Stuart and Kazuki caught up in child labor scandal!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Stu does Santa at the L.A. Childrens' Hospital

Make a Smilebox greeting

Season's Greetings

To all my loved ones, all my love and very best wishes for this season and all the year through!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Menace of the Public Option

Once again, I have stumbled across something much too compelling not to share. Bad behavior has surpassed critical mass to which we no longer have the luxury to ignore. Nor have we the luxury of inaction. My first installment comes from M.C. Blakeman writing in The San Francisco Chronicle 9/19/09:

The Menace of the Public Option

M.C. Blakeman
The San Francisco Chronicle, Saturday, September 19, 2009

Of all the current assaults on our noble republic, perhaps none is more dangerous than the public option – specifically, the public library option.

For far too long, this menace has undermined the very foundations of our economy. While companies like Amazon and Barnes & Noble struggle valiantly each day to sell books, these communistic cabals known as libraries undercut the hard work of good corporate citizens by letting people read their books for free. How is the private sector supposed to compete with free? And just what does this public option give us? People can spend hours and hours in these dens of socialism without having to buy so much as a cappuccino. Furthermore, not only can anyone read books for free in the library, they can take them home, too. They get a simple card that can be used at any library in town. No checking on the previous condition of books they’ve read. No literacy test. Nothing. Yet, do these libertines of literature let you choose any book you want, anytime you want it? No. Have you ever tried to get the latest best-seller at a public library? They put you on a waiting list for that, my friend. And if you do ask these government apparatchiks a question about a book, they start talking your ear off, and pretty soon they’re telling you what to read.

Of course, if you break one of their petty rules and return a book late, you have to pay fines that mount grotesquely each day. Even if you die, your overdue fees keep piling up. Is that not a death tax? How long must the elderly live in fear of burdening their children with these unfair sanctions on their estates?

Don’t be fooled for a minute. Somebody has to pay for these “free” libraries, and I’ll tell you who it is, pal. Those good ol’ suckers, the American taxpayers, that’s who.

Have you ever wondered who’s really behind this public library option? And don’t you think it’s fishy that they mask their nefarious activities with benign-sounding names, like Friends of the Library? What’s their real agenda – and why do they have so many “volunteer” meetings, anyway?

No, my fellow Americans. We cannot wait until we’re all goose-stepped into a massive book checkout line. This assault on capitalism and our very way of life has got to end. Be subversive … burn your library card! Go out and buy a book!

M.C. Blakeman is the co-author of “Safe Homes, Safe Neighborhoods” (Nolo Press).

Happy New Years!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Don’t Keep Yourself to Yourself

Sometimes life is hard. So often we seem to choose to make it even more difficult instead of making it more simple, less stressful. A job search is certainly one of the more stressful times of life. Finding ways to make it more simple, less stressful is important to its success. It is important to find ways of self empowerment. I have always found that when helping others I actually seem to feel energized, stronger. If you are not familiar with D J Meade check him out. This week on his blog: http://djm19.wordpress.com/, DJ makes some great observations and shares them most delightfully!


Don’t Keep Yourself to Yourself
17 08 2009

Think of all the wonderful things you’ve learned from a friend, a parent, a mentor, or another leader. Do you think those people know infinitely more than you do? Do you think what you learned was something only they knew? NO! You learned something from them because they were willing to share of themselves with you. Sometimes the most powerful things we learn from others are mentioned in passing. They are things that are part of that person, which is why they come out so easily and casually.
Sometimes in the pursuit of our own potential we forget to share what we learn or what good habits we possess with others. It’s often the things we do naturally everyday that will make the difference in the life of another. Because we don’t consciously think about those things, it’s sometimes harder to consciously share them. Sit back and think of the things you do well. Think of your friends and why they are your friends. What value do you bring to them that they can’t get from anyone else? If you can identify what that is, you’ll more easily be able to share the benefits you bring.
Share yourself and make your home, office, neighborhood, country, and your world a better place.
http://djm19.wordpress.com/

August, a Gift of Time for Transition

August, a Gift of Time for Transition

A lesson I learned in another life, a baker to be exact, but that’s another story, you should not waste your time creating things that you can buy, usually cheaper and better, already prepared. Sital Ruparelia writes remarkably well about career management and specifically about transition. If you are not familiar with Sital, he can be found at www.6FigureCareerManagement.com. July and August are universally infamously dead months in business. Apparently, most people vacation. For people in transition it is actually a gift of time to organize and prepare for the active month of September and the beginning of October. From Sital we have:

6 Career Tips for the Summer

Most people think December and August are the 'worst times of the year' to job search or advance your career. After all, people are away, there is less going on and so from a career perspective, they're seen as 'lost months.'

I disagree.

When I was a recruiter, I'd always try and spend the December and August period to my advantage by investing the additional time I had - and the time my clients had - to ensure that I was ready to start the September and January strongly. Interestingly, the better I used that 'down time', the more successful I was in the months ahead.

And that's what you too should be doing over the next few weeks. It's a horrible, over used cliché - but using the summer weeks to your advantage really does help you "hit the ground running" come September:

Here are 6 suggestions:

1. Strengthen your existing relationships

Your career success has a direct correlation to the strength and depth of your relationships with the people you work with and your wider network. August is a great time to strengthen those relationships. Everyone is less busy, under less pressure and have more diary time than usual.

So invite contacts and friends to a drinks evening, a lazy lunch or an informal BBQ. Or if big gatherings are not your style, pick 3 people that are critical to your success and invite them to a 1:1 dinner or long lunch during August. It can be your boss, ex-boss, a key stakeholder, ex-colleague, a key client or maybe a good friend.

Invite your recruiters out for a coffee or drink. You'll separate yourself from the crowd, learn more about what's happening in the market and allow them to get to know you better (which of course helps).

2. Cultivate new relationships

Going on vacation, weekend breaks or day trips during the summer creates multiple opportunities to meet new people. You never know who the person next to you is on a plane - so put your book away and start a conversation. The same applies to people you meet at hotels, restaurants and the like.

I know lots of people who have met new clients, new employers and new employees just by being friendly and chatty with a stranger. You don't have be some kind of annoying salesperson - just make a point of being friendly, engaging, and upbeat - you never know you may bump into.

3. Reflect and refocus

Historically, I've always found the summer break a great time to reflect on what's happening in my career and often found myself with a pen and paper on the flight back planning what I was going to do differently after the break.
But you don't have to get on a plane to reflect and refocus. Just give yourself 60 minutes some time over the next few weeks to reflect on your professional life and ask yourself a few questions:

What's gone well so far this year? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you learned? How do you want your work life to look by December 31st this year? What do you need to do differently from September onwards to ensure you get there?

Don't over think it or over plan it. Just give yourself 60 minutes and get scribbling.

4. Get organized

You've got more time on your hands so do some of that decluttering and personal organizing you've been meaning to do. Clear out the backlog of emails in your inbox and set up some filters if you need to. Clear out draws, files and whatever else needs tidying up.

You'll feel lighter, less stressed and more focused come September.

5. Catch up on stuff'

I often get emails from people saying "Sital, I've got all your newsletter articles saved in separate email folder. I'm just waiting for some time to read them all!" Well now's your time.

Apart from reading articles you meant to read, what else have you meant to catch up on? Books you started reading but didn't get time to finish, calls you meant to return but forgot, reports you meant to read but didn't etc.

Do it now (or decide you don't need to do it all) so that you can finally get that monkey off your shoulder when the new season starts.

6. Rest and recharge

When everyone else is resting, it's always a good time to also rest. So don't look at the above 5 points as another list of "to do's."

Just pick 2 of the most important areas to focus on and then make sure you use the next few weeks to rest and recharge the batteries. Even if you're out of work right now, it's worthwhile resting to reduce your stress levels. Reducing stress will make you much more creative and much more effective in your search. So give yourself permission to switch off at times.

It's easy to see August as a time when nothing happens. But as you can see from the points above, that doesn't mean you don't do anything. In fact, if you use the time wisely you'll find yourself living out that awful cliché by "hitting the ground running" come September! Enjoy the rest of your summer.

P.S. For readers in the southern hemisphere, I know it's the middle of winter for you - but you can very easily apply many of these tips in winter months too. (Oh and yes, we're having a nice warm summer, thank you for asking:))

"Sital Ruparelia publishes "Straight Talk", the weekly newsletter for 6-Figure Professionals who want to be more effective and achieve their career goals. If you're ready to jump-start your career, have greater success, satisfaction and rewards then get your F.R.E.E tips now at www.6FigureCareerManagement.com