Absolution

I mourn for

mistakes that cost me..but..

freshly fallen snow

Career Change and Tests.

How do you know when you've worn out your welcome? When is it time to change careers, to turn from the road and rest for the night - and then never get back on the highway.

There are a number of career tests that a person can take that help to determine a path to explore that you'll feel a bit comfortable with. One of the oldest career inventory tests or interest tests is the Myers-Briggs Inventory. You can take abbreviated tests for free online, but the entire test will cost you. Take a look at http://www.personalitypathways.com/ to get a good explanation of how the test works. I first took this test when I started college and discovered that I was an INFP which translated into having similar interests as librarians, teachers, counselors and writers. I ended in the health insurance field where I enjoyed the feeling of "helping" people by providing useful information that made a positive impact in their lives. I didn't enjoy the sales aspect; however and found it difficult to overcome objections to my tepid sales pitches. A useful discovery for me has been that I may not pursue one of the recommended careers for my personality type, but I can use the strengths of my type in the job that I am working in. For example, an INFP is often described as "insightful" and very good at "understanding people". These traits would be helpful in a customer service position in anticipating and meeting the needs of a customer.

It's difficult to say when and if the time has arrived to make a career change, but in the exploration that comes with this question lies new discoveries to be made about yourself.

Somewhere

A place somewhere

Autumn colors muted by sunlight

brighter by tomorrow

Election Day

The phones aren't ringing quite as much now that Election Day Tuesday has passed. The election wasn't as big a deal to me as it was to the politicians. I voted, but halfheartedly. For too long, they were "here I am here I am here I am" - now it will be me saying Where are you?

I'm reading an interesting book called The Art of Choosing by Sheena Iyengar. Its a book that examines how we make choices. What are the influences that affect how we choose? Did the political ads somehow influence the way I voted? Or was it something else? I'm one of the unemployed so I listened for a while when candidates spoke about jobs, but then I stopped - why did I choose to stop listening? I don't really see the relevance of politics to my need for a job - maybe I need a primer in how politics work - I don't know.

But here is something that I appreciate - the fact that I CAN choose makes me proud to be an American - and that includes the right to choose to vote or not. For that reason alone, I found myself at the local high school filling in my ballot and then proudly wearing the sticker that advertised my choice.

Religion

Religion has colors

of black, blue and red

sometimes found inside

My daughter's song

My daughter's song

is like watching a butterfly

spread its wings

Houses

The old houses

watch cars on cracked tar

they will stand