"Building young lives, one dog at a time"

This is my blog, and I'll do what I want with it. So, I'm going to post a fundraising letter, in hopes that you will be moved enough to donate.


Hello Friends,

It’s that time of year again. K9 Connection’s Softball Fundraiser is ON!

I try really hard all year not to solicit funds for too many events, in the hope that I can wrangle up strong support for K9 Connection. I hope you appreciate that and will donate accordingly. J

K9 Connection, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit project of OPCC, brings the magic of dogs and kids together by educating and inspiring high risk youth through bonding with and training homeless shelter dogs in basic obedience and assisting dogs in the development of skills necessary to become adoptable. The program empowers at-risk teenagers to apply the lessons learned to their own lives as they teach the dogs; to develop an awareness of the risks of uncontrolled or impulsive behavior, and to believe in the power of positive reinforcement as an alternative to force and violence. K9 Connection aids teenagers in becoming responsible community members by focusing on goal setting, personal accountability, and personal motivation.

They’ve upped the ante this year and are shooting to raise $25,000 (up from $10,000 last year). It takes $10,000 to run just one of their intensive three-week programs. During each program the teens learn to set and achieve goals for themselves and their dogs, in addition to developing empathy and compassion for others, both human and animal.

Last year, you answered my request, and helped raise almost $2,000 (we blew the other gamers out of the water – I was the top fundraiser! I am keenly aware that this was because of YOUR generous support). I’m hoping that this year we can double that!

Here's what we can do to help this wonderful organization:

• Donate online through the website at



• Give me a check (made out to K9 Connection)



• Mail a check directly to the k9 connection office (1453 16th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. Mention me in the memo/notes section so that I get credit for the pledge)

I’m fully aware that the economy isn’t the greatest right now, and that your budget might be very tight. Just remember that any donation, no matter how small, is helpful and greatly appreciated. I find in times of restraint and worry, it’s best to just donate with reckless abandon. It’s good for your heart.

I would also really love some company at the game. It’s a fun day in the park with food and you can bring your (well-behaved, leashed) dog. $20 will get you a "seat" at the game. $100 will get you in the game. Either will get you my undying gratitude. It’s set for June 27th in Cheviot Hills (Rancho) Park (2551 Motor Ave., Los Angeles, CA).

If you don't have the funds now, that's ok - you can still help by spreading the word! Send this email to anyone you think would be interested and please visit www.k9connection.org to see all the wonderful things they do!

Love,
R

P.S. – If you do donate, please let me know. I want to be able to thank you and keep you updated on the $25,000 goal!

Hoppy Easter!

Happy almost Easter!

In celebration of this, my favourite holiday, here is a picture of a bunny so big it can be seen from space.


View Larger Map

What were they thinking?

I like to play this game sometimes called, "Ummm. What?"

The way you play is you go about your daily life and when something odd catches your eye, you go, "Ummm. What?" take a picture, and then blog about it.

This question of "What?" is usually followed by, "What were they thinking?"

Play with me, will you?

This first picture is from a long time ago. It slowly caught my eye, as I was watching this Barbara Walters special, saw this part, let it keep going, realized what I saw, and then rewound it to take a picture. I give you "Barbara Walters and Miley Cyrus walking a bike with a big basket"



I picture all these well-paid writers sitting around a table, talking about how to lay out the special and someone goes, "I think we should have a shot where, out of nowhere, Barbara and Miley are walking a bike together," and then someone else goes, "Great. Let's go with that." Except let's not go with that. Because it's weird. You know that's not Miley's bike. And it's certainly not Barbara's. And then there's the fact that walking a bike is not a two person job. And why does the bike need to be there at all? Can't they just walk? Did Babs need a walker and this was there sly way of hiding it? I mean, seriously, what were they thinking? I really want to know.

The next picture isn't as clear as I wanted it to be. I should scan it, but my scanner is tucked away in my closet. But, even from the fuzzy picture here, I think it's clear that Office Depot is trying to move their merchandise with promises of free ham.



First of all...ham? Really? WHO EATS HAM? (Other than my nana.) And why is an office supply company trying to give away ham? Why not give away, I don't know...office supplies? I could use some free office supplies. I don't want your ham, whether it's free or not. And then there's the whole phrase "ham certificate" that's just disgusting. In this scenario, I picture an old, fat CEO sitting around a Board meeting going, "Give 'em ham! Everyone loves a free ham!" And also he spits when he talks.

This next pic is my favourite. This comes from tonight's episode of Wheel of Fortune. I don't watch Wheel of Fortune, but I do sometimes watch Jeopardy (I kicked ASS tonight and even got the final Jeopardy question when none of the contestants did). So I was rewinding past Wheel of Fortune (to get to Jeopardy) and I notice that there are 4 contestants at the wheel instead of 3. And one of the 4 was a midget. I'm not gonna lie, my first thought was that maybe they let one team be a regular sized guy and the midget because the midget wouldn't count as a full person. I may go to hell for that, but when you're rewinding and there is no sound, your brain only has so many places to go. Plus I'm kind of mean. Turns out the midget couldn't reach the wheel to spin it, so he brought along his friend as the designated spinner.



I'm wondering here if that was really the best they could do. Isn't it a little degrading that the poor guy had to have a partner? Like, couldn't he just walk up to the wheel to spin? Or maybe they could hook up some sort of device? There had to be better options.

This last one is more of a "Really?" than a "What were they thinking." So, Meat Loaf is a guest on tonight's House. Here's his credit:



Meat Loaf ADAY? Since when did Meat Loaf start using his last name? Was he trying to sound more legit? Dude. You're name is Meat Loaf. There is no legit for you.

Where you bean, Lima?

OMG I haven't posted in so long. That doesn't mean I don't love you, it just means I'm busy. I have some friends coming into town soon and it's taking a while to prepare.

I think next Saturday might end up being the best day of my life though, so stay tuned.

Also, I worked out with Richard Simmons again today and I can smell the BO lifting off of me in waves. Good thing Miss Mags licks her own butthole, or else maybe she'd realize the difference between things that smell good and bad and shun me and I'd have to spend the afternoon cleaning alone.

TTFN, yo.

Leave me alone.

I'm somewhat of a loner. I don't like to answer people's phone calls and texts, I like my Friday nights club free, and I don't really like to date.

Sometimes people will ask me about this, and... well...

I just caught myself singing the Chicken Noodle Soup rap song to the tune of Les Miserable's "Master of the House" with the voice of Kip from Napolean Dynamite.

Why am I a loner? Because I really can't have witnesses to things like that.

Workin' 9 to 5

Tough Economic Times.

The phrase is so overused, it makes me throw up in my mouth a little every time I hear it. None of the alternatives are better. Economic crisis. Financial crisis. Turbulent times. And don’t get me started on the whole “Wall Street/Main Street” thing or I’ll regurgitate all over your face.

You know what else makes me want to throw up? Your resume.

I’ve seen a lot of resumes in my day, but now that we’re in “tough economic times,” I’m seeing even more and from people all over the map. East Coast, West Coast, G.E.D. to Ph.D. And they’re all guilty of some pretty common sense errors.

Maybe you’ve never had a job that didn’t involve handling a deep fryer. Ok, I get it. Maybe you’re fresh out of high school or college. I get that too – school certainly never taught me more than how to be bitter about the education system.

But if you’ve ever had a job that required you to sit behind a desk all day, there is no excuse for some of the nonsense I’ve seen. So come, sit a spell, grab a pencil, and listen up, as I present to you:

Rachel's Resume Tips

I can almost guarantee that if you follow all of these steps, that you’ll at least get a phone interview. Some of these might seem like common sense, but if I’m addressing it here, it’s because I’ve seen it.

Cover Letters

1. Always write a cover letter. I don’t care if the job announcement asked for one or not. And no, writing “Please accept my resume for the blank job. Thank You, X” in an email does not count.



2. Do not refer to yourself in third person. It’s creepy.



3. Make it sound like you really want the job.



4. Not exactly qualified? Explain what drew you to the position, list the skills that you do have that will be beneficial, and above all, sound passionate. You’d be surprised how often passion can get your foot in the door, even if you’re lacking in some skills.




a. If you’re really not qualified, don’t apply. You're just wasting everybody's time.




5. Don’t just recite your resume. Highlight and give further details about the most relevant parts.



6. Is there something odd about your resume? Maybe you have a mysterious three year gap in your employment history, or had a lot of jobs in a short amount of time? Briefly explain it in the cover letter.



7. Don’t lie. Because when you get called in for an interview and you’re a nightmare, you will be the butt of many jokes in the office for months to come.



8. Don’t use emoticons.



9. Don’t say something like, “You’re search has ended, because I am the perfect candidate.” It makes you sound like a d-bag.



10. Don’t add a signature line. I don’t care if it’s a quote from Jesus Christ himself. This is not an e-mail (even if it’s being sent as an e-mail attachment). Usually I see them from women and it’s something inspirational. I will then assume that you have a Thomas Kinkaide screensaver or that you’re a hippie, and you will be fighting an uphill battle from here on out.



11. Write a letter that makes it sound like you read the job description, understand what the company is looking for, and have thought about where your skills match what they are looking for.

Resume

1. I was always told that you had to keep your resume to one page. That’s not true. Don’t make it too many though. I start getting weary after page three.



2. If it is more than one page, make sure the page breaks are placed in such a way that the document flows well. For example, don’t let your page break in the middle of a job description.



3. The objective and skills sections aren’t as important as your job history. If you include these sections, remember a few things:




a. Don’t put something lame in your objective. If you’re applying to be a professional mud wrestler, don’t put “To be a professional mud wrestler,” or even worse, put in a job that is not the one you’re applying for (don’t laugh, I’ve seen it). Try something like, “To use my athletic talents for the entertainment of others.”





b. Your energy is better spent explaining your skills underneath the specific job that required them, instead of saying, “I’m awesome at bow hunting” at the beginning. How do I know that you’re good at bow hunting? Because you said so?




4. If your resume is getting rather crowded or lengthy, you may want to take out some of the descriptions. Make sure to keep the information that is most relevant to the job you are applying to. For instance, if you’re applying to be a veterinarian and you used to work at a circus, you can leave out that you were the champion juggler, but will want to include that you were responsible for wrangling the tigers.



5. Make sure your resume is easy to read. Make good use of indentations, bullets, bold font, and spacing.



6. When you are listing your former job responsibilities, make sure your verbs agree. Don’t say, “Conducted controversial scientific experiments…” and then in the next bullet say, “Producing babies with two heads…”



7. Don’t provide references until the hiring company asks for them.

The Whole Package

1. PROOF YOUR DOCUMENTS. This means more than running spell check:




a. Although, totally run spell check. Run it every time you change the document. Because if you don’t, and you send me your resume in Word, I can see all the red and green squiggles under words that show me that you didn’t run spell check. And that makes me think you aren’t so excited about this job.





b. Better yet, when it’s finished, convert it into PDF. No chance of squiggles. You can download a free converter here.





c. Once you’ve spell checked it, print it out, grab hold of a red pen and read it again. Slowly. Did you right a book or did you write it? Was the test past or passed? Yeah, that’s what I thought.





d. Once you’ve read it so many times that you’re sick of yourself, have somebody else read and proof it.





e. Do all your bullet points line up from one page to the next?





f. Make sure all your documents use the same font.





g. While we’re on the subject of fonts, don’t go any larger than 12 point, or you’ll look like you’re special needs.




2. PROOF YOUR DOCUMENTS AGAIN!



3. PROOF THEM ONE MORE TIME!

Sending It Out

1. If you’re sending this via email, put the title of the position you’re applying for in the subject line, unless they specifically ask for something else.



2. What have you named your document? Try to include your last name, the type of document (cover letter, resume), and the name of the company to which you are applying.




a. Applying to more than one company or type of job? Make sure you change that information when appropriate.




3. What email address are you sending from? Now would be a good time to switch from hotchica666@hotmail.com to something more professional like firstnamelastname@gmail.com



4. Do you live in Los Angeles? Are you cute? Are you thinking about sending your headshot along, even though this job has nothing to do with acting or modeling? Don’t. It’s creepy.




a. Someday I’ll tell you about Ravi, the magician from Los Vegas with the chest hair and large gold jewelry. I guess that’s what we get for posting on Craigslist.




5. Don’t hit send yet! Did you include everything they asked for? Did they ask for a salary history or a writing sample? Make sure you include it.




a. If a company asks for something like this, don’t just send a resume and then say, “Salary history available upon request.” Because they did request it. And they probably won’t ask you for it again.




b. Sometimes people might not want to include a salary history. The cover letter is a good place to mention this. You might say, “I am open to discussing the salary range, and will gladly explore this topic further in an interview.”

For formatting help, try this tutorial or google the problem you’re having.

You can find a cover letter template here and resume templates here.

I hope this helps. Maybe next I’ll write a post about interviews and how you should always send a thank you note. I mean, everyone needs all the help they can get right?

After all, we are in tough economic times.

Hey, wait a minute Mr. Postman...

People that the mail in my mailbox today was addressed to:

1. Resident
2. Ashley Mills (not me)
3. Maggie (my cat)