29Oct2008
So.
I have a friend.
She tried getting a job with a police force, and for various reasons, it didn't work out. She was bummed. Seriously bummed. But we were around, we let her take things as she needed to take them and tell us what she needed to tell us when she wanted to tell us, offered support, advice, guidance. She picked herself up, moved on, and applied for another job.
I'm not going to lie, I feel partly responsible, since I was one of the folks who suggested this option to her.
She was sent home from training today for failing a test in their stringent recruitment process (by 4%. I understand that they have stringent cut-off points for these tests, but still... 4%? Could she not retake?).
I am completely at a loss as to what to say or do for her this time around. I feel that while I can offer support, that's about it, as my advice and guidance have obviously not been what they needed to be. I feel like I should be doing something, but what the hell is there to do?
So.
I have a friend.
She tried getting a job with a police force, and for various reasons, it didn't work out. She was bummed. Seriously bummed. But we were around, we let her take things as she needed to take them and tell us what she needed to tell us when she wanted to tell us, offered support, advice, guidance. She picked herself up, moved on, and applied for another job.
I'm not going to lie, I feel partly responsible, since I was one of the folks who suggested this option to her.
She was sent home from training today for failing a test in their stringent recruitment process (by 4%. I understand that they have stringent cut-off points for these tests, but still... 4%? Could she not retake?).
I am completely at a loss as to what to say or do for her this time around. I feel that while I can offer support, that's about it, as my advice and guidance have obviously not been what they needed to be. I feel like I should be doing something, but what the hell is there to do?
19Oct2008
So I don't know why Blogger won't show the date that I make posts any more, now that I've switched to the new template, but whatever. Hence the date at the top of the post.
I'm worried, my friends. And the bitch of it all is that there's nothing I can do about the worries - it's all beyond my control.
So I don't know why Blogger won't show the date that I make posts any more, now that I've switched to the new template, but whatever. Hence the date at the top of the post.
I'm worried, my friends. And the bitch of it all is that there's nothing I can do about the worries - it's all beyond my control.
- Dad's got another spot. Fingers crossed it's just that - a spot, and not the skin cancer again. But I'm worried about it.
- Mom's overworked. To the point where it's actually affecting her health. She's always had low blood pressure... her normal is medically generally a bit low. These last few weeks it's been high. Not just slightly elevated back into the 'normal' range, but into the 'high' range, even medically. She's never going to earn a full pension - she hasn't worked for the government long enough - but if she retires before 65 she'll be penalized even further. That means nearly 6 years to go for her. I'm worried she won't last that long.
- The program I'm on for work didn't do any recruiting this year. With the economic uncertainty, it makes me worry that we're heading back into the layoffs of the mid-90s again within the next few years, and let's face it, "indeterminate" status just means that they don't know your end date, not that they can't fire you. Hell, even if they don't fire me, they could end the program and shuffle me off to somewhere I don't want to be... And that worries me.
- Going in to the doctor tomorrow to get the results from those lab tests (yes, I've put it off this long so I wouldn't have to take sick time to go and get them). And I'm worried about what those results will be. (Update - it's low iron levels. I now have a giant fistful of pills to take every day, but hopefully they'll make me feel better. 17h49 20Oct08)
- Still haven't got the money back from my latest drug plan claims or my latest travel claims - and I could really use that in terms of cash flow (no, I'm not poor, but the raise only kicked in this past week, and between all the travelling I've done and charges I've had to put on various credit cards, I could use the cash). I'm responsible for paying off my corporate card, even if I haven't gotten my travel claim back - and that worries me.
So. Went to CowTown and L.A. for the last couple of days to visit regional offices with work. Good times. I'm now exhausted.
Which may not entirely be due to exhaustion. I got a phone call from the doc's office the other day saying they wanted to talk to me about the labwork results, but that it wasn't urgent. I'll probably go in on the 20th. If it's my thyroid, well, we've been through that one before, haven't we? And we all know that having thyroid issues can screw with a person's energy level. Or, it could be my iron levels. I went to donate blood about a week after the lab work and they refused me - too low. Not horribly low, but definitely low. Or it could be something else entirely. I'm trying not to worry about it.
I knew I was exhausted because I was having the BEST conversation ever with the taxi driver on the way home from the airport.
a) turns out he knows my area of town. Used to park across the street from my building when he worked for IBM.
b) guy has a degree in computer science.
c) told the guy I worked for the federal government. So did he.
d) he asked if I was bilingual. Conversation shifted to French. We discussed (in French) hiring processes, various government departments, security issues within the federal government, my job, his previous jobs working on contracts for various departments, French education, etc.
And my French was suffering badly, as it does when I get super tired.
But that is beside the point.
So finally I asked the inevitable.
"What on EARTH are you doing in E-Town if you're a fluently bilingual visible minority, have a degree in computer science, and have worked for the federal government on all sorts of major projects. Not only that, but what the hell are you doing driving a taxi?"
"I wanted some adventure. The money's good out here. Things are good out here."
And I guess it is. Not once did he complain that taxi-driving wasn't making him a living. Not once did he complain about the cold weather or how much better things are out East. Not once did he complain about the people out here. Not once did he complain about the cost of living out here. He pointed out some of the pitfalls of the federal government's hiring process, which are very real pitfalls that I've experienced myself, and indicated that they were part of hte reason he'd left Ottawa to come out here - those pitfalls were preventing him from getting a real, permanent job, although we did reminisce a little about Ottawa itself. He called me by name (after he'd seen it on my credit card), thanked me for giving him the opportunity to speak French and vent a bit about the government, said it was a pleasure (and the feeling was mutual, believe me), wished me a lovely night, and I was almost a bit sad to actually get home.
Why can't all cab rides be that productive/instructive?
Which may not entirely be due to exhaustion. I got a phone call from the doc's office the other day saying they wanted to talk to me about the labwork results, but that it wasn't urgent. I'll probably go in on the 20th. If it's my thyroid, well, we've been through that one before, haven't we? And we all know that having thyroid issues can screw with a person's energy level. Or, it could be my iron levels. I went to donate blood about a week after the lab work and they refused me - too low. Not horribly low, but definitely low. Or it could be something else entirely. I'm trying not to worry about it.
I knew I was exhausted because I was having the BEST conversation ever with the taxi driver on the way home from the airport.
a) turns out he knows my area of town. Used to park across the street from my building when he worked for IBM.
b) guy has a degree in computer science.
c) told the guy I worked for the federal government. So did he.
d) he asked if I was bilingual. Conversation shifted to French. We discussed (in French) hiring processes, various government departments, security issues within the federal government, my job, his previous jobs working on contracts for various departments, French education, etc.
And my French was suffering badly, as it does when I get super tired.
But that is beside the point.
So finally I asked the inevitable.
"What on EARTH are you doing in E-Town if you're a fluently bilingual visible minority, have a degree in computer science, and have worked for the federal government on all sorts of major projects. Not only that, but what the hell are you doing driving a taxi?"
"I wanted some adventure. The money's good out here. Things are good out here."
And I guess it is. Not once did he complain that taxi-driving wasn't making him a living. Not once did he complain about the cold weather or how much better things are out East. Not once did he complain about the people out here. Not once did he complain about the cost of living out here. He pointed out some of the pitfalls of the federal government's hiring process, which are very real pitfalls that I've experienced myself, and indicated that they were part of hte reason he'd left Ottawa to come out here - those pitfalls were preventing him from getting a real, permanent job, although we did reminisce a little about Ottawa itself. He called me by name (after he'd seen it on my credit card), thanked me for giving him the opportunity to speak French and vent a bit about the government, said it was a pleasure (and the feeling was mutual, believe me), wished me a lovely night, and I was almost a bit sad to actually get home.
Why can't all cab rides be that productive/instructive?
So after my last post, I felt the need to see if I actually COULD get past all eHarmony's barriers.
Either they've lightened up in the last few years, or I'm not as "screwed up" as I thought I might be. I successfully registered and got my personality profile. I would post excerpts here, but it's not exactly organized in a way that's conducive to quoting out of context. And in some ways I think it's relatively inaccurate (or maybe it was my state of mind when I was answering the questions or something... I don't feel like I cheated and was trying to be more conservative than I usually am, but maybe it was a subconscious thing).
I haven't paid them yet, so it's not like I'll actually get to do any matchmaking (or rather, they'll send me matches, but I won't be able to communicate with them or see their photos unless I pay, and CHRIST - it's $60/month if you only sign up for one month... or, like, $240/year, payable all at once, there are better things I could spend my money on - I'm not that desperate yet), but I was amused that I actually managed to get past their screening, and just felt the need to share.
Either they've lightened up in the last few years, or I'm not as "screwed up" as I thought I might be. I successfully registered and got my personality profile. I would post excerpts here, but it's not exactly organized in a way that's conducive to quoting out of context. And in some ways I think it's relatively inaccurate (or maybe it was my state of mind when I was answering the questions or something... I don't feel like I cheated and was trying to be more conservative than I usually am, but maybe it was a subconscious thing).
I haven't paid them yet, so it's not like I'll actually get to do any matchmaking (or rather, they'll send me matches, but I won't be able to communicate with them or see their photos unless I pay, and CHRIST - it's $60/month if you only sign up for one month... or, like, $240/year, payable all at once, there are better things I could spend my money on - I'm not that desperate yet), but I was amused that I actually managed to get past their screening, and just felt the need to share.
