It is a pale morning, the sky speaks of rain to come. I open my kitchen window, a frigid air flows in; it does have a rainy smell. While New York is having 17C degrees warm temperature, this part of the world is still cold and damp. Soon, rain comes streaming down. I watch the storm rage with thunder and lightning and feel no urge to leave my apartment for work. It is already mid April; winter still lingers and does not want to go away. I decide to stay home and work on my resume.
So far, I have already applied for seven Federal jobs. The application process is tedious and extremely time consuming. Each job application requires a unique tailor federal style resume. The content must include personal profile, professional and personal strengths, experiences, duties, and responsibilities, and accomplishments. On top of that, I still have to write pages and pages of essay about KSAOs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics.) No wonder so many applicants got frustrated with the paper works and eventually gave up.
“You have to complete the paper-work to beat out your competition. Treat it just like another summit you want to reach, you can do it!”
words of wisdom from a friend, so, I started the process in January and spent three months to write and rewrite, edit and re-edit, finally came up with a satisfactory draft, 8-page long resume and 10-page KSAOs! Each time I apply for a position, I still have to rephrase my work experiences in such a way that they match up with the job descriptions, so by no mean my resume is finished. It will be an on-going battle until I receive a job offer.
After spending four hours on my resume, I get tired. Looking outside the window, I see clouds still hang somber, still drips rain, but it has lessened. I make myself a light lunch and determine to head out for my daily run/walk afterward, rain or no rain. When I am ready to go, rain ceases. By the time I reach the park, the sun is already shining through fluttering leaves, which all seem to sprout after the rain. Within half hour, the entire park goes through a complete transformation. I am enveloped by sunlight and warm air. Spring creeps in unknowingly and the morning rain signals the final departure of winter. My spir
its is uplifted by the sudden changes and I feel elated and energetic, so I run and run until my leg muscle aches.
its is uplifted by the sudden changes and I feel elated and energetic, so I run and run until my leg muscle aches. No doubt, I fancy Spring. Spring in New York is lovely. The magnolia tree growing by the street corner of my New York apartment must be in full bloom now, soon it will come the purple lilac, my old love. Here in Azerbaijan, Spring is just as attractive. I notice the miniature blue flower appearing everywhere in the neighborhood. It resembles the “Forget-Me-Not” blossom I once saw in Alaska. The plant draws to the sunlight. On a sunny day, the flowers unfold and audaciously radiate their shapes and color in front of every pedestrian, but no one pays any attention to the plant except me! Last week, I plucked a few and brought home to decorate my desk. They have been greeting me happily since.
On my way out of the park, I pass by a small dirt trail bisected by a dead tree trunk rotting back to new life, and a fresh daisy already blooming beside it. Ah, I love Spring, everything is so alive!
Then, it dawns on me that today is my birthday! No wonder I love Spring. One special April day indeed!
(I started my own little garden last year, the Chinese night-blooming plant is growing bigger. This plant is from Georgia, a place I visited last summer)
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