COMM 323 First Blog Post

The easiest part about setting up my Wix account was just that—setting up the account. The most challenging part was learning a new format, as I recently created another website through a different platform and host. I do have a tendency to become overwhelmed with all the options of colors, fonts, font sizes, images, and photos, so that added a bit of anxiety. Also, I wondered why I have to click the tabs to get to my resume and my course projects pages. When I scroll down from the home page, they aren't in the queue--I have to go to the menu at top and click them on. I am excited about my Wix page. While I am rather adept at writing, I am extremely rusty in the resume department. It seems everything about resumes has changed since I was in college the first time in the late 1980’s. Also, since I’ve been a stay-at-home-mom since 1992 and have had only one paying job since then, I don’t have a lot to add to a resume. I want my website to be as professional and appealing as possible, yet also authentic to me. I will add, it's difficult for me to get in the mindset of "career thinking" since, as I said, I've been a stay-at-home mom for over two decades. My 24-year-old daughter is severely disabled, requires round-the-clock total care, and I am the blessed one who takes care of her. Working outside of the home is not only unrealistic for me, it's impossible for me (aside from my 4 hours on-site per month for the support group meetings.) I don't even go to the grocery store without having to take someone with me, or having one of three trusted family members stay at the house with my daughter. My reasons for starting school again at the age of 44 was to (a) accomplish something I've wanted to do since graduating from community college in 1992; and (b) have the credentials to be able to possibly own a business and work from home sometime. So the corporate world with the 8 to 5 hours is a totally foreign concept to me. Even if I never am a small business owner, I'll have the satisfaction of finally earning my 4 year degree. Who knows, perhaps when I'm 64 I'll consider pursuing my master's degree.

My personal Facebook page reflects my professional self some of the time, such as when I share links about business or personal growth. I am administrator of 21 groups and 7 pages, so my management of social media (specifically Facebook) speaks for itself. When I was an independent sales consultant, I managed that business page, too. I have volunteered to help business owners create their business Facebook pages, and have assisted them in set-up and best practices. Accessing my pages and groups and seeing the number of followers gives the business owners a preview of the kind of work they can expect from me. On other social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest, I post relevant links, topics, and information in the fields in which I’m interested. I keep them current and active. They are much less personal and more business-oriented.

Concerning leaders, the best experience I had with one was during an event I was planning for a city in another state. The City Manager was exemplary in her leadership in that she encouraged team work, answered questions, was never afraid to admit when she didn't know the answer to something, and was calm during times of stress and deadlines. Concerning events, a poorly managed one was a training I attended. The handouts looked as if they'd been typed on a typewriter then copied with carbon paper; time management was off (not all of the material was able to be covered;) and the catered lunch included naked subs with the trimmings on a platter to be picked up by hand, "party-sized" bags of chips (with everyone sticking their hands down into the bags,) and 2 liter drinks and a bucket of ice. The event staff seemed to be oblivious to the problems. The whole event seemed to scream "You aren't worth the extra time and money!" Had I been on the staff, I would have made sure the handouts were current and presentable, the topics were on schedule, the lunch had individual (not communal) servings so as not to be so unsanitary and, well, disgusting, and the drinks would be in individual cans or bottles. Needless to say, that's one free lunch I chose to skip. At this juncture, I have no questions concerning the ePortfolio project. I look forward to receiving constructive criticism and ideas while updating it and adding more blog posts.