I am a child
in this flesh suit
which ages
like a fallen apple
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how to leave (and request) the perfect voice mail
I found this cute site with tips on voice mail etiquette:
here are 10 tips to help you leave the perfect voicemail and, consequently, a good impression.
Think through what you are going to say before you place the call. When men hear the beep, they often freeze up and forget what they wanted to say. If you want to be the go-to guy at work, then you have to exhibit competence on all levels. Don’t spoil your confident image by hemming and hawing and filling your messages with “uhhhhs,” and “ummmms.” If it’s a really important call, consider writing out what you want to say beforehand. If the person picks up, great, you now have some notes to remember what you wanted to talk about. If they don’t answer, you can leave a clear and concise message.
State your name first. You would think this would be so basic that it shouldn’t even be mentioned. However, I can’t count the number of times I’ve gotten voicemails where people go on and on and I don’t even know who’s talking to me until the very end. Pretty annoying.
State your number right after your name. Many people wait until the very end of the message to state their number. This will irritate the receiver of your message because if he doesn’t get it down, he then has to sit through the whole damn message again to hear it repeated.
Repeat your phone number twice. People seem to forget that the receiver of their message has to write the number as you say it. Don’t rush through it. Even when you say it slowly, it’s hard to get down the first time. So repeat it again, so they can check to be sure they got it down right.
State the purpose of your call. In as few words as possible, state why you’re calling. Is it in regards to an interview appointment? Are you following up on a previous meeting?
Find some common ground. If you’re cold calling someone, your voicemail is your 30 second chance to make a connection and leave a good impression. One of the best ways to make a connection in that short amount of time is mentioning a mutual acquaintance. You could also mention a shared affiliation with an organization.
Be brief. Don’t make your listener resent you for leaving a 5 minute long message. People are busy. Listening to 5 minute phone messages is not on the top of their priorities and wastes their time. Many callers seem to think they are the only person in the world leaving a voicemail for a particular person. Yet a dozen other people feel the same way and a man ends up holding the phone to his ear for an hour.
Leave a specific request. What do you want your listener to do? Sure, you want them to call you back, but why? To answer a question? To set up an appointment? People will appreciate it if you give them specific actions for their call back. That way they’ll know they won’t be wasting a lot of time on the call back trying to figure out what you want.
Consider leaving your e-mail in addition to your phone number. People like choices. Some people like to have conversations on the phone, while others prefer communicating through e-mail. You don’t know what kind of person your listener will be, so leave the option on the table. For many, e-mail correspondence is less threatening and might actually encourage them to reach out to you.
Be Brief. Did I mention be brief? Yeah? Make sure to do it.
My biggest pet peeve is when people don’t leave the reason they called. So based on that, I need to redo my outgoing message at work and on my cell. My cell message currently says:“Hi this is Jane A…. LCSW. Mon through Thurs. I work at CFL from 8-7pm. On Fridays I work in private practice at address. Due to my demanding schedule I am not always available to return voice mails immediately. For more prompt response, text me or email me at janearnell@hotmail.com. Please feel free to leave a message and have a blessed day.”
I want to revise the last sentence to say something like:
This is a confidential voice mail. Please leave a brief message with your purpose for calling. Please leave your name and number slowly.
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Forecast From David Pond
“Astrologer Jeff Jawyer writes in StarIQ.com: “The journey from despair to regeneration starts with a tiny shift of perspective from what we can’t do to what we can. Waves of small constructive acts will build momentum toward a future we can define and wash away the fears that it’s too late to save ourselves.”
The Saturn/Pluto Square and Projection: The center piece of this astrological season is a Saturn square Pluto aspect on January 31st. The saying “desperate times call for drastic measures” encapsulates the presiding temperament when these two heavyweights square off. Pluto represents the shadow side of our psyche, the hidden material we don’t want to face. Saturn represents the difficulties and pressures that we feel, often from others. This is the signature of projection, the process of projecting onto others the qualities that we dislike within ourselves.
Projection is the fundamental mechanism by which we keep ourselves uninformed about our true nature. It takes tremendous character strength to look beyond projection and into the shadow side of your own character. To track down your projections, take notice of what you have a strong psychological reaction against in others and wonder if there isn’t a seed of that disliked behavior within yourself.
The Solstice Star: If no one saw the Christmas star, would the Christ child still be born? Amidst all of the daunting transits of this season hangs a Solstice star; the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction in Aquarius. These are the two most positive and inspiring planets joined together in the sign of humanity. This is the hope; the salvation of the season. Without this, we would only be aware of the horrific plight in front of us. It gives hope for a greater vision that includes all humanity and beyond. We could call this a humanitarian aspect but that doesn’t really go far enough. Perhaps pantheistic, or the belief that God/Goddess is in all things and everywhere paints an expansive enough picture of the scope of this transit.
This conjunction is going across the Moon in the United States chart and is giving rise to a health care reform that promises to bring more people under the umbrella of health care. This is no small thing when you consider how many administrations have attempted health reform. For all of us this is a call for altruism and care for the planet.
Uranus opposite Saturn: We are in the middle of this transit that occurs five times from November 2008 to July of 2010. Historically, this brings a revolutionary attitude and can be a breakthrough in progressive human rights. This last happened from 1964-66 and along with the chaos came the passing of the civil rights act and the voting rights act of 1964 giving the Afro-American community the vote. The cycle previous to the 60’s was in 1920 when women were finally legalized to vote. So although this transit is nerve wracking in the uncertainty it brings, it can and does clear obstacles to human rights and freedom.
Saturn has moved out of Virgo and into Libra and this should help the economy. In Virgo, even those who had money didn’t want to spend it and “live with less” became the law of the times. In Libra, ruled by Venus, the tight wallet syndrome of the last few years gives way and consumer spending should rebound. The shift should be to conscious spending—spend, but be conscious of who and what you are supporting.
Mars Retrograde: Mars will be in Leo for this winter season and will be retrograde until March 10th. It is probably a blessing to see Mars retrograde; planets slow down in their apparent movement and give us a better chance to come to know them. Mars is the warrior of the planetary family and when retrograde, it gives us cause to consider before we throw a punch. It is time to review, rethink, and reconsider how you are using your aggressive warrior energy. In Leo, the need for fun, play and creative expression are strong, so reconnect with that which is fun for you. Being with others who know how to laugh and play is a great tonic to the stress of daily life.
Mercury Retrograde: Mercury also turns retrograde on December 26th for three weeks giving a chance to catch up with yourself and get your world more organized. The transits of 2010 get more intense through the spring and summer, so lets take this time of retrogrades to go inward to root out the less than honorable aspects of ourselves.
There are cracks everywhere but this is not just a sign of decay. Cracks are also part of the evolutionary process. When a baby chick is born, the shell first has to crack to let new information in and let the chick out. Humanity is breaking out of its shell and may these cracks allow new light and new information in as we co-create our future together.”
“May there be peace in the world and may it begin with me.”
David Pond, The Reflecting Pond
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New Moon in Sagittarius on Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at 7:02 AM EST.Wednesday morning, a New Moon occurs in Sagittarius.
This lunation represents a new beginning in the mutable fire sign of Sagittarius. It’s a time when we can focus on some of the constructive traits of the sign of the Archer–optimistic, enthusiastic, adventurous, honest, outspoken, independent–and consider how to positively incorporate these qualities into our lives. Now, we can focus on goals that will increase our understanding and awareness, give us courage to expand our horizons, and gain confidence and optimism through a broader perspective. We can too easily get lost in the details of mundane existence. With this potent Sagittarius energy, we can find ways to transcend these details of day-to-day life and nurture our faith, hope, and vision. Because Sagittarius thinks in big terms, we may have a tendency to overdo our expectations–something to watch for. It’s time to be a little more adventurous, and to set the stage for reaping the rewards from our braveries, as little or big as they may be, in approximately two weeks’ time after the Full Moon occurs. This New Moon cycle is powerful with Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, approaching a conjunction to Neptune, and the New Moon itself sextile both bodies. Increased intuition is with us now. Uranus square this lunation brings surprises and change. With this potent Sagittarius energy, we have the chance to make important changes in our lives.
This phase of the Moon occurs at 24 degrees and 40 minutes of Sagittarius, affecting people born with personal planets and points at approximately 21 to 29 degrees of the Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) most significantly.
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the story of my tattoos and my autobiography (click) -
Full Moon in Gemini on Wednesday, December 2, 2009, at 2:30 AM EST.Shortly into the day on Wednesday, the Moon is full–the Gemini Moon exactly opposes the Sagittarius Sun. The Gemini-Sagittarius polarity is a mental axis, where Gemini represents the “lower mind” and Sagittarius represents the “higher mind”. A Gemini Moon encourages us to think logically, while Sagittarius persuades us to think in a far broader manner.
Sagittarius symbolizes the quest for meaning and ideas that expand upon the here and now. Gemini is quite comfortable in his or her immediate environment or neighborhood, while Sagittarius stimulates us to venture beyond. Neglecting either end of the axis will surely backfire on us. Ideally, a balance should be found between the two energies, and this is what the Full Moon invites us to do. This Full Moon is about communication, attitude, and our sense of adventure. Something has been building inside of us, and now is the time when the energy of the cosmos fairly demands that we let it out. Over the next two weeks, we will discover what this means for us. For now, we can’t sit on our feelings. We need to express them.The Full Moon is a time of culmination and the promise of fulfillment of that which was started at the New Moon on November 16th. It is an emotional time–a time of romance, fertilization, and relationships. With the Moon full and bright in the sky, symbolic “illumination” occurs in our own lives. However, these feelings and revelations are emotional ones, as there is a sense of emotions bursting forth into our consciousness. It’s time to express ourselves, and to let things out of our systems. Of course, we might want to exercise some care while doing so, knowing that what is coming out of us is not particularly rational as yet.
This Full Moon may feel especially “loony” with Uranus, the planet of sudden change, turning direct and stationary at virtually the same time.
Full Moon in the Sixth House
You look in the mirror and say, “That’s it! I’m starting that exercise program”. You crush out a cigarette with disgust and decide to quit smoking. You throw up your arms and say that you can’t take how your boss has been treating you. These are just some examples of a Full Moon transiting your sixth house. If it activates other personal planets, or if it’s an eclipse, the more intense or dramatic your proclamations will be. Of course, you don’t necessarily need to burst forth with emotional declarations, especially if you plan in advance. Avoid blaming others for your own state of discontent. You can use this surge of emotional energy to make positive changes to your routines. Do something to improve your work conditions if they are annoying you–even if it’s a small act of kindness with a co-worker or bringing in something to brighten up your desk or office. Get going on your exercise or nutrition program that you’ve been toying with in your mind. This may also be a time when a work project comes to fruition or completion.
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I don’t know what to do about a private practice billing dilemma. A client asked me to get on an Employee Assistance Program panel. And I’ve received several referrals from it. But the problem is they only pay $30 per hour. I charge $100. So am I supposed to bill the client $70 or nothing? I guess I better look at the contract or call them, but I don’t want to do either.
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