to waste another moment thinking about this particular oddity. The breeze was back again, but it was late May and it had lost its bitter touch. Still, Jacob pulled his robe tighter around him and took a sip of his juice. With the sour taste of the juice on his tongue the morning air assumed a more earthy smell and brought to mind the days he had spent hiking in the mountains after graduation. Those times were golden.
The sky began to glow in the east as dawn approached. Jacob leaned on the side of his house and watched it arrive. With the first golden rays of the new day illuminating the forest he smiled for a moment in response to the moment. The sunlight touched the edge of the lake and the water seemed to assume a much more friendly attitude. However, this was lost on Jacob, as he was suddenly elsewhere. He had began to recall a conversation he had had long ago, in his youth with a lady fair, about seeing the sunrise over a lake from a house in the woods. What a grand dream that had been! But then it dawned on Jacob that in the three years he had been living by the lake, he had seen the sunrise only one other time - the morning after he had moved into the house - and that had been while he was half asleep, and from a camp chair facing the remains of a great bonfire. Rather sad perhaps, that the paramount reason he had began dreaming about this house had been ignored for so long. But that's what working can do to you.
So, as he walked back inside his house Jacob decided to try to see the sunrise more often, and to reflect more upon days past and what he had wanted to do. Good policy, he thought, now making coffee. I'll have to tell my friends about it when I see them.
Well, that's that. I'll try to do something more philosophical and more personal soon. But, for those who want to know, I've just past through (or, I rather hope I have) a very stressful time. There was no definite beginning or ending and nothing much to talk about with regards to it. Again I've learned about myself. School is difficult but I am happy (that's not what I learned!). Well, I hope to see you all soon; I appreciate your thoughts and your kind words. You all have my best wishes.
The curtains, which are often the most underrated and overlooked component of any man's room, were what woke him up that Saturday morning, fluttering contently in the cool breeze of the morning. With that certain sense of disbelief that all people having upon just waking up, Jacob realized that he was indeed awake before sunrise on a Saturday (and not simply in the sense that he had not yet gone to sleep, as was often the case). It was certainly somewhat of a surprise to him, but all the same, he felt grand. Repositioning himself so as to face the window, as well as the rustling curtains, he took a deep breath of the air coming in off of the lake. Wonderful indeed, Jacob thought to himself, a smell of life and of a new beginning. He laughed at his humble attempt at prose, delivered to himself so early in the morning. Terribly unimpressive as usual, he chuckled. As the curtains settled with a lull in the breeze, Jacob pulled off the covers, pulled on his slippers, and turned off his alarm (set to 11:30, to allow him two hours to prepare for his lunch out with dear old friends, who just so happened to be in town for the weekend). Instead of heading to the bathroom though, as habit would dictate, he grabbed his robe and left the house to see the sunrise.
As he opened the front door of his house, now clutching a grapefruit juice, Jacob was once again struck by how strange it was that he was awake so early; the sky in the east was only just beginning to turn grey, and the stars were still visible in the sky. However, stranger things had happened, so he wasn't about to waste another moment thinking about this particular oddity. The breeze was back again, but it was late May and it had lost its bitter touch. Still, Jacob pulled his robe tighter around him and took a sip of his juice. With the sour taste of the juice on his tongue the morning air assumed a more earthy smell and brought to mind the days he had spent hiking in the mountains after graduation. Those times were golden.
The sky began to glow in the east as dawn approached. Jacob leaned on the side of his house and watched it arrive. With the first golden rays of the new day illuminating the forest he smiled for a moment in response to the moment. The sunlight touched the edge of the lake and the water seemed to assume a much more friendly attitude. However, this was lost on Jacob, as he was suddenly elsewhere. He had began to recall a conversation he had had long ago, in his youth with a lady fair, about seeing the sunrise over a lake from a house in the woods. What a grand dream that had been! But then it dawned on Jacob that in the three years he had been living by the lake, he had seen the sunrise only one other time - the morning after he had moved into the house - and that had been while he was half asleep, and from a camp chair facing the remains of a great bonfire. Rather sad perhaps, that the paramount reason he had began dreaming about this house had been ignored for so long. But that's what working can do to you.
So, as he walked back inside his house Jacob decided to try to see the sunrise more often, and to reflect more upon days past and what he had wanted to do. Good policy, he thought, now making coffee. I'll have to tell my friends about it when I see them.
Well, that's that. I'll try to do something more philosophical and more personal soon. But, for those who want to know, I've just past through (or, I rather hope I have) a very stressful time. There was no definite beginning or ending and nothing much to talk about with regards to it. Again I've learned about myself. School is difficult but I am happy (that's not what I learned!). Well, I hope to see you all soon; I appreciate your thoughts and your kind words. You all have my best wishes.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
For You All
I'll write something interesting here for you all soon. I'm not going to post anything less than grand on this blog.
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