Dear Prospective Employer,
Though I appreciate the opportunity to be invited in for an interview, I think we both know without any hesitation that this relationship just isn't going to work. I feel confident that you will not be giving me an offer but in turn I would like to offer you the following words of wisdom.
For starters, never begin the interview with, "And you are....oh, right, right,...did I tell you to come in today?" It gives one the feeling that you are less then prepared to have a conversation let alone excited about it. Also, when we sit down you should be looking at me and my portfolio, not looking around the room or in your case down the hall. I understand interviewing is not easy, but put yourself in my shoes. If every time I look up and see you look past me in hopes of catching the eye of another colleague to pull into the room, what's the point of me even talking at all? In fact, why the hell did I lug this huge portfolio and 3 sets of construction drawings all the way down here if you're not even going to give me the common courtesy of eye contact. I got more attention from the construction workers on the corner of Connecticut and L walking over here.
Second point: Don't make "uuuu huh" the only response you give as I show you page after page of my portfolio. This is the part where you make comments, ask questions about my work, and yes, pretend to be interested and slightly impressed.
Third point: When you stood up and walked out of the room and then came back in and sat down without even saying "excuse me" or "sorry about that", it kind of pissed me off. I believe I was in the middle of speaking and you WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM.
Fourth point: Bringing people into the interview after it's started without introducing them to me, but handing them a copy of my resume and expecting me to just keep on speaking, is extremely rude. Who are these people and why did you make a point to wave them down and bring them in here? Are we trading horses here? Do you want to look at my teeth, too?
Fifth point: As architects you should be keenly aware of one of the fundamental properties of glass---it's reflective. If you make a weird face or point at me after I've left the room I can still see your reflection in the glass across the hallway. And by the way, you're a jack ass for doing that.
Last point: I think we both knew after the first 5 minutes, or rather the first 5 times I caught you looking off into space, that this just wasn't a good fit. We should have just cut the tie right then and there. You could have gone back to your desk and Facebooked and I could have gone over to Lucky Bar where they have a killer happy hour special that starts at 4 o'clock.
Oh, and one last thing. You may want to refrain from asking someone, (after they've told you they were laid off), if they thought it was performance related rather lack of work. If I did, I certainly wouldn't be broadcasting that to a perspective employer now would I? ("Actually, I was 'let go' because the boss found out I was a closet alcoholic and discovered the bottle of Jack Daniels in my desk. But for the purposes of this interview, I was laid off." wink wink)
Interviews can be fun when you realize the job isn't for you.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
All That Separates Me from Inspiration is a Short Ride on the Red Line
Ode to the Rude Metro Rider
While riding on the train
I had sanitizer on my brain
Millions of minor pet peeves
Suddenly made me want to heave
Dirty hands too many to count
Dirty minds seem to surround
Now on top of this phobia I need to heed
The whereabouts of your grubby feet
Sitting room is a rare find
So why must you steal this room from my behind
Creatures and germs surely abound
Why can't you please keep your feet on the ground
Turn your music down
Stop acting like a clown
Take your ear buds out
And you won't have to shout
Cursing and yelling as if in your own home
Instead of an adult who is almost fully grown
So before you take your feet off the ground
Ask if you would do this if your Mom was around
Though your brain is feeling mushy
Please be mindful that my tushey
Does not choose to take that seat
Where you so casually placed your gnarly feet
While riding on the train
I had sanitizer on my brain
Millions of minor pet peeves
Suddenly made me want to heave
Dirty hands too many to count
Dirty minds seem to surround
Now on top of this phobia I need to heed
The whereabouts of your grubby feet
Sitting room is a rare find
So why must you steal this room from my behind
Creatures and germs surely abound
Why can't you please keep your feet on the ground
Turn your music down
Stop acting like a clown
Take your ear buds out
And you won't have to shout
Cursing and yelling as if in your own home
Instead of an adult who is almost fully grown
So before you take your feet off the ground
Ask if you would do this if your Mom was around
Though your brain is feeling mushy
Please be mindful that my tushey
Does not choose to take that seat
Where you so casually placed your gnarly feet
Monday, September 14, 2009
Up and coming urban trend or economic indicator of struggling market?
Maybe I'm just really old and out of the loop or maybe the economy has hit an all time low.
This story begins on my favorite, and only, form of transportation in DC...the Metro. Last Friday on my way downtown I hopped on the red line in a fairly crowded car, (read: Marianne applies hand sanitizer). I sat down in back of a typical 20-something, well dressed, nicely groomed, most likely heading to the Hill, gentleman. He was doing what I like to call, "seat blocking". He sat on the outside and piled all of his crap on the inside seat so no one would bug him to move over. He had his dry cleaning on top of laptop bag. His arm was stretched around the back of the seat as if he was on a date with his clothes. He sat back real low and had his legs spread real wide with one long lanky leg hanging out in the aisle.
He had thick dark hair that had way too much product in it. You can tell someone has too much product when you can see those tiny white clumps that look like lint all through their hair. On the back of his neck was a giant pimple that I kept finding my eyes drawn to; it was big. Most likely caused from too much product collecting at the base of his hair line. Upon further inspection I found some other oddities about this guy.
For starters, I'm quite certain a bird had recently defecated on the back of his shirt, unbeknownst to him. I can only assume that was the cause of said stain after a recent run in this summer with a bird of my own. I was at my sister's pool after my surgery, just trying to relax, lay still and not jump around when all of a sudden I awoke to a wet, warm puddle on my neck and collar bone. You would have thought the bird that bombed on me was carrying a water balloon. It was massive, voluminous and absolutely vile. That color, that disgusting putrid color, will forever be cemented in my mind and that's the color I saw on this guy's shirt.
Now the next part is even more disgusting, and I'm not making this up.
When it gets hot in DC, it gets hot. Usually the Metro is not air conditioned for one reason or another and that day was no exception. Like everyone else on the train, this guy was sweating up a storm. I could see him searching in his bag and he pulled something out and dabbed his glistening forehead. I didn't really think much of it until after the second time when I could see the fabric of his alleged "handkerchief". Wait a minute, did I just see golf balls and clubs? I watched as he blotted again and then he unfolded the material and my suspicions were confirmed: This guy was using a pair of boxer shorts as a hanky!
My face automatically scrunched up as if I smelled something bad. He kept folding and unfolding the boxer shorts as if he was trying to disguise them. But it was too late, I was on to him and I'm pretty sure the old lady sitting across from me noticed, too. I realize we are all trying to pinch pennies, but you should never be putting your face on a garment that goes in that place, ever.
A better solution may be to use a little less product if he's trying to save some cash.
This story begins on my favorite, and only, form of transportation in DC...the Metro. Last Friday on my way downtown I hopped on the red line in a fairly crowded car, (read: Marianne applies hand sanitizer). I sat down in back of a typical 20-something, well dressed, nicely groomed, most likely heading to the Hill, gentleman. He was doing what I like to call, "seat blocking". He sat on the outside and piled all of his crap on the inside seat so no one would bug him to move over. He had his dry cleaning on top of laptop bag. His arm was stretched around the back of the seat as if he was on a date with his clothes. He sat back real low and had his legs spread real wide with one long lanky leg hanging out in the aisle.
He had thick dark hair that had way too much product in it. You can tell someone has too much product when you can see those tiny white clumps that look like lint all through their hair. On the back of his neck was a giant pimple that I kept finding my eyes drawn to; it was big. Most likely caused from too much product collecting at the base of his hair line. Upon further inspection I found some other oddities about this guy.
For starters, I'm quite certain a bird had recently defecated on the back of his shirt, unbeknownst to him. I can only assume that was the cause of said stain after a recent run in this summer with a bird of my own. I was at my sister's pool after my surgery, just trying to relax, lay still and not jump around when all of a sudden I awoke to a wet, warm puddle on my neck and collar bone. You would have thought the bird that bombed on me was carrying a water balloon. It was massive, voluminous and absolutely vile. That color, that disgusting putrid color, will forever be cemented in my mind and that's the color I saw on this guy's shirt.
Now the next part is even more disgusting, and I'm not making this up.
When it gets hot in DC, it gets hot. Usually the Metro is not air conditioned for one reason or another and that day was no exception. Like everyone else on the train, this guy was sweating up a storm. I could see him searching in his bag and he pulled something out and dabbed his glistening forehead. I didn't really think much of it until after the second time when I could see the fabric of his alleged "handkerchief". Wait a minute, did I just see golf balls and clubs? I watched as he blotted again and then he unfolded the material and my suspicions were confirmed: This guy was using a pair of boxer shorts as a hanky!
My face automatically scrunched up as if I smelled something bad. He kept folding and unfolding the boxer shorts as if he was trying to disguise them. But it was too late, I was on to him and I'm pretty sure the old lady sitting across from me noticed, too. I realize we are all trying to pinch pennies, but you should never be putting your face on a garment that goes in that place, ever.
A better solution may be to use a little less product if he's trying to save some cash.
I've Got Madd Skillz!
Sometimes when I'm writing I like to pretend that I'm speaking to the masses and everyone I know reads this blog religiously so you're aware of my day-to-day trials and triumphs. I know I'm reaching high with that goal, so to keep all of you up to speed I was recently laid off. Nothing unusual there as I'm sure some of you are in the same predicament as me.
The day I departed my firm I asked the gentlemen who were laying me off, exactly what I could have done to avoid this and why I was on that list. Their response to me was, "We looked at the work coming in and had to best match it up according to each employee's skill level." I squinted, stared, paused for a second and said, "So are you saying after 3 years my skills are no longer useful?" They quickly retracted their comment and admitted that it didn't come out the way they intended it, but it was too late the damage was done. My ego was pulverized into a million little pieces and then scattered all over the conference table waiting to get swept up and dumped in the trash.
I've spent some time thinking about the skills that I have and what other jobs I could acquire without obtaining any further education. I think two markets that I seriously need to pursue are the Game Show and Reality Show sectors. I would kick ass at Wheel of Fortune and for reality shows I would love to participate in The Amazing Race. (That requires a partner and I'm not sure who I could pair with?)
The other great skill I have is cleaning. I've consider advertising for a service where someone cooks for me and I clean up after, and we both split the costs of food. I don't know of anyone looking for this service but if you know of someone who would be interested you should let me know. Initially I probably wouldn't be able to pay just because I'm seriously stretched for dollars right now, but once I'm back on my feet I can definitely hand over some Benjamin's or George's.
Other skills include: crossword puzzles, name-that-tune, movie quotes, people watching, recycling, hitting snooze, burning popcorn, screaming at spiders, opening wine, dispensing hand sanitizer, eliminating non-sense, telling people when they're rude, holding doors for people, saying thank you, smiling like I mean it, finding good coffee and holding a one-armed push-up for 5 minutes, (no not really).
I may not be able to get paid for any of those skills, but they are skills. Not having a project that I could apply those skills to at my former office, well then, that's their loss. Lots of money to be made these days screaming at spiders.
I use to end each post with, "Work Hard, Play Harder, Laugh the Hardest". But I'm not so sure working hard really pays off anymore? Laughing however, reaps instant rewards and gives your core a good workout, too.
The day I departed my firm I asked the gentlemen who were laying me off, exactly what I could have done to avoid this and why I was on that list. Their response to me was, "We looked at the work coming in and had to best match it up according to each employee's skill level." I squinted, stared, paused for a second and said, "So are you saying after 3 years my skills are no longer useful?" They quickly retracted their comment and admitted that it didn't come out the way they intended it, but it was too late the damage was done. My ego was pulverized into a million little pieces and then scattered all over the conference table waiting to get swept up and dumped in the trash.
I've spent some time thinking about the skills that I have and what other jobs I could acquire without obtaining any further education. I think two markets that I seriously need to pursue are the Game Show and Reality Show sectors. I would kick ass at Wheel of Fortune and for reality shows I would love to participate in The Amazing Race. (That requires a partner and I'm not sure who I could pair with?)
The other great skill I have is cleaning. I've consider advertising for a service where someone cooks for me and I clean up after, and we both split the costs of food. I don't know of anyone looking for this service but if you know of someone who would be interested you should let me know. Initially I probably wouldn't be able to pay just because I'm seriously stretched for dollars right now, but once I'm back on my feet I can definitely hand over some Benjamin's or George's.
Other skills include: crossword puzzles, name-that-tune, movie quotes, people watching, recycling, hitting snooze, burning popcorn, screaming at spiders, opening wine, dispensing hand sanitizer, eliminating non-sense, telling people when they're rude, holding doors for people, saying thank you, smiling like I mean it, finding good coffee and holding a one-armed push-up for 5 minutes, (no not really).
I may not be able to get paid for any of those skills, but they are skills. Not having a project that I could apply those skills to at my former office, well then, that's their loss. Lots of money to be made these days screaming at spiders.
I use to end each post with, "Work Hard, Play Harder, Laugh the Hardest". But I'm not so sure working hard really pays off anymore? Laughing however, reaps instant rewards and gives your core a good workout, too.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Classes I wish I took in College
Often I find myself thinking about the skills I use on a day to day basis and the skills I've learned in school. I was never a big fan of classes that revolved around theories. When have theories ever helped anyone? I had to take a class at UB titled, Communication Theory. It put me to sleep every Tuesday and Thursday for 2.5 hours. It was awful and absolutley useless.
There are so many curved balls thrown at us everyday and knowing how to even begin assesing a spontaneous situation is one of the most critical skills you can learn. Below is my list of classes they should teach in college to assist with real life dilemmas:
1. How to File for Unemployment 101: What you need to know to get your weekly check
2. Networking: Making the Most of Your Contacts
3. Garage Sale Management: Knowing what to charge for your junk
4. Negotiating Your Salary: Determining how much your worth and asking for it
5. Financial Planning for People Who Hate Numbers: The Basics of 401K & IRA's
6. Dealing with Difficult People at Work: How to keep things cool when you want to get violent
7. Living Within Your Means: How to fight the urge "To Keep Up with the Joneses"
8. How to relocate to a new city
9. Identifying careers that pay well and will always be in need
10. Mistakes to avoid in your 20's
There are so many curved balls thrown at us everyday and knowing how to even begin assesing a spontaneous situation is one of the most critical skills you can learn. Below is my list of classes they should teach in college to assist with real life dilemmas:
1. How to File for Unemployment 101: What you need to know to get your weekly check
2. Networking: Making the Most of Your Contacts
3. Garage Sale Management: Knowing what to charge for your junk
4. Negotiating Your Salary: Determining how much your worth and asking for it
5. Financial Planning for People Who Hate Numbers: The Basics of 401K & IRA's
6. Dealing with Difficult People at Work: How to keep things cool when you want to get violent
7. Living Within Your Means: How to fight the urge "To Keep Up with the Joneses"
8. How to relocate to a new city
9. Identifying careers that pay well and will always be in need
10. Mistakes to avoid in your 20's
Friday, August 28, 2009
Ashton, is that you behind the file cabinets?
Life can change in the blink of an eye. We go through ups and downs and sometimes really low points. Sometimes you're riding a wave, you're perched up high taking in all the views of the beach and you have the wind at your back. Other times you're riding in the waves. You're struggling and keeping up the best you can all the while still keeping an eye on the shore and seeing the sun shine through murky waters. And then there are the other times. The times where you're not on the wave, you're not in the wave, you've been knocked the hell over by a big ass wave. You're left laying on the beach, bruised and sunburned with the dried up jelly fish and seaweed.
It makes me recall a trip to Ocean City with an ex-boyfriend. It was the middle of summer and hot as hell. He went running into the ocean with no fear. Skeptical of the water temperature, I first stuck one foot in and then the other. Getting in up to my knees I realized my boyfriend was past the point where the waves broke and out in the calm waters. I on the other hand, precariously stood in the middle of the breaking point. I took my eyes off of him, off of the horizon and made one stupid move---I did absolutely nothing. I stood and watched as the biggest wave I've ever seen grew closer and bigger and then it happened. I got knocked the 'eff over!
I'll never forget laying on the ocean floor and looking up to see the water going over my body. My boyfriend ran over and helped me get up. He said the look on my face screamed one word: Bewilderment. I stood there shaking, blinking and trying to adjust my vision, (I actually lost a contact in the process), adjusting my top that was hiked up to my chin which made for lots of gasps from the Mom's on the beach and pulling my bikini bottom out of my ass that felt like it was in my throat. I easily deposited a pound of sand back in the hotel shower when I was finally able to disrobe. The point is not the visual that I'm sure all of you have right now, the point is that this happened because I wasn't paying attention. Life is always "happening" even when we are not paying attention or prepared for the unexpected. Again, trains move.
The unexpected happened to me last week when I walked into the conference room at my office and the Principal's told me I was being laid off. I sat there and felt the same feelings come over me, the feeling of being knocked over by a wave, the feeling of absolute bewilderment. I sat there thinking, what just happened here? I'm getting laid off? What do you mean I'm getting laid off, I was just here working late last night? You must have meant to dial someone else's extension because I think there was a serious error here. I made the conscious decision to not breakdown and get all girly and emotional in front of the "men". I will let the people who care about me see that side of me, but not these two; I'm going to make this as difficult as possible for them. I went on and said my peace to them, slightly mouthy and somewhat rude but anyway, I then stood up and said, "Is this the part where I'm supposed to say thank you?" It sounded a little superficial, I wanted to say, "thank you for letting me work my ass off for 3 years and then laying me off, it's really been great. No, no, the pleasure was all mine, honestly. I've thoroughly enjoyed being under appreciated, underutilized and grossly underpaid." I'm just sayin'.
I was hoping to walk out of the room and see Ashton Kutcher crouching behind one of the lateral files ready to jump out and say I've been "punked". There was no one being punked though, it was just me filling the role of a "punk". Every experience is an experience and from it I have the following lessons learned:
1. Always have your resume updated; thanks Aman. My neighbor offered me lots of great advice and one of the things she said was, "You always think you're going to leave on your own terms." Unfortunately, these are not the times we live in.
2. Your career should never be the most important thing in your life. If it is then you are in trouble.
3. Care about people, not places.
4. Looking for your next job needs to be done while you have a job. No matter how happy and secure you think you are, there are always waves on the horizon waiting to knock you down.
5. Everyone is a resource: be it words of support, job leads or just someone to laugh with over a glass of sangria.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out, even if I haven't responded.
Standing on the beach and getting ready to to take surf lessons,
Mw
It makes me recall a trip to Ocean City with an ex-boyfriend. It was the middle of summer and hot as hell. He went running into the ocean with no fear. Skeptical of the water temperature, I first stuck one foot in and then the other. Getting in up to my knees I realized my boyfriend was past the point where the waves broke and out in the calm waters. I on the other hand, precariously stood in the middle of the breaking point. I took my eyes off of him, off of the horizon and made one stupid move---I did absolutely nothing. I stood and watched as the biggest wave I've ever seen grew closer and bigger and then it happened. I got knocked the 'eff over!
I'll never forget laying on the ocean floor and looking up to see the water going over my body. My boyfriend ran over and helped me get up. He said the look on my face screamed one word: Bewilderment. I stood there shaking, blinking and trying to adjust my vision, (I actually lost a contact in the process), adjusting my top that was hiked up to my chin which made for lots of gasps from the Mom's on the beach and pulling my bikini bottom out of my ass that felt like it was in my throat. I easily deposited a pound of sand back in the hotel shower when I was finally able to disrobe. The point is not the visual that I'm sure all of you have right now, the point is that this happened because I wasn't paying attention. Life is always "happening" even when we are not paying attention or prepared for the unexpected. Again, trains move.
The unexpected happened to me last week when I walked into the conference room at my office and the Principal's told me I was being laid off. I sat there and felt the same feelings come over me, the feeling of being knocked over by a wave, the feeling of absolute bewilderment. I sat there thinking, what just happened here? I'm getting laid off? What do you mean I'm getting laid off, I was just here working late last night? You must have meant to dial someone else's extension because I think there was a serious error here. I made the conscious decision to not breakdown and get all girly and emotional in front of the "men". I will let the people who care about me see that side of me, but not these two; I'm going to make this as difficult as possible for them. I went on and said my peace to them, slightly mouthy and somewhat rude but anyway, I then stood up and said, "Is this the part where I'm supposed to say thank you?" It sounded a little superficial, I wanted to say, "thank you for letting me work my ass off for 3 years and then laying me off, it's really been great. No, no, the pleasure was all mine, honestly. I've thoroughly enjoyed being under appreciated, underutilized and grossly underpaid." I'm just sayin'.
I was hoping to walk out of the room and see Ashton Kutcher crouching behind one of the lateral files ready to jump out and say I've been "punked". There was no one being punked though, it was just me filling the role of a "punk". Every experience is an experience and from it I have the following lessons learned:
1. Always have your resume updated; thanks Aman. My neighbor offered me lots of great advice and one of the things she said was, "You always think you're going to leave on your own terms." Unfortunately, these are not the times we live in.
2. Your career should never be the most important thing in your life. If it is then you are in trouble.
3. Care about people, not places.
4. Looking for your next job needs to be done while you have a job. No matter how happy and secure you think you are, there are always waves on the horizon waiting to knock you down.
5. Everyone is a resource: be it words of support, job leads or just someone to laugh with over a glass of sangria.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out, even if I haven't responded.
Standing on the beach and getting ready to to take surf lessons,
Mw
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Sibling #7 Speaks Up
This blog is dedicated to my sisters & brothers.
As some of you know, I've hit a speed bump this week. A pulled muscle turned out to be a pinched nerve which turned out to be a herniated disk. All of this went down a week ago and I spent the majority of Monday at Georgetown University Hospital. I found myself speaking to neurosurgeons who used words like MRI and L7 and S1. The only thing I knew was that I was in so much pain from my hip to the middle of my calf that I could no longer stand up straight. I'm not one of those people who ever feels the need to "tough things out" and not take pain killers. I want no part of those accolades on my resume. I prefer the title of "Eager to try to any drug tested by the FDA" in order to get me out of this effin' pain. After all I was just told I was going to be on bed rest for one week. This was very painful for me to hear.
Doctors are interesting people. Every doctor I have ever met has reaffirmed one thing for me...that I'm grateful I did not go into medicine. My neurosurgeon asked the typical questions, age, marital status, do I live alone, etc. etc. When I said I lived alone and that I was single he made this face. It was a face that read, "Oh that sucks for you." I thought to myself, surely I'm not the first single woman who has ever walked, rather hobbled, into his office with a back problem. He asked, "how are you getting home from here?" I told him my plan was to hop into a cab since I that's how I get there. He didn't like that answer, "Is there anyone you can call? A co-worker, a friend?" I said I could call my sister but she lives about an hour away. He advised that I wait for her b/c getting into a cab would worry him. So I call sis, she hops in the car and gets there as fast as she can.
Sometimes it takes a bad situation in order to realize how lucky you are in life. My sister drove through rush hour, picked me up at the hospital, dropped me off at my place and then walked to CVS and waited for my Rx's to get filled. If she didn't pick me up I would have had to walk there myself and most likely would have collapsed on the sidewalk in the middle of Cleveland Park. If any of you know my germ phobia, you can imagine how upset I would be if I had to lay down on a city sidewalk.
I sometimes wonder how people who have no siblings or at least siblings close by, manage to do these things when emergencies arise. I have friends who are the oldest, the youngest, the middle child and some who are only children. I have friends who have parents who moved here from another country and can't speak English and it was up to them to translate on their parent's behalf for things when growing up. I have some friends who moved here from another country and had to learn English just by going to school and basically learning it on their own. These situations amaze me because they really shape the people we turn out to be in life. Some situations make you grow up really fast and think like an adult, some keep you protected and supervised while far removed from the word "responsibility".
Those that were older siblings didn't have anyone to show them the ropes. They just had Mom and Dad telling them right and wrong, but when it came to going to school they were on their own. Take for instance when I went to school I had 4 sisters, 2 brothers and a Mom and a Dad who already knew what was going to happen once I got picked up by that yellow bus. The worry that may have been on my older siblings shoulders didn't really settle on to mine b/c I had them to reassure me of what to expect. And the same holds true for the opposite. When my siblings went off to school I remember being so sad because they were leaving me. There is a picture my Mom took of my sister Gaby's first day at school and I'm standing on the sidewalk crying my eyes out. I thought, why was my best friend getting on this big bus and leaving us? We have Barbies to play with and forts to build, she can't leave me to do all this on my own? I didn't understand but I do remember being very happy when that big bus dropped her off a few short hours later and my Mom and I waited for her outside. I never really had a sibling waiting for me to get home from school since I was the youngest, but I did have my Mom and my dog, Ginger. That was the only welcoming committee I needed and it always made me happy. Nothing beats a wagging tail and a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies.
I think of all of the lessons I took fore granted growing up because I had so many siblings. My brother Rich taught me how to throw a football, my brother Mike helped me learn to tie my shoes, my sister Marilyn taught me to write the alphabet and read to me everyday. My sisters Bobbe and Donna taught me how to use a curling iron and how to apply eye make-up and my sister Gaby got stuck having to teach me everything else. She was my math tutor, homework corrector, paper editor, direction explainer and constant advice giver from clothes to boys.
I can't imagine being an only child. Who do you go to for help with your homework? Who teaches you how to drive? Who helps you get a fake ID? And who helps you come up with a story so you don't get in trouble with Mom and Dad? Sure there are lots of times when you fight and argue and may wish you were an only child, but those moments are fleeting. Siblings provide that additional framework from the foundation set by our parents. The more siblings you have, the more intricate the framework. I'd like to think that my family has very intricate framework.
No matter what our birth order, we all have skills to share and lessons to learn from our siblings. I'm fortunate that I had 6 to look up to for advice. They probably never realized that all along I was observing them, sharing in their successes and learning from their mistakes. I hope that even though I may be the youngest, I was able to share my strengths and skills and they learned from my experiences, as well.
I guess a week of bed rest can help in more way than one.
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