WSJ Wednesday - Interviews and Your Frame of Mind

As you know, I've been job hunting--unsuccessfully. Part of the problem is most people use online applications, which don't allow you to talk about your qualifications in any great detail. It also makes it unnecessary to visit the potential employer, so they don't see you. When I was a hiring manager, meeting a potential employee face-to-face when they came in to fill out an application allowed me to ascertain how passionate they were about working for our company. Now, like many other things, it's become an impersonal process.

In the Saturday/Sunday, February 16 - 17, 2013 edition of The Wall Street Journal, I came across the "Ask Ariely" column with Dan Ariely. A person was asking if the bad weather (rain) and/or a book he was reading that ran contrary to his political beliefs could have impacted his performance during a job interview.

Ariely's answer said the weather and the book may have impacted his mood, but if he had to lay odd bets the book had a larger impact. Ariely's suggestion: take a funny book to improve both mood and chances.

He could be right. Your body language could be saying much more about you than the discussion. What do you think? Will you perform better in an interview if you're in a good mood?

WSJ Wednesday - Changes in Higher Education

I found a fascinating article in the Friday, January 25, 2013 edition of The Wall Street Journal. My one big regret is never getting my college degree. Though a book I read on the current job market said experience trumps college degrees any day (unless you're talking Ivy League), during my job search, I've discovered even clerical and administrative jobs have a college degree listed as a preference or requirement.

According to "College Degree, No Class Time Required" by Caroline Porter, the University of  Wisconsin is offering a Bachelor's to students who take online competency tests about what they know. Like the man featured in Porter's article, I have several credits toward my degree. But as my family and responsibilities grew, time to dedicate to my education dwindled. After more than 20 years in business, it wouldn't surprise me if I could pass some of these competency tests and make obtaining my degree easier, and perhaps, cheaper.

The University of Wisconsin plans to launch the program this fall. Prices haven't been set for their Flexible Option program, but university officials say it should be "significantly less expensive." The goal of the program is to strengthen the state's workforce; it's not to dumb down education and just make it easy to get your degree.

If a program like this came to Massachusetts, I would sign up right away. I'm tired of not having my degree. I don't want it holding me back. It would even be helpful to me in my writing, so there's really no reason not to do it, unless it was cost prohibitive, which doesn't seem to be the case.

What do you think of this idea? Would you try to earn your degree this way if it was available in your state?

WSJ Wednesday - The Opposite of Casual Friday

Why this article caught my eye, I don't know. Perhaps it was because Casual Friday was such a big deal when I was working outside the home. In Andy Jordan's article titled, "If You Really Want to Defy Conformity, Dress Up Today,"* he features San Francisco startup Pulse who holds "Formal Friday," where everyone dresses in their Sunday best instead of the casual business attire during the rest of the week. Jordan mentions Barbarian, a New York digital marketing and creative agency, as one of the early proponents of this tradition.

I love this idea. What do you think of it?

*This article appeared in the Friday, January 4, 2013 edition of The Wall Street Journal.

WSJ Wednesday: Print Books Are Here to Stay

I always love to read articles that challenge what we think we know. Ever since the advent of e-books, it's been feared digital books will become the norm and printed books will phase out. The closing of some independent bookstores and big chain stores, like Borders, seems to back that up.

Even though I'm still waiting for the paperless office to become a reality, I have to admit digital books--while fabulous--scare me because of their potential impact on the industry. In the Saturday/Sunday January 5 - 6, 2013 edition of The Wall Street Journal, Nicholas Carr states, "...the death of the printed book may be exaggerated."

Carr says the future for traditional books is looking better. Hardcover sales are staying strong and e-book sales are slowing. His article even says that the purchases of e-readers is shrinking because consumers are focusing on multipurpose tablets. Those fickle consumers confuse us all.

Carr cites a Pew Research Center survey and reported statistics from the Association of American Publishers in this article. The AAP reported that the rate of growth for e-book sales dropped considerably in 2012. Carr also mentions a survey by Bowker Market Research that revealed only 16% of Americans have purchased an e-book and 59% say they have "no interest" in buying one. And here's the kicker, because consumers are now opting for multipurpose tablets, e-books find it hard to compete against games, videos, and Facebook on these devices.

Another point Carr makes deserves consideration. E-book purchases have been disproportionately fiction because they are often books we read quickly and have no desire to hang on to. Plus, e-readers have allowed people to read books they might be reluctant to carry around in paperback or hardcover form. But those enjoying literary fiction and narrative nonfiction still lean toward printed books.

What is the publishing industry supposed to do with this news? Every time it seems a trend is sticking, it turns out to be just a trend. And like most trends, they shift directions. Is it any wonder it's hard to get traditionally published these days.

As a reader, what do you think of this news? Do you think Carr is right? Does it change your thoughts on buying a multipurpose device like an iPad for a child you know?

WSJ Wednesday - 2012 Books of the Year

This weekend's edition of The Wall Street Journal included their annual Books of the Year lists. Broken down into fiction and nonfiction categories, each list contains 10 titles. There is also a separate list for business books. The back page of this special section contains best-selling books for week ended December 9th.

There are a few things I found interesting about this section. The first is that I never seem to read any of these          popular titles. The only one that appears on the best-selling list that we even own is Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney. Is it the same for you or do you end up reading a lot of popular books each year?

The best-selling books lists include e-books. Should this surprise me? No, but it does a bit. I didn't grow up with e-books. Even my girls (11 and 9) prefer to read a printed book over one off my Kindle, though I've never attempted to persuade them toward liking one over the other. My youngest probably enjoys e-books the most. Kids in her school (2nd and 3rd graders only) still prefer to read printed, but upon occasion you'll see an electronic device in the classroom. Their inclusion on the lists reminds us that publishing is changing.

As a writer, these lists are also discouraging in a way. Well-known names fill them: Bill O'Reilly, James Patterson, Tom Clancy, and Janet Evanovich to name a few. Where does that leave room for the rest of us? Is it any wonder self-publishing and e-books have taken off the way they have? How many of us have built-in platforms like O'Reilly? How long does an author wait to find representation and have a real shot at making the lists?

I'm going to save this special Books section and see if I can make time to read at least a few books from the lists.

WSJ Wednesday - Christmas Trees

This issue of WSJ Wednesday is going to be fun. In case you never noticed, I love Christmas. I haven't had a lot of time to blog about decorating, but my goal since we moved in is to have every room in the house decorated. I came close one year, but then I lost a couple of my trees.

In the Wednesday, November 7, 2012 edition of The Wall Street Journal, Shelly Banjo wrote an article titled, "Svelte for the Holidays." This article discusses the fad of slim Christmas trees. Retailers claim real and fake trees in leaner sizes are very popular this year. In response, some retailers are only carrying slim models or expanding their offering of slim trees. Christmas tree growers are cultivating slim versions of popular species.

One of the reasons slim trees are growing in popularity is that they complement sleek, modern decor. They also fit nicely in apartments. Banjo says that suburbanites buy in quantity, placing trees in every room of the the house. Now, that's what I'm talking about.

Family room tree - handmade ornaments

The article also mentions themes, which is something I do each year. We have trees with the following themes: angels, snowmen, collectibles, handmade ornaments, and snowflakes and icicles. The Lil Diva and the Lil Princess have their own trees: pink and purple respectively.

Each year, I try to do something a little bit different. I have tons of decorations. Some years I put out everything. Others, I leave some of the older items in the basement. This year, I'm switching around where I place the trees. The large one will remain in the family room. Though I prefer it in the formal living room that faces the street, so it can be visible from the window, the rest of the family likes it in the room we use most.

Usually the snowman tree sits on the hope chest in the bonus room, where it is visible from the street. We have a long driveway, so more lights in the windows make our house look more festive. The tree with the collectibles usually is placed on the balcony looking over the foyer. Even though the collectibles tree is relatively small (6 1/2 feet), it sticks out more than I would like, blocking the entrance to the Lil Princess' bedroom. That's part of why I'm switching them this year. The snowman tree is only 4 feet tall, so I can push it closer to the corner of the stairs.

What I've really wanted for a long time is a slim, pop-up tree like the ones featured at Brylane Home. Talk about easy. The main reason I haven't done it is because I'm not a huge fan of pre-lit trees. When they first came out, I thought they were great. Having owned several, I can tell you I'm not hot to purchase any more. I can rarely find the bulb that has burned out, so I ended up buying new lights to string on the tree anyway. In addition, when you have to remove the pre-strung lights it's a pain because they are clipped on. There's also the challenge of moving a pre-lit tree. They sometimes come in two pieces, so you if you need to take them apart to move them, the lights get moved around. I would much rather buy lights I can take on and off each year, even if it takes me extra time to put the tree up.

How many trees do you put up for Christmas? What's your favorite decoration?

WSJ Wednesday - Kitchens

Can you imagine having a 5,000 square foot great room with plush furniture, fireplaces, multiple flat screens and hidden appliances? No, me either, but the pictures are great to look at.

In Candace Jackson's article, "The Kitchen That Ate the House," featured in the Friday, November 16, 2012 edition of The Wall Street Journal, we get a glimpse of some mighty fine eating spaces and open floor plans. I'm much more of a traditional than contemporary kind of person, so the sleek Artesio kitchen didn't do much for me. I loved the conversion of a two-car garage into an 800-square-foot kitchen. I like how the white makes it seem more roomy, but I know that would also make it harder to keep clean.

When we built our house, I didn't think much of how small our kitchen would be. I worked full-time and spent only a couple of hours in it a day. Now that I'm home, and considering how the kitchen seems to be the place everyone hangs out when we entertain, I'm hoping we get a chance to add on and make the space more user friendly. I've been saving clips from magazines to inspire ideas. While it's unlikely I'll ever own a home worthy of being featured in the paper or a magazine, I can still make the kitchen something I love.

WSJ Wednesday - Wind Power

Everyone talks about "Going Green" these days. I've made changes in our home as far as what cleaning products we buy and increasing the amount we reuse and recycle, though there isn't a lot of support here. This opinion piece by Robert Bryce, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, talks about what happened after Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey.

Though many people and groups continue a war against oil and gas, Bryce claims the disaster-response efforts indicate there is no substitute for oil. He mentions that one of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's first requests to the federal government after the storm was quick delivery of motor-fuel supplies. Bryce goes on to state that some groups' claims that we can "run our economies solely on renewable-energy sources such as wind" is not truly a viable option. After including statistics to back up his opinion, he drives home a biting conclusion:

Sandy left millions of East Coast residents in the cold and dark. If any of them have been demanding "green" energy, I haven't heard about it. In the storm's aftermath, the most hopeful sound of recovery is the joyous racket that comes from an internal-combustion engine burning fossil fuels.

I'm on the fence about this article. Part of me says he's right. We don't have a reliable energy substitute. Having used solar-powered products in the past, I can attest to their unreliable nature. It's frustrating when you purchase a product hoping to do your part to save the planet, and then discover it doesn't work very well.

That said, I look at the Outer Banks Brewing Station, which is a totally wind-powered brewery and restaurant, and see how under some conditions, wind power is viable. They have the advantage of being close to the ocean, so it must be windy enough to supply their needs.

It's not fair to say alternatives won't work, because they can. I just don't see us ever getting rid of oil and gas entirely.

Feel free to share your thoughts on this issue.

WSJ Wednesday - Four More Years

Our copy of The Wall Street Journal is at work with the hubby right now, but the front page of today's paper--like all papers--is talking about the re-election of President Barack Obama. I'll admit to being disappointed, but not surprised.

I haven't talked much about politics here, though I'm fairly certain most people know which way I lean. One thing I saw in the WSJ article by Peter Nicholas and Carole E. Lee caught my eye: "Propelling Mr. Obama to victory was the unique coalition he forged four years ago, one that reflects the changing nature of the U.S. electorate—notably, the diminished influence of white Americans and the rising clout of Latino voters." The article went on to cite certain statistics: "According to exit polls, Mr. Romney won 60% of the white vote. Mr. Obama won 38%, five points less than his 2008 showing. Not since Walter Mondale, who was swept aside by Ronald Reagan in the 1984 presidential race, has a Democrat recorded a smaller share of the white vote."

While TV networks will spend the next several days discussing the players in this election cycle and offer their opinions on why it turned out the way it did--How much did that 47% comment truly hurt Romney? What impact did Hurricane Sandy have on the outcome of the election? Did New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's praise of President Obama's handling of recovery efforts in his area tip the scales in the president's favor?--the average person like you and me need to move forward and find ways to cope with the lack of jobs and rising costs of living.

Honestly, no matter who won this election, politics seems to come down to two people who are so far removed from the average person's life they couldn't hope to understand where we're coming from. Running for office--even local races--takes money. Candidates running for local offices where they are faced with opposition can spend thousands of dollars. Ask me. I know. That's part of why I haven't been hot to get back into it.

Hopefully for now, politics can take a back seat to helping residents of New York and New Jersey, who are preparing for a Nor'easter while still trying to return to normalcy after Hurricane Sandy.

What did you think of the outcome of the election? Disappointed? Surprised?

WSJ Wednesday: Penguin Random House Merger

Exciting news in the publishing world this week over the announcement of the creation of Penguin Random House. In this Tuesday, October 30, 2012 article by Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg, it mentions the hope that this merger will help these two companies deal better with the digital transformation of the book industry.

The antitrust suit brought against Apple, Inc. and five major publishers by the U.S. Justice Department alleging a price-fixing conspiracy on e-books is cited in the article. Three publishers settled and two continue to fight. The settlement forced publishers to resume discounted pricing of e-books, which Amazon has been in favor of since it introduced its Kindle.

This merger could, as the article states, provide publishers with more "heft in negotiating terms with retailers, including Amazon." Pending regulatory approvals, the hope is that the merger would be completed by the second half of 2013.

Penguin CEO John Makinson is quoted in the article as saying the merger would allow the companies to invest more heavily in social media and other technologies. Since there are fewer traditional bookstores around, Makinson says it's harder and riskier to take on new writers because of the difficulty of finding an audience. Social media could help that situation.

As a reader and writer, this is exciting to me. In the past I've been discouraged from purchasing e-books because of the cost, which is sometimes within a dollar or two of the printed version, or can even cost more than the printed version. Cheaper e-books means I can afford to purchase more of what I want in a format I enjoy. It also means I might be willing to take more of a chance on an unknown author.

While I'm not certain anyone knows how this will play out, if an industry insider believes the merger could encourage publishers to take a chance on new writers, then it gives hopes to those of us seeking representation. Granted, you still have to get an agent, but if the publishers are taking more chances, it stands to reason that agents will too.

This is definitely a story I'll be keeping my eye on.

How do you feel about the merger? Do you think it's a good thing for readers and/or writers?

WSJ Wednesday - Do We Need More Teachers?

This edition of WSJ Wednesday comes to you thanks to an opinion article by Jay P. Greene, a professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas, from the Tuesday, October 9, 2012 issue.

Greene opens his article, "The Imaginary Teacher Shortage," by stating that President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney have one thing in common:  they believe, "We need more teachers." Greene believes, however, the teacher labor force should shrink. Here's the logic behind his opinion:

• In 1970, public schools employed 2.06 million teachers, or one for every 22.3 students.
• In 2012, there are 3.27 million teachers, or one for every 15.2 students.
• Math and reading scores for 17 year olds remain virtually unchanged since 1970.
• Estimates of high school graduation rates show no progress--about 75% of students complete high school then and now.*

According to Greene, while the teacher labor force has grown by almost 50% over the past 40 years, the average salary has only grown 11%. He believes we would be better off hiring fewer better-paid teachers, which would also reduce the amount spent on pension and health benefits. These costs have risen much higher than salaries in cost per teacher over the past four decades, he states. 

Greene also believes the money spent on additional teachers could be used to develop and purchase innovative educational technology. He admits educational technology is still young, but mentions free classes from Coursera offered for those in higher education and taught by the best professors in the world. Some K-12 charter schools in California and Arizona have the computers doing most of the teaching, while the teachers act as "tutors, problem-solvers, and behavior managers." While this is occurring outside of the public school model, Greene believes this could offer much more individualized instruction with fewer teachers. 

What are your thoughts on this issue? Have the stats mentioned in this article changed your mind about the need for more teachers?

* Stats provided by the U.S. Department of Education's Digest of Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress, and D.O.E. reports. 

WSJ Wednesday - Not Enough Apple Pickers

After a hiatus that lasted way too long, I hope to bring back WSJ Wednesday on a regular basis. It was a popular column, and even I miss it.

A big topic in this election cycle has been lack of jobs. Unemployment levels are high. It seems businesses are laying off or closing every time you turn around. My experience as a homeowner, however, and a recent article from The Wall Street Journal makes me wonder if that's the entire picture.

In "Many Apples, Few Pickers" by Joel Millman, the topic is the lack of workers to pick bumper apple crops in Washington state. Washington is enjoying the second biggest apple crop in its history, but some farmers are stating that up to one-quarter of their bounty will rot because there aren't enough pickers. Featured in the Wednesday, October 10, 2012 edition of the paper, the article is accompanied by three photographs: one of a farm worker, another of help wanted signs in eastern Washington, and a graph from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on fresh apple production in Washington between 2000 and 2011.

Why in such a tight economy are farmers having a difficult time finding workers? A crackdown on illegal immigration, in addition to a modest economic rebound that has provided immigrants more opportunities in construction, landscaping and restaurants is said to have shrunk the pool of potential workers.

According to the Department of Numbers, the unemployment rate in Washington state in August 2012 was 8.6%, slightly higher than the national average of 8.1%. Farmers are increasing their pay rates in Washington to attract workers, but if what is reported is true, they aren't getting bites. Why? Are the unemployed not interested in such labor? I know I'm more picky about the job opportunities I'm looking for at this stage in my life. While retail is an area I spent over 10 years in, I haven't exactly pursued opportunities in this area during my current job search. My fear is that they wouldn't offer me the flexibility I need as a working mom. Perhaps I'm wrong and should expand my search.

One other thing I'm noticing is that contractors seem to be begging for business, but are still particular about the business they want or lack proper customer service. I received a flyer in our local paper about a special promotion for lawn aeration. I've been putting it off for years, so I figured I would call up this company and see what they could do for me. As expected, they were out of the office when I called, but no one has gotten back to me in the two weeks since. If this is how they treat a potential new customer, what must their current clientele have to deal with for response time? Our church has attempted to hire four different electricians to fix an issue over at the pastor's house since early this year. No one has ever followed up and the repair remains undone.

While this is a simplistic way to look at the tight job market, it remains an important topic in the election. How do illegal immigrants influence unemployment numbers? What should be done about that situation? Do some unemployed people prefer to collect than work certain types of jobs? What can realistically be done about getting people back to work?

Mom-Approved Song Lyrics

In the Thursday, August 2, 2012 edition of The Wall Street Journal, I read an article by Katherine Rosman titled, "Inside the Hit Factory for Kids." The article is a feature on the Kidz Bop franchise, which covers popular songs, substituting mom-approved lyrics.

This article gets me to thinking more and more about how music and television influence our young people. The Lil Diva (now 11, then 10) danced to three numbers this year--all of which were to songs I didn't care for:  "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO, "Turn Me On" by Niki Minaj, and Enrique Iglesias's "I Like It." While I expressed my displeasure, the overall feeling was that the girls were getting older and this type of music is appropriate for their age group.

I disagree. The version of "Party Rock Anthem" was not the vulgar one, but the other two songs were the standard radio versions. What 10-year-old should be thinking about being turned on by a guy or dancing to a song that obviously has nothing to do with dancing? The lyrics of "I Like It" are:

Girl, please excuse me
If I'm coming too strong
But tonight is the night
We can really let go

My girlfriend's out of town
And I'm all alone
Your boyfriend's on vacation
And he doesn't have to know

No, oh, oh, oh, oh
No one can do the things
I'm gonna wanna do to you

No, oh, oh, oh, oh
Shout aloud, screaming loud
Let me hear you go

So, we have a guy coming onto a girl at a club, encouraging her to cheat on her boyfriend. Nice. Oh, and let's not forget no one can do the things to her that he can and there will be screaming involved. Yes, that sounds appropriate for a group of 10- and 11-year-old girls. 

I almost flipped when I heard the Lil Diva's teacher played "I'm Sexy And I Know It" in her classroom. Many of her teachers have played music, but they've avoided the racier songs.

I think it really hits home when a little girl like Sophia Grace Brownlee is singing "Super Bass" by Niki Minaj which talks about a nice looking guy that she wants to kiss on the lips because he's the kind of dude she's looking for. He's a hell of a guy after all and somebody better tell him who the eff she is. Now, she's on Ellen and everyone thinks it's so cute she's singing Niki's songs.

As a writer, I appreciate freedom of speech. I'm not one of those people who is going to go after the music industry and try to get albums removed from the market. It comes down to choices--choices we as parents make for our kids. We can't always control what our children are exposed to outside of our homes, but we can control what they are exposed to inside. We can also balance what they are exposed to elsewhere by having meaningful discussions with them about why we are opposed to certain things. My girls and I often have these discussions in the car, but I like to have them here at home too, when I can provide them with my full attention.

One of the greatest things about the Lil Diva getting older is that she can truly understand what I'm saying. She can listen to what I have to say and make her own decision. Many times she comes to a conclusion similar to mine. That might not always be the case, but the foundation is being laid for her, so she has something to build on.

What do you think about today's lyrics? Do you monitor what music your kids listen to?

WSJ Wednesday - Fate of the USPS

The Wall Street Journal, and many others, published articles on the now confirmed default of the United States Post Office to make a required annual $5.5 billion payment to a health-benefits fund managed by the Treasury.

According to a NetBase Solutions, Inc. poll that was printed in the Saturday/Sunday, July 28 - 29, 2012 issue of The Wall Street Journal, 54% of those surveyed are Anti-Post Office. A person is quoted as saying he can't wait for the USPS to close. Others complain about the personalities of the workers. The 44% of those who defend the USPS state the Post Office isn't too bad. The workers are personable considering what they have to deal with. One person is quoted as saying the USPS delivers for FedEx and UPS in more rural areas. The remaining 2% are making jokes about the whole thing.

My own experience with the USPS has been mostly pleasant. I ship all my prize giveaways through them, and I have never had anyone come back to me and complain about a lost or damaged item. In addition, the workers in our mail facility are great: always helpful and always pleasant.

Why is the USPS in such financial trouble? The increased usage of electronic mail and online bill payments are definitely part of the problem, but what business could remain solvent when forced to pre-fund a health-benefits fund for so many workers? It certainly seems, too, that Congress isn't making life easy in other ways. Check out this article from Economy Watch on NBC News.

I happen to like the Post Office. Even if the cost of  a first-class stamp went up 50 cents I would use it. Could they be more efficient? Perhaps. I don't know enough about it to say one way or the other. I just feel it's important for it to be available for those who still use it.