Sunday, March 30, 2014

Calling All Philly Peeps

subtitle: Where I put myself out there way more than I usually do

So, I was really, really, really hoping this post would be the one where I announce my new job and our move to the City of Brotherly Love, which also contains a sisterhood of bloggers and former bloggers, whom I love. Still close to M's parents; closer to mom; way closer to my birth family who are itching to meet D....

Sigh.

I came this close. And didn't get it. And I've been told (because I kind of have an inside scoop) that it was neck and neck until the end....and that the fact that the other candidate lives right there right now and I do not (despite me saying outright, numerous times, that we are ready to pack our bags) was probably the tie-breaker.

Some of that makes me feel a little better. Most of it just stings.

And makes me all the more determined to make a move.

Because the search and interview process, like most things with non-profits,  lasted longer than expected, I had plenty of time to think about what life might be like in Center City, or the Main Line, or Mt. Airy, or Chestnut Hill...I think it would be awesome. So does M. D already has an honorary residence since he spent years in deep freeze there. Our little Han Solo.

Now, I love my little city, I truly do. I hype it any chance we get. You know this. We invite friends over just to show it off.  But you can only grow so much in a city with a population this size. And at the end of the day, even though we've lived around the world, this is the city where M and I both grew up. We went to (rival) high school(s) here. Besides reaching our career ceilings here, as M says, "I just want to drive down a street and not know every single thing that I'm going to see on it."

Yes. That.

And this is where I ask for your help:

If you happen to live in the Philadelphia area, and if you happen to hear of an executive opportunity (wheelhouse: associations, nonprofits, communications, govt relations) can you give me a shout? Of course, I'm looking in all the usual places (LinkedIn, ASAE, Nonprofit Times, all that) but I'd love to have some eyes and ears on the ground.

In the meantime, M and I have both been taking a new approach to our current jobs - "go with your gut, because you might quit tomorrow." I can't speak for M, but I think my work product has actually improved because of this new philosophy. I know my evenings and weekends have. Here's a glimpse of what went down last weekend (this is for you, S!):

Before (I made this! And yes, it is vegan.)

During

After (complete with favorite horsey. Neigh!!)

Monday, March 3, 2014

Dates and Deadlines

There are some words I need to just stop saying. Actually, more like phrases. Phrases like,

"I will get that to you...
  • ...ASAP."
  • ...by the end of the today."
  • ...tomorrow at the latest."
  • ...by the end of the week."
Because you know what? It probably won't happen. Today. Tomorrow. Maybe not this week. Most of the time there are things (or people, or one person - insert icy glare here) involved that are beyond my control. But sometimes there isn't.  I make my deadlines maybe 50% of the time. And thankfully, I am in the field of human services and that is seen as pretty damned acceptable.

I suck at deadlines. Really, really suck at them.  Just ask my friend L who is still waiting for me to push the review of the book she wrote last year out of my drafts and into the world. (I'm sorry, L! It's coming. It really is.)

When we started trying to make the hope of a family a reality, I gave myself a deadline of 35. Which then extended to 40, which, you know, 8 years ago, seemed like a world away. But here we are. In my 40th year.  And I may or may not be done with this whole family making adventure. Screw you, deadline.  You are an ambiguous marker on an abstract concept we call time.  I choose to ignore you.  Matrix-like.

You think that's air you're breathing? Hmm. 

Some big dates are looming - D's first birthday!
Some I chose to let pass quietly - happy 5th birthday, little girls.....
Some I just totally spaced - happy 7th blogoversary to me.

Posts are few and far between, I know. But the blog is still here, so therefore, I am.  Brother is better. M is still muddling. D is delicious. I mean, ridiculously delicious. And that glimmer of hope is still glimmering. And maybe I'll have some news about that later this week.  You can help by sending all of the, "wow, that m. would sure make an excellent executive..." thoughts you can muster towards the midatlantic section of the United States.

Deadlines: Useful focal points? Distractions? Meaningless? Meaningful? Discuss.

Google