Life

To Be Continued…

Jeanna G2 Comments

My daughter and I have been streaming reruns of Who’s the Boss? lately. I love that she loves sitcoms from my childhood; it’s a nice bonding opportunity that I take full advantage of. At the end of one of the seasons, an episode came to the end of its time at a suspenseful moment, and “To Be Continued” appeared on the screen. She inhaled a quick breath and looked at me with wide eyes. A second later she remembered that she just had to click on the ‘next episode’ option, one that didn’t exist when I was growing up, and she was able to find out what would happen next.

Personally, I prefer a cliffhanger. Let me imagine what the future will bring. Let me dream up the possibilities. Suspense is a feeling that has taken a backseat in this world of instant gratification.

I recently changed careers, and the whole process has been a cliffhanger. What am I going to do? How do I do this? How will my life change? What skills do I need to dust off for this, and what new ones will I learn?

At the same time my daughter is entering adolescence like her brakes gave out. What will happen next? How will she change? What will stay the same?

I’m enjoying the suspense, and grateful to know that, while the last chapter came to an end, our story is to be continued…

Antiques for Hire

Jeanna G1 Comment

My friend and I, both Gen Xers, were talking about the job market and what makes us seasoned veterans qualified versus those who are just now entering the workforce. The world is changing so quickly, and we are feeling very outdated. Even so, we know we’re valuable. I guess we can sympathize with antiques?

Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m qualified to do outside of my degree and the career path I’ve been on for 20 years. What skills do I have that are even relevant anymore? There are parallels between what my daughter, an Alpha, and I both learned in elementary school, but I can’t help but notice that some things I think are important are being disregarded.

My friend and I questioned if anyone actually reads résumés, and then imagined what would happen if everyone’s résumés were based on what we picked up in elementary school. Here’s mine:

Education:

Elementary

⁃ Achieved “Moonbeams” reading level

⁃ Memorized the multiplication table

⁃ GPA: Outstanding

Job experience:

⁃ Dog walking

⁃ Lawn mowing

Skills:

⁃ Plays well with others

⁃ Rides a 10-speed with no hands for long distances

⁃ Fifer (Yes, I know it’s an instrument that hasn’t been popular since the American Revolution.)

⁃ Check writing

⁃ Nice penmanship, including cursive

⁃ Colors inside the lines

⁃ Juggles citrus fruits

⁃ Knows how to carry on a face-to-face conversation

⁃ Washes hands for 30 seconds with soap and warm water

⁃ Follows directions, especially when baking cookies

⁃ Great whistler

⁃ Reads analog clocks

⁃ Utilizes polite manners and social etiquette

⁃ Demonstrates that sharing is caring

Accomplishments:

⁃ Won the 50 yard dash at field day

⁃ Caught an 11” rainbow trout

⁃ 1st place in a cow hair clipping contest at the county fair

⁃ Spelling Bee class champion

Volunteerism:

– Lots of chores around the house

References:

Ms. Sturges, Kindergarten Teacher:

“Jeanna is an interesting girl. She matured as a sharing, contributing, helpful member of the group.”

Ms. Davis, 5th Grade Teacher:

“Jeanna is tops all around – pretty, bright, conscientious. The world could use some more like her.”

Now how would this compete with the résumé of a Millennial, Gen Z, or Alpha? Would I have the edge? Sounds like the makings of a new game show!

Superlatives and Prophecies

Jeanna G4 Comments

At my high school, each graduating class would vote on who should receive the superlative titles of Class Clown, Most Talkative, and Best All Around, among others. I didn’t receive any superlative distinctions by my class. I should’ve been voted “Most Sure of Myself,” because I knew who I was and what I wanted in life. Even so, I was curious about what they (I assume the yearbook committee members were our prophets?) predicted for my future. I really just needed to make sure I’d been heard. And I had been. My Senior Prophecy was that I ‘will never pay off my chiropractor bills.’ It was a funny nod to the assumption that I would become a chiropractor – my career goal at that age – and would have a mountain of loans to pay off. What’s ironic is that I’m not a chiropractor, but I’m still paying bills for all of the chiropractic treatments I continue to receive, thanks to my exhausting life. I might now be superlative as “Most in Need of an Adjustment.” Somehow my Plan A disappeared, along with B and C, and now I’m on Plan D, which wasn’t a plan until about 6 years ago.

As the Yiddish proverb advises, “When you make plans, God laughs.”

As a kid, I had a grand plan. I knew what I wanted. I knew what was going to happen. I knew how old I’d be when I married and started a family, how many kids I’d have, what my career would be, even what my house would look like.

I wasn’t right about any of it. I’m now superlative at being “Most Gobsmacked.”

This revelation begs acceptance of what is, closely followed by a proposal to quit planning.

At church on epiphany Sunday, we all close our eyes and select a star from a basket. Each star has a word on it that we can contemplate for some time. My daughter chose “prophecy.” I chose “eagerness.” I nudged her in the pew and told her to hurry up and tell me what was coming my way. I couldn’t decipher her look; was she annoyed, or was she just thinking it best not to break the news?

I guess I’ll just have to be superlative as “Most Patient” and “Most Observant” for what is heading my way. I hope I don’t miss it while I’m busy making Plan E.