Being Inspired

I missed my week #3 check in since we were out of town Friday and Monday. So on to a new week!

• 3 hours volunteering at Dress for Success
• 3 jobs applied for
• 2 networking meetings
• 1 proposal presented
• 1 interview scored!
• 1 coat finished
• Many flowers cut
• 4 scarves finished
• 100 labels ordered
• Finished Project Runway season 12

The Job Hunt

Again, this week, I want to talk about how important networking is. All three jobs I applied for were at organizations where I had at least one connection. Two people offered to forward my resume again, which was awesome. That way, I can be sure that I get at least 10 seconds in front of the eyes of the hiring manager. 

I spent many, many hours on a proposal for a project that I'm still hoping will come through. It's an organization I can help based on my years in healthcare. Fingers crossed on that one. (Much of it was written while waiting for a friend having a colonoscopy. Nothing helps you focus like sitting in a medical waiting room with nothing else to distract.)

Two of the people I talked to last week were inspiring. Chris at Evolve Collaborative is inspiring because he and two colleagues left a large agency to start a smaller one several years ago. From the looks of things, it's going quite well. Being in their space also reminded me how important a workspace is. they have an open space full of light, snarky sayings, lots of tea and an impressive coffee maker! It has the vibe of a positive, creative space. Of all of the places I've seen, this one really stuck with me.

Donna Davis, professor at U of O, and I also had a very inspiring conversation. She's taken the path of looking at technology, specifically VR/AR and showing how it is being used by seniors and people with disabilities. Her main focus is Second Life and how it's brought incredible value to these populations. Donna herself is inspiring, having earned her PhD at 50. I thought that getting my Master's at 35 was late, hah! There are many more dragons to slay. She's one of the many proving life is for learning and pushing yourself at any stage. Check out these other late bloomers. 

Thursday, an email came through inviting me for an interview for a job I'm really excited about. It's an industry pivot and could be very cool. Stay tuned. 

The Stitch Is Back

We came home from a long weekend to my Sizzix at the doorstep! What is a Sizzix you may ask? Well, they are nifty, desktop die-cutting machines used for paper and fabric. You simply sandwich the fabric and a die between two plexi-glass plates and roll them into the machine manually. Out pops multiple cuts of the design on the die. 

My intent is that with this, I can make the coat embellishments more uniform and they will be faster to cut. It's pretty darn cool. I put the finishing touches on a sample coat and am headed to take photos today. Fingers crossed this photoshoot works. 

Have a great week, all!