Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman's Journey to Become an Electrician: April 2022

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Advice: Why Are People Triggered By Hearing "No Offense"?

Best 100 Career Minded And Working Women Podcasts

Photo Credit: https://blog.feedspot.com/career_minded_and_working_women_podcasts/ Hello Everyone! May this windy a$$ Thursday be the only distraction to an otherwise smooth, problem-free day today. How is your schedule going for you on your side of the globe today? Your favorite New York construction worker chick has brewed up another Quora question and response for your reading pleasure today. For this blog post, I'm sharing this Quora question about why people get triggered by hearing the phrase "no offense" after receiving a dose of harsh truth. I found this to be a rather interesting question so I responded and opted to share with you. Over the years, I've learned that sharing some unsolicited harsh truth can be such a tight rope to walk. If you read my posts, you have figured out by now that I love people who don't beat around the bush and just say what is on their minds. Of course I'd like to see them exercise tact with their delivery. There is a time and a place for everything and that needs to be analyzed beforehand. I'm aware that there is a fine line of revealing the truth while not looking like a bully for sharing such harsh details. As a young woman, I did believe that the only thing that was acceptable was the truth. How dare people walk through life living a lie or subjecting others to a pile of lies!??! As a kid, it was always pushed that it is super important to always tell nothing but the truth. However, when you get older, all of a sudden you can be considered a "monster" or a "bully" for casting light on a harsh truth that was previously hidden in the dark. Who the hell are you to shatter a person's fake reality?? As an older woman, I've learned that not all truths need to be revealed or delivered. What's the point!??! You have to ask yourself as to why is the truth being withheld or hidden to begin with? What good actually comes from delivering the harsh truth?? Will this delivery prompt any form of change? Will it save a life!? Will the harsh truth prevent a person from making a critical choice with limited data that was previously hidden? Is the harsh truth messenger concerned about the other party not being aware of their own character flaws? Will the truth set them free?? Is the messenger hoping to wake up the person with the harsh truth? Even the most dense people who walk the Earth are aware of their flaws and weaknesses deep down. Sometimes the truth is really hard to swallow and very embarrassing if they're revealed. Some people feel very bad about themselves when the truth is exposed. When the messenger adds "no offense" after the fact, it is interpreted as an extra slap to the face. I totally understand why a person gets triggered by the phrase. Why does the term "no offense" even need to be said after the harsh truth reveal anyway? Is the messenger hoping to soften the blow or insulate themselves with that phrase? How is it even possible to think that you are delivering some harsh truth and the person receiving won't take it personal? You are trying to open the lid on some of the most ugly and unflattering character defects on that person. If you can't handle the smoke, as the messenger, that comes as the aftermath after a truth blast, then perhaps you should fall back from giving people a dose of the truth. If blasting a person with a truth bomb makes YOU uncomfortable, then you need to fall back on your delivery. Let's go rattle a person's cage with some ugly truth and hope they don't take it personal. Now that's some foolery and you know it!! If you can't handle the heat, stay out of the damn kitchen. It takes tremendous courage and mental strength to go on a truth crusade on your white horse and manage the emotional aftermath. A person sounds super soft to me when they add "no offense" after delivering that truth blow. You really need to fully think out the entire process to see if it is even worth getting involved in something that has zero impact on your own life. I realize people are bored with life and need some extra drama to spice up their otherwise boring work week. Many people are very nosey with matters that do not impact them whatsoever (yup, myself included)! However, unless the harsh truth impacts my life, I now choose to avoid carrying that truth torch these days. If it is absolutely pointless to step up and deliver that dose of reality, I will choose to push the "mind my business" button these days. I don't feel like getting into a fist fight when the person takes the revelation all of the way serious and angrily gets in their feelings. When I was younger, I had a ton of energy and was totally championing to always do the right thing. Nowadays, I think about the extra mental head space that this situation could require. If it is going to exhaust me or take money out of my pocket for some damn reason, I will leave the savages on their own to hash that out. I just know full well to dodge this moron to the best of my ability. How do you handle situations where it appears that a harsh truth needs to be revealed? If applicable, I'd love to hear your unique approach to handling being triggered by hearing the phrase "no offense". Are you a harsh truth crusader? If it doesn't bother you at all, also let me know in the comment section down below. If you have a totally different interpretation of people being triggered by that phrase, by all means, let me know your personal theory on being triggered as well. Now, without further delay, go ahead and check out the question and my response down below: POSED QUESTION: "Why do people get so triggered by "No Offense"? Whenever I say it, I always intend to point out a harsh truth but don't have a kinder way of saying it." MY RESPONSE: "I believe that the “No Offense” cherry on top of a truth pie is triggering since it can be considered as an extra silent dig to the person receiving the harsh truth. It’s a way for you to totally acknowledge that your feedback just stung like a bee. Your style of delivering the harsh truth can make all the difference as well. If the truth is said in jest, it can sometimes soften the blow or anger the receiver. There is always a kinder way to deliver a harsh truth. It requires some consideration but it can be crafted to soften the impact. You should always make an effort to lead the chat in a positive way by throwing in some good feedback beforehand. If you deliver the truth in front of an audience, then it is no longer the truth. It is just you being a bully while trying to get a laugh at the other person’s expense. Be cautious as to how, where, and when you deliver your feedback since that does matter. No matter who the person is or what they have done, you can always find some good talking points. I’m a huge fan of direct people. I’m not fond of indirect, passive people since I don’t want to guess as to what the hell you want. Additionally, they can come across as being weak asf. There needs to be some balance with issuing your input. I chuckled quite heartily at the other commenters who are telling you to mind your business. Technically, they are doing the exact same thing that you are doing. One thing to consider, prior to offering the advice, is the actual objective of the advice? Will offering the truth change how the move going forward? Is it saving a person’s life? Does it shed light of someone attempting to lie and cheat? Where does it lie on your moral compass? Do you believe that you are doing good by revealing the truth? As a young woman, I used to feel compelled to ensure that the truth was heard and revealed. The older I get, I analyze as to what good comes from the truth? If absolutely nothing changes as a result, I have withheld my observations. I’ve also learned that the truth can vary according to the life lens that views it. The wild thing is that revealing a truth can make the messenger look like a bully/jerk if the delivery is not on point. Meanwhile, the messenger just feels like they are merely exposing the hidden truth. I wish you much luck on crafting you delivery of the truth so the message is not lost due to your shoddy approach. #ConstructionTales #VerballyDisastrous" -By Leslie M. Jasper https://www.quora.com/Why-do-people-get-so-triggered-by-No-Offense-Whenever-I-say-it-I-always-intend-to-point-out-a-harsh-truth-but-dont-have-a-kinder-way-of-saying-it?__filter__=all&__nsrc__=notif_page&__sncid__=26201697820&__snid3__=35721348870 I thank you for approaching my advice post and taking the time to digest the discussion with me. Does this phrase trigger the hell out of you? If not triggered, are you amused by the folks who are triggered? As I always ask, let me know if you either like or dislike my advice? Don't forget to explain exactly as to your position so that I may gain an understanding. I appreciate different perspectives on these topics. I found out that The #VerballyDisastrous Podcast is #58 on the list of a top 100 of career minded & working women podcasts on Feedspot.com. I have the link to this top 100 list up above at the top of this blog post. I'm also sharing my latest (8) podcast episodes that are listed down below from The Verbally Disastrous Podcast, via links for Spotify & YouTube down below. If you are into reading on a Kindle, check out my newest short story release that belongs to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library short story series on Amazon down below. This new short story #11 is entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. The previous short story is #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". If anyone has read any of my other previous short stories, by all means, let me know what you think? Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. I'm sharing with you some advice posts while juggling my work duties. Now, go carry on with your Thursday now that we have taken a moment to reflect on this Quora question together. Have yourself a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day!

Photo Credit: Call To Action Marketing Logo- John Collazo, CEO Link To Construction Tales: Volume I: A Woman's Journey To Become An Electrician (Paperback & Kindle) On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Womans-Journey-Electrician/dp/1467960160 Link To Construction Tales: A Young Person's Guide To Accomplish Anything In Life (Paperback & Kindle) On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Construction-Tales-Persons-Accomplish-Anything/dp/1497593115 U.S.A.: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B07P5PNCS7/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_us United Kingdom: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B07P5PP7RW/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_uk France, Belgium, Switzerland: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.fr/pd/B07P7RYP4G/?source_code=FRAORWS022318903B-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_fr Germany, Austria, Switzerland: Use This Link For The Audio Version Of My Book #ConstructionTales On Audible: https://www.audible.de/pd/B07P8W3MVY/?source_code=EKAORWS0223189009-BK-ACX0-144253&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_144253_rh_de VERBALLY DISASTROUS PODCAST EPISODE LINKS: Here is the link to the Verbally Disastrous Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2dFYgX4dUiHaMfJ4gigLY0?si=KcR-D8RyRnKGk1wuPOqa1Q&dl_branch=1 Verbally Disastrous! Season #1, Episode #43: Part A- Tramping In Cali! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6XzVL9ybKHA Verbally Disastrous! Season #1, Episode #44: Part B- Tramping In Cali! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TFDLB5talUo Verbally Disastrous! Season #1, Episode #45: Part C- Tramping In Cali! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nYRVJNya0lU Verbally Disastrous! Season #2, Episode #46:Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice On YouTube: https://youtu.be/IcQ4-uGankA Verbally Disastrous Podcast! S#2, Ep. #47: Part A- Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qWhf4lGmcXo Verbally Disastrous Podcast! S#2, Ep. #48: Part B- Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wO8nXSRw7sU Verbally Disastrous Podcast- S#2, Episode #49: Just Released Not All Girls Play With Dolls!! on YouTube: https://youtu.be/go1FdOI5eYY Verbally Disastrous Podcast- S#2, Episode #50: My First 7 Weeks As A Site Safety Manager on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_DKA-q72dNw I recently shared my latest short story that has been loaded up to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library on Amazon. This is short story #11 entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. I share the various challenges I faced and lessons learned along the way. The previous short story is entitled: #10: "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". I decided to write about some life lessons such as guarding your personal information, managing nasty rumors, combating sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and racism. Overall, the construction culture has improved dramatically over the past 25-years. Developing both a thick skin and a sharp tongue are key tools needed to survive various jobsite antics. I hope you learn something from this short story. There are more to come. These short stories are now also available as Verbally Disastrous podcast episodes. Construction Tales- Told By A Woman: (11) Kindle Vella Short Stories On Amazon!! https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/product/B096N8NSGM The Verbally Disastrous Store On Tee-Spring:

https://my-store-c1f946.creator-spring.com Cheers! Leslie M. Jasper -Author And Host of the #VerballyDisastrous podcast now alive on many platforms that include: Acast, Amazon Music, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Castbox, Deezer, Google Podcasts, I Heart Radio, Listen Notes, Overcast, Pandora Podcasts, Player FM, Pocket Casts, Pod Bean, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Podcast Gang, Radio Public, Reason, Soundcloud, Soundtrap, Spotify, Stitcher, Tune In, and YouTube. -The Audio Blog: Verbally Disastrous Podcast And Construction Tales Blog. Now available on: Acast, Amazon Music, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Castbox, Deezer, Google Podcasts, I Heart Radio, Listen Notes, Overcast, Pandora Podcasts, Player FM, Pocket Casts, Pod Bean, Podchaser, Podcast Addict, Podcast Gang, Radio Public, Reason, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, and Tune In. #CTAMarketing, #PhotacularImagery, #KindleVella, #FreeBritney, #AmazonMusic, #AnastasiaTaranenko, #Fiverr, #Tad_Art, #PandoraPodcasts, #Soundtrap, #ConstructionTales, #audio, #intro, #fun, #hot, #mess, #creations, #Connecticut, #NewYork, #family, #foolery, #podcast, #Spotify, #VerballyDisastrous, #new, #topics, #howto, #secrets, #women, #powerful, #strong, #shorts, #men, #teen, #trynottolaugh, #edgy, #realistic, #explicit, #mature, #shocking, #thoughtprovoking, #fresh, #dark, #mustwatch, #Soundcloud, #YouTube, #Johnny, #creative, #IABX, #Reddit, #community, #Leslie@VerbDisastrous, #strongwomen, #womaninconstruction, #empower, #gender, #ICanDOIT, #femalerenovator, #renovation, #project, #womanconstructionproject, #strong, #slideshow, #2013Project, #learnbywatching, #girlpower, #sheetrock, #tape, #electrical, #plumbing, #tile, #dust, #dirt, #debris, #basement, #paint, #renovate, #insulation, #hihats, #wiring, #metalstuds, #screws, #workout, #Johnny, #promo, #videos, #creative, #sons, #discusswithmom, #topics, #Tom, #openconversation, #Johnny, episodes, #LotLizard, #AmazonPrime, #video, #documentary, #Netflix, #gorillaglue, #gorilla, #glue, #spray, #gorillagluewoman, #hair, #hairsurgery, #LosAngeles, #DrObeng, #plasticsurgeon, #alcoholic, #drinks, #testing, #episodes, #release, #soon, #alcoholic #samples, #RevelStoke, #NewAmsterdam, #PinkWhitney, #WickedPickle, #BirdDog, #blackberry, #whiskey, #vodka, #99Bananas, #OleSmokey, #Tswoooh23_, #videogaming, #streaming, #OSHA502, #renewal, #trainthetrainer, #RIT, #Anchor, #Breaker, #GooglePodcasts, #PocketCasts, #RadioPublic, #article, #life, #apprentice, #ComedyCentral, #skit, #JessaReid, #ApplePodcasts, #Deezer, #Podchaser, #PodBean, #TuneIn, #Castbox, #PlayerFM, #iHeartRadio, #Stitcher, #Acast, #PodcastGang, #PodcastAddict, #ziplining, #AdventurePark, #presskit, #SayNoToRapists, #JusticeForUwa, #NotAllGirlsPlayWithDolls #Scholastic #nonfiction #bookstagram #DropEverythingAndRead #SpringBookFair2021 #LoveOfReading #Reading #ConstructionTales #books #funny #NYC #podcast #Spotify #VerballyDisastrous #bookfair #bookjoy #ReadAnywhere #LoveToRead #AllForBooks #Adult #FBF22 #LBF22 #BEA22 #IKBF22 #KLF22 #HKTDC22 #GBF22 #IIBF22 #LATFOB22 #SIBF22 #FILBO22 #EIBF22 #BAIBF22 #MIBF22 #BIDLDSP22 #BS22 #BBF22 #HIBF22 #IBTAF22 #IBBF22 #ITEF22 #JLF22 #JIBF22 #LBF22 #NDWBF22 #TiBE22 #TIBF22 #BCBF22 #LIVREPARIS22 #SDLDM22 #HBF22 #FIL22 #IIBF22 #SBF22 #BuchWein22 #VIBF22 #ADIBF22 #AIPF22 #bookstagram #book #bukuislami #bukumurah #islamicbookfair #buku #booklover #bukusejarah #buchberlin #booklove #cher #bookshelf #internationalbookfair #bookholic #jualbuku #jualbukumurah #reading #obralbuku #bukuindie #bukujogja #tokobukumurah #buchmesse #langka #pasarbuku #bukulangka #bhfyp #jualbelibukuonline #onlineshop #jualanonline #booklovers #anresbooks #readingbooks #booksofinstagram #boekuitstalling #buch #bookish #buchberlinkids #tokobukuonline #boimela #lesen #bookworm #poetry #gontor #fbm #bazarbuku #bookreview #berlin #read #writer #berlinerbuchmesse #buchmesseberlin #author #instabooks #boekverkoping #virtualbookfair #bookaddict

Monday, April 25, 2022

The Hardcover Version Was Approved On Amazon!!

Photo Credit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XZMF54R Hello Everyone! I'm hoping your weekend was absolutely fabulous and now your Monday is off to a smooth, low key start. I had a great weekend spending time with someone special!! How's your week going on your side of the globe today? I really wanted to work on the audio version of the book over the weekend. However, other things took a front seat for my attention. Yes, I'm behind on releasing some podcast episodes too. I shall try to do some podcast releases this week after work since I've clogged up my weekend with the lovely option of "hanging out with my boo". :) I really can't believe that I got on the back of a motorcycle on Sunday with my man candy. He laughed when I called him my "man candy". It was a nice day and it was enjoyable once I got past my initial fear. For the first stretch, I buried my helmet into his back. My husband died on one and I somewhat blamed the bike for many, many years. The time I did get on the bike with my deceased husband, he scared me by going really fast. To make matters even worse, I was wearing shorts and a tank top. Those are stupid things a 19-year old young girl would do without thinking much about it beforehand. Nowadays, I make sure to wear the jacket, gloves, helmet, pants, and boots before jumping on. As you already know, I have been working on trying to get the hardcover version approved for "Not All Girls Play With Dolls". As I stated in earlier blog posts, this hardcover release was a major priority for me. I got rejected previously almost a half dozen times. Thankfully, I taught myself how to use the many features on www.Canva.com to finally create an acceptable cover. It worked after uploading the front cover illustration with a blank background. As I said before, I changed the blue background to purple since it is a girl's journey. I initially wanted to keep it as blue since it is a girl doing things that are considered to be boy's stuff. I opted to go with purple since it is a story about a girl's very unique journey. I opened my email on Saturday to see if I got an email from Amazon. To my delight, I got an Amazon email saying that the changes were approved and the book is now live on Amazon!! Hooray!! My audio book is the next project to get finished and loaded up onto Audible. I see that Barnes & Noble has an audio version available as well. Of course I plan to figure out how to get it ready for that Nook platform as well. I have to see if there is an audio version for iTunes and chase that carrot too. I have to go dig up some Quora questions for your reading pleasure this week. Thanks for checking out my short and sweet updated blog post!! I kept at it until I got an approval. I was concerned about throwing in the towel and not being able to figure it out. I almost opted to hire someone to do it for me. Thankfully, I just kept dusting myself off and trying again. I appreciate you for dedicating just a sliver of your precious time today. This platform accepts future topic suggestions if you have some to offer. By all means, drop them down in the comment section below. This is the part where I share my latest (8) podcast episodes that are listed down below from The Verbally Disastrous Podcast, via links for Spotify & YouTube down below. If you are into reading on a Kindle, check out my newest short story release that belongs to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library short story series on Amazon down below. This new short story #11 is entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. The previous short story is #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". If anyone has read any of my other previous short stories, by all means, let me know what you think? Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. Sadly, I'm still working on the audio version of Not All Girls Play With Dolls. It has been a huge challenge finding a quiet space to create the audio version. I'm sharing with you this hardcover submission update post while juggling my work duties. Feel free to head back to your Monday tasks now that were are right back to another work week grind. Have yourself a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day!

Friday, April 22, 2022

Submitted Another Hardcover For Not All Girls Play With Dolls For Approval

Photo Credit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XZMF54R Hello Everyone! Well we made it to Friday, my friend!! Cheers for surviving another week and making it to the weekend!! What are your weekend plans on your side of the globe? Whatever they are, I hope they are absolutely what you want to do. I'm working on the audio version of the book, working on another podcast episode release, and self improvment. I'm trying to continue to work on alternate day fasting in an effort to lose more weight and get ready for the summer. Another highlight of the weekend is a date on Sunday. As of this entire past week, I have been working on trying to get the cover approved for the hardcover version of "Not All Girls Play With Dolls". Sadly, I have not released many blog posts this week. As I stated in an earlier blog post this week, this hardcover release has been a top priority for me. I'm not a graphic artist so this has been a huge challenge figuring out how to get it approved!! As it is, I was required to create a minimum of 75 pages for the hardcover version. Thankfully, I figured out how to use the "erase background" feature on www.Canva.com since I needed to shrink the cover photo to fit within the required parameters. I uploaded an illustration with a blank background. I changed the blue background to purple. I initially wanted to keep it as blue since it is a girl doing boy stuff. After some thinking about it, I said let's go with purple since it is a story about a girl's journey. Why does she have to fit in a boy's or a girl's box? Why can't she be her own person with preferences that just don't follow anyone else?? Let me know your thoughts on the color choice? I'm interested in hearing your take on the color choice for what is known as my journey as a "tomgirl". I grew up being known as a tomgirl and I didn't mind when it was said to me. I think some were trying to shame me for being a girl who just liked to do guy things. For anyone unaware of the term, it is what people call girls who really prefer to do boy activities. For some of us, we dress like boys or just like to do boy activities. I felt like dolls were boring to me. For some, it's a phase and for others, it's just who they are for life. I never understood the term as a little girl. Yes, I want to do what I want to do. It doesn't belong in a category. It just so happens to be things that boys also like to do. As a kid who grew up in the 1980's, I will never forget the conversation I had with my mom and step dad about wanting a pink BMX! I wanted it in the worst way!!! It made ZERO sense why this didn't even exist. It made no sense why it couldn't be painted the way I wanted either. They "tried" to kill my spirit but I wouldn't let them. Since it didn't exist in that era, I ended up getting a blue bike that had tassels and a basket. The tassels and basket immediately went in the garbage. I even figured out how to take my chain guard off. I wanted it to look as close to a boy's bike as much as possible. My step brother Michael used to call me a "lil' spit fire" as a teenager since we clashed a lot. I didn't just accept his words at face value. It really didn't occur to me that my mindset was not typical on a global scale back in the 1980's. The funny thing is I hear the term "boss bitch" being thrown around like a buzz word nowadays. You don't speak it into existence gurl, you just BE it!! It doesn't require a bunch of pomp and circumstance either. You either have it in your spirit or you don't. I thank you for stopping by my blog post where I am sharing my repeated attempts at getting my hardcover approved. As much as I get frustrated, I will keep at it until I get the approval that I seek. I will try to not bombard you will all of the obstacles faced; just an overview of the road to future success! Thanks for dedicating just a sliver of your time today. Go ahead and let me know, in the comment section below, how hard was it for you to create your hardcover version of your book? I'm not satisfied with the current version so I'm hoping no one buys it in the meantime. I will be happier once the newest version is approved. Right now the existing version is stressing me out by being there. I'm glad I changed the color from blue to purple since the book is about a young girl who follows her own path and natural God-given talents. I'm still welcoming any creative input on the book if you have something to offer. I'm always interested in hearing fresh, creative perspectives I haven't previously considered. At this point of this book, I'm not likely to change anything since I'm "done" with the entire process. However, my eyes and ears still work to hear a person out. I'm still sharing my latest (8) podcast episodes that are listed down below from The Verbally Disastrous Podcast, via links for Spotify & YouTube down below. If you are into reading on a Kindle, check out my newest short story release that belongs to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library short story series on Amazon down below. This new short story #11 is entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. The previous short story is #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". If anyone has read any of my other previous short stories, by all means, let me know what you think? Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. Sadly, I'm still working on the audio version of Not All Girls Play With Dolls. It has been a huge challenge finding a quiet space to create the audio version. I'm sharing with you this hardcover submission update post while juggling my work duties. Go carefully make your way back to your Friday tasks now that I have satisfied your curiosity for the moment. Have yourself a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day!

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Just Released The Hardcover Version For Not All Girls Play With Dolls!!

Photo Credit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XZMF54R Hello Everyone! How are you doing on your Wednesday, my friend? What is new on your side of the globe today? As of lately, I have been working on trying to create the hardcover version of "Not All Girls Play With Dolls". I have not been working on any blog posts this week. Figuring out this hardcover release has been a top priority lately. I needed to create a minimum of 75 pages for the hardcover version. I then realized that I needed to create some fluff with extra pages since I only have 26 illustrations in total. For each illustration, I needed to create a page introducing each illustration. I had to figure out how I was going to approach this task with rather limited illustrating abilities. Sadly, my Russian illustrator is not on the Fiverr platform at the moment. The company is one of many starving out the Russians during the current invasion of Ukraine. It's a shame since I really liked working with her. I did try to solicit other illustrators to help me create the opposing pages for the illustrations. I'm glad that the (3) illustrators acted wishy washy on the project. I then opted to do this task myself. I opted to match the predominant color and create a blank page. I was able to use Canva.com to create the full blank pages. I needed to have more pages for the hard cover. I did some work on creating blank pages that match my illustrations in an effort to create a hardcover version of I then used www.BookBolt.io to create the interior and attempted to create the cover as well. However, I didn't have much luck with the cover on Book Bolt. I then tried using the Amazon KDP cover creator. At first, I tried using my front cover illustration and was forced to shrink it down significantly to make the photo quality work within the acceptable template parameters! I then opted to try and create a better quality front cover illustration with Canva.com. To my pleasant surprise, I was able to generate a front cover that had more dots per inch with the quality that the Amazon front cover generator required. I was then able to go with the front cover illustration as the entire cover. I'm replacing the "ugly blue cover" shown in Amazon photo above. I'm anticipating the replacement cover going live some time today or tomorrow for sure. It was bothering me last night after I submitted the project to go live. I may beef up the paperback copy with the matching blank pages that I didn't have before. It is indeed an evolving process! Now that I know what is required, my second children's book will indeed turn out better. :) I thank you for stopping by this new release blog post to read my hardcover book release news today. I totally appreciate a sliver of your time on my blog post. Let me know, in the comment section below, if you either like or dislike the original blue hardcover? I personally wasn't satisfied with it so I changed it. I thought about making the cover pink. However, it made sense to keep it blue since the girl wants to be one of the boys. That was my reasoning for the blue cover in the first place. I'm welcoming any creative input on the book if you have something to offer. I'm interested in hearing fresh, creative perspectives I haven't previously considered. I'm still sharing my latest (8) podcast episodes that are listed down below from The Verbally Disastrous Podcast, via links for Spotify & YouTube down below. If you are into reading on a Kindle, check out my newest short story release that belongs to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library short story series on Amazon down below. This new short story #11 is entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. The previous short story is #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". If anyone has read any of my other previous short stories, by all means, let me know what you think? Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. I'm still working on the audio version of Not All Girls Play With Dolls. It has been a huge challenge finding a quiet space to create the audio version. I'm sharing with you this hardcover release post while juggling my work duties. Go back to your Wednesday tasks now that I have satisfied your curiosity for the moment. Have yourself a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day!

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Advice: How To Fix A Dry Conversation?

Photo Credit: www.wikihow.com Hello Everyone! I wish for you a fabulous Thursday that flows as smooth as silk. How is life on your side of the globe today? I'm going to offer some water for a dry question that was posted on Quora today. This question posed is on how to revive and bring back from the dead a bad conversation. I always think it's important to probe the other party with questions. It serves to continue the chat, add depth, and perform a temperature gauge on the other person. Some people are just shy or uninformed on the topic of discussion. In other instances, that person may just need some help with the direction and how to contribute to the conversation. It could be a topic that the person doesn't even know much about. The subject may be sensitive and the person is rather cautious as to how to approach it tactfully. We can't be total experts on every conversation that exists on the planet. It doesn't hurt to probe further with the following questions: 1) how? 2) what? 3) where? 4) when? 5) why? Worst case scenario, you change gears and speak on a different topic or abandon the attempt at idle conversation all together. You can't force a person to have a personality where it doesn't exist. The gift of gab is not for everyone...LOL! Some of us can blab for hours on end! :) Other folks can bring on the silent treatment for the next decade. Well, how do you add a spark to a dry chat? I'd love to hear your unique approach to adding spice and water to a rather dry vibe. By all means, share your perspective by dropping it down in the comment section below. Now, without further delay, go ahead and check out the question and my response down below: POSED QUESTION: "How do I fix a dry conversation?" -By Daniel Tesfai MY RESPONSE: "The best way to fix a dry conversation is to probe with questions. You ask further with: how? what? where? when? why? If the person doesn’t expand on the topic when probed with questions, then you can state your responses. If this doesn’t prompt the person to feed off of your attempts to liven up the chat, then feel free to push the eject button. Pretend a person is in the hospital and ya gotta run! People can have other major life events going on in life that work excellent at serving as a distraction. Others can be nervous when speaking so they require encouragement. I wish you much luck with giving CPR to a near dead conversation. #ConstructionTales #VerballyDisastrous #NotAllGirlsPlayWithDolls" -By Leslie M. Jasper https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-fix-a-dry-conversation/answer/Leslie-Jasper-3 Thanks for hopping on the lily pad that sits in my metaphorical pond near my advice post today. How do you fix a dry conversation? I'm a chatty Kathy who asks a ton of questions when I'm in a group so the conversations are rarely dry. If they are, then it's my cue that the person doesn't want to be there. There are many reasons for a dry conversation. I try to not let it take up too much real estate in my mind. Does a dry conversation get under your skin? (see what I did there?) Let me know, in the comment section below, if you either like or dislike my advice? Make sure to explain exactly as to your position so that I may gain an understanding. I'm interested in hearing different perspectives on this one. I'm also sharing my latest (8) podcast episodes that are listed down below from The Verbally Disastrous Podcast, via links for Spotify & YouTube down below. If you are into reading on a Kindle, check out my newest short story release that belongs to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library short story series on Amazon down below. This new short story #11 is entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. The previous short story is #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". If anyone has read any of my other previous short stories, by all means, let me know what you think? Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. I'm sharing with you some advice posts while juggling my work duties. Carry on with your Thursday now that I have satisfied your curiosity with my advice post-LOL. Have yourself a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day!

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Meet Isis Harris: "3v3ryday Grind" High Vis Construction Wear CEO!

Photo Credit: (Isis Harris) https://www.shopeverydaygrind.com/shop Hello Everyone! Hopefully, your Wednesday started out smooth and continues to do so throughout the day. What is goin' on near your side of the globe today? I'm excited to share with you a fellow journeywoman electrician's entrepreneurial clothing line launch. Prior to that, I want to announce that my first children's book entitled, "Not All Girls Play With Dolls" is now officially as a Nook for Barnes & Noble!! I'm giving a fair warning that the illustrations, by Anastasia Taranenko, are not in the Nook e-book. However, the illustrations are available as Kindle and iTunes e-books. I have to figure out how to make the e-pub file smaller in order to load it into Nook. Yes, I need to work on the hardcover version of the book. I'm frustrated that Fiverr has removed my illustrator from the platform because she is from Russia. I need to find an illustrator to create blank backgrounds for each illustration in order to create the hardcover version. Now, let's get to the actual purpose of this blog post. I want to introduce to you a fellow union journeywoman electrician who hails out of Portland, Oregon. Another thing that we have in common is the beautiful, rustic state of Oregon. For those who are not aware, I was born and raised out in Coos Bay/North Bend, Oregon. Despite being here in New York since I was 19-years old, I consider Oregon my home away from home. For the record, I absolutely love to see kick ass trade women working on their creative projects!! It makes it even sweeter when you see that they faced challenges and came from humble beginnings. I REALLY like the logo so I picked up a t-shirt and a hoodie. I plan to pick up more at a later date to wear on my projects.

Photo Credit: Leslie M. Jasper Wearing 3v3ryday Grind Apparel I shared this photo with Isis on Facebook to show my support for her budding clothing line. Here in New York City, the workers need to wear high vis t-shirts or reflective vests while on projects. Now, here is Isis' impressive bio so that we can all get to know her better! Isis Harris, IBEW Local 48- Portland, Oregon Isis was born and raised in Portland Oregon. She became a IBEW member in 2014 with IBEW Local 48 and entered the NECA-IBEW LEA Program in 2015, later transferring to the Inside Wireman Apprenticeship program in 2016. After completing Pre-Apprenticeship training with the Constructing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship Program, she decided on a career in a skilled trade seeking to become a Journeyman Electrician. She recently graduated the Local 48 NECA-IBEW Inside Wireman Apprenticeship Program, December 2021, becoming a licensed Commercial and Industrial Electrician. Isis is also a Board Member with Oregon Tradeswomen, Quality Jobs Council Member, N/NE Action Plan Leadership Committee Member, Certified Forklift Instructor, Peer Recovery Mentor, Rock the Trades Ambassador and Business Owner of 3v3ryday Grind LLC, a high visibility clothing company. Community, Leadership and Labor Activism: Isis was recently featured on Fox 12’s Good Day Oregon (February 2022) to speak about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the construction industry and the commitment she made to the movement. She is featured in the documentary: My Whole Self (2017) and Anti-Bias Training Video Produced by Diamond Law Firm, as well as Challenges and Blessings (2017), a recruitment tool developed by WorkSource Oregon and directed by Diversa Edu designed to educate job seekers about the employment opportunities in the skilled trades. She was also featured in a commercial for the Tradeswomen Career Fair in 2019, that showed her on the job working during the 3rd trimester of her pregnancy. The purpose of the commercial was to encourage women to understand the duality of working in the skilled trades but also building and nurturing their family’s futures. She completed a 3 year term as Vice President of the Gus Miller Chapter of the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 48. Isis also previously taught part-time with Portland Community College as a Forklift Instructor with the Maritime Welding Program, and was an Advisory Committee member with MercyCorps NW in 2018 as well as former Co-chair of the disbanded Oregon Tradeswomen DEI committee. She is a member in good standing and involved with her union and community. She seeks to educate herself on a range of social and economic justice topics as a union member and lifetime resident of Portland, Or. Isis was nominated by the NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center for the “2017 Woman on the Rise Award” awarded by Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., and is featured on a hallway promotional poster at the Portland NIETC (NECA-IBEW Electrical Training Center) highlighting her path into apprenticeship. Isis served on the Historical Black Markers Advisory Committee; the committee was integral in Historical Markers being placed throughout Northeast Portland in recognition of the rich history of number of the black residents that resided in NE Portland, and made history in the neighborhood prior to gentrification. She has facilitated construction-based workshops with the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute, Helensview Highschool, I-Trades Career Fair, POIC Pre-Apprenticeship Program and within the Oak Creeks Girls Facility with both PCC and the GirlsBuild program. She has visited Coffee Creek Correctional Facility several times with reps from, Oregon Tradeswomen, the NIETC, and the African American Program with the Portland Probation and Parole Dept. She has spoken on panels at the National Electrical Workers Minority Caucus Leadership Conference (Aneheim, CA), the University of Oregon Labor and Education Resource Center’s 40th Anniversary Symposium, Constructing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship Program (2022), for the movie viewing of “Sista in the Brotherhood” filmed by Hearts and Sparks Productions, The City of Portland ‘Women In Construction Conference: A Conference to Educate and Empower’, The Women in Prison Conference (2018), The ‘Women Build Nations’ Conference (Chicago,IL) and The NAMC “Safe from Hate” February 2021 meeting. She is also a member of the Coalition of Black Trades Unionist She formerly participated as an Advisory Committee Member of the Women's Justice Project, and a cohort graduate of the New Leaders Council, an organization new to Portland whose mission is to train new progressive and diverse leaders. She has been featured in Danner Boot ads, Dovetail Women’s Workwear catalog, Architectural Digest, DJC Oregon, Oregon Business Magazine, and interviewed by NPR twice. Isis was also featured in the March 2021 “Women at Work” Blog published by Dovetail Workwear, participated in a panel of Trade Guest Speakers with Oregon Tradeswomen alongside NIETC staff, and gave the closing remarks at the Tradeswomen Leadership Institute March of 2021. Isis also spoke on a panel discussion for The Ism-Project, “That Diversity thing” a film adapted monologue based on dissertation research with black Tradeswomen, conducted by Dr. Roberta Hunte, that premiered March 2021. Isis, is passionate about shaping public policy, advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion within the construction trades, highlighting issues addressing incarceration and rehabilitation for the common good of all Oregonians, and entrepreneurship as a way to improve working families’ quality of life working via union participation, community-based organizations involvement, correctional institution outreach, and grassroot agency coalition building. Links To Several Online Articles And References For Isis Harris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HSXpa05i1s&t=20s https://youtu.be/UTNCVEkyLcA https://www.oregonbusiness.com/article/oregonatwork/item/17755-video-series-isis-harris-electrician-apprentice https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=14&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwie2Zafn47aAhUM4GMKHYEiBzMQFghYMA0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdjcoregon.com%2Fnews%2F2017%2F11%2F16%2Fwords-of-wisdom-from-women-on-the-rise%2F&usg=AOvVaw0gR3ckdwKa-lgn1imdiwlz https://albertamainst.org/black-heritage-markers/ https://www.heartsandsparks.com/work?wix-vod-video-id=2a3d34962d774ca69d4d2fdee17f1d26&wix-vod-comp-id=comp-kakndlyp https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=11&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwit8Pn6oI7aAhUH9WMKHcVtBws4ChAWCCgwAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fojrc.info%2Fwomens-justice-project%2F&usg=AOvVaw3allk24LNgh8X9Ev183aqj https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=30&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiz9ZTPoY7aAhVY92MKHRaLBBo4FBAWCFYwCQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tradeswomen.net%2F2017%2F12%2Fwomen-on-the-rise-awards%2F&usg=AOvVaw0xUsJP4mktpRZtQFNNWySK https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiP9bKBoo7aAhVW2GMKHUGMC4EQFgg_MAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fadminlb.imodules.com%2Fs%2F1540%2Fimages%2Fgid3%2Feditor_documents%2Flaw%2Fbios_women_in_construction.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0ygPAQXp7in7UozXXNVU8t https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/calendar/530091 https://youtu.be/3-Q3HIbTXws https://www.mercycorpsnw.org/ 3V3RYDAY GRIND is working to change the construction industry, one hoodie at a time | Local News | kptv.com

Photo Credit: The Oregonian Newspaper After reading Isis' bio, I'm rooting for the success of her business venture even more!! I see that she is a relatively new journeywoman and works to empower other women and minorities to also pick up the tools and learn a trade. It's amazing that she is tapped into her community in such a wonderful capacity! The youth that she has connected with should be honored to have her dedication, mentorship, and her energy. I absolutely see the value in that gift!!! I became an apprentice of Local #3 IBEW NYC back in 1995 and I would have loved to have seen some form of a mentor program. During the first year of my apprenticeship, no one in my class would speak to me. I also dealt with some journeymen on the job threatening to reach out to the apprentice director and get me thrown out of the program. I even had a journeyman order me to cut 6" pieces of 1-5/8" strut on multiple 10' lengths. I sure did it with a forced smile and refused to have the dude break my spirit. It's reasonable to assume that Isis has some similar stories to share as well. Thankfully, not all trade people behave poorly. Over the years, the sentiment on inclusion has evolved on the jobsites. I'm thankful for the evolved way of thinking. As a woman in management, I won't tolerate any kind of nonsense on my jobsite. I firmly believe that all workers need to be treated fairly. My first connection in apprentice school was made with a group of African American apprentices. I will never forget the feeling of isolation, that I didn't belong, and the tight bond that I developed with my pals. Isis sure inspires me to beef up my community service!! I totally feel like I'm slacking big time!! Wow she is amazing!! Then again, I believe my writing serves as a way to encourage and mentor the youth in need. We all contribute to society differently. What I would like to do is invite Isis for a #VerballyDisastrous podcast interview, via Zoom, once I get my new computer set up. I'm sure it would be a rather interesting conversation. I believe that female tradeswomen see the world in a rather unique way. It would be fascinating to see how different her viewpoint is from mine. I'd love to hear her biggest challenges and wins faced as an apprentice and a journeywoman. I will reach out to her and ask her if she wants to share them and I will edit and add it to this blog post, if offered. I'm honored to share Isis' hard work with fighting for inclusion and equality within her local community. Her efforts are truly admirable and are indeed needed! She is a wonderful role model and I'm sure she makes her children proud! :) Go check out the website shopeverydaygrind.com/shop and check out her clothing line. If you can, tell her I sent you. :) If you are a fellow trade person reading this blog post, drop your trade and local number down the in comment section down below. If you are not in the trade and just want to share where in the world you are from, that is cool as well. I'd love to hear from you as you represent your part of the world. Thanks for stopping by this blog post to read about the continuous success that's happening for my trade sister Isis! I totally appreciate your momentary attention on my blog post today. What do you think about Isis journey? Let me know, in the comment section below, if she inspires you to pick a trade? If you have any questions, drop them down in the comment section below. I will work to respond to them. I can even expand on the question and make it a blog post. The goal is to empower other women and minorities to follow our footsteps. It's not just a click bait comment. I'm genuinely into guiding and empowering others. I'd like others to have an easier time than I did when I first picked up the tools. It's quite obvious that Isis feels the same way. Since you read up to this point already, I'm sharing my latest (8) podcast episodes that are listed down below from The Verbally Disastrous Podcast, via links for Spotify & YouTube down below. If you are into reading on a Kindle, check out my newest short story release that belongs to my Construction Tales-Told By A Woman Kindle Vella Library short story series on Amazon down below. This new short story #11 is entitled, "Juggling Motherhood & Working With The Tools". This short story covers my life as a widowed, single mother in the era when I juggled both motherhood and my career as a journeywoman electrician. The previous short story is #10 is entitled, "Early Life Lessons & Characters To Meet As An Apprentice". If anyone has read any of my other previous short stories, by all means, let me know what you think? Check out the links for my book #ConstructionTales down below. I'm sharing with you some blog posts while juggling my work duties as a site safety manager. It's time to get back to what you were doing on your Wednesday before you were rudely interrupted with this blog post. Have yourself a great morning/afternoon/evening on your side of the globe and a restful or productive day!