More on the Generations Buzz

Last week I had my final customer program with The Soderquist Center. I coordinated the Spring Milestone at Greystone Estate. It was a neat group of participants that spurred on rich conversation. I had the opportunity to talk with them about my generation. It seems Gen Y is causing quite a commotion as we enter the workforce. I thought I would share a few of my insights here.

Where I've been:

• I was born in 1984 to loving, Christian parents who are still married today.
• Until I got married, they were the most important people in my life. They gave me a solid foundation of faith, family, & finances.
• I did not have to work for my first car, but I did have a 1984 clunker...
• I got my first email address in the 6th grade. I don't remember life without the Internet.
• I am 23 and debt-free and do not own a credit card. Not all of us grew up with the "entitlement epidemic." My parents biggest pet peeve was the "ribbon for just participating."
• I attended Oklahoma State University, got married, went to John Brown University for my MBA through a fellowship at The Soderquist Center and have landed here.

Where I'm going:

• I don't know. It's that simple. I don't have a 5-year plan. I don't believe in planning your personal life that far out. Don't mis-understand me. I do believe in preparing for 5 years out, but not planning.
• I am less concerned with what I will be do as I am about who I will be.

What's important to me in a job:

• Relationships. They are the foundation to any great team. I have to like the people I work with, report to, and interact with on a daily basis.
• Flexibility. Who said 8-5 are the only productive hours in the day? In a world of endless connectivity, why does an office have to be the only place where work gets done? Simple answer, its not.
• Growth. I want to be developed and grow in skills and knowledge. I don't mind putting in the extra hours, as long as I'm developing. I want to know where I'm headed.
• Meaning. I want to know that what I am doing is important. I need to be able to see how my role fits into the bigger picture & success of the company - don't we all?
• Feedback. This goes back to growth. I can't grow if I don't know what to work on. It's a simple question of "how am I doing?"

Yes, Gen Y is unique - just as every new generation who enters the workforce. We are faced with the same questions and challenges as a new wave of thought & expectations enter corporate America. Instead of constantly grumbling about our differences, though, why not embrace the positive? Why not take advantage of the experience and wisdom of the Baby Boomers while coupling it with the tenacity and creativity of my generation? Seems like win-win to me!

Food for the Soul

Colossians 2:13-15

13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Life Update

The Internet. It's something I use daily, hourly, minutely (is that a word?). Yet I've never quite taken the time to really try to wrap my head around how it actually works. It's kind of like those deep, theological questions that you just can't bring yourself to think about because it just makes your head hurt. Or de ja vu. That one definitely makes my head hurt. After years of using but not quite understanding the World Wide Web, I have found myself immersed in it. I recently accepted a position with a local web development company named Rockfish Interactive. I will be an Interactive Producer for them starting on May 12th, which is a fancy and impressive way of saying Project Manager. So I am spending my free time reading up on Wikipedia about a variety of terms I've heard for years but never quite understood. The very Internet that allows me to publish this blog is a very complex conglomerate of a lot of things I do not understand. There is so much more to it than this pretty interface that I see. It's amazing to think about the minds that saw this, that knew what it could mean for global communications. Fascinating. 

I'm looking forward to joining the team. I've been working with them on the Soderquist website for the past few months and know that I am in for a wild and rewarding ride. Before landing at Rockfish, though, it was a long journey of soul-searching. I interviewed for a variety of positions around NWA - most of which were not culture or lifestyle fits for me. I had my last interview at one company last week that solidified my choice to go to work for Rockfish. During my interview, one of the interviewers brought up a "hot button" - Generational stereotypes. She mentioned that my generation didn't seem to want to work, feel like we are entitled to much more than we're ready for, and won't commit to any company. She then asked me my view of those things. Wow - there is nothing like being blatantly stereotyped to your face. You know what they say when you assume things... I rebuffed her comments by pointing out that some of those issues are age related - not generational - and that there is a greater case for personality differences and individualized management than for generation-wide shifts. I am a Gen Y'er, but I am committed to working hard, don't feel like I've earned anything yet, and will show the same amount of commitment to my employer as they show me. I want to gain experience in a variety of things so I can do the best possible job at whatever I am doing. I was quite offended by her comments to me. Needless to say, I did not take that job. 

In other, brief, news:

• I officially graduate May 10. My final day at The Soderquist Center will be April 30. It's hard to believe I have been in NWA for 2 whole years!
• Nathan & I are landscaping our side yard - we are super excited and promise to post pictures of the final results when it's more than just a pile of rocks. 
• Nathan & I are quickly approaching the 2-year mark. Marriage is best thing this side of heaven.

So that's a brief overview of what's up in my life now, for all my "avid" readers. :) Just keeping up with my blog title - Meanderings!

Lessons from Jackson

The other day my husband and I returned home to find that our precious one-year-old Shih tzu had ravaged a pair of Nathan's underwear. Nathan discovered the evidence as Jackson and I were curling up in bed. He picked up what was left of the garment & asked Jackson calmly, "Jackson, what did you do?" Our sweet pup, realizing that his fault had been found out, immediately turned over onto his back in surrender as if saying, "I know I did wrong - I'm sorry!" Nathan held the evidence closer to drive home the point. Jackson crawled closer to me for protection, fearing that the worst might come - a loud, resounding "No!" He looked back at Nathan, still holding proof of his disobedience. Still hunched close to the ground, Jackson climbed into my lap, begging to be held and forgiven. We have a great dog. How could I not scoop him up and give him some love? He was so meek. 

So often I find myself in the same situation as Jackson, knowing that I did wrong and desperately wanting to climb into my God's lap for comfort and forgiveness. Just as Jackson couldn't hide his disobedience from us, I cannot hide mine from an omniscient God. Time and time again I forego the better things that God has for me to chew on some dirty ol' underwear in the hamper. If I'd only looked past it, I would have seen that God has greater blessings for me! How thankful I am that God continually scoops me up and gives me some love when I just surrender to him. 

I'm not your average employee

When your are eating out on your employer's dollar, do you spend more or less? I would say the average employee is more likely to spend more knowing that they do not have to pay the bill themselves. I am the opposite. I am very mindful when The Soderquist Center is purchasing my meal or anything really. Partially because I work for non-profit where "every little bit counts" but partially because it's not my money to spend. I stopped to ponder whether or not I would spend differently if I worked for a for-profit organization. But high expenses just get passed along to the customer/client. That doesn't sit real well with me either. I am more likely to eat a big steak dinner on my own dollar than that of someone else (except maybe my parents - some habits die hard). 

But as I was discussing this with a co-worker, a thought hit me. I will spend my money frivolously because I know that I am the one it impacts. But that's a lie. The money and possessions that I have are not mine but God's. Now, I do not want to give the wrong impression. Nathan & I are by no means squanderers of our money - but there's always room for improvement. If I would manage my money with as much care and thought that I manage my employers, how much more could God do with it?! Ultimately, it does not just impact me - it impacts the person on the street who desperately needed the $20 that I just spent on a ridiculously portioned meal or the mission trip that I cannot take because I can't seem to give up the latest "must have." God has a bigger purpose for my finances than just my personal pleasure. Granted, I do believe it is biblical to enjoy the fruits of our labor - but I believe true joy comes from giving. Nathan and I daydream about the day that we can go to a restaurant and leave a $100 tip for a deserving waiter. Or meeting the needs of a neighbor by providing the funds that they cannot find. As Dave always says, "Live like no one else so you can live like no one else."

What's next?

Nathan & I went to Kansas City this week for a Renew Retreat that I was coordinating for The Soderquist Center. While we enjoyed our time with each of the couples, it was somewhat bittersweet. This retreat marked my second to last project to coordinate for the Center. It's hard to believe that my time there is almost complete. But I'll save my reminiscent post for another day... Today my thoughts are more on what lies ahead rather than behind. I have my resume in a variety of companies' hands. There are a few jobs that sound like great fits, but nothing solid yet. I have had many interviews, many conversations, a few rejections - those are the hardest. The job-search process is cause for deep soul-searching and faith-testing. I look forward to the future post stating that I have been offered a job and will no longer have to worry about whether the 2 years I spent getting my MBA was worth it! Until then, I remain hopeful & trusting that the right fit for me is out there.

To Florida and Back

I really am a Southern girl. I enjoy a relaxed pace with time to enjoy life and possibly a glass of tea. This past weekend I visited my sister in Lakeland, Florida, located between Tampa and Orlando. Let me tell you, I am not cut out for the busy life of a big city! 

It was so great to see her and her husband and finally be able to visualize the world that they live in. It seemed so bizarre to me that people actually live where palm trees grow naturally - I thought they only grew at resorts! The traffic there was unreal to me - the way cars swerved in and out, the fact that red lights were merely a suggestion to stop, and the shocking evidence of a fallen world that exists in a traffic jam. The pace at which my sister and her husband live their life left me exhausted - I am envious of the energy that they have to keep going 24/7! I love experiencing other people's worlds, though, because it always leaves me reflective and in a mode of self exploration. I really do love my life and feel utterly blessed to be where I am. Now please do not misunderstand me - I am not saying that Florida was so horrible that I just couldn't stop thinking about how wonderful my life back home was. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip; I think I just had time to stop and reflect upon things that I had taken for granted. 

I truly believe that I have the best marriage in the world. After nearly two years of marriage, I can still honestly say that Nathan is my favorite person. We get a long great, rarely fight, have open communication, and truly love each other for who we are. He is a great man. I love Northwest Arkansas. It has a pace that suits me but is rich with business and activity. I think it is so neat to live where the largest company in the world is. I am exposed to aspects of business that you don't get anywhere else! I have great friends. It took me a little while to adapt to my new life in NWA when we moved here, but I have grown to love so many people here and feel blessed to have such rich relationships that I know will only continue to deepen.

This post goes nicely with the title of my Blog - Meanderings. Just a quick moment of reflection and personal revelation that God has blessed me richly and for that, I praise Him. Life is good.