9.27.2010

Words of Wisdom from The Bag Lady Papers

"Experience - good and bad, exciting and boring, tragic and absurd - make up life. Not to have lived to the fullest is the saddest, most irresponsible life I can think of." - Alexandra Penney

The library has been a great friend to me these past two years. It's where I discover new books, movies, TV shows, magazines, and music all for free! Go visit your local library you'll never know what you'll find!

Picked up the book The Bag Lady Papers by Alexandra Penney. In this book she writes about how she lost everything she worked hard for and how she lost her money and life savings to Bernie Madoff. I'm sharing some of her words of wisdom from her book that I really like, and hope you will too.


If your worst fears happen, you live through them. They can be as bad as you imagined them but somehow you manage.

You will surprise yourself at how well you cope. You have enormous resources you don't know about.

You are in control until you have no mind left.

When you're flooded with anxiety or panic, think - don't feel.

There is such a word as "no." Use it to protect yourself.

Indulge your crazy ideas - just think a bit about the consequences first.

You don't have to love your parents. Honor and respect the institution of parenthood, and you will feel no guilt.

There is no such thing a human worthlessness. Even the MF must have some redeeming quality, although I admit I doubt it.

People will always surprise you with their generosity or their nastiness.

You're sunk if you lose your sensed of humor.

Ask for what you want even if you think you won't get it. You'll be surprised at the response sixty percent of the time.

It's okay to feel pity for yourself - for a short while.

Ranting out loud can make you feel quite a bit better.

Stop negative thinking any way you can. It takes discipline but you can do it.

Fear has two faces: the good side motivates you, the bad side paralyzes you.

When you have your first sip of coffee in the morning, stop for a full ten seconds and taste how good it is.

Decide on a short-term goal and a long-term goal and give them your very best shot.

Don't beat yourself up about a decision: it was right at the time you made it.

If you can't made a decision, you can always decide not to decide.

You have a self. Know its strengths and weaknesses.

Fear can make you tougher and stronger.

Evil exists.

Generosity can trump almost anything.

Expect the unexpected, but there is no way to prepare for it.

Change is inevitable but it's an adventure.

Loss happens. Get used to it.

Be a fighter; life's no fun if you're not.

Read or heard any good words of wisdom lately?

9.16.2010

Dream Job Bucket List

"I wanted to accomplish great things, help others, make a difference. I wanted to do everything and be everywhere. I had big ambitions, but I was totally directionless... Now it was up to me to determine my path." - Sean Aiken

Recently finished reading the book The One-Week Project: One Man, One Year, 52 Jobs by Sean Aiken. Anyone needing some new job ideas or just some inspiration during a job search should read this book and I guarantee you, you will find some inspiration. I know I did!



I haven't worked for two years, but when I think about it, I have been on a job search for eight years! The year was 2002, I was entering my senior year in college. That's when you think that all your hard work will finally pay off, you will be rewarded with a great job, and that all your dreams will come true. Then reality sets in. You perfect your resume, write those impressive cover letters, apply to that coveted job, and if you're luck you score an interview, and wait for the call. The call comes in but it's not the one you want to hear, "your qualifications and background are impressive but we decided to go with someone else..."

So after years of applying to jobs that find my qualifications and background impressive but not impressive enough, I'm thinking that Sean Aiken was on to something with The One-Week Project. Instead of focusing on that one big goal of the perfect job, maybe it's better to break it down into smaller goals of one-week or freelance jobs to gain the experience that I need to succeed in my career choice.

I sort of have an idea of what I want to do with my life - something in the marketing field, but I'm not sure which industry and there are many areas I want to explore: Event Planning, Entertainment, Market Research, Non-Profit, Publishing, and so much more! My One-Week Project will be focused in and around Chicago, at the companies that I have been targeting to work for. Call it my "Dream Job Bucket List." And since I have already gone two years without a paycheck, a few more months won't hurt. I want to do these jobs because I feel that it is my passion and to gain more experience, so like Sean, I would like my paychecks donated to causes that are near and dear to me: National Ovarian Cancer Coalition or Autism Speaks.

Ideally at the end of this, I would like a job offer. But if I don't impress any of the employers enough, I will finally suck it up and know that this is not the path I am supposed to be on. I just might, maybe, consider a more sensible career.

These are just some of the companies that I have applied for recently and in the past few years or businesses that I would like to learn more about. The list will probably grow but right now here are the ones I can think of.

My Dream Job Bucket List:
What is on your dream job bucket list?