8 Writing Assignments I Hated as a School Kid

Source: Bryan McDonald, Flickr
Source: Bryan McDonald, Flickr

8 Writing Assignments I Hated as a school kid

Book Report on “A Tale of Two Cities” – This was probably one of the worst assignments for me as a student period. As I got older I definitely learned to appreciate Charles Dickson’s work, but as a middle school girl more interested in music videos, reading this book was the pits. On top of that I had to give an oral book report to the class for a grade. We were instructed to make outline notes on index cards….well I used at least three packets of index cards to cover all the points in the book! By the time I was halfway through, half the class was asleep and the teacher rushed me to finish up my report. I guess she was bored too.

Essay on what I did over the summer vacation – In my opinion, there was nothing less stimulating for a writing assignment. Who cares what I did over the summer? Why did we have to write about it every year when school started? Most summers were spent babysitting my siblings, attending summer camp and Vacation Bible School. Boring!

Book report on “Lord of the Flies” – I didn’t like it then and I don’t like it now. This book freaked me out the first time I read it. The boys killing each other was shocking, and the pig head statue gave me nightmares. Discussing it in English class was horrible because the teacher really wanted to get deep with the pig head. Ugh.

Interpreting Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” – After reading it for English Advanced Placement (Honors) class over the summer of senior year, the teacher was so eager to discuss it once class started. She was also looking forward to our written insight on the book. I wasn’t. Morrison’s work was slow to grow on me so reading such graphic scenarios and having to write about them grossed me out.

Responses to math word problems! Ugh!!! – Not exactly literature, but those word problems were definitely a writing assignment! I dreaded any question that started with “Two trains leaving different stations at the same time…” I could never figure out who arrived first and how!

Drills on subject and predicates – I was pretty good at these assignments, but after a while they really started getting on my nerves. I guess the teacher wanted to make sure everyone mastered it before moving onto the next lesson. So annoying….

Prepositions and adverbs…another ugh!

Diagramming Sentences – What made this so crappy was how the teacher would be so lively and into these exercises! I definitely wasn’t by myself on this one. The entire class groaned when it was time to diagram sentences. It just seemed so much more complex than it had to be!

 

Looking back I am definitely grateful for the English teachers I had growing up. They were serious about their job, they loved the students and they made my life miserable!  🙂 All for good purpose though because they taught me to have pride in my writing and the beauty of literature.

What about you? What writing assignments made you cry out in despair?

 

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6 Important Things I Realize about Transition

Source: Sid Mosdell, Flickr
Source: Sid Mosdell, Flickr

Butterfuly cacoon

As life teaches us, transition can painfully be a good thing. Especially when moving from one place to another. I completed my first week in my new place of work and I have to say it was pretty amazing. My purpose in writing this post is to give insight on transition while sharing my personal experience with it…..whew, it’s been crazy!

If you’re wishing or hoping for something, be prepared to get it.

We’ve become so accustomed to hoping, praying and wishing, that we don’t know what to handle what we’ve been wanting when it finally comes. Of course, the best time to prepare for a wish to come true is before it happens. I pictured myself in the new job while I was still at the old one. Not only did it help me in present situation, but I was in a great mindset during my first week at the new job. I wasn’t nervous or anxious, just very excited to be in a new environment. Try it out; you may be surprised at how your confidence level rises!

Let go of the past

I have to admit this was a struggle for me during my first week. I had grown so accustomed to doing more than I should’ve been doing, that I had to  slowly process not being burdened down with extra responsibilities anymore…I would actually get to do the job I was hired to do! Whoa! I was reminded a couple of times of my position and what it entailed. I was also told that I wouldn’t have to worry about all the extra stuff anymore. It was weird. I was so used to doing other people’s work. I’m now in a place that believes in structure and accountability so everyone knows what they’re supposed to do and they have the manning for it.

Accept the experience

Either way the experience goes, it’s a learning process. That was definitely the case before landing the promotion. Now I have to actually “accept” it in mind that this is what it is now. This is what I’ve been wanting and now it’s here. I have to embrace everything that comes with it. A lot of times we get so used to the negative that we become accustomed to it and think that something is wrong if it’s not in the picture. That’s so not the case. Letting go of old baggage and embracing new challenges go hand in hand.

To Whom much is Given, much is Expected

Transitioning always leaves you knowing more than what you knew before. Therefore the expectations will be higher. They should be higher within yourself anyway. Because you’re more knowledgeable now, there should be more productivity whether it’s in a relationship or on the new job. Because I’ve been promoted, there’s a lot more that’s expected of me and I must be able to come through. I have to read more now than I ever did before because responsibility, accountability and leadership is at a higher level. That’s where it can be nerve wrecking, but I won’t spend so much energy being nervous. I have to get and stay up to par with my new responsibilities. That’s just the reality of it.

Don’t be intimidated by the changes

Transitioning encompasses a lot of change, especially within. In my opinion, most people don’t like change. That’s why they’d rather stay in a situation they’re miserable in than step out into a new one. Change can be intimidating, but at times it’s necessary. This is where adaption comes in. Getting accustomed to a new environment is definitely a part of transition.

Plan ahead

Since things are always changing, it’s best to prepare for change as much as possible. I don’t plan on staying on the new job forever. But I do expect to learn and grow in it. I will then take the experience and use it to go to the next level. The previous job definitely prepared me for my promotion. So it only makes sense to take notes now and plan for the future, which is finally starting to brighten up.

 

What are your thoughts on transition?

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Transition!

Happy Friday to everyone!

I hope your week has been a good one. It has definitely been busy for me as I prepare to start a new job. It’s been a long time coming and I must say I’ve learned so much about myself and life these past few years. It’s too much to post in one blog, so I will try to keep it on point. 🙂

There are many things going on during this transitional phase. I’m taking the things I’ve learned with me to make it useful in my new environment. That includes good and bad experiences. In fact, the negative experiences have helped more than I could’ve imagined. Disappointments, things that folks have done to anger me has all boiled down in melting pot to strengthen me for the new horizon. There’s more confidence to achieve and definitely to write!

As David Brinkley stated, “lay a firm foundation with the bricks others throw at you”. Couldn’t be farther from the truth!

Certain things to keep in mind during transitioning:

  • Stay focused…on the positive – small, miniature bumps in the road may come to tamper with the joyful aspects of your transition. Always remember that change is a good thing. It’s growth so it may be painful sometimes, but at the end of the day you’ll be in a better place.
  • Put it on paper – lists may not be for everyone, but they’ve helped me immensely. Every now and then I sit down and make a list, no matter what it is. It could be plans for the next 6 months, things that are working my last nerve, or plans for better ways to budget. Even if it isn’t a list, try scribbling something down about where you want to go and how you will get there. Something inside you will definitely be sparked!
  • Laugh it off – as you go through changes, it always includes letting things go. It could be grudges, bad idea or even people who you’ve been around for some time. It’s important to have humorous moments during these times. Think back to the time you laughed the hardest, or a corny joke you may have told or heard from someone. As long as it brings a smile to your face, the hard elements of transitioning will melt off.

What are your thoughts on transitioning?

 

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Daily Prompt: It Ain’t Gonna Bother Me No More

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Once again, the Daily Prompt follows up on something I just posted!

It’s not a coincidence!

Fear used to cripple me. The fact that I was extremely shy growing up didn’t help much either. But as we all know, life has a way of kicking you in the butt and teaching you a thing or two. Like a cornered animal, I started fighting back after a while. I got tired of missing out on special moments, not being able to tell someone about themselves or having the freedom to express what I really feel. Like I posted earlier, I could thank life or good people for helping me, but nothing has helped me more than fear itself. Little by little I turned that sucker around and used it to motivate me. Before I knew it, I’ve been able to establish good relationships, face oppressors and take on a new career as a freelancer. The good part is, I’m just getting started! 🙂

Yes, I missed out on things, but I don’t have any regrets. I’ve learned a lot and I still have time to deal with fear appropriately.

Fear is a natural emotion. There is nothing taboo or awkward about it. It happens, but it doesn’t stay. At least you shouldn’t let it stay. Use the hell out of it. After all, it’s part of our survival skills since the beginning of time. Fear has saved us from doing some stupid things anyway, so take that to your advantage. Fear is a friend not a foe!

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/fearless-fantasies/

 

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Career Moves – Why I Got Promoted

Shoot, in my mind, I was already promoted! It was just a matter of me getting there!
Shoot, in my mind, I was already promoted! It was just a matter of me getting there!

If I did it, then so can you. I recently received the wonderful news of getting promoted after years of hard work, frustration and what I thought were set backs (they actually weren’t, but I’ll get to that later). As I’ve mentioned before, I have a full time job that I do in addition to my part-time freelance work. I want to share tid-bits of my journey to where I am today career-wise and hope it helps you out in some way.

Making a plan

As my readers know, I love to make lists. My career is no exception. When I’m ready to transition or push for a higher position, I usually start out by making a list. It visualizes everything for me, from what I need to do, whom I should talk to, reading I need to do and strategies I need to develop. That way, when I’m sitting before management making a case for myself I won’t look foolish. The confidence is there and I know what I’m talking about. My message is clear to them and they often admire that. Even if you just write down “get a new job” or “start consulting business” that’s a great start. The more you realize what you want, the better you can go about planning for it.

Rejection

I’d be a lying fool if I chose not to mention this part of my journey. It’s bound to happen at some point to everybody. We just have to choose how to deal with it. A couple of years ago I started applying for different jobs and got called for an interview. The organization was great, the location was excellent and the salary was out of this world. It was the perfect job for me. Out of 200 applicants, I made it to the final round of selection. When it was down to the final round, I went on a second interview and it went well. I just knew I had the job – I knew it was mine. Then it was silence, I never got the call that I’d been waiting for. After a couple of days, I called the manager that had interviewed me and asked if a selection had been made and he told me yes. They were impressed with my package but another candidate was chosen and it was a very difficult decision for them to make. I was crushed. I had to face my current supervisor and co-workers (some of them knew that I had gone on interviews – thanks to the supervisor) after that rejection. It took me a couple of days, but once I got myself together I made up my mind: that next time I come that close to getting a job, it’s because IT’S MINE! I didn’t care about circumstances, other candidates, or interviews. I was going to ace it next time and get the promotion. Sure, there were other applications I put in afterwards that weren’t accepted. I tried other avenues and looked at other careers in which I could advance. Nothing really happened for the next couple of years. But over that time I nurtured that one thought I had after the disappointment I faced with the dream job. I took the positive from the situation; the fact that I made that far out of 200 applicants spoke volumes. I interviewed well and I knew what I was talking about which meant I had pretty good market value. I just needed to keep trying and not stop until something happened. That’s what rejection does to you – if you handle it the right way. I didn’t let it consume me, I let it teach me (ha, I like that! (c) New3Creation Writing).

Preparation

After learning from the hurtful bout of rejection and making my mind up to never be in that situation again, I started making preparations to actually be in my new job. Did I have it yet? No, but I was doing my darnest to get there! I increased my exposure to various parts of my career field, I went to seminars, I read guidelines and regulations, I volunteered for projects that no one else wanted to touch and went to meetings no one cared about. I picked management’s brain about career moves and what I needed to work on in order to advance (annual performance reviews weren’t enough for me and I made sure they knew that). Were any of these tasks giving me promotions? No, but they were definitely increasing my knowledge and helping me ad more accomplishments to my resume.

After taking a break from applying and pushing for a new job, I mustered up the energy to start applying again. I went hard core, or as a friend of mine says, went into “beast mode”. All of the interviews I previously went on, suddenly served as fuel because I’d become familiar with questions and expectations of positions. All of my responses helped me regain confidence in the push I was making. Before I knew it there were SEVERAL OFFERS on my plate for me to choose from!

Setting sail

I star my new position in a couple of weeks and I am ecstatic about it. The faith and hard work has definitely paid off. I say all of this of course to apply to writing; I want to advance in this career as well. I’m learning that it’s a slow process (molasses!) but I’m enjoying every moment of it as it continues to grow for me.

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Doing the Most

Recently I came to the realization that going above and beyond can have a serious backlash. A couple of years ago, the staffing in our office were cut short severely; mainly because of retirements. So I decided to step up to the plate and really prove myself as a worker and even a leader. Mind you I was already a productive worker and management was aware. I just wanted to take it to the next level. I went all out, attending meetings, staying late, volunteering to take projects no one else wanted to touch and so forth. Before I knew it, I became the go-to person of the office. Whatever management needed at the drop of a dime, they knew who to go to. I never failed to disappoint. As time went by this new go-to role grew. The work increased – everything increased….except for the pay. Naturally I started wondering when something would happen to compensate me for the hard work I was putting in. I eventually started asking questions and got round about answers. There was of course talk of budget constraints and hands being tied to do anything for me. After a while the lines started to get old. I had to face it – I had been hustled, bamboozled, played, you name it.

I was pissed.

But then I had to really analyze myself and the situation. Why did I work so hard? Why did I put in all those hours (no overtime pay by the way)? Why did I really volunteer for the projects? Well of course I was looking into advancing my career, so I took on more work to prove myself to management. You see, the “plan” was that they would recognize what I was doing, speak up for me and then I would get promoted. Yeah, it didn’t work out that way at all. So I was left completely exhausted, hardly motivated and extremely disappointed. Why couldn’t anyone look out for me? I wondered if all my hard work had gone in vain.

Flickr photos - Heather Kennedy
This is minutely how I felt after realizing I had been pimped.

 

Fortunately, new opportunities have opened up for me that include advance for me and my career (Yay!). So I am moving forward on good terms with lessons learned. The next time I go above and beyond, it will be for the right reasons because I am a mission-oriented person and I have to show that before any skill or project is displayed.

Questions still remain thought. I wonder why things played out the way they did. Is it because I had selfish purposes? Or was it just not meant to be?

I would love some insight!

 

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