Make sure your environment is supporting your wishes!

Post #5 – Wednesday - April 29, 2009

I want to share with you all a magnificent happening that occurred today ~ as some of you know I have a Vision Board that is filled with the things and events that I want to occur in my life. And in the course of looking for work I recently created a Work Vision Board. When I wake up in the morning I see both boards as I have mounted on my bedroom wall – what a nice way to start the day and a great way to lift my spirit when it needs a poke or two.

Now back to the magnificent happening of the day: Long story short: Last year I made a sign to remind me to file for unemployment on a weekly basis - the sign was a long, slender piece of post-it paper with the word in caps and permanent black marker. So the word was written UNEMPLOYMENT. So last night my sister, Daryl realized that word has been in my line of vision for over a year! So today we ripped it down and replaced it with FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT along with my list of benefits and circumstances that I want. I hung the sign and within 10 seconds the phone rang about a PT position I applied for yesterday! The HR manager wanted to make sure I knew the pay is low and the assignment is only for 14 weeks - I said yes I was aware, blah, blah and he told me he is recommending that the hiring manager speak with me and if I don't hear in one week to call him back.

God does manifest when we need it! And if this doesn't work out something will ~

My lesson: Always look around to make sure that something in my environment is not detracting from my goals. I've been very concerned with putting up my vision boards and position affirmations but did not think about what could be detracting - another lesson learned~

Just had to share....

Tasty & Informative like Cupcakes & Travel Magazines!

Love Your Life!

Faulty memory leads to Que Sera Sera

Friday - April 24, 2009

Post #4

Hello my lovelies! Today is Friday – Yippeee – I love Fridays whether I am working or not.
Fridays are like a reward and Lord knows I deserve one this Friday after my Thursday, which was a Doozie! How about I called to follow-up about an interview I had 2 weeks ago to the day. And it went a little something like this:

Me: Hello Blah-Blah, It’s Valerie Lee how are you?
Blah-Blah: Valerie? (Tick tock Tick tock Tick tock) Oh hello Valerie.

Oh hello Valerie… OMG - How could she forget me? Let’s get serious people I possess an exuberant, gregarious spirit – I sometimes blind people with my smile and I am a full-figured, voluptuous woman of color. So I figure if she could forget me I do not have a chance at getting that job. My new thing is: Que Sera Sera and after I had my moment where I realized she didn’t really remember me or had to think twice about it – because yes I do think she should have known who I was right away – I said Que Sera Sera.

I’m already onto my new heat-seeking employment options search. Truth be told I can be a team player when necessary but I do so prefer being a individual contributor, which is corporate speak for a non team member. I would much rather have a to-do list and unfettered time and space to do my J-O-B. Just give me the due dates and I’m good to go. So I am now exploring the possibility of utilizing my expertise as a Personal Assistant/Concierge for some rich person. Note I said rich not celebrity. And I mean Oprah-Bill-Gates-dollars aka “folks who are not easily affected by the current economic state of affairs.” I will keep you posted.


Tasty & Informative

Love Your Life!

Email job rejections and Cruising

April 22, 2009

Post #3

A short while ago I received an email job rejection. I guess I should be thankful with a small “t” since I did get that much because I’ve interviewed at enough places and then not heard from the HR department ever again. Well here’s the reply I got today:

Valerie – Thank you for your interest in blah. We appreciated the opportunity to interview you for our blah role. Your credentials and previous work experiences were very interesting to us; however, we have decided not to pursue your candidacy at this time as we have identified other candidates whose experience more closely matches the job requirement. With that being said, we will keep your resume on file for future opportunities. Best of luck!

Not to seem ungrateful but I didn’t need that many words for a “no.” My reply to HR person was:

Dear Blah: Thanks for opportunity to present my qualifications for the position.

Okay I now have just one remaining possible job offer or another unfortunate response using too many words telling me “no,” looming in the air out there somewhere. Then I am back to square one. Again. Thank God I am positive or I might start to think there was something askew. Hmmmmm maybe ~ stop it, stop it! I do know there isn’t anything awry. I realize I have to continue to be serenely patient because the perfect job for me will manifest at the right time and no sooner. I just wish the “no’s” would get out of the way so my “YES” can come barging through the door as trumpets blare loudly announcing that my job has finally arrived! Hallelujah!!!!!!

Okay that’s done now onto some travel talk – I hope everyone has realized that this is the perfect time to make a reservation and fly off to some fun. And you don’t even have to leave the country – there is always Miami, Charleston, or Fort Lauderdale just to name a few places in the sun right here at home. And there is always the local hotel in your town where you can stay just one night and tune the world out.

And then there is always cruising, which is probably the best bang for your buck. If you can manage not to do excursions, over-drink, or buy stuff at the endless stores on board the ship. Now I know you are thinking; that doesn’t sound like much fun. Well I always have fun when I cruise. But then the perfect day to me is laying on deck or the beach in the country that we have stopped in for the day and sunning on one side – sip a soda or juice – flip over - sun some more – get in the water – float around – feel the sun baking into my skin, but don’t tell my oncologist b/c I am not supposed to bake like I used to since I’ve had chemo and turn 2 shades darker in less time. I do saturate myself with sunscreen, which we all should no matter the amount of melanin in our skin. Back to steps to my perfect day at the beach: get out of the water and start the whole process over again.

My one splurge when cruising is, drum roll please, getting a massage…surprise, surprise. And another great result of cruising is someone makes your bed, puts a towel animal on it and everyone smiles at you – what could be bad about that? Absolutely nothing! Now let’s re-cap the benefits of cruising: When you cruise you get to sail to different countries, try out different beaches, if you so like buy some jewelry and other stuff at great prices on and off the ship, and not make your bed. Life is good when you cruise!

Peace & Love

Love Your Life!

Post 2

April 21, 2009

Yes I did go to a wake tonight, met someone who worked at a company I would like to work for and Y-E-S I did ask her if there were any job openings! And I am not ashamed to admit it. Those willing to ask shall receive – the gospel according to Valerie. Who knows what will come of it but at least I put it out there. Will keep you posted.

I might be onto something here. In my area (Fairfield County, CT) a local job board hosts Pink Slip parties but now I’m thinking maybe I could check obits and see what the deceased did for a living and then mosey on over to the wake and meet possible job prospects that way ~ shameful but it could work. LOL Let me know what you think.

Well I did get around to perusing my travel magazines yesterday and wanted to grab my passport and head directly to the airport for a new adventure. I was particularly interested in the newest Budget Travel (May 2009) – lots of good deals aka affordable escapes. Miami Beach was calling me – breaks on rooms – deals on meals – and of course spa savings. If I weren’t going away in May I might have actually gone to airport!

Hope that was tasty and informative enough for now –

Peace & Love

Love Your Life!

Day 1

Post 1 – April 20, 2009

Cupcakes and travel magazines are how I make myself feel better. Normally it’s just sweets: candy, cake and juices but today it’s cupcakes from Crumbs Bake Shop in Stamford, CT and travel magazines from Borders also in Stamford. I just took a taste of a chocolate cc with white frosting +coconut. But I haven’t started reading my new travel magazines: Budget Travel, girlfriend getaways, and lonely planet.

I have been looking for work since March 2008 so that would make my job search 13 months old and old is the operative work. I have a MBA in Global Marketing which I received in December 2007. I am one of the most positive people I know so I’ve viewed the current escalation of job loss in general as being a: it is what it is situation. And as far as my personal situation is concerned I have held the belief I am where I'm supposed to be right now in time. But only 98.75 percent believes and 1.25 percent is wondering why someone has not snatched me up!

I am so tired of people assuming that I will leave as soon as the market picks up. First of all: who knows when that will be and second: no one knows when it does pick up how fast it will pick up. And why is anyone afraid of an experienced and educated individual? If you can get someone to work at below their normal pay scale and utilize their skill set to the betterment of your business why would you turn that opportunity down?

So when I left a doctor’s appointment today I headed directly to Crumbs and then the bookstore to get my coping mechanisms. And yes I do have excess weight on my bones. I have lost weight over the last 18 months and know for a fact whether I am at my optimum-government-suggested weight or at my current-not-approved-by-the-government weight I will always, I repeat, I will always eat cupcakes. And other sweets – Yeah!

And since I do love to travel and be pampered as much as I like to eat cupcakes and other sweets I am so looking forward to my massage on 4/28 Tuesday. I have a standing appointment for massages and I DO NOT miss them – damn the economy! Massages are a necessity for my spiritual, mental and physical well being.

FYI: I am not sure what this blog will be about but you can bet it will be tasty and informative just like cupcakes and travel magazines. So Peace & Love to each and everyone who stops by~

Love Your Life!