Today saw a number of lingering items knocked off the work 'to do' list. There is a good feeling in doing that -- quells some of the rising panic by having some things ready for early next week. Prepared section quizzes, case study, reading lists and slides for classes next week. The last of the reference letters were completed along with editing of parts of proposals and project reports -- all of which have an end of the month deadline. So -- while there is a lot to do on a single project proposal over the weekend, the anxiety feels lessened, which should help with concentration.
I've written many reference letters over the years for students applying for jobs, internships and grad school, as well as letters for peers applying for promotion or new positions as well as letters in support of awards and recognition. Wording of these was challenging for the first few years until I got the hang of it -- how to say what is needed and how to provide clear examples to support the laundry list of attributes the letter recipients have requested. It has gotten easier, but that doesn't mean that I take the process for granted. Providing just the right information and experience seems to be an art and skill that I am continually honing. In a similar vein, I have written many job application letters in my life. These seem much more difficult to produce. It can be difficult to perceive the writing as truthful and not embellishment. I was socialized not to flaunt my accomplishments, to the point some times that even mentioning them was seen as a negative. Society expects females to be demure, fading violets -- words I'd never use to describe myself <smile>. Yet, braggart or arrogant don't fit either. Accomplishments should be celebrated and recognized externally and internally. So why is it so hard to speak to one's own experiences without being self-deprecating? An interesting point to ponder when out for a walk or lying awake a 3 AM <smile>.
There were several songs that came to mind today, but only one pushed itself to the front of the pack firmly but politely telling me that its attributes fit the bill perfectly. This is sung by a strong female voice. The lyrics do cover the negative side of today's topic, which seems to be what I've heard in my head whenever tasked with writing a proposal or a short bio for some presentation or other. The version chosen to share here is playful in video antics and with tempo changes. Enjoy!
You're So Vain -- Carly Simon
No comments:
Post a Comment