A Chunk Of Change

On October 24, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Career, The Workplace1 Comment

Photo of Von Trapp children singing "So Long, Farewell", Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music — “So Long, Farewell”, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music

Today was my last day in the division of my company that I’ve worked in for nearly 10 years. Ten years! I am looking forward to my new role doing something quite different, but it still feels strange.

I am someone who is energized by change, so I have no regrets — but personal goodbyes often throw me. And this wasn’t even a BIG goodbye, or a LONG goodbye. My new building is only a few minutes’ walk from my old one, so I can grab lunch or drinks with friends there any time – until they forget all about me, that is.

Last night, my boss generously organized a small going-away happy hour for me, and I had a subtle case of butterflies beforehand. As a rule, I don’t like being the center of attention, so that was part of it. I was also conflicted: What if tons of people showed up, and I had hours and hours of small talk ahead of me? Even worse, what if NOBODY showed up?

In the end, the group was big enough to keep the conversation flowing, yet I only had to run through my new job description once, after which I had time to stuff my face with pub food and wash it down with Newcastle Brown. I was even able to leave early enough to do laundry before crashing in my PJs, in a carb coma. And when I weighed myself this morning, I’d only gained three pounds! (Ah, the joys of partying in one’s 40s.)

I’ve determined that some of my finest hours in a job come after giving notice, because based on personality tests like Gallup’s StrengthsFinder — I’m highly responsible. I obsess about leaving everything in perfect order, all tied up with a bow. Unfortunately, the stress that accompanies that usually manifests itself as flightiness and forgetfulness, and I end up losing the security badge to my office building.

You can’t make this stuff up – every time I have changed jobs, I have lost my security badge. I can hang on to the same badge for YEARS, but sometime during my 2-3 weeks’ notice, I will misplace it. Two jobs changes ago, I was also moving apartments so my life was insane – and I lost multiple badges in just a few weeks. The security office in my building threatened to start charging me a per-badge fee. It was that bad.

So in keeping with tradition, today I had to confess to the administrative assistant for my new team that he’d need to order me another badge, because I’d lost mine. In other words, I pissed off the office admin before I even started. Excellent!

Find new job: CHECK! Participate in one happy hour, with ambivalence: CHECK! Lose security badge: CHECK! So I guess that means my job here is done, and it’s time to start a new job… over there.

By Monday I’ll be ready, so bring it on? No wait, that’s not right. I mean, BRING IT ON.

For Timmy, It Takes Two

On October 24, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Baseball, Sports PhotographyLeave a comment

There once was a righty named Tim
San Francisco’s Big Time Timmy Jim
Would fans be deprived
Of our 55?
The odds he’d re-sign here seemed grim.

His fastball had lost some velocity
Of wins, there had been a paucity
He’d pitch in the dirt
And walk guys ’till it hurt
Giants fans cringed, and groaned audibly.

Then came a night last July
When the baseball fates seemed to comply
With the will of “The Freak”
And his wiry physique
A no-no for this girl’s favorite guy.

So this week, in a bit of a coup
Tim re-upped not for one year, but two!
While some baseball scholars
Chose to balk at the dollars
It’s next season fans look forward to.

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St. Andrews: The Rest Is History

On October 20, 2013October 21, 2013 By In Write FieldIn History2 Comments

View of St. Andrews, from St. Rules Tower

This evening I attended a local screening of Ever To Excel, a film celebrating the 600^th anniversary of the founding of my alma mater, The University of St. Andrews. It is narrated by Sean Connery – sorry, that’s SIR Sean Connery to you and me – with plenty of closeups of the distinguished 83-year-old actor, who was born and raised in Edinburgh.

An avid golfer, Sir Sean popped up to St. Andrews – otherwise known as “the Home of Golf” – frequently when I was a student there, and each visit triggered murmurs around town of Connery sightings. Friends and I may have even slipped down to the golf hotels on The Scores once or twice, in response to those rumors.

His voice is a bit more gravelly than when he played 007 in Bond films, or William in “Finding Forrester”, but Sir Sean Connery is still easy on the eyes. He has long been a friend of the University, which awarded him an Honourary Doctor of Letters in 1998.

I arrived at the screening a few minutes early, for a small wine and cheese reception. The first person I introduced myself to – a sweet young woman named Grace – graduated from St. Andrews in 2012. When I shared my graduation year, from a previous millennium, she gasped and said “Oh,WOW”. Seriously. That has never happened to me before. When I recovered from my initial shock, I found the incident pretty funny… until I shared it with another woman who graduated the same year I did, from a different university. Her son is in his second year at St. Andrews, making him about 19 years old. Wow, it seems we can run from our age, but we can’t hide.

Me, at my St. Andrews Graduation — Unfortunate perm, I know. It was a different millennium.

The film opens with a recent St. Andrews graduation ceremony, and here I received the second half of my double-whammy. For years, I believed that each graduate who crosses the Younger Hall stage kneels down, and receives a tap on the head with John Knox’s breaches. Yes, THAT John Knox — the Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation. It’s tradition. It’s also a myth. The piece of fabric is in fact an ancient cap, not a bit of old trousers. And it didn’t belong to John Knox; it belonged to a different John, who was a renowned physician in his day… but no religious reformer. Buzz kill!

Beyond a little disappointing myth busting, I learned some fascinating facts about the University of St. Andrews that I’m a little embarrassed I didn’t already know. For starters, James Wilson – one of our founding fathers – is an alumnus. He is purportedly the signer who recommended starting the Declaration of Independence with “We the PEOPLE”, rather than “We these United States”. Coincidentally, I am currently reading Jon Meacham’s excellent biography of Thomas Jefferson. Wilson’s key edit to the Declaration is not mentioned in the book, although the author did note that Jefferson didn’t take kindly to wordsmithing of the document by fellow revolutionaries.

More new knowledge: Sir Robert Spottiswood was the son of an Archbishop of St Andrews, who had an aggravating habit of borrowing library books, but not returning them. He was beheaded in downtown St. Andrews (on Market Street) in 1646 – not for overdue books, but for treason against Charles I. Immediately following his execution, the library petitioned Parliament to get the books back. As was noted in the film… sometimes it’s easier to just pay a fine.

I also learned the story behind students walking along St. Andrews pier on Sundays after church, wearing their red gowns. Legend has it that on a Sunday centuries ago, a preacher from Dundee was scheduled to appear for services, but never arrived. His ship sank in a storm. Students have taken the pier walk ever since, to remember him. (To be honest, I only did this once – the same number of times I went to Sunday services, I suspect.)

Others say the pier walks originated to commemorate the heroism of John Honey, a student who rescued five men from a ship sinking in St Andrews Bay in 1800.

Whether it’s the drowned preacher or John Honey, legend has it that SOMEBODY haunts the pier, wearing a cloak and large hat, and casting a very spooky shadow on the stones. BOO!

Finally, I now know the history behind the University’s coat of arms. The crescent moon represents Peter de Luna, aka Pope Benedict XIII who issued the bulls of foundation of the University in 1413. The lion from the Royal Arms of Scotland represents King James I (1406-1437). The gold diamonds are taken from the personal arms of Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St Andrews who issued the original charter, which incorporated the University in 1411/12. The open book of course represents learning, and the blue and white triangles represent St. Andrew’s Cross (the flag of Scotland).

Ever to Excel is 90 minutes long with some jumpy editing in the middle, so at times I found myself squirming — until shots of the town, the beach, the Quad and St. Salvator’s Chapel glued me back in my seat. I still feel proud and privileged to have attended Scotland’s oldest university, with its colorful and auspicious history – even if as a youngster, I didn’t take the time to learn much that didn’t involve gruesome reformation-era burnings at the stake.

It was a different millennium, after all. And you know what they say about Millennials…

Job Searching Highs and Lows

On October 18, 2013October 18, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Career, The Workplace5 Comments

I recently accepted an offer for a new position at my company, and will transition to the role in one week — but I am still tying up a few loose ends from my months-long job hunt. To start, I am closing out a partnership with a resume writer I hired to develop both a resume that would stand up against the dreaded scanning software used to screen applicants, and a new LinkedIn profile.

Using a resume writer was not a decision I took lightly. It can be a big investment, as well as time-consuming. I did my research, sifting through a long list of vendors and methodically rejecting those who didn’t have the right accreditations, a Better Business Bureau rating, good references or yelp reviews, and a compelling website. I also eliminated writers who collaborate with clients only by email – a questionable approach in cases like mine, involving a shift in career direction. Finally, I required a brief introductory meeting with a writer before I would commit, to test out our creative chemistry. (Remarkably, some resume writers refuse to do this.)

I settled on my guy, and prepared to pay his sizeable down payment, then stumbled across the job opportunity that next week will become My New Job. I knew I was a good fit for the role, but there was no guarantee I’d come out on top. What if I put my resume writing on hold, and spent weeks interviewing, only to lose out to another candidate? With the holidays approaching, that could mean pushing my search into 2014.

Enter Murphy’s Law: Based on my personal history, I had a hunch that once I plunked down cash to begin the process, my job search would take off. And it did. In fact – I kid you not — I accepted the job offer a mere two days before I approved the final version of my resume. Suddenly, I felt all dressed up, with nowhere to go.

This is the first time I’ve had my resume professionally written, so I don’t know if my experience was standard — but it was exhausting. So much self-reflection! There were multi-page questionnaires focusing on my strengths, interests, work style, accomplishments and fundamental values, which I spent several hours each evening completing, until I collapsed – emotionally drained – into bed. There may also have been a bit of gentle weeping.

I’m not sure all the information I provided made it into my resume, but the introspection and rereading of old performance reviews turned out to be great interview prep – an ancillary benefit I wasn’t expecting.

Now, the writer and I have moved on to my LinkedIn profile. For better or worse, as more recruiters adopt LinkedIn as a tool, a trend has emerged that one’s profile must be different from (yet not contradict) one’s resume. No more cutting-and-pasting. Thus, a new industry is born.

That said, in some ways LinkedIn still has a touch of the Wild West to it. There are profile photos of children, pets, and stuffed animals, as well as glamorous pics of female subjects that are just one spaghetti strap shy of a boudoir shot. Occasionally you will even see a profile photo of someone doing something incredibly dumb – wearing a red foam clown’s nose, or making the “rock on” hand gesture – presumably to appeal to recruiters from The Improv club?

Some LinkedIn members don’t have any profile photo at all, which reminds me of the sad “photo not available” graphic in high school yearbooks. Generally speaking, kids without yearbook photos were not the coolest kids. So, invest in a professional head shot, guys.

For a brief period, I subscribed to LinkedIn Premium for Job Seekers – a service purported to boost one’s chances of landing a job. I never really understood how most of its features would benefit me, though. For example, the service provides detailed information about anyone who views your profile. Yes I’m nosey, but why would I want to see a list of people who checked me out on LinkedIn and said, “Meh, I’ll pass”?

Job Seeker Premium also has a private LinkedIn group, with a members-only message board. Some of the posts are helpful, others are just plain odd. Quite a few posts ask how to shut off the Premium service, which isn’t exactly a strong endorsement. It does, however, prove that the Job Seeker Premium message board is censorship free!

I’ll be thrilled to conclude the resume/profile writing process, and launch the output online for the world to see. For better or worse, these days professional networking is an ongoing activity, rather than something done only when you are actively seeking a job change.

Thankfully, networking doesn’t involve interviewing – possibly the most frustrating, demoralizing part of the job quest. Another day, another blog topic…

Anyone have tales from depths of job search despair to share? (No gentle weeping permitted, though.)

Giving Up My Day Job

On October 14, 2013October 15, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Career, The Workplace4 Comments

Professional woman reading career section of a newspaper. — Photo credit: Getty Images/George Doyle

I feel like I haven’t posted to In Write Field in weeks. Hang on – it HAS been weeks. Two and a half weeks, to be exact.

When I started blogging nearly two years ago, I set a goal to post at least bi-weekly and generally stuck to that. (At the end of 2012 I had blogged EXACTLY 100 times. How’s that for follow through?) More recently, I guess I just fell out of the habit of blogging, and there’s a reason for it…

Most of my non-working hours in 2013 have been devoted to job hunting. “The search” was all-consuming, exhausting — and for a while, maddeningly fruitless. So now that I have at last received (and accepted) a job offer, and my imminent departure from my current position is public knowledge, I can finally blog about it.

I’ve been squirreling away material, with no public outlet for my frustrations and amusing anecdotes. Now, I have a few things to get off my chest.

My last three jobs have been with the same large financial services company, and it has been nearly 10 years since I conducted an external job search. The process has definitely changed. When I graduated from college – in the dark ages known as “pre-internet”– I decided to try my hand at public relations in New York. Perhaps eager to bump me off the gravy train, my father bought me a P.R. directory as a gift. It listed every agency in North America, its location, size and client list, and the names of its senior management. Each day, I would zero in on several firms in the directory, pick a few executives’ names, TYPE a cover letter to each, and send it by mail along with my resume. Protocol dictated I make follow-up calls no more than five days later.

Networking? Back then, networking was for electricians. Sure, we all kept our ears to the ground. We asked friends to watch for openings at their firms. The very creative among us even scoured alumni directories for someone who might take pity on them. But mostly, a job search essentially meant cold calling.

A few years later, when I finished graduate school, there was a greater emphasis on nurturing alumni connections – yet job hunting was still mostly paper based, consisting of letters of introduction, requests for informational interviews and the ubiquitous three-ring binders filled with hard-copy resumes. Binders full of women… and men!

Now candidates and recruiters have LinkedIn, which has in turn spawned an industry around LinkedIn profile writing. Oh, and let’s not forget behavioral interviews. (I’ve heard we have Google to thank for those.)

One of my favorite behavioral questions, found online:

Q: Do you listen? Give an example of when you did or when you didn’t listen.

A: Huh?

All topics for another day, and another blog post. See what I mean? Job searching is like breaking rocks – but now I have so much material!

Game 162: Parting Ways

On September 30, 2013September 30, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Baseball, Sports PhotographyLeave a comment

San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito prepares to take the mound at AT&T Park, September 29, 2013 — Barry Zito

Tonight the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Texas Rangers — thereby earning an American League wild card spot, and the distinct privilege of playing the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. And so, I am closing the book on regular season baseball.

It has become a tradition for me to attend the San Francisco Giants’ final regular season home game each year. It’s usually a day game, and the weather is always exceptional. That’s how I spent Sunday afternoon: at AT&T Park, switching between photo taking in the fabulous fall light, and monitoring the Indians game against the Twins on the scoreboard. If the Tribe had lost, they would have had to play a tie-breaker of some kind — a crushing outcome I could not accept.

Never fear, the Indians won, and made the postseason for the first time since 2007 — at which point I gave the game in front of me my undivided attention.

The Giants did not disappoint, rallying from a five-run deficit for a walk-off win, courtesy of their $90 million man (for the next five years, at least), Hunter Pence. Barry Zito also took the mound for his long-awaited curtain call. Classy and gracious as always, he tipped his cap to the crowd and later gave a sweet good-bye speech.

It hasn’t always been pretty, but we’ll miss you Barry.

Each year, I feel a little melancholy during my final afternoon at the ballpark. Will my favorite players be back next season? Is there room in me for one last bratwurst? When do pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale? (Answers: probably not, always and 139 days from Sunday.)

So as I took in my last regular-season game, I decided to have a little fun. I snapped photos not just of players, but also of some of the colorful characters I encountered at the ballpark. I had to be sneaky of course. If some camera-shy fan got angry with me, I doubt I could have run very fast after all that bratwurst.

Now I have the Cleveland Indians to cheer for, with the Oakland Athletics as my back-up team should misfortune befall the Tribe. And there is so much blogging to do… once I remember what I blogged about, before baseball season started.

Suggestions are welcome!

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Tim Lincecum: Here Today…

On September 10, 2013September 11, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Baseball, Sports Photography4 Comments

Monday was probably my last chance to celebrate Lincecum Day at AT&T Park in 2013. Tim Lincecum is scheduled to pitch at home just once more, against the dreaded first-place Los Angeles Dodgers, but I have no plans to attend the game. I decided the odds for a positive outcome were better against the Colorado Rockies, and I was right. While the San Francisco Giants offense didn’t come through in time for Timmy to get the “W”, we beat Colorado in a 10th inning walk-off thanks to a single by Brandon Belt.

Despite the win, the Giants were officially eliminated from the National League West pennant race on Monday. For some reason, this development was not announced over AT&T’s P.A. system.

Will Tim Lincecum wear a Giants uniform next season? I hope so. Yes, I have a soft spot for the guy that obviously biases me — but if we fail to keep Timmy… who will we replace him with? His 4.67 ERA is disappointing, yet Matt Cain’s 2013 ERA is 4.53 and Ryan Vogelsong’s is 4.88. And please, let’s not talk about Barry Zito!

In other words, it’s not as if pitchers with ERAs in the 2’s are just hanging around, waiting to be signed. (In 2009, when he won his second consecutive Cy Young award, Timmy’s ERA was 2.48.) I sometimes think San Francisco Giants fans are so spoiled by years of great pitching from Lincecum, Cain and Bumgarner, we have lost perspective.

So… here’s my humble, biased opinion on the best-case Lincecum scenario: The Giants resign Timmy to a two-year deal, while continuing to nurture prospects and shop for trades. He threw a no-hitter once. And he can ROCK the bullpen, based on his performance last October, so that’s an option if his performance as a starter deteriorates.

Let’s remember, Sabean, Baer and friends are businessmen, and Timmy draws crowds and puts cheeks in the seats. Mine, to name just two.

As the baseball season enters its final weeks, enjoy these pics. I’ll be on hand for the last Giants game of the season (fan appreciation weekend!), as is my custom. Madison Bumgarner is slated to pitch. Then… bring on the NBA!

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Fair Weather

On September 1, 2013January 23, 2016 By In Write FieldIn Nostalgia, Travel1 Comment

Today was my first full day back in the Buckeye State, where I grew up. It was very hot, and humid. I had forgotten that late summer days could feel like this.

My parents and I went to the Great Geauga County Fair. First held in 1823, it is Ohio’s oldest continuous county fair – uninterrupted during the Civil War, Spanish American War, two World Wars and the Great Depression – and is one of the oldest existing agricultural fairs in the nation.

"Beef: It's what's for dinner." Sign posted outside a livestock barn at the Great Geauga County Fair, Ohio's oldest continuous county fair. September 2013. — Sign posted outside a livestock barn

Students who participate in 4-H and whose livestock compete in the Fair are always excused from school on the Friday before, and pretty much stay on site for the entire Labor Day weekend. Aside from feeding the animals and cleaning out their stalls, they sleep in barns on top of hay bales, shower on site, and eat concession food for four days straight. Then they sell their animals, and proudly post the price-per-pound above their stalls.

I am not sure I could sell a cow I’d raised from a calf – they have those big brown eyes, and long eyelashes — knowing it would end up at the butcher shop. Then again I didn’t grow up on a farm. Those 4-H kids are incredibly dedicated.

After spending four hours with cows, I’m sticking with salad for dinner.

When I was young, my family always attended the Fair on Sunday after church, when we were guaranteed to bump into friends. I haven’t been back to the fairgrounds in nearly 20 years, but even today we encountered several folks we knew.

The day was cut a little short by sudden, heavy rain, but I still managed to squeeze in deep-fried local Swiss cheese on a stick, roasted corn on the cob, and a funnel cake – more carbs than I probably consumed all summer.

Despite the precipitous sugar crash I experienced when we got home (nap!), I have no regrets!

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That Has a Nice Ring To It

On August 25, 2013September 11, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Baseball, Sports Photography4 Comments

San Francisco Giants veteran first baseman Will Clark's World Series ring. — If I were a man with a World Series ring, I’d get no-polish manicures too. I’m just saying…

As the 2013 baseball season winds down, I’m taking in as many San Francisco Giants games as my schedule – and my budget – will allow.

I was on hand when the team played the Red Sox on August 20 (the only game the Giants were destined to win in that series), as well as Friday’s game two against the Pittsburg Pirates, which did not end so well. The Giants lost 3-1, but there were several silver linings for me.

To start, I actually had two tickets to the Pirates game (long story), and spent the first three innings with my college friend Richard, who is British, and his two fantastic children who are spending the summer in San Francisco. His daughter Chloe educated me on the similarities and differences between baseball and rounders (a game she apparently plays to some acclaim back home). Thankfully, there was no quiz afterwards, because I think I would have been forced to cheat. It’s complicated!

Richard’s son Dominic asked great questions that tested my knowledge of America’s pastime. Our best conversation of the night went something like this:

Dominic: “Is Matt Cain pitching?”
Me: “Wow, you already know the Giants’ pitchers?”
Dominic: “He’s in an Audi advert near our house. But what about the one named Tim or something?”
Me: (*sigh*) “Pull up a chair, young man.”

Second silver lining: At the end of the third inning, I headed to my seat near the Giants’ dugout. I plopped down in my usual graceful manner, before noticing a bit of a hullabaloo in our section. The gentleman sitting directly in front of me was allowing fans to photograph his massive bling-bling ring.

It wasn’t the Pope. It was veteran Giants first baseman Will “The Thrill” Clark. He stuck around until the fifth inning, signing balls and taking photos with fans – always with a gracious smile. He works in the Giants’ front office, so perhaps he’s obligated to go to a few games each season to reward fans. However, I saw him at 2013 Spring Training too, and am certain his generosity and enthusiasm are genuine. The man loves baseball, and clearly feels blessed to still be part of the game.

There are only 32 games left in the season. I wonder if I can squeeze in one more Tim Lincecum outing, since San Francisco Chronicle beat writer Hank Schulman has (helpfully) pointed out that Timmy may only have two more starts in a Giants uniform.

No. Way.

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Bad Hair Day

On August 23, 2013September 11, 2013 By In Write FieldIn Baseball, Random StuffLeave a comment

Los Angeles Dodger closer Brian Wilson, August 2013 — Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports / Howard Smith

Occasionally when I encounter something new (new to me, at least), for days or weeks afterwards that thing will seem to randomly pop up everywhere — on TV, in news stories and in conversation. Eventually, it will feel like Kismet.

Sometimes it’s a buzzword, the newest one at my office being “unpack”, which apparently means to explain something in more detail, as in “can you please unpack that a little?”. These days, I’m finding that at least one person uses that phrase in every meeting I attend. And unfortunately, I attend a lot of meetings.

It can also be a book, a place or some piece of totally random news that folks keep bringing up as part of idle chit-chat.

“I was listening to NPR the other day, and someone was talking about these crazy crop circles…”

This week, the topic everywhere was… razors. Specifically, companies that sell razors and razor blades in bulk, online. I’m not surprised that they exist, although I have never heard anyone mention them before. It’s probably economical, since men who shave every day go through a lot of razors. And razors are small, so unlike toilet paper or diapers or gallon jugs of olive oil from Costco, it doesn’t take a lot of space to store a year’s worth.

Online razor retailers weren’t exactly newsworthy until… Brian Wilson, a.k.a. B. Weezie, also known as the Beard… and the former closer for the San Francisco Giants. This week, co-founder and president of 800Razors.com, Philip Masiello, offered the Weezer $1 million to shave off his beard — a sum equal to his recent one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers (hiss).

Wilson turned him down, which is either brave or stupid. I’ve not yet decided. In fact, he kind of thumbed his nose at the idea by wearing a hideous scrunchy thing in his beard at his next outing. What was that about? It’s not like his beard is fly-away and lacks density. It’s more like a garden hedge, and even in an F5 twister that thing is unwavering.

The day after Brian Wilson declined the offer to double his salary – and thereby failed to recapture his place among the world’s dreamiest baseball players — I attended a professional webinar about effective storytelling in advertising. One of the examples provided to demonstrate how humor in advertising can generate engagement was from another razor retailer DollarShaveClub.com, which has a tagline of “Our Blades Are F***ing Great”.

So is this video. If Brian Wilson had seen it, do you think he would have laughed… and then reached for his shaving cream?

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