Stop to Smell the Writing

Whoosh. Where did a month go? My husband's Congressional campaign consumed the month of July. I'm considering it time well spent in the pursuit of research. I know there is a juicy book in all this. But now it's time to find a better balance. Less political plotting and more story plotting is on my agenda for August. And my garden needs some serious work, too. Words and weeds here I come.

Seven Simple Resume Tips

Tis the season for receiving some ridiculous resumes. Recent grads and the growing ranks of the unemployed are flooding a competitive job market. I'm sure shredders have been well fed.

Writing a good resume is a skill, but it's not brain surgery. Google resume writing. Get even more specific and Google resume writing and your field. Better yet, hire a professional resume writer. Don't worry if you've only had one job. They dig deep for good material. It's a small investment in your career. Here are a few free pointers to get you started.

1- Create a new email account. Your college user name doesn't cut it. Lovelyladyhumps1@yahoo.com or kegmaster321@hotmail.com won't impress potential employers.

2- Make sure you've formatted properly and if sending online save as a pdf so that changes across platforms don't occur. Also, follow the employer's instructions for online submissions. If you can't do this correctly, why would he or she hire you?

3- Proofread. Have others proofread it. Mistakes, even a typo, make you look careless at best.

4- Use active voice when describing your skills in relation to your current job. For example, “Expertly handles a wide variety of customer service situations with diplomacy and concern" works better than "Handled customer service issues."

5- When writing your resume, imagine you’re the employer. What would you want to see? Why should he or she hire you versus the 1,000 other applicants?

6- Don't be vague. For example, “Marketed a product within a community” sounds like you're selling illegal goods.

7- If you include an objective, make it benefit driven to the employer. No one gives a rat’s ass about what you want. Except me and maybe your mom. We want you to get a great job.

Who Are You?

While chatting with Archbishop Wood's principal about my speaking on Career Day, she commented on the pressure placed on kids when we ask what they want to be when they grow up. I agreed and offered an alternative. We should be asking them, “Who are you?”

That question gets more to the crux of the matter. Decisions based on personal truths tend to work out better than those based on desire. Our wants can be misinformed and fleeting.

I wanted to be a rock star when I grew up. Never mind that I couldn’t sing or play an instrument. (That hasn’t stopped some.) I've never been one for relentless travel or repetition. So much for worldwide concert tours with night after night gigs. It's no surprise that never worked out.

Who was I in high school? I was curious, communicative and very social. In my spare time, I wrote notes, stories and poems. I’d answer that question the same way today. I do what I am in my job, and not so surprisingly, I’m very satisfied. Do what you are!

Whether you’re an astronaut or laying Astroturf, you can bring yourself into any job. Former QVC host Mike Rowe, who is famous for his show “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel, once wrote, “Never follow your passion, but by all means bring it with you.”

I think that’s brilliant. He explained it further in an interview for Outside magazine. “If you bring your passion with you, you can apply it to anything that makes sense. If you follow it, you’re going to be miserable until X, Y, Z happens, which might be never.”

Whether you call it fate, God’s plan or luck, life takes many unpredictable twists and turns. The one thing that is stable enough to rest your future upon is you. Who are you?

Detention Diva

I was recently invited to be keynote speaker at my Alma Mater’s Career Day. It’s an honor but more than anything it’s hilarious. I barely escaped with my diploma from Archbishop Wood High School due to disciplinary issues. Don’t get the wrong idea. I wasn’t lighting up in the bathroom or cursing out teachers.

The pink demerit slips were for uniform violations and I was taken down as a repeat offender. It wasn’t that I minded uniforms. They are practical and a terrific time saver in the morning. It’s just that these were damn ugly. Picture if you will a dark green polyester jumper over an ecru polyester blouse with a Peter Pan collar. What it lacked in beauty, it also lacked in breathability. The green knee socks and green and yellow saddle shoes didn’t have me kicking up my heels, either.

Mutiny was mine, but I paid a price for my insurgence. I failed conduct every year. The grade was calculated into my G.P.A. - earning me a spot at the bottom of my class. I was told I couldn’t graduate unless I spent two additional hours in detention for every point under the passing grade. That meant many hours of pulling weeds in the convent garden.

“Disciplinary Difficulty” was stamped in red across my transcripts with no explanation as to why I was a difficulty. That made getting admitted to college challenging despite a decent SAT score. Finally, Penn State accepted me on probation and I promptly reversed my fortune. I was the best-dressed student on dean’s list.

All is well that ends well. I have fond, if not fashionable, memories of high school. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to share my insights on career and choices while not wearing green polyester.

Call Me

Last week's "30 Rock" had me “lizzing” – what the very clever Tina Fey dubbed whizzing while laughing. When her character’s old slutty chat line TV commercial surfaces, I flash backed to when I auditioned for just such a gem.

At age 18, I didn't quite grasp why guys would phone strange women to chat. "Hey Trixie, what's the weather like there?" You could have reached me at 1-800-Clueless. But I wanted to act.

The audition was all about mile high hair, more makeup than a Broad Street hooker and the cheesiest lines ever. I’m sure my sultry come-hither stare looked more like confused anger as I purred, “Call me, call me now” into the camera.

I was devastated when the director didn’t “call me” to say I’d gotten the part. It didn’t occur to me that I lacked the requisite C cup and looked more like pedophile bait at that age. It’s hilarious and scary to remember how disappointed I was at missing the opportunity to humiliate myself. So if something doesn’t work out for you, it might just be a saving grace.

Decorate By the Book

Homes without books are icky soulless spaces. I only hope these people have worn out library cards. "Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house," said Henry Ward Beecher. I agree. Whether you're a big reader or not, books are a must-have decorating accessory to create coziness. Pick up bargains at thrift stores and garage sales.

Turn the page on how you store your books. Ditch the dust covers and let the beautiful bindings and covers show. The metallic ink against matte-colored covers offers an elegant library look to your collection. Vary stacks horizontally and vertically by subject matter to create visual interest and organization. Stash those Harlequin romances and other paperbacks in decorative boxes on lower shelves.

Displaying books in unexpected places adds panache to your home.

"Let books be your dining table,
And you shall be full of delights
Let them be your mattress
And you shall sleep restful nights."
~Author Unknown

That quote inspires a few design options. Consider adding built-ins to your dining room to create a warm library lounge atmosphere. Pass the brandy, please. If that's a budget buster, the same look can be achieved by lining a wall with freestanding bookcases.

Don't just stick to shelves. Let your books be free. Stacking a few larger ones on a short side table can elevate a lamp to the right height for reading all the other books. They can even be piled high to create a table.

My books seem to be giving birth faster than the bunnies out back. Too much of anything creates clutter. Edit your collection and donate the overflow to your local library.

A good book has no ending. - R.D. Cumming
Good decorating has no ending. - Me

How to Be Super Hot

When notorious playboy Warren Beatty finally settled down with fellow actor Annette Bening after years of womanizing, everyone wanted to know what got the ring on his finger. He was quoted as saying, “She has an amazing capacity for happiness.”

That quality should be on everyone's checklist. Happiness is hot. Sure the moody, edgy person holds a certain amount of mysterious appeal while dating, but that wears very thin in a marriage. As life gets more complicated, you want a partner who can lift your spirits up - not drag you down into the depths of their despair on a regular basis.

Is it fair to discriminate against the chronically unhappy? After all, maybe they were born with the negativity chip or had a really hard life. Countless studies have been conducted and the results are debated. Theories aside, it’s easier to live with a smile than a scowl.

I maintain that one’s happiness is in direct relation to their gratitude. Some people are grateful for the smallest things, and no surprise - they are usually the happiest. So, if you want to be super hot, splash on some joie de vivre.


PS - Clinical depression is a whole different ball of wax. This post is just about happy vs. sad sack.

PPS - Warren and Annette have been married since 1991 and have four children. I know this but not how to do my son's third grade math homework.