Coming attractions

A new post is in the works, and it includes a reenactment! Stay tuned!

Dear Cancer,

I think it's time we be honest with each other. This on again-off again relationship over the past year is not a healthy thing. Late last year, we broke things off, and I really thought that you were never coming back into my life. I realize now just how much you must have missed me, but I've moved on. I have plans to get on with my life: a job, new friends, maybe even a new apartment. The truth is, other things have become more important to me. But then you come roaring back in, missing me something awful, moving all your stuff back in like you own the place.

I realize that we've been through a lot together. We've had some great times, and some painful times. But frankly, the good times we had together, they were mostly aberrations, when you weren't acting yourself. I really don't care for your typical demeanor, nagging, and constant demands on my attention.

There was a time when I thought that you and I were meant for each other. We had a lot in common, at least I thought. We were so close. We shared the same food. Even shared cloths most of the time. But this is so superficial.

I'm willing to give you another chance, but there's a condition that you must agree to: therapy – every other Thursday. It won't be pleasant. There's a lot of things we have to work through. Please, take me at my word, it will be for the best – for me at least. And when our course of therapy is over, I will drink to your death! Please don't take this the wrong way.

Yours truly, for now,

Adam

Learning the "Modern" ways

Thinking back 6 years ago does not strain my brain. It seems like just yesterday that I was looking for a job. I've had a resume since my freshman year in high school when my computer teacher required that we all scramble to gather up our meager work histories. That was a stretch to say the least. I remember putting together a list that looked something like this:

Mow Grandpas lawn: 1990 - 1995

Work on Uncle's computer: 1995 - 1995

Do chores around the house: since day 1 - Present

And then there was the part about "relevant course work". That was my first year in high school, by George! What coursework did I have? I could have listed my 4th grade experience, when I whipped through my 6th grade math book in a couple months. That surely would have impressed the potential employer of a high school student!

More to the point, though, in 2005 I had a real, paper resume. In my job search, I had pinpointed dozens of companies, found addresses for HR, printed out custom cover letters, and had them sent off by United States Postal Service. I wasn't completely old fashion. I posted my resume on Monster and applied online to dozens more advertised, open positions. All of this to no avail! I don't remember receiving a single response.

I now recognize that that method had become outdated several years before that. I ultimately found a position through face-to-face networking.

I now sit to revise my resume for the second time in 6 months. I find that my past resume was too narrowly focused on specific details of what I have done. Not enough broad thinking to recognize relevant skills across disciplines. I've now studies numerous up-to-date resumes, and it's time to put the finishing touches on mine. As I'm doing this, I also recognize there is a dearth of information in my sections titled "Professional Affiliations" and "Volunteer Experience". It's not that I haven't realized the importance of these sections to everyday life. These are things I should have been doing without concern for resume building, just as part of a well-rounded life. It's a nice bonus that they make for a well-rounded resume. But during a normal working career, volunteering gets crowded out. This will be a topic for another day, but I mention it now because it does go with the resume.

The point of this particular entry is to make note of the methods that I'm learning for the modern job search. Here seem to be the components of value. I list first the methods I'm using, followed by the methods I need to get started on:

• Networking via LinkedIn
• Networking via college alumni sites
• Headhunters
• Applying to specific jobs online

Methods I haven't yet used but should:

• Face-to-face networking
• Speed networking (sounds too close to speed-dating for my comfort)
• Twitter
• Talking to every stranger I can meet

Finally, methods I will not be using:

• Sending paper resumes via USPS

Is this ever a change to my old ways! Updates will appear as I discover what works and why.

A Plug for Google Reader

Good health has given me a chance to play around online more than usual and work more at keeping up with other people. I was sitting in the coffee shop a few days back, and I noticed several computers with Facebook open and active the entire time (mine included). This seems to be most people's idea of "keeping up with people". I am not sure how most people make use of Facebook. I spend my hours refreshing to see who's posted the latest update, who's liked a comment or status of mine (after finding a 'like', I immediately pat myself on the back for having a "good" post). Occasionally I have a need to actually communicate with someone and I have to break away in order to send a private message. But then it's right back to the routine.

I generally consider the above to be wasting time. It seems to be an addiction. "The evil which I would not, that I do." In addition to wasting my time, it often distracts me from reading the things I should read and keeping up with personal blogs etc of friends. But because out of sight is out of mind, I rarely visit these sites / blogs in my daily browsing. Here's where Google Reader comes into play. I ran into it by accident one day when I was inquiring into RSS feeds, of which I formerly knew nothing. Clicking on the RSS icon of one of my favorite blogs lead my to Google Reader, and now, reciprocally, Reader guides me to my favorite blogs.

With Reader, blogs are no longer out of sight. Rather, they flaunt themselves in bold print every time there's a new posting. New postings are now almost impossible to miss, even when I want to. And I'm not limited to following must blogs with the RSS logo. I can punch in any website that changes on occasion, and Reader "creates a feed" for it. I'm not sure what that entails technically, but it sounds pretty neat to me. No longer do I have to waste time keying in the addresses to the sites I want to check, only to be disappointed that it hasn't changed since last time I was there. Now, it's all right in front of me, "In sight, in mind".

This is all a good start. Having interesting material popping up in front of me should distract me from my FBing and keep me reading new and interesting stuff. Now, is there a website that will inspire me to analyze and do something with this information?

What's up?

This is a quick update that I might not be able to finish because relatives will be coming in the door any minute and I'll have to switch focus. I'm in New Mexico, sitting at an iMac, or something of the sort, which is not my usual habit. I have mornings free and have been doing some reading. So what am I doing and thinking about with all this spare vacation time?

An interesting book I found around the house: RC Sproul, The Consequence of Ideas. I'm reigniting my interest in philosophy, including my long-standing love of Aristotle, who I have little knowledge of, so it's a rather unfounded love. But I think it's reasonable anyway. Make sense of that and if you disagree, well, whatever. Tell me I don't make sense. I'm not forcing you to read or agree. Ummmm. . . . other various philosophers / theologians are also on the table. If you have a favorite, tell me and maybe I'll add him to the list. Alvin Plantinga anybody?

Next thing, I have to think of a topic for tomorrow. I've been invited by one of the science teachers here to make a guest appearance in his class, which means I need something interesting to appear with. I'm looking into a little demonstration of making nylon, but I need the right materials. (for the chemists out there, it seems that it is an interfacial condensation polymerization that will be taking place. Some argue that the term condensation reaction is not exactly correct, but it remains in the chemistry texts for historic purposes. I'm not a chemist. I'm not sure).

Finally. . . I'm still looking for cookie recipes to impress the friends and relatives with over Christmas. Some of you may have commented on favorite cookies on facebook. This is your opportunity to post the full recipe below!! (since there's room, which there isn't necessarily on FB). Last week it was Snickerdoodles, but I'm trying to find somebody who knows what those three layer brownies are that I've been looking for but haven't found.

Maybe another update or two before I leave New Mexico. That all depends on how much time I'm not spending reading, puzzling, or knitting (hehe), or watching movies, going out for coffee, whatever else in between. I look forward to seeing all my Michigan friends when I get back. For the rest of you, common over to michigan. It's a better place than wherever you're at ;-)

Not forgotten, just busy

Hi All,

You might have thought I forgot about my formerly faithful blogging habits. I have not. Truth is, there's not much interesting to report on my health status. I suppose it has been 4 weeks since I finished up chemotherapy. That's pretty exciting! Praise God for that! (there are few things in live not to praise God for, but this one may deserve particular attention, for me anyway). So I've been at full strength for the last three weeks and am enjoying it heartily! Unfortunately, there are many other things that take away from the joys of life, such as other people dying of cancer at young ages. Yuck! It stinks to think about. But I know some of them from a distance, and it's very disturbing to me. I still believe that God has a purpose for it. Life is NOT about escaping from suffering. God is found most closely IN suffering. e.g. our salvation was only made possible by the suffering of our risen Savior. How cool is that!!

So what am I going to do now? Well, on Monday, I look forward to a PET / CT scan. That will perhaps show my doctor what sort of, if any, treatment I need next. I'm hopeful that I won't need Any! That's why I'm exercising, doing fun things, eating healthily for the most part, enjoying life, and not thinking about disease. Some of these things might be helpful in staving it off. Oh, and my theory that eating a carrot and a sweet potato per day may keep the doctor far away ;-) (carrots must be chewed carefully these days and usually take me about 1/2 hour to eat!)

And next week I'm off to see my awesome relatives in New Mexico! That will be great times! I need to bring a book or two while they all teach during morning and afternoon. It will be good relaxing time while I catch up from all the later activities of the previous day. I think I asked for book suggestions in previous posts, so I won't ask again. Besides, I have 10 books that I'm actively / passively reading right now. Wohoo!

Well, that takes care of my duty to up date you all in a new post. Perhaps I will write of my experiences in NM, or I will wait till I get back. Stay tuned for some health updates in about 2 weeks when I see my doctor next.

The end

Picture

This post has nothing to do with me or my health, except that I took the photo, and I was healthy when I did it. Unedited.