What Do I Do?

"What do you do for a living?" is a common enough question. When I answer, "I'm an instructional designer" I often get a puzzled look.


My husband also ties his tongues in knots when people ask him what I do. Leave it to my mother-in-law, on our way to my grad school commencement (Penn State, baby!), to nail it perfectly. She asked, on the ride out to Malvern, "So what is it you do again?" I gave her the list below to explain it better.

She read it, looked at me, and said, "So basically, you create the tools companies use to train their employees." Yes! I actually sent myself a text message at that very moment so that I wouldn't forget her words.

I love my job. I love getting to be creative every day. I love helping people learn things. My undergrad at Elizabethtown College (Pennsylvania) was in English Education, which means I was supposed to be a high school English teacher. After doing my student teaching, however, I decided I didn't want to deal with all that paperwork, so I went the corporate training route.

Here's what I gave her to read (and what I have posted on my wall at work):

I am an instructional designer...

• I help people learn new things.
• I solve problems in training, or find people who can.
• I use lots of different tools in my job; some are “things” like computers and videos, other tools are ideas, like knowing something about how people learn and principles of design.
• I know a lot about these tools, but I now I have to use them competently and creatively for the task at hand before they will work.
• I resist doing things only because “we’ve always done it that way,” but I’m also careful not to fall for fads or gimmicks.
• I always try to take the point of view of the person who is going to be using the stuff I make while I’m making it; that’s really hard, so I get people to try out my stuff as soon as I can to see what I am doing wrong.
• I’m not afraid to say, “Yes, that’s a better way to do it.”

I'm not sure who the author is, but I really dig what they said and how they said it. I haven't always done instructional design, but my career path through training departments led me to the job (and my experience on the Oscars, Emmys, and Super Bowl Halftime Show helped...but that's another post for another day).

Presidential Debate Rave House and Swingatorium

Gotta love Jon Stewart and The Daily Show. Begin watching at 3:31, and really pay attention at 4:08. Barack's actually really funny in all this, and Stewart...well Stewart's. Freakin'. Brilliant. *snarf*

Here it is.

The absurdity of it starts with the moderator asking Barack if Bill Clinton was actually the first black president. Barack's response is priceless. It goes on to:

Barack: In a race where you've got an African-American, and a woman, and John (Edwards)...

Stewart: Obama ended his riff with, "See, a white guy runs for president like this, 'My objective is to get to the Oval Office,' while a brother's all like, 'Hail to the muthafu@in' chief, whassap?'"

I nearly peed my pants.

Why Bother Showing Up?

We live in San Diego. The Chargers, who have not made it this far in the playoffs in 13 years, have created a little excitement in town. We both work at Jack in the Box corporate headquarters, where the CEO deemed tomorrow San Diego Chargers Day.

Me, I'm an Eagles fan. My husband, however, is from New England. You do the math. Here's a really (funny) great article from the Boston Herald that came out this week.

And for the record, I'm wearing his Boston ball cap as a show of solidarity to our department admin assistant, who's from Boston (and who responded to our CEO's email telling her as much). HA!

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Why bother showing up?
Chargers no match for Super Bowl-bound Pats
By Gerry Callahan | Tuesday, January 15, 2008
http://www.bostonherald.com | N.E. Patriots

The Patriots were comfortably curled up on their couches Sunday night, halfway through "The Sarah Connor Chronicles," when the next victim on their hit list touched down in San Diego. An estimated 10,000 fans were waiting to greet the Chargers as they got off their buses, hobbled into the team complex and headed for the trainer's room.

Some fans had been waiting on lounge chairs in the parking lot for six hours. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Chargers theme song played repeatedly over loud speakers. The charged-up San Diego fans would have been wearing championship T-shirts and hats except for one small problem:

They didn't win a championship. Not even a conference championship.

They won a second-round playoff game and earned the right to travel across three time zones to play the greatest team ever on a day that is expected to be colder than naked ice fishing. If this was a title fight, someone in the Chargers' corner would be screaming: "Stay down! Stay down!"

The charged-up San Diego fans would have been wearing
championship T-shirts and hats except for one small problem:

They didn't win a championship.
Not even a conference championship.

In breaking down the AFC Championship Game matchup, we would have to give the Chargers a decided edge at two spots - running back and tight end.

Except we've got another minor problem: Their star running back and their stud tight end both are hurt and questionable for this Sunday. Nevermind.

Dearly Beloved, We Gather Here to Say Our Good-Byes...

From the AP wire this morning:

"NEW YORK - "Rent," the acclaimed musical chronicle of counterculture life and death in Manhattan's East Village, will close in June after more than a dozen years on Broadway."

Upon reading this sad news, I immediately texted my BFF Michael in Irvine. We actually met over a mutual interest of the show while we were working at Six Flags Great Adventure back in the 90s. I'd first seen Rent with my college's theatre club, Sock & Buskin -- we were lucky to have seen the Original Broadway Cast, which included Taye Diggs ("Private Practice"), Jesse L. Martin ("Law & Order), Idina Menzel (won a Tony for "Wicked" and co-starred in "Enchanted") and fan favorites Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, among others. I also saw the West Coast premiere at La Jolla Playhouse featuring Neil Patrick Harris as Mark and Wilson Cruz as Angel. It's an amazing show, and changed the face of Broadway when it debuted.

"No Day
But Today..."

Over the years, I've seen it a number of times (I've lost count, actually...maybe 10?), and dragged friends to see it. Friends who normally might not go to the theatre, but trusted me and ended up loving the show. For those of you who haven't seen it (and if you're reading this blog, that means you're at least an acquaintance, and I'm only acquaintances with people who like this type of thing...), "Rent,' which takes place in New York City, is the story of a group of East Village bohemians. The film showcases "525,600 minutes" - a year of their lives, where they deal with several life conflicts, including AIDS, death, drugs, love, and not being able to pay the rent.

My husband's response to the news:
"I guess that's One Hundred Fifty One
Thousand Two Hundred Minutes 'til closing."
*giggle*

The musical was originally written in the mid '90s by Jonathan Larson, a young and promising composer. However, Larson tragically died the night before the first preview was performed on Broadway. A foundation was set-up in his honor.

Forget regret, or
life is yours to miss.

There are only a few shows that pull me in the way "Rent" did..."Wicked" is one of them, and so is "Avenue Q." (Funny side story: my husband's best friend's brother -- follow that? -- did both "Rent" and "Avenue Q" on Broadway.)

Wait...Michael just texted me back, "Should we plan a trip to NY???" meaning, to see the show again before it closes?

Viva La Vie Boheme!

Letting My Inner Geek Flag Fly

The scene is last night, our living room, twilight with a slight breeze off the Pacific cooling the living room. Xander's stretched out on the couch, John's next to him, and I'm on our super-comfy chair. And at approximately 7:18 p.m. on this gorgeous night, I rendered my husband speechless.

You know: jaw dropped, looking at me slightly agog, speechless.

The reason? We were watching the new Transformers movie, and the conversation went something like this:

John: "So who's that one?"



Kara: "Oh, that's Optimus Prime."

John: "I'm sorry...WHAT?"

Kara: "That's Optimus Prime, who turns into a tractor trailer rig. He's the leader of the Autobots and one of the good guys. He's going to be fighting against Megatron, who is also a plane and the leader of the bad guys, the Decepticons. They all used to live on Cybertron together."

Cue agog face and slack jaw.

John: "HOW do you know all that?"

Kara: "Dude, I used to have all the Transformers as a kid! It should be one hell of a bitchin' fight between Megatron and Optimus Prime."

John just laughed, and I proceeded to sing, "Transformers, more than meets the eyes. Transformers, robots in disguise!"

Mind you, I had no hankering to go see Shia LeBeouf in this movie (or to see any more Britney Spears in the press, but I digress...) and wouldn't get all geeked out talking about the inner workings of a Michael Bay movie, but it was quite humorous to hear all this Transformer knowledge coming out of my mouth. And even funnier to see John's reaction to said knowledge.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Yes, that's right, it's the Best Week Ever! No, not the VH1 TV show-version, but the foodie version:

Restaurant Week San Diego!

Restaurant Week is a national promotion that cities large and small do to bring in new business and reward loyal customers. Basically, you get to go to really cool restaurants and pay only $30 (or $40 in some cases) for a stellar three-course meal. John and I enjoyed this promotion in Philly because it gave us the chance to eat at some high-end restaurants for relatively cheap - places we'd never normally be able to afford eating at.

I recommend heading over to OpenTable.com now to make your reservations -- it fills up quickly!

Participating restaurants include:

• 1500 OCEAN at the Hotel Del Coronado
• Brigantine
  
• Chart House Restaurant (Cardiff)
  
• McCormick & Schmick's Seafood
• Pacific Coast Grill (Solana Beach)
  
• Pacifica Del Mar
• Rainwater's on Kettner (Downtown / Gaslamp Quarter)
  
• Rancho Valencia Resort (Rancho Santa Fe)
  
• Ruth's Chris Steak House
• The Palm

Mark your calendars for January 27 - February 1, 2008; though I recommend heading over to OpenTable.com now to make your reservations -- it fills up quickly!

If You're Reading This

My brother Tim, an Army Sergeant stationed out of the 10th Mountain Division in Ft. Drum, NY, is serving his second tour in Iraq. There are two or three songs I've heard over the years that make me think of him, but not one has touched me the way this one does. The following is a video by Tim McGraw titled "If You're Reading This." It's told from the point of view of a soldier who's died in the war, and it's basically the letter he's written home. One can assume it's his wife reading the letter. The lyrics are below the video.

I don't care if you like Bush or not or if you support this war or not...you can still support the troops. It's the least we can do for them.

If You're Reading This
by Tim McGraw

If you’re reading this,
And my Mama's sitting there,
Looks like I only got a one-way ticket over here.
I sure wish I could give you one more kiss
And war was just a game we played when we were kids.
Well I’m laying down my gun
I’m hanging up my boots
I’m up here with God
And we’re both watching over you.

So lay me down,
In that open field out on the edge of town.
And know my soul
Is where my momma always prayed that it would go.
And if you’re reading this,
I’m already home.

If you’re reading this,
Half way around the world,
I won’t be there to see the birth of our little girl.
I hope she looks like you,
I hope she fights like me
Stands up for the innocent and the weak.
I’m laying down my gun
I’m hanging up my boots
Tell Dad I don’t regret that I followed in his shoes.

So lay me down,
In that open field out on the edge of town.
And know my soul
Is where my mama always prayed that it would go.
And if you’re reading this,
I’m already home.

If you’re reading this,
There’s gonna come a day
When you move on and find someone else
And that’s okay.
Just remember this
I’m in a better place
Where soldiers live in peace
And angels sing Amazing Grace.

So lay me down,
In that open field out on the edge of town.
And know my soul
Is where my momma always prayed that it would go
And if you’re reading this
If you’re reading this
I’m already home.