Roll Call! What do you do?

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

Self-promotion is a tricky bit of business, and not something that is usually encouraged here there and everywhere on a strictly social website. Yet I think it important to know what our members within this group have to share professionally with one another. So here is a haven whereby you can "strut your stuff". Tell us all about your business, your vocation, your avocation and your volunteer work! If you have your own web site, you may include it here. Several of our members are facing difficult life changing issues in the work force, so hopefully we can help one another with our combined years of professional experience and networking abilities.

In this manner, we will know who we can turn to for specific advice, be it cosmetics, interior design, accounting, photography, computers, travel, et al - so let's share and network!

Don't forget to protect your privacy where appropriate, and please represent yourself honestly and professionally. And just so we are clear, please - no soliciting members publicly or privately. If you have an interest in some one's product or ability, kindly conduct business privately with one another! If there is a business affiliation with a second or third party web site, please be clear as to the nature and structure of the affiliation. Thanks!

P.S. If anyone makes a connection through this that results in something terrific - do let us all know!

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

Indeed Belle054! ! One never really knows full well just how one thought, one idea, one connection, even one ounce of encouragement - can transform a life. Thank you so much for sharing!

[Beth AK]

I am a mom to my 16 yo daughter, a social worker with the military (my second career), and a Behavioral Science Officer in the National Guard. I see there are several other counselors in this group - always great to be able to network regardless of where on a personal or professional bases.

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

KathyArlene - everyone - thanks you so much for sharing thus far! It's fantastic!

This is a platform whereby one can write as little or a much as one wishes to describe oneself . We each have a lifetime of experience and corresponding abilities and skill sets, and the more in depth one is with their profile, the better we can network with one another. Each and every profile is fascinating, and if any of you wish to do a "do over" to flush out your profile a bit more - please feel free to delete and re-post.

In 1993 ( the year I founded my * travel company ) I joined a woman's association called The Canadian Association of Women Executives and Entrepreneurs (CAWE). It was one of the best moves I ever made. I had clients instantly - for an expensive niche product no less! As just one example of the synergy of connections, the husband of one of my clients had a graphic design house - his team became my design team for all my advertising and (award winning) brochures. She (his wife) created the most amazing Belgian chocolates, and packaged them to private label - I rewarded my top selling travel agents with them. To be surrounded by other hard working and dynamic women was an inspiration, and the advice and friendships have stood the test of time.

We have an opportunity here to inspire, encourage and applaud one another. Especially important in these difficult times of uncertainty. I'm thrilled that so many of you are rising to the occasion! Thank you!

* I'm (more or less) a silent partner now - am off doing other things - I'll post my blurb as soon as I can reduce it down from 10 pages /;-D

[Chez moi]

Kathy, I would love to see your site, but it is not coming up: it redirects me to Homestead. Is this because I am out of the US? If so, you should complain to them! You never know where your next job may come from...
:-)

[Jillybean]

I am a cytotechnologist, which is something no one has ever heard of, but I tell them it's like the equivalent of a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant, but in the world of cytopathology. Basically, I look at cells through a microscope, and decide if something is wrong with them--whether or not they are malignant.

I also have an Master's in Public Health, which I never really ended up utilizing, opting instead to go into cytology, back in the early 90's. I taught human sexuality for a couple semesters while I was a grad student, and went on to work as a counselor at Planned Parenthood for a while, before going back to cytology school.

That's my living. Outside of that, I volunteer for Science Olympiad for my kids' school team, and I guess whatever else they manage to drag me into....

[Maricel Evasco]

I have been a teacher for the last 18 yrs. I'm one of the rare few who actually got to use what I learned in high school and college in my career. I teach currently high school English and Medical Ethics. I have taught previously Survey of Computers, Web Design, Desktop Publishing, and MS Office Suite (MOUS). I consider myself a pioneer educator particularly in the area of Instructional Technology. One of my most exciting career memories was pioneering the National Skills Standard for Technology. A few of us were hand picked to undergo intensive training by the state dept and The NW Center for Emerging Technology to implement a very comprehensive technology-oriented pilot curriculum in our classrooms. Personally, I think the whole thing fell flat, but I enjoyed collaborating with college administrators, other high school teachers, and state officials. I worked on the Tech Squad for the Manhattan Office of the Superintendent of Schools. I also worked briefly for The Teacher's Network Online.

Prior to become a teacher, I did an internship at the Beth Israel Medical Center Genetics Lab for one summer --mainly karyotyping. The physician I worked with was murdered a month after I left- it was on the headline of the Daily News. I also interned at the International League for Human Rights (NGO), where I helped in the preparation work for briefing UN diplomats. It was to cool to be an observer in the diplomatic sessions. I also did my work study program at Columbia Journalism Library and Barnard Center for Research on Women (where I learned a lot).

I like being a teacher and I am planning to teach at least 13 more years before I retire. NYC has been generous to offer the 25/55 (service/age) retirement option for educators. I signed the contract last year. Beyond that retirement age, I haven't done much planning. I'd like to experience teaching in an exotic location, maybe Hawaii. I have a feeling I will continue to work in education well into my 60s.

[Abby]

Greetings to you all.
In my former life I was on Active Duty, US Navy for 21.5 years. various jobs, from keeping track of over 150K, of food items for 3-(Kitchens). Taught recruits in BOOTCAMP in San Diego, taught (basic deck seamenship and much more). stationed on board 2 totally different ships a Sub tender(I ordered food for 15 submarines, and speciality foods for them, and our 3 kitchens) and a LSD Landing Ship dock (we carried Marines and their equipment as close to the beach as possible, and unloaded them!! (My favorite ship). I was responsible for over 50K, of food, serving quality meals, sanitation and directly responsible for 45 sailors and when deployed 75 marines and sailors. Finally going to Shore duty: I facilitated Naval Leadership to over 3500 sailors and about 80 Coast Guardsmen/women. My last duty station was in Great Lakes IL, as a Personal Assistant to the highest ranking Naval Officer in the Mid-West (she) was the BEST BOSS I ever had and our team was unsurpassed by any "team", I worked for in 20 years. While on board my last ship (my daughter was about to turn 1), I missed 3.5 years of her life that I will never get back, but, cherish all the time she was able to spend with my brother and his wife, her Grand, and other people. She is now a freshman in HS.
I worked in the construction business for 1.5 years, doing everything but washing dishes!!! I loved every minute of that and learned so very much.
Presently I am a Training Specialist. I train all new employees (policies, procedures, Annual training, computer training). It is a great job, when I am assisting co-workers (alot of them are either afraid of computers, non readers) they are my biggest fans and vice versa (they make my day!!).
I have not used my BS in Education/Public Health or my MA in HRM!! I also coach a boys AAU basketball team in late Spring through summer and in the fall. I teach Sunday school, and volunteer in my daughters school.

[lynn]

i haven't been in this group until tonite, and stumbled on this discussion in the Guidelines. ran right over here to see the posts, and i am SOOOOO glad i did! what a wonderful idea, and what a treat it is to learn about the variety of backgrounds and experiences we women contribute, both in this group and throughout tbd. it's a special treat to read about those of you whom i know from other groups, and even a few on my friend list, for whom i didn't know your backgrounds.

what i liked best in my career has been the time spent in the area in-between environmental protection and public health. at the local government level, this is your environmental health inspector who looks at restaurants and swimming pools and septic tanks. at the state and federal level (where i've worked mostly), it's about managing risks from chemical exposures, and food safety policies, and most important, trying to get the wide spectrum of regulatory agencies to TALK to each other, and work together instead of at cross purposes.

my education was in chemistry, and i still specialize in the laboratory side of environmental health activities, but about mid-career, i looked around for ways to use those dysfunctional family peace-making skills. got myself some training in meeting facilitation and consensus building, and used that to move into association work, which i absolutely adored! getting people with a common goal together and helping them find a route to achieve that goal has been the absolute most rewarding set of experiences i could ever imagine!

i was able to do this in environmental education; in the crossover between foodborne illness and food safety; in emergency response and preparedness (going back before 9-11); and in the crossover area between cleaning up the environment and looking for whether/how the health of human beings might be affected by that contamination. i made some contributions that "made a difference" and it felt very rewarding.

i'm winding down my career, at this stage; after retirement in December, i don't plan to search for paid employment, but won't turn it down if it falls in my lap. after a few recent years of relatively unrewarding (but still needed) activities in federal government, i hope to find some community service role(s) where i can both contribute and find some of the satisfaction that seems to be missing right now, professionally for me. maybe the Red Cross, maybe my local government and first responder community; not sure, but i KNOW that i won't be sitting home in the rocking chair!

thanks for the opportunity to contribute! it's a privilege to become part of this group!

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

Welcome to "FWO" Lynn. Delighted that you have joined us! Yet another woman with a fascinating background and skill set. Thank you very much for sharing your life with us. I for one would love to hear more about " some contributions that "made a difference" if you should feel more forthcoming!

I've always railed against the idea that singing one's song was boastful, so here, humility can take a back seat for a change. Accomplishments are hard won, and women tend to dismiss the grueling work and intelligence that it takes to succeed as an " oh - it was nothing". Balderdash!

Take a cue from the lads - and toss bashful in the trash!

[lynn]

my contributions that "made a difference":
--influencing national policies and interactions between the federal and state agencies, that just made relationships better and working together more efficient, in drinking water and food safety areas.
--being the staffer who brought together and encouraged the early discussions that led to creating and compiling some data on environmental contaminant levels in humans, which will let others look to see if "real" human health effects exist from those chemicals, as opposed to translating/guessing that what happens in rats and mice will be what happens in people.

i was part of a larger effort, but it sure felt good to know that it came to fruition. i didn't add these specifics earlier because i wanted to focus on my satisfaction; i'm no longer marketing myself, but earlier resumes absolutely did claim credit.

now i'm involved in overseeing quality assurance -- thrice removed from real activity, very process focused, and i just don't find it rewarding, even tho' i can do it easily enough, and i find smaller areas to continue consensus building -- with national environmental lab accreditation, and homeland security lab testing networks, and lab QA.

[FluffySnoww]

Hello all!
I am a Job Coach and Community Integration Developmental Assistant (CIDA.) As a Job Coach, I assist people with disabilities with every aspect of employment, from interview skills and job developing to teaching the job after it is obtained. One of the unique aspects of this job is that I have to learn the client's job AND teach it to the client at the same time.

As a CIDA, I help people with disabilities who live independently in the community to retain their independent living status by helping them with their daily living skills. This includes monitoring their apartments (nagging them to clean), medical appointments, meds, transportation, community integration, budgeting, laundry, cooking, and any other issue that needs to be addressed.

It is very rewarding to see someone succeed, but the job also has many challenges. I work with all disabilities and I have to be constantly on my toes to work with difficult behaviors. Anyone want to see my scars? lol

The worst job that I had to coach someone at was in the milking parlor of a dairy farm. Who knew that when cows defecate or urinate, it flies that far?? I thought I was standing back far enough..... Oh, the stories I could tell about this job! lol

It's really interesting to see what types of jobs everyone here has. We are a very diverse, interesting, and educated group of women! :)

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

Oh 1GLady - I must share a funny story with everyone. Upon graduating from a tony little private girl's school in Montreal in '71, I was encouraged to go on to college. Quebec had a complicated system - long story short, and I was (by the age of 18 ) what one might call "over educated" An only child - who's father was maniacal about education. Plus I had a "nanny" family friend who travelled with us (for years), she home schooled me - (in addition to the international schools I attended) she was a former Prof. @ Oxford U. so all this had left me with memories of every summer spent studying something, no matter where we spent summer vacation. One more day of school - and I was going to commit harakiri.

So I convinced me mum (we were on our own by then, just the two of us) to let me have a gap year. She agreed - upon one condition. That I went to night class to learn how to type, so that no matter what happened, I could always be a secretary. WELL! I agreed. I lasted three days. I typed alright. I still have the pages. Three rows of very naughty swear words. Then many many rows of "I will hire a secretary, I am NEVER going to be one". (Now really - what was my mother thinking - I'm marginally dyslexic !) Then more rows of explicative. To this day - I can type certain words faster than lighting!

I went instead to a local bar/restaurant/disco/spot (The Bishop's Annex - for any former Montrealers out there :) and waited tables, bar tended, worked as a hostess, made lots of money and had fun.

Yes. She found out. I got quite the lecture, but then as I had the fee to hand to pay her back right then and there - I was forgiven. Years later, when we were in Toronto, she found those typewritten sheets of mine. Oh my did she laugh. By then - we had our own secretary, whom I had interviewed and hired for our business, that I helped her start, and that was successful ! In good part due to all the business courses I took on starting a business, - which was much more interesting! Paid for, by my stellar bar tending abilities, I might add ;-D

1GLady - when I founded my travel company in 1993, I could not afford a cleaning person. So every evening after all my staff had left, I cleaned. One evening my manager came back to retrieve something, and caught me at it. Behind my back - she organized our staff so that everyone had one cleaning job a week to tend to and everyone rotated. It was a wonderful gift. I think cleaning is such an honourable profession, and I do mean "profession". People who are good at it, and enjoy it, are a god send to those of us who can afford it. I'm not one who "enjoys" cleaning - although I love organizing. People who have the temerity to look down on others who do important manual labour really do need their head examined.

Every single job we do well - to be of service to one another is a gift we give of ourselves to others. Everyone deserves our respect and appreciation for doing a good job in keeping things in life humming along, from the person who cheerfully rings up your purchase to the person who cleans the loo, to the person who clears your table, to the person who delivers your pizza.

There are no demeaning jobs. Just insecure and ungrateful folks who are so afraid deep down in their hearts that 'but for the grace of god go I" terrified - they have to shore up their fragile egos by talking down their noses to others. Pffft. Let me at 'em . I'll take them down a peg or two!!!

You are never ever too old to take courses. I've taken all sorts of courses over the years, most audited without credit because I needed the information much more than I had the time to take the tests and get the credits. I'm what you call a very quick study. So I have business successes, but no college degrees, other than from the school of (very) hard knocks: or what I like to say - from the school of *"What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School".

Even one course a year or semester in something that excites you, is invigorating! Go! Do! Learn! Which reminds, me - have you thought about teaching quilting?

* My absolute favourite business book bible - it's been invaluable to me: "What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School" - "Notes From a Street -Smart Executive" by Mark H. McCormack.