A Temporary Cure for the Job Hunting Blues: Friends, Nature and a Ride in a Bugatti

My friend Marjorie and her husband Jerry retired to the Virginia countryside a few years ago.  They live in a wonderful, peaceful place with wildlife and beautiful trees, rolling hills and wide-open space for enjoying God’s gifts.  I spent a recent afternoon visiting.

The invitation was such a gift after a hard week of networking, cancelled meetings, appointments and job applications.  One federal application took me at least 8 hours to complete and, frankly, it was getting to me that my efforts are not producing the desired result.  I was ready for some fun!

It was a perfect day.  The sky was clear after two days of rain and the air was cool and crisp.  Marjorie and I went for a walk on a country road.  During hunting season, it is not a good idea to go where you might be mistaken for a deer so we stayed out of the woods.  Just to be on the safe side, I wore a red vest and she a red scarf.  We definitely did not look like deer.

We saw red-tailed hawks soaring above.  Magnificent.  We talked about how great it would be to be a bird.  Eating field mice for dinner doesn't sound too appetizing, but as in flying on a commercial airline, the views and speed of travel outweigh the unappetizing food.


Birds were everywhere.  White-barked sycamore trees lined the banks of a stream and you could tell where it meandered through the fields by the trees along its banks.

A lovely mare, alone in her pasture, watched us from a high place.  I called to her and she galloped to the fence for some horse whispering and scratching between the ears.  She was clearly very lonely and reeking from having rolled in a messy spot in the field (see side view of head).  But we were friends for that little while and she seemed sad as we continued down the road toward home base.

After a delicious lunch, I was treated by Jerry to a ride in the Bugatti.   It is probably the most beautiful car I have ever seen.  


To understand how big of a statement that is for me to make,  you must know I am not a car person;  I drive a Toyota.  Function, affordability and reliability are all cars have ever been to me. 


Several years of dating cars and their men eliminated any enthusiasm I may have had for automobiles.  It seemed most dates were obsessed with their cars and impressed with themselves for what they had chosen;  I was more interested in knowing the human behind the wheel.  More than one date was ruined by a car; once I spent what was to be a lovely afternoon at the beach in Southern California in a mechanics shop for some silly malfunction that became an all-consuming obsession.  


At one point, I started referring to dates by car names but then there were multiple BMWs and that got confusing.  "Oh you remember Volvo," I might say instead of using his name.  Now I can't even remember most of the human names but only their vehicles.

The Bugatti is different.  And it helps that I am not dating it.  It is a work of art, an architectural masterpiece of a vehicle. 


This Type 44 was made in 1928.  Jerry and the Bugatti have been together since he acquired it in 1960 when he was a young lieutenant in the Air Force stationed in Reno, NV.  It was shipped to the docks in San Francisco and soon after he took apart the engine.  


The Bugatti followed him during his military career, including surviving storage in Gulfport Mississippi during the devastating Hurricane Camille in 1969.  He reassembled the engine in 1973.  It spent several years in Colorado where in 2006 Jerry heard the engine start and run 46 years after he purchased it.  It was returned from Colorado in 2007, painted and finished in 2008, and has been run weekly since then.  

He looks at the car with such pride and love.   He showed me the engine.  How could an engine be so clean and shiny and attractive?  

It is a beautiful reminder of the past.  As I rode in it in my hunter-deterring hiking attire, I thought about what a lady in the 1920's might have worn.  I wondered how the experience might have been enhanced by period clothing.  With the top down, going nearly 60 mph on country roads, a hat would have certainly been problematic. I have no idea how Jerry kept his driving cap attached to his head while my hair was flying madly in the wind.    He looked like he was one with the vehicle.  

The ride was smooth, albeit a bit racecar-noisy. We talked about the car, its history and the loving care it has received. He informed me about things I do not comprehend – calibrating, engine size, tidbits about wiring and restoration.  But it was seductive to listen to him because he was so enthusiastic.  Rather like a skillful teacher of a boring topic; I listened because I admired the presenter, his delivery and his devotion to the subject, not because I have an interest in being an engineer or an expert in car restoration.

As we sped by, horses grazed in the fields, occasionally lifting their ears, raising their heads and reacting to the sound of a mechanical thoroughbred in their midst.  Maybe they thought it was awesome, too.

The car is tiny inside.   People were smaller in the 1920's.  Jerry showed me the compact floor space beneath his feet; my size 10's would barely squeeze in.

Here are some of my favorite attributes of the Bugatti:  

• The super-charged addictive smell of the fuel; honest, it is a good smell.
• The polished grain of gorgeous wood.  
• Beautiful, smooth leather.
• Immaculate, powerful but graceful lines that flowed together to both blend into the countryside and stand out like a prized stallion in a line-up of workhorses.  
• A small, elegant beveled mirror (a girl would of course notice that). 
• The simple logo (Ettore Bugatti = EB).  
• The push button instant start; it is necessary for a racecar and a super cool feature. 
• The spare tire is just as handsome as can be resting on its sleek rump.

 

For the first time, I understand the love affair with automobiles, at least racing automobiles from the 1920's that have been restored to their original condition and can be driven fast on country roads on beautiful fall days when the sun is shining, the hawks circle above and the last of the fall leaves are hanging on the trees with all their might.  For a short time on a beautiful afternoon I was able to forget about unemployment and job hunting and focus on beauty, both natural and Bugatti-made.

For more information on the Bugattis see these websites:  http://www.oldandsold.com/articles01/article818.shtml

http://www.prescott-hillclimb.com/bugattiownersclub.aspx

http://www.bugatti.com/en/tradition/history.html

Rural Florida: Natural Wonders

Morning walks on my recent Florida visit were full of natural wonders.  Walking on the bike trail and a footpath that run between several lakes, I marveled at the beauty.  The paths, at times, seemed quite remote with moss-draped trees and nothing but wildlife noises.  Other parts of the trail were busy with retirees on foot, in an occasional motorized wheelchair, and on two and three-wheel bicycles.  Below are some of my favorite sights.

Alligators:  I saw small ones as I walked on the dock above the lake.    Every day there was a new article in the paper about an alligator attack.  It seems that people feeding them disturbs their natural inclination to stay away from humans.  Humans and small pets then become associated with food.

Great Blue Heron:  They are fun to watch as they patiently wait for a fish or underwater creature to snatch.  Their legs hardly look strong enough to hold up their bodies and their wispy feathers make them look like old men in need of a shave.

Cyprus Trees:  Cyprus trees are dramatic and have such a graceful and stately presence.  My favorite looked different in the changing morning light.  

Cooters:  This is a generic name for fresh water turtles.  The town I visited has an annual Cooterfest.  Apparently that name has other meanings and confuses some people who arrive thinking there is more to it than a celebration of turtles.  

Anhinga:  These large water birds spear fish with their pointed bills.   I encountered one on a dock, drying his wings and looking like an old flasher opening his coat!  He prepared to take off as I got too close for comfort.

Great Egret:  There were many of these snow white leggy beauties, standing alone in the shallow water fishing and looking quite content.

Cyprus Knees:  Looking like symphonies, worshipers, pilgrimages, and sometimes packs of small animals, these offspring of the cyprus trees seem to be trying to communicate something very special. 

Butterflies:  Two smallish butterflies were prevalent.  The zebras were the hardest to track down; they rarely stopped to feed.

Tree Frogs:  These adorable creatures were surely everywhere along my path, but I did not see them in the trees.  Instead, they congregated on my Mother's porch where the bugs clustered in the evenings.  I had great fun watching them and even caught one or two, getting peed on in the process.

Common Moorhens:  They were "common" on one of the lakes.  They have a distinctive, loud call and were always busy swimming, talking to one another ,and flapping their wings.  To hear their sound, and those of many other animals, see this website http://www.junglewalk.com/sound/hen-sounds.htm

Sandhill Cranes:  These enormous omnivorous birds are commonly seen in pairs or family groupings.  Each morning I heard the family of four, who live nearby, flying over Mom's house and talking to one another.  They feed on a small island in one of the lakes along my path and I saw them from a distance.  Unfortunately my photographs were taken from some distance and are not clear.  For more information on these amazing birds and to hear their distinctive call, visit this site http://www.junglewalk.com/sound/search-sandhill+crane-sounds.htm

Moss:  Because I grew up in the South, moss is a familiar and comforting sight to me.  It screams of home, family and warmth.  It looks dramatic and beautiful in the afternoon and early morning light.

Rural Florida: Flea Market and Art Show

On a recent trip to rural Florida, I spent a morning at a flea market and an art show in the same small town. Many people attended both of the events, but the views were substantially different.  

The Flea Market

Lives spread out on tables and livelihoods seemingly on the brink, these displays of household and crafted goods were often shabby and reflected a distant memory of better times.

From knock-off purses to used clothing, hundreds of bingo cards, sparkling old glassware and naked barbies with unkempt hair, the market was a dismal reminder of how many lives teeter on the edge of uncertainty, and how others prey on that vulnerability.  Tables of merchandise were approached by the would-be buyers, many overheard bargaining for reduced prices.

The unfortunate poodle attended both the flea market and the art show.  He didn't know he was a sad spectacle, only that he received more attention than the dozens of other less colorful canines who also attended both events.

The Art Show

Centered around the Citrus County Courthouse, which was featured  in the Elvis Presley movie Follow That Dream, the art show was a community gathering place and draw for the revitalized downtown area.  The artists were mainly from Florida and the art was a pleasure to stroll by.

Local student musicians provided background music.  Smells of kettle corn and carnival food filled the air.  The sun was bright and a light breeze kept the temperature down.

Had I been fully employed, I would have purchased a beautiful seascape, a magnificent copper sculpture of birds and grasses and light-catching stained glass artwork.

I did not photograph most of the artists' unique works, except for the beautiful glassworks by PSGLASSARTS (Ridge Manor, FL) whose owner gave me unlimited access to their beautiful glass that captured the bright Florida sunshine so magnificently.

Attending the art show after the flea market was a good decision.  The art show was uplifting and inspiring.   I felt grateful to share in their radiance.

Up Close and Personal

I received a fabulous gift of a macro lens. It has changed my perspective and my photographs already. 

A friend told me my photographs make him feel closer to God. I replied that God is, after all, the big macro lens. God is in the details. We're not much without his ability to magnify and cannot forget that our role is to glorify, whether or not we have the perfect job or a full line-up of clients.

I tried out the new lens on a fly on the jack-o-lantern on Halloween. Poor Jack was a bit on the rotten side, sagging with his insides a slimy pool. The fly had already planned where his next several meals were coming from and kindly didn't budge from Jack’s eye while I tried to get my settings right.  It isn't one of my best photographs.  But life is like that.  Sometimes you macro a mediocre picture.

Looking at the details is something I have been doing in other parts of my life, too.  You can’t take a macro lens to yourself and photograph without a certain amount of subjectivity.  In our world, it is too easy to select the “trash” icon to eliminate what we don't want to see.  Exposing the details that might not always be so comfortable is what introspection and job hunting are all about. 

The gift of the lens as a good sign that I am about to start a new step in this process.  For months, I have looked closely at what I like to do and what I don't, what I am good at and what I'm not so good at.  Each macro step I take gives me a better picture of what the whole me really is and where I need to be.  This is all about dissecting down to the tiny details to see what you're made of.

Sometimes I take a step back because I don't love everything I see and if I am not careful I lose confidence, focus on the amplified negativity of the situation of my unemployment and its growing ranks.  It's like peeling an onion, only to find that it still smells like an onion, makes you cry more the further you cut into it, and sometimes there are ugly pieces inside that need to be discarded. And so it goes.

The resume, but one tool in the job-hunting kit, is designed to give the big picture of you so that potential employers can drill down and magnify the parts they are interested in.  It should be the book jacket of the best seller that is the employed me.  I can’t wait to take that photograph!

If I could take the macro lens to my eating habits, I wonder if I would find the reason why eating and cooking give me comfort.  Why is eating salad is not as comforting as eating garlic cheese grits with shrimp and collard greens?

There are endless analogies for this period of my life and I am choosing to focus on the positive ones, amplifying the things that are helpful and growth-inducing such as realizing that I really do want to run a nonprofit organization one day and that I love being in a consulting role when I can help nonprofits gain insight and move forward.  

When I get tired of focusing on the job hunt, I can take my camera and my new macro lens to the garden or down the street to the park and capture the tiny parts of leaves, plants, crawling things and other amazing works of our God who is so into the details.  Even turnips look good with the macro lens!

Harry Hemlock and the Juneberry Sisters - LIVE!

In honor of the felled black walnut (see "To Kill A Tree" 9/21/09), and to compensate my neighbors who now have a substantially increased view of the most unattractive side of my house, I purchased a hemlock tree and two Juneberry bushes to fill the empty space.  Both are native to Virginia and will thrive in the location.

Harry the Hemlock makes me think of a freckly faced schoolboy, fresh from an after-school tumble and ready for more.  He was on sale at the local garden center.  He will bounce back as his roots expand in the rich soil of his new home.  He has a lovely shape and a swagger-like confidence in his droopy branches.   He is sure to thrive next to his vivacious friends the Juneberry Sisters.

The  sisters had already shed most of their leaves when I chose them from among many. They are tall and I understand will broaden as they age and begin to bear more fruit - thus the female assumption on my part.

Best of all, I am told that the birds love the juneberries and that they also have a pretty flower. The berries are edible for humans, so in a dire situation, I will dine with my bird friends! 


If they could sing, I think they would form a trio called Harry Hemlock and the Juneberry Sisters and sing the blues.  They seem made for one another and even the men who planted them commented on how well they look together.  Perhaps late at night when the dog has gone to bed and the bunny rabbits and raccoons have taken over the yard, they will belt out their songs and keep the night things entertained.  


Maybe that old owl who ate my bullfrogs will come back and play the bass and the fluttering of the bat wings from their home in the tree above will provide acoustics.  When spring comes, they'll be joined by the buzzing things.  I can already picture the chipmunks sitting up on their hind legs, supported by their stubby little tails, rudely whispering stories with their mouths full during the concert.

I have paid my penance for the felling of the walnut.  In addition to the hefty cost of the purchase and planting of Harry and the Sisters, I have found ways to put the wood to good use:

• My son made a rough log bench that is installed next to my pond.  It blends beautifully into the surroundings and will last for many years.  I can sit on it while I contemplate the frogs and fish and enjoy the sound of the waterfall.
• A school is using some of the wood for their students to make crafts projects and possibly small pieces of furniture.
• A local craftsman was able to use the largest pieces for making tables and benches.
• An unemployed recent college graduate was paid by me to split the smallest pieces into firewood; more than a cord is in two large, perfect stacks and will be usable before spring.

Good things do come out of bad.  While the walnut had to be sacrificed, I gained knowledge, through Bill, a great bench, and the satisfaction of knowing I helped an unemployed graduate, students and craftsmen.  And, if I listen really hard in the middle of the night, I just might hear Harry and the Juneberry Sisters making beautiful music together.

If you have to cut down a tree, contact your local Department of Forestry or your county extension office and ask them for a reference for a wood recycler who will put your wood to good use.  Bill Merkel (Neighbor-Wood) www.neighbor-wood.com in Northern Virginia offers urban wood recovery that aims to put trees to their highest use.  He also offers mobile sawmill services (making lumber right where the tree falls), hardwood lumber sales, customer carpentry and furniture production. Bill will use some of my wood to make tables and benches.  He arranged for the school to get the remainder for their student projects.   

I waited until after I had the tree cut to call Bill and his earlier involvement would have meant more usable wood (typical arborists cut the wood in shorter lengths because it is easier and cheaper for them); fortunately I had the foresight to request that the pieces be kept long.  Bill would have helped negotiate the cost and ensured that the cutting was minimal and more usable.  

Unemployed "Big Girls" Learn How Foundation Proposal Writing and Job Hunting Are Similar

The bonsai tree pictured here is almost 400 years old and lives at the US National Arboretum.  It has weathered a lot, grown stronger and survived.  And so will those of us who are unemployed.  Here's to us!

Recently, an unemployed friend and I took a day-long refresher course on foundation proposal writing.  We drove into the city at a very early hour, we joked that we had not commuted in some time, and that when we do have meetings in in the city, we aim to avoid rush hour.   We also made light of the fact that we felt like “big girls” again, donning our grownup clothes and hassling with the traffic just like real working people.  It has been a while since either of us worked in full time jobs.

It was possibly a tad exhilarating and good to learn something, too.  We were among the eldest of the students, but participated admirably and asked good questions.  

Almost immediately, what struck me were the parallels of writing a grant and looking for a job.  Here are actual notes taken during the class, with annotations about the applicability to job hunting and marketing yourself.  It was a useful exercise for me to write them out and to remember the next time I am writing a cover letter for a resume, or a foundation grant application for a client.  If you are looking for a job (or writing a foundation grant), I hope this will be helpful to you, too.

Writing a Foundation Proposal: Application to Job Hunting

Attachments are increasingly important.  In addition to the resume and cover letter, more employers are asking for work samples and references with the application.

Tell why the program is essential for your organization and your community.  Turning this around a bit, in a cover letter, it is important to tell your potential employer why you are essential to them.  What is special about you that will make you a good employee?

The person you deal with at the foundation, your advocate, is paid to bring good ideas to their board.  As the Foundation grants officer brings the good proposals to the board, so the resume-reader/ human resources person must bring good people to the hiring manager of an organization.  They look good when a good idea/candidate is presented so make them look good for recommending you for an interview!

Write grants in lay language because the screeners are not technical people.  Resumes filled with technical jargon cannot be understood by most of the people who initially read them (and don’t explain why you should have an interview).  Make it easy to understand and highlight your skills that are critical to their mission.

Follow the directions.  One of the main reasons grant applications are initially rejected is that they did not follow the directions.  Did you include the required attachments?  If they ask for salary history and a writing sample, provide it.  Employers may receive hundreds of resumes for one position announcement; don’t give them a reason to reject you before even reading the resume.

What is your reputation with their colleagues?  Employers are well connected in the community?  Are you?  What is your reputation with the people they know?  Who writes on your Facebook page?  Who are your references?  Do you have LinkedIn recommendations from people they know?  Would someone the employer respects make a call on your behalf?

Prompt their curiosity but don’t tell them everything (leave something for them to want to find out).  This applies to dating and a myriad of other selling situations.  Provide an intriguing resume but don’t tell them everything you would tell them in the interview.  The purpose of the cover letter and resume is to get you an interview so you can WOW them with the details of those gems that will get your hired.

Make it short.  There are 98,000 grantmakers and 1.2 million organizations.  Make your cover letter enticing without writing a thesis.  There may be 400 resumes and cover letters received for one job announcement.  You want them to sift through and notice the important points in yours right away.

Verbs should outweigh adjectives.  This is pretty obvious.  Yes you may need to have some quantifying adjectives (“I developed the only program in Virginia...”), but the action words will highlight your accomplishments.

Write with substance over style.  Your resume and cover letter need to address what they are looking for.  Graphics, flowery wording and colors generally detract from telling them why you are perfect for the job.

Hit me in the heart.  This was what one foundation grants officer said should be the result from reading the summary of the proposal.  Of course you should do the same thing with your cover letter to apply for the job.  Say why you absolutely are the perfect person to get it but you might not want to make them cry!

The Executive Summary should be the jacket copy for your best seller.  I loved this.  This applies just as much to a cover letter and resume package as it does for the foundation proposal.  Employers should know who you are and what you can do by reading the first half of the first page of your resume.  Your cover letter should specifically address what about you makes you perfect for their specific job.

This is what I will do...tie the request and result back to the mission.  What is the mission or purpose of the organization/company you want to work for.  What makes you uniquely qualified to help them achieve it.  Tease them with an unique idea where appropriate.

Define how you are going to change your piece of the world.  This applies more directly to the interview than the cover letter.  In the cover letter, you may want to tell how you have already changed your piece of the world (innovations, outcomes).  If you have ideas for the new job, allude to them; but tell only enough that they want to interview you to hear more!

Make sure you clearly understand the problem.  Do you clearly understand what they are hiring for?  Read the position description carefully and write your cover letter to address their requirements with your relative abilities.  If necessary, reorganize some of the accomplishments on your resume to address their needs first.

Are you low-risk?  No human resources officer wants to spend the time and the organization’s money to interview or hire you only to find out that you aren’t right for the job because of something that should have been obvious. Make sure you have clearly defined why you are right for the position and are worth the time to interview. 

Communicate and stay in touch!  If you are fortunate enough to get an interview, make sure you write a thank you note to each person who interviewed you, as well as to the human resources staff who may have set up your interview.  When you go in for the interview, make a point of meeting the assistant or secretary for the person who interviews you and thank them for their help.  A thank you to the support staff whose opinion often matters is a nice touch and always appreciated.


The process always takes longer than you think it will.  Well, isn't that the truth.  

These points were all helpful reminders for me as a job seeker.  If you are looking for a job, I wish you the best of luck.  We seekers need to support one another.  The competition for jobs, as for Foundation grants, is tough.  Stay focused, be good to yourself, and spend your time with people who are positive and supportive.  They will help keep your spirits up.  That is why I spend time with my "big girl" friends.

The Grimace Glasses

At an auction several years ago, my youngest son bought a case of souvenir glasses that included several of the Grimace.  For a long time they were our primary water glasses, kept on the lowest shelf above the counter.   They were so silly and I was a little annoyed because I thought they were tacky and did not fit with our decor.  But they were funny and someone always made a reference to them, particularly the Grimace. 

When he left for college, I put his collection away.  It was a sad time.  I cleaned out closets, enjoyed a little more space and pretended I was happy about the lack of dirty glasses all over the house. 

I replaced the Grimaces with grown-up glasses for a year or so until he noticed that his special ones were missing.  Four Grimace glasses appeared back in the cupboard one day (and some went to college with him).  For the last two years I have enjoyed having the Grimaces back, the bright blue body, google eyes and pink mouth shining out at me when I open the white cupboard doors.

These glasses symbolize the need for a bright spot, for humor, and for preserving memories of good times, childhood and a time of growth.  I miss the cheery school boy faces drinking from the glasses and the brotherly joking that went on, glasses in hand. 

The Grimaces are an important reminder of the wholesomeness of childhood and the good sense of humor of a very entertaining son.  Grimace is a misnomer.  He makes me smile -- all four of him.