The Other Side of Life 24/7: The Cynical Girl: Honoring Firefighters and Other First Responders

Thursday, July 4, 2013

The Cynical Girl: Honoring Firefighters and Other First Responders

Honoring Firefighters and Other First Responders

Posted: 03 Jul 2013 03:45 AM PDT

Last year, I was lucky enough to attend BlogPaws in Utah.

Salt Lake City has awful air quality on a normal day, but the air was made worse by raging wildfires in the mountains of Utah and Colorado. Heading in there, my flight was diverted. My flight was delayed when leaving, too. The air was so disgusting that I now understand why people wear masks in Beijing and Shanghai. I had never experienced anything like it.

So I read with great sadness that 19 firefighters lost their lives while battling a wildfire in Arizona, this week.

You don’t fight fires for the money. It is one of those rare things in life you do because you have a calling. Being a firefighter — or being a first responder to any major crisis — is about commitment and dedication. You provide a service to the community, even when your fellow neighbors don’t notice or doesn’t care.

But we all noticed this horrible loss of life.

And I wanted to take a moment and send my condolences to the families of nineteen men who died while trying to help others. And I want to recognize the sacrifice of others, too.

What a sad event.

Do Not Apply for Jobs on the 4th of July

Posted: 02 Jul 2013 03:45 AM PDT

If you live in America, do not apply for jobs on the 4th of July.

This holiday is a strange one. Kids are home from school for summer break. The weather is hot, muggy and weird. People are fatigued. Inboxes are jammed. Most corporate professionals just want to get outta dodge.

Your LinkedIn request will be missed.
Your email meeting request will be overlooked.
Your application in the ATS won’t be forwarded until Monday at the very earliest — and it will be lumped in with other resumes and applications that came through during the holiday break.

I know times are tough, but you won’t be noticed if you apply for a job on July 4th. If you are noticed, people will wonder why you’re not spending time with your family.

My advice? Go play with your kids or go volunteer at a homeless shelter in your town. Hit the beach. Visit the library and read a book. Do something that is free.

But wait until Monday, July 8th to restart your search.