#100wordhabit on Cory's Blog

I Used To Watch A Show About Nothing; I Expected More From This Class

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 20:48:59 +0000

Online “classes” are funny things. Sometimes, they really deliver the goods. Other times, a course is just someone’s marketing hook.

I signed up for a quick email 100 words per day “class” to help kick start my writing. It was unfortunately the latter case.

My expectations weren’t super high. I thought I’d maybe get some daily writing cues and maybe some editing tips.

The course gave me nothing.

No writing ideas. Nothing about editing. Not even what to do if you’re stuck.

Job Application Websites are Broken.

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 21:38:03 +0000

Job application websites are broken.

Please upload your resume. Now, please input everything on your resume into these text boxes.

Don’t remember what month you left a job you had 20 years ago anymore? Too bad. We need the exact day you left it even though it was 5 employers ago.

Fill in the keywords to try to get past our HR department’s laziness in actually reading resumes. If you’re lucky, the resume will get in front of the hiring manager.

Energetic Toddler

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 02:17:32 +0000

Watching my toddler experience life is one of the joys of parenting.

Every week, she surprises me with her new understanding of the world. It’s simple things. Gaining a concept of self. Making decisions and controlling her world.

Little kids turn up life to 11 and it’s fun.

Of course, it’s exhausting too. Trying to keep up with a rambunctious child is hard. They are all go go go.

At the park it’s fun. The closest park overlooks the local airport. Watching planes take off and land is something my daughter loves.

Virtual Orchestra Concerts

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 02:16:59 +0000

I bought my wife a subscription to watch the local symphony orchestra for her birthday this year.

It’s “virtual.” Most Saturday’s we tune in and listen to small ensembles composed of the orchestra’s players. It’s an enjoyable way to spend an evening and support a local institution.

Interestingly, they even try to upsell a curbside pickup food pairing to go along with the concert. Something I haven’t seen when we’ve attended their events in person.

Making Better Use of Space

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 03:46:09 +0000

It’s time for a Murphy bed.

When my daughter was born, we lost the use of one of our three bedrooms. We have a bed for the occasional guest, but this is extremely once in a blue moon usage. We just don’t entertain guests that often. We’re more likely to visit relatives, as we’re the furthest away.

I want the space back.

You would think a fold up bed would be like a futon in terms of price. Apparently though, they’re all premium priced. I don’t think I care anymore.

Are IT Certification Exams Valuable?

Fri, 19 Mar 2021 03:02:46 +0000

I’m not very keen on IT certification exams.

They are money makers for companies, but I question whether they actually have much value in the real world. Are they even testing the right things?

I question this every time I’m forced to take one.

Over my career, I’ve occasionally had an interview where they wanted something very specific, like a particular flag or an argument. Normally, I would either consult the manual or a search engine.

Failing Forward Mindset

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:24:21 +0000

I love the concept of failing forward. It takes the old “if at first you don’t succeed” proverb and builds upon it. Try something. Fail. Then take what you learned and apply it.

It works for practically everything.

Perhaps more importantly, it helps people get a leg up. It shows how to apply knowledge. It doesn’t matter if it’s business, a hobby, or something else. There’s nothing wrong with expecting to fail the first time. The important part is the optimism vs pessimism.

My Light is Too Loud!

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 04:01:23 +0000

I started something I’ve had on the back burner for a year this week.

I pulled out a video light I picked up right before Covid-19 hit. It’s been sitting in my closet unloved for the past year, as it just wasn’t a priority. The unit is almost unusable because the fan is extremely loud.

Thankfully, the Internet came to the rescue.

I found a video from someone attempting an upgrade and failing. The comments were a goldmine. They listed everything I need in order to make this light usable.

Interviewing Skills

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 12:10:16 +0000

I keep thinking about job candidates interviewing poorly. What if somebody missed out on a dream job due to poor interviewing skills? What kinds of opportunities are only available for someone that presents themselves well?

Are these people coachable?

The skills themselves should translate well. It’s about being able to present ones self well. The kind of job shouldn’t matter. I happen to see one type of candidate based on my background, but the base skills are the same.

Time Wasters

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 13:28:39 +0000

It’s easy to waste time on silly things.

Yesterday, I spent a few hours trying to figure out why there’s a bad hum when my microphone is hooked up to a mixer. I worked to eliminate variables and track down the problem. Things led to the fact it might be the cable I was using.

This is where I went wrong.

Rather than just trying a new known good cable. I started down the path of trying to figure out what’s wrong with the current cable including re-soldering the connections.

Interview Candidate Woes

Sat, 13 Mar 2021 11:08:39 +0000

I’ve interviewed a number of candidates for my workplace lately. I’m noticing a rather alarming trend.

A surprising number of candidates are extremely bad at talking about themselves.

Nobody expects perfection in an interview, but something is very wrong when candidates for senior roles can’t successfully “tell me about a time when…”

If you put it on your resume, please be able to talk about it.

I occasionally do see candidates that are prepared. It’s a pleasure to talk with them. They can answer questions using the STAR method.

Scroll Saw Hobby

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 12:21:26 +0000

Another recent hobby of mine is wood working with a scroll saw.

It’s fun and relaxing to create things using it. I’ve mainly practiced cutting out simple projects like animal puzzles and Christmas ornaments. I need more experience before tackling harder plans.

I’m especially excited about making two things, homemade wooden jigsaw puzzles and toys for my daughter.

The smile on her face when I give her things is heart harming.

My Latest Hobby

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 12:53:44 +0000

I love learning new things and trying new hobbies. I’ve dabbled in everything from ham radio to glass on metal jewelry enameling. My latest hobby is audio recording.

No, I’ll never work as a recording engineer.

I want to stop to struggling to record and edit good audio. If I need to make a presentation, or perhaps create an online class, I want the skills to do so.

I’m using equipment I already own.

Starting a Daily Writing Habit

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 17:15:47 +0000

It’s hard to accomplish anything if you don’t get started. How many people talk about hiking the Appalachian Trail? They won’t succeed if they don’t start.

They have to walk up the first mountain.

I want to climb that first mountain with writing. There’s no reason I can’t take those first steps. I’ve certainly put it off long enough.

Procrastination is easy. I took a song writing course over a decade ago. Daily writing was suggested, but I didn’t follow through and create a habit.