For those of you who have been following my previous chronicles, thank you, and, as I warned you, my blog is taking a bit of a turn from professional exploration to personal exploration. I would love to keep you traveling with me on my journey, but also understand this might not be something that you are interested in, so if we are parting ways, I bid thee adieu and best wishes. For those of you ready for the next chapter in my blog world, here you go:
It is necessary for me to preface this blog by saying that I love all of my friends and family very dearly, and, for anyone who might read this, I hope that you will find your own little way to help support me in my endeavors for 2012 and know that I know all of your comments in the past came from a place of love.
Uh-Oh... I see red flags going up, "another dumb 'Get Fit New Year's Resolution' blog" you're thinking... well, no, actually, I think that "New Year's Resolutions" are pretty tacky, and don't work, and this is NOT a "New Year's Resolution" it is a "I'm going to turn 30 in 361 days, I'm tired of feeling tired, I'm pissed that my favorite clothes don't fit, and I want to make sure to stay healthy enough to have kids in my 30s, and I want to run a marathon before I turn 31, and enjoy a long and happy" LIFE resolution. So, if you're not scared off yet, if you can relate to how scary it is to be knocking at the door of the third decade of life, knowing it's only going to get harder, and maybe looking for a little motivation or support yourself, read on.
Ok... so a little background, and time to be honest with myself and all of you: I've always been "slender," not much for curves, but still very feminine looking. I'm also a damn apple, which means when I DO gain weight, it starts right in the middle. I've never been one whose weight fluctuated all that much, but PERSPECTIVE CHECK: on my 20th birthday, I weighed somewhere in the range of 128-129 lbs. On my 29th birthday, I weighed in at 145. Now, over the course of almost a decade and "getting a little older" a few pounds is to be somewhat expected, but even if you give me a few "baby-making body" pounds, that's still an addition of 1 pound a year in my 20s. This is EXACTLY the kind of sedentary consequences "they" warn you about. It might only be one pound a year, but over the course of a lifetime can have dire effects on the body, and cause all of those evil health problems we always hear are ruining the American society.
However, having always been a pretty "skinny" girl, I've never had to hold myself accountable to the weight. People have basked in wonderment at the apparent ridiculousness of my metabolism, never having to be careful or really watch what I ate (or drank). In fact, whenever I would try to join in conversations about weight with friends or family (often being one of the most slender of both groups), they would look at me like "you couldn't POSSIBLY understand, Skinny Bitch" (in the nicest way possible).
Well, here I am, in black and white, screaming from the rooftops that YES, even I need help sometimes and YES, I might be fairly slender and still within the "normal" range of BMI (although barely...), and YES, I've run a half marathon each summer for the last three years, but let's face it, it's all been by a lot of procrastination, bare minimums, excuses, and continued negative life choices that impaired my true ability to perform and just put on a mask of "well and healthy." People, it's a FACADE! I'm blessed with good genes that allow me to make a lot of poor choices and still outperform many of my American cohorts, but that's just not good enough anymore. I moved back to Montana so I could be active, enjoy the outdoors, and enjoy nature, and to do so, I need to start making healthier (all around) choices.
So it's time... it's time to return to my roots, it's time for this girl to make some life changes to make sure that I can lead a long, healthy and happy life, and it's time to get back to being the "Skinny Girl" who was confidant, energetic, and active instead of paranoid and, let's face it, a little damn lazy.
For those of you who want to follow me, here's my handles:
Nike+ - MoBeanMT (also member of the #safit challenges)
Daily Mile (www.dailymile.com) - Maureen W. in Missoula, MT
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Chronicles of the Student Affairs Professional "In Transition" Part IV
I realize I've been taking quite a hiatus since my last post, so I'll catch you all up:
Ta da!!!! I finally did it... I got a JOB! Hooray! I'm the new Involvement Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Montana...
First off, I'd like to say that I am incredibly excited about this new opportunity, I see this as an awesome way to build up my Student Affairs repertoire of skills and knowledge, while still getting to help students and work with them every day.
Secondly, I'd like to point out that this position requires me to do two things that are not only foreign to me, but may cause angst at moments, and will push me out of my comfort zone of being... those two things are:
1. Be a representative of the Greek Letter Organizations
2. Be a Griz
I do not view either of these as negative, but, given my history and previous experiences, I expect to take a lot of flack from previous colleagues, friends, family, etc.
I can say, that I honestly now understand a little better about how it feels to be on "the other side of the fence," and how completely different things on a campus, that may even be seen as "rivals" can actually BOTH add value to the overall experiences of the student body as a whole.
On the not-so-positive side (and hence why I haven't blogged in a while), in order to make ends meet in this beautiful town of Missoula, where the cost of living ranks somewhere just under "Seattle" and they average paycheck averages out to somewhere like "Miles City," I have had to take on a second job, so, I returned to my roots. Yes, I'm back in the wonderful world of bartending! It's fun, but it definitely adds a good chunk to my schedule.
Still thinking about returning to school in the fall to start my Ed.D. but haven't decided for sure.
Question to all of you Student Affairs professionals out there: what are you going to do to stay busy while the students are away for winter break?
Ta da!!!! I finally did it... I got a JOB! Hooray! I'm the new Involvement Coordinator for Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Montana...
First off, I'd like to say that I am incredibly excited about this new opportunity, I see this as an awesome way to build up my Student Affairs repertoire of skills and knowledge, while still getting to help students and work with them every day.
Secondly, I'd like to point out that this position requires me to do two things that are not only foreign to me, but may cause angst at moments, and will push me out of my comfort zone of being... those two things are:
1. Be a representative of the Greek Letter Organizations
2. Be a Griz
I do not view either of these as negative, but, given my history and previous experiences, I expect to take a lot of flack from previous colleagues, friends, family, etc.
I can say, that I honestly now understand a little better about how it feels to be on "the other side of the fence," and how completely different things on a campus, that may even be seen as "rivals" can actually BOTH add value to the overall experiences of the student body as a whole.
On the not-so-positive side (and hence why I haven't blogged in a while), in order to make ends meet in this beautiful town of Missoula, where the cost of living ranks somewhere just under "Seattle" and they average paycheck averages out to somewhere like "Miles City," I have had to take on a second job, so, I returned to my roots. Yes, I'm back in the wonderful world of bartending! It's fun, but it definitely adds a good chunk to my schedule.
Still thinking about returning to school in the fall to start my Ed.D. but haven't decided for sure.
Question to all of you Student Affairs professionals out there: what are you going to do to stay busy while the students are away for winter break?
Monday, August 8, 2011
The Chronicles of the Student Affairs Professional "In Transition" Part III
Hello!
A few things have change from our last encounter:
1. I am officially Mrs. Maureen Ward
2. I have attended my first high school reunion
3. I have ridden a bike for the first time in 2011 (that's kind of sad, actually)
One thing has not changed... I am still living in the world of the "currently unemployed."
I have had a few great adventures in job searching, however, and I still stand by my opinion that any interview is a good interview.
I interviewed with a progressive political group where my boss and the Executive Director were both younger than me... that's the first time THAT'S ever happened. I truly appreciated that the job description called for someone who feel comfortable working in costumes, and the interview was fun, but, in the end, they found someone who was a better fit.
I also had a preliminary interview at a dental clinic for an office coordinator position, where the dentist pretty much already knew who he wanted to hire, but didn't want to cut off his options early. He was also concerned that didn't know if could commit beyond three years (for a clerical office job?), and admitted he really hates to call and tell people they don't have a job, so just noted if I didn't hear from him by Tuesday at 5, he'd found someone else... that was a very surreal experience.
I feel I am tainted from my experience in higher ed, where we see the value of people's strengths and weaknesses in a team and look for honesty and a good fit both ways with our employees, and now that I'm out in the "real world" I feel like I have to be more guarded with my reality for fear of saying the "wrong thing." All in all, it pretty much, for lack of a more mature word, sucks.
Upcoming, I have an interview at the University of Montana Bookstore for temporary cashier help to get through the Fall Rush, and I'm desperately trying to get all of my administrative ducks in a row to complete the 27-page application packet to be considered for substitute teaching for the K-12 system in Missoula County (including getting a TB test and getting finger-printed). In the meantime, I will keep plugging away at the monotony and repetitiveness of job applications...
Food for Thought: For those of you employed in Higher Ed - if you were going to leave H.E., what would you want to do most?
A few things have change from our last encounter:
1. I am officially Mrs. Maureen Ward
2. I have attended my first high school reunion
3. I have ridden a bike for the first time in 2011 (that's kind of sad, actually)
One thing has not changed... I am still living in the world of the "currently unemployed."
I have had a few great adventures in job searching, however, and I still stand by my opinion that any interview is a good interview.
I interviewed with a progressive political group where my boss and the Executive Director were both younger than me... that's the first time THAT'S ever happened. I truly appreciated that the job description called for someone who feel comfortable working in costumes, and the interview was fun, but, in the end, they found someone who was a better fit.
I also had a preliminary interview at a dental clinic for an office coordinator position, where the dentist pretty much already knew who he wanted to hire, but didn't want to cut off his options early. He was also concerned that didn't know if could commit beyond three years (for a clerical office job?), and admitted he really hates to call and tell people they don't have a job, so just noted if I didn't hear from him by Tuesday at 5, he'd found someone else... that was a very surreal experience.
I feel I am tainted from my experience in higher ed, where we see the value of people's strengths and weaknesses in a team and look for honesty and a good fit both ways with our employees, and now that I'm out in the "real world" I feel like I have to be more guarded with my reality for fear of saying the "wrong thing." All in all, it pretty much, for lack of a more mature word, sucks.
Upcoming, I have an interview at the University of Montana Bookstore for temporary cashier help to get through the Fall Rush, and I'm desperately trying to get all of my administrative ducks in a row to complete the 27-page application packet to be considered for substitute teaching for the K-12 system in Missoula County (including getting a TB test and getting finger-printed). In the meantime, I will keep plugging away at the monotony and repetitiveness of job applications...
Food for Thought: For those of you employed in Higher Ed - if you were going to leave H.E., what would you want to do most?
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Chronicles of the Student Affairs Professional "In Transition" Part II
Hard to believe that we moved to Missoula 3 weeks ago today, but we did! It's been a whirlwind of unpacking boxes, followed by a few days "off the grid" over the 4th enjoying some unplugged R&R at the lake...
Now, on to the good stuff...
My last day of work at the University of Idaho was June 10, 2011. I have been officially "in transition" for 26 days and here's a few nuggets of thought-provoking material for you:
1. No matter what job I look at, depending on the mood I am in, I can either talk myself into how great my skills translate into being able to do just about anything I want to (even if I'm clearly not qualified for the position), or talk myself out of positions I would actually be qualified for... just depends on whether the glass is half empty or half full that day. I can see why countless Americans eventually find it easier to stand in the unemployment line waiting for a meager check, then actually continue to look for a job, especially in a county that has a 10% unemployment rate and historically atrocious pay grades for those who ARE employed.
2. After being in higher education for all of my professional career, I realized after getting here that I have no idea how to search for jobs OUTSIDE of higher education. I have found a few avenues of which to explore openings, such as the local newspaper, the county and state websites, and indeed.com, however, being in a new area and trying to find the "good" jobs that never get advertised is incredibly baffling. Also baffling, how to meet people that might be able to point me in the right direction.
3. Although it doesn't actually help anything, pretending that you are an heiress or a trust fund baby and that you never have to work again in your life, while sitting in a lawn chair in your backyard on a perfectly nice day in the sunshine drinking iced tea, is a nice thought that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
4. If you are ever going to NOT work for a short period of time, summertime in Montana, and also the month before you get married are both VERY convenient times to have a lot of free time on your hands. However, if it were winter and I were bored, I'd probably have a job by now...
QUESTION OF THE DAY: For all of you Student Affairs professionals out there, I'd like to pose a question to you... in the corporate world, one tactic of people looking for jobs is just to wander into the place they want to work, introduce themselves, and see if they can get the attention of someone important to actually talk to them. In higher education, I feel like this might be looked down upon, or not be a productive avenue, and that trying to be "proactive" could actually be perceived as "presumptuous" or "pushy" and would have the opposite of the intended result. Thoughts?
I wish you all well in your everyday adventures, and will be in touch again soon!
Now, on to the good stuff...
My last day of work at the University of Idaho was June 10, 2011. I have been officially "in transition" for 26 days and here's a few nuggets of thought-provoking material for you:
1. No matter what job I look at, depending on the mood I am in, I can either talk myself into how great my skills translate into being able to do just about anything I want to (even if I'm clearly not qualified for the position), or talk myself out of positions I would actually be qualified for... just depends on whether the glass is half empty or half full that day. I can see why countless Americans eventually find it easier to stand in the unemployment line waiting for a meager check, then actually continue to look for a job, especially in a county that has a 10% unemployment rate and historically atrocious pay grades for those who ARE employed.
2. After being in higher education for all of my professional career, I realized after getting here that I have no idea how to search for jobs OUTSIDE of higher education. I have found a few avenues of which to explore openings, such as the local newspaper, the county and state websites, and indeed.com, however, being in a new area and trying to find the "good" jobs that never get advertised is incredibly baffling. Also baffling, how to meet people that might be able to point me in the right direction.
3. Although it doesn't actually help anything, pretending that you are an heiress or a trust fund baby and that you never have to work again in your life, while sitting in a lawn chair in your backyard on a perfectly nice day in the sunshine drinking iced tea, is a nice thought that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
4. If you are ever going to NOT work for a short period of time, summertime in Montana, and also the month before you get married are both VERY convenient times to have a lot of free time on your hands. However, if it were winter and I were bored, I'd probably have a job by now...
QUESTION OF THE DAY: For all of you Student Affairs professionals out there, I'd like to pose a question to you... in the corporate world, one tactic of people looking for jobs is just to wander into the place they want to work, introduce themselves, and see if they can get the attention of someone important to actually talk to them. In higher education, I feel like this might be looked down upon, or not be a productive avenue, and that trying to be "proactive" could actually be perceived as "presumptuous" or "pushy" and would have the opposite of the intended result. Thoughts?
I wish you all well in your everyday adventures, and will be in touch again soon!
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Chronicles of the Student Affairs Professional "In Transition" Part I
Welcome to my new adventure!
In 18 days (which includes only 7 actual "in office" days, 10 days of conference fun, and one lone Sunday off), I will officially, for the first time in my professional life, enter the world of "professionals in transition," or, for the less tactful, unemployed.
For those of you who are just catching up, my partner and I are moving to Missoula, Montana in June, getting married in July, and he's starting Law School at the University of Montana in August. Myself? I am taking the plunge and moving with him, although as fate would have it, jobless at first, and hopefully not for long.
In order to soothe my ramblings, and my need for connection and purpose in a crazy, crazy world, I've decided I'm going to share my experiences through the Chronicles of the Student Affairs Professional In Transition, or, as any good SA professional would do, I've acronym-ed it, the Chronicles of SAPIT. Through this experience, I will share my thoughts on Student Affairs, on trying to move THEN find a job, and probably throw in some ramblings on feminism and sustainability, just for fun.
So, my provoking discussion starter of the day is this... in my current "opportunity," of which I have made a conscious choice to do for our family, and for the fact that myself and my life partner want to settle down and raise kids in the great state of Montana, I find myself struggling how to balance this choice with my professional goals. As I search for a Student Affairs position, of which none are currently posted that appear to be a strong professional choice for me, I'm left with the thought and potential benefits and consequences of a few options:
1. I could wait it out for a couple months, and hope something at the UM DOES come open, even if it’s a “step down” just to stay in Higher Ed/Student Affairs so that if when my partner graduates, we end up in town in Montana that DOES have a college/university (which is most of the major ones, and most of the areas we’re interested in), I’m still “fresh” in the field and will have a good chance of being employed in a better position at that point. Worry: Taking a “step down” will look bad on my resume, or something better will open up shortly after I take a lower position, and then I have lots of “short term” work on my resume and makes me look flakey.
2. Keep looking at UM, but start pursuing career options in other fields, such as non-profits or community agencies (my undergraduate work was in Family Sciences), and build some additional, and hopefully parallel skill sets so that when Burt graduates I can hopefully have some additional things on my resume, but hopefully still have the option of going back into HE/SA if we end up in a town in Montana that has a college/university. Worry: Once I leave HE, it will be infinitely harder, if not IMPOSSIBLE, to get back in, and monetary considerations are also a factor, as I’m the primary “bread winner” right now.
3. Take any old part-time job and go back and get a second Masters, in Sociology with an emphasis in Rural and Environmental Change, which would compliment my undergraduate and my interests OUTSIDE of HE/SA, and reserve to the fact that I may be leaving HE/SA for good. Worry: Both Burt and I racking up student debt at the same time, the frowny face of leaving HE/SA.
I'll leave you all with those thoughts for now, and this:
The highlight of all of this is, if you're EVER in your life going to spend a period of time unemployed, summer in Montana is probably the best time/place to do it.
In 18 days (which includes only 7 actual "in office" days, 10 days of conference fun, and one lone Sunday off), I will officially, for the first time in my professional life, enter the world of "professionals in transition," or, for the less tactful, unemployed.
For those of you who are just catching up, my partner and I are moving to Missoula, Montana in June, getting married in July, and he's starting Law School at the University of Montana in August. Myself? I am taking the plunge and moving with him, although as fate would have it, jobless at first, and hopefully not for long.
In order to soothe my ramblings, and my need for connection and purpose in a crazy, crazy world, I've decided I'm going to share my experiences through the Chronicles of the Student Affairs Professional In Transition, or, as any good SA professional would do, I've acronym-ed it, the Chronicles of SAPIT. Through this experience, I will share my thoughts on Student Affairs, on trying to move THEN find a job, and probably throw in some ramblings on feminism and sustainability, just for fun.
So, my provoking discussion starter of the day is this... in my current "opportunity," of which I have made a conscious choice to do for our family, and for the fact that myself and my life partner want to settle down and raise kids in the great state of Montana, I find myself struggling how to balance this choice with my professional goals. As I search for a Student Affairs position, of which none are currently posted that appear to be a strong professional choice for me, I'm left with the thought and potential benefits and consequences of a few options:
1. I could wait it out for a couple months, and hope something at the UM DOES come open, even if it’s a “step down” just to stay in Higher Ed/Student Affairs so that if when my partner graduates, we end up in town in Montana that DOES have a college/university (which is most of the major ones, and most of the areas we’re interested in), I’m still “fresh” in the field and will have a good chance of being employed in a better position at that point. Worry: Taking a “step down” will look bad on my resume, or something better will open up shortly after I take a lower position, and then I have lots of “short term” work on my resume and makes me look flakey.
2. Keep looking at UM, but start pursuing career options in other fields, such as non-profits or community agencies (my undergraduate work was in Family Sciences), and build some additional, and hopefully parallel skill sets so that when Burt graduates I can hopefully have some additional things on my resume, but hopefully still have the option of going back into HE/SA if we end up in a town in Montana that has a college/university. Worry: Once I leave HE, it will be infinitely harder, if not IMPOSSIBLE, to get back in, and monetary considerations are also a factor, as I’m the primary “bread winner” right now.
3. Take any old part-time job and go back and get a second Masters, in Sociology with an emphasis in Rural and Environmental Change, which would compliment my undergraduate and my interests OUTSIDE of HE/SA, and reserve to the fact that I may be leaving HE/SA for good. Worry: Both Burt and I racking up student debt at the same time, the frowny face of leaving HE/SA.
I'll leave you all with those thoughts for now, and this:
The highlight of all of this is, if you're EVER in your life going to spend a period of time unemployed, summer in Montana is probably the best time/place to do it.
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