Stalkers need not apply (okay, well, please take a number at least:))

Here I am on a blustery Monday morning at my desk in my new job of one month.

To set the stage, I've been invited to a team outing. This morning, I'm at my desk, and a coworker (who I've known for one month) comes over to my desk and very discretely says to me, "Karla, can we hang out together tonight 'cause I want to make sure we sit together? I never get to talk to you."

There are 25 people on my team. As an adult, one would assume you just sit wherever your butt fancies at the moment of arrival at the establishment, but do I say anything to that effect. Of course, I keep my thoughts to myself and I accept the offer.

Honestly, immediately, I'm reverted back to elementary/jr. high days.

For you fellow bloggers who don't already know this, I have always attracted stalkers. For the past few years I've at least recognized this trait; however, I can't seem to cease it. I've been told, "It's because you are too nice."

So, what is a stalker magnet to do, I ask myself. Perhaps I shall I start being rude when I meet people.... Nah, that's not me.

The one method of stopping the stalker madness that I've often comically entertained is to tell potential stalkers that I'm not accepting any applications for stalkers at this time. Until an existing stalker stops stalking, I am unable to consider any new applicants.

So, maybe I shall create this scenario: If potentials stalkers are so inclined, please fill out the "I would like to be a Karla Stalker" application, and your application will be reviewed in the order in which it was rec'd and as a position opens up. Thank you for your stalking consideration.

I can't tell you how much laughter I've had and shared w/ others about stalking stories. And I must admit, that while I joke about it, I would never hurt anyone's feelings, stalker or not :)

And if this stalker business hasn't made you laugh, here's the picture that went out on my Christmas cards this year!


Santa Suit: $7.99
Fancy Boots $2.99
Tuna Treats $899.42

Fat Cat in a Santa Suit:
Priceless

Blogging again after stenographer induced brain cloud.

And so the story is told of my career soul searching. I hope you have some time to read, because I've blogged a long one. Please sit back and grab a drink, a smoke, or whatever you fancy and read on...

I worked for a well-known financial/life insurance company in Boston for 18 years right out of high school.

Rewind 20 yrs....I was 18 and had not a clue what I was going to do w/ myself. A friend calls and says, "Hey, Karla, we are going to ***Joe Schmoe well-known financial/life insurance company to fill out applications. Do you want to join us?"

"Ummmmm, okay... I guess." Clearly, I was not very driven at 18.

I was fortunate enough to be hired while neither of my friends were. I had a great 'ol time. I was earning a great income and having a blast. Before I knew it, I was being recognized by my manager and being moved into more challenging roles and the pocketbook was getting larger -- Okay, I gotta be honest, the wardrobe and AquaNet supply were increasing rapidly.

Fast Forward 8 years. I went back to school at night and earned my state certification as a stenographer. I thought I was meant to be a stenographer. I can type like nobody's business (Now, there's a rocking chair saying if I've ever heard one :)) and I love legal settings (or so I thought).

As much as I desired to be a stenographer, I was very comfy in my corporate-world career and hesitant to give it all up to be self-employed. I decided to take advantage of ***Joe Schmoe well-known financial/life insurance company's tuition reimbursement and I went back to school at night for my Bachelor's degree. All was great, and I had the world ahead of me.

I knew my mom was very ill; however, I think, like most people, I was in denial of how sick she was. She passed away at the young age of 62, and my whole world was turned upside down and inside out. While going thru such a difficult time in my life, I did some soul searching and I knew the best decision for me was to end the 10-yr relationship I was in.

I moved from the apartment my mother and I shared for 25 years and ventured out into the world as an adult for the first time. It's been 6 years since my mom passed away and I'm still trying to figure out how to be an adult.

I lived it up being single for a few years and then met my wonderful husband. As soon as he found out my passion in life was to be a stenographer, he started motivating me to set goals and helping me reach my dream career goal (****).

I left ***Joe Schmoe well-known financial/life insurance company and pursued my career in stenography. I loved being a stenographer it at first; however, I learned very quickly that it didn't fit well w/ my mental well being. The role of a stenographer is to be seen and not heard. I would walk into a deposition all excited and happy to meet whomever I was dealing w/ that day to have my mood quickly squashed and stepped on.

"Hi, I'm Karla. (Insert excited very happy morning person greeting here) How are you today?"

Nasty Witness Response while snarling, "How long is this going to last? I had to take a day off of work for this. This is ridiculous."

And it gets uglier from there. I found that the situation is usually very negative (and I'm definitely miss positive and find the positive in as much as I can in every situation) Anyone dealing w/ a law suit is more likely than not unhappy to be there. The situation usually resulted from someone being hurt, sick, killed, ugly divorce, accident, negligence... and the list of negative things goes on and on and on.

After giving it my all for 2 1/2 yrs, I decided mentally I couldn't stand another moment of this nonsense. I put my resume out there and ***Joe Schmoe well-known financial/life insurance company heard that I was looking and, before I knew it, I was back at ***Joe Schmoe well-known financial/life insurance company and happy as can be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am still doing some soul searching as I know this isn't the end of the road in my career. There's so much more out there that I want to try and experience.

So, there's my professional story. I hope you enjoyed it.

Now that I'm not working as a stenographer, I may actually have 5 minutes to myself each day to blog. Thanks for reading my blog :)

***Some names have been changed in this blog to protect the identity of company's name that may also be used as a synonym of a signature
****Some careers may not be all they are cracked up to be....