What follows is a synopsis of a lecture presented at the Brookdale Community College by the Center for World War II Studies & Conflict Resolution.
“Burned by the Hiroshima bomb
then to Nagasaki was chased down
A double-survivor I have become
A Nagasaki native never undone.”
On the morning of August 6, 1945, Mr. Yamaguchi Tsutomu, a Nautical Design Engineer for the Nagasaki Mitsubishi Ship Building Corporation was heading to work. He was finishing up a three month assignment and was looking forward to going home to see his wife and 5 month old son. As he walked across a potato field, he heard the sound of airplanes overhead. They were sounds the residents of Hiroshima had been hearing for weeks, the American B-29. He watched as several parachutes descended to the ground (they were carrying a variety of scientific equipment to measure the effects of what was going to occur). A few moments later, his life changed forever.
“Standing with my entire body,
Scorched by pika-don, (flash-boom)
I looked up to the sky to see,
a giant mushroom cloud,
staring back at me.”
One of the planes was the “Enola Gay”, which carried a new type of bomb. The bomb was known as “Little Boy”. It was the first uranium bomb and was making its first appearance on the battlefield.
Mr. Yamaguchi was knocked unconscious from the force of the blast. When he awoke, he felt a burning sensation on his left side and was now deaf in his left ear. As he staggered to his feet, he watched the giant mushroom cloud grow. He began to walk toward work, to look for his colleagues. Everywhere he looked, he saw the devastation the atomic bomb has wrought. Buildings half standing, fires running wild and unchecked, bodies, in parts and whole, were littered among the wreckage. He saw firsthand the people who had died and those who survived the attack. He found a few colleagues and began to plan for tomorrow.
The next day, he and his fellow survivors began the long walk to the refugee train at the station, which was headed to Nagasaki. They walked through the irradiated city, still burning, filled with the cries of the living and dying and many corpses, whole and in parts, lying in the ruins of this once vibrant city. The smell of burning flesh lingering in the air.
Hiroshima is a delta city; build along the coast, with many tributaries emptying out into the Inland Sea. The men had to cross over streams and rivers to make it to the station. And here, in his own words, is what Mr. Yamaguchi saw and felt.
“The “black rain” that falls in my dreams.
The “human raft” that blocks the streams.
The after effects of the pika-don that consume my being.”
Corpses clogged the waters, floating together like “human rafts”. The men tried to walk over the bodies, but began to sink. Mr. Yamaguchi did not want to expose his injuries to the water. They looked for shallow areas so they could cross safely. It was a long, slow walk, surrounded by death, despair, and destruction. Eventually, they made it to the station and boarded the train to Nagasaki.
When they got to Nagasaki on August 8th, it found a mostly empty city. Because before the train arrived at the station, an air raid siren had sounded and the citizens of the city were hiding in shelters. Mr. Yamaguchi made his way to the Mitsubishi company hospital for medical attention. There he found a doctor who drained his arm of pus and cleaned and dressed his wounds.
On August 9th, Mr. Yamaguchi decided he had to go into work, to tell his bosses about what he had seen. His boss dismissed the story; basically telling him that as an engineer how could it be possible to build a bomb that causes so much damage?
At 11:02am, flying overhead was “Bockcar”, which dropped “Fat-Man”, plutonium based nuclear weapon. Once again, Mr. Yamaguchi witnessed firsthand the giant mushroom cloud overhead. But this time it was different, as the death and destruction had come to the city he called home.
This is just a small part of the story of Yamaguchi Tsutomu, survivor of two atomic blasts, husband, father, teacher, poet, and peace activist. His story and poems were presented by Chad Diehl, doctorial candidate from Columbia University, who translated and published the poems of his friend. His book, “And the River Flowed as a Raft of Corpses” is a series of poems which were written in tanka style and now are available. Tanka poems contain 31 syllables which carry a great deal of expression. They consist of five lines and are tightly composed. Mr. Diehl went on to tell us why, after years of silence, Mr. Yamaguchi spoke up about his experiences and shared his poetic voice with the world.
“My life is a dewdrop.
Living for fifty years after the atomic bombing.
I am still wishing for a nuclear free world.”
This was the first lecture presented as part of the 10th Anniversary Series at the Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution. The center’s mission is to educate and inform students, teachers, and life-long learners of the historical, political, social, economic, cultural, and military aspects of the World War II era. The center presents a variety of topics and speakers each year who explore different aspects of the great conflict. The directors of the center are Dr. Paul Zigo and Dr. Laura Neitzel. For further information about the 10th Anniversary Series, go to www.brookdale.cc.nj.us and click on the World War II Center link on the left hand side.
History is always best when shared.
*Original poems written by Yamaguchi Tsutomu, translated by Chad Diehl. Published by Excogitating Over Coffee Publishing, 2010.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
A Day at Camp Evans: First Annual InfoAge World War II Symposium
Driving down Marconi Road in Wall Township you see a small, weathered sign, “Welcome to Camp Evans.” Visible from the road is a large brick building and a cyclone fence. There is the customary sign asking that all visitors check in at the guard house. And from there, the amazingly excellent volunteers of InfoAge lead you on a voyage of discovery & knowledge.
Judy greeted me at the guard house with a smile and welcomed me to the Science History Learning Center. Even though I’m a bit early, like by two hours, she is at her post, ready for business. Once she found out that this was my first time on the base, she got Steve to take me on a tour of the facility, starting at the Marconi Hotel.
This magnificent building, currently being restored, houses several exhibits. We walk down the hallways, where newly discovered pictures of the bases illustrious past are on display. These pictures show the base in its infancy and how it grew and developed over the years. Originally, this was the Marconi Receiving Station and was taken over by the US Navy during World War I. Its purpose was to receive messages from Europe and make sure they got to the proper authorities. As a matter of fact, this is where word of the armistice ending World War I was received and driven down to President Wilson in Washington DC.
As Steve & I walk down the halls, he opens doors to show me the various displays of early RADAR components and radios. Among the items on display are an old Hot Wheels Radar Gun and the GI Joe Normandy Pathfinder edition soldier. He explains how troops went ashore several hours ahead of the main forces with special radios to help guide the gliders and paratroopers make a safe landing behind enemy lines. The radio they carried, to emit a homing signal, had a self-destruct switch, just in case, so it wouldn’t land in the hands of the Germans.
We walked into the Shipwreck Museum and looked at the various pieces recovered off the coast of New Jersey. Steve explained that this museum was being moved to another larger building on the base in the near future. The new space would allow for larger, interactive displays. The cannons, ancient diving equipment, china, and other artifacts on exhibit currently tell a fascinating story of times gone by.
Then, modern technology took over as Steve’s cell phone rang and he had to set-up for an Eagle Scout presentation. But before he left, he introduced me to Nels Warren, the person who rebuilds and restores the military vehicles on display.
As Nels led the way, the first vehicle I was an amphibious assault vehicle, large enough to carry a Jeep. He told me the “duck” frame is still in use today by cities that have land-sea tours. Also on display were Willy’s Jeeps, Ford Jeeps, Deuce & ½’s, ambulances that saw action in m World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Also on display was an officer’s car. These vehicles were discontinued because after awhile even the enemy knew that these vehicles carried officers and were targeted by them.
In another room were the German military vehicles. As Nels explained, it is disrespectful to display those vehicles in the same room as the American vehicles. One of the restored vehicles was a Kubel, the Nazi equivalent of the Willy’s Jeep. It looks like the old Volkswagen Thing and does run, as do most of the vehicles.
I also learned that several of the vehicles restored at Camp Evans are on display at the Smithsonian Museum. These vehicles still have the original paint. The faded look is necessary for the authenticy of the vehicle. Many of these vehicles were donated by veterans from their private collections who didn’t want the vehicles sold on e-bay.
Another gentleman walked in and began to look at the vehicles. Nels excused himself to talk to him. I thanked him for his time and began to walk around the base, eager to see what else I could discover.
I met Dan and his son Daniel by the front gate and we began to talk. Somehow, the conversation got around to our favorite holiday, Halloween and I found out about the Haunted Hotel & Hayride. InfoAge runs this event on Fridays and Saturdays in October and it is one of the most successful fundraisers for the base restorations. And off we went, on a tour.
It was while we were walking that I learned that Judy is the main coordinator of the Haunted Hotel. Also, the students from Shore Regional, Neptune, and Wall Township volunteer their time and are actively involved in creating the displays, making short films, and acting as various Halloween ghosts, ghouls, monsters and creatures. I don’t want to spoil any surprises that are coming this year, but from talking with Dan, Halloween at Camp Evans is going to be a spook-tacular spectacle (go to www.infoage.org to see pictures from the previous Haunted Hotel and Hayride).
Since I was there for the symposium, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about it. Three of the presentations dealt with the importance of radar; its development, deployment, usage, and countermeasures. I learned what happened at Pearl Harbor, how it wasn’t a technology failure, but a series of human circumstances and breakdown in communications that caught us unaware. Ray Chase, a Radar Historian, informed us about the details of December 7, 1941 and more importantly, the people involved.
We learned how radar was used to devastating effectiveness during the Battle of Britain. It was in this lecture that we also learned how applications of existing and new technology eventually minimized the effectiveness of the German radar. John Cervini and Fred Carl of InfoAge gave us an in-depth look at how radar worked and what was done to counter it.
Captain Dan Cromwell presented a documentary he made about the USS Murphy. This destroyer was vital to our war efforts and served with distinction as a convoy transport, during the invasion of Sicily, at the landing of Normandy, as transport for the King of Saudi Arabia where he met with FDR after the Yalta Conference. His film told us the story of how, on a return trip from Europe, the ship collided with a tanker and that the bow was sheared off. We learned the bow rested for over 60 years off the coast of New Jersey. The interviews with the crewman who served aboard the warship put a face to the efforts of the brave men of the “greatest” generation who served with courage and distinction.
Another aspect of how advanced in technology made an impact was in tactical communications. Al Klase of the NJ Antique Radio Club taught us about how frequency modulation, quartz-crystal frequency control, and the use of the very high frequency spectrum improved communications. This presentation, while very detailed and at times technical, was fascination.
The last speaker of the day was Evan Koblentz, the President of the Mid Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists. The brief presentation told us about the scientists who played a role in the development of digital computing at Camp Evans. It’s too bad that the symposium ran tight on time for it was the development of computers that greatly aided the development of post World War II industry and space exploration.
The InfoAge Science History Learning Center at Camp Evans is open on Sundays from 1:00pm till 5:00pm and is located off Route 18, Exit 7, on Marconi Road in Wall, NJ. For more information about the center and future events, such as the Haunted Hotel and Hayride, go to www.infoage.org.
Judy greeted me at the guard house with a smile and welcomed me to the Science History Learning Center. Even though I’m a bit early, like by two hours, she is at her post, ready for business. Once she found out that this was my first time on the base, she got Steve to take me on a tour of the facility, starting at the Marconi Hotel.
This magnificent building, currently being restored, houses several exhibits. We walk down the hallways, where newly discovered pictures of the bases illustrious past are on display. These pictures show the base in its infancy and how it grew and developed over the years. Originally, this was the Marconi Receiving Station and was taken over by the US Navy during World War I. Its purpose was to receive messages from Europe and make sure they got to the proper authorities. As a matter of fact, this is where word of the armistice ending World War I was received and driven down to President Wilson in Washington DC.
As Steve & I walk down the halls, he opens doors to show me the various displays of early RADAR components and radios. Among the items on display are an old Hot Wheels Radar Gun and the GI Joe Normandy Pathfinder edition soldier. He explains how troops went ashore several hours ahead of the main forces with special radios to help guide the gliders and paratroopers make a safe landing behind enemy lines. The radio they carried, to emit a homing signal, had a self-destruct switch, just in case, so it wouldn’t land in the hands of the Germans.
We walked into the Shipwreck Museum and looked at the various pieces recovered off the coast of New Jersey. Steve explained that this museum was being moved to another larger building on the base in the near future. The new space would allow for larger, interactive displays. The cannons, ancient diving equipment, china, and other artifacts on exhibit currently tell a fascinating story of times gone by.
Then, modern technology took over as Steve’s cell phone rang and he had to set-up for an Eagle Scout presentation. But before he left, he introduced me to Nels Warren, the person who rebuilds and restores the military vehicles on display.
As Nels led the way, the first vehicle I was an amphibious assault vehicle, large enough to carry a Jeep. He told me the “duck” frame is still in use today by cities that have land-sea tours. Also on display were Willy’s Jeeps, Ford Jeeps, Deuce & ½’s, ambulances that saw action in m World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Also on display was an officer’s car. These vehicles were discontinued because after awhile even the enemy knew that these vehicles carried officers and were targeted by them.
In another room were the German military vehicles. As Nels explained, it is disrespectful to display those vehicles in the same room as the American vehicles. One of the restored vehicles was a Kubel, the Nazi equivalent of the Willy’s Jeep. It looks like the old Volkswagen Thing and does run, as do most of the vehicles.
I also learned that several of the vehicles restored at Camp Evans are on display at the Smithsonian Museum. These vehicles still have the original paint. The faded look is necessary for the authenticy of the vehicle. Many of these vehicles were donated by veterans from their private collections who didn’t want the vehicles sold on e-bay.
Another gentleman walked in and began to look at the vehicles. Nels excused himself to talk to him. I thanked him for his time and began to walk around the base, eager to see what else I could discover.
I met Dan and his son Daniel by the front gate and we began to talk. Somehow, the conversation got around to our favorite holiday, Halloween and I found out about the Haunted Hotel & Hayride. InfoAge runs this event on Fridays and Saturdays in October and it is one of the most successful fundraisers for the base restorations. And off we went, on a tour.
It was while we were walking that I learned that Judy is the main coordinator of the Haunted Hotel. Also, the students from Shore Regional, Neptune, and Wall Township volunteer their time and are actively involved in creating the displays, making short films, and acting as various Halloween ghosts, ghouls, monsters and creatures. I don’t want to spoil any surprises that are coming this year, but from talking with Dan, Halloween at Camp Evans is going to be a spook-tacular spectacle (go to www.infoage.org to see pictures from the previous Haunted Hotel and Hayride).
Since I was there for the symposium, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about it. Three of the presentations dealt with the importance of radar; its development, deployment, usage, and countermeasures. I learned what happened at Pearl Harbor, how it wasn’t a technology failure, but a series of human circumstances and breakdown in communications that caught us unaware. Ray Chase, a Radar Historian, informed us about the details of December 7, 1941 and more importantly, the people involved.
We learned how radar was used to devastating effectiveness during the Battle of Britain. It was in this lecture that we also learned how applications of existing and new technology eventually minimized the effectiveness of the German radar. John Cervini and Fred Carl of InfoAge gave us an in-depth look at how radar worked and what was done to counter it.
Captain Dan Cromwell presented a documentary he made about the USS Murphy. This destroyer was vital to our war efforts and served with distinction as a convoy transport, during the invasion of Sicily, at the landing of Normandy, as transport for the King of Saudi Arabia where he met with FDR after the Yalta Conference. His film told us the story of how, on a return trip from Europe, the ship collided with a tanker and that the bow was sheared off. We learned the bow rested for over 60 years off the coast of New Jersey. The interviews with the crewman who served aboard the warship put a face to the efforts of the brave men of the “greatest” generation who served with courage and distinction.
Another aspect of how advanced in technology made an impact was in tactical communications. Al Klase of the NJ Antique Radio Club taught us about how frequency modulation, quartz-crystal frequency control, and the use of the very high frequency spectrum improved communications. This presentation, while very detailed and at times technical, was fascination.
The last speaker of the day was Evan Koblentz, the President of the Mid Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists. The brief presentation told us about the scientists who played a role in the development of digital computing at Camp Evans. It’s too bad that the symposium ran tight on time for it was the development of computers that greatly aided the development of post World War II industry and space exploration.
The InfoAge Science History Learning Center at Camp Evans is open on Sundays from 1:00pm till 5:00pm and is located off Route 18, Exit 7, on Marconi Road in Wall, NJ. For more information about the center and future events, such as the Haunted Hotel and Hayride, go to www.infoage.org.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Satisfying The Customer With Great Service
“The customer is always right, even when they’re wrong, they are right.”
Retailers Golden Rule
The most important person in any organization, no matter what size, no matter the product or service provided, is the customer. Without the customer, there is no money generation, which leads to a new “For Rent” sign being displayed and talented workers beating the bushes for the next great opportunity. It doesn’t matter in what department you work, if no revenue comes in, bills don’t get paid.
And before the choir cries out, that it’s not my job, remember the 1st golden rule, soon it won’t be. Cause everything is your job. This is a lesson that every successful entrepreneur learns. Making sure that this idea is carried out and put into practice depends on making sure that employees have what it takes and can deliver it.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE
ATTITUDE
No word is stronger to describe this essential Key to Customer Service. People who are successful in this field look and act professional. They are friendly, good listeners, patient, and polite. Understanding that customers have a plethora of choices, it is not always price that tips the scale in deciding where to spend money. It is a feeling of comfort, of dependability, that makes people return.
KEY SKILLS
There are 3 skills at the heart of Customer Service that we can look at, each equally important: Communications, Problem Solving and a Go-Getter. Active Listening, a key component of Communications, works here. If you didn’t hear what the issues are and ask questions, how can you resolve it? The saying goes,” you have 2 ears and 1 mouth, use them in proportion”.
Customer Service, at it core, is problem solving. Remaining calm, taking charge, thinking on your feet and outside of the box when necessary, means you look for solutions. And if you didn’t accurately hear the details, your solution may or may not work.
It’s being a go-getter, going extra mile for customers, which they remember and appreciate. Instead of dismissing the problem, getting off your best intentions (instead just going through the motions) shows you care.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
While attitude and the right skill set determine the success of working with the public, other important factors have to be taken into considerations. Knowledge, not just of a particular service or product, but of relationships is important. How well you know the industry and the competition, what your company does better, effects whether or not customers return.
Knowledge of your role in the company, not just job duties, is another point. It does not matter where you work, when some is looking for help, you represent the company. It is about your interaction with people you work with. Are you a team player or a diva? Do you go the extra mile or do enough (in your opinion)? And how do show it; because customer service is more than talking the talk, it’s walking the walk.
CONCLUSION
Providing quality, attentive customer service won’t save you from poor management decisions and financial difficulties, but it does give you a professional appearance and demeanor. As noted by business leaders, the purpose of business is not in profits, but the ability to acquire and keep customers. If this is done correctly, profits follow. We all remember good Customer Service and value it. And come back when we’re happy with the results
Retailers Golden Rule
The most important person in any organization, no matter what size, no matter the product or service provided, is the customer. Without the customer, there is no money generation, which leads to a new “For Rent” sign being displayed and talented workers beating the bushes for the next great opportunity. It doesn’t matter in what department you work, if no revenue comes in, bills don’t get paid.
And before the choir cries out, that it’s not my job, remember the 1st golden rule, soon it won’t be. Cause everything is your job. This is a lesson that every successful entrepreneur learns. Making sure that this idea is carried out and put into practice depends on making sure that employees have what it takes and can deliver it.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE
ATTITUDE
No word is stronger to describe this essential Key to Customer Service. People who are successful in this field look and act professional. They are friendly, good listeners, patient, and polite. Understanding that customers have a plethora of choices, it is not always price that tips the scale in deciding where to spend money. It is a feeling of comfort, of dependability, that makes people return.
KEY SKILLS
There are 3 skills at the heart of Customer Service that we can look at, each equally important: Communications, Problem Solving and a Go-Getter. Active Listening, a key component of Communications, works here. If you didn’t hear what the issues are and ask questions, how can you resolve it? The saying goes,” you have 2 ears and 1 mouth, use them in proportion”.
Customer Service, at it core, is problem solving. Remaining calm, taking charge, thinking on your feet and outside of the box when necessary, means you look for solutions. And if you didn’t accurately hear the details, your solution may or may not work.
It’s being a go-getter, going extra mile for customers, which they remember and appreciate. Instead of dismissing the problem, getting off your best intentions (instead just going through the motions) shows you care.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
While attitude and the right skill set determine the success of working with the public, other important factors have to be taken into considerations. Knowledge, not just of a particular service or product, but of relationships is important. How well you know the industry and the competition, what your company does better, effects whether or not customers return.
Knowledge of your role in the company, not just job duties, is another point. It does not matter where you work, when some is looking for help, you represent the company. It is about your interaction with people you work with. Are you a team player or a diva? Do you go the extra mile or do enough (in your opinion)? And how do show it; because customer service is more than talking the talk, it’s walking the walk.
CONCLUSION
Providing quality, attentive customer service won’t save you from poor management decisions and financial difficulties, but it does give you a professional appearance and demeanor. As noted by business leaders, the purpose of business is not in profits, but the ability to acquire and keep customers. If this is done correctly, profits follow. We all remember good Customer Service and value it. And come back when we’re happy with the results
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Targeting Your Job Search
You can’t hit the target if you can’t see it.
What do you want to be when you grow up? It seems like such a simple question, doesn’t it? When we’re growing up, the answers are typically Doctor, Lawyer, Police Officer, Fire Fighter, Astronaut, and Teacher. Then reality sets in (like educational requirements) and what was once crystal clear, is no longer.
This same thought process holds true if you are a career changer. You had one idea of what you wanted to do and took a position in that chosen field. Now, due to burn out, stress, unrealistic expectations, corporate downsizing, company relocation or just a general lack of opportunity in that field, you are trying to figure out what you want to be when they grow up. Here are a few ideas to help you find your target.
KNOW THYSELF: WHAT SKILLS DO YOU HAVE
To figure out what skills you bring to the table, create a list of job related skills, not duties and responsibilities. Duties and responsibilities talk about what you did, not how you did it and the end results. By starting off at looking at what you bring to the table, you can talk about the how’s clearly and relate those skills to the particular opportunity. It is your charge to draw a bridge between what you did and what you can do. The knowledge of the relationship between your skill set and that required of a job, is yours to present.
There are two sets of skills worth explaining, hard skills (like computer programs used) and soft skills (Communication Skills). The hard skills deal with what you used to accomplish tasks. The soft skills are those you use when dealing with others. The soft skills are sometimes harder to quantify, but are more important because they deal with your ability to be part of a team and to work effectively with others.
WHAT SKILLS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE OPENING
Next is good, old fashion research with a twist. Use the internet to look up careers. Take an on-line career assessment, to see what fields fit your skill set. Now, you have valuable information that can help you target your search. Find out what skills are necessary for success, prove you have them, and build the bridge of relating what you’ve done in the past to the new opportunity that is in front of you.
One area where people make a mistake is when they say they want to be a nurse. Great choice, however, if you have never worked in healthcare and do not possess the necessary education, you are not going to walk into a hospital and BE a nurse. There are other positions in healthcare where you CAN help people without the degree. Be aware of the fact that without the proper credentials, this could be a dead end career choice; know what is required to grow and develop your talents so you can take advantage of the next opportunity that comes along. And if it means going back to school, get off your best intentions and get yourself in the classroom. Don’t use it as an excuse; use it as a reason to earn your degree (or certificate).
TRANSFERABILITY
You spent 3 years working in security, now you want to work with children in a school setting. Is it a stretch? Depends on how you look at it. If you just go by what security is, watching what’s going on, you will be limited. But when you look at the problem solving that the job requires, the people skills involving Communications and Customer Service, the record keeping and organizational aspects of securing an area, you have talking points.
Relate those skills to the classroom and what a teacher does besides teach. A teacher has to keep a grade book (accurate record keeping), present a lesson (Communication Skills), create lesson plans (goals with results and a way to measure effectiveness), problem solve (Conflict Resolution). Don’t look at yourself in only one dimension.
CHANGE
The hardest part of all this is accepting change. Change in where you work. A change in your self identity (since most people take their sense of self from what they accomplish at work), look beyond what you seek. A change in how you look at who you are.
So there it is, plain and simple. Identify the skills you have, identify the skills necessary for success in your new field, and show how they transfer. Once you take the blinders off your search, you’ll be amazed at who you are and what you can bring to the table.
What do you want to be when you grow up? It seems like such a simple question, doesn’t it? When we’re growing up, the answers are typically Doctor, Lawyer, Police Officer, Fire Fighter, Astronaut, and Teacher. Then reality sets in (like educational requirements) and what was once crystal clear, is no longer.
This same thought process holds true if you are a career changer. You had one idea of what you wanted to do and took a position in that chosen field. Now, due to burn out, stress, unrealistic expectations, corporate downsizing, company relocation or just a general lack of opportunity in that field, you are trying to figure out what you want to be when they grow up. Here are a few ideas to help you find your target.
KNOW THYSELF: WHAT SKILLS DO YOU HAVE
To figure out what skills you bring to the table, create a list of job related skills, not duties and responsibilities. Duties and responsibilities talk about what you did, not how you did it and the end results. By starting off at looking at what you bring to the table, you can talk about the how’s clearly and relate those skills to the particular opportunity. It is your charge to draw a bridge between what you did and what you can do. The knowledge of the relationship between your skill set and that required of a job, is yours to present.
There are two sets of skills worth explaining, hard skills (like computer programs used) and soft skills (Communication Skills). The hard skills deal with what you used to accomplish tasks. The soft skills are those you use when dealing with others. The soft skills are sometimes harder to quantify, but are more important because they deal with your ability to be part of a team and to work effectively with others.
WHAT SKILLS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE OPENING
Next is good, old fashion research with a twist. Use the internet to look up careers. Take an on-line career assessment, to see what fields fit your skill set. Now, you have valuable information that can help you target your search. Find out what skills are necessary for success, prove you have them, and build the bridge of relating what you’ve done in the past to the new opportunity that is in front of you.
One area where people make a mistake is when they say they want to be a nurse. Great choice, however, if you have never worked in healthcare and do not possess the necessary education, you are not going to walk into a hospital and BE a nurse. There are other positions in healthcare where you CAN help people without the degree. Be aware of the fact that without the proper credentials, this could be a dead end career choice; know what is required to grow and develop your talents so you can take advantage of the next opportunity that comes along. And if it means going back to school, get off your best intentions and get yourself in the classroom. Don’t use it as an excuse; use it as a reason to earn your degree (or certificate).
TRANSFERABILITY
You spent 3 years working in security, now you want to work with children in a school setting. Is it a stretch? Depends on how you look at it. If you just go by what security is, watching what’s going on, you will be limited. But when you look at the problem solving that the job requires, the people skills involving Communications and Customer Service, the record keeping and organizational aspects of securing an area, you have talking points.
Relate those skills to the classroom and what a teacher does besides teach. A teacher has to keep a grade book (accurate record keeping), present a lesson (Communication Skills), create lesson plans (goals with results and a way to measure effectiveness), problem solve (Conflict Resolution). Don’t look at yourself in only one dimension.
CHANGE
The hardest part of all this is accepting change. Change in where you work. A change in your self identity (since most people take their sense of self from what they accomplish at work), look beyond what you seek. A change in how you look at who you are.
So there it is, plain and simple. Identify the skills you have, identify the skills necessary for success in your new field, and show how they transfer. Once you take the blinders off your search, you’ll be amazed at who you are and what you can bring to the table.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
PsYcHo-DeLiC nEwS
VILLAGERS STORM POST OFFICE WITH PITCH FORKS AND TORCHES
A series of events, like a pebble cast upon a pond, causes ripples. This is one such story, which happened in a tiny community in the Garden State.
Behind it all, is the callous disregard the school district shows towards the parents, and by extension the students. All they wanted is to know who their children’s teachers were so they could get ready for school. Each grade, and each teacher, requires specific materials, as directed by the testing of the year to check competencies. (We should be checking for creativity, problem solving, imagination, and the arts; instead we look for benchmarks that have been prepared by administrators who are sitting on their best intentions, but that’s another story.) The schools don’t want to deal with the outcry of parents, who work to pay their very salaries. And due to a mistake, not caught by postal carrier (who was covering the route for the regular letter carrier), a tray of mail was mislaid. Numerous calls to the confused and befuddled Postmaster, who never received more than 2 calls in any day, threw the office into a state of manic, unfocused energy, and as a result, the mail was unfound, but more importantly, undelivered.
Jamie Quirk was not one to take things quietly. She was head of a powerful block association that gathers every morning, to discuss the state of affairs. She was not pleased. The temporary deliverer of the mail said there was a tray of mail missing and drove feverously off, in the direction of the Post Office, to locate aforementioned tray. She had returned, to deliver the junk mail, and said they (hopefully meaning the infamous mail police) were investigating.
Jamie called once, explained the situation, in a calm and direct Staten Island way, and expected something to be done directly also. She then informed the rest of her organization of her progress.
LATER ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON
There was no further delivery of mail. At 5pm, as detectives were later able to determine, another call was received at the Post Office. Jamie, once again, explained the situation. The person at the other end of the phone had no idea that this was going on! Jamie was told not to worry. We’re the Post Office”, said the official confidently and then she quoted the Greek historian, Herodotus, "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds".
SATURDAY
Every one on the quiet street was anxiously awaiting the mail. People were walking past their living room windows more than usual, peering out. Some kept walking out toward the mail box, walking slowly back, shaking their heads, empty-handed.
Jamie had to know what was going on. In addition to involving her husband, she kept calling other members and their husbands into getting involved. All the men wanted to do, was, well, that’s another story, but, none the less, they were being slowly dragged in.
Around 1:47pm, as the puzzle was being put together later, the white truck pulled onto the block. It crept up the block, up to each house, going up the hill, toward the sun. The sound of the engine grew louder, as it came down the hill. As it turned the corner, husbands ran down the hill, with Mr. Mac Murphy sustaining a rather large, purplish blacktop burn due to sliding on the slick pavement. The sudden stop of hitting the telephone pole didn’t help, as he managed to slide hip first into it. The medics have said he will be cleared to come home in a few days, after the wound has been cleaned and dressed. As a precaution, he is being flown by helicopter to Special Hospital For Surgery.
The Post Master was on his private 32 ft baby, coasting up down from Seaside towards Point Pleasant, unaware he was part of a National News Story. For Jamie, was not one to be trifled with. She was not Block President for nothing. And she had an army behind her. When her husband went to work, so did she.
She called the women and their families over for a BBQ. Her plan was to wine and dine them, as her prowess in the kitchen was legendary. She called up a few baby sitters, so the parents could listen, as she told them of the next move in the chess match, and the ultimate goal. To get the mail, and the legendary school letter which held the promise of creative learning and endless discussions over homework, such as why do we have so much, why can’t I do it later, why do my teachers hate me, and the ever famous, but so and so mom’s says she doesn’t have to finish it all, why then oh why I do I. But that’s another story.
A few of the husbands, Air, Sky, The Kid brought over their favorite liquid lubrications, which should never be mixed together, and Jamie, being a former mixologist at Studio 54, was cooking up Fuzzy Navels, Slo Gin Fizzes, and Alabama Slammers. By dusk, the crowd, which grew to include the parents of the surrounding blocks, do what unruly crowds do, when faced with such a crisis in the lives of their precious kids.
They went into garages and into their sheds. They raided patios and decks. They headed toward Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Lowe’s and Home Depot. They headed to local hardware stores, who all believed that Christmas had come in August. And they bought, took, stole, and acquired all the Tiki torches and pitch forks in the land. And they headed down the block together like never before, to the Post Office they go. Also lost in all of this, was the voice of reason.
SUNDAY MORNING
The road would have to be closed till morning, due to the massive clean up. The Sheriff wanted to ask for volunteers, but most of the possible recruits were lying on the ground, soaking wet, face down, in the mud, handcuffed and didn’t seem inclined to help. A few were over by the ambulances, being treated for various scrapes and abrasions. Sally Jenkins was bring treated for broken ribs, as the force of the water through the fire hose caused her to fly into The Kid, who slammed into a parked car, where he injured his back. He was lying in the ambulance, helping himself to the Nitrous Oxide they had taken instead of the oxygen tank.
The pitch forks were stacked in piles and burned by the few torches still let. The rest lie smoldering on the battlefield. It was a rather easy victory for the Police. A few smart parents dropped their torches and ran when they were asked tp stand down by the 6ft 7inc, former starting offensive tackle for the local football team and most intimidating officer on the force. The rest chanting, “We want our bloody school letters”, kept marching. The shit hit the fan when Jamie, who had had enough with being “madam-ed” by Chief of Police Tinkler, lit his uniform jacket on fire, by putting the touch to the back of it. Fire Marshall Bill turned the hoses on The Chief and Jamie. Then the gathered throng rushed forward with all the calm and rational thinking of a European Soccer crowd.
As there was no damage done to the facility, or any officer harmed, except for the Chief who is recovering from second degree ass-burns and has to sit on a do-nut for the next 6 weeks. No charges were filed, however Jamie was stripped of her title and cannot even participate in the school annual Baking Cookoff and Sale. Thus, did die her plans to storm the Offices of the Superintendent and all schools, while chanting,
“We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.”
And all of this happened to avoid interaction with the taxpayers and a mistake, since the mail tray was found; it was switched with a tray of outgoing mail and went back to a central facility. It was delivered, on time, to each home early Monday afternoon.
A series of events, like a pebble cast upon a pond, causes ripples. This is one such story, which happened in a tiny community in the Garden State.
Behind it all, is the callous disregard the school district shows towards the parents, and by extension the students. All they wanted is to know who their children’s teachers were so they could get ready for school. Each grade, and each teacher, requires specific materials, as directed by the testing of the year to check competencies. (We should be checking for creativity, problem solving, imagination, and the arts; instead we look for benchmarks that have been prepared by administrators who are sitting on their best intentions, but that’s another story.) The schools don’t want to deal with the outcry of parents, who work to pay their very salaries. And due to a mistake, not caught by postal carrier (who was covering the route for the regular letter carrier), a tray of mail was mislaid. Numerous calls to the confused and befuddled Postmaster, who never received more than 2 calls in any day, threw the office into a state of manic, unfocused energy, and as a result, the mail was unfound, but more importantly, undelivered.
Jamie Quirk was not one to take things quietly. She was head of a powerful block association that gathers every morning, to discuss the state of affairs. She was not pleased. The temporary deliverer of the mail said there was a tray of mail missing and drove feverously off, in the direction of the Post Office, to locate aforementioned tray. She had returned, to deliver the junk mail, and said they (hopefully meaning the infamous mail police) were investigating.
Jamie called once, explained the situation, in a calm and direct Staten Island way, and expected something to be done directly also. She then informed the rest of her organization of her progress.
LATER ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON
There was no further delivery of mail. At 5pm, as detectives were later able to determine, another call was received at the Post Office. Jamie, once again, explained the situation. The person at the other end of the phone had no idea that this was going on! Jamie was told not to worry. We’re the Post Office”, said the official confidently and then she quoted the Greek historian, Herodotus, "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these courageous couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds".
SATURDAY
Every one on the quiet street was anxiously awaiting the mail. People were walking past their living room windows more than usual, peering out. Some kept walking out toward the mail box, walking slowly back, shaking their heads, empty-handed.
Jamie had to know what was going on. In addition to involving her husband, she kept calling other members and their husbands into getting involved. All the men wanted to do, was, well, that’s another story, but, none the less, they were being slowly dragged in.
Around 1:47pm, as the puzzle was being put together later, the white truck pulled onto the block. It crept up the block, up to each house, going up the hill, toward the sun. The sound of the engine grew louder, as it came down the hill. As it turned the corner, husbands ran down the hill, with Mr. Mac Murphy sustaining a rather large, purplish blacktop burn due to sliding on the slick pavement. The sudden stop of hitting the telephone pole didn’t help, as he managed to slide hip first into it. The medics have said he will be cleared to come home in a few days, after the wound has been cleaned and dressed. As a precaution, he is being flown by helicopter to Special Hospital For Surgery.
The Post Master was on his private 32 ft baby, coasting up down from Seaside towards Point Pleasant, unaware he was part of a National News Story. For Jamie, was not one to be trifled with. She was not Block President for nothing. And she had an army behind her. When her husband went to work, so did she.
She called the women and their families over for a BBQ. Her plan was to wine and dine them, as her prowess in the kitchen was legendary. She called up a few baby sitters, so the parents could listen, as she told them of the next move in the chess match, and the ultimate goal. To get the mail, and the legendary school letter which held the promise of creative learning and endless discussions over homework, such as why do we have so much, why can’t I do it later, why do my teachers hate me, and the ever famous, but so and so mom’s says she doesn’t have to finish it all, why then oh why I do I. But that’s another story.
A few of the husbands, Air, Sky, The Kid brought over their favorite liquid lubrications, which should never be mixed together, and Jamie, being a former mixologist at Studio 54, was cooking up Fuzzy Navels, Slo Gin Fizzes, and Alabama Slammers. By dusk, the crowd, which grew to include the parents of the surrounding blocks, do what unruly crowds do, when faced with such a crisis in the lives of their precious kids.
They went into garages and into their sheds. They raided patios and decks. They headed toward Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Lowe’s and Home Depot. They headed to local hardware stores, who all believed that Christmas had come in August. And they bought, took, stole, and acquired all the Tiki torches and pitch forks in the land. And they headed down the block together like never before, to the Post Office they go. Also lost in all of this, was the voice of reason.
SUNDAY MORNING
The road would have to be closed till morning, due to the massive clean up. The Sheriff wanted to ask for volunteers, but most of the possible recruits were lying on the ground, soaking wet, face down, in the mud, handcuffed and didn’t seem inclined to help. A few were over by the ambulances, being treated for various scrapes and abrasions. Sally Jenkins was bring treated for broken ribs, as the force of the water through the fire hose caused her to fly into The Kid, who slammed into a parked car, where he injured his back. He was lying in the ambulance, helping himself to the Nitrous Oxide they had taken instead of the oxygen tank.
The pitch forks were stacked in piles and burned by the few torches still let. The rest lie smoldering on the battlefield. It was a rather easy victory for the Police. A few smart parents dropped their torches and ran when they were asked tp stand down by the 6ft 7inc, former starting offensive tackle for the local football team and most intimidating officer on the force. The rest chanting, “We want our bloody school letters”, kept marching. The shit hit the fan when Jamie, who had had enough with being “madam-ed” by Chief of Police Tinkler, lit his uniform jacket on fire, by putting the touch to the back of it. Fire Marshall Bill turned the hoses on The Chief and Jamie. Then the gathered throng rushed forward with all the calm and rational thinking of a European Soccer crowd.
As there was no damage done to the facility, or any officer harmed, except for the Chief who is recovering from second degree ass-burns and has to sit on a do-nut for the next 6 weeks. No charges were filed, however Jamie was stripped of her title and cannot even participate in the school annual Baking Cookoff and Sale. Thus, did die her plans to storm the Offices of the Superintendent and all schools, while chanting,
“We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.”
And all of this happened to avoid interaction with the taxpayers and a mistake, since the mail tray was found; it was switched with a tray of outgoing mail and went back to a central facility. It was delivered, on time, to each home early Monday afternoon.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
A Brick Bandits Interview: A Few Minutes With Darnell Stapleton
Darnell Stapleton Super Bowl Champion with Mike V. CEO Brick Bandits
When you first meet Darnell Stapleton, you meet a young man who is deeply committed to his community, be it his hometown of Union, NJ, or his teammates out in Pittsburgh. A graduate of Union High School in 2003 and of Rutgers University, where he earned a BA in Labor Studies and Management, his road to NFL success has not been easy. An un-drafted free agent who had “8 or 9 teams call after the draft, looking to sign me”, he chose the Pittsburgh Steelers. Through hard work, attention to details and a commitment to his dreams, he was the starter at Right Guard for the Super Bowl Champions.
Mike V, CEO of Brick Bandits talked about how he first met Darnell when they moved in down the block. “He was the first neighbor who came over to meet us. He told us, if we needed anything to talk to him.” This impressed Mike because the spirit of neighbor, of being a part of the community, is one of the driving forces of Brick Bandits.
Darnell is a role model and it a role that suits him. He spends the off-season in the home he grew up in, going to elementary schools in the area and talking to the kids. His message is a simple, yet powerful one, “never give up on yourself.” As a student, Darnell’s favorite subject was Math and his favorite teachers were his gym teachers, who, in his words, “took care of me.”
After High school and before his time at Rutgers, he attended Hudson Valley Community College to “get his grades straight” since he wanted to attend a Division 1 school. This dedication to education shows he values developing his mind as well as his football skills.
When asked about his NFL career, he is very humble. He spoke about how Center Jeff Hartings helped him in his first year learn about life as a Professional Football player. As a rookie, he had to do the usual stuff, like carry the vet’s pads during training camp, buying breakfast for his fellow lineman on Saturdays, and paying for dinner at the end of the season,. (“I dropped about $15,000.00 on that meal”, he chuckled). He has met former Pro-Bowl Center Dermontti Dawson (one his favorite players) and Mel Blount. When asked about the past Steelers, he said the attitude is “once a Steeler, always a Steeler”, so the players from the past are always there, willing to talk to the players and help them out with words of advice and encouragement.
And here are a few bricks that make him who he is:
Favorite Foods: Gyro’s Pizza and Burger King (Double Whopper with Cheese, no onions)
Favorite Music: Rap, R&B, and Reggee (“ I find it very relaxing”), and will listen to anything. As he pointed out, his teammates come from all over the US and everyone exposes each other to what their favorites are
Favorite Movies: “Coming To America” & “The Last Dragon”
Favorite Toy Growing Up: Nintendo, especially the Duck Hunt Game and Track & Field, with the finger pads
Favorite Superhero: Superman (who is also Mike V’s favorite)
4 People from History who he’d like to have dinner with:
President Obama
Dermontti Dawson
Martin Luther King Jr.
His Grandmother on his father’s side (“I never met her, as she passed before I was born”, he said. “I want to find out about what they had to go through and how they did it.” He is very close to his other Grandma, who calls him with words of encouragement and is an inspiration to him.)
Hobbies during the Season: Video Games
In The Off-Season : Video Games and Golf (I’m hooked on Golf. Ping set me up with custom clubs (due to his size). I like the game because you can play like trash one day and the next, I got an eagle & a birdie.”)
As for the future, he’d like to get into coaching once his career is over (hopefully a long time from now). And even though he did not give a reason, it would be safe to say that as a student of the game, it would be his way to help others and be a part of the game he loves to play.
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