Apologies

     When I was little my mom was insistent that my siblings and I would apologize any time we had misstepped. While I was fortunate enough to learn how to create an effective apology I'm learning that quite a large faction of society has not been so lucky.

     Apologies are pretty straightforward with three key components: 

1. Take responsibility for your actions/ the situation
2. Express regret 
3. Request forgiveness & assure will not happen again/ you will attempt to prevent a recurrence

For example: 

Dear Person I Have Wronged, 

I am sorry I (hurt your feelings/ broke your object/ what did you do which requires an apology?). I did not mean to do it. In the future, I will (consider your point of view/ look where I'm going/ not do it again/ etc.).  I hope you can forgive me.

Sincerely, 

Signature

The important part is to be sincere and actually mean what you're saying when you apologize. I hope this helps. 

Just a thought....

Stephie

Donation/ Scholarship Thank You

In a more scholarship-oriented vein, an important letter to know about is the thank you for a scholarship or donation. The thank you for a gift of money is as simple as when someone hands you something you've asked for.

Donor Name

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

Date

Dear Donor, 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your generosity in funding the Scholarship Name that I received this year as part of my financial aid package. I feel very fortunate to have been chosen as a recipient of this award. 

I am currently in class year majoring in subject and I plan to graduate in Month Year with a degree. While I attend School Name full/part-time, insert some personal information to create a connection with the donor. I am truly grateful for the assistance that I am receiving because of your thoughtful gift. When I graduate, I hope that I can use what I have learned at school to make a difference in people's lives, just as you have made a difference in mine. 

Thank you again for the generous contribution which made my scholarship possible. 

Sincerely, 

Signature
Name
Educational Institution

You want to make the letter your own. Personalize it with what information you feel is appropriate: if you're not comfortable with providing a lot of personal information, talk about what your program is doing and what you're learning (this is information which the donor can obtain from the syllabus). With the school year beginning, this is the opportune moment to express gratitude for those who allow fiscal stability in education. 

This format works best for a printed and mailed letter, however, to simplify and transition it into e-mail formatting you may remove the mailing addresses. 

Just a thought...
Stephie

Resignation Letter

I have recently been granted the opportunity to transition from one portion of the company I've worked for for the last five-and-a-half years to becoming an independent contractor for the same company. However, this transition means leaving my current position. I've always been reminded (by my wonderfully traditional parents) that when you leave a position voluntarily you must announce your intention.

Convention tells us that two-weeks' notice is appropriate, but I was never taught how, and haven't found much in the way of an appropriate example. A recent scroll through Pinterest came across a post that summarized my feelings without being either too formal or too personal. I thought I'd share my revised version:

Company Name
Company Address Line 1
Company Address Line 2

Date of letter 

Dear Supervisor, 

Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from Position at Company effective Date, two weeks from today. 

During my time at Company, I have been fortunate for the opportunity to grow and learn more about Industry. Thank you, I appreciate your support during my tenure here. Your guidance and support have prepared me well for the future. 

I wish Company the very best going forward. 

Respectfully, 

Signature

Name
Personal Address Line 1
Personal Address Line 2
e-mail address

If you've changed managers or have a more personal relationship with your leadership you can always add more detail. A heartfelt wish for the future of the company and continued good relations can solidify a relationship with the company, at the very least with the individuals of the company.

Remember, these are the people who you'll be working with until your last day, and likely will be asked for their opinion of you by potential future employers. It is never a bad idea to leave a good, lasting impression.

Just a thought...
Stephie

Important Letters

As life progresses I've learned that respect and consideration are some of our most powerful and best tools for proceeding. While in the heat of the moment you may not want to sugar-coat your message it is commonly accepted that less is more in various business settings.

I have been blessed with an exceptional education, but it has not prepared me as well as it should have for life in the business world. I recently discovered this when attempting to terminate my business relationship with a long-time employer.

When I was struggling with my resignation letter I discovered there are quite a few letters young people haven't been taught to write, let along make their own. A quick internet search will reveal dozens of templates; in my next few posts, I'll present my examples for different letters.

Cover Letter
Interview Follow-Up/ Thank you
Resignation/ Two Weeks' Notice
Donor Gratitude
Apology

How I Met Your Mother

     A couple of years ago my friends introduced me to How I Met Your Mother and I continued watching until it ended. At first, I was upset it would be over, but they'd reached a point where ending it was better than hoping you could continue talking about a partying forty-something group of friends, especially when they were already slowly going their separate ways.
     The show definitely mirrored my college friendships: We were unbelievably close in school, but now that we're out and about on our own we develop different friendships and value different things. All of us are working on re-building that friendship but sometimes it's time to let go.
     That said, I found an article that pretty much sums up my opinions on the ending. The series worked to diligently to build a relationship between Ted and Robin which is more than that of most exes. The last season was a cop-out: Ted and his children's mother had a few short years, but the writers killed off the mother (she's such a brief character I don't even remember her name). How they did it was heart-wrenching, but Ted turns around and, as his children point out, finds solace in Robin.
     Ted's entire journey is to find the love of his life, but he found her at the beginning of the show and we, the audience are jerked emotionally from girlfriend to girlfriend only to come back to Robin. I enjoyed the show, but it would have been perfectly acceptable to end when Ted meets the mother at Barney and Robin's wedding.

Holiday Traditions - The Cinnamon Bear

     In 1937 radio was the entertainment method of the day. Transco (a radio transcription company out of California) developed a fantastic story of two children who are sent to find Christmas decorations and find themselves in a land of make-believe to air in the Portland, Oregon market area. "The Cinnamon Bear" is designed to be listed to six days a week in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

      After several years financial difficulties prevented Transco from releasing new transcriptions of the series, though some stations played previously released transcriptions. In the 1950s the program was picked back up and has been aired in Portland and Eugene, Oregon, as well as the Chicago, Illinois, area. 

     Through the broadcast, twins Judy and Jimmy are sent to the attic in search of the family's silver star for the top of the Christmas tree. There they meet the Cinnamon Bear Paddy O'Cinnamon and travel into Maybeland chasing after the Crazy Quilt Dragon who has stolen their star. Along the way, Judy, Jimmy, and Paddy O'Cinnamon are captured by Ruthless Ink Blotters, befriended by Pirates, encounter a Giant, threatened by a Witch, helped by the Queen of Maybeland, foiled by creatures great and small, and they meet Santa Claus. But will the twins make it home with their Silver Christmas Star?

     I grew up listening to the Cinnamon Bear broadcast each year on the radio. The show is short and sweet with twists and turns as the children chase their star across Maybeland. They're interrupted and helped in turns as they adventure back to the attic and family tree waiting for the Silver Star. "The Cinnamon Bear" has inspired a cult-like following of people whose lives have been touched by the story. 

Madam Secretary

I recently decided to check out the show Madam Secretary. While I enjoy the political intrigue and how the Elizabeth McCord controls the situation and makes it work to her advantage, I especially enjoy watching the relationships play out. The relationship between the Secretary of State and her husband seems unique in comparison to what we see on television. Similar shows are more focused on relationships which have deteriorated and are fraught with betrayal and spite; it’s a relief to see a marriage closer to what I see in real life.

Bess and Henry regularly assert that they are a team. They share their daily challenges and triumphs. They worry about their children as parents worry. And they have fights, disagreements, and misunderstandings just as any other couple does. Through the highs and lows Bess and Henry support each other and their relationship is one I admire.

I have only seen about six episodes of the first season, but I’m looking forward to the rest of the show. Looks like it’s time for a marathon!

Herd Immunity

Until a few months ago, the idea of Herd Immunity wasn't really something I'd considered, yet it was, and continues to be, something which protects me from more than simply Polio or Diphtheria. Herd Immunity is something which protects us all from more dangerous forms of diseases such as Chickenpox or the Flu. 

     The theory is that enough people are immunized against the disease or illness that those who cannot get vaccinated are protected through the people around them. With all the 'conversation' in the media about having children vaccinated, I decided to take a deeper look at what exactly Herd Immunity is.

     The TED Talks folks have posted a video of Dr. Romina Libster's presentation to the TEDxRiodelaPlata conference. Her video is in Spanish with English subtitles (more languages are available at TED.com), and explains the evolution of H1N1 in her hometown. Dr. Libster is a medical researcher who looks at respiratory viruses and looks for ways to prevent their spread. 

     While less entertaining than the video by Penn and Teller, Dr Libster's presentation makes a complex idea more bite-sized and palatable. 

Just a thought...

Stephie

Flaming Geyser State Park

     This past weekend, for Father's Day, my dad decided it would be fun to take the dogs and go exploring at one of the Washington State Parks in the area. It sounded like fun - (non-sarcastic) yay hiking! So my mom, being the over-prepared mother that she is, looked up a few parks and decided on Flaming Geyser State Park near Auburn and Black Diamond, Wash.
     The park surrounds the Green River and has some pretty neat features including a playground, remote-control airplane areas, and picnic areas, along with the geysers and hiking paths. Some of the reviews we came across described these paths as relatively flat with some challenging options.
     While that is true of the short jaunt up to the Flaming Geyser, the main River Trail which goes down along the river is both gentle and challenging. It goes up and down along the hills the river snakes through, and if you're planning on going down to the river there are several places where you'll want to take your time on the steep inclines.
     The trek up to the Bubbling Geyser is much more challenging. It does have the convenience of several flights of stairs, but they are steep and the wooden treads have gouges behind them where people have walked away the dirt of the hillside. At the crest of the hill, before you'll go down to the actual geyser, is a bench and sort of platform which (when we went in late June) is made of a slick shifting dirt. Our dogs seemed to handle it fine, but the footing was not exactly comfortable for people.
     There is another set of trails, called the Ridge Trail, which goes around the office buildings and park ranger station. These trails were our first foray around the park. They are not meant for the faint of heart: the entrance goes straight up a hill for about 75 - 100 yards, the rest of the trail jogs up and down along the top of the hill until it begins a steep switchback to lead down to the main picnic areas. The duration of the trail was probably only about a mile, but the grade at the beginning and toward the end made it one I do not plan on trying again for quite some time.
     Flaming Geyser was an enjoyable park, fairly close to the Seattle Metro-area and with sights to interest various levels of outdoorsman.

Firefly

     In 2006 Fox Broadcasting ran a series about cowboys in outer space. Joss Whedon produced it and they called it Firefly. The story follows Mal, Captain Malcolm Reynolds of the ship Serenity, class firefly, and he and his crew sail the skies from planet to planet conducting both legitimate business transactions and smuggling to survive.

     Mal and Zoe were the last of the Independents to surrender to the Alliance--two weeks after the high command. This fierce loyalty to his beliefs is apparent in how Mal runs his ship and crew. Mal's second-in-command, Zoe, has been with him since the war against the Alliance. The Alliance fought the Independence to bring all of the star cluster humanity has colonized and to give the border planets civilization. The Independents were pushed either to join the ranks of the Alliance or to move outward to the edges of the known universe.
     Zoe is married to the ship's pilot: Hoban "Wash" Washborne, a crazy driver who knows his wife can kick his ass but loves her even more for it. Sometimes it feels as if Wash is jealous of Mal and Zoe's relationship, but his wife is so in love with him he can't help but realize it.
     The engineer is Kaylee Frye. She has a childlike enjoyment of life and, though she hasn't had any formal training, keeps Serenity flying in one piece. Kaylee genuinely loves everyone on Serenity: the crew is her family. She even has a crush on Simon, the doctor.
     Simon Tam is a brigand who started his privileged life as a top surgeon. He gave all that up to steal his sister away from the Alliance and the two are hiding from the authorities on Serenity. Simon seems somewhat socially awkward, makes a mess of any relationship with Kaylee and doesn't understand the reasons behind some of the things the crew does.
     River Tam is her brother's focus--when her brilliant mind is attacked and the Hands of Blue try to piece her apart Simon steals her away. But something happened in the Alliance center and River is a killing machine--one sometimes even she can't control. River's mind functions on a level of logic that cannot always incorporate intangible things like faith.
     The dichotomy of River's inability to understand and have a spiritual faith yet trust completely in ber brother is pitted against the Shepherd's religious faith and utter lack of trust in human nature. Shepherd Book begins as a moral compass for the crew, yet as they journey together the blending of pasts and beliefs is managed by Inara, or courtesan who rents a berth on Mal's ship, and challenged by Jayne Cobb, a mercenary who can be trusted to only fight for "number one".

     They are a motley crew, but the adventures on Serenity depend on each piece of the puzzle: without Inara they would be barbarians, without Kaylee cynical beyond reason, without Zoe flighty and prone to ridiculosity, Wash gets them in the air and Mal keeps them there; without the Shepherd they would give up hope, without Simon and River they would have continued in their same path, and Jayne is along for the ride.

Mistletoe

     There is a Norse myth about the tiny plant mistletoe and how such a harmless bush can bring down Balder, the Norse god of Truth and Light. The plant itself is a parasite, it latches onto the crown of a tree or other plant and forms a haustorium, which allows the mistletoe to leech water and nutrients from the host plant.
     In the ancient world it was illegal to fight in the presence of mistletoe. It was the plant of peace, from the time Balder was killed enemies laid down their arms if they happened to pass under the plant. Lore says the mistletoe forevermore agreed to bring love rather than death and it was Frigga's (Balder's mother) tears which became the plant's berries.
     Mistletoe has also been considered an aphrodisiac and has abortifacient qualities linking it with ancient erotica. Here is a root for the modern tradition of kissing under mistletoe during the winter holidays. The mysticism can be compounded by mistletoe's evergreen leaves while its host plant loses all sense of life in the dark winter months.

Death of Balder

     The Norse goddess Frigga and her husband Odin were overjoyed when Frigga gave birth to her beloved son Balder. Balder grew strong and handsome, he was known as the god of Truth and Light, much admired and loved by the other Norse gods and goddesses. He grew to adulthood and married a vegetation goddess, their home became a haven where only truth could pass.
     When Balder began to have nightmares about his death his fellow gods took the dreams seriously and sought out the potential source of his demise. Frigga  traveled the nine worlds and asked every plant, creature, and inanimate object for its promise to never harm her son. In her journey she overlooked the small mistletoe plant, but it was a harmless little plant and Frigga saw little reason to worry. When she returned the gods began drinking in celebration and decided to test Balder's invincibility.
     Taking turns, each god threw first stones, then weapons at Balder. When they bounced off his body without harm it became sport. The trickster god, Loki, however was not amused at their games and went to Frigga in disguise. After much questioning, he discovered the mistletoe plant had been overlooked. Loki then fashioned a spear of the small plant and convinced Balder's blind brother, Hod, to take part in the festivities. Hod threw the missile at Loki's direction and it struck Balder, killing him immediately. The Norse gods were stunned. They built their greatest funeral pyre and mourned the god of Truth and Light, but sought Loki for his treachery.
     Loki hid from the other gods and continued his mischief. Hel, the goddess of Death, offered to return Balder if every thing in the nine worlds wept tears of grief for his death. The only holdout was the giantess Thok, Loki in disguise and Balder was kept in the realm of Death. Loki was eventually captured and punished: imprisoned in a cave with venom dripping on him until the end of days Ragnarok.

Does the Major Matter?

I get a lot of flack for having chosen English in college, as opposed to Education or Biology or Mathematics, but especially in comparison to Business. Most people aren't too surprised though--I'm very vocal about my love of reading. Recently, though, I've spoken to several former classmates and they're usually stunned when I tell them it doesn't matter what your degree is in, as long as you can sell it to an employer. 

     Now, I don't mean that someone with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature should be performing open-heart surgery--definitely go get your medical doctorate and specialize in cardiology, then have at it. I mean that for most positions I've come across, the degree itself is what matters. There will always be jobs and positions where a specialized degree is helpful, but just as important is the ability to sell your degree to the employer. 

     Recently I came across an article that explains (somewhat sarcastically) why humanities majors should be considered--with our indirect specialties and rounded curriculum--and why you're "An Idiot" if you don't hire from the humanities. More helpful was a webpage I discovered when I was looking for work--while it didn't help directly with finding a job, it gave me a jumping-off point for my search. 

     My point, I guess is that so long as you're hard working, passionate, and can apply what you do it doesn't matter what your degree is in, so long as you finish. But please, if you want to become a medical doctor or work in a field that requires a specialized degree, go get that specialized degree. 

Book Challenge -- Day 21

21. Books I'd Recommend:

Not all of these are books I loved, or even books I liked, some of these are books that changed how I think about the world and myself, others are books that I've turned to in order to stop thinking about the world. For more books I've read you can visit my blog: Picks Off the Bookshelf.

1. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
4. Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John & Stasi Eldridge
5. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
6. A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare
7. Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carlson Levine
8. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
10. Dearest Mary Jane by Betty Neels

Book Challenge -- Day 20

20. Favorite covers

Clockwork Princess
Cassandra Clare

Chronicles of Narnia
C.S. Lewis

Entwined
Heather Dixon

The Queen of Attolia
Megan Whalen Turner

The Map of Time
Felix J. Palma

The Grim Legacy
Polly Shulman

The Faerie Ring 
Kiki Hamilton

The Undead Pool
Kim Harrison

The Thirteenth Tale
Diane Setterfield

Book Challenge -- Day 19

19. Favorite OTPs (One True Pairing)

Some of my favorite romantic relationships are the ones written for characters.Though there are some I'd like to see or that make more sense than what was written.

1. The Hollows by Kim Harrison: Trent Kalamack and Rachel Morgan
2. Divergent by Veronica Roth: Tris Prior and Four
3. Troubling A Star by Madeleine L'Engle: Vicky Austin and Adam Eddington
4. The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson: Lucero-Elisa and Hector of the Palace Guard
5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters
6. Cinder by Marissa Meyer: Cinder Linh and Prince Kai
7. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare: Tessa Gray and Will Herondale
8. Emma by Jane Austen: Emma Woodhouse & George Knightley

Book Challenge -- Day 18

18. Eight Quotes from Favorite Books (part 2)

A Ring of Endless Light:

"Maybe you have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light."

The Fellowship of the Ring:

All that is gold does not glitter, 

Not all those who wander are lost; 

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the fost. 

From the Ashes a fire shall be awoken, 

A light from the shadows shall spring; 

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king. 

Early to Death, Early to Rise:

"The mistakes don't matter. It's what you do when you mess up that does."

Book Challenge -- Day 17

17. Eight Quotes from Favorite Books (part 1)

The Fault in Our Stars:

"As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."

A Ring of Endless Light:

"There was no light. The darkness was deep and there was no dazzle."

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." --Dumbledore

As You Like It:

"The Fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool."

Book Challenge -- Day 16

16. "Comfort Books"

The Challenge wants seven.

1. A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carlson Levine
4. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
5. The Hollows by Kim Harrison
6. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
7. The Good Master by Kate Seredy

I do realize a couple of these are series, but I do have a lot of books I love to come back to. And it's the entire story is what I'm looking for when I'm hoping for a comforting book. 

Book Challenge -- Day 15

15. WTF just happened book endings (part 2)

A fifth ending I set the book down confused on was Life of Pi. At first I thought the fantastical story was real, then I was unsure if the narrator was telling a story to the fictional writer. Then I was even more confused whether or not the fictional writer was the author or a character. The first time around I finally gave up and picked up something else. The second time I read the book I was more confused if the story was a fantastic fairy tale or if it was an allegory--I read it in college that time--and the story didn't happen exactly as told, but in a variation. The longer I think about it, the more I'm confused.
     Another ending that launched me into the next book was Catching Fire. Fortunately I read the Hunger Games books after the trilogy was complete so I was able to set Catching Fire down and pick up Mockingjay within literal seconds of finishing. The cliffhanger ending just left me thinking "what?" and picked up the next book and understood within pages. It wasn't too bad, but I can imagine that initial readers would have been jolted by the lack of ending.
     The final book, and one that probably relates most to early readers of Catching Fire was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. After the battle in the Ministry, how could Fudge even pretend not to believe in Voldemort's return? And Sirius died, it was heart wrenching. I remember setting down the book and calling a friend who'd finished before me and sitting on the phone reliving the entire book. Like most books the next in the series answered a lot of questions, but I was still reeling.