The Working Geek has a nice Slideshare presentation available to help you prep for  your next job interview.  Entitled, “Effective Job Interviewing from Both Sides of the Desk” his presentation has many helpful reminders of how to be ready for your next interview as well as what is likely going through the mind of the person interviewing you.

Ginger Burr is offering a free teleclass, “From Corporate Suit to Home Office PJ’s, What’s an Entrepreneurial Woman To Wear?“  Tuesday, January 5, 2010 – 4:00 pm Eastern Time. What caught my eye in reading her invite to her class was this line:

Women are starting their own businesses in record numbers, and from what these enterprising women say, it would not be surprising to find out that, as a result, the sales of pajama bottoms and sweatshirts have soared!

The facts on women entrepreneurship are hot; Between 1997 and 2002 women owned firms grew by 19.8% while all U.S. firms grew by 7% (SCORE Small Biz Stats & Trends)  The facts on women’s PJ sales growth I can’t find any data on – but I bet Ginger is right. When I’ve worked from home during long periods assigned to Asia or Europe PJ bottoms and comfy sweatshirts were easy!

Hmmm…might be time to reverse the trend and get that business a little extra bling.  Learn how at Ginger’s free teleclass.

Last April, friends Paula and Michelle and 300 others spent the day at the Massachusetts State House to lobby for Transgender Equality.   I chronicled last year’s little story at Beck’s Cafe, “Trans Civil Rights Lobby Day: Rountable with Michelle, Paula and Rebecca“.   And here we are a year later and it’s time once again for another lobby day!

As I heard Diego Sanchez say once in a meeting,  “We aren’t looking for any special rights; just the ones we somehow lost because we are trans”.   Well put and precisely the point of the outing.   So here are the details for all of you who can join in:

• Date: Thursday January 21
• Time: 2PM-5PM
• Location:  Nurses Hall, Massachusetts State House

More details are at MTPC’s site, “Transgender Lobby Equality Day, 2010“

Being unemployed can be a double whammy smack down to your self-esteem in this economy.  First, you lose your position then you find you are working months to get a new employment.  Between being rejected and the self-doubt that can sometimes arise and the difficulty of finding a new position, (which includes some new institutional rudeness and dehumanizing), your self-esteem can feel pretty down.

Sometimes the best way to get out of the dumps and pick up some energy to move forward is by expending some energy in volunteering.  It makes you feel good, helps you stay out and about, and who knows but a career door may open you hadn’t considered.  But where to volunteer?    That seems like an easy question to answer since today almost any non-profit organization might use any number of skills that  you have.  But, if the idea of picking up the phone and calling your local shelter, nursing home or school seems daunting  Volunteer Match can be of help.  Volunteer Match actually posts listings for volunteer opportunities in your area.  Just plug-in  your city and state and bingo you get a list.   A nice feature is that the volunteer listings tell you in many cases what they need so you don’t have to figure it out before you call.   Another nice bennie?  They have listings for on-line volunteer help too!  That’s right, keep those slipper socks and jammies on and you can volunteer from behind your keyboard as well.   This might be a great option if  your in a time crunch but still want to put some of your time out to a good cause.

I’m getting another cup of coffee from Beck’s Cafe and going to peruse Volunteer Match why don’t you come along for the fun

The Harp is a beautiful instrument and I actually know someone who plays it well. Her name is Aster.

Aster is as unassuming as she is talented. Creative to the core, she sews her own clothing. Helpful without a whine, she’ll take on a task be it cleaning a house for a friend or machining parts for a NASA re-entry vehicle. Giving, often donating money she earns to help others. Musical too, accomplished in flute, guitar and harp.  And she’s a transgender woman to boot.

Oh did I mention she plays the Harp?  Yes harp, as in classical music harp

When I first met Aster, harp is the last thing I would think she would play but big as life as I walked around the corner to the performance room in a transgender social and support club I belong to, TCNE, there it was, a dang harp like you find in classical orchestras! At first I couldn’t believe what I was seeing but then, Aster sat down and played. I was amazed at both her talent and the incredible music that comes from such an instrument. Aster writes virtually all of her own compositions.

Aster’s debut CD is simply entitled, “Music for Harp”. I’ve included a cut from her CD. You can click to Aster Shepherd The Cotswold Ram for a listen from her CD.  Aster plays in small venues in and around New England as she makes her home in the Boston area. If any of our readers is looking for some fantastic music as background or as a concert, just drop us a line here at Beck’s Cafe Email and we can introduce you.