911 – What is Your Emergency?

Recently I applied for a position as a 911 Operator for Eastside King County. I had to submit an application, resume, cover letter and typing test. Shortly thereafter, I was notified that I qualified to move on to the next step – a day of testing. I accepted and yesterday was the day of testing.

There were eight of us. All women and they were all younger than me. We met in the lobby of Bellevue City Hall and waited for our greeter to take us upstairs at 10:00am. Our greeter explained that there would be three timed tests and that we would need to get a certain percentage of the questions correct in order to move on to the next test. I like tests. I test well.

The first test was a multi-task/split ear evaluation. We listened to a CD of a woman’s voice calling out 1) colors 2) three digits and 3) three words from a phonetic alphabet (she’d say alpha for A, bravo for B, etc.) Our task was to write out what we heard – the colors (using three character abbreviations such as blu, gre, pnk), the three digits (256, 731, 095) and the three letters (nvt, soe, vlm). Sometimes there was more than one voice and it was really hard to hear what they were saying. This test was 2.5 minutes, but it seemed a lot longer. The tests were scored and six out of eight of us passed. You needed 80% or higher and I got 89%.

The next test was a 100-question, multiple choice exam and we had one and half hours to complete it. It began with lists of addresses, social security numbers, phone numbers, alpha/number strings and there were two sets of each set of information. Our task was to determine which sets were exactly alike and which sets had slight deviations. This was harder than it sounds! There were also lists of words and we had to identify which ones were spelled incorrectly. Plus, there were sets of four sentences that we had to put in order to make a sensible paragraph. At the end of the test were customer service questions with scenarios in which we had to pick the answer that would suggest the most appropriate customer service. Not so hard. When we completed this test we were let go for a half-hour lunch break.

When we returned to the lobby at 12:45 our greeter told us that three out of six had passed. You needed 80% or higher and I got 85%.

The greeter took the three of us back upstairs for the final test. It was another 100-question, multiple choice exam and we had two hours to complete it. It had the same lists of addresses, social security numbers, phone numbers, alpha/number strings in which we had to identify the sets that were exactly alike – and again this was harder than you might expect. And it also had customer service questions. But additionally this test had scenarios that an operator might actually face and one in which we would need to determine how many fire engines or police officers to send to any given emergency. We were provided plenty of information in order to make the correct determination and I found it to be sixty questions that were solved by using logic. It was challenging, but satisfying at the same time.

The three of us finished with 15 minutes to spare. The tests were scored and we all passed. You needed 70% or higher and I got 91%.

There was more to the day and I’ll fill in the gaps. But for now I need to get to Nintendo!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

As I noted yesterday, for Mike’s birthday we went to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It was a lot better than I had expected! Plus, it really got me thinking about the possibilities when we start messing around with human/animal chemistry and the possibilities…WATCH OUT!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!

Yep – today is Mike’s 55th birthday!!!

We started the celebration last night with best friends, Cheryl and Pat, who joined us at Outback Steakhouse for dinner. And this morning Rock, Squeak and I gave Mike his presents.

We gave him tickets to some fun activities. First is a one-hour Segway tour of West Seattle. Mike is fascinated with Segways – the unique personal transportation device – and West Seattle (on a sunny day, but not today) will be a great venue. And I’ll be going too!

Secondly, we have tickets for a boat tour of Deception Pass – up north, on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Maybe we’ll finally spot some orcas! But we’ll wait until the sun returns before make the trip north.

Lastly, Mike and I are going to a Seattle Seahawks football game! It’s next Sunday and it’ll be the Seahawks v. the Arizona Cardinals – from Mike’s hometown. We’ve never been to a National Football League game together. It should be a blast.

So for today’s somewhat wet and windy day we’re planning to go see a movie, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I know it’s sci-fi and probably pretty corny, but we have been dying to see it and a blustery day like today is perfect for a movie and popcorn.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!

Teresa at Home in Nagoya, Japan

The last time we checked in with Teresa who recently relocated from Lake Stevens, Washington to Nagoya, Japan she and husband Steve were hotelling it at the Nagoya Hilton while Boeing was processing their “housing papers.” They have since settled into their modern, Western-style home – albeit not without a few kinks and funny stories.

Following are pieces from Teresa’s September 11, 2011 email - beginning with bidets and bathing:

our move went very smoothly with only a few garage sale items breaking, so no big deal. we love our house and yard and i have so many plants i've already lost count. a few interesting things about the house: we have bidets in both bathrooms, or washlets as they call them here. not only do they wash your privates, but they blow dry them as well. then again, maybe my friend was just pulling my leg when she told me about the blow drying because i haven't seen a sign for that, i'm so gullible ;-) they actually have those in a lot of public bathrooms as well-only in japan. taking a bath was a bit of a challenge at first. the controls are all digital, and there are 5 buttons to push. even though our realtor wrote little notes in english, they were very hard to read and of course when i put on my glasses, they got all fogged up!

This next tidbit had me rolling on the floor…the visual of Teresa trying to cook:

the stove is also digital. you have to push one button to turn it on, another to pick which burner you want to use and yet another to pick the desired temp. which ranges from 0-10. the first night i cooked i couldn't get the front burners to work. we'd totally forgotten that our realtor told us we needed special pots for those 2 burners. it's due to some type of safety precaution. when you remove your pot or pan, it immediately turns off and cools off, therefore keeping curious little children from burning themselves. last night as i was finishing dinner all the burners automatically shut off. i kept trying to figure out what had happened and the only thing i could think of is that i put a lid on one of the burners, it wasn't even turned on and i had immediately removed it. hearing how frustrated i was getting, steve came to help and after a few minutes he noticed a key emblem on the surface of the stove. it had turned red which made him realize it had turned, or locked off the burners. once he pushed it we were able to get the burners back on and i was able to finish cooking.

Coming from the Great Pacific Northwest recycling is not new to Teresa, however, I found this comment interesting and I’d like to hear more detail:

last but not least is the recycling. to make a long story short, things have to be sorted into 6 different groups.

(Cynthia: I’ve also heard that if you don’t sort your recyclables correctly and tie them in the preferred fashion, you will be scolded and they may not be accepted!)

In closing, Teresa advises that she is still feeding the feral cats and that two friends have recently had babies so she has the opportunity to “play grandma" in Nagoya. Additionally, Teresa and Steve live close to the professional soccer team's Brazillian coach and they have been invited to a game and BBQ. It sounds like she’s settling right in…Sayonara for now!

25 Minutes to Go

It was written by Shel Silverstein and originally recorded by the Brothers Four (Seattle band!) in 1963. Johnny Cash performed it on two of his albums, one in 1965 and the 1968 live album, At Folsom Prison. I didn’t hear it until 2003 when Pearl Jam played it at their Benaroya Hall acoustic show. Eddie Vedder's voice in the first line is so very deep...I love this song. It reminds me of something Señor Zapata would write...

Wiki says: It is sung by a man waiting his own execution by hanging. Each verse consists of two lines, of which the first line is anything from humorous to poignant, and the second line is a minute-by-minute countdown.

Well they're building a gallows outside my cell I've got 25 minutes to go

And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell I've got 24 minutes to go

Well they gave me some beans for my last meal I've got 23 minutes to go

But nobody asked me how I feel I've got 22 minutes to go

Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch with 21 minutes to go

And I sent for the mayor but he's out to lunch I've got 20 more minutes to go

Then the sheriff said boy I gonna watch you die got 19 minutes to go

So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye got 18 minutes to go

Well I call out to the Warden to hear my plea I’ve got 17 minutes to go

He says, "Call me back in a week or three...You've got 16 minutes to go"

Well, my lawyer says he's sorry he missed my case I’ve got 15 minutes to go

Yeah, well if you're so sorry, come up and take my place I got 14 minutes to go

Now hear comes the padre for to save my soul with 13 minutes to go

And he's talking bout' burnin' but I'm so cold I've 12 more minutes to go

Now they're testin' the trap and it chills my spine 11 more minutes to go

And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine got 10 more minutes to go

Well I'm waitin' on the pardon that'll set me free with 9 more minutes to go

But this is for real so forget about me got 8 more minutes to go

With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose got 5 more minutes to go

Won't somebody come and cut me loose with 4 more minutes to go

I can see the mountains I can see the skies with 3 more minutes to go

And it's to dern pretty for a man that don't wanna die 2 more minutes to go

I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows 1 more minute to go And now I'm swingin' and here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!

September 11, 2011

Ten years – 3,652 days – yet the heartbreaking memories of that morning so long ago remain fresh in my mind. Today I’ll be especially thankful for the freedoms I enjoy and the pride I take in being an American.

A Lot on My Mind

I have a lot to contemplate right now. It is almost overwhelming. But I stopped to practice my Haiku. What do you think?

Dry cracked leaves fly by
Stacks grow quickly with the wind…
Happy cat pounces

Snow is all around
Silence is all I can hear;
White is white on white

Matthew Epstein

That’s the name of the guy I wrote about two weeks ago. He is a product marketer and he was bent on working for Google – it was his dream job. So he created a website that included the words “google please hire me" and a link to a blog about his journey.

And he wore a crazy fake moustache and made funny videos. His efforts paid off as his site went viral. Not only that, but he ended up meeting with NINE companies in his 1.5 month quest. And at the end of the day, he got a job offer that he accepted. He has yet to announce the name of his new employer, but I’m dying to learn if it is Google – or not.

These are difficult times to look for a job. There are highs and there are lows. Mr. Epstein included a video clip from Rocky Balboa and the following quote:

"You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”

I have to remember: keep moving forward...

Horoscope: August 28, 2011

Yesterday was a beautiful, warm, sunny day in Seattle. Mike and I stayed home and enjoyed our back yard with Rock and Squeak. I also had the pleasure of reading the Seattle Sunday Times newspaper without interruption.

One thing I found interesting was my horoscope:

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): What do you want to do when you grow up? Keep questioning your role in society. What would be the most fun? Go for reality over fantasy, including dream elements for spice.

With my Nintendo contract drawing to an end and the commencement of yet another full-force job search, I am faced with the same question I have asked myself over the years…what do I want to do when I grow up?

If it was only that easy...

Blankets

I like blankets. Especially soft, plush, snuggly blankets that keep me warm. When we downsized in preparation for our move to Mexico we gave away some of our blankets. But there were a few that we just had to keep. And in fact we’ve added a couple of new blankets since our return to the US.


This is my kitty cat blanket.

My friend Cheryl gave it to me many, many years ago. It is fun because it has all the different kitty cats on it. It lives on our loveseat and it is Mike’s favorite. He wraps it around himself when he’s watching TV and it keeps him very happy.


These are our twin AT&T Wireless blankets.

Both Mike and I worked for AT&T Wireless – before it merged with Cingular Wireless. :( And one year AT&T Wireless gave these soft, fuzzy blankets to employees as part of a promotion. They also had handy straps that wrapped around the blanket, transforming it into a nice, easy-to-carry package. (The handy straps were lost long ago.) These are perfect blankets to take to early spring Mariners' baseball games to keep us warm in the chilly innings of the game. They fit into a backpack and they’re just big enough to cover us. Plus, the traditional Mariners' peanut shells fall right off with just a shake of the blanket!


This is our Puerto Vallarta blanket.

It was year 2000 when Mike and I made our first trip to Mexico together. We went to Puerto Vallarta and stayed at the Sheraton Buganvilia. I remember that trip like it was yesterday. The swim-up bar. The room with the bright blue chairs and fuchia pillows. The view of Banderas Bay. Room service! And the short walk from the hotel into town. But I also remember buying this fiesta-colored blanket on the beach. We schlepped it home to Seattle and I sent it to my mom in Alaska. When she passed, it was one of the few treasures I brought back home. I always think of my mom when I see this blanket. It’s been good for picnics from here to Mexico to Salem and back.


This is our gray wool blanket.

I’d call this a utilitarian blanket. No frills. No snuggleability factor. Not even a cool color. But it’s handy. I used to carry it in the trunk of my car – you never know when you might have an emergency and need to get down on the ground. And who wants to get their pretty, little knees dirty when kneeling on pavement? I don’t know why it’s not in the truck. Maybe I’ll move it there. (And the funny thing is I couldn't find it right off the bat for the pic - it was in my cedar wardrobe in the office...what a weird place for it!)


This is our giant electric blanket.

Mike is always cold. I am always hot. So we found a solution for nippy winter nights. We got this monster in Salem for our king size bed. It’s a little big for the queen size bed we have now, but it is still a good answer because it has dual controls. Yes. Mike can have his half of the blanket cranked up so that he breaks a sweat. And I can have my half of the blanket not turned on at all (see how my electrical cord has never even been unraveled!) Our giant electric blanket keeps the peace in our family.


And this is Mike’s Harley Davidson birthday blanket.

Betty and Ron gave this to Mike for his birthday in 2009 when we were living in their house in Salem. It is bright and bold, soft and fluffy, warm and cuddly. And funny enough, it has become my TV blanket. It lives on the arm of our couch and it has lulled me to sleep many a time when my eyes could not longer fixate on the TV. I love Mike’s Harley blanket!

What's your favorite blanket??