Career Transition, Tools, Other Curves I’ve turned
Got angle? check
Got hook? check
Got ah – hah? um…had it a minute ago. it was right here… surprise!
Got setting? my desk.
Sometimes,
in searching to find my story,
it finds me.
Usually,
when I’m working on something else.
surprise.
(sigh)
Now what did I just do with that pen?
Ever happen to you?
* Prepared in process for class requirements for Writing 201.
“Clowns to the left of me…”
It was 1972 when this song hit #6 of the Hot 100 chart. I was twelve years old. The lyrics “stuck in the middle ” flowing in sync from my lips, resonating between my head and heart, somehow giving me subtle permission to name call.
Age three: my place as the youngest child was usurped by the birth of my baby brother. Elevated to the middle kid, no returns.
“Jokers to the right”
By the time I was eight, I determined to catch up with my distant cousins in performing the perfect cartwheel. I was prepped and ready to perform when I saw them again two years later. News flash: the cartwheel was soooo yesterday, now they were spinning front and backflips. (sigh)
Oh, and add being old enough to wear fishnets and miniskirts to that bygone list as well!
Fast Forward.
To the left of me, I am in touch with my being a late bloomin’ babyboomer only because big sister allowed me to tag along.
Further left (nothing political here) are the tried and true war veterans, workaholics and loyal salt-of-the-earth folk whose handshake is their blood signature. Love them, just not all the minutia.
To my right, some jokers yes, mostly newbies, Gen X, Millenniums and future tweets from a birth canal resident announcing its arrival. Each will soon be qualified to become my next employer. I applaud their social networking speed and ability to still manage their way into my pocketbook. (Pocketbook? Did I really type that word out loud?)
“Here I am.”
As I have experienced, there are many places to be in the middle: family feuds, messy bedrooms, trains of thought, paper to paperless, telegram to Instagram, the middle of this page, still catching up. My world is filled to capacity with these elements, and more.
When it comes to intimacy and transparency, there is no room for middle ground.
“I’ve nothing to hide!” doesn’t mean “bare all.” “You have to be transparent” doesn’t mean diluted delivery to the whole wide world.
When I intend to communicate with you personally, it’s intimate, special delivery and for your eyes (and ears) only…
This blog is to share Trudi’s musings, observations and thoughts during her career process and life experience. Some of the recent feedback to her has been: “Hey Tru, what’s with the treasures?”
Response: her experience, skills, abilities, talents, gifts that she offers to either business clients or non-business friends. Add some ado about thoughts, heart, pearls and pigs.
“USE WHAT YOU HAVE”
A little lie came about in her youth indicating that success and fulfillment only came from “the outside.”
Then she heard a story of a prophet who invited himself to the home of a widow who had no resources left to feed her son. He asked her what she had to offer. The answer did not come from outside but from within and God honored her response. That gave Trudi hope and she began to look inside.
She discovered that throughout her life, she has consistently applied her aesthetic awareness and use of available resources in her environment.
Examples:
* designing her high school senior prom logo
* creating a flow chart for use as technical coordinator for musical dramas
* she has promoted people or helps a client’s business by designing a logo, preparing documents and giving words of encouragement
While she now uses software for some of her creations, she was asked which software she used in making a handmade card. Her response was: “Pen, paper and markers/crayons.”
From her experience in her education, retail and the legal field, Trudi found that consumer satisfaction is not software friendly. It is not frequently updated but requires face to face contact. The customer experience is one system that will not crash or be forced into obsolescence. The same is true with music. It is the language of the heart. Customer satisfaction is forgiving, there are not typos, only the touch of reality in seeing a client’s desire satisfied to the fullest extent possible.
I love ah-hah moments.
You know, the moments that show up after hours of cross-eyed attempts to gain a glimpse of understanding.
A recent ah-hah took place as I observed a young adult “get” the importance of an applied budget.
The uh-ohs are the ah-hahs that show up at three in the morning interrupting a good night of sleep.
For example, ah-hah: the opportunity to share information during a LinkedIn class that would benefit two military attendees.
Uh-oh: The class ended nine hours ago! No connect was attempted or made, I stayed in my comfort zone.
Lesson: Keep awareness alert, risk liabilities, and trust that should such an opportunity presents itself again (and it will) to move toward!
What are your ah-hah versus uh-oh moments?
HOW TO INCREASE THE REVENUE OF YOUR SEMINAR BY 566%
For 10 years, I volunteered as workshop coordinator for attendees of a seminar. My activities and responsibilities included coming up with themes, creating brochures, drafting an email database, listening to feedback on the ideas of the attendees, overcoming obstacles and blending personalities. For five dollars a person, we provided resourceful keynote speakers to those in transition. By listening to feedback, ideas, connecting and pooling resources, we tripled our attendance from average of 51 to 300 which increased the revenue from the average of $225 to $1500!
Network, network, network, listen to your attendees, pay it forward, backward, every way. Help is a two way street, and sometimes a full-on freeway. Time management, synergy, leadership, resource-referral, and awareness of your clients’ needs.
By Mysticaldivine/Faiqa
Connecting daily with God through the Psalms
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BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
Protest the Chaos with Splashes of beauty 