Yesterday morning, I went to the Columbus Dispatch Cultural Diversity Career Fair.
I'll tell you why almost none of those words are correct, but first I'll tell you how I ended up there.
Last week Mom got me to agree to go to a job fair with her. When the time came, she backed out and coerced me to go on my own. I thought the job fair would be crap, but I decided to go anyway. I'm not doing anything else, right?
The fair showcased 16-20 booths. Two were for schools and 3 were for temp agencies. Three were for the Dispatch and 1 was for a recruiting firm which wasn't recruiting. The remainder were for companies hiring seasonal workers.
The real problem, though, was that no one at any of the booths was really hiring. They each had a sign listing available jobs and encouraged all of us to apply online. They told us it was the fastest way to submit our resumes.
Hmmm, I thought. Then why exactly did I need to come here? Each company can be found online easily.
Also, there was no real cultural diversity nor were there any companies which focused on minorities.
So no cultural, no diversity, no career and no fair.
Now, I know you think I'm being negative, but, if you'd been there, you'd feel the same.
10/31/2008
10/27/2008
10/15/2008
Job Contest
This cracked me up and is tangentially related to the postI need a job.
I am starting a blog contest.
The person who sends me the lead that gets me a job gets $50 from my first pay check.
You want $50, right?
Here's all you have to do:
- Post the job with a link to the comments
- OR use the "Call Me" button in the sidebar and leave a message
- If you win, I'll need some way to get in touch with you
Here are the limitations:
- It has to be in Columbus, OH
- The lead has to be serious and specific - "Hey, I hear Giant Eagle is hiring" won't win $50
- Non-Profit and educational jobs are my preference, but feel free to be creative!
- If I know you, I'll give you cash. If I don't, you'll need a paypal account
That's all. Bring it on.
Oh, and you can see my resume here if that'll help.
10/13/2008
Kurdish Lesson 09 - Food
Kurdish food can vary by region and even by family, so what I present below is a snapshot of the foods I enjoyed first in San Diego and later in Iraq. The families with whom we lived in California were from the Sulemania and Halabja areas which is also where I lived in Iraq. I don’t know much about Hewleri or Dohuki food let alone Kurdish food in Turkey or Iran.
Kurdish food is a blend of regional dishes with local ingredients. The dishes are often similar to what one might find in a Turkish, Lebanese or even Indian restaurant, but in Kurdistan, the dishes have their own unique flavors.
I, for one, have never had falafel better than the falafel I had in Sulemania. The same goes for Briyani.
Below, I will spell the names of the dishes and foods with latini. Remember to click here for a refresher on pronunciation.
Breakfast: A typical Kurdish breakfast is fairly light.
An everyday breakfast would just be nan u mast, but the others mix in as well. Of course, no breakfast is complete without Ça.
My favorite breakfast was to mix my mast with date syrup. It was great, but I have no idea what the Kurdish word for date syrup is. Sorry.
Lunch and Dinner: Lunch and dinner foods are usually the same. We often ate lunch at the office where we had a cook. She made some really great things! (Although, some of my co-workers complained about the excessive amounts of oil!)
Miscellaneous Food Names: There are many other words you’ll need to cook and eat in Kurdistan. I have tried to include those below. I have also included separate tables for fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and Vegetables: The secret to Kurdish culture is this: when you are invited to dinner or visit someone, they will eventually serve you fruit. The fruit is your sign that it’s time to go.
I don’t like vegetables all that much, so my vocabulary is slim. Sorry.
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start.
If you have recipes for any of these foods, please post them in the comments. I can only make rice and şile.
A view of our neighborhood store. The lady on the right makes the world's best Kube and Şufte.
A small store like this is called a dukan.
Kurdish food is a blend of regional dishes with local ingredients. The dishes are often similar to what one might find in a Turkish, Lebanese or even Indian restaurant, but in Kurdistan, the dishes have their own unique flavors.
I, for one, have never had falafel better than the falafel I had in Sulemania. The same goes for Briyani.
Below, I will spell the names of the dishes and foods with latini. Remember to click here for a refresher on pronunciation.
Breakfast: A typical Kurdish breakfast is fairly light.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Mast | Yoghurt |
| Hangwîn | Honey |
| Nan | Bread |
| Moz | Bananas |
| Ḧelke Ron | Fried Egg |
| Ça | Tea |
| Penîr | Cheese |
An everyday breakfast would just be nan u mast, but the others mix in as well. Of course, no breakfast is complete without Ça.
My favorite breakfast was to mix my mast with date syrup. It was great, but I have no idea what the Kurdish word for date syrup is. Sorry.
Lunch and Dinner: Lunch and dinner foods are usually the same. We often ate lunch at the office where we had a cook. She made some really great things! (Although, some of my co-workers complained about the excessive amounts of oil!)
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Birinc | Rice |
| Zalate | Salad |
| Fasulîe | Beans |
| Kube | Ground meat wrapped in rice |
| Brîanî | Spiced rice with anything and everything in it |
| Kufte | Ground meat wrapped in wheat served in a tomato soup |
| Tepsî | Eggplant, zucchini, onions and potato fried with spices |
| Yapraẍ/ Dolme | Ground meat wrapped in grape leaves or stuffed in various vegetables |
| Şile | Tomato-based stew with one of many vegetables |
| Şufte | Little spiced-meat patties (My personal favorite!) |
Miscellaneous Food Names: There are many other words you’ll need to cook and eat in Kurdistan. I have tried to include those below. I have also included separate tables for fruits and vegetables.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Goşt | Meat |
| Qȋme | Ground meat |
| Mirişik | Chicken |
| Qal | Turkey |
| Masȋ | Fish |
| Samun | Bread loaves or buns |
| Ron | Oil |
| Şekir | Sugar |
| Ard | Flour |
| Mast Aw | Yogurt and water drink |
| Do | Like Mast Aw, but when made traditionally, it’s semi-fermented in an animal stomach |
| Gȋpe | Meat cooked in a cow's stomach |
| Sȇr u Pȇ | Head and feet. Sheep’s brains and feet |
| Kabab | Meat patty on a skewer |
| Tike | Meat chunks on a skewer |
| Gwȇs | Nuts |
| Xwȇ | Salt |
Fruits and Vegetables: The secret to Kurdish culture is this: when you are invited to dinner or visit someone, they will eventually serve you fruit. The fruit is your sign that it’s time to go.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Sȇw | Apple |
| Pirtikal | Orange |
| Hunir | Pomegranate |
| Tirȇ | Grape |
| Moz | Banana |
| Kişmiş | Raisin |
| Qeȋsȋ | Apricot |
I don’t like vegetables all that much, so my vocabulary is slim. Sorry.
| Kurdish | English |
|---|---|
| Pȋaz | Onion |
| Tomate | Tomato |
| Potate | Potato |
| Baȋinjan | Eggplant |
| Zȇtun | Olives |
| Bamȇ | Okra |
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start.
If you have recipes for any of these foods, please post them in the comments. I can only make rice and şile.
A view of our neighborhood store. The lady on the right makes the world's best Kube and Şufte.
A small store like this is called a dukan.
10/12/2008
From the Middle of the World
"being called to a particular thing in life means that we can't truly be satisfied doing anything else. yes we can function in other capacities, but our hearts always carry the longing to be doing what we truly love. i think it's like that with places too. while i DO love America and am grateful that i was born and raised here, there are places i always carry in my heart that are outside this country. places of wonder, places of dirt and need and desperation, and people that i'm truly in love with. and as i continue to delight myself in the Lord, He truly does give me the desires of my heart in allowing me to walk on the soil i love and giving me priceless relationships there."
Amen, sister.
*edited 11/04/09 to remove link to original post. I am not sure this blog is for public eyes. The author will remain anonymous, but if you recognize your words, you can claim them.
10/10/2008
Unemployable?
Two weeks ago, I had an interview. That job was one that I really wanted and I thought the interview went well.
Last week, the hiring manager was out of the office and he told me to call if I hadn't heard anything by the 9th.
So, I called.
He said "That position has been filled...umm...I was just getting ready to call you."
Ugh!
First of all, if you work in HR, just call people. It's easy not to be a jerk.
Secondly, why can't I get hired? This isn't a pity question. I'm serious.
My resume is good, my experience is good, I interview well. It just doesn't make sense to me. I'd hire myself.
I've been considering taking things off of my resume. I've applied to some jobs without my graduate degree and internships. I think those things plus the work in Iraq, hurt me at this last interview.
At the end of it, he said, "Well, after all of the excitement in Iraq and London, this job would probably be pretty boring."
I don't really have a point here, I just wanted to rant a little.
Last week, the hiring manager was out of the office and he told me to call if I hadn't heard anything by the 9th.
So, I called.
He said "That position has been filled...umm...I was just getting ready to call you."
Ugh!
First of all, if you work in HR, just call people. It's easy not to be a jerk.
Secondly, why can't I get hired? This isn't a pity question. I'm serious.
My resume is good, my experience is good, I interview well. It just doesn't make sense to me. I'd hire myself.
I've been considering taking things off of my resume. I've applied to some jobs without my graduate degree and internships. I think those things plus the work in Iraq, hurt me at this last interview.
At the end of it, he said, "Well, after all of the excitement in Iraq and London, this job would probably be pretty boring."
I don't really have a point here, I just wanted to rant a little.
10/09/2008
Great Quote
"This is America, not hillbilly flash dance."
-Tim Gunn, on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
10/09/08 - Edited because I found video:
-Tim Gunn, on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
10/09/08 - Edited because I found video:
10/08/2008
Debate #2: 10:22
Obama says in relation to foreign policy:
"We have to be proactive. We've been reactive for the past 8 years."
That's not a direct quote, but it's close enough. Look it up.
Except in Iraq, of course. Where Bush took the proactive step rather than waiting for Saddam to act. That, of course, was a mistake according to Obama; Iraq posed no direct threat to us.
Am I wrong in thinking this doesn't reconcile? Have I missed something?
Not to mention his comments on Georgia! What he says is misleading. He did not take a hard stand against Russia and gives us no reason to believe he would.
I am trying to be open to Obama, but I do not trust him on foreign policy. I do not like the positions that he holds and I do not believe his policies are workable.
In addition he speaks of energy independence taking petro dollars from the Russians. The problem being that it isn't US consumption driving the Russian oil industry; it's Europe. It's petro Euros. The US got about 1% of our crude oil from Russia in 2007. Energy independence is not the answer to everything.
And the thing that makes me the most skeptical? The talk of intervening in Darfur to end genocide and, in the same breath, denouncing the invasion of Iraq. A country and a regime with a proven history of genocide.
So, what's a voter like me to do? I'm disappointed by McCain's economic policies, but I like Obama's foreign policy even less.
The third party candidates have insane platforms, but I could vote for one of them as a protest vote. A successful third-party candidate could force change in the big two parties.
BUT none of the current third party candidates have the strength of numbers to push such a change.
You don't have to read this. I'm just rambling through my thoughts.
"We have to be proactive. We've been reactive for the past 8 years."
That's not a direct quote, but it's close enough. Look it up.
Except in Iraq, of course. Where Bush took the proactive step rather than waiting for Saddam to act. That, of course, was a mistake according to Obama; Iraq posed no direct threat to us.
Am I wrong in thinking this doesn't reconcile? Have I missed something?
Not to mention his comments on Georgia! What he says is misleading. He did not take a hard stand against Russia and gives us no reason to believe he would.
I am trying to be open to Obama, but I do not trust him on foreign policy. I do not like the positions that he holds and I do not believe his policies are workable.
In addition he speaks of energy independence taking petro dollars from the Russians. The problem being that it isn't US consumption driving the Russian oil industry; it's Europe. It's petro Euros. The US got about 1% of our crude oil from Russia in 2007. Energy independence is not the answer to everything.
And the thing that makes me the most skeptical? The talk of intervening in Darfur to end genocide and, in the same breath, denouncing the invasion of Iraq. A country and a regime with a proven history of genocide.
So, what's a voter like me to do? I'm disappointed by McCain's economic policies, but I like Obama's foreign policy even less.
The third party candidates have insane platforms, but I could vote for one of them as a protest vote. A successful third-party candidate could force change in the big two parties.
BUT none of the current third party candidates have the strength of numbers to push such a change.
You don't have to read this. I'm just rambling through my thoughts.
10/07/2008
Biden Mistake
13Months is officially neutral in the upcoming elections, having withdrawn our support of a certain candidate.
That doesn't mean I won't end up voting for him, but I won't campaign from the blog. Not that I expect to have an impact on other voters, really. It's just the point.
I've been actively studying the third party candidates on the ballot in Ohio to see whether I can vote for one of them. Their views do not match mine on the issues that matter most to me, so, if I vote for one of them, it'll simply be a protest vote.
That's neither here nor there really.
This is the important bit.
Michael Totten wrote an article about a serious misstatement by Joe Biden on the debate last week. Click here to read the article.
That doesn't mean I won't end up voting for him, but I won't campaign from the blog. Not that I expect to have an impact on other voters, really. It's just the point.
I've been actively studying the third party candidates on the ballot in Ohio to see whether I can vote for one of them. Their views do not match mine on the issues that matter most to me, so, if I vote for one of them, it'll simply be a protest vote.
That's neither here nor there really.
This is the important bit.
Michael Totten wrote an article about a serious misstatement by Joe Biden on the debate last week. Click here to read the article.
10/04/2008
Dori Kelly - The Glade Lady
The Glade Lady is very popular.
I don't know why. I mean, she seems to be a fine actress. The Glade commercials aren't too much to work with, though, so I can't really judge her abilities. I've had a number of comments refering to her "hotness," and, while she does seem to be an attractive lady, I wouldn't call her hot.
No offense, Dori.
I decided to find out more about the actress as a service to my readers. I didn't find much fact. I found many other people asking the same questions.
Someone on YouTube claims to have e-mailed Glade and gotten the actress' name: Dori Kelly.
But that's where the trail ends.
The closest reference I can get is an actress by the name of Dori May Kelly, who starred in a 1991 horror film called Winterbeast. The photo of the actress on that site is much too small for me to tell if it's the same woman.
They do seem to look alike, but I really can't claim it as truth.
Here's the trailer. You be the judge. You can see her at 55 seconds and again at 1:02.
Oh, and beware. The movie is disgusting for no reason.
If it's her, it explains the compulsion to lie. She's been denying her role in that movie for 17 years.
Related Posts:
The Glade Lady's Web of Lies
That Glade Commercial Madness
The Glade Lady Crosses a Line
The Glade Lady - Hot or Idiotic?
I don't know why. I mean, she seems to be a fine actress. The Glade commercials aren't too much to work with, though, so I can't really judge her abilities. I've had a number of comments refering to her "hotness," and, while she does seem to be an attractive lady, I wouldn't call her hot.
No offense, Dori.
I decided to find out more about the actress as a service to my readers. I didn't find much fact. I found many other people asking the same questions.
Someone on YouTube claims to have e-mailed Glade and gotten the actress' name: Dori Kelly.
But that's where the trail ends.
The closest reference I can get is an actress by the name of Dori May Kelly, who starred in a 1991 horror film called Winterbeast. The photo of the actress on that site is much too small for me to tell if it's the same woman.
They do seem to look alike, but I really can't claim it as truth.
Here's the trailer. You be the judge. You can see her at 55 seconds and again at 1:02.
Oh, and beware. The movie is disgusting for no reason.
If it's her, it explains the compulsion to lie. She's been denying her role in that movie for 17 years.
Related Posts:
The Glade Lady's Web of Lies
That Glade Commercial Madness
The Glade Lady Crosses a Line
The Glade Lady - Hot or Idiotic?
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