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talktodiana

~ Igniting the power and passion in others…

talktodiana

Tag Archives: job

Do You Remember Your Childhood Dream?

02 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 58 Comments

Tags

childhood, Diana Schwenk, dreams, family, growing up, Hump Day Chronicles, job, kids, memories, Mom, parents, passion, Purpose, Stuff my parents used to say and do

Mom dreamt of being a nurse

Mom dreamt of being a nurse

THE VERY FIRST DREAM I can remember having for my life was to be a rancher. I loved and wanted to be around horses. I imagined a picturesque piece of land with a quaint house, beautiful trees, a  river running out back and pastures filled with horses as far as the eye could see.

Other dreams I entertained included: being a veterinarian, psychiatrist, and the first female Prime Minister in Canada.

Needless to say, I did not become any of those things.

We can usually recall our own childhood dreams, but how many of us know what our parents dreamt of being?

It’s funny how most of us can’t even imagine our parents before our birth. It’s as if they never were children, didn’t exist before us at all.

Recently, Mom shared her childhood dream with me.

My mom grew up in Berlin during WWII. Some of her best memories include having to be hospitalized because she’d lost a good deal of her hearing due to ear infections. It was a time before Penicillin and so her ear infections resulted in damaged ear drums.

It was also a time of not enough food, or clothing, or warmth in the winter. And so staying in a hospital – even with a painful ear infection and in spite of significant hearing loss – was amazing and came with one’s own bed, three meals per day and nurses caring for you around the clock.

And so my mom dreamt of being a nurse. Someone who could care for children and make them feel as good as the nurses of her childhood made her feel.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What was your childhood dream? Did you achieve it? Do you know what your parents’ dreams were?

I Promised To Do My Best…

09 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, My Stories

≈ 49 Comments

Tags

200 words, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, growing up, hard work, health, integrity, job, joy, life, memories, passion, Purpose

Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching. – Thomas Jefferson

I remember reciting: “I Promise to do my best, to be true to myself, my beliefs and Canada.  I will take action for a better world and respect the Brownie Law.”

76801651When I became an adult and joined the workforce, it became clear that it was easier to do my by best when I loved my job.

I didn’t do well in jobs I didn’t enjoy.

I worked in the housekeeping department at a hospital once.

I hated it.

I felt it was below me.

I barely squeaked by when management arranged surprise quality control inspections.

Yet even back then, my conscience nagged at me. I was fortunate enough to have a paying job, but I wasn’t really earning my pay.

Looking back, I would have fired me.

And so I imagined that God would be the next patient in the room I was cleaning.

It worked.

Subsequent inspections resulted in 100% ratings.

Even when you have a job you love, it’s likely there will be parts of your job you don’t like.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

What motivates you to your best?

Getting My Rhythm Back

13 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 55 Comments

Tags

believe, career, community, courage, Diana Schwenk, fate, happy, Hump Day Chronicles, job, joy, laughter, living in the moment, passion, Purpose, teamwork, trust, work, working together

IMG_20150510_150645

Today is Day Nine.

My daily routine has changed. And as with any change, it takes time to get one’s bearings.

And it’s going to take some time to get my rhythm back.

Looking back over the last five years, I can see how all my experiences have led me to this place right here, right now.

All the learning; the good times, the hard times, the fun times and the not-so-fun times – have taught me so much.

And I’m grateful. I feel joy. I’m excited to help build something amazing.

Here’s why. As of the first of May, I am happily employed at an amazing organization that makes a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of people.

Today is Day Nine.

I’m getting my rhythm back. I can’t wait to find new ways to build community.

I promise to tell you more about my new role in subsequent posts, but for now, I’ve got to get ready for work!

Until then, here are some pictures I took on the Mother’s Day weekend.

IMG_20150506_143447_edit
IMG_20150506_143435
IMG_20150506_171034

I couldn’t spend Mother’s Day with my mom or with my daughter, but an edible bouquet from Michaela delivered to my new office on Wednesday made my day!

On Mother’s Day, I took a long, long walk downtown. Here are some pictures I took.

An ominous shot of the Calgary Tower
An ominous shot of the Calgary Tower
What is it with long line-ups at Ice Cream Stores? Village Ice Cream, Calgary AB
What is it with long line-ups at Ice Cream Stores? Village Ice Cream, Calgary AB
Central Memorial Park, Calgary AB
Central Memorial Park, Calgary AB
5th Street SW, Calgary AB
5th Street SW, Calgary AB

Wishing you all a great day!  🙂

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

When you look back on your life, can you see the events that led you to where you are now?

Do You Love What You Do?

15 Sunday Feb 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 59 Comments

Tags

200 words, career, devotion, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, discipline, doing what you love, happy, job, joy

“People think I’m disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference.” – Luciano Pavarotti

IHateMyJobDo you love what you do? Well if you do, you’re in the minority.

According to RYOT News & Action’s post here, 70% of Americans hate their stupid jobs.

It’s not that different outside America. A world-wide poll of a 140 countries indicates that only 13 % of people like their jobs.

I suppose if you’re in the majority of people who don’t like their jobs, it takes a great deal of discipline on your part to do a good job.

If you are in the minority, you’ve probably been heard saying, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this!” You likely don’t have to exercise great discipline to do your job; in fact, you can’t wait until Monday so you can get back at it!

Most of us will never have the perfect job. But we can have projects that inspire our devotion, and hopefully these will make up for the parts of our job we hate.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Do you love your great job or hate your stupid job? Or do you find yourself somewhere in the middle?

Jobs, Passports, Road Rage and Bigfoot

30 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by dianasschwenk in Humour, Hump Day Chronicles

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

Bigfoot, Diana Schwenk, job, passport, quotes, road rage, side view mirror

It has become alarmingly apparent to me that there are so many geniuses out there who get so little or no recognition at all.

So I’ve taken it upon myself to rectify the situation and point out just a few of these under recognized and under appreciated souls.

Zig Ziglar

Ziggy, as I like to call him, goes virtually unnoticed in his brilliance. It was he who said, “A lot of people quit looking for work as soon as they find a job.”

At first, when I read it, I was unimpressed. And then I got to thinking. You know this guy has a point!

As a matter of fact, I can attest to this in my very own experience. I had been looking for work for several months. I sent in resumes and had a couple of interviews. And you know what? Every single time my efforts did not result in a job – I continued to look for work! I’m being totally serious.

But here’s the thing, when I accepted the job I am presently employed at, I QUIT looking for work. Unbelievable.

The man is brilliant. Pure genius!

Although I am not sure who first coined it, another outstanding and deserving individual said,

“You always find what you’re looking for in the last place you look.”

GET OUTTA HERE!

TA DA!!!

But again, it’s so true. Once when I was planning a trip to the USA, I worked myself into a tizzy looking for my passport.

I like to put important documents in a safe place so that…..well so that they’ll be safe – duh. Anyway…..

I looked in my jewellery box – not there

I looked in my filing system – not there

I looked in every purse I have – not there

I looked in every compartment of every piece of luggage I own – not there!

Finally I looked in the top drawer of my desk – TA DA – there it was!!

Maybe it’s just human nature or there is some other scientific explanation, but without consciously thinking about it, the minute I found it, I stopped looking. Mind boggling I know, but that’s how it went down.

Sayings aren’t the only source where true genius manifests itself. Millions and billions of dollars are being spent every year on important research.

The most prolific and intelligent minds on the planet are employed with this crucial task.

Here are just three of the studies I was able to find online:

Gun-Toting Drivers are More Prone to Road Rage

Really? Why would that be?

WHAT THE….??!!!

So all those times that I’m screaming at the guy who just cut me off hoping that he’s looking in his rear view mirror so he can see my mouth moving on my angry face while I’m wishing I had a gun….so I could…so I could what?

Pass him at a high rate of speed, cut him off, get out of my car and shoot his tires out?

Oh wow, that study might have something to it.

Too Many Meetings Make You Grumpy

I’m sorry, say that again? Too many meetings make you grumpy? That explains all that leg vibrating, pen tapping, eye rolling and audible grunting and sighing I have sometimes been known to do. It all makes sense now!

Somebody shoot me

I have the attention span of a gnat when valuable time is being wasted. You know those meetings when one person makes a statement and then one or two others make the same statement using slightly different words?

This, in itself, wouldn’t be so bad if they weren’t each taking 20 minutes and acting like they were addressing the UN.

And just to clarify, I have a hard time sitting still at the best of times. It took me five years of practise to sit through a two-hour meeting with some sense of decorum.

Faraway Objects Are Tougher to See

I like my side view mirror. I like how it’s written right on there that objects are closer than they appear.

Hey, is that one of those new fuel economic vehicles?

Oops, I got off subject there…. I’m not sure I agree with these findings as I use reading glasses. But I guess it makes sense and kinda explains that “You look pretty from far but you’re far from pretty.” thing that boy used to say to me in elementary school.

When something’s far away, you can’t see all the details, right?

From L to R: Bigfoot and Ronnie

You may, for example, mistake a Sumo Wrestler wearing a fur coat in the forest for Bigfoot or…

…worse yet, a bear and shoot him because you’ve just finished a day of back-to-back meetings and some jerk cut you off while you were driving to the woods. And as far as angry goes – on a scale of 1-10 you’re at Bazillion!

So listen – if you are sitting on important information. You need to share it with us immediately.

I beseech you – NO I BEG you to scroll down to the comment section and enlighten us with any wisdom that masterfully states the obvious.

Please note that no legitimate geniuses or researchers were harmed during the writing of this blog.

Related articles
  • Oxford Bigfoot Study (seattlepi.com)

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