Outside Looking In

I spend parts of my working day talking to strangers, making them comfortable in an interview, assessing their skills and ultimately deciding if they are a good fit for our company. We hire based on skill and fit, so HR has an important role in shaping the culture and the people that work here. I see people in their interview state. Some nervous, some excited, some prepared, many not. Some defensive about their choices and others proud of their accomplishments. I question, observe and listen.

I often wonder how people see me. The "work" me, the "friend" me, the "mom" me, the "blog" me. Each little piece contributes to my personality, and not all of my bits of personality are seen by the same person.

When I submitted my blog for the Ottawa Blog Out Loud event, the reviewers and organizer just read my blog without having met me. They only knew the "blog" me. To help promote the event and the readers, Lynn (the organizer) writes a small summary of the writer and what they blog about. Here is what she had to say about me:

Megan’s blog, Sticks and Stones, is her place to pour out her heart, soul, and body – a place for her to share what it really means to live with rheumatoid arthritis. She’s a mother to two young kids, with a loving husband and a good job. But although there is much that is good about her life, there’s one thing that never goes away – RA.

It’s almost impossible for us to imagine living a life where pain is a constant, daily injections are a fact of life, and joint replacement surgeries happen to 37-year-old women. However, Megan’s powerful, moving posts draw us into her world, helping us see exactly what a life like that is like. Her confessional style of writing helps us really understand that this isn’t a disease for the weak – and Megan certainly isn’t weak.

Music is a key part of Megan’s life and she often has a song to reference as a framework for her posts. Come hear Megan’s own music, and see her strength, at Blog Out Loud.

This, I think, is a fairly accurate representation of the "blog" me. I am tough. I do write what I am feeling and I have been through some tough spots. I've come to accept my life as it is - RA and all. And this realization has been painful and honest, and documented mostly through this blog.

Song for the day - "Walk On" by U2. This song talks about the challenges that you may face in your life, but you need to just "Walk On" - and that is how I see myself.