I've been taking some computer classes, and reading some books, and one book I read was the 2011 edition of What Color is My Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles.
Billed as "A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters, and Career-Changers", I figured I had nothing to lose, and maybe something to gain, from reading it, and doing the exercises.
I want to share what I did, and if anyone has some thoughts to add, feel free to use the comments.
The "My Life Stories" Exercise has 7 Parts ( My thoughts based on Part 1 -3 ) :
4. Growing up I had to help around the house a lot...Time, and material, aways were a problem.
I learned to make time, in between studying, schoolwork, and personal adventures, to do yard work for us, and the neighbors, and do shopping trips for us, and the neighbors.
I used the lawn mower, rake, shovel, clippers, water hose, trash cans & bags, for yard work, and learned how to use the vacuum, mop, broom, and cleaning fluids, to help clean the house.
I learned to walk, and ride the bus, to go shopping, and use shopping carts, and even a little red wagon, to bring the stuff home. ;-D
I learned personal responsibility, and gained confidence, and physical fitness, and even earned financial rewards for the yard work, & shopping, done for the neighbors.
5. I once had a customer, from Egypt, at the college boostore I once worked at, soon after 911 happened, & I had to help him out.
He was nervous, and upset, and his english was not the best.
I devoted all my attention to helping the man out. He was leaving the US for home, giving up his education because he didn't feel safe in America anymore. he had a long list of items he wanted to buy, & I had to locate each one, and in some cases discussed options, and choices.
As I did this I felt I had to assuage his fears, and show him that not all Americans were out to be mean to him because he was a Muslim. This discussion between us served to calm him, and make him better able to tell me what he needed.
What came of all this?
He left a happy customer, and a calmer person.
I sold hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise.
I made customers, a fellow employee, and my manager, angry because i spent over an hour devoted to one man, and a Muslim, at that, leaving others to cover for me, thus causing customers to spend more time in the store than they planned.
I told them all, in a polite way, that they could kiss my ass because I did what was needed, and what I felt was right, to make a high spending customer happy. ;-D
6. I once went on a bike ride of 66 miles that was intended to be with a group.
So much for that idea as the number of participants was small, and all were better, faster, cyclists than I.
At least I had the route slip because I was soon left behind.
I kept on riding, slow, and steady, using the route slip to find the changes in direction, stopping to rest, and eat, and use the restroom, when needed.
It took 12 hours, but I finished the journey, and had fun while doing so. ;-D
7. I am the Family Genealogist.
By the time I took an interest in the family history all but 3 older US relatives were dead, and my foreign relatives were out of my reach.
So I learned to ask questions, write letters, go to places, and do research, use the internet, and e-mail, to ask questions, write letters, and do research, and read books, and use computer software to learn how to research info, and organize what I find.
I learend a lot about my ancestors, though there are still many unanswered questions to someday explore.
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