January is the best month obviously ((c) all Jan babies)
I went to the World Press Photo & Local Testimony photo exhibitions on Friday morning. I don't really go to any photography exhibitions, but as it is every year, this one is exceptional. It's on display in multiple locations around the world, so if it's exhibiting anywhere near you (you can check here, I encourage you to check it out.
Otherwise, you can browse the galleries online: the international contest (World Press Photos) here, and the Israeli exhibition here.
I will link to a photo I somehow missed at the exhibition but loved: this one, of Alona Barkat, the only female owner of an Israeli soccer team, whose team won the state championship last year. The journey she went on with this team is truly amazing and includes taking a second-rate team with passionate, violent fans - the kind that boo their own players when they don't perform well enough, the ones who riot and threaten their own team's coach - announcing her resignation after one incident too many, having the fans beg her to stay and finally agreeing to stay on management after fan representatives formulated an ethical code signed jointly by fans and management. She stayed on, continued initiating youth education and community outreach programs, as part of her ownership goals were also to drive social change - and a few years later, 37 years after their last championship, the team won the state championship once more.
*
Thursday I'm going to have a talk with HR about 'what next'. I'm not enjoying my current position at all - it's a position that was basically created for me when I returned from China, but neither the company nor I are satisfied with both performance, necessity, or interest. Basically, if I had more interest in the business side of the company I'd have room to grow, but as I don't, it's up to either find somewhere I can fit in that would interest me, or I'm going to get 30 days notice.
I'm not very optimistic about my prospects in the company, and I'm fine with that - I've not been enjoying this job for a while - but it's still stressful. I mentioned it to my parents this weekend, and my dad immediately asked me what I wanted to do with my life/career (hahaha I WISH I KNEW ugh) and started opening websites of various companies he knows, looking at their openings and asking me about them, and I... was not really ready to talk about it, and especially hate talking about it on the spot without being mentally prepared for the conversation. He pushed a little, but at my reluctance to talk, he finally said, "You're so closed off. Are you consulting anyone about this?" "Not yet," I said, and he said: "Talk to people. Consult. Opportunities might come up where you're not expecting them."
So. This isn't a consultation post yet - and I will also be talking to local friends in the local job ecosystem - but this is also just a reminder to myself to talk about it and not put that off. Luckily I'm in a place where I can afford to be unemployed without worrying about financials/apartment, at least for a while, but let's hope it won't come to that for long.
*
In other news I will be visiting Berlin for a weekend in early Feb! This is probably the worst weather to visit Berlin in, but is exciting because (a) I've never been to Berlin, and (b) this will be just the second time in my life I've traveled abroad with friends in a "pure" sense. I've traveled abroad with family, or alone and MET friends there or visited with them, but haven't ever done the whole - fly with a friend, stay at a hotel with them, plan the trip schedule together, except the one time.
But I think we're a group that will mesh well - this trip was instigated by a friend from the US who will be visiting family in Germany and basically managed to convince us three Israeli friends to fly out and meet her in Berlin for a weekend. It'll be all our first times in Berlin, which is good. They are none of them fic/slash/social network-style fannish, but all of them are big book and movie geeks (and two of them have read Captive Prince - my greatest achievements!), and I'm pretty excited. I also have a friend in Berlin I hope to meet while there.
I don't imagine I'll have much time overall unfortunately, but if you're in Berlin between Feb 3-6th, let me know and we can see if we can meet up :-)
*
Finally, happy birthday
marina! May the new year be better than the last, and may they keep getting better ♥
comments on Dreamwidth.
Otherwise, you can browse the galleries online: the international contest (World Press Photos) here, and the Israeli exhibition here.
I will link to a photo I somehow missed at the exhibition but loved: this one, of Alona Barkat, the only female owner of an Israeli soccer team, whose team won the state championship last year. The journey she went on with this team is truly amazing and includes taking a second-rate team with passionate, violent fans - the kind that boo their own players when they don't perform well enough, the ones who riot and threaten their own team's coach - announcing her resignation after one incident too many, having the fans beg her to stay and finally agreeing to stay on management after fan representatives formulated an ethical code signed jointly by fans and management. She stayed on, continued initiating youth education and community outreach programs, as part of her ownership goals were also to drive social change - and a few years later, 37 years after their last championship, the team won the state championship once more.
*
Thursday I'm going to have a talk with HR about 'what next'. I'm not enjoying my current position at all - it's a position that was basically created for me when I returned from China, but neither the company nor I are satisfied with both performance, necessity, or interest. Basically, if I had more interest in the business side of the company I'd have room to grow, but as I don't, it's up to either find somewhere I can fit in that would interest me, or I'm going to get 30 days notice.
I'm not very optimistic about my prospects in the company, and I'm fine with that - I've not been enjoying this job for a while - but it's still stressful. I mentioned it to my parents this weekend, and my dad immediately asked me what I wanted to do with my life/career (hahaha I WISH I KNEW ugh) and started opening websites of various companies he knows, looking at their openings and asking me about them, and I... was not really ready to talk about it, and especially hate talking about it on the spot without being mentally prepared for the conversation. He pushed a little, but at my reluctance to talk, he finally said, "You're so closed off. Are you consulting anyone about this?" "Not yet," I said, and he said: "Talk to people. Consult. Opportunities might come up where you're not expecting them."
So. This isn't a consultation post yet - and I will also be talking to local friends in the local job ecosystem - but this is also just a reminder to myself to talk about it and not put that off. Luckily I'm in a place where I can afford to be unemployed without worrying about financials/apartment, at least for a while, but let's hope it won't come to that for long.
*
In other news I will be visiting Berlin for a weekend in early Feb! This is probably the worst weather to visit Berlin in, but is exciting because (a) I've never been to Berlin, and (b) this will be just the second time in my life I've traveled abroad with friends in a "pure" sense. I've traveled abroad with family, or alone and MET friends there or visited with them, but haven't ever done the whole - fly with a friend, stay at a hotel with them, plan the trip schedule together, except the one time.
But I think we're a group that will mesh well - this trip was instigated by a friend from the US who will be visiting family in Germany and basically managed to convince us three Israeli friends to fly out and meet her in Berlin for a weekend. It'll be all our first times in Berlin, which is good. They are none of them fic/slash/social network-style fannish, but all of them are big book and movie geeks (and two of them have read Captive Prince - my greatest achievements!), and I'm pretty excited. I also have a friend in Berlin I hope to meet while there.
I don't imagine I'll have much time overall unfortunately, but if you're in Berlin between Feb 3-6th, let me know and we can see if we can meet up :-)
*
Finally, happy birthday
marina! May the new year be better than the last, and may they keep getting better ♥
comments on Dreamwidth.