Surviving a Job Loss

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While a job loss has many ramifications, dealing with the range of emotions it causes-from anger to anxiety to depression can prove to be especially difficult. It is perfectly normal to experience these reactions, for being unemployed is inherently stressful and it can also involve a grief process.

There are four basic stages of this:

Shock-a disbelief that this has happened to you
Anger-a feeling that you have been wronged
Mourning-sadness over the loss of friends
Acceptance-the desire to get on with your life

  Stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can, in fact, be a powerful motivator, but at too great a level it can get in the way of performance. It’s all a question of how you manage stress.

  Here are a few tips on how to deal with job stress:

1.    Keep a hopeful outlook. What are the good things in your life right now? (Good health, strong friendships, and your car and home are paid off). Listen to other people’s stories of how they emerged from this situation and not only survived, but in some cases, became more prosperous because of it.


2.    Recall the ways you have successfully handled past hardships and draw on these same skills to meet and overcome current challenges. You will become a much stronger person; To paraphrase an old saying, “What doesn’t break you, will make you”.


3.    Help yourself by helping others. Assist others in need by volunteering. When you are not going to work every day, your sense of being useful and helpful can suffer. You don’t have to do it full-time, but volunteer work will restore and maintain your self-esteem and self-concept. You may learn some useful new skills, you’ll look forward to getting out of the house, and most importantly, this will get you out of any depression (You’ll become so involved that you can look at your situation in a whole new way).


4.    Make connections. Don’t isolate yourself. Seek social support from your family, friends, and others. Spend time with those who offer genuine support and connection.


5.    Maintain a daily routine. Keep up a regular schedule, including household chores, job-search activities, and getting out of the house. This will also help stop any pending depression or just sitting around, feeling sorry for yourself.


6.    Take care of yourself. Make the time to properly exercise, eat, and rest. Schedule some time to do things you enjoy such as hobbies and social activities. You may feel the need to stay in survival mode when you’re job hunting, but this can lead to burnout. And besides, you still need some “down” time. Looking for a job IS a job and can be harder work than an ACTUAL job!
  
    Getting your finances in order is absolutely crucial now. One of the first things you should do is to see if you are eligible for unemployment compensation. If you are, sign up for them as soon as possible. I would also go over any savings you may have and figure out how much you can live on for as little as you can afford. Make sure you have enough for medical expenses and be very sure to keep paying for your rent or mortgage, heat, light, and food (You need these to survive). You will still need a telephone and a car (or public transportation) to find a job. If your money situation is extremely tight, make sure you pay for these first.

  If someone owes you money, ask for it. If you have a skill like baking, giving lessons or tutoring, decorating, or “babysitting” for pets or the elderly, put an ad in the newspaper or pass out homemade flyers advertising this to generate extra money. Sell off those items around the house that you no longer use that others need and will gladly pay for.

  Stop using your credit cards for now and start paying with cash. Create a weekly menu for all your meals. Start clipping and using discount coupons. Buy those store brands! (Did you know that we spend 14 percent of our total income on food? And almost half that amount is spent in restaurants, snack bars, vending machines, and fast-food places.) Eat at home or bring a brown bag lunch; it’s more nutritious and only a fifth the cost.

  Stay away from the malls. If you absolutely MUST go, bring a list of the things you truly need, with only enough cash to buy what’s on your list.

  Did you know that we often can spend more than $100 a month just on entertainment; movies, video rentals, cable television, hobbies, and other recreation?  Trim the entertainment.

  And don’t forget to turn off the lights and television when you’re not using them. Close the door. Put a full load in the washer and dryer. Set the thermostat to 68 degrees and put on a sweater. Use a fan (instead of air conditioning) when it’s hot. These simple actions will save you from higher utility bills, which you don’t need right now.

Sometimes a job loss can often turn out to be a greater opportunity than if you had continued with the company. By doing the abovementioned tips, you may find yourself being offered a better position or end up starting your own business.

Your Astrological Home Decor and Cleaning/Organizing Style-Part 2

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Libra (Sept. 22-Oct. 22)-“Should I clean up this mess or not?” is your philosophy. While you don’t mind tidying up after a sports event or birthday party, you don’t like doing regular tasks, like cleaning up and organizing clutter. So you’ll tend to put it off. What you can do is listen to music on a headset or talk on the phone as you’re working to make the time fly by.

Your home has a simple, yet elegant design-straightforward with architecturally attractive lines. You enjoy having a yard or garden to balance or complement the home.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22)-You focus on what can be seen (believing that at least 80% of an orderly appearance can be done with just 20% of effort). You can deal with some very quick dusting, but you don’t want to handle a pile of clutter.

There’s a visual, unique element in your home’s architecture, placement, or interior design-or in all of these.

Color schemes can vary widely with you, but you lean primarily toward deep hues, blues, and dark reds. Metals, wood, and leather are also prominent in your dwelling.

Sagittarius (Nov.23-Dec.20)-You love having as many people as possible helping you! But you don’t like to be tied down to a schedule; you’ll work the cleaning up and clutter busting around your personal time. Your home may display red tints and purple shades in bold patterns or solids, with soft gray tones as the background.

Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 19)-You don’t mind occasional cleaning help, as long as they do what you say (to you, there’s your way-and there’s the wrong way. Period!) The bottom line is, you don’t like a messy place.

Your ideal home décor is efficient and understated with simple and traditional designs. Your colors lean toward muted gold, silver, and dark blues ranging to almost black, and tan.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)-You’re totally into “green” (environmental products and living). And you always help others to keep their clutter under control. You’re also neat (for the most part). You’re all about recycling.

You may either redecorate an older home in a very unique way or buy a brand-new house with a standout architectural design.

Your home décor colors include deep shades of purple, blue or green. You tend to create your own blend of traditional and modern decor.

Pisces (Feb.19-Mar. 20)-Any cleaning up that involves bleach, suds, or bubbles and/or brushes, you’re so there, but first you have to feel like cleaning. And you don’t like to fuss over it either. You’re drawn to soft-lined, fairly ornate architecture and décor. Rich earth colors, darkening to black and light green, blue, and rose shades please you.

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Your Astrological Home Decor and Cleaning/Organizing Style-Part 1

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Aries (Mar. 21-April 20) A fast ‘run-through’ suits you just fine (you don’t clean every nook and cranny, and don’t want to). You don’t want to spend an entire weekend, days, or even hours cleaning. Clutter buster products are right up your alley!

The fiery aspects of Aries will most definitely come through in your home décor; the most unconventional furnishings are often found in the home or apartment, complete with flamboyant red tones. Yet you’ll also often have a ‘quiet room’ done in soothing blues or other soft colors, reflecting an inner self few people see. Many will often decorate totally in soft hues or shades.

Taurus (April 21-May 20)-You don’t mind cleaning up at all, but you’d rather not pick up after grown folks or people who are physically capable. Organizing the closet clutter isn’t a daunting task; it’s a good workout session!

You like traditional styles in furniture and subtle combinations (you’re drawn to greens and soft metallic hues). Many of you love antiques; your home often has beautiful objects that are both functional and decorative. Both males and females have a flair for interior decorating!

Gemini (May 21-June 20)-” If nobody sees the clutter, is it really clutter then?” That’s the mindset and motto you live by. You will clean up when it’s really needed (like when you run out of clean items!), but you’d rather not.

You have eclectic tastes in your home décor. You like bright, open rooms with lots of sun, big windows (looking out over traffic!) and clear yellows, whites and reds. Balance these colors with blues and pastels for calming nerves.

Cancer (June 21-July 20)-You don’t mind cleaning or organizing clutter if it has anything to do with the kitchen. If it’s centered near the oven, you’re a happy camper!

You’re very picky about your home décor, and will often completely remodel a home to be “just right”. You like silver, white, black and watery shades. And you like having everything in a precise, highly organized manner.

Leo (July 21-Aug. 21)-Cleaning up and organizing clutter should be done quickly, so the pain doesn’t linger! (But you’ll do it when you know someone else will also benefit; and if you can play some music and dance while you‘re cleaning!) If no one’s looking, you’d rather not worry about the mess.

Your home décor tastes lean to modern (even avant-garde) and deep shades of all colors. Even when sharing a home, your “spot” will always be known by your particular style.

Virgo (Aug. 22-Sept. 21)-You either live to clean up and organize clutter, or are a total slob! If it’s the former, you’re a master at this; teach others your clutter-buster techniques.

Your home is usually in the best of taste, with warm, understated earth tones accented with yellows and greens.

Assorted Kitchen Hacks

Posted in American food, Food/home improvement/business by

Cleaning

Wash hands before and during cooking (especially after touching raw meat and poultry). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends at least 20 seconds to sing “Happy Birthday.”

After Kneading Sticky Dough:

  1. Standing over the sink, “wash” your hands with a handful of flour or cornmeal instead of soap and water.
  2. Rinse your hands with cold water (hot water causes the dough starches to gelatinize; more scrubbing!

Working with strong-smelling ingredients like onions, garlic, or fish has many cooks reaching for the standard lemon juice to wash away any lingering odors from their hands. But sometimes the smell’s more potent than the lemon. Try handwashing with a couple of tablespoons of mouthwash (any brand) instead.

For chemical-free and safer kitchen countertop cleaning, use a spray bottle filled with equal parts white vinegar and water.

Save those plastic shopping produce bags and use them to clean up kitchen scraps. You can spread a bag on the counter next to your cutting board or in one half of the sink and sweep the scraps onto as you prep. When you’re done just gather up the bag and throw it away. These plastic bags can also be used to throw away garbage in general.

You don’t need to rinse raw meat and poultry (it’s more likely to spread contaminants around the sink and possibly on any nearby food).

Ever try to open a new bag of flour without the cloud of white dust that pops up and goes down on the counter? To remedy this, try slapping the top of the bag a few times before opening it to settle the flour so that it stays inside.

To prevent splashes when pouring tomato sauce, soup, or stew from a pot or pan into a storage container, place the backside of a large wooden or metal spoon under the pouring streams to deflect the liquid into the container.

Forgot to cover a dish while microwaving? To clean out the splatters, just place a microwaveable bowl full of water in the oven and heat it on high for 10 minutes. The steam loosens dried food particles.

Organizing

An empty facial tissue box can store many bags and one at a time can be easily removed.

To loosen cakes or muffins from nonstick pans, use a plastic “takeout” knife (instead of a metal one that can scratch the nonstick surface).

Food Prep

To separate those packaged bacon strips:

  1. Roll the package lengthwise into a cylinder, then flatten it out again.
  2. Open the package and remove the desired number of strips, which are now less tightly packed.

Don’t have a vertical roaster? A 16-oz. beer can is a good substitute, but prefer a non-alcoholic one? Get your Bundt pan instead. Once the chicken’s been seasoned, slide it onto the center post of the pan, legs facing down, so the chicken stands upright.

The Basics

Stubborn jar lid? Get an old computer mouse pad. The rubber bottom creates a good grip.

A thin metal spoon is also a good option. Use the spoon as a lever and slide its tip between the lid and the jar-avoid the lid’s notches. Gently press down on the handle until the seal releases, or “burps.”

mise en place-Preparing and measuring the ingredients for a dish before you begin to cook. In other words, “food prep!”

Here’s a shortcut for cutting even slices of homemade bread for sandwiches: Let the loaf cool on its side on an oven rack. The rack’s bars will leave subtle vertical indentations that act as a template for evenly spaced slices.

When making the cross-hatch (is that what they call it?) on the tops of peanut butter cookies, most folks use a fork, which involves a two-step process. To cut the time in half, mark the cookies in one swipe with a perforated potato masher.

Mini muffin tins are usually fitted with a rim that is too tiny to hold with bulky oven mitts. Avoid this struggle by leaving one corner cup empty when you fill the tin. Now you have a place to insert your thumb, allowing you to remove the tin without getting burned or squishing any of the muffins.

Hold on to that jar of pickle juice after finishing the last pickle. You can add thin-sliced onions, bell pepper strips, diced or sliced tomatoes, or a combo to the juice, then marinate in the fridge for a few days. The new mixture can be used as a topping for hot dogs, burgers, or salads. Pickle juice can also be used for drinking “as is.”

The best way to keep a pound cake moist is to cut slices from the middle of the cake, not the end. The cake can then be sandwiched back together and wrapped in plastic wrap. With the cut sides insulated this way, the cake stays moist longer.

To add bacon flavor to anything without having to fry a slice of bacon every time you need it, save some leftover bacon drippings. You can pour the drippings into a bowl or container and refrigerate. Or once solid, the drippings can be scooped into teaspoon portions, and frozen (stored in a zipper-lock bag or something similar).

Source: “Cook’s Illustrated Kitchen Hacks: How Clever Cooks Get Things Done” by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen, 2015

Work Like a Cat (on location or remote)

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Whether at work in a physical location or remotely at home, adopting a few cat traits can teach you how to manage stress, develop independence, and live life on your own terms.

Here are a few examples:

Be free as the air and do only what you have chosen to do. Work only at jobs that fulfill you; heed only your own counsel, and pursue your true desires.

To maintain your inner calm and peace, identify the source of your stress, deal with the issue thoroughly, then let go of it for good-don’t ruminate or brood-and calm will return.

Know how to assert yourself calmly, and defend your space at the first attempt at intrusion. You deserve more than a walk-on part!

Wisdom is not a subject that can be learned or taught. It is a state, a stance that requires a step back from the agitation of life in order to comprehend it better in its universality. The wise person knows how to sit on the moon in order to gaze at the earth, just like the cat sits on the roof to observe the moon.

Emancipate yourself from other people’s views of you. To your own self be true.

Learn something new every day.

A cat is independent; it’s one of their main characteristics. But yet by our very nature, we can not be totally independent, as cats are (people have always leaned toward living in groups). Despite everything, we all have an interest in regularly taking into account the degree of dependence and independence in our lives, so we’ll ask ourselves from time to time:

How financially independent am I?

Do I alone determine my life’s major directions or are they determined by the needs of my partner, parents, or children?

To what extent am I dependent on my work for the money it brings in? Am I so much in debt that I have no other choice than to rack up overtime, spending weekends and holidays working?

Am I obliged to put up with my boss’s moods in order to keep my job, even though there’s a better position waiting for me elsewhere if only I were to allow myself to apply for it?

We can not live independently like a cat, but we owe it to ourselves to correct certain tendencies that can evolve, often without us realizing it.

Work to recapture a substantial part of independence in all areas, and you will win your freedom.

Learn to be served like a cat (they know how to delegate). Knowing how to delegate is key in the workplace (and in other areas as well); many company directors and other managers are incapable of trusting others and delegating, so they spend far too much of their time checking and validating their employees’ efforts. This can create a “mothering” culture where employees will want every minute detail of their work checked and approved. The result is wasted hours and excessive work for the boss. Effective delegating will develop time for yourself, to do what you like, rather than constant monitoring.

Regularly creating your own calm (cats love calm!) conditions creates the conditions for your well-being and is the best solution for avoiding ulcers.

Learn to say “no,” as a cat does. Don’t take on tasks that are not part of your job description with such regularity that your colleagues and superiors come to expect it of you, with no financial compensation for the extra workload.

Cats are natural bosses; a catlike attitude is very well suited to a professional context. Consider:

Be efficient when necessary and deal with problems immediately.

Always be watchful without being noticed.

Be responsive if needed and make that special effort.

Don’t spend your energy unnecessarily; also, ration your work.

If you’re the boss, be like a cat by always maintaining a firm yet benevolent attitude, encourage with a glance, and be present.

A cat is tenacious.

Be patient and tenacious in everything you do. Never give up!

Cats are always cautious.

When there’s a doubt, there’s no doubt. Follow your instinct!

And here’s a bit of extra advice from the resident “cool cat” of TV’s Shark Tank, Damon John:

Being broke can actually fuel success as an entrepreneur.

Why?

It forces you to think more creatively, use your resources more efficiently, connect with your customers more authentically, and market your ideas more imaginatively.

It forces you to be true to yourself, stay laser-focused on your goals, and come up with innovative solutions to make a meaningful mark.

Sources: “How to Think Like a Cat” by Stephane Garnier, 2018 and “The Power of Broke-How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Competitive Advantage” by Daymond John (with Daniel Paisner), 2016

Decor Gift Ideas and Products for Everyday Use

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From the Better Homes and Gardens Collection featured at Walmart; all under $25!

An Acacia Tray with Brass Finish Handles (it’s beautiful!)

A 6-piece Electric Wine Opener Set with a Wood Base

A 4-piece Oven Mitt, Pot Holder, and Mini Mitt Set

Sustainable Glass Spray Bottle (very cute)

A 2-piece Oversized Woven Kitchen Towel Set

A 3-piece Glass Canister Set with Acacia Wood Lids (great for organizing things; and very cute)

A Glass Wine Decanter with a Wooden Sphere Stopper (looks very elegant!)

A 16-oz. 2-Wick Stoneware Candle

A 5-piece Stainless Steel Bar Tool Set in a Wooden Block

Here are a Few Recommendations from the BHG Holiday Gift Guide:

The glass competes of two-wick Aura Candles can be filled with candy once the candles are gone. Retail price is $32 each at paddywax.com.

Not your grandma’s plain old matchbooks anymore! The Blue Match Holder (it’s beautiful!), made of hand-poured concrete, has a match striker on the side. Retails for $22 at tennprairie.com

Star-shaped ceramic dishes in cobalt blue (one of the best colors ever, in my humble opinion) will make anything look good on it. It’s $47 for a small plate, and $59 for a large one. They’re available at ecruonline.in

The Holly and Pear Pie Dish is also very striking; you can bake and serve in it. $42 at anthropologie.com

Old Pine Round Serving Boards are recycled lightweight, food-safe pinewood. Retail price is $40 for a 12″ one, and $62 for a 17″ at airandanchor.com

Putty Tapers are long, skinny candles with navy-colored flowers painted on them. Retails for $42 at nickeykehoe.com

The Flower Grow Kit is a ceramic planter with a reusable hydroponic watering setup that allows you to grow annual flowers indoors. It costs $38 and is available at store.modsprout.com

Here are a few decor gift ideas and everyday products from Midwest Living:

Base Vase, from Des Moines, Iowa, is a slim tube sized so that any taper candlestick will fit it, which in turn can create a custom- build vase (this will also work for a slim branch of one or two flowers). It’s $15 for one or $35 for three. For more info, go to basevase.com

Mosser Jadeite Glass Candlesticks is an absolutely beautiful product from Mosser Glass, a heritage company in Ohio. They come in three colors and retail from $75 for two at food52.com

Baileybuilds.com feature wood mosaics, modern wall hangings, and the Heritage Round Monogram by Anna and Nathanael Bailey (Duluth, Minnesota). The monogram’s available in three colors and measures 6, 15, or 23 inches. From $49.

Sources: BHG ad; Celebrate section-“Holiday Gift Guide”-produced by Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes and Gardens, Dec. 2022 and home and garden section, life gift guide-” ’tis a gift to be local”-Midwest Living, Winter 2022

Did You Know That…..

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The Corn plant as we know it today peels easily, tastes sweet and juicy, and has 800 soft kernels.

But when it was first domesticated, (growing in an environment safe from predators, where humans could be selective, picking the plants that did more of what they wanted and less of what they didn’t like. This particular process, done over a period of time, is selective breeding (the process also works on animals.) it was 10 times smaller, peeled by being smashed into pieces, tasted like a dry, raw potato, and had only 5-10 very hard kernels.

Peaches as we know them today have soft edible skin and are sweet and juicy (delicious!). But when they were first domesticated in 5500 BCE (Before the Common Era), they were four times smaller and had waxy skin with an earthy, sour, and slightly salty taste.

And Watermelons, as we know them today, are available in seedless varieties, are almost fat and starch-free, taste delicious, and have a sweet smell. But when first domesticated in 3000 BCE, they were 100 times smaller, had 18 bitter, nutty seeds, and were high in starches and fats with a bitter taste. And it stunk!

Orange Carrots didn’t exist before 1600 CE (Common Era).

Red Grapefruit didn’t exist before government-sponsored radiation experiments performed in the 1950s, one in particular called Atoms for Peace; their goal was to promote practical uses for nuclear power outside of a wartime context. One particular project was the gamma garden; radioactive material was put in the middle of a regular garden, around which successive rings of plants were planted. The closest plants died of radiation poisoning, the plants farthest away were unaffected, but the plants in the middle mutated. Among them was the red grapefruit as we know it today. Most current red grapefruit are direct descendants of those atomic mutations.

In Medieval Europe, Pepper was worth ten times more than any other spice; it’s still the world’s most traded spice.

Chocolate is naturally bitter; for centuries it was roasted, ground, then added to stews or wine, but chocolate really took off in Europe when paired with sugar. Chocolate comes from the cacao bean plant; the pulp from the bean pods can also be eaten-it was the pulp-rather than the beans-for which the plant was originally cultivated.

All parts of the Potato are poisonous until cooked (don’t eat them raw).

Historically, European Protestants thought potatoes were evil; their curvy shape was too “suggestive.” The resistance was eventually overcome.

Yams and Soybeans are toxic to humans when raw (cook before eating).

Sweet Oranges as we know them were not developed until the 1400s CE; before then oranges were very bitter.

Sliced Bread was first commercially available on July 7, 1928 CE. Before then you had to slice the bread yourself.

Dom Perignon is named after the Benedictine monk who advanced the fermentation of this sparkling wine in the late 1600s, in a French province named Champagne (in the Middle Ages, Catholic monastic orders of monks were among the largest wine producers in France and Germany).

Canning was invented in 1810-first by sealing food in glass jars with cork and wax, then later with tin cans.

Without pasteurization, Milk is one of the most dangerous foods to consume-tuberculosis bacteria thrive in it! But when pasteurized, milk becomes one of the safest. But the pasteurization process destroys the vitamin C in foods!

Yeast are single-celled, microscopic animal organisms essential in the making of leavened bread (regular). The yeast will continue happily eating the sugars in the flour and water when regular bread dough is cooked. If there’s oxygen around, they’ll produce carbon dioxide as waste. The carbon dioxide’s trapped by the gluten in the flour, which in turn causes the bread to rise. As the dough continues to cook and get hotter, the entire yeast colony will die. As a result, millions of these microscopic animal corpses are baked into every slice of regular bread you eat.

Beer around 4000 BCE was drunk from a straw. Early unfiltered beers had sludge on the bottom (mostly yeast) and floating solid matter at the top that was mostly stale bread. A straw was the best way to get at the good stuff. But the sludgy non-beer parts were full of nutrition too and were often eaten once the beer was consumed.

Iodized Salt debuted in America in 1924 BE. For most of human history, salt was one of the most desired and expensive commodities in the world. But it’s also one of the most common substances on the planet. Iodine, like salt, is necessary for human life; salt is used as the iodine delivery option (it’s sprayed on) because 1. It doesn’t go bad 2. People tend to eat an adequate amount at a time. Iodized salt is one of the simplest and cheapest public health measures ever conceived and it enhances both physical health and intelligence at the same time.

Source: “How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler” by Ryan North, 2018

(Online) Job Hunting

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My initial impression of job hunting online for a work-from-home position was that it would be easier.

In one aspect it is when it comes to commuting; there’s no running all over God-knows-where trying to get to a certain place, or worse, trying to find it when you have no clue where you’re at or don’t know the area. At all. And then there’s that hour-long (or more) stretch getting out there and then going home. Yecch!

But in all other regards, online job hunting is still a tricky process. Being positive you meet most, if not all, qualifications doesn’t mean you’ll get the job (and you should, or at least be a serious candidate). What exactly are employers and recruiters really looking for?

Here’s an example of some “qualifications” that are absolutely stunning in their complexity and complication. It’s for the position of Content Marketing Writer:

Responsibilities

  • Working with all division consulting practices and industry vertical areas to write, edit, update and maintain the content, including: web content, emails, newsletters, online advertising, case studies, whitepapers, thought leadership works, research reports, bylined articles, press releases, social media posts, product brochures, datasheets, direct mail, video scripts, presentations, ads, internal communications and other materials as needed
  • Integrating key messaging and positioning, and ensuring accuracy, quality, and consistency of corporate standards for thought leadership and marketing communications materials across all global regions (Americas, EMEA, APAC)
  • Bringing and applying business acumen while working with practice marketing managers, subject matter authorities, and regional marketers as well as conducting interviews to gather information, write and edit content to support divisional content strategy
  • Working with the Communications team to write, build content, peer review internal communications, leadership communications, external media pitches, press releases, external op-ed pieces, divisional media responses to evolving/emergent situations/crisis communications
  • Representing the divisional marketing team in interdepartmental projects such as sales meetings, company intranet redesign, and corporate rebranding
  • Other duties for this role will be assigned
  • Bachelor Degree
  • 2 years of related experience

Desired

  • Marketing copywriting experience
  • Experience in editing and proofreading all types of copy for all types of platforms
  • Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, Communications, or related field
  • Five to seven years of relevant experience in business-to-business (B2B) and/or consulting marketing, public relations, and/or communications
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
  • Excellent, customer-centric oral and written communication skills, with an emphasis on grammar, copywriting, and proofreading
  • Writing samples demonstrating effective brand-sensitive marketing communications required
  • Marketing copywriting experience

Skills & Experience

  • Excellent writing skills, both technical and narrative
  • Strong business acumen and ability to develop and articulate complex value propositions in the consulting space
  • A creative mind with a strong design aesthetic
  • Experience developing content for marketing programs that resulted in increased brand visibility and sales leads
  • Experience gathering details on market dynamics, client needs, and technology, and demonstrating this knowledge to build compelling content that highlights the value of a product or service offering
  • Equally strong communication skills working with subject matter authorities to produce articles and white papers
  • Excellent time management & interpersonal skills
  • Employee benefits and/or HR consulting industry experience strongly preferred

Personal Attributes

  • Impeccable eye for detail and ability to meet deadlines
  • Highly motivated with a strong work ethic; able to operate independently and with minimal supervision
  • Ability to work and interact efficiently and optimally across multiple marketing channels in a collaborative environment
  • Ability to handle pressure, prioritize and handle multiple projects simultaneously and accurately, to meet tight deadlines
  • Proven ability to multi-task
  • Analytical and creative problem solver with excellent time-management and problem-solving skills

U.S. Eligibility Requirements

  • Apply online to be considered
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation
  • Unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States is required. For U.S. employment opportunities, Gallagher hires U.S. citizens, permanent residents, asylees, refugees, and temporary residents. Temporary residence does not include those with non-immigrant work authorization (F, J, H, or L visas), such as students in practical training status. Exceptions to these requirements will be determined based on the lack of qualified candidates with a particular skill. Gallagher will require proof of work authorization
  • Willing to execute Gallagher’s Employee Agreement or Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement which requires, among other things, post-employment obligations relating to non-solicitation, confidentiality, and non-disclosure.

What I find amazing is the sheer number of qualifications and responsibilities needed for this one position (it’s actually intimidating!). And I’ve often wondered: If you have several years of experience, why wouldn’t that be considered the equivalent of an Associate or Bachelor’s degree? And I’ve also wondered: Is this done to keep people out of a job? Or to discourage them from even trying? It could well be a combination of both.

Through it all, I always try to keep and maintain a positive attitude; it’s not easy, but there’s the saying, “Sometimes you have to get a thousand NOs before you get one YES,” “Sometimes you have to kiss a thousand frogs before you find a prince,” or something to that effect.

And for each accomplishment, whether it’s a major move or a “baby step“, give yourself a little reward (or a big one, if you prefer).

It doesn’t have to be food; rewards can vary from making time to catch up with your reading (a personal favorite) to taking 10 more minutes for a nap or checking out a new product from the store.

You’ll start looking forward to not only getting things done but also giving yourself rewards along the way.

“They” say that the best time to get a job is Wednesday morning (would that even apply if you’re online?). Personally, I’ve found that it makes no difference whatsoever as to what day or time, whether online or in person. Unfortunately, getting hired, even currently, can depend on a ton of variables that often have nothing to do with what should be the main and only factor: Your ability to get the job done.

A daily to-do list is still good, either online or written. I personally do a weekly one, because if I don’t get a task done that day, there’s still leeway to complete it within that week (and there’s less pressure!). Even online, it’s still a good idea to keep tabs on frequent updates as they happen (there could be a slow period; several weeks of nothing. Then suddenly, two days or a week of intense activity! You just never know; it’s the “variables” at work, so to speak.)

To Be Continued…

Basic Essentials of Houseplant Care

Posted in Food/home improvement/business, Home Improvement/Interior Design by

Perhaps the most crucial factor regarding the care of a houseplant is that they are dependent on you for food and water (like a pet!) because they’re confined to containers.

Containers

Fortunately, there’s no “right” or “wrong” container; you can spend a small fortune on a fancy one or spend nothing at all, just using cartons or even butter dishes. In between, there’s practically an endless variety of containers, whether for indoors or out, for a flat surface, or as a hanging decorative basket.

Here are a few essentials: 

Clay pots are the most common and traditional.

Glazed pots are very decorative and adapt well to any type of décor.

Plastic pots are very lightweight; they’re less expensive than clay, with a variety of sizes and colors.

Wood Boxes or Containers-If they’re made of redwood or cypress (resists rot), these look good and can last a long time. Commercial products can rust quickly, however. If time allows or if affordable, you can have wood boxes and containers custom-designed and built.

Baskets are not strong containers; they’ll need to be lined with plastic or light soil. Hanging baskets can be made out of all the previous materials, plus wire or reeds, string, or yarn.

Light

Plants vary in the needed amount of light required, but most will grow well in four basic categories:

Sunny areas will get at least 5 hours of direct sunlight in winter. Windows facing southeast, south, or southwest are the best options.

Semi-sunny places get 2-5 hours of sun daily in winter. East or west windows are the best options.

Semi-shady locations offer bright, open light, but little or no direct sunlight.

Shady places don’t receive sunlight but do offer enough light to cast a shadow.
Whatever part of the world you live in will also affect how much light you’ll get.

Local industries can also impact light, as well as trees and bushes (They reduce light, but for shade-loving plants in a southern, western, or eastern window, it’s a good option).

A white house reflects light. 

Clean windows will provide more light, but window screens will reduce it by 30 percent.

Day length also affects light and determines when certain plants bloom.

Artificial light will provide optimal lighting year-round.

Air and Temperature

Frequent misting is a good option.

Most plants will grow between 65-75 degrees F (give or take a little below or above).

Watering

Just test by simply checking with your fingers. If the soil feels like dry powder, water. If you get water or mud, leave it alone. 

The amount of watering needed will always vary, depending not only on the plant but also on the seasons and the sizes and shapes of the containers.

For more info, visit http://www.ourhouseplants.com and http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com.

Shopping at the Farmers’ Market

Posted in American food, Food/home improvement/business, Uncategorized by

Ripe fruits and vegetables will feel heavy for their size, have deep, even coloring, and will “give” slightly to pressure.

Pass up any bruised and blemished items; also avoid excessively overgrown ones-while they may look impressive, these products will typically have a mushy texture and watered-down flavor.

Check out the entire bin; many fruits and veggies (like peaches, tomatoes, and apples) release ethylene gas as they ripen. Produce past its prime should be removed as soon as possible, to ensure that the surrounding fruits and vegetables are also not affected (hopefully by a conscientious market vendor).

Since practically all of the produce sold in farmers’ markets is locally grown, it’s picked at a riper stage than the produce sold in the supermarket. Therefore, buy only what you will use within the next three days if possible.

Buying Organic

Organic produce abounds at farmers’ markets. But they can be on the pricey side. Is it all worth it?

Here’s some info to help you decide:

Organic food is more expensive for two reasons: 1. These crops are more vulnerable to garden pests, creating a greater risk of loss to farmers. 2. Demand is low.

But with that being said, the rising popularity of organics helps to bring the price down. And buying in season (which you’ll be doing at a farmers’ market) can reduce the cost.

Most organic produce at a farmers’ market will be fresher than the supermarket stuff because organic comes from local farms. But organic markets with a low turnover may be selling you produce that’s days old. So don’t just rely on the term “organic” as an instant indicator of freshness; instead, touch and smell the produce. If it’s fresh, it will “give” to gentle pressure and have a hand-picked aroma.

Organic produce is healthier because they’re grown without pesticides.

Here’s a list of recommended products to buy organic (according to the USDA, these fruits and veggies consistently contain the most pesticide residue):

Apples

Apricots

Bell peppers

Cantaloupe

Celery

Cherries

Cucumbers

Grapes

Green beans

Peaches

Pears

Spinach

And you can save money buying the following non-organic or “as is“:

Bananas

Blueberries

Broccoli

Carrots

Kiwifruit

Nectarines

Oranges

Papaya

Peas

Potatoes

Raspberries

Watermelon

Looking for a farmers’ market near you? Go to ams.usda.gov (Agricultural Marketing Services).