Tag: postaday2011

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Work Diaries Work in Progress

Daily Post Day 8: How I Stay Focused

(Ah-ha! Caught up now! I actually quite like these prompts from The Daily Post. At least they get me writing!)

I stay focused on tasks at hand (e.g., freelance writing, web design, writing letters, etc.) by removing myself from distractions (such as my laptop….). Usually, when I am drafting stories for my writing gigs, I take my AlphaSmart NEO to the dinner table and draft my story that way. If I sat at the computer doing that, I’d become too distracted with Twitter, email, etc. That’s the main reason why I bought the NEO in the first place — less distraction!

Now, when it comes to website editing, I close down all my Internet tabs (that are distracting) and set myself a time limit on web work. I can only stare so long at the computer screen after all…

With non-technological tasks, I just make sure I have some relaxing music playing in the background and I can focus pretty well on whatever I’m doing.

Since I’m on the topic of focus…today I finally had the chance to draft a new story series outline for my writing client. Thank goodness for my family and their movie suggestions! Have yet to crack open my novels-in-progress for writing, but 10K days are coming up. Also, shall have some write-ins soon. Must coordinate schedules!

Categories
Business Musings jobs memories

Daily Post Day 7: Memorable Job Interviews

Bulletin Boards

During 2007 – 2008, went through a lot of interviews. Many were less-than-stellar (I was fresh out on the job market after all), and some were just plain strange. But, throughout all the interviews, I learned a few things:

– Do your research as thoroughly as possible

– Show enthusiasm!

– If the job doesn’t look like it’ll be fun, be honest (yet polite) about it and bow out gracefully.

I once had a prospective employer ask me point-blank, “Do you really want this job? Do you see yourself working in this little office day-in, day-out? If not, you won’t hurt my feelings.” She probably had interviewed many others before so she was well-seasoned with facial expressions and such. I probably looked scared and not so thrilled about the position.

I had a very short interview once because the computer system was down in the office. However, I was immediately hired; later on my manager told me how I just emanated positivity from just the brief encounter. Good to know.

My most recent interview (in late 2008) that got me my previous job was memorable for the mere fact that my note-taking skills sure got me the job position. The owner of the business was impressed with my attention to their responses and how I came prepared with questions. I remember feeling so nervous about this job though, since I had to go through three different interviews before I finally got the phone call to go in and start working.

Well, we all go through this motions in our lives. I’m glad I got to learn so much from the interviews I have received.

Categories
life

Daily Post Day 6: Am I stressed?

Tokyo Tower, 2006

Am I stressed out? If you asked me this question a week ago, I would say “not so much.” But now, being back in San Francisco, I feel the stress coming back. Particularly with the first half of this year being a huge transitional phase in my life. The last time I had this much transition going on was 2007-2008, when I graduated from undergrad and was moving out to San Francisco from Virginia. There were some threads of communication lost with friends back east…and this time around, I wonder if something similar will happen with the friends I have met out here.

Also, just the whole notion of the unknown is quite stressful.

But then again, if I knew what was going to happen tomorrow, would I still anticipate it?

Categories
family friends My San Francisco Chronicles

Daily Post Day 5: Talk vs. Text

The Daily Post is asking me whether I prefer to talk, text, or some other communication medium.

I seem to lean upon the answer of “it depends” for many questions people ask me. So that’s the answer I’m going with for this prompt:

– With family and close friends, I prefer a grab-bag of email, text, and phone calls. Of course, the most ideal form of communication would be face-to-face, but with the physical distance between us all, the other three will have to do.

– And then, with most others I associate with, I prefer email or Twitter. If I know them a little better, text. But generally, phone calls are reserved for people I am most comfortable with.

Today, I arrived back in San Francisco. I can’t say that I missed the city, but I certainly missed my loved ones here.

Categories
love

Daily Post Day 4: What Makes Me Smile

It’s hard for me to narrow down one thing that makes me smile. But flowers are strong symbols for what I feel happiest about: love, being around the ones I care about most, etc.

January 4: A day that made me appreciate my past and my present. Holiday lights still up at big hotels and some houses; lovely to see it all.

Writing has taken  a back seat for the past month as I focused more on my freelance work rather than my own creative writing. Time to get back into the groove.