Job | Suspension of Disbelief

Apr

Lately I’ve spent some time updating my profile on LinkedIn. For a long time I had decided not to join LinkedIn - I figured that there are only so many social media sites you can join before you’ve gone into overload. Then I noticed that Lisa had a LinkedIn profile, and I totally had to copy her . . . well, actually, I wanted to write her a review, and I had to join to do that, and thus my profile was born.

Then, once I started to look around, I realized that LinkedIn is really unlike any other social media site. I mean, this one is basically an online directory of resumes that allows you to publicize your networking. It really is all about career stuff. I think it’s really neat to be able to keep up with everyone and see where they’re going, who they’re working with, and what exciting things they are doing now.

Around this time, I saw the true power (at least in the technology industry) that LinkedIn has for professional uses - we actually used LinkedIn to hire a new designer for E. Webscapes. The response to the post at LinkedIn was overwhelming . . . this social media phenomenon really surprised me. You mean we can do more than just poke each other and turn people into zombies? I’m officially impressed.

So, having come to these conclusions, I decided to bulk up my profile and fill in as many sections as I could (I’m at 90% complete - I just need 2 more recommendations . . . interested?). But I quickly realized that the true power of LinkedIn lies within its networking capabilities. I have been looking through all the people I went to school with and I have also been seeking out everyone in my contacts so that I can maximize the network.

So here is my call to all of you! If you are on LinkedIn and we aren’t networked yet, let’s make that happen! Here is my profile - hook it up. If you are NOT on LinkedIn, I am inviting you to join us in this productive social media site (and strangely that’s not a complete oxymoron). Click on my profile link above and you will be able to join up there.

See, not so bad? This makes networking actually FUN!

Posted at 10:57 pm in: General, Technology
Related Posts:

3/2/2008 -- 101 in 1001 updates!
2/24/2008 -- It’s my blogiversary!!!
1/23/2008 -- Holidays, Hospitals, and Higher Learning

Mar

101 in 1001 updates!

So I was reminded by Karen’s post that I haven’t updated my 101 in 1001 in a while. Honestly, it’s because working 2 jobs and being in grad school is VERY time consuming, so I haven’t had a whole lot of time to work on it. I’m also a little sad, because there are several things on my list that I don’t think I’ll be able to do by September. I console myself with the fact that I made this in college with no idea of where I would be in two years, so I had no way of knowing that I would only see my parents for a weekend here or there every four months or so (so how can I possibly #8 “go to concerts with Daddy?”) or that once I left Wake I would lose a lot of my ties to the school (I need the library to #25 “make the Parables DVDs,” but I have to have a current student with me to do that, and most of the people I know have graduated).

All things to keep in mind when I make my new 101 in September (yes, even if I don’t finish this one, I still intend to make a new one, and you may see me revamp some of the current items for the next time). Just because I don’t get finished by the deadline doesn’t mean that a lot of these things aren’t still important to me. And honestly, many of these goals were stretch goals to begin with (see me rationalizing?).

Anyways, back the (very) few that I have completed now!

#34 (Get a pet)- I have two of the most adorable little kittens ever sitting on my bed snuggling with each other. This one is done

Kitten Snuggle!

(Photo take 5 minutes ago.)

#62 (Switch all lightbulbs to CFLs)- I actually did this when I moved into my new apartment in July
#66 (No more plastic grocery bags - only canvas) - I started doing this last year and actually made a habit of it around New Year’s. Every once and a while I forget to bring my bags in, but not usually.
#91 (Organize recipes) - My recipes are very much more organized now, though I can tell this will be an ongoing effort for me . . .
#95 (Attend 5 year high school reunion) - I wanted to go to my 5 year high school reunion, but I couldn’t go back to FL because of school and work. This made me sad, cause I haven’t even spoken with a lot of my high school friends in YEARS. So . . . I guess I’ll try for the 10 year?

So now I’m more than halfway finished - woo hoo!!! I’ll be honest, I’ve done a lot more than I thought I would! Here’s hoping that I can achieve the rest!

Posted at 2:41 pm in: 101 in 1001, General, Green Life, My Life, Pets
Related Posts:

12/18/2005 -- 101 in 1001 - 54.46% Complete
1/24/2007 -- Making Some Changes
12/29/2006 -- Thursday Thirteen #35

Feb

It’s my blogiversary!!!

Yes, I know I have been practically nonexistent the past couple of months - working 2 jobs and being a full-time grad student is very . . . time consuming.

However, lest you forget I am still here, I thought I’d bombard your feedreader in celebration of my third blogiversary. Yes, Suspension of Disbelief is 3 years old today. Quite a bit has happened to me since I started my blog. I’ve graduated from college and started graduate school - twice. I’ve gotten my first AND second non-summer jobs, I’ve lost both of my grandmothers, I’ve adopted kittens . . . and so much more!

Thanks for sticking with me, even if I’m not consistent AT ALL. It still makes me feel appreciated to know that you are here when I do have the time to blog. And I promise, at some point, things will settle down enough so that I can get back to a bit more regular blogging routine. Thanks for your support!

Posted at 3:50 pm in: Blogginess, General, My Life
Related Posts:

7/19/2006 -- About Me
7/30/2006 -- Reading Memories (Blogathon #46)
8/23/2006 -- Thursday Thirteen #24

Jan

Holidays, Hospitals, and Higher Learning

To appease the masses, I bring to you . . . an update.

Yes, I have been a very sucky blogger the past few months. Grad school + job = NO FREE TIME. Pity me, please?

OK, so last I spoke was when Nana passed away. I was in Georgia for about a week helping with funeral arrangements and the like, then I came back to North Carolina.

My kittens did great while I was gone (AJ watched them for me), and they also gained names! I named the one with more white on his face Oscar (for Oscar Peterson) and the other one is Miles (for Miles Davis). There will be more pictures to come, though they haven’t grown AT ALL since I got them (which, I shouldn’t say that too loud - they are precious and adorable, I like their size now, LOL). They love to cuddle with me and they are SO GOOD together - I can’t imagine ever seperating them. I feel bad because I am gone so much of the day, so I don’t get to spend nearly as much time with them as I want to, but since they have each other, I know that they’re doing just fine. They just really like to cuddle when I come home!

The next week was utter chaos because it was holiday at Starbucks, so crazy busy, and I also had one week to get ready for Christmas. AJ and I had a lovely Christmas on the 21st, and on the 22nd I had Christmas with his family. On the 23rd I drove to GA, had Christmas with MY family, and then drove back on the 26th.

On the . . . 29th? . . . I woke up at about 3:30AM with really intense pain in my lower right abdomen. I could barely stand up, and it made me throw up it hurt so bad. I was able to get to the computer, saw that the right side is the appendix side, and decided I didn’t want to risk it. I called AJ and woke him up and he got me to the ER. It turns out that I had a ruptured ovarian cyst, so the next week I was off my feet a bit and then taking it pretty easy. I feel much better now, but man that hurt!!!

Classes started back on January 4th, and it has been NONSTOP since then. At the moment my rotation is in the development office, and it’s very time intensive. My schedule most days is something like this:

Rotation: 8AM-9:30AM
Class: 10AM-2PM
Rotation: 2PM-4:30PM
Work: 5:45PM-11:45PM

Note that I get about 8 hours off . . . and those are the sleeping hours . . . try fitting homework and sanity time in there. I’m exhausted. Luckily, there are only about 4 more weeks of this rotation and then I switch to something a little more laid back, so if I can just hang in there.

I’m getting really tired of school. As I go through all my classes, I realize that I’m not really learning a ton. I don’t say this to be cocky, I just got a really great undergrad education, and my instincts are usually pretty good. If it weren’t for the darned three letters that I need to get a job (MFA), I probably would be just fine to have skipped all this. I just have to keep reminding myself that I’ve only got about a year and a half before my internship, and while that’s technically still school, it’s really a job too, and it will be in an office somewhere (or something . . .)

I have missed being able to be online. I feel like I’m losing a little bit of myself because of all the craziness. Summer will be a welcome time. How is everyone else doing (is anyone even reading my blog anymore)?