Have you ever had one of those search assignments where you almost felt as though you were an extra in The Three Bears fairy tale? That one's "too big", that one's "too small," and unfortunately, none of the candidates have been "just right". Why, you ask? WHY? My client is looking to buy top-of-the-line caviar with a Spam budget.



When receiving the job order, of course I look at the "written" job description, and then I proceed to ask the client what it's really going to take for… Continue

Sorry for neglecting you all last week, my blog friends! I was preoccupied with helping my new little nephew, Joel Christian, into the world. It's amazing the difference a few hours can make. A few hours, a few moments, in the blink of an eye - your entire world has changed.



The whole birthing process can be related to the recruiting process really. First you find out: You're expecting! You've got a job order and you've (hopefully) got a timeline to hire. You excitedly spread the… Continue

Here I am in sweltering Phoenix, AZ, waiting impatiently for a certain new arrival to make an entrance. I am the designated Birth Coach for my sister who is having her second child, and this little boy (Joel) is taking his sweet time in exiting the womb! My view of this process from the Birth Coach side has really changed the way I have traditionally understood this role.



When you have your own kids, and you're the female, you just expect the father to Man Up - be there for you,… Continue

I remember having debates with classmates regarding the question of nature versus nurture - which one is more important? Are all things predetermined by your genetic code? Is the environment in which you were raised more relevant in the formation of your personality, your likes and dislikes?



I got to thinking about this the other day at the hairdresser's. Yes - the hairdresser's. Going in for my tri-annual cut/color ritual, I noticed that the weather outside was beautiful. The… Continue

Driving past a local elementary school the other day, I saw the best example of unbridled enjoyment that I’ve seen in a long time. A boy on a scooter, going fast down a grass-covered embankment, his dark hair blown back, his freckled face split wide with a huge grin, his eyes mere slits because of the size of his smile, his arms acting as shock absorbers as his scooter hurtled him down the bumpy grass hill and slowed slightly as he reached the flat field. His friends reclined nearby under the… Continue

In the early spring of this year, the flowers were blooming, birds were singing, and I began to plan my summer garden. The previous year was a complete bust for my container garden. Poor location coupled with an unusually cool and cloudy summer doomed my basil and tomatoes from the outset, and my peppers didn’t fare much better. Relocating the container garden to my back yard would afford it better sunshine (if there was sunshine to be had) and a location that would make it easier to water and… Continue

Years ago before debit card usage became the norm, writing checks for goods and services was commonplace. A friend of mine went to her neighborhood grocery store, bought the items she needed, and patiently stood in the checkout line. When the clerk told her how much money she owed, she pulled out her checkbook and fished around in her pocket for a writing implement. Hand clasped upon a cylindrical object, she drew it out of her pocket and went to fill out her check… until she realized the… Continue

Our climate is pretty moderate here in the Pacific Northwest. We have a gorgeous fall season with chilly temps, morning frost, and rain. We occasionally get snow in the winter – along with more rain and chilly temps. Then spring comes along and we have more temperate days with lots of rain, occasional thunderstorms, and beautiful spring flowers. The one constant throughout the year is rain… or as we call it – liquid sunshine. It’s good for the complexion.



The best part about our… Continue

Taking advantage of our recently gorgeous Northwest sunshine the other day, I decided to take a walk. As I started out on my three mile trek, I noticed a home that had a beautifully landscaped yard. The grass was green and weed-free, the flowers thrived in rich brown soil with plenty of sunshine, and there were decorative pots on the porch containing healthy looking plants. This was the kind of yard that made you want to go home and set your yard on fire, you know?



Except for this… Continue

So I’m sitting at my desk, drinking my 9:00 a.m. Lady Grey tea, black with one sugar, and munching on some green grapes. This little break is Nancy Nirvana where I enjoy delicious fresh fruit and a wonderful lightly sweetened tea while reading my email digests, checking out recruitingblogs.com, etc. Birds are chirping, the sun is shining – you get the picture.



Delicately picking my gorgeous grapes off the vine and placing them into my bow-shaped mouth (I wish!), one teeny tiny little… Continue

Everybody has their weakness, that one irrational fear that triggers an uncontrollable-squeal-like-a-little-girl reaction in you. Do you know what I’m talking about? There’s no explaining this fear; it’s primal and undeniable. For some people this fear is manifested in spiders, or snakes, or even squirrels. Mine is frogs.



I’ve always hated frogs, ever since I was a little girl. Strangely and perversely enough, one of my dad’s more “interesting” hobbies was frog jumping. My dad would… Continue