Theme Music

During my morning commute I listen to NPR’s The Take Away. During today’s show Celeste Headlee stated that hiring managers are asking a new interview question. The question is, if you had theme music and walked into a room what would people hear? My initial thought when I heard this question was why would that question be relevant? After some thought, I concluded, while I do not know their reasoning behind the question, while unorthodox, it does make sense to me. I believe how the person answers may provide insight into how they view and feel about themselves. An example would be if a person responds their theme music would be, Pusherman by Curtis Mayfield. I would immediately think I may want to pass on this candidate because he/she my see themselves as a dealer or pimp. Which I would only view as a positive if I were hiring them for a pharmaceutical sales position, I jest. While this is an extreme example it does illustrate how the question can have relevance.

My next thought, what my response would be if the question were ever posed to me. The short answer is I do not know. You see, from my perspective the question asks what one song defines you. The issue is that no one song defines me. I really think that my theme song would change based on the situation. What do I mean you ask? If I walked into work my theme song would be different then if I walked into my home. Quite honestly, my theme music might vary based on the day of the week or time of day. I am after all made up of many layers and each of these layers can be represented by a different song. I am composed of many tempos. Sometimes I am instrumental others acapella or something in between. I have moments where I am Soul, and times where I am Classical but I am always House. There are moments when I am country and yet others where I am Rock and Roll yet always Gospel. So to pick a single song is impossible and would not do me justice. I could only say that I am always music.

I wonder how the hiring manager would analyze that response. Would they think I am being less than truthful? Would they try to back me in a corner and force me to answer? Would my inability to give them an answer disqualify me as a candidate? If you were interviewing me what would you think?

and…

If someone posed this question to you, what would your theme music be?

What -vs- Who

Someone I love dearly is sitting for an examination very soon. This will not be their first time taking this exam. A year ago, just prior to taking the exam the Lord put something on my heart to tell them so I passed it on. While I do not remember exactly what I said the gist was… The examination is simply a means to an end. You are blessed that you have found something in your life that you love, are passionate about and can make a living wage doing. So, go into the exam with that understanding and have fun. Don’t let this exam steal the love you have for your chosen vocation. The adversary attacks us where we are most vulnerable. He has identified this area in your life. So, go in to the exam with a different attitude. That is it, have fun. My loved one said they had never looked at it that way and thanked me.

Fast forward a year…Time is fast approaching for my loved one to retake the exam and they recently asked me if I could provide any words of encouragement. To be honest I have been at a loss. It was not me who provided the words the last time after all. I was simply a vessel. The journey of listening for a new message did bear fruit. While this is not a message for my loved one it is a message from which anyone can benefit.

In this and many other societies we treat examinations as if their outcome is a referendum on who we are. When in fact they are at most what set the tone for what we are. Their outcome may say if you are a doctor, lawyer, nurse, teacher or engineer. The mistake we often make is to think that what we are defines who we are (I know I have been guilty of this on occasion) but who you are cannot be defined by a single exam but by how you live your life. Are you kind, gentle, selfless, loving, thoughtful, amiable? These things are what truly define who you are. What does it mean to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer or nurse if you are mean spirited, shallow or narcissistic? I personally would rather be remembered for having been a loving, selfless, kind, God loving janitor as opposed to a mean spirited doctor. So, while an examination may affect what you become they have no bearing on who you become unless you allow them. Allowing what you are to define who you are will have drastic consequences to who you are if you can no longer be what you want.

Does what define you?

Summer Longing- a Pictorial

 all photos © 2008, 2009 Harvey M. Christian

______ If you do-______If you don't

Saturday, February 13, 2010, 9:35 a.m. my phone rings. The number is unfamiliar and I am busy so I let voice-mail answer. No message is left. 12:30 p.m. the phone once again rings. It’s the same number. This time I answer. There is a recorded message, d@mn what are they trying to sell me!? I quickly learn this is not a solicitation call. No on the contrary, this is a collections message from my friendly local energy company (FLEC)! It states that my account is “seriously delinquent” and I have been sent a shut-off notice. I think to myself, it most certainly is not! I am on the budget plan…

Before I continue let me give you a little background. I was laid off February 2008 and did not find employment until August 2009. I am not complaining because I know people that have been unemployed much longer but I digress. During that period I received unemployment benefits. I was also on FLEC’s “budget plan”. Funds were tight as one might imagine because my income had fallen to 1/5 what it was when I was employed. I contacted all of my creditors and informed them, including the FLEC. One month my utility bill came due 2 days before I received my benefit deposit. I pay the bill on day three of my delinquency. Said company informs me I have defaulted on my contract and removes me from the plan. They also demand payment in full! I am angry and frightened. Angry because I was doing the best I could. My situation was at no fault of my own and I was in this arrangement because of my financial situation. I felt they were kicking me while I was down. I am frightened because if I cannot produce this large sum of money my wife, son and daughter will have no electricity. What kind of man am I? So, I do as I always do, I pray and I thank the Lord for working this out because I sure can’t! God moved and the lights stayed on! However now I am out of the plan for 12 months. My thought, Lord you are going to have to work this one out too! I am thankful that he did.

Now back to the story…

I have spent my year in the prescribed purgatory and have now added my account back to the budget plan. God is good! I even made a payment to my account during that conversation even though I was informed I did not have to do so. So, why in the world am I receiving these calls!? To add insult to injury the computer continues to call me once per hour until 6 p.m. and I of course cannot get a live person because it is not a business day. So, I wait…

Monday morning arrives. I call FLEC. Once I make it through their automated system and receive a live person, I explain the situation. The CSR asks me to hold. When she returns I am informed that the issue is that I made a payment before they added me back to the “budget plan”. As a result the computer essentially did not accept me back to the plan. I think to myself I have been kicked out again but this time because I made the payment too early!? This has to be a joke! Once I process this information, I repeat my thoughts to the CSR and ask her if that is correct. To which she simply responds, yes sir. She then tells me that she will “reset” my account and the calls should stop. I most certainly hope so!

Let us recap. I was removed from the budget plan because I was laid off and did not receive my unemployment benefits until two days after the due date. While I do not agree, I do understand this practice. The contract was technically broken. However, how do you then kick me out of the “budget plan” before I am actually re-added because I was early with a payment? Is it just me or does this give new meaning to, you are d@mned if you do and d@mned if you don’t?

Statuesque

She stands tall
Tall as the goddess she is
Her color that of honey
Her Eyes filled with love and pain
Her smile as beautiful as a sunset set
Yet as rare as an eclipse

She is statuesque

Her neck invites you to kiss
Her breasts full
Full with the nectar of life

She is statuesque

Her waist is that of a woman
Her hips wide and wonderful
They sway with purpose and rhythm as she sashays
Leaving her erotic aroma in her wake
Beckoning you to take more then a glance

She is statuesque

Her thighs thick
Thick like caramel
And just as sweet

She is statuesque

Her calves are perfectly suited to her
Strong
Soft
Beautiful
Magnificent

She, is my wife
And
She, is statuesque

© 2008 Harvey M. Christian