More than just Facebook

Learning to be bored

As I previously mentioned, work for me right now is finding a job.  Two days a week, sometimes three days, I watch my two year old while my wife goes to work.  Nap time is my "break" and Nap time use to be "Facebook" time.  On my "breaks", like during snack and Dora the Explorer time, I would be checking Facebook or applying to a job.  Now without Facebook and since I have applied to almost every job on LinkedIn that I may want or find remotely intriguing, I have to learn to be bored.  Today, I choose to write about being bored and how I do it ----> normally I am just a couch potato watching HGTV or DYI although I do tape "The Tonight Show" now that Jimmy Fallon is hosting.

I have learned that being bored, is, OKAY ----> In fact, I like my hour of downtime.  Would I rather be working and making money?  Absolutely but for the time being, my job is house Dad, blogger to my one fan and DYI network addict!

Danny

Positive Rejection

Finding the Silver Lining in No!

Being without work sucks, I am not going to sugarcoat ----> The last three months have been frustrating but with each rejection I become more positive that the next interview will be the perfect fit for both myself and the company.  Recently, I was given a "we do not think this is challenging enough but we like you and want to look within the company for a different opportunity for you" ----> Positively rejected?

I sent a text to a good friend, a mentor of sorts, a fraternity brother who I look up to and try to emulate in my daily life with the statement I received...Is that a good thing?

"Fuck Ya!"  was the response I received.  

 I responded to the company with positive disappointment, thanking them for the opportunity and requesting when I should follow up regarding the next opportunity after they speak with the person in charge.  I questioned, for a few moments, the sincerity of the rejection, was this just the way they reject people?  I, then felt the need to remain positive and keep plugging away as the company showed nothing but respect to me throughout the process and nothing about their tone changed even in their rejection message.  As a result, I wait, like those who survived the sinking of the Titanic, in the cold world of unemployment for someone on a boat to come and scoop me up, put a blanket around me and tell me, "I'm glad you are here"

Danny

Inspired by Accident

Time on my Side

Last week, I took a train ride from the western suburbs to the city of Chicago for an interview.  During my ride, I found myself looking at updates of my connections on LinkedIn when I came across an article about the new president of Seton Hall University.   The story was commented on someone I went to college with briefly, Christine.  I clicked on her profile to see what she was doing for a career and I found she had written a book called, "Willing my Way Back."

I really do not read many books, I do not own a tablet and while I enjoy reading historical novels, I never finish anything because I get bored way too easily.  I was interested in finding out what Christine endured that she had to "Will her way Back" so I searched for the book on the play store of my phone.

I began to read the book and in the first few pages learned that several years back, Christine went into the hospital with a migraine and a few days later was heading into surgery to  remove a brain tumor.I went to college with Christine and while she is a couple years older than me, we interacted at Fraternity/Sorority functions and FBNC related events. I spent quite a bit of time with the other members of my fraternity and as a result, knew Christine.  As the President of the sorority, Christine's leadership and outside the box thinking projected to her chapter.  My learning, that after many years of not knowing she had any  issues, potentially endured and survived a brain tumor peeked my interest.in the book.  After reading several pages, google books yelled at me that my preview was over so I purchased the book and continued reading it until I arrived in city.

Christine told her story how she went from a migraine, to a brain tumor diagnosis, into surgery, to an actual finding of a blood clot, to not being able to follow conversations or do daily things again, simple things, that she learned as a child, like how to bathe.  The story intertwines emails written by his sister to her family with updates about her condition and their replies as she does not have a full memory of the events. I got about 1/2 way through the book on the way  to my interview.  

I attended my interview and then on the way back home on the express train, decided to continue to read the story.  I did not expect to finish it on that train ride but an accident between a train and a car caused a 30 minute train ride to become a 1.5 hour train ride (thankfully the stupid lady who went too far on the tracks and her dog were okay, her car...not so much!.  As a result, I finished her book.

Thankfully, Christine has fully recovered and has been fully healthy for over a decade.  Her inspirational story reminded me that life is WAY TOO SHORT and WAY TOO UNPREDICTABLE.  She inspired me to look forward in life and not backward, she inspired me to keep  plugging away and apply to more jobs so that more opportunity could present itself.  After finishing her story, I reached out to her and told her the story of how I found her story, how it inspired me and I requested her permission to share it with my audience (all 1 of you). She sent me the below reply:

"Of course, you are welcome to write about it on your blog.  I didn’t know you had one; I’ll have to check it out.  Hope the interview was a huge success!"

Sweet - 2 readers!

I realized that while I was reading her story that had I not gone off Facebook and spent more time networking and trying to connect with people on a more professional basis, I would not have found Christine's story.   There are things I miss about Facebook, like making fun of people or complaining in a social form in more than 140 characters but I definitely have a ton of extra time, time I can use to read a book, 75 pages on my phone or 1000 pages on my phone.  If anything, Christine taught me that you can do anything if you work hard enough to reach your goal, overcome your fears and  inspire others by example!

So check out Christine Emmerich's book, "Willing my Way Back" - it is a quick, short read and one that should inspire you to achieve even the simplest of tasks in life.

Danny

The Group Interview & The future of Facebook

I've become an expert on many things in a short period of time and interviewing is one of them.  I can now basically predict the questions I'll be asked.  While this makes the process more challenging because I have to keep it fresh, it also makes it more interesting.  One of my last interviews was a group interview where a panel of potential bosses fired questions at me like a firing squad.  About 1/2 way through the interview I had decided that this group of people was really a great team and someone I would like to work for in the future. Teamwork is important and  this seems to be the message that Facebook is trying to jettison going forward with their purchase of message at WhatsApp.  Text Messaging is the current wave of the future and my prediction is that Facebook will use their new found 19 billion dollar company to eventually allow users to post Facebook statuses as text message.  They current allow you to text your status to other people but not the other way, this type of two way communication will help Facebook compete with up in coming apps like Snap Chat.

Wish Me Luck

Interviewing without Facebook Support

Since I have lost my job on November 15th, I would post updates on interviews or job offers received.  It was a way of keeping people up to date and a way to look for moral support.  Unlike, Stepbrothers,John C Reilly isn't sitting directly behind me and without Facebook, I don't have this moral support of multiple people outside my family.  (Sarcasm alert) My wife, her family, my parents are very supportive but not as uplifting as multiple likes on Facebook.

"Interview went well today ---->Praying for an offer!" = 64 likes!  Now that feels GREAT!

 So, I ask for prayers today as I try to sell myself to the hiring managers at a downtown office.  I need this job for my family, for my sanity and for the sanity of those around me.  Like my blog and share it with others.

Danny

Forum to Complain

Facebook - Biatch fest!

One of the nice things about social media is that you can use it as a forum for anything you want.  It is more difficult to complain about your day on Twitter as a complaint in 140 characters is just more of a blurp and not a session.  Facebook provides you with multiple lines and multiple forums to air your dirty laundry or just complain.  It is used when someone dies, it is used when someone fires you or when someone doesn't do what you want (although if it is work related, it's best to not say what you actually feel).

Today, I am certain I would be making some shameful comment on Facebook but since I am not on Facebook, I cannot so that complaint will just have to wait until I sit on my therapist's couch tomorrow night.

Danny

Withdrawal

The Symptoms

As a former smoker, withdrawal is nothing new to me. When I finally quit smoking after almost twenty years, the first three days were not only painful but also annoying. I hated it and having a smoke would have been the easy way out. I made it through those first three days after which, two almost three years later, I am healthier and happier than ever. My withdrawal from "The book" was a little more difficult. Like I said in my initial post, I did reactivate after a few days to check on the status of my alumni status of fraternity and while I did complain multiple times about how dumb the idea actually was, I survived. This time, my addiction is much more involved as it had nothing do with the future of my daughter or my health, it has to do with my involvement in society and the happenings of others. How in the world would I know who went to the mall today to pick up a new tie if I am not on Facebook? Most people who are not on Facebook do so because they don't care or have a fear of losing their privacy. Others join Facebook but never actually go on it and the last third of people not on Facebook either are trying to avoid the 1.3 billion people trend My friend Brian) or do not understand how to use a computer (my mom).

What is Conversation?

While my withdrawal symptoms much different then when I left tobacco, I can say that I think I miss Facebook more than I miss smoking.  Facebook doesn't leave a stench on my clothes and make others worry about their health but it does leave me without knowing what is going on within other people's lives.  I feel out of touch with others, with their opinions on sports and the happenings of their lives.   In a way, quitting smoking made me a better person, I smelled better, I could continue conversations without the need to leave the room to smoke and my daughter is healthier because of that decision.  Leaving Facebook, could make me a better conversationalist; potentially a better husband and father as I'll pay more attention to the two people in my life that need the most attention, no offense to my 500 Facebook friends.  Do I worry that I am missing out on the next great news? I am sure at times I do subconsciously, but if someone really wants to include me in the news, they have other ways of communicating with me; like Twitter!