Negative People

I've learned something new this week, which is truly astonishing, not because of the information, just because the nature of it.  Negative people are ALWAYS going to remain negative.  Those who do nothing but complain about others, have a tendency to always focus themselves.  My grandmother, (whom I love dearly, so please don't think anything I say is meant as not caring). If I did not care it wouldn't bother me. I have been running her around to her various dr. appts. errands she wants to run and anything else I can help her with.  She was diagnosed last year with lymphoma.  She did 8 treatments of an immunological drug since she refused to go through Chemo, some how managed not to see her oncologist the entire duration of her treatments, which didn't make any sense to me, since they need to keep an eye on her progress and if the treatment is working.  She is staying at my mother's ( God Bless Her) and I'm doing all the transporting.  I have the use of her car so that I can be there when she needs me, and its a fair trade off that I use it to go to school.  I'm getting off point here. So, Monday we go see her oncologist for the results from all her various scans.  And GOOD NEWS!, NO TUMOR CAN BE SEEN.  It has disappeared and her lymph nodes are back to normal.  She was happy, but not overjoyed and bursting with happiness. She was more concerned with getting out of there. She has to go ever two months for a couple of years for maintenance, to keep it from returning.  So her port cannot come out.  And all she has done since this whole thing started was complain that she could get her hair permed because she was taking CHEMO.  She told this to everyone she spoke to. So because her hair dresser thinks she is on chemo that she cannot give her a perm.  When we asked the oncologist about the perm, she told us " she could have had a perm this whole time, she isn't on chemo drugs, she is on immunological drugs. Very different type of therapy and has no effect on the hair. For months anyone and everyone has heard her complain about how she hates her straight hair can't wait to get a perm. She hasn't had straight hair in over 35 years and it just looks awful.  Her words not mine. I think she looks great with her straight hair. But because she was telling everyone she was taking chemo, she screwed herself.  I don't know if she truly thought she was on chemo or just confused about what she was taking, or wanted people to feel sorry for her. Everyone complimented her hair, but damn if she could actually just say "thank you" instead of launching into how she is taking chemo and she hates how her hair looks blah, blah, blah. I think you get the idea.  We lost a set of her car keys when we went to her house to pick some things up over a month ago. I found them that same Monday.  She was happy for about 2 seconds and than she started complaining about her house is dirty and might as well just burn the thing down and smash everything she has.  She said something similar when we were having her car worked on.  Very melodramatic and negative.  Apparently she has always been this way, but I didn't notice when I was a kid, or as she has gotten worse as she's gotten older. But her sisters are all the same way.  They can't say a good thing about anyone, unless your in the room. Once you leave, the knives come out.  Sad thing is they can't even get along for more than five mins before they start on each other.  Please save me from turning into her.  I don't want to be a person like that.  The woman is 90 years old and should be happy she is still here, while so many others have died. She is still mobile, she isn't confined to a bed, she doesn't even look her age. She is always complimented when we go somewhere and still can't just say "thank you".  The moral is, if you are negative early in life you are going to be worse when you get older.  There are so many things I could tell about her, but that would be a long, long, "blog".  Stopping now, otherwise I never will....

Applying for a job over the internet

Does anyone remember when you wanted to apply for a job, you had to go in, sometimes with a resume sometimes not, either way you still filled out an application and you got to speak with someone?  What happened to being able to make a first impression by applying in person?  Now everything is internet applications.  I have filled over 100 internet applications out looking for a job.  Not one single call from a prospective employer, but I sure as heck got calls from every school in the country wanting to continue my education.  Little exaggeration here, but I think you get the idea.  Even when you check off that YOU DO NOT WANT TO CONTACTED BY A SCHOOL OR OTHER LEARNING INSTITUTION you are still contacted.  When you are trying to get a job the last thing you need is your phone ringing all the time with call from recruiters for schools, instead of prospective employers. 

Now as for applying for jobs online, here is a trick some people don't know: every application is vetted through a computer, if certain key words are not in you resume or application, consideration for the job is not even a possibility.  The application and resume never make it to the employer who is hiring.  This is frustrating and annoying.  Getting a job is about your ability to perform the job, and being able to communicate with others, including a possible employer.  What happened to first impressions?  Even if a new Pizza Hut or McDonald's is hiring, you still have to fill out application online.  I worked for McDonald's as my first job and when I applied recently online, my resume and application never made it to the proper people because I did not have the CORRECT KEY WORDS.  I could run that place with my eyes closed!  Online applications are convenient because you don't have to drive anywhere to apply, BUT you also don't get a chance to actually talk to the hiring manager, store manager or anyone else.  First impressions when meeting a prospective employer are important, especially for kids who are in school and need a part time job or those who are out of school and need a full time job. 

It's time to take the computers out of the equation when applying for a job. Fill out an application online and send your resume, but it's time to take the computer gatekeeper out of the equation and let real people actually read the resumes and talk to the applicants.  Anyone can put in the correct key words in an application if they know about it, (which most don't) and know nothing about the actual job, just did a little research.  You hire this person because they matched all the key words, but when they actually start working you realize they are clueless.  Even worse, they are not easy to work with or just in general have a nasty attitude.  This works for them because they can keep getting jobs, even if they are fired.  As long as they research and use the correct key words, the computer will keep sending the application on.  This is not fair to the general public.  We need to go back to applying for jobs in person, or at the least have REAL people look at them, not some stupid computer looking for key words.  I won't even start on some of the "personality" tests some of these employers make you take after you fill out all your information on the application, attached your resume and then said ok, now just one more thing.  Some of the questions are just obvious, some are just stupid, and others don't make sense.  I will mention that the time it takes to fill out the application and answer the personality tests can be over an hour long!  You can tell I have issues with this, anyone else see the same thing or is it just me?  

Unemployment Rate

Is anyone else tired of hearing how the unemployment rate in Florida is low enough that the long term unemployed don't need any more assistance??  Did anyone in Tallahassee ever wonder what would happen to those who still can't find a job and they now have no income because Florida's unemployment rate is only 7 percent??  I would really like for someone to explain how they come up with those numbers.  Do they poll every person in Florida?  I think I can safely say NO.  I know I haven't received any phone call asking if I found a job yet.  Does the Governor think that just because they say the unemployment rate is down, that it has to be true?  Once you stop receiving benefits, there is no way for the government to account for the actual unemployed.  So only 7 percent of the state is receiving benefits.  What about the ones who are no longer getting benefits because they have exhausted their tiers, which used to go up to 5, then 4, then 3, and now none.  How about those people who have to live with family because they can't get a job, have no income and would otherwise be on the street if not for help from relatives or close friends?  How are they counted?  Or the ones who are on the street because they didn't have family or friends who could help them? They are not counted. Our Governor likes to says how low the unemployment is so he can inflate other numbers and use the money that Florida would have received for unemployment benefits in other areas that HE DEEMS WORTHY of the money.  But I don't think this is a problem with just Florida, I think it is everywhere.  Okay, maybe the Governor is just Florida, but as for how we account for who is actually employed and unemployed there is no real system to determine how many people are actually unemployed.  Those who get lucky and find a job, they are usually low paying ones, and have to get two jobs just to earn enough money to keep their heads above water.  This also leads to more unemployment because that second job that person has to get, could have gone to someone with no job.  I think if everyone was actually counted, the unemployment rate would be closer to 15 or 20 percent!  I could go on all day about this topic, especially since it hits so close to home but I'll leave it at this.  Stay tuned for my next blog about trying to get a job through internet applications.  That one is gonna be fun!  Stay Safe

Opinions are something that everyone has, some have the same, some don't.  Why can no one seem to respect other's opinions without being judgmental or having to argue with them and tell them they are wrong?  Opinions are not right nor wrong, they are how a person thinks or feels on a subject.

If you don't like the opinion, fine. State your case, but don't be argumentative or judgy.   Let it go.  If the opinions expressed are always different from yours, then maybe you shouldn't be talking to that person, unless you like to argue and aggravate everyone around you. You know who you are.  People seem to have a need to believe that everyone should think just like them.  Never going to happen.  We are too diverse to think alike and if we all did think alike, we'd be so freaking bored with each other we die out just from boredom.  Being like everyone else just makes you a sheep.  Don't let others tell you how to think.  Think for your self and be your own leader.