It has finally hit me that I have no job - not in an "OMG, WTF have I done" way...but in a "Hmm, so this is it' way. I finally slept my way through the comatose feeling and awoke refreshed and ready to face the world. It's a gorgeous day outside and as soon as the cable guy leaves, I'm going out grocery shopping. If I didn't know better, I would swear it were Saturday.
However, I have done a little "career" stuff - took the Birkman test to help my identify my ideal career. The results were predominantly bull-ish. There's a section in the test where you have to choose, all things being equal, which jobs you would prefer. However, the test is skewed. Instead of learning from your answers, it just presents random sets of choices. Mine were always like this "accountant, singer, songwriter, actuary". I always leaned towards the musical ones. Another set of choices were like this "surgeon, magazine editor, reporter, forester" - I leaned towards magazine editor and reporter. However, I never received a question that looked like this "singer, songwriter, magazine editor, reporter"....nor did I receive more than one question that had any marketing related jobs (i.e. marketing manager, advertising manager) and only once did it list actor. So, according to this test, I need to get my butt in line for the next American Idol auditions, because that's where my passion lies. And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.
What do I want to do with my life? In an ideal world, something like this - either in South Africa or in South America...not necessaarily with HIV/AIDs clinic, but you get the drift: http://www.vso.org.uk/Images/market_man_kenya_tcm8-10290.pdf
For extra good career ish, I found out that my company has given my $5K in retraining funds. This means I can go to Berlitz and polish up my Spanish so that I can flow like nobody's business and qualify for a job in Mexico, South America or Spain. Mira que cool!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
NOLA
The wedding:
The wedding was the best one I've ever attended. It was truly a celebration of the couple. Both of their personalities were reflected in the wedding. It was in a gorgeous location on a beautiful night. At the end of the reception, the bride and groom were led out to their car by a NOLA brass band. The Philly born and bred bride danced her way down the steps of the venue as if she had always been in Louisiana...her husband was right there beside her as friends and family waved them on with white cloths. It was like something out of a movie.
If I had to describe the wedding in one word, it would be joy.
The city:
For the first time ever, I spent most of my time outside of the French Quarter. I never knew it was such a beautiful place. The wide boulevard of Canal - decorated with bright signs and vendors, the small narrow side streets whose tall office buildings offered shade on the winding routes, architecture that has stood the test of time...all reminded me of Harare or Santiago.
A trip out to Metarie took us along an evacuation route. During that same trip, we also came across a neighborhood where people were still living in FEMA trailers. I can't even put into words how it affected me. If I were alone in the car, I would have pulled over and started to cry.
The friends:
My friend who got married is a most awesome woman. She's mad cool, beautiful, intelligent and so much fun to be around. But at the end of the day, she, and her sister, are just good people. I didn't have to think twice about going to her wedding. On top of getting to see her again and being invited to be witness to this important day in her life - I also got to reunite with some other friends I haven't seen in a minute.
The cool thing was that a lot of us hadn't seen each other in a few (maybe 5 or more?) years or had heard about each other only through stories, but when we got together, it was like no time had passed. We cracked jokes, reflected on the past and got excited about the future. Everyone needs to have girlfriends like that.
Fun times all around...at the rehearsal dinner, we listened to old school rap from the 80s and some of us (not yours truly) showed off that they are still skilled in double dutch, while we were sitting in the hotel lobby eating breakfast on the day of the wedding, we were randomly serenaded by an up and coming R&B act, at the wedding, we fell in with the NOLA line dances and shook what our mama gave us, after the wedding, we kicked it at Whiskey Blue and re-enacted dancing scenes from the Jackson 5 cartoon and an 80s Madonna video.
The food:
My friend's husband is local to NOLA. We were fortunate enough to have his mother cook for the rehearsal dinner. She made (from scratch): jambalaya, fried chicken, mac and cheese, red beans and rice, ooey gooey toffee cake, and pound cake PLUS a boil with turkey neck, crawfish, crab, potato and corn. Let me tell you something, turkey neck is more than a seasoning. I tore that sucker up as if my life depended on it. I even did the crawfish thing, although I couldn't bring myself to suck the head. That woman put her big toe, complete with bunion, all up and in that food!
On the one trip I did make to the French Quarter, we went to the Market Cafe for po' boys. I had a shrimp po' boy. [Insert Homer Simpson impression here]
The wedding was the best one I've ever attended. It was truly a celebration of the couple. Both of their personalities were reflected in the wedding. It was in a gorgeous location on a beautiful night. At the end of the reception, the bride and groom were led out to their car by a NOLA brass band. The Philly born and bred bride danced her way down the steps of the venue as if she had always been in Louisiana...her husband was right there beside her as friends and family waved them on with white cloths. It was like something out of a movie.
If I had to describe the wedding in one word, it would be joy.
The city:
For the first time ever, I spent most of my time outside of the French Quarter. I never knew it was such a beautiful place. The wide boulevard of Canal - decorated with bright signs and vendors, the small narrow side streets whose tall office buildings offered shade on the winding routes, architecture that has stood the test of time...all reminded me of Harare or Santiago.
A trip out to Metarie took us along an evacuation route. During that same trip, we also came across a neighborhood where people were still living in FEMA trailers. I can't even put into words how it affected me. If I were alone in the car, I would have pulled over and started to cry.
The friends:
My friend who got married is a most awesome woman. She's mad cool, beautiful, intelligent and so much fun to be around. But at the end of the day, she, and her sister, are just good people. I didn't have to think twice about going to her wedding. On top of getting to see her again and being invited to be witness to this important day in her life - I also got to reunite with some other friends I haven't seen in a minute.
The cool thing was that a lot of us hadn't seen each other in a few (maybe 5 or more?) years or had heard about each other only through stories, but when we got together, it was like no time had passed. We cracked jokes, reflected on the past and got excited about the future. Everyone needs to have girlfriends like that.
Fun times all around...at the rehearsal dinner, we listened to old school rap from the 80s and some of us (not yours truly) showed off that they are still skilled in double dutch, while we were sitting in the hotel lobby eating breakfast on the day of the wedding, we were randomly serenaded by an up and coming R&B act, at the wedding, we fell in with the NOLA line dances and shook what our mama gave us, after the wedding, we kicked it at Whiskey Blue and re-enacted dancing scenes from the Jackson 5 cartoon and an 80s Madonna video.
The food:
My friend's husband is local to NOLA. We were fortunate enough to have his mother cook for the rehearsal dinner. She made (from scratch): jambalaya, fried chicken, mac and cheese, red beans and rice, ooey gooey toffee cake, and pound cake PLUS a boil with turkey neck, crawfish, crab, potato and corn. Let me tell you something, turkey neck is more than a seasoning. I tore that sucker up as if my life depended on it. I even did the crawfish thing, although I couldn't bring myself to suck the head. That woman put her big toe, complete with bunion, all up and in that food!
On the one trip I did make to the French Quarter, we went to the Market Cafe for po' boys. I had a shrimp po' boy. [Insert Homer Simpson impression here]
Monday, June 4, 2007
The NOLA Report - Part 1
Got back from NOLA last night. I'm tired, but it was well worth it.
The weekend was so much fun.
A short recap -
The secret to a good wedding is true joy and the freedom to express it.
True friendships stand the test of time and geography.
Philly is calling my name.
Turkey necks are not just for seasoning any more.
Much love to NOLA, despite the street signage.
Grace is officially in the same league as the nieces most fab.
A 30% return on your bet is a good day at Harrah's.
Am I really still in the States?
The weekend was so much fun.
A short recap -
The secret to a good wedding is true joy and the freedom to express it.
True friendships stand the test of time and geography.
Philly is calling my name.
Turkey necks are not just for seasoning any more.
Much love to NOLA, despite the street signage.
Grace is officially in the same league as the nieces most fab.
A 30% return on your bet is a good day at Harrah's.
Am I really still in the States?
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