Sometimes the answer isn't "42"
Here are some answers in response to questions from piratesorka, inspired by the following meme:
Leave a comment saying "What's up?!"
- I'll ask you five questions to satisfy my curiosity.
- Update your journal with the answers to your questions.
- Include this explanation and offer to ask other people questions.
1. Tell me about your life as a banker and why you left such a stellar profession.
It's something I more or less stumbled into, given the dismal financial situation in the mid-80's and the general lack of job opportunities for English majors. Right out of college, I'd worked for a firm in Washington DC that provided research services (ah, the days before the internet!), mostly of a financial nature, to attorneys and other businesses, which pretty much equaled a crash education in finance. Once I returned to Seattle I went to work in the loan dept. of US Bank, which was hideous--just an unpleasant company culture. After a couple years there, I'd had enough and I moved on to a midsized credit union. I started in the load department there, then moved into the Visa Dept. when we started up a credit card program. Eventually I took over the writing of procedures and correspondence (if someone got a form letter in the 90's from City Credit Union, chances were it was written by yours truly--what a distinction!). My last position there was teller trainer--I taught orientation and new accounts classes and administered the practical and written exams so that the tellers could move up from one level to the next and get their raises, yay! I have to say, for most of the time I worked there, I really enjoyed it. I liked most of my co-workers (most of the time), got to know our membership, many of whom were also pretty great. We were encouraged to have a good time as long as we got the work done. Training was particularly fun, because who wouldn't want to be the purveyor of chocolate, bagels, knowledge and pay increases? I also like the credit union philosophy of keeping rates low so that people could get the things they needed in life, not bleeding them dry to make the almighty dollar.
Sadly, I ended up leaving for health reasons, particularly because of my asthma. My voice and my lungs were wrecked and I wasn't able to keep up with the training schedule or teach the classes. Blech. Urgh. :(
2. If you could go back in time: when, where and why?
I really had to think long and hard about this one because, really, SO MANY places, so many times. Just thinking of all the great writers or artists I'd love to meet makes my head spin. Ultimately, though, as a Christian, I think I would have to choose Judea, in the time of Jesus's ministry on earth. I get a little weepy thinking what it would be like to see His face, to hear His voice, toto just let go of all modern doubt and cynicism and come to Him with the same faith I had as a child...
3. What did you enjoy the most about childhood?
I think, more than anything, I have to say my grandparents and their place on the beach. Fishing with my grandpa, who was a lovely, quiet, honorable Norwegian man who could literally build anything. Learning to cook, sew and embroider from my grandmother, and listening to her stories about growing uo homesteading in Alberta. Beachcombing, clam-digging, swimming, messing around in boats... It was idyllic. I miss it still, every day.
I wish I could talk to my grandma right now.
4. What is it like to live on Bainbridge Island?
See the above?;) Actually, it's funny, because when I was a child, it was the woods, the water and the streams, just running wild and not having to be afraid of anything, no crime, nothing poisonous, people who knew me wherever I went, so that I was always safe. As a teenager, it was the most unbelievably boring place on earth--one movie theater that played only second run mostly kid-friendly movies, nowhere to get burgers or pizza, nowhere to shop without a trip to Seattle (and I had to do my chores first and be home by four unless accompanied by an adult). We lost 10 out of our senior class of 200 to drunk driving. I was in choir, debate, drama and youth group, as well as working part time, so I kept pretty busy, but still... Sometimes a kid just needs pizza, ya know?*g*
And then I went away, lived other placed, had adventures, traveled, saw foreign films and ate foreign foods.
When I came back, Bainbridge felt safe again. I have my garden and my forest, even if my only beches are public ones. I leave apples on my trees for the deer. Half the time I forget to lock my doors. I'm close friends with one of my neighbors and on smiling and chatting terms with the rest. I can send my child with her special needs to school and know her needs are actually going to be met. Our local food bank and community service center is so well taken care of that they're actually turning down donatiions at present. We have a hokey community Christmas celebration and an even hokier 4th of July parade. Every June the whole island gathers for a giant garage sale. Every November Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pagans, Christians Hindus and everybody gather together in one church or temple to celebrate Thanksgiving, and we all hug each other afterwards.
5. I love to read, what is your current favorite book and why?
Right now I'm reading, To Say Nothing of The Dog, by Connie Willis, in which time travellers from the future jump back to the Victorian Age. It's funny, clever and a darn good time-travel book. It also helps if you've read Three Men in a Boat, by Jerome K. Jerome, from whom the title is taken--it's one of my favorites ever, Victorian, but sooo funny.
Whew! Now I'm exhausted! Anyone elsewanna play?
Leave a comment saying "What's up?!"
- I'll ask you five questions to satisfy my curiosity.
- Update your journal with the answers to your questions.
- Include this explanation and offer to ask other people questions.
1. Tell me about your life as a banker and why you left such a stellar profession.
It's something I more or less stumbled into, given the dismal financial situation in the mid-80's and the general lack of job opportunities for English majors. Right out of college, I'd worked for a firm in Washington DC that provided research services (ah, the days before the internet!), mostly of a financial nature, to attorneys and other businesses, which pretty much equaled a crash education in finance. Once I returned to Seattle I went to work in the loan dept. of US Bank, which was hideous--just an unpleasant company culture. After a couple years there, I'd had enough and I moved on to a midsized credit union. I started in the load department there, then moved into the Visa Dept. when we started up a credit card program. Eventually I took over the writing of procedures and correspondence (if someone got a form letter in the 90's from City Credit Union, chances were it was written by yours truly--what a distinction!). My last position there was teller trainer--I taught orientation and new accounts classes and administered the practical and written exams so that the tellers could move up from one level to the next and get their raises, yay! I have to say, for most of the time I worked there, I really enjoyed it. I liked most of my co-workers (most of the time), got to know our membership, many of whom were also pretty great. We were encouraged to have a good time as long as we got the work done. Training was particularly fun, because who wouldn't want to be the purveyor of chocolate, bagels, knowledge and pay increases? I also like the credit union philosophy of keeping rates low so that people could get the things they needed in life, not bleeding them dry to make the almighty dollar.
Sadly, I ended up leaving for health reasons, particularly because of my asthma. My voice and my lungs were wrecked and I wasn't able to keep up with the training schedule or teach the classes. Blech. Urgh. :(
2. If you could go back in time: when, where and why?
I really had to think long and hard about this one because, really, SO MANY places, so many times. Just thinking of all the great writers or artists I'd love to meet makes my head spin. Ultimately, though, as a Christian, I think I would have to choose Judea, in the time of Jesus's ministry on earth. I get a little weepy thinking what it would be like to see His face, to hear His voice, toto just let go of all modern doubt and cynicism and come to Him with the same faith I had as a child...
3. What did you enjoy the most about childhood?
I think, more than anything, I have to say my grandparents and their place on the beach. Fishing with my grandpa, who was a lovely, quiet, honorable Norwegian man who could literally build anything. Learning to cook, sew and embroider from my grandmother, and listening to her stories about growing uo homesteading in Alberta. Beachcombing, clam-digging, swimming, messing around in boats... It was idyllic. I miss it still, every day.
I wish I could talk to my grandma right now.
4. What is it like to live on Bainbridge Island?
See the above?;) Actually, it's funny, because when I was a child, it was the woods, the water and the streams, just running wild and not having to be afraid of anything, no crime, nothing poisonous, people who knew me wherever I went, so that I was always safe. As a teenager, it was the most unbelievably boring place on earth--one movie theater that played only second run mostly kid-friendly movies, nowhere to get burgers or pizza, nowhere to shop without a trip to Seattle (and I had to do my chores first and be home by four unless accompanied by an adult). We lost 10 out of our senior class of 200 to drunk driving. I was in choir, debate, drama and youth group, as well as working part time, so I kept pretty busy, but still... Sometimes a kid just needs pizza, ya know?*g*
And then I went away, lived other placed, had adventures, traveled, saw foreign films and ate foreign foods.
When I came back, Bainbridge felt safe again. I have my garden and my forest, even if my only beches are public ones. I leave apples on my trees for the deer. Half the time I forget to lock my doors. I'm close friends with one of my neighbors and on smiling and chatting terms with the rest. I can send my child with her special needs to school and know her needs are actually going to be met. Our local food bank and community service center is so well taken care of that they're actually turning down donatiions at present. We have a hokey community Christmas celebration and an even hokier 4th of July parade. Every June the whole island gathers for a giant garage sale. Every November Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Pagans, Christians Hindus and everybody gather together in one church or temple to celebrate Thanksgiving, and we all hug each other afterwards.
5. I love to read, what is your current favorite book and why?
Right now I'm reading, To Say Nothing of The Dog, by Connie Willis, in which time travellers from the future jump back to the Victorian Age. It's funny, clever and a darn good time-travel book. It also helps if you've read Three Men in a Boat, by Jerome K. Jerome, from whom the title is taken--it's one of my favorites ever, Victorian, but sooo funny.
Whew! Now I'm exhausted! Anyone elsewanna play?