Maintaining Bridges
That old saying “never burn bridges” really hit home with me today. Not that I had any reason to burn this particular bridge or any bridge related to my job, but today life turned a full circle and thanks to maintained bridges I am in the process of crossing over to a new side of things.
I gave my work an extremely long (and potentially too long) notice that I was leaving. Mostly out of wanting to make sure that I wasn’t leaving my boss hanging in the wind with a workload full of systems she didn’t know how to work, and partly because I hoped to explore the possibility of working with another area of our company in a remote (meaning work from home) position. Our company doesn’t have remote positions to my knowledge. And outside of blogging and filling out style profiles for our e-comm system I have limited experience with the web regarding product copy and website content. But I do like to write. And I am very familiar with the products. AND I am totally willing to learn whatever skills are necessary to do a good job. So I emailed HR. I also emailed anyone I knew in the copy writing and e-comm divisions. I met with someone to review the job and what it would entail to make sure it was something I was willing to do. And then I waited.
As time passed I really didn’t think it would happen. Still don’t have anything in writing sitting here today. But what I do have is an interview on Monday to meet the e-comm team, show a few samples of my writing and get the formal interview part of the job process over with.
When asked to present writing samples I was a little at a stand still. As much as I would like it to, blogs about cheesy pasta or going dune jumping at Jockey’s Ridge don’t hold much stock when you are applying to be a web content writer for a large retailer. Ironically I recalled a conversation I had had with the intimate apparel web merchant a few years ago when our e-comm system was launched. She had praised me on my wonderful product descriptions and thanked me for making her work easier as many of the other merchants were less than thorough in their submissions. Since these style profiles were the closest thing to product copy I had ever written I immediately emailed her asking for her help and started digging for any I could print myself. I am now equipped with a pile of product descriptions as well as a few popular blog posts for good measure and if needed the reference of an established web merchant to sing my praises.
The moral of the story, hard work and attention to detail do payoff. Bigger moral of the story, being polite and friendly with people (especially your co-workers) is not only a decent thing to do as a human, but it may also be the very thing that helps you when you least expect it down the road. You never know where or to who life will take you or take you back to. Thank God for maintained bridges.
In the theme of the day and speaking of friendly relationships with co-workers. My friend and co-worker Lisha gifted me with this practically brand new mac daddy spiralizer. We have exchanged countless conversations about food and healthy living and having let this beauty sit in her cabinets unused for a year she knew just who to give it to. I’m so happy to have been there to take it off of her hands 🙂
I took it home and immediately set to work on using up more of those pesky squash and zucchini.
*Side note: I promise to post something other than pasta dishes…at least some of the time 🙂
*Side note #2: I also promise to photograph my food in some other bowl beside this one that has now made an appearance three times out of the past four times I have posted a recipe.
Lemon Zucchini (and Squash) Ricotta Topped Pasta (Inspired by Martha’s recipe)
Serves 2
This was a fresh, light and perfect end to a monotonous Hump Day.
