I think I would feel like a complete failure as a parent if I raised my kid into adulthood, sent them off to college, and they graduated said college incapable of applying for a job without my help.

Your college graduate child should be able to apply for a job. Without you completing his/her application. Without you following up with the potential employer. Without you sitting in on any interviews.

Seriously, what is happening to our world, people?!

If I am an employer, or the hiring manager for any company, the first applicant to be sent to the round file is the one who shows up with their mommy (or daddy) in tow, or whose mommy (or daddy) calls to follow up, or whose mommy (or daddy) turns in the application for them.

It just screams "I don't have any clue how to operate on my own!"
What does this applicant have to offer as an employee if their parent, or parents, show up at the interview with them? Is mom going to come to work with you every day too, to make sure your task list is complete, and to keep you on track? And what does this say for your decision making skills, or ability to actually perform your job? You can't even interview for the job yourself - how am I going to be able to seriously consider any possibility that you will be able to handle the work I have for you?

And instead of maintaining the idea that this is ludicrous, our lovely "progressive" workforce is embracing this idea! WHAT???

There are companies now who actually set up separate "parent involvement" interviews, and the such.
It's basically like "open house/back to school/parents night" at school, except... Oh yeah, you are a grown ass individual who shouldn't need your mommy and daddy to check out your potential employer.
It is one thing to discuss your options with your parents and, as parents, for us to give pointers about what to ask, what to enroll in if you land said job, weighing options between different jobs.
That is our job, that is our function. But actually becoming a part of your adult child's hiring process?? Really??? That is taking it a little far.

Lay off of the crazy pills.

I can't even imagine what my kid's reaction would be if I told her I was going to come to a job interview with her. When she was interviewing for her first job at 15 she would have cut me if I even suggested the idea of coming in with her, much less the ones she's applied for recently, much, much less any job she will apply for in the future. Are you kidding? I am getting the giggles just thinking about her potential reaction to this idea, haha!

She recently decided to get a second job, and had applied for and landed a particular job that she couldn't start until she was 18. In the meantime she decided to apply for a third job, and when she landed that one as well, she had to make a choice.  She and I had many discussions about her options, and I gave her my opinions - that's my job, and let her talk it out with me, but ultimately, she's the one who has to work the jobs, not me. So what place would I have in the process anyway?

It is just a really bizarre concept to me, I guess.

Anyway... end rant, but I just saw yet another article about this bizarre practice, and I couldn't be quiet.

Opinions happen, yo!

Happy weekend!

Good morning blog-o-sphere!

I don't have much to say this morning so I will leave you with a few announcements:

1. I gave up on NaNoWriMo this year. FAIL! I know! I just have so much other crap going on right now that it was ridiculous to even pretend to continue. The word count that I actually had down probably shouldn't even have counted in any way. I will consider my financial donation to the cause my achievement this year. I got my lovely bookmark, and my sticker. Yay!

2. This does not mean that I have given up writing entirely. I am still working on another writing project, I'm just taking my time with it at the moment. 

You know what is awesome about writing? You get to use all of the names you would name your kids if you had 100 kids. Seriously, if I had a kid for every name I've ever loved. Holy shit, I would have a television show. It probably isn't even humanly possible to have as many kids as names I've loved. 

It also creates a place for all of those names you love, but would never really use because you actually like your kid.  

3. Do I have anything for number 3? Oh wait, I do! 

I have a huge project to start in my basement. I've been putting it off. 

I am considering opening an in-home daycare. People who know me in real life can go ahead and spit coffee out of their noses now.

I know, I know! It sounds ridiculous, but I think it makes sense for where I am at in my life right now, and affords me the ability to be home with my kids and still bring in an income.

Before I do, I need to finish the basement area downstairs. This involves a lot of painting, and other small projects (and not so small projects like moving the piano, gah!), that I was planning to do anyway, but that I need to get cracking on if that is my plan. The more I think about it, and write out my plan, the more excited I am about it. I know! Weird.

For those of you who don't know me in real life - I'm not generally really very fond of kids. Especially other people's kids. But I think having small children again has softened me, and one thing I love about kids is their wonder, and I love teaching them things, and showing them things, so I think I can do it.

I think that is really all I have for the time being.

I hope everyone is having a great week! 

Cheers!

I'd also like to share with you that I just ordered my oldest's senior photos. SENIOR PHOTOS!
How does this happen????

I failed. Did you notice?

That's okay, at least it got me writing again for the moment.
Maybe I'll do the whole November thankfulness theme. That will give me something to post every day, and I am in a place right now where I need to start reminding myself of the things that I should be thankful for.

Today I will start with the roof over my head. It isn't a perfect roof, but it is a roof, and there are plenty of people out there who can't say that for themselves.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Did I mention that I am in the middle of the worst attempt at NaNoWriMo that the world has ever experienced? Because I am.
It's really bad, you guys. I can't help but laugh. I knew that it would be, but holy crikey!

Second order of business...

Here is a list of things that I am over:

1. People

I think I might have originally had more to add to that, but it feels complete just the way it is.

And lastly, my Public Service Announcement of the day:

Get a sense of humor. Life is way to short to take yourself so seriously, and walk around all self-righteous-like.

Bonus topic:

The season finale of Face Off is on tonight. I am so excited! I want Roy to win so badly.
If you have never seen Face Off you have no idea what I am talking about, and that is okay. Just know that I want Roy to win very, very much.
I fear that he won't but, Dear Universe, Please let him. Thank You.

Happy (Season Finale of Face Off!) Tuesday

Monday. What to blog about on a Monday...

I feel like there was a time that I could sit down to this computer and have a pretty good idea of what I would write about on a given day. I've never had a "Blog Schedule", but I feel like I had some kind of an idea of what to say.

I hear a puppy chewing... hold on. (I'll get into that in one of these upcoming posts.)

At any rate, I am so out of practice with this thing, is my point.

Is it the first Monday of the month? It is (the rate at which I lost track of time is unbelievable). Here we go. First monday of the month calls for a monthly goals list. Considering that this is being done on the fly, please do not expect too much from me. I'll start with the two most obvious goals.

1. NaNoWriMo - This should be taking first priority, and it is for the most part. I think. Okay, not really at all, but I am getting there.

2. NaBloPoMo - While I am participating in NaBloPoMo unofficially this year (I never actually signed up) I decided to do it because, and I know I keep saying this and then disappearing again, but I really, really miss blogging! So, I hope that this will kick me in the ass and get me going again. We'll see. And I hate to even end with "we'll see" because it feels like I'm just leaving a door open for myself to continue ignoring it.

3. Plan Mikaila's birthday - Y'all... My kid is going to be 18 years old in 2 weeks. This goes out to anyone who is a parent, or even who isn't, but has a child, or children in their life who they love deeply.
IT GOES. SO. FAST.
Don't waste it. You only get each moment of time with them once. And each stage is amazing in its own way, and you will miss them. Even the difficult ones. Don't. Waste it. You don't get it back.

4. Work on the maps (I'll bring you up to speed on those soon - I have no idea what they are for, they are just coming out, so I am letting them), get at least two new drawings started.

Most of these goals are on the creative side (other than the birthday). I have a ton of other things I'm trying to get in the swing of here, but I don't want to overload this thing. I've got fitness and health goals, house goals, income goals... Lots of random goals. How about we don't over do it.
I just want to get something down. You're probably going to be hearing that last sentence a lot from me in the next few weeks, and even beyond.

Four days in a row, yo! I've even shocked myself.
Now I need to stop procrastinating and get to the noveling part of my day, while the kids are napping.

Happy Monday!

I have a much deeper follow up to yesterday's post, but right now I am rushing and I don't want to attempt to articulate what I want to say in this short amount of time that I have left myself to write today.
I already have enough issues articulating the things that I want to say half the time, let's not add to that with haste. Haha!

Mostly I just needed to get something down so that I can say that I posted something today.

I know, LAME!

But it is 11:30 and this is the first time I've sat down to write all day, and I still need around 1600 words for NaNoWriMo today, if I am going to keep on track. :::gigglesnort:::

By the way, this is the worst attempt at NaNoWriMo in the history of man. I didn't go into this year with a great feeling, so I can laugh at myself, but I think - and I didn't even think it possible - that it is even worse than what I had anticipated. Better luck next year. Hey, you never know, it is only day 3, something could still spark, I suppose.

Okay, off to NaNo. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

The problem with the world today, at least with us privileged enough to be fickle in and about life, is that we can't wait to crucify each and every person we encounter - in real life, or through media - for simply being human.

The End.

Oh, hello November... You're here right on time. Aren't you punctual.

I've decided that November is like that obnoxiously punctual person in your life who shows up precisely on time for everything and then stands there tapping their foot at you while you take an extra 5 minutes to finish getting ready to go.

This year is going to be a true NaNoWriMo for me.
I have no outline (not that I have ever had one, but a lot of folks do), no storyline in mind, and not even a spark of a starting point.

I will truly be putting the "No Plot, No Problem" concept to the test this year. Wish me luck, people! I am going to need it!