Mother's Day

Mothers Day 2010.  The picture above is a picture of my mothers senior picture which would have been roughly 1946.  Dorothy Elizabeth Snodgrass Ray passed away 5 years ago this summer and she was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.


She was actually 19 in the picture above.  She did not miss a grade or get held back, but because she had to walk so far to go to school, my grandmother didn't let her start school until her younger brother Melvin, who was one year younger than her, was old enough to go.  So they walked several miles together, at the age of six, to go to school.


From that day on my mom went to school every year.  Upon her high school graduation she went directly to Stillwater to attend OSU with instructions that she could not come home until Thanksgiving.  She was certain that if she had been allowed to come home sooner, she would not have gone back.  She had never been away from home before and was homesick.


Her first year of college was the first year the young men came back from World War II and the campus was full.  My grandparents, who owned a farm, had worked many other outside jobs to save for my mom and her two brothers to go to college, but they were responsible for providing for themselves a place to live and to eat.  My mother lived with a couple and cooked and cleaned and watched their children to earn her keep.


Once when looking at her college transcript I saw that she had made a D in economics her first semester there.  When I laughed and asked her about it she admitted it.  She said it was so foreign to her and it was held in an auditorium with over a hundred other freshmen students.  Coming from a small town and from a farm, it was just not something she could relate to. But mostly she excelled at school and her grades were excellent.


Another story I remember is when she told of taking swimming class in the winter time and she had to walk all the way across campus afterwards to another class.  Back then they always wore dresses, no exception and she said by the time she had walked to her next class her slip would be frozen to her legs.


She eventually met my father, a WWII war veteran, left OSU and married him.  She finished her bachelors degree and masters degree in education at SWOSU in Stillwater without missing a day.  From her college graduation she immediately began teaching at Lookeba school, before it's consolidation to Lookeba-Sickles.  She taught there for 31 years with only summer breaks.


When I remember my mother I remember many more personal stories as well that speak of her dedication and love for her family.  I remember her and honor her memory on this day.

An early picture of my mom and dad.

My mothers birthday in 2004

The last picture I took with my mom

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Dueling Vines

Ornamental Grape Ivy dueling with English Ivy

I've been out in the garden, not to work, but enjoy.  However when I start to walk around I see things that I need to tend to.  The greatest problem in our garden is the vines.  If you were to say to Rick, how's the ivy, he would turn green and that's not from envy!!


I know that when the previous owner was starting out and landscaping the tiny little ivy plants all looked so innocent; who would have ever suspected?


I start to pull then away from where they are intruding and in many places it can't be done.  I keep trying to tear out these invasive overwhelming parts of my garden (life) and I realize I can't do it alone.  I have let it go too long.


Had I been diligent each and every year to keep the ivy and vines in there place, then it would have never gotten this far.  So far that the task is just too big for me.  I need experts and heavy equipment.


We have a wood privacy fence in the backyard.  It is completely covered with ivy and vines.  It used to be just English Ivy and now the Ornamental Grape Ivy and the Virginia Creeper ar staking their claim.


I know from experience that you can pull the trailers off of the vines where they are invading, but seriously, this 'pruning' just causes them to be more prolifict.  It is the lazy man's way out and I'll admit it, when it comes to these vines I want the easy way out!


The correct way to rid my yard (life) of these vines is to trace these tendrils back to the root, the root of the problem.  For, the trailers from that root are only products of the root or true problem.  Continually removing the products or symptoms only serve to make the root stronger and flourish.


I am really talking about ivy and vines.  But, as I was furiously yanking and pulling to rid my yard of these things, it occured to me how many times to be truly free of something in my life that is tying me up and locking me down, I have to go to the root and rip it out.


That may take help and heavy equipment.  I have seen in my life so many of my friends and family tied up and locked down by habits like alcoholism, smoking, drugs, gossiping, anger, bitterness, etc. The more they try on their own to rip out only the tendrils that invade the most obvious areas of their lives, the root continues to enlarge and grow deeper.


If you are someone who no longer wants to keep fighting the tendrils of an area of bondage in your life and can't rip the root out by yourself, call in an expert and have them bring in the heavy equipment.


I know that once I get the root of these ivys and vines removed there will be a refreshing feeling to the garden.  Some rebuilding and replanting will be necessary, but there will once again be order and beauty.

Clemantis

This is my favorite vine.  It is beautiful and gentle.  It has huge big flowering blooms that are amazing to look at.  It is not intrusive and is easily contained.  Last year when Rick was going to tackle the vine/ivy problem, this was the first to go.  He had no idea that they were my favorite and that I had purposely planted them.  I think after my response to their erradication, he has decided to let me deal with the vine problem on my own.

Ornamental Grape Ivy

This is one picture of our fence which will soon be completely covered in this ivy.  I'm ok with that, if it will just stay in its place.

Virginia Creeper

This is on the side of our house and you can see the Virginia Creeper on the fence behind the Japanese Maple.  This is where I was pulling this morning before quiting, to come write this blog.  I did fine until I found a main vine that I couldn't break with my hands no matter how hard I pulled.  It was about as big around as my little finger.

Mouse Ear

This is mouse ear and I love it too.  It is a ground cover and will not grow without dirt.  It will creep down the wall, but you can easily cut it and keep it back.  It will invade everywhere there is ground to cover though.  But for the most part it plays well with others.  Encourage it to grow around the other plants and not over them, and it will do fine.

Honeysuckle

This is Honeysuckle as it should be; up the trellis and out of the way.  Leading to this mound of honeysuckle are two large thick 'trunks', one is slightly visible in this photo.  It would take major equipment to get this dug up and out of the way.  But once it has grown up, it stays up.  I haven't had any trouble with this one.  I do have to keep little sucker trailers from creeping out from the bottom though.  But since I have not let it get out of control, it isn't a problem.

Honeysuckle on my Hydrangea

(oooh that almost sounds kinky)

The thing I hate about honeysuckle is that it is hard to control.  This is my hydrangea bush that hasn't quite come out yet and I see a huge honeysuckle tendril wrapped tightly around it.  I'll have to tackle that soon.

Honeysuckle out of control

OK, here is what I was talking about.  This is one of several everygreen bushes we have in our backyard.  They are so inflitrated with honeysuckle that I am ready to get chains and dozers (if it were possible to get a dozer in the backyard) and yank the whole mess out.  It is more than I can handle.


I wonder what else in my life there is that I should look at; that could be on the verge of being - out of control?


Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire
DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Progress

Recently I posted pictures of my backyard in 2005 when it was at one of the most beautiful points since owning this property. I also spoke of how I hadn't been as dilligent to keep it up and that a lot of work needed to be done to 'restore' it to its former glory.

Well as I promised, I am keeping you guys posted on my progress.  I worked for two solid days cleaning and planting in one half of the backyard.  It is the part of the yard that we spend the most time in and the part that makes the first impression when someone walks out of the backdoor.

I still need to do the other half.  I can hardly bear to walk over to that other side.  The lack of attention over the past few years doesn't just taunt me, but screems 'neglect' as loud as it can.

I am determined to conquer it and not just restore it to its former glory but to take it above and beyond.

The picture above was taken at an angle where I could get as many of my creeping phlox in the pictue as possible.  I love to see them in full bloom and they won't last but for a short time.  This year I also planted more of them so that hopefully next year the will be all along the entire wall.

As I was planting a week or so ago I was contemplating as usual.  Each year I try to buy both annuals and perenials.  I hope to one day be able to just plan a few annuals and have the perenials keep the flowerbeds full.

I've had a few perenials die that I have had to replace and I've taken out some that the previous owner had planted that I found to be horrible!  So sometimes it feels like I make three steps forward and one or two steps back.  Slow progress.

I also feel like that in my personal life sometimes.  I greatly desire to become the person that God has designed me to be.  I know I cannot change overnight but it is a gradual cleansing process and building process that only time spent in a relationship with Christ and the word can achieve. 

But I must admit that I get restless having to wait for the seasons to change so I can once again dive in and start to make changes. I know that to make changes born of my own striving will quickly die when winter comes.  Only changes initiated and nurtured under God's direction and instruction will flourish.

I am NOT a winter person.  But without the winter there would not be as much rest in the building process.  I do not work outside in the winter.  I sit by the fireplace and just leave to God all that I worked so hard on in the spring.  And only the new spring will tell what survive and what died.

Each new spring I build on what I did the year before.  But even though some things may not have survived, all things do not die and I see that there is forward motion and progress.  I love what Joyce Meyer says, "I may not be all that I should be, but thank God I am not what I used to be."  Excuse me Joyce if I did not quote that exact.

My garden will never be perfect.  There will always be things to change, tweek and make better - just like me.

Another view of the plox

An azalia around at the untended side of the yard.

New plox and other plants.

This Japanese Maple didn't get hit by a frost this year.  Outstanding red velvet color!

My planter that used to be a birdbath.

More plox and a couple of pots.

Another azalia.  Don't look close.  There are a lot of weeds to pull.

Path on the east side of the house.  I added the little black fence this year to keep the plants safe from being trampled.

The other part of the path.

I change the colors each year.  I guess this year it is jewel tones!  My grandson Braxton helped pick.

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinair

DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Beauty Restored

Well, it is time for me to go out and attack the yard again!  I have lived in this current home for 6 years and the yard was very pretty when I moved in, but for the first two years after moving here, I planted hundreds of plants and spent countless hours grooming the backyard.

This is a picture of the yard in May of 2005 and it is my goal to get the yard not only this pretty but better this year.  Last year I was so busy and very neglectful of the yard and I am paying for it this year.

As I was out working in the yard I began to think, again, that the gardens are like our lives and tending to the things that overtake us cannot be neglected. 

Winter is a natural pruning cycle and the green growth withers and dies and falls to the ground.  In the spring the new growth springs up and pushes aside the old brown stubble.  And so it goes year after year.

One of the most tiresome parts of the gardening experience is the initial cleanup of the old dead growth.  It would be nice to just take a rake and make quick work of it all, but there are tiny sprouts of new growth that are very tender just below the dead stuff.  So I go out and gently by hand rake up the old dead growth and toss it in the can.  Reminds me of God's gentleness towards our lives and rather than taking a sharp rake to the dead stuff in our lives, he gently uses His hands and sweeps away the old to allow the new to flourish.

I know that it is probably my imagination, but it appears to me that the new little sprouts feel so refreshed getting exposed to the air and sunshine that they seem to just reach even higher to the sky.

When cleaning sometimes I think that I can leave piles of old dead leaves and such in certain places where no one will ever see them.  But I have learned that the dirt needs to be exposed.  Leaving old leaves can create mold and decay and the plants will die.

Yet another lesson about life I've learned.  How many times have we said to ourselves that it is ok if this or that is still in my life, after all no one will ever see or will ever know.  But the truth of the matter is that if left, it will cause decay and rot in our lives.  It really isn't about what impression we leave on others, but it is about our own lives being full of life and void of decay!

Yes it takes time to clean things up and oh yes how my back ached, but now when I walk out into the backyard and it is clean the feeling that washes over me is refreshing and so worth the work. Enjoy these older pictures of my yard. I'll post newer ones soon and you can see if I was able to tame the overgrowth and restore it to its former beauty or beyond!!

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire

DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Career Quest Reference Letters

Preparing Reference Letters

You may be asked to provide letters of reference or you may want to do this without being asked. I have always tried to ask for a letter of recommendation after resigning from a current position. Of course you can only do this if you are leaving in good standing and feel you have done an excellent job. Hopefully this is the case. You never want to burn a bridge. You may never know when you will need that employer somewhere down the road.

If you ask for a letter of recommendation and they do agree to provide you with one, make sure they do this before your last day on the job. A simple reminder a couple of times and I'm sure they will promptly do it for you.

You might also consider sending letters to every past employer you can think of asking them to send you a letter of recommendation. Be thoughtful in the composition of your letter. Take a moment to refresh their memory about who you are and when you worked for them. Compliment them and thank them for the job they did while they were your supervisor.

Explain to them that you are currently looking for a new work opportunity and would like for them to send you a letter or recommendation. Be sure you send them a self-addressed-stamped-envelope so that it is easy for them to respond and doesn't cost them postage.

Some companies forbid or prohibit the employees or HR department from giving out references. If this is the case ask anyway and if they state company policy then ask the HR department for a document on company letterhead at least stating the dates you worked there and the position you held. All companies, even if they do not provide references, usually do give out dates of employment and confirmation of position held.

One valuable tool I learned about rather late in my career is what some industries call the 'Brag Book' or 'At-A-Boy/Girl Book'. This is a book that you would compile throughout your life. It would consist of every type of award or recognition letter you have ever received. Some brag books contain sales numbers and figures and the increases, reference letters, awards certificates, thank you cards, memos and e-mails and annual evaluations. Here again, the thicker the brag book, the more accomplished it is assumed you have been.

Once I learned of this tool, I immediately began relocating all types of awards, letter of recognition, etc. that I had gained over the last several years. Since then I have put everything in that book that is what I call a 'pat on the back' to me. I even ask for letters of recommendation now. If I have someone tell me what a wonderful job I have done, I thank them and then ask them if they would write me a letter stating that fact so that I may put it in my brag book. I've never been turned down. If you really did a good job for them, they are usually more than welcomed to do that small favor for you.

When it is time for my annual evaluation each year, I take any letters, e-mails or memos which I have received through the course of the past year, make copies of them and send them along with a letter to my manager which highlights what I have accomplished since my last evaluation.

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire

DAY JOB LINKS...

Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Career Quest Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Another type of "resume" is a curriculum vitae. It is from the Latin curriculum vita and simply means "the course of one's life". This format is used for those who have professions in medicine, law, education, science and media.

I won't take the time here to go over in detail the format of a CV, but will simply state that it must include a running history of all accomplishments, honors, publications, affiliations, presentations, certifications, courses taught, grants, licenses, graduate and post-graduate work, etc. The longer your CV is, the more accomplished in your profession and career you probably are.

Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire

DAY JOB LINKS...

Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs

Career Quest Resume Structure

Resume Structure

Resume - Heading

In the resume shown; the heading for the resume is the same as the heading for the cover letter. This does not have to be the case. You may decide to get creative and be bold here. Make sure that the heading does not overpower the page. There needs to be balance. One common mistake I have seen is when a person types their address and phone number so small that when it is faxed to me, I can't read it. Faxing many times causes a lot of distortion and if the font is very small it can be indistinguishable. You won't get called if they can't read your phone number.

Resume - Objective

There are many schools of thought on the objective of a resume. Some say that it must be very specific to the job you are applying for, using keywords for your industry. Others say that it can be a general overall objective. I say that it is a personal preference. I myself rarely read the objective if ever, but I always put one on my own resume. The reason I don't read them is that they are usually canned blurbs stating the fact that they are trying to gain a position with the company. To me that is stating the obvious. However, I would never want to keep my resume from being read just because I failed to put an objective at the top of the resume.

Resume - Employment History

There are three types of resumes. One is chronological, one is functional and the third is a combination of the two. My preference is to see employment listed chronologically with the most current employment at the top of the page. With employment listed in this manner it is easy to get a picture of the flow of the work. It is also easy to see any gaps in employment, which is something that employers always look for. You may explain gaps in employment like this:

Lakeshore Tennis and Fitness Center 11/97 – 4/98     Sales Associate/Customer Service
• Sales, bookkeeping, and merchandising
 Baylor University 9/92 – 11/97                                   Full-time student (did not work outside of school during this period of time)
• Attended class on a full-time basis

Schlitterbahn 4/92 – 9/92                                           Lifeguard
• Observed customers to ensure safety and security
 
Or like this:

Lakeshore Tennis and Fitness Center 11/97 – 4/98    Sales Associate/Customer Service
• Sales, bookkeeping, and merchandising

Homemaker 9/92 – 11/97                                         Full-time homemaker (did not work outside the home during this period of time)
• Attended to all duties involved in running a home such as meal planning, cleaning and bill paying.

Schlitterbahn 4/92 – 9/92                                          Lifeguard
• Observed customers to ensure safety and security

Each job must be clearly separated from the other. The sample resume on page 48 lists the title of the position held first with the dates underneath. Under the position and dates of employment you will see a short description of the duties performed while on the job. Another option would be to list bullet points stating tasks or duties preformed.


Next is the name of a supervising reference and their phone number. This resume lists direct supervisors. When asked for professional references it is good to include as many direct supervisors as possible. I myself won't consider any reference except a direct supervisor.


A candidate would never give the name of an enemy or a business contact that would not give a glowing reference. But you can't dispute the role of a direct supervisor. References in regards to employment are to see how the candidate performed the duties of the job, not discuss personal matters.


It is also appropriate and may be preferable to attach a separate list of references to the back of the resume rather than list each one by the position held. There are pros and cons to either way. If you list the supervisor with the position held, the potential employer can easily match up the supervisor with the job. If they choose to call them they will have handy the duties which you say you performed while at that job and the dates you were there.


Many times someone else in the company is responsible for calling references. In this instance the separate sheet would be handy for them to pass off to the person in charge of references. If you do prepare a separate sheet, make sure your name, address and phone numbers are on that page in case it should get separated from the resume itself.


If a job is part-time you may also list that on an appropriate place in the resume as well as the reason for leaving each position. This is an especially good suggestion if you have had frequent job changes and valid reasons for leaving each job. Otherwise, you could be labeled a "job hopper".


When writing the description of your past employment it is good to use what are called keywords. These are words or short phrases that describe the type of work, experience or education you have.


Each industry has its own set of keywords so it would be very difficult to include an exhaustive list of keywords in this curriculum. If you are involved in a particular industry, you will know what those keywords are. If you are changing industries you will need to learn what the keywords are for that industry. To find out what they are, read industry magazines and publications. There should be a common reoccurrence of certain terms and phrases.

Some well known companies such at AT&T, Hewlett Packard, IBM are employer keywords. Harvard, Yale and Princeton are examples of keywords for universities.


One purpose of keywords is due to the increased use of technology. Resume databases that scan in a resume and then store them so that they can be pulled up when a prospective employer does a search in the system, use keywords for those searches. An employer might be looking for someone with UNIX programming experience. If so, they would enter UNIX in the system and do a search on that keyword.


You can also find keywords in the advertisements for the position. If an ad states that they are looking for a "full-charge bookkeeper", then somewhere in your resume or cover letter you would want to put "full-charge bookkeeper". If you have never held that title or done that particular job, you could put that term in the cover letter or objective stating that you are applying for the position of "full-charge bookkeeper". Make sure it is spelled correctly and punctuated exactly as it is shown in the ad unless it is spelled incorrectly in the ad.


Remember - Always tell the truth when compiling your resume. Do not shortchange your experience, but do not lie about things you have done, experience you have gained or your education. Most large employers have gone to doing full background checks, which include checking your education or degree. Even if you don't get caught, it is just not ethical.


When listing your job duties it is good to give quantifiable statements. Here is a sample list below:

• Exceeded sales quotas by 150% each month.

• Saved the company $100,000 by developing cost analysis procedures.

• Increased market share by 27% in my first year.

• Managed a $100,000 operating budget.

• Increased effective core account base by 38% through category development.

• Managed a 5-state territory with a sales volume of $8 million.

• Supervised 29 technicians and contractors in a massive computer upgrade program.

• Achieved placement rates 50% above national average.

• Recruited 50 senior-level corporate executives.

• Developed and administered a $2 million dollar budget.

• Saved $10,000 in charges relating to the annual sales customer meetings.

• Achieved a 15% drop in on-site accidents during first year.

• Increased program value 100% from $9.8 million to more than $21 million.


The functional resume was birthed in the '80's. It lists the skills and jobs in a group without listing dates. The resume on the next page is a cross between a chronological and functional, which is the third type of resume.  (In the book I show an example, but to same space I didn't put it here.  Google for Functional Resume and you will find examples.)


This person was applying for a position as a teacher. One positive characteristic of this type of resume is the fact that it gives a comprehensive view of experience. The reason I don't like to receive these types of resumes is that I cannot determine at which job what experience was gained. But, the combination resume is recommended if you desire this type of effect. Recruiters are very wary of purely functional resumes which do not have the employers and dates worked listed.


Resume - Skills List

A summarized list of skills is a good addition to any resume. You may choose to place them at the end or beginning of your resume, either is acceptable. When making this list, use the worksheet you did previously to determine your skill set. You will not want to list all skills here. Pick an assortment of those skills you feel would be most valued or desired. The others may be discussed later in the interview process.


Once you have determined which skills you will use, then word them using keywords. Only abbreviate where an abbreviation is commonly known to everyone. If it is easily confused with another abbreviation, then spell it out fully.


Resume - Education

Always list your education level and where you attended if you graduated from high school or college. If you did not, there is no need to draw attention to education. Focus on other assets. List all education including pertinent seminars and internships. List all degrees and certifications as well.


If you have just graduated from high school or college and do not have very much relevant work experience, then place your education at the top of your resume. As your relevant work history grows, move your education towards the bottom of the page.


It is not appropriate to list high school activities unless you are under 20 years of age. If you have training or education beyond high school then it is not appropriate to list it at all. If you went to college, it is assumed that you graduated high school.


Resume - Salary Requirements

This is optional. Many ads ask for salary history to be stated in the cover letter or on the resume. In this example the candidate states her current salary in the cover letter and her desired salary in the resume. The reason for this is to avoid calls on positions that will not pay the salary she needs. If an employer sees the desired salary they know up front what you wish to make. If at that time they choose to call you, you know they don't feel your salary request is out of line with what the position is paying.


Always put negotiable by the salary statement. You want to be flexible, especially since it is a good practice to state a salary a little higher that you actually are willing to take. This leaves some room for negotiating.


The salary statement can be looked at in another way. When someone states a particular salary, it says to the employer in essence, "this is what I am worth". In my job I routinely call candidates from whom I have received resumes and do an initial phone screen. The very first question I ask is what their minimum base salary is. I can tell right off if that person has progressed very far in their career and how much valid experience they have had in the industry. It is also a measure of how successful they have been.


On the other hand it isn't wise to over inflate a desired salary and price yourself out of the job market. Look at your budget and add about 20% to the amount. If you desire $30,000, then state on the resume $36,000. Each time I have changed jobs and sent out my resume, I upped the desired salary considerably and each time, I got it.


Reference Letter

This candidate chose to attach a letter of reference with her resume. You may choose to do that as well. However I would never send more than two reference letters with a resume. Once again consider the time of the potential employer. They are not going to read through reams of paper.


Instead of a reference letter you may choose to send a copy of an outstanding award or something of that nature. If you do, make sure it is pertinent to the job you are applying for. If you are applying for a sales job it is appropriate to attach a letter showing you were the top salesperson in the company for the year. It would not be appropriate to attach a letter of that nature if you were applying for a secretarial position.


Nancy Jackson, daydreamer extraordinaire


DAY JOB LINKS...
Dreams Do Come True
Dragonfly In Amber Designs