Archive for August, 2008
Same As It Ever Was
I knew it was going to be the day, no matter what the doctor had told me. When Julia’s mother, Heather, and I went to the ob/gyn on August 22, 2003 to check some levels that had not seemed right the day before, I purposely tied up some loose ends because I was sure we would be coming home with our baby girl.
Sound Association, August 2008
As of presstime, there are exactly 11,741 songs on my iPod, which means that whenever I hit “Shuffle,” there’s a fair chance I’ll hear something I haven’t heard in years, if it all. This is my fourth installment of “Sound Association,” in which I hit Shuffle on my iPod and write what comes to my mind when listening to the first handful of songs that pop up.
Class Action
It’s back-to-school time, and in order to be properly prepared, there are a few items you’ll need to get: school supplies, new clothes, bus pass, lunch box—and a lawyer.
For many families with children who have special needs, that might just be the agenda.
Rock Star
For many years, I have played music in public. Sometimes I am part of a band, or an acoustic duo. These days, I am very often doing it solo. I have done it a lot over the years, and because of the monotony of the routine-get to the gig, set up, play three sets, break down, repeat-it can be a job, making you forget how great it is to play music, whether it is your own or a cover of a popular tune. However, I recently had my faith restored in the craft. It is the best thing that I ever experienced at a gig.
Churn, Churn, Churn
The landlord who owns the old Carvel stand redoes the retro stand, spiffing it up with benches and greenery, and opens Old Country Creamery in May 2007. Now, Frank and Dolores Bruno have 16 flavors of homemade ice cream, including popular flavors like Cake Batter, which tastes like unbaked batter, and Vanilla Fudge Brownie. They even have ice cream cakes and flying saucers, plus fresh-dipped Brown Bonnets, an old favorite that is increasingly hard to find. Frank drives to The Lemon Ice King of Corona to stock the legendary brand, and he tasted every soft-serve brand he could find before choosing the same one as Marvel Dairy Whip in Lido Beach. When the new Carvel opens, will anyone care?
Resumés: The Next Generation
I wrote in this column more than one year ago that video resumés were a growing trend. Last month, I received several and they made me want to revisit this. As a staffing professional, I find that candidates are still struggling to find the fine balance between what’s business and what’s entertainment. The medium itself seems to make job seekers want to communicate their creativity and personality. But for me, the purpose of a video resumé is no different than a paper resumé. A resumé, in any format, is a screening tool that helps me determine if I want to interview this candidate.
