I'm pretty sure this is a scam...
Warn your friends anyway just in case it's not.
This was another "test" email-post. This time I tested sending a picture through email. It failed.
Luckily I still have the picture because I just have to share.
This also reminds me of a more serious subject and no, not breast cancer. Perhaps I'll blog about that another day.
This reminds me how I Twittered and Googled a new co-worker. I don't normally do that, but this person came off rather high and mighty and is very web savvy so I did.
I found him on Twitter. I found his resume through googling. I even found pictures.
If I can find him, he can certainly find me. That's a little scary.
I invented "Ashley Ladd" so my employer and fellow church members wouldn't stumble upon my less-than-lilly-white erotic romances. That was even before I started writing M/Ms and MMFs.
I haven't been ultra-careful and have mentioned my real name in a couple interviews about my books when I was also speaking about "Ashley Ladd". I wasn't too worried that most people who found out would care or that anyone at church or work would investigate that deeply.
However, this particular man supposedly has boasted how he can hack into any computer. He recently mentioned that he was "walking into the lion's den" when he walked through my department last week. I think there might be a slight hint of animosity.
It's too late to erase what I've done.
Maybe I shouldn't post pictures like the one above. Then again, I'm not going to stop writing and publishing erotic romance so what the hell?
Enjoy!
I'll take my chances and hope he won't rat me out to the powers that be at my day job if he does discover my dirty little secret. Although I googled and Twittered him, I didn't plan to say anything even if I had found out something juicy (which I didn't - except the fact that he also wrote a book, but his book isn't naughty).
15 years!
Today is my fifteen year anniversary at my day job.
It's my second home. I spend more waking hours there than at my house. My co-workers are definitely my second family. My identity is very wrapped up in it, just as much as my identity as a wife/mother/daughter/niece and as a romance writer.
I've come a long way in fifteen years, both in my career and in the rest of my life.
Sometimes when I sit in my boss's office and we're discussing big problems with our system, staff, or donors, I remember back to my college days when I dreamed of being in this exact role. I wanted to be like Melanie Griffith in "Working Girl" - a manager with my own office, in charge of a department (or two or three), and tackling big corporate matters on a daily basis.
Well, I made it. I'm on the right path and in a good place. I'm not a director yet, but I am a manager and I have a very interesting job that benefits a lot of people beyond myself.
I've seen my CEO leave under gunfire. I've seen Y2K come and go. I saw the horror of 9-11 first explode on the TV while I was at this job. I've prayed with my coworkers often. I've battened down from hurricanes and cleaned up after at this job. I've seen people die, lose spouses, marry and even remarry. My youngest son who is now 14, was born while I worked here.
I've done a whole lot more at this job than I ever dreamed.
Our building isn't in the middle of a huge metropolis like New York or downtown Miami or even Ft. Lauderdale, but we have an extremely nice building with good equipment and office furniture. We have a beautiful yard - more beautiful than looking at a smoggy metropolis with tall buildings that block out the sun.
I don't have a Harrison Ford look-a-like wooing me, but then again I'm married.
I work for a charity so I have the honor and privilege of helping a lot of people which isn't something I imagined in college but which is something I'm very happy about now.
During this time I've also become a published writer. I've gained a beautiful daughter-in-law and two beautiful grandchildren. We bought our own home. I lost nearly 100 pounds (and regained some).
I've loved this fifteen years and I look forward to the next. Maybe I'll be promoted to director one day. Maybe I'll be published by Harlequin or Dell. And maybe I won't.
I've achieved so much already that I can never be disappointed with my progress. I've achieved so much and I have a great life. Whatever happens from this point is more gravy.
You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox,Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)
Sometimes I get really annoyed and it's usually at work, like today.
Why this time?
People leave messages or send notes wanting our assistance or response. But they only give us their name.
They don't spell it. They don't give us their donor number, address, phone number, or any way to contact them to find out who they are. They expect us to just know. They expect that they are the only person in the universe with their name.
Unfortunately, we're not mind readers. If we were, we'd have won the lottery years ago and we'd be multi-billionaires lounging on some beautiful tropical beach sipping margaritas and not wasting our time working for a living dealing with cranky people.
Unfortunately, there usually are more than one person with the same name. We have a data base of over 4 million people. Almost every name in it has not only a double but at least five other people with that name.
Unfortunately, if both Mr. & Mrs. are a donor, if Mrs. gives her name, it's probably under Mister's name so we can't pull it up without more information. Or if only Mrs.' name is on the record and Mr. gives his name on the message, we won't find it either.
Unfortunately, these scenarios happen several times a day, every day, in my office. It got old years ago. Now it's downright frustrating, especially when the person cops an attitude when we ask for more information.
I know I'm not the only Ashley Ladd. Once another Ashley Ladd accused me of stealing her name. I doubt it's possible to find any name unless totally made up (and even then maybe not) that doesn't have at least two.
Once, a long long time ago, when I was a newbie at the day job, I had a communication from a donor with a very unusual name (and no contact information). I only found one in the data base. So I sent a response to the person in the data base. Well, it turned out to be a totally different person with the same name. The one I contacted was incensed and things got worse from there. You can bet I never made that mistake again.
I try not to get annoyed, but some days are harder than others not to. Friday, I had at least three like this in one day. Oh well, it's a living.
You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox,Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)
Can I scream? Really? Do I have permission?
Permission or not, I'm going to.
Eek!!! Ugh!!! Oi!!!
Did you hear me all the way around the world? You should have. I am sooooooooo frustrated. I understand mistakes. We all make them. Some more than others.
I'm not talking about the occasional mistake. What has me frazzled is someone whose been doing a job for several weeks, that ascertained he knew what he was doing, and then he acts so confused today, that I seriously wonder if the past few weeks work has been screwed up. I found out when a mistake was uncovered today.
No biggie.
At least it wouldn't have been if it had been a simple mistake. The person was told what to do to correct it which seemed very simple to me. But then, the person made me explain the procedure all over from scratch, not once, but aobut three times and still seemed confused. I'm trying to be patient and think I usually am, but this time, I'm just flabbergasted.
If this person was so fuzzy on this, why wait several weeks after doing this procedure daily, to let me know? I'd have been okay if the person would have told me originally he needed more instruction. I really really hope that this mistake isn't the tip of the ice burg.
Another error today in a totally different area, uncovered a lot more mistakes, too. Only that was caused by one oversight (I think).
I'm trying to remember why I wanted to go into business, to get my MBA, and be a "working girl" like Melanie Griffiths? Boy, it sure seemed a lot more glamorous when she was hobnobbing around with Harrison Ford and also had Alec Baldwin pining for her in the big city.
Don't get me wrong. I love most of it. But this one thing today is going to make me go bald before my next birthday (which is the 21st of this month).
You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox,Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)
ROFLOL
No way would I have the nerve to try this. I wonder that this is real or if it isn't done by graphics.
At my day job, people aren't this creative - at least not that I'm aware of. However, they think they're sneaking in late and out early for lunch and breaks.
They park around the back where the CEO and HR director can't see them and they sneak out the back door.
HOWEVER, my boss, one of the directors (aka corporate snitch) has an office on the back corner of the building and he has huge windows on each side so he sees all the comings and goings. I know he does as he makes comments to me about how the people aren't getting away with it as he can see it, when I've been meeting with him in his office.
Our company's pretty strict. Because of a couple brazen thefts a few months ago (two young ladies snuck in and stole checks out of the CEO's secretary's purse) we now have video cameras trained on all exits. We're not allowed in the warehouse. We can only go in the front door although we can go out the front or back door. They watch our Internet and phone usage. I've heard they can even see what we're doing on our computers even if we're just using Word or Excel. We have to wear picture name badges, too.
Still, it's a great company to work for - as long as you aren't intent on trying to get away with a no no.
When we were smaller, we weren't so security and computer savvy. We'd find strangers wandering around our halls (not often but a few times). We could have done almost anything on our computers and no one would have known.
But as careful and conscious as we are, my last company was more so. My last company had the corridors sectioned off and you had to have certain levels of security clearance to get access - by card key. They supposedly listened in on our phone calls. They had the FBI run top secret security clearances on us. (yes, I passed)
Before that, I was in the Air Force, which was also very security minded of course and very regimented.
So my present company is a piece of cake for me. At least I don't have to wear an ugly green, starchy uniform or pin up my hair every work day. I don't have to pass armed guards on my way in and out. I don't have to swipe my card key to get into every hallway. Not yet, anyway.
Well, I forgot, the department where the money comes in is card key coded as is the warehouse. That's all, though. For now, anyway.
On another very important subject, my erotic MMF romance "Heart and Soul" will be released by Total-E-Bound tomorrow, Monday September 22, 2008.
My editor told me that I did a good job, that it's very emotional and romantic. I've been glowing from the praise ever since. I have to admit, I really love this story. I hope you will, too.
Here's a tiny blurb and excerpt to wet your appetite.
Mischa Bennett feels she is the luckiest woman alive to be engaged to Steve Krashin, the most wonderful man in the world. That is until he deep-soul kisses Vin in front of her and introduces him as his lover. Reeling, Mischa breaks up with Steve. When pushed, her heart breaking, she admits Steve still owns her heart – but she refuses to give him her soul.
Excerpt from Heart and Soul by Ashley Ladd:
Steve brushed her loose tresses away from her face, his fingertips grazing her cheeks. “Hey. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry if I hurt you. I’m not trying to. I hope you believe me.”
Frissons of electricity sparked through her face and down to her heart as if trying to jump start it. But she didn’t want the thing to turn over and spark so she scooted over until she was up against the door. “I don’t know what to believe,” she whispered, her heart threatening to crumble again.
A rogue tear escaped, and she blinked back several more. She didn’t want to swipe at it and alert him, but it was sliding down her cheek. She choked on a sob that refused to back down.
Steve glanced over and swore under his breath. He pulled to the side of the road and killed the engine. Without her permission, he undid her seatbelt and pulled her into his arms. “Hey, it’s not the end of the world. We’ll get through this.”
To her horror, the gentleness of his voice and his touch was her undoing. Her tears flooded the front of his shirt, and she couldn’t catch her breath because she cried so hard.
“You still love me, don’t you?” It was a rhetorical question. Steve cradled her against his chest and rocked her gently.
She wanted to scream “No!” but the lie wouldn’t pass her lips. She needed a Steve fix and like a junkie, she wanted just one more hit, then she’d go cold turkey. But she knew how crazy that was. She felt like she was one kiss away from Armageddon and knew she dare not chance even one tender caress so she tried to pull back.
But Steve didn’t loosen his grip. He massaged her shoulders the way he knew made her melt as his warmth and pine scent seeped into her, further intoxicating her.
The moonlight pouring through the windows didn’t help. It sprinkled him with its silvery sheen making him look divine.
He moved back just far enough to wedge his arm between them. Sliding his finger beneath her chin, he tilted up her face so that she was forced to meet his searching gaze. “Every time I look at you, you take away my breath. Do you know how very beautiful you are?”
Such pretty words from one that also thought other men were beautiful. She no longer took his words at face value. But she couldn’t discount the messages his body sent, his feverish flesh, his swelling cock rubbing against her, the questions shadowing his eyes.
“Oh, okay! If it’ll make you stop badgering me, I’ll admit it. I still love you. I can’t just turn off my heart like it had a switch.”
He inhaled deeply and looked heavenward. “Thank God. You don’t know how much I need to hear that.”
Not finished, she sucked in a ragged breath and narrowed her eyes. “You may own my heart—for now—but you can’t have my soul.”
In my job as customer service manager, I get to help with hiring our department's new employees. Although my boss, the director, makes the final decision, I play a part and he's also been very generous about discussing with me the whys and why nots that he likes or dislikes the different applicants.
When I was the job seeker, I was racked with nerves. I wanted the potential employer to give me a chance, to see my future potential even if I didn't have the required basic skills. I was so eager to land the job, to start earning income, to receive benefits, to pay my bills, that I was much more focused on my needs than the employer's.
Of course I thought somewhat about the employer's needs, but honestly, I was more focused on my needs. I won't be too hard on myself or on job applicants, because we all need income.
However, now I'm on the other side so maybe I can help a person or two who are seeking a job now.
First, my purpose is not to make anyone nervous. The interviewer doesn't expect anyone to be perfect. The interviewer is probably nervous, or at least anxious herself.
In our case, we really want to find a new employee. We're so swamped with work that everyone in the department is stressing out. Although we want to find people who can do the job, we're not going to hold out for super employee, either.
So, as much as we're anxious to hire another somebody (we already hired one person, but we have so much work we're hiring two people total) it has to be somebody who we think can learn the job, and that can learn the basics of the job without too long of a learning curve.
In our case, specifically, we need people that are understandable in English when they speak (Spanish is a plus but not necessary). They need to know the basics of Word, Excel, email, and internet. We're not looking for an IS whiz or an accountant - we're putting out a lot of letters, answering a lot of phone calls and emails, and fixing problems on the Internet. We also take donations. We have to be able to multi-task as we're a very busy office, especially October - February.
Sooooo, how NOT to get the job.
1) Don't know anything or very little about the necessary skills needed for the job. If you need to know how to use Word or Excel or any other computer program, learn how to use it - at least the basics. Get a proficient friend to tutor you. (I've tutored friends before an interview and they landed the job). Use handy dandy tutorials on the Internet or on the computer program itself. Take a class (if you have enough time). It doesn't have to be an expensive college class. A cheap high school night class or online class will usually do the trick.
2) Give a bad answer about why you left a former job.
Acceptable answers include (according to my boss, anyway): I did not get along with my boss (or coworker). I wanted to advance/do something more challenging (provided the current job really is more of a challenge or that's a BAD answer). I took time off to (have a baby, care for an ill relative).
Unacceptable answers include: I only took the job temporarily while I was waiting to get a job in my field (True case: our applicant showed a string of 3-month only jobs on her resume. All but one were in banking. It was troubling enough that she had had so many jobs and even more so that they only lasted 3 months (probation period). What troubled my boss most, however, is that our job was not in banking so she had given the impression that she was only planning to take our job until a better job in her chosen profession showed up.) *We, the employer needs someone who will stay long term and who at least plans to give the job an honest try.
3) Act as if you don't want the job. Another real life scenario: The applicant told me, the interviewer/tester that she'd rather be home making crafts all day. Perhaps she only saw me as the tester, not the actual interviewer. Either way, it was not a smart thing to say. We need someone who is willing to work and who wants the job.
4) Tell the employer that you're taking courses/college for a totally different type of job. * This may or may not be a negative. It's positive that the applicant is bettering herself with education, that she has a goal. My boss did not see this as a negative. However, I had my doubts when the young lady regaled me with her plans to make a career of the OTHER job, the one she was studying for, which had nothing to do with the job we are offering.
5) My employer is different than most in that we're a Christian ministry as well as a charity. Thus, sometimes the applicants we like, don't wish to work in our environment. Thus it is doubly difficult to find a match. Although my department is primarily a business based one, we occasionally get a donor on the phone that wants to pray, that waxes very religious. Although we have a team of "prayer warriors" we can't always reach them on the phone (either they're not at work yet as they work a later shift a couple days of the week or they're already praying with someone), so then it's up to us to pray with the person. If a person tells us in words that they are okay with that, but their expression or body language says the opposite, they most likely will not land the job even if they meet the other requirements.
6) Dress unprofessionally. Although my employer does not demand the employees wear business suits, even to interview, don't come dressed down in jeans or ratty clothes or flip flops. Too many people seem to think that because my employer is a charity/Christian ministry, that they will hire anybody who applies. Actually, my employer is quite demanding in many ways and is very businesslike even though it has its very religious side.
7) Be insincere or too excited. Again, because we are a Christian ministry, some applicants gush religion during the interview. They forget that we also have to function as a business. Many come off as insincere to me.
My best advice is just to be friendly and be yourself. In our case, we're a group of ten ladies, (most of us nice little grandmas), and one very gentle man, who shouldn't be scary to anybody. However, we know that any new job is scary or at least uncomfortable until you learn the lay of the land.
Also, beyond educating yourself, practice the new skills. In addition, if you're new in this line of work, volunteer to build your resume.
Good luck!
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