REALITY: Intern (aka R|Intern)

this blog is snoozin' ...

2007-10-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

... 'cuz the r|intern program ...... is on hold for a spell.

major change afoot...

2007-08-19T08:02:00.000-07:00

... read about it over here.hmmmm?... so r|intern will be on holdfor at least the 2007-2008 term,however, i will begin to use this sitejust to talk about my thoughts about the whole intern/employer setting ...importance, ideas for setting up, etc.

the importance of proofreading ...

2007-05-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

click here(to get to other blog post)

r|boss: r|intern hopeful(s)?! ...

2007-04-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

i'll be there!april 5BEAR's event(and hopefully across the table from a hopeful(s)!)

r|boss at Cal's RWE 2007

2007-02-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

RWE (romeo-whiskey-echo) or Real World Engineering is an annual event at Cal.the 7th annual RWE is on Feb 22nd at Cal from 5:30-8:30 pmat the Bechtel Engineering Center.[l'il shameless self-promotion.]i'll be on the following panel ..."Meet Cal Entrepreneurs"Have you established your own company or produced a new product or service? Then you might be an entrepreneur, someone that organizes and

r|break: personality-ish test?!

2007-01-14T23:59:00.000-08:00

if you have followed along "way back", then you know the dog you are! (remember ... companies are taking a bit o' a liking to personality test.) heck! we like to futz around with tests. maybe you have some unconscious mutterings to address? (i do every week or so, like this visit with luniniña.) but for r|interns and "tests", it's more for the philosophical discussions - uh, yeah. right.

2007 best career info from ...

2006-12-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

u.s. news & world report (home page), and you can get to the start of info here. in their best of career table, ...... has identified 25 professions that will be in growing demand as baby boomers age, the Internet becomes ubiquitous, and Americans seek richer, simpler lives. ... i find of interest (within the context of potential environmental professional development potential) ... small big "

WEN in NoCal ... WEC in SoCal

2006-11-22T17:19:00.000-08:00

thanks to silver lining for forwarding info on the women's environmental network up here in NoCal. having left SoCal, where there is the women's environmental council, it will be nice to see what WEN is about and get connected.[side note: i was part of the WEC founding efforts. good memories.]

R|ReLo Update: in the BA!

2006-11-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

r|cat now in the BA! will be closing-out the SD to BA relo blog ... and starting the BA from SD relo blog. meanwhile, r|intern will be soon re-energized. i'll be updating our position description and other information. meanwhile, check out the recap/back story on r|intern.looking forward to a fun2007 summer intern effort!

ReLo respite update

2006-10-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

r|intern is still a bit quiet - with just weekly posts from U.M. and a few other in-betweeners. r|intern idea ... do check-in on j's hello real world, and if you are already preparing for next summer's internship or full time employment, informational interviews are an option. here's my 2 cents for the info interview world (and always glad to answer more Qs). where i'm at & headed ... my schedule

this is the greatest e-mail, so far, from ...

2006-10-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

... an independent contractor.context: it's invoicing time, and we need contractors to provide us with their hours. this contractor went above and beyond! ... such heroics, commitment, and dedication. and ...?... well, you decide!From: (independent contractor)Sent: Friday, September 29, 2006 1:16 PMTo: TBCS; R|CAT Subject: and by the waymy hours this month were run over by a car. really! i

ReLo happening soon ...

2006-10-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

[from iCards ... and ya don't have to have a mac]

ask me! ask me!

2006-09-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

... as a person who got a b.s. chem eng (in 1986) doing environmental-related work, i wanna yip/yap about my work like this dude did. (and if you are going to be looking for a job, maybe consider asking these Qs, also!)[and you also can seemy yip/yap for my non-job]1. How long have you been at your job and what do you do there?. hmmmm? nearly a dozen years. as an independent consultant and

r|thoughts on hrw! ...

2006-09-23T23:38:00.000-07:00

thoughts on j's hrw!'s"networking abuse results in failed background check" ...GIVE IT A READ, WHY DON'T CHA?! ... the closing statements include: "The results of this failure to conduct research were that the investigator’s time was wasted, my time was wasted, the acquaintance’s application was delayed, and my impression of the friend is that she carelessly offers names just for the sake of

double-whammy with past interns

2006-09-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

[copied from my ReLo blog post ...]yesterday eve, 2 events with interns circa 2004 + 2005 + 2006 ...[just missing christina ('05), who is 3rd from the left in this pic and mike ('05) (aka woodside mike) who gave us pretty flowers.]event #1 at zocalo's -from l to r: frederick ('04, '05), self, jesse, amabelle ('04, '05, '06), jennifer ('04), brian.[excuse for their signature handshaken margarita]

r|intern: ReLo respite

2006-09-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

... with the relocation from SD to BA as the main hubub, r|intern is a bit dormant ... pending plans for the 2007 summer internship. unconscious mutterings are helpful for me to remember to post on r|intern...... but for some folks who have asked more about r|intern --- what we'll do when up in the BA --- in short - we will have a 2007 r|intern position.[pedis during the mini-r|break - we gotta

an intern once offered up ...

2006-09-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

his little words o' wisdom.[he's one of the guys in this pic]and as for Mr. J --- nice write-up in Cal's Engineering News.

r|recap: still on hiatus so let's recap ...

2006-08-05T08:25:00.000-07:00

... about r|intern ...back story ... in short, r|intern resulted from a january '06 chit chat with a friend, jengyee, who has written a book, hello real world!, and she suggested a blog of our experience and internship program (or perhaps apprenternship?). so since then, here are some highlights ... r|intern program elements ... the paper trail, self-evaluation (for real!), and if snoop dog

ReLo to BA - in progress

2006-07-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

Just a few links re: the status on ReLo-ing to BA ... move coming soon in Sept 2006office evolving the beginning of packing (& donating) so at this point, no intern-activity ... but i'm looking forward to starting back up for a position(s) in summer 2007!

r|break: day at comic-con '06

2006-07-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

... took a break on friday, 21st!

r|intern: previous presentation

2006-07-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

as an example of an intern's mid-term presentation with us, hello real world's more page (thanks, jengyee for including) provides a downloadable "generic" version (e.g., specific clients not named) of her presentation (clicking this downloads a .pdf version of the presentation). just wanted to share. enjoy!(btw, since our internship, she has had one summer internship with an investor-owned

value of interns

2006-07-06T07:32:00.000-07:00

Inc.com had a quick article - How to Get the Most Out of Your Summer Intern - which reminds me of a previous r|intern February '06 post - blurb on - getting most out of interns. go interns!

r|intern-ish: intern becomes indie contractor

2006-07-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

SL has become an independent contractor. tho' SL's now in D.C. for a summer internship that requires 4 days/wk, SL has offered to contract time to us ... we'll take it! a quick vicarious living moment ... e-mail content from SL ...... I made the coffee. No one asked me to do so. I was just the first to arrive who wanted coffee. (Around here people roll in, not at 9am sharp).Coffee for breakfast,

r|interns - some monikers

2006-06-16T00:31:00.000-07:00

keeping in line with my tendency to use of monikers, last decade interns have monikers. enjoy!

hiatus

2006-06-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

there will continue to be a bit of sporadic posts ... given our project workload and business (which means non-business, too) relocation (to NoCal ... now expected around end of summer 2006). we are still entertaining potential intern candidates.(we may enter this summer 2006 without an intern, and we'll work with our independentcontractors. for nostalgia ... check out pt. 1 of r|interns from

r|interns ago - last decade

2006-06-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

i've been asked how many interns we've had. labing-lima. quinze. quindici. fifteen. quince.a few things before i list those whom i can remember...volunteer - some have volunteered time honorarium - still a volunteer, but some have received a form of gratitude, which is not necessarily compensation commensurate with services (e.g., laptop carrier, wireless card, meals, reference materials,

random quote from former client

2006-05-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

from a former client on the topic of Baby Boomer v. GenXer(who represented a firm in bankruptcy ... not that this matters one way or another but it's context, i suppose)Power is something you take ... your status is not governed by some artificial chronological measure. If you believe you are a pseudo GenXer, then you are.- prefers to be anonymous, TX residentabout generation classifications - a

r|break: fun with "Monk-e-Mail"

2006-05-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

it's pretty straightforwardfrom careerbuilder.commonk-e-mailenjoy!

HRW! tidbit #2: search yourself ...

2006-05-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

a quick post ... google, yahoo, dogpile, whatever you use to search ...there is stuff on the internet that either you have developed/contributed (e.g., myspace, friendster, facebook, etc.) or that is written/compiled about you ... so, in short, consider this when starting your job search and interviewing.

on travel & back soon

2006-05-07T05:34:00.000-07:00

at the nation's capitolshould be a l'il obvious, eh?!

R|Intern: jung personality test

2006-04-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

take the test ... and ponder.

the four agreements

2006-04-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

not quite focused on the workplace & not quite a business book ... more about life (and work is part of one's life, eh?) ... the four agreements by don miguel ruiz. be impeccable with your word don't take anything personally don't make assumptions always do your best makes sense, eh?

r|intern: apprenternship!?

2006-04-25T06:34:00.001-07:00

just a thought for today (and tomorrow)thinking of giving our internship the nicknameapprenternship = apprenticeship + internship (sounds better than boot camp internship or enviro-slave)

SL Tip #9: planning & doing tasks

2006-04-24T12:57:00.000-07:00

Estimate TIME to complete tasks. Be REALISTIC and then ADD 20%.ASK to extend deadlines or remove things from your plate.- Silver Liningif you are considering an internship with us, you will be exposed to the basic elements of project management. a mnemonic (that is sort of an abbreviation/acronym) that is often used in project management is SMART ... Specific Measurable Achievable (or

r|break: your view on immigration ...

2006-04-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

tho' not required for the internship position(we have a different test),give this a try ...You Passed the US Citizenship TestCongratulations - you got 8 out of 10 correct!Could You Pass the US Citizenship Test?[DISCLAIMER: be prepared (during the internship) - there are moments of debate & discussion on current events, pop culture, some reality TV, and adult swim]

r|break: and he ran like the wind ...

2006-04-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

andy, who is a vendor with us and who sat in on Ama's final presentation, is in the boston marathon. very cool ... so at 10:36:46 AM (PST), i got the following .txt msg:(Marathon Alert) 110th Boston Marathon 2006At 1:36 PM, Andy F at 21K.Pace: 04:27Projected Finish Time: 3:07:45 (Net)very cool! [race result]

just like this sign

2006-04-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

that's all! over and outfor now

post r|intern: it finds you ...

2006-04-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

all about networking ...maggie, shirl, todd, billjust memorializing that SL had lunch with bill. quite the networking opportunity! ... uh ... or free-lunch for SL. peace.

R|Intern: Ama memories

2006-04-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

just several posts on Ama's 12-week internship ... internship foundation - our approach intern syllabus making it through week 2 ama's view making it through week 3 ama's midterm presentation ama's midterm self-evaluation & feedback getting coffee making it to week 8 making it through week 9 ama's tip networking at the bistro ama in the A.M. ama's final

R|Intern: 12 weeks, already!?

2006-04-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

ama has completed her internship.CONGRATULATIONS!!! what was her last day like?work + lunch + feedback on her self-evaluation.and by her choice, she worked up until the last minute. next steps? for her - continues the permanent job search for us - contemplates the next intern search until then ... anyone interested, check us out!it's not for everyone, but it's for someone(s).

r|boss: U.M. #166

2006-04-09T02:26:00.000-07:00

once again, from the psyche with a l'il help from L ... L says... & i think...Buck :: henry Harry :: met sallyPlay :: the piano Monstrosity :: truck pullNightclub :: crack Missing :: link Sprout :: foodFlavor :: lick itIdentity :: cardSaucy :: sassyand now i'm hungry.

R|INTERN Amabelle: Interviewing Experience

2006-04-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

(amabelle posting!)While interning at R|CAT, I landed interviews with 2 companies: one, in the military defense industry and the other, in the public utility industry. Balancing the internship while going through the interviewing process was challenging, but doable. Shirley and Todd were supportive through the process and also prepped me for the interviews.Some questions that were asked of me

four + one + one

2006-04-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

just adding ANOTHER trait to the five traits... a sixth trait would be: initiative

R|Intern: Ama's final presentation

2006-04-05T23:40:00.000-07:00

to the left, the view for most of us.ama's view, to the right.today, amabelle gave her final presentation for the internship. (congrats!) the guidelines were very similar to the midterm presentation.the audience members ... keeping in mind - SL tip #4.todd,andy, and myself.the format consisted of - ama presented; self addressed style and content elements; and todd addressed style, content and

r|interview - what not to say ...?

2006-04-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

[warning: ATTEMPT at humor! this is closely based on an actual e-mail exchange between 2 friends. laughter is NOT guaranteed.]SCENE: Telephone interview by Corporate America with Dudette Tele-interviewer: Where do you see yourself in two to three years, after graduating from college? (whether B.S., M.S., etc.) Dudette: arghy...grrbrchr...ertrx...ackklmth...uglutmeqy Tele-interviewer: Huh?

SL Tip #8: prioritize

2006-04-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

tasks and priorities constantly change. learn how to prioritize.- Silver Lining somewhat related to (or contributing to the antithesis of) SL Tip #7, prioritizing is critical when on the job. (actually, it's basically similar to making decisions about how to spend your money ... but wait! does this have to do with why my milk is old, and i'm sitting around eyeing options for a 6th laptop bag,

R|INTERN Amabelle: seasonal persona

2006-04-02T22:45:00.000-07:00

You Are Spring!HopefulPlayfulSweetFreshAiryWhat Season Are You?

r|boss: season personality test-lite

2006-04-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

boss as a dog and element ... as a season?You Are Fall!ThoughtfulExpressiveCreativePoeticSmartWhat Season Are You?

SL Tips to date: recap

2006-04-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

just a recap on SL's tips ... 'cuz we'll be posting several this week#1: on the socratic approach#2: on the project management book#3: love abbreviations#4: presentations#5: on grammar and style#6: resume - to serif or not to serif#7: deadlines(SL bonus tip and a l'il funny that made todd laugh (way too much!).)

r|resume stuff - seven stories exercise

2006-04-01T10:30:00.000-08:00

this will not be a post about how to prep your resume. it will be a post about one approach to understanding yourself and approaching your resume - the seven stories exercise.search the web and i'm sure you'll find stuff. (SIDE NOTE: as part of our internship program, we make a point to help our intern(s) with resume content. at a minimum, we will make sure the content for the internship

r|intern: ritual outing

2006-03-30T19:32:00.001-08:00

(troy, our server)yesterday (wed.) we started off with lunch at p.f. chang's in fashion valleythis time - amabelle, margaret (aka SL), shirl, toddthen over for the "ritual" (since 'o4) amabelle, margaret, shirl, toddhanging out at influx ...playing an addictive game,which i will not go into detail here,but it was afun, merry & killer game.

SL tip #7: deadlines

2006-03-29T18:09:00.000-08:00

i've learned that deadlines aren't for real...thanks to you, my role model- Silver Lining(smart ass)i'll have to deal with this tip later. gotta deal with other stuff.peace!

R|Intern: ama in the A.M.

2006-03-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

punctuality ... great.(prepping for an 8AM client mtg before a variance hearing)professionalism ... great.(reminiscent of wk 1)over-loaded messenger bag ... not so great.happy face ... awesome!final performance evaluation - soon.

gratuitous snack break

2006-03-22T02:04:00.000-08:00

yum ... yum ... yum ... from influx.

R|Intern: ama networking last week

2006-03-21T21:43:00.000-08:00

as part of taking a break during the work-week last week ... amabelle got to meet a former client whom we shall call robbie (with a smiley-face dotting the "i"). we took an after lunch break at a great downtown bistro this week to meet robbie while he was in town on biz.this a little different from other networking opportunities. ama has had opportunities to meet with other folks in the 'biz' -

R|Intern: coffee personality test-lite

2006-03-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

boss as a dog, element, and planet ... as coffee?You Are a CappuccinoYou're fun, outgoing, and you love to try anything new.However, you tend to have strong opinions on what you like.You are a total girly girly at heart - and prefer your coffee with good conversation.You're the type that seems complex to outsiders, but in reality, you are easy to pleaseWhat Kind of Coffee Are You?hmmm...

R|INTERN: spring break

2006-03-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

taking a blog break ... got stuff going on. feel free to post comments anywhere. and during the week of march 27th, inspired by silver lining having spring break & the fact that the office needs its mani-/pedi-, the office will be shutdown for 2 (yes, two) days (to get over our hangovers). j/k. later!

R|INTERN Amabelle: To Call or Not To Call?

2006-03-18T18:09:00.001-08:00

(amabelle posting!) There is only one answer to this question as an R|Intern ... call, and call often.Making business phone calls can be nerve-racking, if one is not use to making business calls. A simple phone call to acquire some information can be full of stumbling words and can result in having to call the other person more than once.As an intern, I'm learning the following from my 9 weeks

R|Intern: end of wk 9, st. pat's day

2006-03-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

on this st. pat's day 'o6 ...todd & i learned ...that amabelle is color blind ...<--- according to amabelle, she is "wearing green" (it's not a camera & color thing)as a comparison ...this is us & food wearing green.she has 3 more weeks until her final presentation, work summary, etc.we will not test her on color identification.

HRW! tidbit #1: internship vs. co-op

2006-03-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

the tidbit ... on the topic of choosing - internship vs. co-opr|intern perspective ... semantics or company's program?enjoy your option to choose! a co-op can totally provide experience that will have benefits different from going the intern route. the duration and integration into the work-force, while in a co-op program, is wonderful, and in that respect, it will likely be unmatched by an

my tuesday is a monday

2006-03-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

'nuff said. it's nothing personal.

Todd's element

2006-03-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

todd thinks "this is pretty damned accurate, but it's not like the end-all, be-all." if you know todd. you can decide.Your Element is MetalYour power colors: white, gold, and silverYour energy: contractingYour season: fallYou are persistent (and maybe even a little bit stubborn).If you see something you want, you go for it.You have a lot of strength, and it's difficult to get you down.Very

HRW!: r|wear on the author

2006-03-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

jengyee's got the r|wear goin' on!in turn, i will be including some HRW! tidbits (from her message board) on r|intern ...and also some of my perspective on whatever is going on at HRW!likewise, do share your perspectives with either of us.

Hello Real World (HRW) author's element

2006-03-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

jengyee's book Hello Real World is now available (yippee!) her element?Your Element is FireYour power color: redYour energy: hotYour season: springLike a fire, you are full of power and light.A born leader, you easily draw people toward you.You are full of courage and usually up for anything dangerous.You have a huge ego and love to be the center of attention.What Element Are You?my element ...

SL shares humor for the office

2006-03-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

SL says ... you asked for it. just something stupid that i totally enjoyed. (me ... i'm amused, nauseated, traumatized, and frightened. and i don't know what the heck the pseudo-humanoid thing is that pops up like a random gopher!)

R|Intern: Ama's wk 8 already!

2006-03-10T00:06:00.000-08:00

eight weeks and four more weeks to go!(pic was from last week)here are a few of the project activities for which amabelle has been involved & continues to be involved: air permit applications - prepared and submitted 4 permit applications for diesel engines (increasing hours per year and changing from emergency to non-emergency category); following up with air agency; conducting agency file

a li'l more on resistentialism

2006-03-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

just in case you don't peek at commentsto the initial vocab post on resistentialism,yvonne forwarded info on the original article.

vocabulary: resistentialism

2006-03-09T07:05:00.000-08:00

resistentialism the theory that inanimate objectsdemonstrate hostile behavior against us.my comment that i submitted to a.word.a.day a few years ago ... Thank you! I can use one word - resistentialism - to describe the "office equipment mutiny event" (OEME) I experience on those special days when I must meet a project deadline. Now if I could just figure out which equipment typically leads the "

another future intern in r|wear

2006-03-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

well, we have Baby Al on the west coast,and now we have Andrew on the east coast!(Thanks much, Sheila, for suiting up Andrew for them nor'easters with r|wear! Hugs!)

SL Tip #6: resume - to serif or not to serif ...

2006-03-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

if i change my resume from garamond to verdana,i feel like a different person. - Silver Lininginteresting comment.(i kind of fancy garamond myself ... tho' footlight is o.k., too but likely shouldn't be used for a resume.)there are some guidelines on the net about scannable resumes. Cal has some general guidelines but not as specific as Cal Poly SLO or UC Davis here and here. on font ... there is

R|Intern: element personality test-lite

2006-03-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

boss as a dog ... as an element?Your Element is EarthYour power color: yellowYour energy: balancingYour season: changing of seasonsDedicated and responsible, you are a rock to your friends.You are skilled at working out even the most difficult problems.Low key and calm, you are happiest when you are around loved ones.Ambitious and goal oriented, you have long term plans to be successful.What

SL tip - back at ya': fridge business etiquette?

2006-03-04T07:27:00.000-08:00

SL decided to throw in another 2 cents on the fridge situation in the office - and extended it to the "just ewww factor" ... but true ewww:"did you know -- if you keep a bag of onions -- you know the netted kind of bag -- directly on the carpeted floor -- the sh** turns into black **it -- and stains the floor -- and if you suddenly are getting fruit flies -- in winter -- and wonder why -- and

R|Intern: just start ... and finish

2006-03-02T21:20:00.000-08:00

a colleague and owner of bluescape e-Mailed this Inc.com article on hiring people - hiring "finishers" - it's the author's list of characteristics Ability to prioritize tasks and do what really matters Ability to make a decision Ability to execute A clear perception of reality Never satisfied with status quo Ability to understand deadlines and schedules Ability to recognize

R|Intern: humor test-lite

2006-03-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

we don't really use personality tests when evaluating interns, but we like to have fun with the dog test mainly to see what other dog breeds come up. we do, however, get a feel for an intern's chuckle preferences. so just a few things we pass by interns in the early part (1st 3 weeks) of the internship ... a bit o' world politics humor obnoxious wtf are these things singing anything jibjab

bbb: boss was a bit o' beyotch ...

2006-02-28T18:15:00.000-08:00

... it's nothing personal.what does/should an intern do when the boss will not snap out of whatever crappy mood s/he is in? i dunno.yeah ... i had a bit of a slammed and sh**** day. the result - not so great to be around.i agreed to have my pic taken. todd took this pic. i've never seen him laugh so much, so hard and so loudly. if todd had photoshop, i'm sure he'd put little horns on my head.i

SL Tip #5: on grammar & style

2006-02-26T08:47:00.000-08:00

Say "irregardless" if you want Todd to cut you. - Silver Lining[disclaimer: there will be grammar/style items on my blog. i'm not posting to make a grade.]make our day! say "i feel nauseous," and i can ensure that you will successfully unleash Todd's schadenfreude!!!strunk & white, words you thought you knew ..., and the like ... we swim in these references. (also check this out.) we totally

intern gets milk (and "takes" splenda)

2006-02-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

i am reminded by a previous intern that we have asked for interns to "get stuff" - so from SL's comment to my post on intern gets coffee:well yeah -- and milk too -- cause the stuff in the fridge expired two weeks ago -- oh wait, make that a month and two weeks ago. oh -- and splenda!on the milk expiration - it's true ... sad but true. on the splenda - they give that stuff away for free at coffee

four + one: one more trait

2006-02-20T21:08:00.000-08:00

just to add to the four traits, a fifth trait would be: authenticity o.k., 'nuff said for now.

East Coast Input #2: Four Traits

2006-02-20T07:32:00.000-08:00

the first east coast input was an intern test. today's input is the wisdom + wit offering to R|Intern ... honesty equity accountability enthusiasm these are four traits he believes are good core values to possess and demonstrate. thought i'd pass along.

SL Tip #4: presentations

2006-02-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

PRESENTATIONS: have a beginning and an ending; make sure there’s pay-off - Silver Liningamabelle gave her midterm presentation about a week & a half ago. (awesome!) she'll also have a final presentation - power point presentation format.it's all just like telling a story ... beginning - ending - and the stuff in between ... and just remember, when drafting a presentation ... The first draft of

intern gets coffee

2006-02-18T07:07:00.000-08:00

there is always a first! ... i admit it ... if anyone asks, we are part of "corporate america" who would have to answer,yes, we (o.k., "i") asked amabelle, the intern, to get coffee.but a few notables ... we gave her money (so it's not like she paid for the coffee), she got one for herself (so we shared, so to speak), and she was happy to do so (at least i believe that is a smile).

R|Intern: self-evaluation (midterm)

2006-02-16T15:01:00.000-08:00

Amabelle survived her midterm self-evaluation, while "doing lunch" at Gordon Biersch in Mission Valley.She did well ... quite well! (everyone congratulate amabelle!)WHAT IS THIS SELF-EVAL? ... The self-evaluation (or self-eval) is part of the internship.We provide a list of several attributes - qualitative, quantitative, and personality/ human relations. For the midterm self-eval, an intern has

SL Tip #3: love abbreviations

2006-02-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

EVERYTHING HAS AN ABBREVIATION:learn it, know it, love it.- Silver Lining abbreviations & acronyms galore ... we do environmental and energy consulting. EVERYTHING as an abbreviation. and if it doesn't, we'll figure out a way to come up with a clever acronym.ask SL ... she knows real/actual acronyms & abbreviations, such as BACT, LNG, CPUC, NOx, etc. - all sorts of alphabet soup things!if we

SL Tip #2: on proj mgt book

2006-02-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

Try to read the Project Management book sooner rather than later; it will take longer than 50 minutes. - Silver Liningthe book says it's a 50-min. commitment. this is suppose to mean 50 minutes on EARTH ... it's not. it's probably more like jupiter (or is it the other direction, and it's like mercury?) anyway, as noted on the internship syllabus-lite, you will get a workbook on project

SL Tip #1: on the socratic approach

2006-02-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

My tip? Just answer the question. (I mean that in a good way!!) - SL (aka Silver Lining) SL's tip is a good one for our socratic approach for our interns. it's really that simple. remember, we can't read minds.

R|Intern: (pt. 1) Interested in internship? - recap

2006-02-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

JUST A RECAP ... of information we already have provided on this blog regarding our internship opportunity - Qualifications - list of 9 items and some context regarding the quals Our approach - we use a Socratic approach You get to choose 2 of 4 areas of responsibility to develop through your internshipproject management project execution business operations business development

R|Intern: Area of Responsibility #4

2006-02-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

The following describes 1 of the 4 areas of responsibilityin our internship program. An intern is required to choose 2 of the 4 areas for his/her experience and to support our business effort.BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING ... Because we are an entrepreneurial venture, experience will be gained in direct support of efforts to increase our revenue stream through continued work with existing

R|Intern: (pt. 1) Ama's midterm presentation

2006-02-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

HERE'S AMABELLE PRESENTING ... this past wednesday (02/08)recall ... the presentation guidelineshere's the audience (andy came late, had conference call; made him camera man; he missed good presentation)feedback time ... content, style, technical elementslunch afterwards at teriyaki cowboy (forgot camera)more later in "pt. 2" - turns out, i gotta work, y'know...

R|Intern: Area of Responsibility #3

2006-02-09T23:00:00.000-08:00

The following describes 1 of the 4 areas of responsibilityin our internship program. An intern is required to choose 2 of the 4 areas for his/her experience and to support our business effort.BUSINESS OPERATIONS ... Because we are an entrepreneurial venture, experience will be gained in various activities core to the operations of the consulting practice. This includes exposure to and support of

Networking: Jesse and Connectors

2006-02-08T17:02:00.000-08:00

(yes! i know it's yet another pic of dessert ... and dessert ...but that's not the pointof this post. honestly.) Kept up with R|Intern comments on networking? ... If so, you've seen Jesse's name mentioned - Jesse Ante, specifically. He knows everyone ... or is it the other way around?Being a connector ... If you are familiar with Malcolm Gladwell's book The Tipping Point, I view Jesse as a "

R|Intern: Area of Responsibility #2

2006-02-08T06:13:00.000-08:00

The following describes 1 of the 4 areas of responsibilityin our internship program. An intern is required to choose 2 of the 4 areas for his/her experience and to support our business effort.PROJECT EXECUTION ... Experience will be gained in the conduct of project efforts currently contracted to us. Projects that the Intern may be involved include power generation siting activities, regulatory

dress code in office?

2006-02-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

NOT SO MUCH. As mentioned in a blog entry about our office setting, we don't have a traditional dress code:We do not require traditional business attire, unless we have field visits, client meetings, or the like. In fact, flip-flops, man clogs, T-shirts with smart-ass designs, Velma shoes, shorts, and baseball caps for bad hair days are definitely acceptable. What are "man clogs"? THESE are "

R|Intern: Area of Responsibility #1

2006-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

The following describes 1 of the 4 areas of responsibilityin our internship program. An intern is required to choose 2 of the 4 areas for his/her experience and to support our business effort.PROJECT MANAGEMENT ... We maintain multiple project efforts. Experience will be gained in select basic elements of project management - scope objective development, task identification, schedule development,

R|Intern: 2006 Qualifications

2006-02-06T05:44:00.000-08:00

Interested in an internship with us? Below are 9 qualifications we list in our position description. Highly effective communication skills – written, verbal. Negotiation skills a plus. Up to two writing samples should be submitted for review. High level of self-motivation and enthusiasm; demonstrated organization skills; capable of prioritizing; particular about attention to details.

R|Intern: end of wk 3 - networking at Tommy's

2006-02-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

Amabelle is still with us. Her probation period ends in week 4 (next week). Her midterm presentation is on Wednesday the 8th. She came in an extra day (Friday) of this past week. (Awesome!) And based on eMails I have received from her, she also is working extra hours, by choice, outside of being in the office.One of her projects for remainder of internship ... Friday was a good day. She prepared

don't clean-up my home office

2006-02-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

We are proud to say ... most of our Interns DO NOT make coffee for us! (If they have, it's because they have offered to do so.) And we DO NOT ask Interns to clean-up after us. (This pic of my desk should be convincing enough, eh?)Check out this ad for an internship position (or if you prefer - make sure to copy/paste the whole link below without the line break):http://www.gawker.com/news/

R|Intern: book (HRW!) for job searchers

2006-02-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

Hello Real World! is a great book that will be available this month (February 2006). Jengyee, a former mentee and now friend of mine, is the author. In Cal's College of Engineering newsletter "Engineering News", there is a nice article on her and her book. Please check out the links to learn more!In a post titled Cal Bear Buddy Brings Book to Bear, I included a copy of the foreword that I offered

Future Intern!? What the cool kids ...

2006-02-04T07:57:00.000-08:00

"What the cool kids are wearing ... "Baby Al has the right attitude, sporting one of our beanies and looking very handsome!(Thanks to Deb, a buddy since high school and the very proud Mom of Baby Al, for sending this pic over.)

East Coast input: Intern Test

2006-02-03T09:58:00.000-08:00

I received the following eMail from a colleague back on the East Coast (who occasionally imparts wisdom + wit). I'll pass along to past, present and future interns ... TRY THIS NOW! This is so funny that it will boggle your mind. And you will keep trying it at least 50 more times to see if you can out smart your foot. But you can't!!! While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the

R|Intern: 2006 Syllabus

2006-02-03T06:53:00.000-08:00

SYLLABUS-LITE - a l'il bit o' structure ... As part of the application process, a prospective intern is given this memo (click on the image), which somewhat serves as a syllabus - well ... maybe "syllabus-lite".The point is, there is a framework. I decided to present the internship opportunity in a format that is a little familiar for college students. There are other companion documents that are