Look out Jewel, watch your back Dominick's - Mariano's Fresh Markets is about to put your lights out if you aren't careful! I was introduced to the store that was on Belmont and Western but now there is a location that is much closer and I can swing by on my way home.
Mariano's has opened a new store at Monroe and Halsted and I can't stay out of the place!!!
The store has fresh and organic fruit that's more affordable than Whole Foods, a juice bar with a fireplace where you can put your feet up and have a real smoothie, and food sales that will keep you coming back for more.
I enjoy a store that has all of the national brands along with some local favorites. I have been successful in finding Oberweis Dairy products in full supply, even the sour cream, which is the best I've ever tasted.
Mariano's is an offshoot of Roundy's Supermarkets, based in Minneapolis. The chain is very well known there and Mariano's is named for Roundy's CEO, Robert Mariano. The store was built to be the answer to Whole Foods, and in my opinion, they've reached their goal. I can spend $30-40 and have several bags of groceries - you can't do that everywhere. The service is also amazing - the employees wear black and white uniforms. They are familiar with the stock and know how to find the answer to a question rather than refer you to another employee.
I like a store that has wide aisles and is well -lit with ample parking. Parking is not an issue, there is a full parking lot and attendants to help you find a space. Parking at the Halsted location is free.
Here are my must have's:
the fresh strawberries
the oranges
the grapes - they last for a week
the plums - ready to eat as soon as you buy them
the salmon - never had a bad experience
the guacamole - mild the way I like it
the fresh squeezed orange juice
Donkey tortilla chips - my former brand has been usurped
the asparagus - reasonably priced and incredibly fresh
the popcorn at the snack bar - if you can't get to Garrett's before you go to the movies - this is a good substitute
You may find me shopping anywhere - Costco (still my only warehouse shopping location), Meijer (my suburban shopping destination), or Fox and Obel (my gourmet shopping location). But it looks like I have a new destination for regular groceries - hope to see you there, soon!
I gave my very first volunteer seminar on how to find a job at Bottomless Closet. I gave them once a quarter for five years without fail. At first the seminars were sparse, but after the third one, they were always crowded. I helped a lot of people get jobs there. It's sad to see that the organization is closing its doors in favor of "Dress for Success", the New York counterpart. I don't remember the New York company offering training, but it seems that they are about to start.
My Loyola Advisor asked me to work with the Loyola mentoring program and that's when I gave my first speech at the Senior Luncheon for the College of Arts and Sciences discussing the daunting prospect of finding your first real job to a group of scared graduating seniors and their parents. From there I began offering the how to find a job seminar at Loyola every few months and the rest is history.
The economy hasn't gotten that much better that programs like Bottomless Closet can fold, in fact, they are needed now more than ever. Now that things are picking up, we need to get everyone ready interview ready to re-enter the job market.
There is so much that needs to be done and so little time in which to do it. If you are getting ready to get back in the swing - here are a few words of advice:
Get a reliable cell phone service with good reception in all areas - you don't want to be in an area where you might drop the call and lose the job - always get a call back number from the recruiter
Create an e-mail account that is dedicated to business only e-mails and check it at least every two hours - you want something that is conservative and business-like - makes you seem like you sleep in a suit - please don't use an e-mail account that makes you sound as if your priority is being this year's good time girl!
Have your friends (or an old teacher, or someone you respect) look over your resume before you send it out - it's easy to make mistakes but this is one time when you really may not get another chance to make an impression
If you're looking for a C Suite position, find a headhunter. You can't do it alone, and the truth is a company is looking for you and they don't know about you, and you are looking for a company and you have no idea this job is available because it isn't posted - most jobs aren't posted - seek help!
Bottomless Closet charity closes after 21 years of helping women
December 6, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- The holidays are the time of year when many charities are asking for more donations and doing their best to help the poor and disadvantaged.
But after 21 years of helping Chicago-area women, The Bottomless Closet has gone out of business.
The Bottomless Closet has served more than 24,000 disadvantaged women providing them with professional attire and career development tools to help thrive in the workforce. The not-for -profit's ceo says the economy forced them to close down.
We decided we could not survive the economic hardships that existed already and hardships that are very likely to happen next year," Bottomless Closet CEO Jude Andrews said.
The spirit of giving is decreasing, according to Andrews. People are not giving the way they used to because they are nervous about the economy, she said.
Non- for profit organizations close down every year, according to economic strategist George Rosenbaum of Leo J. Shapiro and Associates.
Starting Thursday all clients of Bottomless Closet will have continued access to the same programs through Dress for Success Worldwide in Chicago. The two organizations reached an agreement to provide a seamless transition for the disadvantaged women it served.
"We are glad to provide that transition for all their clients and partners so that Chicago women do not have to go without these services," Director of Central Operations for Dress for Success Worldwide Amanda Flott said.
Sierra Brown is being coached by Dress for Success for an upcoming job interview. They are selecting clothes for her along with accessories to help her make a good first impression.
"It feels great to have contact with someone who is going to help you to make sure you look professional and look comfortable and it really is a boost when you are going into an interview," Brown said. "To have encouraging words, the mock interview really boots up your confidence."
Starting on January 1, Dress for Success will be accepting all of the donations at a warehouse located in the former Bottomless Closet store.
I get a lot of questions about the housing market on this blog so here is some information on making the best decision on your dream home:
First of all - find the best mortgage that fits your needs - find a mortgage broker or work closely with your bank. If you've been with your bank for more than a year, they should be willing to work with you to find the best rate available - so make them earn their money - that's why you're banking there, right?
Once you know how much house you can afford - find the right neighborhood - remember that what worked for you at twenty probably isn't a fit for you at forty - things change - you get tired of mowing lawns, replacing gardens, and repaving driveways - you might be ready for a condo, or a townhouse in an area where the outside stuff is already taken care of - lots of people tell me that they aren't into outside work, so don't let that bog you down. This is Chicago and with all this inventory the perfect fit is right there.
Select the building that fits your needs - do you need lots of space? have you measured the furniture? how is the piano going to get inside? how close is this to the expressway and how many grocery stores are in the area?
Make sure the lay out of the unit fits your needs - you're going to be walking around the place for a long time. Are you certain that you want a place with the bathrom on the opposite side of the floor plan? If you want the kitchen to be the focal point, make sure you don't select one that won't fit everyone in it. If you are used to falling ino the living room, make sure it's as comfortable as you need to make it yours.
Make at least three trips to the chosen place - once in the sunshine, once in the rain/snow, and once at night. You need to get a true feel for how the place looks and how the neighborhood looks in each situation. That way you know what you are getting into - if the neighborhood is pitch black, the garbage isn't collected, or the clubs explode as soon as the sun goes down, you need to know it before the moving van gets there.
Work with your realtor to create a timetable and a plan - you should make sure the electricity doesn't go off a day before it's scheduled to and that it's on in the new place at least one day ahead of time.
You went to college and at the end they gave you a piece of paper that allowed you to negotiate the best available salary in your field of endeavor. If you havn't been back to your alma mater since you left, I have to ask a question - why not?????
I went to a college reunion last spring and was SHOCKED to find out that there are a lot of people who haven't been back to the schools they attended since they left. I even listened to some very sobering stories about the experience for some people and it was not encouraging at all. If these stories hadn't been about the school I also attended, I would have asked why they decided to go there - but it was my school - and while I readily admit that it wasn't a crystal stair, I had plenty of chances to pop people right back into their place - I can't place a value on the things I learned there, made some incredible life long frends, boadened my horizons and laid the foundation for my personal mission statement. If you didn't at least come away with that, I'm sorry, but let also encourage you - you're not dead yet and there is no time like to present to get the education you want and deserve.
But I don't care how it went down, you did leave school. As long as you didn't leave in a straightjacket with a butterfly net over your head, I think that you should continue to contribute to your school and work with them. You didn't steal your degree, you EARNED it! Every letter, every hour of time, every hour of the work study program, every hour in the library, getttng tossed out at closing time - that experience is yours, and I think that you should give back, and offer your time, and participate in the programs . You didn't get walked out by a guard at 6:00 am in the morning after the end of your jail sentence, you're not a bill collector, and you didn't get catapulted out of the tower onto the street.
The students of today need your example - they need to know that one day this will all be behind them and they will be working too, and that they have to pay it forward for the next group that needs to be mentored. They need to know that this isn't the first class of people who look like them at this school, even though they may feel that they are being treated that way. and hey, guess what? You're not there to seek revenge on those who may not have had your back at the time - you're there to be a mentor and a role model and exemplify dignity, especially in the face of adversity.
I challenge you to go to some events, meet with some of your classmates - go as a group if you must, but go back to your school and help out. If you're not proud of your school, maybe the time has come to get some closure and put your feelings of hurt and anguish behind you. If you don't deal with it - it will deal with you.
"I expect to pass through this world
but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show
to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it,
for I shall not pass this way again."
Stephen Grellet,
1773-1855 French-born Quaker Minister
When I think about overwhelming kindness, a hand to steady your way, and an example of what you ought to bring to the world, I think about all of my relatives and friends, but even in that bountiful assembly, my cousin Vernon would stand out. He was a king amongst men and a tremendous inspration for how to handle your business.
Original Providence Baptist Church is the family church and the one where I gerw up. The church was founded at the end of the Civil War, and the congregtion still stands. I was in the choir, and I spent my Thursday nights and Sunday mornings there surrounded by my Wallace relatives. Barry, Rhonda, Mary, and I were in the Young Adult Choir, and we were quite a team. Everyone in that church knew who we were because we were Wallaces.
Vernon was always there and whenever I saw him, there was always an embrace, a kind word, and endless encouragement. He always wanted to tell you and anyone around you how proud he was of you, he couldn't wait to introduce you to everyone as his cousin. It elevated you in the world, you weren't just some snot nosed kid hanging around trying to get a spare chicken dinner. You were part of a larger organization, you had a brand and you weren't ordinary. Vernon didn't start his business in his twenties, but he had been working toward it his whole life. Nothing made you happier than to see him realize his dream of opening the business and then taking it to Broadview a few years later. He took the world by storm. There's a scene in the movie "Casino" where the boss is having a "coaching session" with one of the casino workers and he tells him "Listen to me very carefully, there are three ways of doing things around here - the right way, the wrong way, and the way that I do it." Vernon handled his business, and you're not going to find another like him.
Vernon handled my grandmother's homegoing with an inordinate amount of care - we hardly waited any time at all for her to be picked up, and the process was as smooth as glass. When my step-brother was killed, great pains were taken to make sure he looked as natural as possible, even under these difficult circumstances. He made intolerable ordeals tolerable, and even though he made it look effortless, I know that it couldn't have been.
I'm grateful to know that Vernon had just collected another tribute to his life of work and dedication. He gave his best and he wanted the best, and deserved it. I just hope to keep the torch lit in his absence until we meet again.
Vernon Wallace, funeral director, dies at age 82
BY MAUREEN O’DONNELL modonnell@suntimes.com September 5, 2012 5:44PM
Obit photo of Vernon L. Wallace, owner of Wallace Broadview Funeral Home in Broadview, IL.
Updated: September 6, 2012 2:30AM Chicago Sun Times
It didn’t matter whether Vernon Wallace was planning a funeral for someone down the street or a memorial for a gospel supernova who was so famous that many of her 6,000 mourners referred to her by first name only: “Mahalia.”
Either way, he kept the proceedings punctual, smooth and, above all, dignified.
Mr. Wallace buried thousands of people, including many Chicago VIPs, in his 61-year career as a funeral director at the House of Branch and at his own business, the Wallace Broadview Funeral Home.
Mr. Wallace, 82, died Aug. 30 at Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park.
“He was one of the pioneers,” said Carol Williams, executive director of the National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association, the oldest and largest organization of African Americans in the funeral industry. Often he opened up his own parlors to new mortuary school graduates, so they could gain footing in their careers by arranging funerals.
He handled many of the details for a 1972 farewell service in Chicago for gospel legend Mahalia Jackson, who sang in world capitals and for U.S. presidents. Her rich, supple voice was not only a backdrop for church but for the civil rights movement. She performed at the funeral of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
So many people wanted to attend her tribute, Mayor Richard J. Daley offered McCormick Place as the setting. The mourners included Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr. and King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, who reported that her late husband said, “A voice like Mahalia Jackson’s doesn’t even come once in a century — it comes once in a millennium.”
“It was just a huge, tremendous crowd,” recalled Mr. Wallace’s wife of 48 years, Gladys. “He was an artist at this, and excellent. Everything had to be correct for the family.”
Mr. Wallace buried many West Side politicians and Baptist ministers. He also handled funeral arrangements for coach Luther Bedford, featured in the basketball documentary, “Hoop Dreams.”
Behind the scenes, he often did pro-bono services for crime and fire victims, said his nephew, Rory Momon. Mr. Wallace funded Momon’s education at mortuary school, and he bestowed college scholarships on other promising students.
“He said, ‘Be strong; don’t be a pushover, and always be on time’— and, ‘Hard work never hurt anybody,’ ” his nephew said.
Mr. Wallace always wore a black suit, a black-and-white tie, and a red rose stickpin, said his niece, Sharon McDonald. He was a master at keeping funeral processions on time, checking his watch and urging cars forward with a smooth-but-firm, “Move, move.”
Even after capitulating to the modernity of a telephone answering service, he still insisted on keeping a phone next to his bed to go out on calls in the middle of the night, his nephew said.
He loved to see people laughing, talking and eating. Vernon and Gladys Wallace hosted a Christmas dinner for friends and family that turned the funeral home into a festive smorgasbord of turkey, ham, roast beef, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, shrimp trays, cakes and pies.
“We would clear out one of our largest chapels. We would set the table, a long table,” said his niece, Menai Edwards. “He had a Christmas tree that was all the way to the ceiling. He had all the lights around the tree and he would say his Christmas blessing.”
Mr. Wallace was introduced to the industry as a boy when he visited the West Side funeral home of an uncle, Joseph Wallace.
“He would look around, and play funeral director, and play around the caskets,” his wife said. “He wasn’t afraid.”
After Marshall High School, he attended Herzl Junior College and Worsham College of Mortuary Science. He served 14 months in the U.S. Army in Korea. He worked at the House of Branch Funeral Home until starting his own funeral home in 1988.
Mr. Wallace also is survived by his brother, Arnold, and many nieces and nephews.
A viewing is planned from noon to 4 p.m. Friday at Wallace Broadview Funeral Home, 2020 W. Roosevelt Rd., Broadview. A memorial tribute is scheduled 6 pm. to 8 p.m. Friday at Original Providence Baptist Church, 515 N. Pine. And a homegoing celebration is set for Saturday, with visitation at 9 a.m. and services at 11 a.m., at Rock of Ages Baptist Church, 1309 Madison St., Maywood. Burial is at Oakridge Glen Oaks Cemetery in Hillside.
As a child, I wasn’t the “Mama don’t take no mess”, “Do you want some of this?” “I wish you would...” person you see before you today. I wasn’t allowed to fight, it was frowned upon, my parents felt that I should be able to reasonably discuss my concerns, or just bring them to them. That was very effective, up to a point.
I would say the first significant fight I got into in school was in sixth grade with a tall girl named Cassandra. I don’t recall why we fell out, but I do recall that she caught me on the wrong day. I usually ignored people who aggravated me, or turned them in if they were determined to bust my “butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth” imagine that I tried to cultivate as a little girl. My schoolmates had a laundry list of ready accusations against me and my friends - the usual charges were “You talk like a white girl “, “You tried to steal my boyfriend”, or the ever-present “You think you know everything!”. I don’t apologize for being Patrice Brazil. If you can’t hang, don’t hang around.
Anyway, Cassandra was about a foot taller than me and she intimidated everyone. Her taunts to others were usually met with tears. Today, I didn’t feel like being a victim to her bullying so instead of placating her, my response was along the lines of “Well, that’s a butt whooping I’m going to have to take.” She was taken aback, but not nearly as much as when we went to recess and I didn’t run for the hills as other victims of her assaults had done.
Today I was cool - I waited to see what she would do, and when she struck I did something I had never done before, I hit her back – with a ferocity that I don’t think she was ready for. We weren’t tussling on the ground or anything, but I hit her as hard as I could several times before our teacher, Ms. Crawford, pulled us apart.
I had never been in a fight so my teacher was shocked speechless momentarily. My other friends were looking at me as if I was crazy - “Are you fighting the tall girl?” I knew I was going to get in trouble, but I prepared my defense as carefully as Clarence Darrow. “She threatened me, I was just defending myself and she threw the first punch anyway. I told her I wasn’t playing with her, she didn’t listen to me.” My teacher gave us a stern lecture about tolerance, playing like nice little girls who come from decent homes, and how people who settle their differences with fists usually wind up dead.
I wouldn’t recommend it as a first choice, but it did accomplish a few things. No one ever teased me about sounding like a white girl again, looking at some snotty nosed boy they were ga-ga over, or threaten me to a fight. I wasn’t Muhammed Ali out there, I could have been clobbered. Cassandra never spoke to me again as you can well imagine, but I learned the very hard way that appeasement never works – something a very dear friend of mine reminds me of almost daily.
And it hurts more when it's in your former backyard. I grew up in a nice regular neighborhood and people didn't cut up to this extent at all. I was able to play, ride my bike (granted it was stolen a time or two), play softball - basketball - run track at the stadium, even play tennis sometimes. At one point there was even a day camp at Eckersall where I learned to run track, play tennis, make sandcastles in the sand box, and discover snakes. How could all of that dissolve into this??? It's easier when the resources are depleted and not replaced - no more day camps, no more ice skating rink (even if you won't skate), no unified activity programs, no treat or treating, no crossing guards, no more in school vision tests, no more in school hearing tests, no more Officer Friendly vists, no more Fireman Friendly visits, no going home to watch Bozo's Circus during lunch time when your grandmmother or your Aunt Missy made you peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So much is missing from what I had as a child, and I don't see Chicago moving in the right direction, as we should be doing.
19 people shot in overnight shootings across Chicago
Nineteen people were shot across the South and West sides from Thursday evening through early Friday morning -- 13 of them wounded over a 30-minute period, authorities say.
The overnight shootings peaked between 9:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. That's when eight people, many of them teens, were shot at 79th Street and Essex Avenue about 9:30 p.m.
Then two men were wounded in the Ida B. Wells / Darrow Homes complex at about 9:25 p.m., police said. The men, 27 and 33, were shot in the 600 block of East 37th Street and taken to the University of Chicago Hospitals, police said. The younger man was shot in the head and the other in the right arm, Gaines said.
Around the same time, two other men were wounded in the arms in a drive-by shooting in the 2900 block of West 39th Place in the Brighton Park neighborhood.
About 15 minutes later, a 24-year-old man was shot in the leg and taken to Jackson Park Hospital from the 7200 block of South Jeffery Boulevard, Gaines said. He was treated and released. The man told police he was talking on his phone when he heard a single shot and realized he was wounded.
Earlier Thursday evening, four men were wounded in a shooting in the Little Village neighborhood about 5:20 p.m. Thursday, police said.
They were walking in the 3200 block of South Kedzie Avenue when at least one person inside a vehicle with three others opened fire, police said, hitting the group. Three 19-year-olds and a 22-year-old were wounded.
Just after midnight, a 17-year-old was shot in the back and taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition, police said. He was walking in the 7100 block of South Vincennes Avenue in the Englewood neighborhood when someone inside a passing car opened fire, police said.
Another 17-year-old was shot after 1:30 a.m. Friday in the 3500 block of West Grenshaw Street in the Homan Square neighborhood. He's in good condition at Mount Sinai Hospital. Someone walked to him and started shooting, police said.
Today I hung out at the Church Picnic.
Our picnic is anything but a bunch of picnic tables filled with
barbeque and potato salad. This picnic looked more like Funtown from
back in the day. There was a moonwalk – one of those giant plastic
bubbles that kids love to bounce in for hours. They had a climbing
wall that reached the heavens – there were kids jumping all over
that – one little girl was scarred to come down and she had to be
helped by one of the guys. There was a strawberry carousel for
really little kids to ride in. There was a bungee jump and little
kids were all over that. There was a hay ride and there was a little
trolley car that took kids around and they were waving and smiling
like they were on a Miss America float – it was really fun.
On the inside the guys were showing
their prowess at hitting free throws – that contest was the most
popular – every little boy over the age of eight was trying to hit
the backboard. The gym was lined with little kids. I was shocked
that there were no little girls competing. What was really touching
was that the kids were having so much fun – there was no concern
that the place would be shot up, no worries about a gang fight
breaking out, no care about having fun in public on the south side –
all parks should be as filled with laughing little kids.
As a kid, I took living across the
street from the park and the stadium for granted. I struggled to
keep up with the other kids in my neighborhood – but I could play
piggie and catch a softball without fear of losing my fingernails and I learned that at my park. I could hit a softball a half block , and I was able to shoot a
freethrow and toss a football as well as anyone after years of practice. I played with other kids in the neighborhood,
kids nowadays don't get that chance. They have to play at home and
playing outside has to be coordinated. That's so sad.
Just to show that this was a party with
a purpose, you could also register to vote, if you weren't already,
and you could give blood to Lifesource. There were also an area to
get your blood pressure checked and your glucose and cholesterol
levels screened. The only thing missing was the tennis tournament –
hopefully we will get back to that next year.
My internet service on my laptop went completely down on or shortly after July 13, 2012. Naturally, that coincided with one of busiest weeks, and I have spent the majority of my time this week trying to straighten it out. It's sad how simple things become complicated and take forever to resolve. Unfortunately for Sprint, I did have time this week to resolve it - and now they're scrambling trying to figure out how I just saved the cost of sending my computer to Dell Tech Support in India or have a Techie come to my home at the cost of $139 an hour, orf the cost of buying a new computer. They're really hot under the collar because the Attorney General just told them that they couldn't charge me for their internet service if they were unsuccessful in getting it to work. That last part would seem pretty intuitive, but they needed a letter with Lisa Madigan's signature on it to understand, I guess.
Internet service in my area has been sketchy with Sprint. I would get onto the internet and I would get kicked off all the time. I'm paying top dollar for this internet service - it's not free, so I demand that it be reliable. Sprint Tech Support worked with me all day on July 13th and through several of my off days after that. On the 25th I couldn't get a connection at all. So I wrote to the General Counsel at Sprint. for me, Customer Service gets two strikes and after that, I gotta go to the top.
I took my computer into a Dell computer authorized repair location and they told me the problem was the Sprint software that was built into the machine. That took six hours of my day to find out. I took it to the Sprint repair office, and after the Tech on duty added software package after software package, he still came up empty three hours later. I called Dell Tech Support in India and they said I needed to have a Technician come out at a rate of $139 per visit and $50 an hour plus the cost of parts. At that point, I was ready to just get a new computer. I have everything on a detachable hard drive, so what's the point of getting this computer fixed. I only needed it for the internet connection and if that doesn't work - I need to move on, right?
So I called Sprint and told them that even though I had a 2 year contract on their wireless service, since it was embedded in the computer and that software, or the hardware (depending on who you ask) doesn't connect to the internet, I cannot be charged for the service and I cannot be charged for breaking the contract. They went crazy at the thought of that - their internet service is not cheap, because it's unlimited. The General Counsel's office calls me and I three way us to the Attorney General's office. They exchange a few pleasantries and before the call is over, I hear this pledge "Ms. Brazil, we will find a way to make sure your computer connects to the Internet and it won't cost you anything...". I gotta give credit where credit is due - the Attorney General is worth every penny that she can wrest from our state taxes. That happened this morning, haven't heard a word from Sprint since, but my account was credited for the cost of the internet service immediately.
I called AT&T this evening. They handle my cable service, and they are always trying to get me to get something else from them. So I ask and they place an internet connection card to the side for me to pick up. I plug in the card and we're off to the races. I even have state of the art 4G, something Sprint doesn't have in this area. My computer is running like a top and I'm very pleased. I never had much respect for Dell products to begin with, but for a computer to completely break down after one year -that means everyone else with this embedded service will also have a chance to get out of their contracts.
If you get a queasy stomach, don't read
the rest of this article – every single word is true....
Yesterday, I spent the day getting some
reading out of the way, and I decided to go and get my very favorite
drink on earth – a wild berry smoothie. I used to have to trek
down to Caribou Coffee to get my drink of choice. These days,
however, I can get it at McDonald's, which is much more convenient.
So, I'm taking a break and decide to
get a small smoothie to end an otherwise perfect day and as I open up
the car door it happens – a rat jumps out from under a van parked
nearby, grabs a piece of a sandwich which was dropped on the ground
near the front door and hops back under the van.
So much for the smoothie. It's true,
you can't always get what you want....
So at this point I'm trapped in my car.
An intelligent person would have put the car in reverse and driven
to the next McDonald's but as you can imagine, eating anything under
the Golden Arches wasn't about to happen after that encounter. I
guess that was a sign that I didn't need to get a smoothie anyway. I
wasn't even hungry anymore.
As I sat traumatized in the relative
safety of my car, people are walking in and out of McDonald's and no
one seems to be all that concerned about the fact that a rat is
darting in and out of the path to the doorway and getting a free meal
to boot. I finally pulled myself together and drove home, vowing
never to set foot in that parking lot again!
I guess this sort of thing can happen
anywhere, but that doesn't make me feel better about it. I understand
that worse things can happen to you, and I'm not trying to tempt
fate, but why did my night have to be ruined?? I guess civilization
hasn't stretched as far as I had hoped. Last summer I had a client
check out a terrific condo in that area and the only thing he noticed
were the two guys smoking a joint in the vacant lot next door. I
guess that will dampen your desire to drop $200k on a place when
Tyrone and Pookie are hanging next door, with nothing better to do
than watch your every move.
Anyway, it's not all bad. This evening
after coming from my workout, I noticed that a brand spanking new
McDonald's was built much closer to my home. It's as if they were
reading my mind. I haven't stopped by there yet – it's probably
going to be a while before I can get this image out of my mind, and I
apologize for putting it in yours, However, the next time you're
trying to avoid that fast food craving, read this article and your
craving will cease!
After a week of 100 degree days and
having my hair in a snatch-back, I have to admit I was not sure I
wanted to attend the Chosen Few Picnic that was held last Saturday.
Luckily my sense of nostalgia overtook my desire to stay cool and
above the fray – I dove in with both feet – and I was not
disappointed.
My first piece of advice is don't
drive. Parking locations in the area were charging up to $20 a car
and parking spaces were harder to find than gold nuggets out there.
Travelling down Stony Island was like a funeral march. I was lucky
to find the last legal parking spot on the street. I took the bus
the rest of the way, carrying my portable chair on my shoulder.
This picnic is a merchandiser's bonanza
– games, dolls, lights, gadgets, tee shirts, bootleg movies,
bootleg music mixes, inflatable toys – it was all there for the
offering to anyone who wanted it. I didn't buy a single thing going
or coming, I wanted to take the whole experience in.
Once you get to the gate have your
money out. I bought a ticket on line because I refused to have the
police tell me as they had last year that it was too crowded to let
one extra person go in – I was turned away before I even crossed
Stony Island, and that was after buying my portable seat! I showed
my on-line ticket and was ushered in without any problem.
As soon as I crossed the threshold I
ran into people I knew. My lipstick was on a thousand faces –
people I hadn't seen since I went to college, some I hadn't seen
since I went to Kenwood – it was crazy! It was like having all
your Facebook friends parade in front of you. I saw a brother I
haven't seen since I was in Ms. Twine's class. I still can't believe
he knew who I was, cause he doesn't look the same – he was a blond
in grammer school.
If someone just came by and took a
picture of the picnic, they'd think it was a refugee camp – tents
everywhere - with some very satisfied refugees – the music was on
point all day. Some of those songs I hadn't heard since 8th
grade! Every DJ who took the mike rocked the house. Who's selling
the re-mix, because I want a copy....
I got back to business when I finally
made it to the Obama tent, which was smack in the middle of
everything as it should be. Do you think the President appreciates
house music? He's got to, right? The tent was rocking. I didn't
expect to see them there, so I was really shocked. The place was a
natural, though, what better location to register voters? We need
all the help we can get. They also have the best food – fruit,
salad, baked chicken, and lamb kabobs that were just what the doctor
ordered.
I went alone but I didn't leave that
way – I gained a boatload of new friends, heard some mixes that
took me all the way back to the house I grew up in – listening to
the music of my life, and rocking to some grooves that will make you
nostalgic for the old stomping grounds – the Warehouse, Sauer's,
the Playground, the Underground, LaRay's, AKA's, Coconuts, and every
college party from back in the day – when you could go to a party,
have a good time, and come home to talk about it the rest of the
night with your girls – that's what that afternoon brought back.
It's sad that we can't have that anymore.
Of all the things that has most disappointed me - the lack of fireworks on July 3rd is among the worst. For years - decades even, Chicago's Taste of Chicago was capped with an incredible fireworks display near Monroe Harbor while the Chicago Symphony played the 1812 Overture. It was an annual event that I so looked forward to that it influenced my decision to move downtown in the first place. I wanted those fireworks and I didn't want to have to drive downtown and wait in the interminable lines back on the Outer Drive to enjoy them - so off the a lakefront convertible I went.
This is the second year that we have lived without fireworks. It takes away from the enjoyment of the holiday. I'm sure it was a nightmare for the police, and it was a headache to see that the streets were all blocked going downtown. But it was always a boon day as far as business was concerned because people came from all over to see the fireworks. They came early in the morning and they ate and shopped all day - not to mention the crowds they created at the Taste of Chicago. Let's face it, we need the income.
I hope that this draught will be over soon. I think we should bring back the fireworks first thing. And this abbreviated Taste of Chicago celebration isn't making me smile either. People plan their vacations around the Taste of Chicago, we can't afford to give less than our best. The Taste of Chicago is a culinary cornicopia of Chicago cuisine, and we need to keep it as special as it has always been. Bring back the crowds, brimg back the money, bring back a real July 4th break!
Back in the day when I first went into recruiting, I saw hundreds, if not thousands of resumes that made my manager roll his eyes up to heaven and call on the Lord!
The resumes came in and we mtched the applicants to the jobs that they were applying for according to the prior work experience they had. Most resumes were very good, but there were always a few that needed real work before we could send them to a client's office. I always brought in some of the people whose resumes needed special attention so that I could help them create a resume that would help them make the right impression.
At our office we played a game amongst ourselves called "Guess Who Called Them To Interview" we would look at the applicants in the waiting room and try to figure out who they came to see. Scores of job applicants came to see us everyday, but as I worked with my group who needed a little nudge, my officemates shook their heads more and more furiously in dismay - my applicants seemed to be the ones that stood out in a crowd because their resumes reflected their general state of preparedness - they had a long way to go before they could go on an interview. I was discouraged, but I wasn't bowed. After all, everyone has to start out somewhere, and if you never help anyone, who's going to be around to help you????
You can't imagine the change that was made with just a little coaching and a stiff nudge in the right direction. I was able to turn some pumpkins into real princes. They got placed, and my manager had to reassess what I was trying to accomplish. I know that most people can find the job of their dreams, they just need to stop thinking of the interview process in terms of judgement and think of it in terms of being prepared. If you only have one chance to make a good impression, use the time to show everyone what you bring to the table. You're fabulous! Make it easy for them to see your cream rise to the top:
Please answer the phone yourself - don't let a relative answer, you need to be right by that phone when it rings - sound cheerful -even if you are down to your last quarter - in fact especially then
If you must use a cell phone, and it's pretty clear they are taking over - use a reliable service. You need to clearly understand every single thing the recruiter is telling you so that your notes are accurate. Before cell phones, I used to call people at phone booths (yes, that was quite a while ago) if they didn't have a home phone. Once I had an applicant who was so distracted that she went to an interview at Midway for a job at O'Hare. It was a disaster - the client filled the job without ever meeting my person. My applicant walked all over the place, and was so frsutrated she went home in tears. Clarify the location in all cases!
Make sure you know where the location is. It's easy to take down an address and drive out to the place th next day, but it's smarter to make a dry run to make sure there isn't any construction and that you really know where you are going. we give applicants directions, but invariably they don't have them when they leave for the interview. Don't be afraid to ask for directions - Bus drivers have great info on the best way to get around, and State Police officers fill the bill nicely if you're going outside the city. I've had people call the police on my applicants because they thought they were casing the area. You don't have to be humiliated - just don't be too proud to ask for help.
In a tough job market we all need all the help we can get - hopefully this will help you on your journey.
One of the main reasons I worked on the Barack Obama's presidential campaign
was because he
promised to work tirelessly to complete a goal that I've admired since I was
ten years old travelling in
Canada with my parents and a sick baby brother whose ear was so infected he
had rubbed the skin off
the back of it. We were far from Dr. Dreyfus, our pediatrician back in
Chicago, but we went to the
Emergency Room in Montreal or Toronto and a doctor examined us, gave us a medical card, and
medicine.
The visit was feee and so was the medicine - oh brave new world that has such people in
it!!! It's
Canadian Universal Health Care, and they even share it with their tourists.
You know where our tourists go who have no insurance coverage? Cook County
Hospital, and they're
lucky to be able to go there! I assure you, the difference in experience is like the
difference between
having tea with the Queen and trying to revive a two week old grilled cheese sandwich from under
your roommate's bed.
So, I wanted Universal healthcare - and as I courted volunteers and donors
from the very beginning
of the campaign, that has been my personal story. Like I said, I was ten years old so I have been
waiting a long time!!! When the Healthcare Reform Bill passed and was signed, it was a bittersweet
pill to swallow because it
wasn't all it could be, but I drank the Kool Aid and rejoiced with the rest of
the bunch. To the extent that I am able, I sold its
promise, I learned all I could about what to expect
and I was more pleased than sorrowful. I knew, however, that the day would come
when it would be
taken to court, and as hard as we worked to get the bill passed, as many times as I told that story
at
Camp Obama and at committee meetings,and at fundraiser support sessions, I saw ALL that hard
work slipping away.
I mapped out game plans to handle any potential reversal that might adversely
impact employees, I
tried my best to squelch fears and be prepared for whatever today might bring and you know
what? I
was completely unprepared for the avalanche of emotion I felt when I heard that Health Reform was
being
upheld. I was even more unprepared to learn that the Chief Justice was the deciding vote in it's
favor. I don't
know what happened, I don't know why it happened, but I'm grateful that it did happen,
because every single person in
this country gets sick, and everyone should be able to get well without
going broke trying to do it. The battle
is not over, but I am encouraged that we can face the next few
hurdles as Health Reform rolls out and people realize what my
people already tell me - "This
Obamacare ain't half bad...." Sometimes you have to be reminded that the battle is not
yours....
"There is no pain Jesus can't feel No hurt He can not heal All things
work according to His perfect will No matter what you're going
through Remember God is using You For the battle is not yours It's the
Lord's
There's no sadness Jesus can't feel And there is no sorrow
that He can not heal For all things work according to the Master's
holy will No matter what you're going through Remember that God is only
using You For the battle is not yours It's the Lord's
It's the
Lord's Yes It's the Lord's Hold your head up high Don't you
fright It's the Lord's It's the Lord's Yes It's the Lord's
No
matter what You're going through Remember that God Only wants to use
you For the battle is not yours It's the Lord's
No matter
what You happen to go through right now Remember that in the midst of it
all God only wants to use you No matter what you're going through For
the battle is not yours It's the Lord's
No matter what it is That
you're going through Hold your head up, stick your chest out And remember
He's using you No matter what you're going through God is only using you
For this battle is not yours alone This battle is not yours,
no You can not handle it all by yourself No, no, no, no, no, no It's
not yours This battle is not yours It's the Lord's, not yours
This
battle is not yours The Lord is the only one who can fight it He wants to
use you as His vessel So be open to Him It's not yours No It's not
yours It's the Lord's, not yours
The battle is not your's It's the
Lord's
Hallelujah yeah! *"
* The Batle Is Not Yours - by Hezekiah Walker sung by Yolanda Adams
My advice is to take all of the retirement classes that your company offers - if your company doesn't offer any - call the company that handles your retirement plan - somebody offers something and you need the advice. You might retire once or twice in a lifetime - I beg you to handle it well. It is going to be difficult, but you need that advice to make the right decisions for you. Time is ticking whether you want it to or not We may not be retiring with millions like the people in the article below - but their millions would feel like hundreds if they didn't prepare for this day - if you do it right you'll be retired for many, many years. I read this article from FORBES magazine and thought it should be shared. I meet with people all the time who want to retire, and even if they think they'v done everything right - it's like stepping off the 30 foot diving board into a pool the size of a postage stamp.
"To quote pro golfer Annika Sorenstam, “I didn’t grow up really rich or especially poor but I was taught to respect money.” She remembers her economic status as a child, noting, “Yes, I had to share my first set up golf clubs with my sister; I got the odd number clubs and my sister (who now works for Annika’s golf academy) took the even ones.”
The athletes I interviewed earned millions of dollars playing their sport but none of them came from a wealthy family. All either mentioned – or implied – that they came from a modest upbringing and that both the life lessons they learned growing up and their time as a pro play significant roles in their financial dealings today.
NFL star Desmond Howard grew up in a middle class Cleveland, Ohio, community. “My parents taught me the value of money and importance of working hard,” he said. “I was never flashy … even though I was the number four pick in ‘92 draft. I drove my old beat-up college hatchback to practice at Redskin’s Park every day.
Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller turned pro at age 13 to help cover costs associated with pursuing her sport. “I had a very small endorsement deal with McDonalds, which basically paid for the grips I used on the uneven bars,” she said. “Growing up I had to watch my budget. I carried a notepad around with me when I traveled and would write down every personal expenditure …food, souvenirs, whatever.”
When I asked Deion Sanders if he felt comfortable managing his money when he turned pro. He was quick to reply with a resounding “NO! And anyone who tells you any different is lying. Nobody in my family ever went to college let alone knew what do to with a million dollars.”
MMA pioneer Tito Ortiz who faced major battles at home before ever entering the octagon. “My parents were drug addicts,” he admitted, “and I had to fend for myself a lot. I was the youngest of four kids and a troubled youth until I realized I could get a lot of attention from slamming people to the mat as a high school wrestler.”
Oftentimes, star athletes are perceived as having it made, with no financial worries. But actually, they’re no different than average Joes who have to figure out a plan for saving money, grow their wealth, and protect their legacy. Savings Formula
Like many of us who are told to save at least 5% or 10% of our earnings, athletes face a larger savings rate considering that they will generally retire 20-30 years younger than most people. Of the athletes I interviewed Annika was by far the most hands-on when it came to saving and investing.
On this subject, Annika said, “I was always very conscious of my money and I saved from the very start. I’m very conservative with my investments and realize it takes some ice in your belly … you know, staying cool and not making emotional decisions. I’m a blue chipper,” she confessed, “and in it for the long haul. I manage my investments the way I play golf. I don’t take risks, and lately I’ve been studying how different investment sectors rotate in and out of favor.”
Since when do professional athletes talk about sector rotation? Desmond Howard and Kris Draper also follow pretty straightforward formulas for saving and investing.
Draper, formerly with the NHL, is very savings conscious, telling me, “After taxes, I always tried to save at least 50% of my game checks;” adding that he recently spoke with his advisor and structured his allocation toward 40% stocks, 35% bonds and fixed income, and 25% cash. When I asked him about the heavy cash position, he said, “I want to be protected from the market’s volatility and not lose a bunch of money.” That on-guard philosophy matches his hockey playing style, as evidenced by being awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy recognizing the NHL’s most defensive-minded forward.
Retired football pro Desmond Howard is also in the moderates’ camp but followed a different savings formula. “I was advised to save my signing bonus for a rainy day,” he said, “and to live on the money I was generating off the field through trading cards deals and other endorsements.” “Many players live beyond their means,” he carefully suggested. “It’s not that they are overspending but they’re acting like the money they are making now is going to be there forever.”
Unlike Sorenstam, Draper, and Howard, Deion “Primetime” Sanders and The Huntington Beach Bad Boy, Tito Ortiz, have investment styles that run counter to their sports personalities.
Ortiz , an aggressive fighter in the ring, said, “I’m pretty conservative because of issues from my childhood and a tendency to not trust people because of my parent’s drug addiction.”
I asked Sanders if his investment style mimicked his flashy style and trademark antics on the field. Speaking in the third person he explained, “You’re talking about a personality I created when I was playing … Primetime. That’s not Deion. Deion is a very different person.”
How a star projects themselves on the field, in the ring, or on the ice may or may not mimic their individual investment approach, which holds true for many everyday Americans. Whether you’re a conservative CPA or member of a SWAT team, you’re investment asset allocation should reflect what you’re comfortable with in up as well as down markets as should be comprised of investments you can easily explain or track. That’s a very simple rule for both current and future stars as well as average Joe’s to take to heart: It you can’t explain it, you shouldn’t own it!
That basic rule combined with the simple fact that “nobody cares more about your money than you” can dramatically change the relationship people have with money and their financial advisor for the better… And yes that could mean putting millions of dollars into a short-term CD or your mattress until you’re ready to treat your money with the same care and devotion you have given to your career. Selecting A Financial Advisor
When it came to selecting a financial advisor I was not surprised to learn that all of stars I spoke with picked an advisor from their inner circle. Some like Deion Sanders have had the same advisor since he started in the big leagues. Others like Annika Sorenstam and NHL great Al Iafrate, switched advisors because of investment performance issues and, of course, there are those star athletes who discovered too late that they were working with a crook.
As he theorized on why many young athletes end up broke, Desmond Howard put life as a young millionaire into perspective. “You quickly realize,” he said,” that you’re the boss of something you don’t really understand. You’re supposed to be the one in charge but you really feel subservient because you don’t understand any of it.”
Former Detroit Piston John Salley added, “It’s so overwhelming that you usually just end up saying ‘have you’re people call my people’ because you have no idea what is going on and don’t want to blow your image.”
Surprisingly, what both of these stars describe isn’t that much different than what I see when meeting with a surviving spouse or family member who is simply clueless when it comes to investing their money and managing their relationship with an advisor.
Howard’s advice echoes my own suggestions for star athletes and widows alike: Get a second and third opinion before doing anything. Don’t sit and nod your head “Yes” (which suggests you know what an advisor is talking about) when you should be saying “help me understand.” “Make sure you ask lots of questions,” recommends Howard, “and work with someone who can explain it to you instead of just accepting the person referred by your agent or friend at work.”
Salley discussed how his former advisor squandered millions of his professional earnings. “At the end of my career,” he lamented, “I thought I would be moving to L.A. with all of my earnings, where I could live like a modern day Beverly Hillbilly. Instead, I ended up second in line, behind the IRS, and basically had to start from scratch.”
Second, don’t be afraid to have more than one advisor. More and more wealthy people are segregating their assets among two or three wealth advisors to make sure one bad apple doesn’t ruin the retirement party. And thirdly, ask them to get back to you on something like research on a particular stock or product feature. It’s a simple way to see if they follow through right off the bat with what they say they are going to do. Living On Less Income
Typically, average Joes are advised to plan on living with less money than what they’re accustomed to earning in the workplace … usually only 60-70% of their pre-retirement income. Pro athletes, however, may be looking at a much more significant decline.
As I shared in the first of this series, Annika Sorenstam stated, “My income dropped by more than 50% but I had planned and prepared for that.”
“No one took as big a pay cut as I did going from player to my current role,” said Kris Draper, “You just have to start cutting some things out and not necessarily doing all the things you were able to do before.”
John Salley says you generally have all the same expenses going out but no more income coming in, so everything changes. After his basketball career, Salley wasn’t handed a role in The Best Damn Sports Show or given a role in Bad Boys movies on a silver platter. He, like many starving actors, had to take classes and attend hundreds of auditions … and there aren’t a ton of roles for sever-footers.
There’s nothing automatic about retirement for athletes or every day people. It doesn’t just happen. It takes time, energy, and practice. Whether your multi-million dollar contract isn’t renewed or your pension or social security won’t cover all of your expenses, the longer it takes you to adjust your spending to meet your current income level, the longer it will take you to secure your future.
All-in-all, Deion Sanders said it wisely and well, “Money only magnifies what you already are. If your dumb and broke, money will only make you dumb and rich … if you’re smart and broke, money will make you smart and rich.”
And so too is the case when it comes to retirement. If you’re not prepared to deal with it both mentally and financially, it will only magnify the positive or negative things you’re already doing instead of creating the legacy you deserve.
Join me for the last segment next week as I cover how each of these retired pros are making the most of their next phase of life and what you can learn from their remarkable careers. Also, be sure to read the first story in the series that discusses the mental and psychological aspects of Retirement for Star Athletes." From FORBES magazine
For many of us, buying a home is about more than a roof over our heads. It's the place where we'll watch our kids grow up and an investment that will guarantee our long term financial security. There's a reason that a home is an essential part of the American dream.
But right now, owning a home is a source of anxiety for millions of Americans. Last week, we heard from thousands of homeowners who are paying their bills on time but struggling and could benefit from being able to refinance their homes at historically low rates. Unfortunately, too many families who work hard and play by the rules just can't seem to catch a break. Here's what one homeowner in Mission Viejo, California told us:
Listen, people like me aren't looking for a handout. I've got decent credit and if weren't for the value of my home being significantly less than I owe, I would refinance now. If I could refinance at the historically low rates, I could do two things 1) pay off some other debt and 2) buy things I and my family need.
President Obama has proposed a plan that will cut through the red tape keeping millions of responsible homeowners from mortgage relief. It will save these folks hundreds of dollars a month -- and it's starting to get some momentum in Congress. The President has been traveling all over the country to build support for his plan, and it's time for you to speak out with him. Add your voice to his.
If we make this happen, it's the kind of change that can have an outsized impact on the entire country. With a little extra money each month, our friends and our neighbors will be able to do more for their families. That means stronger communities and a stronger national economy.
Here's what another homeowner in Virginia told us about how this would impact not just their homes, but the entire country:
Any way that you can help the middle income people will go a long way with helping the economy. Home ownership is one of the biggest expenses people have and anything to help them reduce their payments would help immensely. The only thing is cut the red tape ...
So even if you don't own a mortgage or don't need to refinance, it's important to add your voice.
We need to show that this is the kind big, national priority that transcends petty partisanship. Republicans and Democrats alike own houses, and they call each other neighbors. It will mean good things for all of us if every responsible homeowner can get some relief.
So speak out beside President Obama. Tell us why you support refinancing, and we'll make sure your story resonates here in Washington and around the country. http://www.whitehouse.gov/why-refi
We have an opportunity here, and with your help, we can make it a reality.
Thank you,
There's a line in Spike Lee's movie "Malcolm X' that resonates in the hearts of all parents of teenagers:
"Get your hands out my pocket..."
You want your kid to get a job, and they want one too - but before you ship them off to the corner store, fast food restaurant, or local small business - heed my advice: Watch your child's boss!
Children in the workforce are frequently (not all day every day, but certainly more than the norm) the victims of sexual harassment, wage and hour abuse, and bullying by their managers. You aren't sending them out there to be treated like someone else's pin cushion. Children who are desperate to earn over and above their weekly allowance may find themselves in situations that are compromising and they aren't sure how to handle themselves.
My first job was working at South Shore Day Camp - I was a camp counselor to a group of seven and eight year olds. The senior counselors were college students and the owner had run the place for decades. I had been a camp just a few years earlier - in fact I learned how to swim there - it was a great place and I have nothing but fond memories. After that I was at White Castle flipping burgers and workinf the register on Friday and Saturday nights. My mother drove me to work and picked me up the next morning. I spent every weekend at one of craziest corners in the city - 79th and Stoney Island! Every nght was a new experience, but those experiences never included abuse of any kind. I was paid weekly and I was treated the same as the rest of the gang. Every young person's experience should be as stellar.
I suggest that you meet the managers your child will be working for and check the minimum wage rate in Illinois for your child's age and type of work to confirm that your child isn't being taken advantage of. Yes, it's true that children under 18 can now be paid less than the state minimum wage, which is about $8.25 an hour, so call the Department of Labor before you burn the place down. It's also a good idea to stop by every once in a while, just to make sure everyone knows that the kid has a family that is involved. That can be enough to prevent someone from trying anything.
Make your child's first work experience a safe and happy one.
Looking for a job is like torture, but it has to be done. Unfortunatly, a winning lottery ticket isn't guaranteed to any of us, and we do like being able to turn on the lights when we get home - so, we are forced to work.
After you've sent out about 1000 applications and resumes, you finally start getting responses. Here are some tips to help make sure you make the most of the responses you do receive:
Make a list of the positions and the companies that you applied for - you don't want to be remembered as the person who said " Who is this calling? What was the job for??" You're not going to fare well when compared to the person who enthusiatically answers the phone and says "Oh, I've been waiting for you to call...."
Answer the phone! It's sad but true that a lot of people miss it when opportunity knocks. If you live with a relative who can't take messages when you aren't available, don't take a chance - either collect all calls on your cell phone and keep the ringer turned up - or take the chance that you miss the opportunity to schedule a face to face appointment for your dream job - when applicants are called to set up interviews - its first come, first served. I was in the middle of a 4th of July party when I got my high school job, but I wasn't too busy to accept the offer.
Turn off the television and the stereo - you need to concentrate on what's being asked of you. If you can't arrange a better time to talk to the recruiter, suck it up and find the nearest closet and get a flashlight to hit all of the highlights of your resume. We've all been there, so don't be embarassed. You may not get another chance to prove how spectacular you are - so put your best foot forward, put yourself out there and get that job!
Do a dry run - practice driving to the interview location - please don't get lost on the way to the meeting - one time I was interviewing for a job in Indiana, and I took the Skyway. The drive was punctuated by a flash flood that cajused the State Police to close the Skyway. When I got to the location, which was about forty miles away, there was NO sign that it had ever rained. My pantyhose (yeah, this was a while ago) were drenched and I looked like I had been caught in the rain, but I was early so I had time to straighten up. The manager who interviewed me was so impressed when she got home and saw the devastation the storm had caused tha she offered me the job the next day.
Listen to a friend - I have a group of friends who read my resumes, help me select my suits, and make suggestions on my jewelry and shoes. I'm too conservative left to my own devices, but they challenge me to take chances and to make my look pop - nobody knows everything - you need a second and sometimes a third opinion to prepare for an important day.
In these economic times, this is no time for foot soldiers - you need generals - this is war. Put on your gear and make that paper!
As wonderous as life is, some seem to leave it much too soon - Orlando Woolridge is one. Back in the dark ages when I was just getting into the swing of working, a group of Deltas and their friends found themselves at a Bulls game. We were so young and naive that we didn't know that many of the other women who would attend were treating going to the Bulls game like a job interview - or a fishing expedition if you will - you can see the modern day version of such women on "Basketball Wives". These girls were wearing glitter gowns and rhinestone covered shoes - we came to the game in slacks and a nice sweater set. We had to go to work the next morning, these chicks were open all night. They were Saturday night, and we were Sunday School. Maybe it was sitting in the midst of those gaudy get-ups that made us stand out. That night Sidney Green sent one of his boys up to get us - he had taken an interest to one of the girls in our group, and we hopped in a cab with the guy and had dinner after the game. It wasn't pheasant under glass and lobster tail, it was more like Bennigan's. That night Sidney met us and brought along Orlando Woolridge and a new rookie named Charles Oakley. These guys were all about our age, so we weren't cowed or intimidated in any way. They were fresh out of school just like we were, and they were tall, knew how to dance, and it was a new experience. We hung out with them a lot, we even spent very short spurts of time with the infamous Quintin Dailey and a young phenom named Michael Jordan. They were learning Chicago, and learning how to handle themselves and their fame. It was a lesson for all of us, and I was willing to teach as much as I learned. Working at the Palmer House on the night shift was like working a confessional in Sodom and Gomorrah - so these young brothers were like lambs to the slaughter in my eyes. We taught them how to avoid waking up in the middle of the street in their underwear and we got to witness the raw side of fame up close and personal. It can't be fun to live your entire life as the king of the hill, only to reach your ultimate dream and realize that your best still isn't good enough. It's not Jordan's fault that he was absolutely the best out there, that the accolades all seemed to be showered on him. Some people buckle down and pull themselves together when they see they aren't hitting the high notes, and other people stop competing. It was a little like living in the movie "Amadeus". Woolridge will always have my gratitude for telling me the truth about sharing your life with a professional athlete - your sport comes first - it's literally the only thing you have depended on your entire life, so you will do whatever it takes to make sure you can depend on your ability to perform - because when that day comes that you can't depend on your ability - you don't have a lifeline to cling to. He taught me that it ain't all peaches and cream and that's insight you can't learn in a book.
Tough luck always followed former Bull Orlando Woolridge
6/1/12 7:27 PM
By: MARK POTASH Twitter: @MarkPotash
Orlando Woolridge always seemed to be at the right place at the wrong time.
The former Bulls forward, who died at 52 Friday of an apparent heart
condition at his parents house in his hometown of Mansfield, La., parlayed his
unique physical abilities — his small-forward skills in the body of a 6-9,
220-pound power forward were hardly the norm in the late 1970s and early 1980s —
into a four-year career at Notre Dame and 13-year career in the NBA.
But he was born either too early or too late. He hit the NBA when the league
was mired in a drug culture that ruined careers and threatened the popularity of
the league — Woolridge eventually was suspended in 1987 for violating the
league’s drug policy. He would play for five different teams in the final six
years of his NBA career that ended with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1994.
There have been far more tragic figures than Orlando Woolridge in NBA
history, but he had a star-crossed, tough-luck career. Woolridge averaged 16
points a game over 13 NBA seasons. He averaged 22.9 points a game in Michael
Jordan’s rookie season of 1984-85 and averaged 20.7 points the following year,
when Jordan missed most of the season with a broken foot.
And then he left. At 26, Woolridge signed a free-agent contract with the New
Jersey Nets in 1986. The Bulls had the right to match the offer, but let him go
for a No. 1 draft pick and two No. 2s.
It was typical of the poor timing that haunted Woolridge’s career. With
Jordan healthy, the best was yet to come for the Bulls. With recently hired Doug
Collins, the Bulls had a coach who would specialize in nurturing young talented
players like Woolridge. Woolridge would lead the Nets in scoring in 1986-87, but
other than his 20.7-point scoring average nothing would be the same. The Nets
went 24-58. The Bulls went 40-42 — 10 games better than the Woolridge-led team
the previous year — and were on their way to greatness.
Jordan and the Bulls eventually reached the pinnacle, but Woolridge never
did. It was the story of his career, and his life, as it turns out. Woolridge
played with Jordan and the Bulls but not when they won NBA titles. He played
with Magic Johnson, James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with the Lakers
(1988-90), but not when they won titles. He played with Isiah Thomas and Joe
Dumars with the Pistons (1991-93), but not when they won titles.
Woolridge finished his NBA career with Moses Malone and the 76ers in 1993-94
— when both Moses and the Sixers were a shell of their 1983 NBA championship
team. The Sixers went 25-57.
Woolridge’s Bulls career was typically unsatisfying. The Bulls selected him
over Oregon State’s Steve Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1981 draft.
He was a contract holdout as a rookie and missed the first five games of the
1981-82 season. The Bulls had an opportunity to trade him to the Cleveland
Cavaliers for Mike Mitchell and Bill Laimbeer, but turned it down. He finally
signed a five-year, $1.5 million contract. His first appearance in an NBA game
was delayed momentarily when he answered coach Jerry Sloan’s call off the bench,
but couldn’t get his warmups off. Woolridge averaged 7.3 points and 3.0 rebounds
a game as a rookie.
Woolridge developed into a capable NBA scorer — he averaged 16.5 points a
game in his second season with the Bulls. But trouble never seemed too far from
him. In 1986, concerned about upcoming contract negotiations, he went AWOL for
two games in March. He apologized and was fined. But his Bulls career was all
but over. The Bulls drafted Brad Sellers in 1986 when it was unclear whether
Woolridge would return. They let him sign with the Nets in exchange for a future
first-round draft pick. It ended up being Stacey King, drafted sixth overall in
1989. The disappointing Woolridge era had come full circle.
But if it was difficult for the Bulls, it was more difficult for Woolridge. A
flamboyant, gregarious personality, Woolridge was a star who never became a star
at a time when the NBA was making a star out of almost anyone who wanted to be
one. Woolridge was a big-time scorer on bad teams — the 1984-85 Bulls (38-44),
the 1985-86 Bulls (30-52), the 1986-87 Nets (24-58) and the 90-91 Denver Nuggets
(20-62). As a role player, he was never the guy to put a team over the top.
After his NBA career, he played overseas and coached in the WNBA, but never
totally got his life together. In February, Woolridge was arrested for stealing
aluminum tubing in Louisiana. The material was sold for scrap — an unfortunate
final public chapter to the Orlando Woolridge story.
OK, let me put away some more
childish things - I'm going to put away "Basketball Wives"
and join in on the call to have shows like that one taken off the
air. It sends the wrong message about black women. I don't want my
nieces to grow up and think that is an acceptable way to communicate
- it's not the way grown women should behave, it's not putting our
best selves forward - in fact, the brothers who used to deal with
these babes are probably sitting together, high fiving one another
saying 'Glad I got out when I did," or “See, I told you she
was crazy...”
As crazy as The Real
Housewives is, Basketball Wives is that to the tenth power. They
can't go back to any high profile places – they've been kicked out
of casinos in Florida, restaurants in California, and resorts around
the planet. Yes, they've taken their drama international, so people
all over the world expect a group of black women to bust out into a
fight. So the next time you cross the pond, you can expect people to
start putting away the good china - right in your face. It's
humiliating to be lumped in with such a crowd. They put the ghetto
in ghetto fabulous, they put the project in project bunnies, and the
hootch in hootchie mamas!
Now, I will admit I got a few
new catchphrases off the show. But the bottom line is that it makes
it is a distraction. “You're the only Bible some people will ever
read,” was the #1 lesson at Mary Kay, and it seemed trite at the
time, but it translated into not leaving the house until you were in
a Mary Kay frame of mind – kind, considerate, ready to give a
sincere compliment to any and all. It's hard for me to imagine that
these women have anything other than a punching bag to go home to,
but in fact three of them run very successful businesses.
It's unfortunate that Shaunie
has to wonder whether or business associates look at her and think
she's a “ghetto hot mess”. Wonder no further my sister, that's
exactly what they think. The question you need to ask is “Are they
going to continue to think that way???? Good-bye Basketball Wives,
I'm going to use that hour to make some money!
Things you are told that make you realize you aren't 21 anymore:
How old are you? Oh, you just need some glasses....
Well, your blood pressure goes up as you age....
Do you get hot flashes?
You're asking for a student discount?????
Hold on, I need another bottle of brown blaze glo
We need the opinion of someone who was around when Bobby Kennedy ran...
Yes, that's right... fifty years ago today the Patrice Brazil era began, and
the world hasn't been the same since..... I can't even begin to list what's
changed since I was born, but what I remember is that the President said that
black people should receive equal treatment under the law and his head was
literally blown off. His brother said the same thing and he was gunned down like
a duck in a shooting gallery. Their youngest brother was one of the greatest
Senators ever and when he died his Senate seat went to an idiot cover boy. So if
you wonder why I'm at the Obama office every Thursday and Sunday – that's
why.
I remember that learning is it's own reward. If we were as concerned about
making sure everyone had the best possible education available as we are about
people not jumping in front of us on the highway, we'd be a nation of geniuses!
Schools that don't have more computers than students are not up to par – a
child's education is more important than flower pots and new garbage cans.
I remember that a small gesture can reap large rewards. I had a temp whose
vision was so bad she had to hold the paper up to her face to see the wording. I
bought her some reading glasses from Walgreen's and she was as excited as if I
had bought her a fur coat – she hasn't had a headache since then. A solution
that simple shouldn't take that long.
I remember that you have to bring your best to the table everyday. From the
first day I walked into the Palmer House to everyday I go the State, no day is
the same, and yet everyday is the eternal struggle to bring the best solution to
what seems at the time to be an insurmountable problem. The answer is generally
how would you like it handled if it were you?
That's what I remember about the last fifty years – let's see what I can make
happen in the next fifty....
I had a chance to spend time with Don Cornelius on several ocassions -
When I was a little girl, I was on a show that mimicked "Romper Room" and it was shot at WCIU in Chicago. There were four of us on the show and the moderator. "Soul Train" was just getting off the ground. When our show finished, Don Cornelius took over the stage and they brought out the trademark "Soul Train"
engine. It was a mock up of a train engine and Don started the show there. We would watch the teen-agers pour onto the set. It actually did always end with him wishing us "Love, Peace, and Soul". I couldn't have been more than 7-8 years old.
When I started working at Central City Productions, I learned that the owner of the company, Don Jackson, had once sold advertising for Don Cornelius, and that they had a friendly rivalry that went back many, many years. Cornelius worked with (absolutely not for) Don Jackson on some of his projects - the one I remember most was when I did the Luster Products Concert. The two appeared on stage together and it was my job to get them out there on time. Big men - bigger egos, and I'll leave it at that! Both good people.
Later I was working at JPC and learned that Don Cornelius had once sold Supreme Life Insurance for Mr. Johnson - that's where he learned to dream big and achieve. He came to JPC and we saw each other again.
I remember the Soul Train tribute at Grant Park on Labor Day and it was SO crowded over there that you couldn't get on Michigan Avenue or Lake Shore Drive, the crowd was so dense. You could hear the music two blocks away, and we were partying down!
Now he's taking that last mile alone. His work ethic and dedication will be greatly missed.
Multiple victims