By J. Bird
When I was about four, I made my mom buy me a Superman costume for Halloween. It was the beginning of a series of let-downs.
Posted on September 29, 2006
Life at Work
By J. Bird
So it turns out my older sister is a whiz at finding job opportunities online. I did not know this. I wonder what else she’s good at?
She e-mailed me a bunch of possibilities last night. I haven’t gotten around to sending out resumes to all of them yet, but I was intrigued enough at the online job posting site that was requesting people to send in resumes to work for them that I tweaked my resume and sent it in. I mean, so far they haven’t matched me with any potentially great jobs, but if I knew the system from the inside out . . .
Posted on September 28, 2006
Life at Work
J. Bird called in sick. I’ve got my eyes on you, Bird.
Posted on September 27, 2006
Pass the Charter: A Guide To Chicago’s New Schools
By The Beachwood Classroom Affairs Desk
The city’s raft of magnet and charter schools have become so specialized that this year the Chicago Public School district found itself compelled to open a school (the Chicago International Charter School-Ralph Ellison – not to be confused with the Chicago Virtual Charter School ) focusing on “reading, writing, and arithmetic.”
Among the other new schools offered up by CPS this year: The Austin Business & Entrepreneurship Academy, for budding young business leaders hoping, we presume, to deal in human fulfillment; the Bronzeville Lighthouse Charter School, for the performing arts, possibly with a focus on sea shanties; and the Sherman School of Excellence, focusing on “shared governance,” which means the mayor won’t be visiting any time soon.
Here are 15 charter and magnet schools under consideration for next year.
Posted on September 26, 2006
Life at Work
Life at Work
By J. Bird
Despite my best efforts at keeping this data classified, I learned that somebody leaked my non-working status to my vacationing parents when my father left a message from the Mediterranean on an unrelated matter and mentioned it. When I find out who, violence may occur, so stay tuned for that. I was going for the “While you were on vacation I lost my job but no worries I’m all set with a new one” once they got back take on the whole thing, which, of course, depended on getting a job before they got back. So that strategy is pretty much dashed.
Posted on September 25, 2006
Life at Work
By J. Bird
So Bob wasn’t such a bad guy, but the whole temp agency thing really sucks. I mean, they review your resume, have you fill out eight million forms, then stick you in a room to take a bunch of computerized tests. Apparently I have an aptitude for editing people’s correspondence.
Posted on September 22, 2006
Life at Work
By J. Bird
I was supposed to have an interview with a staffing agency today. The only thing they asked me to bring was my Social Security card. While I find this to be sort of a weird, arbitrary requirement, I thought I could easily agree to it. So when I talked to the guy over the phone, I said, “No problem, Bob, I can do that.” Then I started looking for it. I mean, do you know where your Social Security card is?
Posted on September 21, 2006
Life at Work
By J. Bird
I hit bottom yesterday. I realize that now. And I don’t really get it – I mean, things really don’t suck that badly. I’ve been paid through the end of the month, I have an interview tomorrow, it’s only been a week since I was not “technically” fired, and, realistically, I stand a reasonable chance of finding a job soon. I have free time to read, watch television, enjoy the few nice days that the weather people keep saying we’re not going to have many of left, wander the streets, and generally goof off. So why do I feel like I hit the pavement?
Because losing your job does funny things to your psyche, not matter what the circumstances.
Posted on September 20, 2006
Indisputably Torture
By Rick Kaempfer
“This debate is occurring because of the Supreme Court’s ruling that said that we must conduct ourselves under the Common Article III of the Geneva Convention. And that Common Article III says that there will be no outrages upon human dignity. It’s very vague. What does that mean, ‘outrages upon human dignity’? That’s a statement that is wide open to interpretation. And what I’m proposing is that there be clarity in the law so that our professionals will have no doubt that that which they are doing is legal.”
– President George W. Bush, September 15, 2006
Some clarity:
Posted on September 19, 2006