Fleaball: Slightly Alive

[fleaball]

Irony: getting lower grades my first year of school when I literally had nothing to do but go to class, then getting all As my second year while also interning full-time and having two other 10-hour commitments. 

 

Holy shit. I'm like, for reals done. Dafuq. 

[Owlet]

Oh shit! I totally missed this thread! I thought my notifications were quiet...  

[NeverThatBored]

6 hours ago, Owlet said:

Oh shit! I totally missed this thread! I thought my notifications were quiet...  

 

That's always the first warning sign with a flea thread. 

[Plazmotic]

16 hours ago, fleaball said:

And he was just like "nah, it's not necessary in today's world." 

People with this attitude can fuck right off man.

[fleaball]

8 hours ago, Owlet said:

Oh shit! I totally missed this thread! I thought my notifications were quiet...  

 

1 hour ago, NeverThatBored said:

 

That's always the first warning sign with a flea thread. 

 

Love you guys. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Plazmotic said:

People with this attitude can fuck right off man.

Honestly. 

[fleaball]

Another ask the audience question: 

 

My therapist recommended asking people what I'm good at, since cover letters are the bane of my existence. (Her contribution: "if you're constantly pulling papers out of your ass and getting good grades on them, you have to be good at collecting and synthesizing data.") I realize you all only know what I tell you since we live in the interwebs, but is there anything that jumps out? Totally okay if there's nothing. 

 

Thanks friends!

[Sylvaa]

Are you looking for overall things you are good at or like job related (since you mentioned cover letters)? You are really good at working under pressure - like, you complain a lot on here , but you get shit done. 

 

You are really great at saying, "f it, what's the worst that could happen?!" Which is totally a compliment, because with anxiety, it would be super easy to be like, "this is a horrible idea, I can't do it" but you don't. (Note to people who don't know, we literally have a pm thread which is me sending links of things to do and Flea saying - yes! Then NTB groaning and going along, even though she's probably in the best shape out of the three of us.)

 

Also, you totally put me at ease. Like, it is usually physically exhausting for me to deal with new people. But I totally felt comfortable with you. 

 

Anyone wanna take a bet if at least one response in this thread makes Flea start crying? I'd put money on @Severine

[fleaball]

13 minutes ago, Sylvaa said:

Are you looking for overall things you are good at or like job related (since you mentioned cover letters)? You are really good at working under pressure - like, you complain a lot on here , but you get shit done. 

 

You are really great at saying, "f it, what's the worst that could happen?!" Which is totally a compliment, because with anxiety, it would be super easy to be like, "this is a horrible idea, I can't do it" but you don't. (Note to people who don't know, we literally have a pm thread which is me sending links of things to do and Flea saying - yes! Then NTB groaning and going along, even though she's probably in the best shape out of the three of us.)

 

Also, you totally put me at ease. Like, it is usually physically exhausting for me to deal with new people. But I totally felt comfortable with you. 

 

Anyone wanna take a bet if at least one response in this thread makes Flea start crying? I'd put money on @Severine

Anything, I guess. I can turn them into job-related things as needed. My problem is that when I'm good at things, I don't see them as being good at things. It's just "yes, this is a thing I can do, it's not anything special." Even when I fight with insurance people and everyone's like "omg I couldn't do that." And unfortunately "I'm good at complaining" won't get me a job.  although, I could change it to "identifying areas for improvement"?

 

Thanks for sharing! Neither of those are things I would think of. I think the lack of anxiety in doing the crazy things you make us do comes from the company.  

 

@Severine made me cry the other day. She's maxed out her quota for the week. I will not take that bet because I'm sure I will lose. 

[fleaball]

So my roommate did almost make me cry this morning but I don't think that counts for the bet.

 

I'm getting the stupid crown for my root canal'd tooth in an hour and I'm nervous as hell. Not sure why, exactly. Part of me wishes I'd rescheduled it for earlier in the week because I'm afraid of something going wrong, but that doesn't explain the nervousness right now. Whatever, they're open tomorrow and Monday before my flight if I have a crisis. Also I'm hungry but I don't want to eat because acid reflux. Rawr. 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

3 hours ago, fleaball said:

Another ask the audience question: 

 

My therapist recommended asking people what I'm good at, since cover letters are the bane of my existence. (Her contribution: "if you're constantly pulling papers out of your ass and getting good grades on them, you have to be good at collecting and synthesizing data.") I realize you all only know what I tell you since we live in the interwebs, but is there anything that jumps out? Totally okay if there's nothing. 

 

Thanks friends!

I'm gonna take this a different direction. You mentioned speaking other languages on the last page. I'm going to suggest that you need to translate "What Fleaball is good at" from Therapist into Fleaball. 

 

2 hours ago, fleaball said:

Anything, I guess. I can turn them into job-related things as needed. My problem is that when I'm good at things, I don't see them as being good at things. It's just "yes, this is a thing I can do, it's not anything special." Even when I fight with insurance people and everyone's like "omg I couldn't do that." And unfortunately "I'm good at complaining" won't get me a job.  although, I could change it to "identifying areas for improvement"?

So if I had to guess, imagine the therapist asked you "What are things that are a thing you can do, nothing special?" That's how you find your list of stuff you talk about. Then you translate that list from Fleball into HR drone. For example, fighting with the insurance company and complaining as skills translate into, "Persistent and creative in seeking solutions."

 

The issue is not that you aren't good at stuff or don't know how to write cover letters, you just need a translator!

[fleaball]

35 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

The issue is not that you aren't good at stuff or don't know how to write cover letters, you just need a translator!

This is def an issue I have too. I have trouble translating into bullshit HR buzzwords. 

 

The biggest problem, as I see it, is that I don't think what I can do is anything special. Which is a problem in general but also with cover letters where you're supposed to tell them what value you can bring to the company. Like, I can research shit super fast at work (they're always surprised how quickly I finish), but I don't understand their surprise because honestly anyone can google. Or do mail merge (which most of my team can't figure out but it's easy for me ergo it's not a "skill" or anything). Or whatever other things they ask me to do. 

 

Related: my therapist asked if I feel like I got what I wanted out of my MA. And I can't answer that honestly. Because I don't know if the classes weren't challenging or if I just handled it well. I know other people who struggled and freaked out in the same classes, so were they just easy to me? The world may never know. 

 

tl;dr I have a super biased opinion of myself and can't see past it. There is proof that I'm not a complete moron, but I always discount it as a fluke.  

 

(For the record, I'm also going to ask my supervisor what she thinks I do well for an official opinion.)

[NeverThatBored]

4 minutes ago, fleaball said:

I have trouble translating into bullshit HR buzzwords. 

 

This is actually one of my talents.  Let me know if you need help phrasing! 

 

5 minutes ago, fleaball said:

Like, I can research shit super fast at work (they're always surprised how quickly I finish), but I don't understand their surprise because honestly anyone can google

 

I sooooo get this. People say I'm good at certain things and I'm like....those are super basic abilities that most working professionals should have? These are not talents? But they are because lots of people can't do them.

[fleaball]

1 minute ago, NeverThatBored said:

 

This is actually one of my talents.  Let me know if you need help phrasing! 

 

 

I sooooo get this. People say I'm good at certain things and I'm like....those are super basic abilities that most working professionals should have? These are not talents? But they are because lots of people can't do them.

Yesss. I will likely hit you up at some point. 

 

I'm so glad it's not just me! 

[Owlet]

Lol

5 hours ago, NeverThatBored said:

 

I sooooo get this. People say I'm good at certain things and I'm like....those are super basic abilities that most working professionals should have? These are not talents? But they are because lots of people can't do them.

Yeah, I mean you are constantly struggling with how useless people are - especially all those group assignments - so I think that's evidence that these basic abilities are in fact skills. Skills that a lot of people lack. 

 

I would say you're persistent and thorough (dealing with insurance and all those pointless tasks internship gave you and then were surprised when you actually came up with anything). Also, agree with being good under pressure (you deliver, with good results, when most people would crumple under that kind of pressure). Practical/pragmatic/something along those lines (being the one in your family to take charge of money issues and everything else that your family seems to hope will disappear if they ignore it long enough) and connected to that, leadership (not sure whether you're a reluctant leader or quite natural, but when you see something needs doing and no one else is up to the task, you take responsibility. Which is actually pretty rare.) um, entertaining? As in, I find your threads both interesting and funny, even though you might see it as you just complaining half the time. But you actually analyze whatever shit is going down and somehow manage to communicate in a way that is enlightening and often amusing. (no idea how that relates to jobs haha) Empathetic/sensitive - I get the feeling you are very aware of how your actions could affect anyone else, far more so than most people around you. That is definitely a valuable skill on the workforce, in that you are better able to interact with other people and respond to their needs. 

 

OK I'll stop there before it gets too out of hand. Oh wait, yeah language skills. Even though apparently 'it's not necessary in this day and age' (booooooooo) 

 

Also I totally haven't caught up on all of this thread but I started reading (and stopped liking stuff because that would mean about 700 notifications for you :'D) CONGRATULATIONS ON FINISHING GRAD SCHOOL HOLY SHIT!!! BATTLE KITTEN IS VICTORIOUS!!!

[Athaclena]

So - something you need to know if you haven't figured it out.  Smart people are super, overcritical of themselves.  ESPECIALLY women.  And tooting their own horn?  Forget it!  It DOES help to talk with someone that knows you\works with you to work out the cover letter stuff.  They'll see things you never considered strengths.

 

I've always known I was smarter than everyone in my class at the teeny, tiny school I was in through 10th grade.  Then I got into a state-sponsored residential magnet school - and all of a sudden I was in the lower end of the spectrum.  Still smart, just not super duper smart.  Ok - I found out I wasn't actually a math genius - and it took me a while to figure out what I was really good at.  And that many of the things I thought I was so-so at - out in the real world I'm still better at than 80% of the people doing that job.  You likely will too.  So my top "skill"?  Learning new things (typically technology) quickly.  Like learning a new programming language well enough to be proficient in a few days.  I consider the first few weeks to be "hack" jobs, but some of those "hack" jobs end up running production systems for years LOL.  

[fleaball]

16 hours ago, Owlet said:

Lol

Yeah, I mean you are constantly struggling with how useless people are - especially all those group assignments - so I think that's evidence that these basic abilities are in fact skills. Skills that a lot of people lack. 

 

I would say you're persistent and thorough (dealing with insurance and all those pointless tasks internship gave you and then were surprised when you actually came up with anything). Also, agree with being good under pressure (you deliver, with good results, when most people would crumple under that kind of pressure). Practical/pragmatic/something along those lines (being the one in your family to take charge of money issues and everything else that your family seems to hope will disappear if they ignore it long enough) and connected to that, leadership (not sure whether you're a reluctant leader or quite natural, but when you see something needs doing and no one else is up to the task, you take responsibility. Which is actually pretty rare.) um, entertaining? As in, I find your threads both interesting and funny, even though you might see it as you just complaining half the time. But you actually analyze whatever shit is going down and somehow manage to communicate in a way that is enlightening and often amusing. (no idea how that relates to jobs haha) Empathetic/sensitive - I get the feeling you are very aware of how your actions could affect anyone else, far more so than most people around you. That is definitely a valuable skill on the workforce, in that you are better able to interact with other people and respond to their needs. 

 

OK I'll stop there before it gets too out of hand. Oh wait, yeah language skills. Even though apparently 'it's not necessary in this day and age' (booooooooo) 

 

Also I totally haven't caught up on all of this thread but I started reading (and stopped liking stuff because that would mean about 700 notifications for you :'D) CONGRATULATIONS ON FINISHING GRAD SCHOOL HOLY SHIT!!! BATTLE KITTEN IS VICTORIOUS!!!

First: never worry about the notifications. When I have a zillion I always try to guess who's catching up.  

 

Second: rawwwwr it is super hard responding because I def I want to counter everything with "yeah but" and explain it all away. Since you brought it up though: def more a reluctant leader than natural. I do not like being in leadership situations. 

 

Those are all good points. If nothing else I'll have lots of examples when I go to an interview.  

 

Yeahhhhh paper wars vanquished! Huzzah!

 

14 hours ago, Athaclena said:

So - something you need to know if you haven't figured it out.  Smart people are super, overcritical of themselves.  ESPECIALLY women.  And tooting their own horn?  Forget it!  It DOES help to talk with someone that knows you\works with you to work out the cover letter stuff.  They'll see things you never considered strengths.

 

I've always known I was smarter than everyone in my class at the teeny, tiny school I was in through 10th grade.  Then I got into a state-sponsored residential magnet school - and all of a sudden I was in the lower end of the spectrum.  Still smart, just not super duper smart.  Ok - I found out I wasn't actually a math genius - and it took me a while to figure out what I was really good at.  And that many of the things I thought I was so-so at - out in the real world I'm still better at than 80% of the people doing that job.  You likely will too.  So my top "skill"?  Learning new things (typically technology) quickly.  Like learning a new programming language well enough to be proficient in a few days.  I consider the first few weeks to be "hack" jobs, but some of those "hack" jobs end up running production systems for years LOL.  

I know women are more likely to downplay their skills and be critical, but I don't remember hearing the same about smart people before. 

 

This is why im crowdsourcing this stuff. because I'm blind to it. 

[Dagger]

This is me saying hello after a week of silence.

 

<3

 

No gifs because iPad and lazy.

[fleaball]

I did the thing! Under a cut because it's so huge though.

 

Spoiler

 

[Dagger]

40 minutes ago, fleaball said:

I did the thing! Under a cut because it's so huge though.

 

  Hide contents

 

Cheering!

[Countess D'If]

YAY! I'm so proud of you!

[Owlet]

Yaaaaaaaaay!!  

[NeverThatBored]

The winner of the paper wars: fleaball! 

[Plazmotic]

On 5/13/2017 at 4:23 PM, fleaball said:

I don't remember hearing the same about smart people before. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome - a concept describing high-achieving individuals who are marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a "fraud"

 

... AKA my life

[Severine]

CONGRATULATIONS you unstoppable masters-graduating juggernaut!

 

 

Also you have really nice straight teeth, haha  

 

On 5/10/2017 at 10:06 PM, Countess D'If said:

Paper is submitted. 2nd year of law school in the BAG!

 

I know this is the wrong thread for this but congratulations to you too!!! I hope you abandoned your monkish vows and did some celebrating.

 

On 5/10/2017 at 0:18 PM, fleaball said:

Journaling is happening sporadically at work but not often. I think the problem with this one is that there are things I want to write about but don't actually want to deal with the feelings that would bring up

 

You're not alone on this.

 

On 5/11/2017 at 0:54 PM, fleaball said:

My knee has decided to start hurting every time I go down stairs. Also right now I was standing with it bent and it was tweaking. This is fun. I was thinking about starting c25k again but perhaps not. Must. Do. Elements. 

 

Your knee is an asshole. BE A TEAM PLAYER, KNEE!

 

On 5/11/2017 at 3:42 PM, fleaball said:

Had to cover an event for the Africa team today. Was chatting with their SVP and asked if he spoke French or any other African language since he's lived and worked in a few different countries there. (I know some of them have English as their official language.) And he was just like "nah, it's not necessary in today's world." 

 

Cue mouthfroth. UGH. I detest this attitude. So entitled, so self-centred, and it just shows a depressing lack of interest in other people's perspectives. I'm not a Sapir-Whorf nut or anything but you learn things about people's cultures and outlook by studying their language and it shows a kind of community perspective, a willingness to do work and reach out to make connections. People who are all "nah my culture's the dominant one so you do the work if you want to interact" are dirtbags.

 

On 5/11/2017 at 5:56 PM, fleaball said:

Irony: getting lower grades my first year of school when I literally had nothing to do but go to class, then getting all As my second year while also interning full-time and having two other 10-hour commitments.

 

Way to talk smack about all your A's, flea  

 

On 5/12/2017 at 10:42 AM, fleaball said:

Another ask the audience question: 

 

My therapist recommended asking people what I'm good at, since cover letters are the bane of my existence. (Her contribution: "if you're constantly pulling papers out of your ass and getting good grades on them, you have to be good at collecting and synthesizing data.") I realize you all only know what I tell you since we live in the interwebs, but is there anything that jumps out? Totally okay if there's nothing. 

 

Going to respond to this in a separate thing.

 

On 5/12/2017 at 11:28 AM, Sylvaa said:

Anyone wanna take a bet if at least one response in this thread makes Flea start crying? I'd put money on @Severine

 

On 5/12/2017 at 11:48 AM, fleaball said:

 

@Severine made me cry the other day. She's maxed out her quota for the week. I will not take that bet because I'm sure I will lose. 

 

I'm sort of flattered even though this kind of makes me sound like an evil witch?

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Congrats Flea!